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The Canadian media will not use the words Palestine or genocide

Jenna Olsen
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The Canadian media will not use the words Palestine or genocide

I am complicit in the erasure of Palestine and the West’s refusal to admit the war on Gaza is a genocide. 

In March 2024, I covered a protest against the genocide happening in Palestine — or sorry, as the media would call it, a march in support of Palestinians — for my second-year reporting class at the University of King’s College. My article on the protest was eventually published in the Dalhousie Gazette, but not before my reporting professor edited the first draft — covering it with edits to make and rules to follow if I wanted to succeed on the assignment. What news consumers probably don’t know is that journalism has its own style guide, just like how that one annoying teacher makes you use Chicago. Every piece of writing from a Canadian publication must follow the Canadian Press style guides. There are thousands of rules, enough to fill two books: The Canadian Press Stylebook and The Canadian Press Caps and Spelling. 

My article on the protest was marked up with edits I’d never encountered before. My professor highlighted the word Palestine in the title, commenting that I couldn’t use it outside of quotation marks, and I had to change it to Palestinians. He did the same every time I wrote Palestine in the article. I was fuming and immediately combed through stories from other publications, anxious to prove him wrong. 

I told myself I’d read dozens of articles from major news outlets that used the word Palestine. I was wrong. CBC, CTV, the Globe and Mail etc. all only use Palestine when directly quoting someone, when referring to the name of an organization (ex. the Palestine Liberation Organization) or, in the trickiest one to decipher, when referring to Palestine in the context of it filing to become a member of an international organization, like the UN, where it’s official name would be Palestine. In an example from the Globe and Mail, “The United States vetoed a widely backed council resolution on April 18 that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for Palestine.” I was crestfallen as I begrudgingly changed Palestine to Palestinians, doing my part in the erasure of Palestine as a state and not just a people. 

Occasionally, publications use “pro-Palestine” to refer to groups of protestors or “the cause,” but again, it’s tricky, — in these cases, it’s being used to label a group and cause, not refer to a nation. 

The original opening sentence of my article was also marked up. What was “Several hundred people gathered on Saturday, March 2 in Victoria Park clutching signs and flags to protest the genocide in Palestine and call for a ceasefire,” became “Several hundred people gathered on Saturday, March 2 in Victoria Park clutching signs and flags to call for a ceasefire and protest Israel’s bombings and attacks in Gaza.” 

Other than being made to change Palestine to Palestinians, I also wasn’t allowed to use the word genocide outside of quotation marks. This “rule” made no sense to me. I was taught that in journalistic writing, I should use the most concise and effective word applicable to the situation I’m describing. 

The definition of genocide, according to the UN, is “any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: Killing members of the group; Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.” 

I feel 100 per cent confident that the atrocities committed in Palestine fit that definition. According to the UN Special Committee to investigate Israeli practices in November 2024, “Israel’s warfare in Gaza is consistent with the characteristics of genocide, with mass civilian casualties and life-threatening conditions intentionally imposed on Palestinians there.” But, like the Palestine exceptions, the word genocide is only used by the media within quotation marks or when referring to claims specifically made using the word. In an example from CBC, “At the United Nations’ top court in May, Israel strongly denied charges of genocide.” 

The media is manipulating you in so many ways you don’t realize. Before encountering this, I never read the news and thought, “Strange they don’t use the words Palestine or genocide here.” Even though the atrocities committed fit perfectly within the UN’s official classification of genocide, news outlets still refuse to use the word and acknowledge “the conflict” as a genocide. Under the UN’s Genocide Convention, genocide “is a crime under international law” which member countries have an obligation “to prevent and to punish.” Admitting there is a genocide in Palestine would mean countries around the world are complicit and legally must stop funding Israel, step in and punish the country for its crimes. The media is the mouthpiece that dictates the narrative of world events. Its influence on the general public and compliance in delivering propaganda cannot be glossed over. 

As the news editor of the Gazette, I’m also complicit. It was my choice to publish the final draft I wrote for class in the paper with the omission of Palestine and genocide. I’ve been so conditioned to believe everything must follow the style guide that I thought my article wouldn’t be taken seriously or published if I didn’t follow the rules. I figured a watered-down version of the story I wanted to tell would be better than not being able to tell it. 

In hindsight, I could’ve changed it. No one on our editorial team likely would’ve been aware of these “rules” stipulating how to discuss Palestine and genocide because they don’t appear in the Canadian Press style guides. Caps and Spelling mentions nothing, and Stylebook doesn’t say anything about not using Palestine either; it just says, “The National Geographic Atlas of the World is The Canadian Press’s authority for place names outside Canada with exceptions listed below.” Palestine is not included in the exceptions, so technically, there is no written rule for not using the word Palestine. It’s an unspoken rule newsrooms across the country enforce, ultimately engaging in the erasure of Palestine as a nation, which minimizes the responsibility of the international community to defend it. A nation that “doesn’t exist” can’t be defended.

By refusing to say Palestine, the media conditions the public to believe that Palestine isn’t a place, the Palestinians are a group of people. People who will be forced to survive elsewhere if Israel gets its way. By not using the word genocide, the media makes it easier for people around the world to stomach the genocide their countries are complicit in. By framing the “conflict” as a retaliation for Oct. 7 and not a genocide, the media upholds the narrative that Israel and the Western countries funding the genocide are “the good guys” and not those responsible for slaughtering over 62,000 people, displacing millions and destroying the homes and livelihoods of an entire nation.

A portrait of mom

Maryn Rice
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A portrait of mom

I put out a poll on my Instagram story asking what people wanted to read about in my next column, and “morally righteous profile of a friend” had a slight majority over “pop culture take” and “personal philosophy.” So, after much thought, I decided to focus this week’s column on someone who often plays more of a managerial role in my life when helping to book flights and doctor’s appointments but is my best friend when it counts: my mom. 

Over reading week, my mom and I travelled across the pond to visit my older sister Sarah (another recurring character in the column at this point), who moved her life to London in the fall. For context, my mother and I are quite anxious, type-A people who rely on planning and list-making as coping mechanisms. So naturally, family vacations are typically heavily structured and leave little time for relaxation. But my mom took a different approach this trip, which fell right in the middle of an insanely busy semester for me. She had a rough idea of things she wanted to do and see, but wanted us to “go with the flow.” 

Every few hours, we checked in with each other to assess if scones or tea were needed or if that next museum was worth our time. We walked a ton and became very familiar with the Tube, but never forced anything. We felt washed in a layer of calm, floating around the chaotic city in a peaceful little orb, exploring without pressure to achieve anything while my sister finished her work week.

When we joined Sarah for weekend activities, my mom’s tone-setting did more than ease my anxious mind; it bridged generational divides. 

We decided to cap off Friday night with a trip to a pub to meet Sarah’s friends from Toronto, who also moved to London. The next night, I was glued to my sister in a crowded kitchen, far cleaner than the student housing I’ve become accustomed to. We were surrounded by 28-year-old Canadian expats who kept going on about how much we both talked and acted like our mother. A few days later, when the haze of my hectic journey home finally wore off and this memory came back to me, I was struck with pride and the inspiration for this column.

My mother has always been strong-willed, driven, opinionated and full of high expectations for her three daughters. She is also the most kind-hearted, good-intentioned, generous person I’ve ever known. Remembering her interactions with Sarah’s friends on our trip, I have visions of my mom’s inquisitive expression, genuine interest, and, most of all, her infectious laugh that could make anyone feel at ease. There is no one else I’d rather be compared to. 

And oh yeah, when I missed my flight back to Halifax due to a ridiculously late night and a mysterious case of multiple alarms never going off, she waited the perfect amount of time to laugh with me and give me the necessary motherly speech about lessons you have to learn once in your life. 

So, not only did she let go of our genetic urge to plan and pack our days full of excursions and activities, and remind my sister and I how lucky we are to have been raised by such an amazing woman, she also let me make a mistake and gave me a goldilocks amount of shit for it. 


One of my qualms with writing this kind of column is that I struggle to justify painting shining portraits of people in my life. It feels sort of cheap to only represent someone’s best qualities because humans are riddled with flaws. I know this. But in thinking and writing about my mom, I started to understand my initial intentions for this body of work again. There is a lot of darkness in the world. Although it is incredibly important to educate yourself, I think it’s healthy and necessary to read something that pulls you into the light now and then. I hope my beautiful mother could be that for you today — she certainly has been for me.

Dalhousie experts weigh in on the ‘uncertainty’ surrounding Canada-U.S. tariffs

Calvin Borghardt
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Dalhousie experts weigh in on the ‘uncertainty’ surrounding Canada-U.S. tariffs

*This article was written on March 4.

On March 6, Trump waived the 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods covered under CUSMA, which, according to CTV News, covers 95 per cent of goods traded between Canada and the U.S.

Canada responded by delaying $125 billion in retaliatory tariffs from March 24 to April 2 but kept $30 billion in tariffs that were already in place. 

On March 4, U.S. President Donald Trump followed through with his threat to impose 25 per cent tariffs on everything Canada sends south.

Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Canadian goods on Jan. 20, before pushing it to Feb. 1, then Feb. 4 and finally to March 4. In response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau implemented 25 per cent counter-tariffs on American imports. 

Lars Osberg is a professor in the department of economics at Dalhousie University. Osberg told the Dalhousie Gazette that Trump’s repeated tariff threats have produced “an unprecedented amount of economic uncertainty in Canada coming out of basically nowhere within the last few months.”

Robert Huish, an associate professor in the department of international development studies at Dalhousie, agreed with Osberg. 

“We’re looking at a new era of uncertainty,” Huish said. “One that is governed by continuous threat, and we don’t know where the next one’s coming from because it’s so erratic. It’s often so ham-fisted that we’re unsure of how to make anything work in a relationship like that.”

Gabrielle Bardall, a political science professor at Dalhousie, told Dal News, “Canadian leaders are very aware that this is possibly the opening act — not the grand finale — of a potential trade war. Retaliation is likely to be highly targeted, including dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs, changes to public procurement to prioritize Canadian producers and immediate relief measures for workers directly impacted.” 

On March 3, Trudeau released a statement saying Canada will impose 25 per cent retaliatory tariffs on $155 billion of American goods. According to the statement, tariffs on $30 billion of goods will go into effect immediately and tariffs on the remaining $125 billion of goods will go into effect on March 24.

“Tariffs will disrupt an incredibly successful trading relationship. They will violate the very trade agreement that was negotiated by President Trump in his last term,” Trudeau said. “Let me be unequivocally clear – there is no justification for these actions. … Canada will not let this unjustified decision go unanswered.”

The 51st State

Trump has repeatedly made comments since his return to office about taking over Canada and making it the “51st state.”

According to CTV News, Trudeau told business leaders at a summit in Toronto on Feb. 7 that Trump’s threat to make Canada the 51st state is a “real thing” — in part as a way to gain access to Canada’s critical minerals.

Trump confirmed that he’s serious about threatening to annex Canada in a Fox News interview on Feb. 9. 

“I think Canada would be much better off being a 51st state because we lose $200 billion a year with Canada, and I’m not going to let that happen,” Trump said. “It’s too much.”

Alternatives for Canada

Huish thinks there are a lot of countries in the Pacific that would benefit greatly by having more interactions and trade with Canada, particularly South Korea and Taiwan. 

“I think Canada’s going to find itself in a real tough spot where we’ve got sour relations with China, soured relations with India and quite brutal relationships with the United States at the moment,” Huish said. “We’re really looking for friends because we’re suddenly moved from being perhaps one of the most geographically secure countries in the world to being one of the most vulnerable.”

Broken trust

In November 2018, Trump signed a revised and renamed version of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) called the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

“Does it matter that this same president signed an agreement, called it the best trade agreement ever not so many years ago, and now suddenly that’s completely forgotten?” said Osberg. “It’s not entirely clear how a world economic and political system works when the biggest dominant power has a word that can’t be trusted.”

Osberg expressed uncertainty at how much American promises are now worth to Canadians.

“This is what’s happening to somebody with whom [America] had cultural and political ties, as well as economic ties,” he said. “If that’s what happens to [their] friends, what happens to everybody else?”

The DSU Food Bank provides students with anonymous food assistance

Amélie Da Costa
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The DSU Food Bank provides students with anonymous food assistance

The DSU Food Bank has been operating in the basement of Dalhousie’s Student Union Building for 10 years. The food bank allows students to access food assistance anonymously and serves 150 people a week on average. Eighty-nine per cent of food bank users are students. 

Louis Holman, the manager and only employee of the food bank, said that the number of people using the food bank has “definitely increased a lot” in the last few years. 

Holman started working for the food bank in August. 

“I have volunteered at other free meal halls and food banks and have experienced food insecurity myself,” he said. “I just know how important it is to have consistent access to quality food and how it’s so much harder now with the economy and rising prices.” 

People are only allowed to access the food bank once a week.  

“I know that people do need a lot more food, but with our capacity, we are only able to help folks every seven days,” Holman said. 

Most of the food bank’s supply, and all of the produce, comes from Feed Nova Scotia, which distributes food to 140 food banks throughout the province. It gives the DSU Food Bank an average of 300 to 550-kilograms of products a week. 

“We would not be able to have fresh vegetables or fruits without them,” said Holman. “Feed Nova Scotia also gives us a lot of frozen meats.”

The Dal Office of Advancement holds an annual Giving Tuesday fundraiser to help fund the food bank. 

“This past year was incredible,” Holman said. “They were able to raise $138,000 for us and The Food Pantry [the food bank on Dalhousie’s Truro campus]. This was our most successful year.”

Despite the advancement office’s funding assistance, Holman said the food bank is struggling with rising grocery prices. The rising prices also mean Feed Nova Scotia has less food to redistribute to individual food banks. 

“Feed Nova Scotia gets donations from grocery stores that are trying to squish their margins, so they are donating less food because they have less food that is about to go bad,” he said.

The food bank also distributes hygiene products, which, according to Holman, are some of the most needed items. 

“Stuff like sanitary pads, toothpastes, toothbrushes, are super critical. If you are struggling to purchase food, you are also struggling to purchase self-care items,” he said. 

Student volunteers

More than 30 student volunteers from Dalhousie and the University of King’s College help Holman run the food bank.

Kushal Panchal has been volunteering at the food bank since March 2024. 

“The work has allowed a chance to interact with individuals of various backgrounds and be part of initiatives that directly affect the student population,” Panchal said. “It is a rewarding way of giving back while remaining engaged with the campus community.” 

According to Panchal, misconceptions about food banks remain strong.

“A common myth I have heard is that food banks distribute low-quality food, which is completely wrong,” he said. “All volunteers take personal care that each food item is fresh and good to consume.” 

Accessing assistance

The DSU Food Bank is open in the afternoon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

“Thursdays specifically are Dal only days,” Holman said. “We usually have a lot more variety because it is our delivery day. We give that benefit to Dal students.”

Holman wants to spread awareness to students that there is a food bank on campus. 

“We have our donation barrels in the building, but we want to try to extend that to other places on campus so that we are able to collect more donations and raise awareness that there is a food bank,” he said. 

AI doesn’t make good art

Claire Kelly
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AI doesn’t make good art

The 21st century has been a time of rapid change, introducing innovations that while we have come to enjoy, we may not necessarily need. One such invention is artificial intelligence (AI) and, more specifically, AI-generated art.

While there are both advantages and disadvantages to AI, the negatives outweigh the positives. AI-generated art can be considered unethical or immoral due to its aid in misinformation and fake news, however, some artists use AI for inspiration, adding to their own creativity.

The importance of art 

It is undoubtable that artists have enriched the world with their creativity, hard work and passion. Art has provided people with not only a form of self-expression but also a means of making a living. What I love most about art is its possibilities for deeper meaning — two people can interpret the same piece in entirely different ways. This subjectivity is part of what makes human-made art so special. There is something special and unquantifiable about an artist’s style, such as Sandro Botticelli’s realism and movement, which I believe AI could never replace.

However, with the rise of AI-generated art, we are at risk of losing the thousands of years of creativity that have become an essential part of human culture.

The dangers of AI-generated art

Misinformation is one of the biggest dangers of AI, as U.S. President Donald Trump demonstrated when he used AI-generated images to illustrate his proposed plan for Gaza. This careless use of AI sets a dangerous precedent, making it easier for others to manipulate information in similar ways. 

Beyond misinformation, AI — whether used for churning out essays or for creating art — also poses an environmental threat. According to the International Energy Agency, a single request made through ChatGPT consumes 10 times the electricity of a single Google search. Additionally, data centres generate electronic waste containing harmful substances such as mercury and lead. The environmental cost of AI is far greater than many people realize.

And because AI is easily accessible to many, it makes it that much more tempting to the average Joe’s who use it, which makes it that much more dangerous.

AI is not a good replacement

Another issue with AI is its lack of originality. Professors often criticize AI-generated writing for being repetitive, with similar sentence structures, phrasing and ideas. I think that the same criticism applies to AI-generated art.

Artists possess unique talents that set their work apart, from individual brushstrokes to distinctive colour palettes. AI can produce artwork, but it cannot replicate the nuances of human creativity, nor should AI-generated pieces be valued in the same way as traditional art. What makes human-made art so compelling is the experience it provides — both for the artist and for those who engage with it.

Put simply, AI-generated art is just not as good as human-made art. There will always be something it lacks.

The benefits

That said, AI-generated art isn’t entirely without merit. If used ethically — unlike in Trump’s case — it can be a useful tool, even for artists. For instance, AI can help spark creativity, much like how ChatGPT can assist with brainstorming topics for an essay. 

AI can also generate images of historical events that predate modern photography, offering an interesting visual interpretation of the past.

If you are chronically online, like me, you may have come across TikTok or Instagram videos with captions like “POV: You wake up in WW2 in Czechia in 1945.” These short clips offer pure entertainment, not necessarily because they’re convincing, but because for better or worse, they are interesting to look at. At best, they offer an artistic interpretation based on historical records, news articles or people’s real experiences.

We need human art

Art is more than just images. It takes many forms — from dance and film to music, or anything that involves creative expression. But most of all, art is human. Art is the product of human thoughts, emotions, experiences and backgrounds. It is deeply personal and subjective. And that is its true beauty. The way art makes people feel, and the way people create art in response to those feelings, is something irreplaceable. No matter how advanced AI becomes, it will never replicate human creativity.

AI-generated art may have its place in the digital world, but it should never overshadow human artistry. Instead of replacing artists, AI should be used to enhance creativity in ways that support, rather than undermine, the work of those who dedicate their lives to making art.

Canada will not become the 51st state

Alyson Moncur-Beer
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Canada will not become the 51st state

If anyone tuned in to the United States vs. Canada hockey game on Feb. 20, you could feel the patriotic energy through the screen. Both teams competing went in with something to prove — and it wasn’t just about their on-ice performance. 

The growing tension between Canada and the U.S. has been hard to ignore. President Trump has continued to spread an intense rhetoric about Canada becoming “the 51st state.” 

After Canada pulled out a win during overtime in the game, there have been more retort jokes across social media, with Canadians now calling the U.S. our “11th province.”

As laughable as all these statements may seem, many are shifting in their seats at the thought of Canada losing its sovereignty. It’s worth exploring the validity of Trump’s threats along with Canada’s future and identity. 

Polarization vs. unity

Regardless of what side you agree with, there is no avoiding the fact that the U.S. is currently a divided country. With stark differences between political parties, the country is becoming increasingly polarized, and it is no longer sufficient to be indifferent. 

That said, I believe these statements have united Canadians like never before. Citizens who were once vocal Trudeau-haters are praising his rebuttal speech. Hockey fans are collectively booing the U.S. anthem. There are many things that make Canadians different in each province or in personal identities, but there is a collective love for our country that breaks through these differences. Although it may be scary to hear constant noise from the media, I urge people to take comfort in the fact that we’re all in this together. 

In doing my research on the logistics of Canada becoming the 51st state, I came across a great quote from Grant Wyeth discussing the practicality of transforming us into a state. 

“Be serious — even if Donald Trump often doesn’t seem to be,” remarks Wyeth. 

Genevieve Beauchemin, in a CTV article, sheds light on what would really need to happen in order for this to come to fruition. She explains all provinces would likely have to join separately, and goes on to discuss that “it would require [the] agreement of the House of Commons, the Senate, and every province”. 

A lot of people would have to say yes to something they aren’t particularly inclined to say yes to. 

She ends with a message telling Canadians that Trump is probably just looking for a reaction by invoking a threat. 

These articles eased my mind about how losing our sovereignty is not a probable outcome, but rather a melodramatic maneuver. As someone who is currently studying psychology,, I will say that the goal of most narcissists is to try and keep control of you through any means possible — and one of the most common methods is through empty threats. 

Final thoughts

I believe it is important to analyze the new sense of blithe that has come about from the politics in the U.S., as it is part of the reason the news has become so frightening. 

Personally, I was appalled at Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, and her comments made before the aforementioned Four Nations game. In her press conference, she casually said, “we look forward to beating our soon-to-be 51st state, Canada!” 

The “soon-to-be” tossed in with a light laugh raised questions for me. How is it permissible for a political White House aide to be so cavalier about the violation of a nation’s self-governance? This is not a question that I have the answers to, but something I think is important to be addressed. 
There are too many things to say about Trump’s 51st state remarks to fit into one small article. If all of this discourse is making you nervous, try and focus on the facts instead of pure emotion. Trump never fully delivered on his promise to build a giant wall. He never delivered on his promise of “no more gun free zones.” He promised to lower debt, and didn’t commit to that either. He’s great at making promises, but it’s more than likely that his 51st state wish will remain just that — a wish.

Noisy people in the library should be punished

Jack Amos
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Noisy people in the library should be punished

A childhood friend recently returned to our local school as a substitute teacher. He shared with me the private thought that the main problem with primary schooling is the lack of resources available to teachers to ensure motivation for students to engage with their studies. Hearing this I couldn’t help but think of a comparison in my own studies, a similarity not with the classrooms, but with the library. This is not an indictment of staff, but rather an observation that they lack the appropriate resources to enforce the golden rule of libraries: silence.

Be quiet

Despite the numerous signs and institutional taboos enforcing silence in the University of King’s College Library, these measures do not seem to be enough to ensure obedience. I speak not from mere irritation or critique but from desperation. There are only so many times I can bear having a study session tanked by the unseen but all-too-heard second-year prattling to their boyfriend about Brittany Broski, the frat boy scrolling through Instagram reels with the volume cranked and the broadway enthusiast singing — and I mean singing — the Spongebob musical theme song out loud. 

There’s only so many times I can bear having my fickle attention ripped from my reading by an imbecilic conversation discussing the latest dormitory drama. There’s only so many times I can have my focus torn from me by an Augustus Gloop wannabe munching on a box of individually wrapped chocolates. One time, while reading, I had just coaxed my disobedient focus into a state of hyperfixation, when my peaceful study was obliterated by the nattering of a couple on their first date. I don’t care who your favourite artist is, what you think of Pelotons or your employment history, so long as you share these fun facts outside of the silent Sancta Sanctorum that is the Library. 

Not my circus…

If some outsider were to poke their head in on a weekday they’d think they walked in on a zoo of college happenings, a downright cortisol circus. They’d see Chadwick munching fistfuls of sour cherries while he scrolls his phone, Tammy and Derek flirting in the philosophy section, Phloyd practicing calisthenics near the computers and Valentine playing bass guitar by the marble busts while a troupe of merry pranksters tie-dye a school bus beside the water fountain. The library has no system of punishment to ensure a silent atmosphere, no way to effectively motivate compliance, and thus the one sanctuary where we can retreat to crank out assignments, readings and whatever else is demanded from us is reduced to a bohemian orgy of distraction. If we wanted to witness the chaos of student drama in action we’d camp out in the Wardy, or if that didn’t satisfy our depraved voyeuristic cravings, the Killam. 

Since opinion writing is a fine line between insightful observation and all out complaint, I shall return to the centre field by proposing a solution: The library requires a new branch of support staff, a league of Volume Monitors. Librarians and their assistants have no legitimate authoritative power to enforce the single most important rule of silence. If such miscreants are brash enough to make such a racket in a library, they’re not going to feel compelled to obey the poor souls paid to enforce this seemingly impossible standard. 

Troublemakers must be punished

A solution of force is the only possible way order can be restored. We need a squadron of uniformed officers armed with dog control poles and trained in Jiu Jitsu. A zero tolerance policy must be adopted towards all those who wish to abuse the silence. Violators are to be seized from their desks and thrown out, like mongrels. If the dog control poles fail then buttery nets, tranquilizer darts and blow guns will do just fine. We must develop systems of punishment to preserve the sanctuary of the library, to allow the librarians to assert their authority, via carrot or stick, over those who dare to commit such offensive misdemeanours. With such systems in place I can only imagine the blissful silence that would set in over the library, like some comforting velvety blanket of freshly fallen snow. It’d be a silence that’s only broken by the soft turning of a page, the subtle rustle of a book reshelved and the gentle clip clop of vinyl heeled patrol boots on linoleum.

For those of you entitled enough to chatter in the sacred halls of the library, just remember, we, the silent, are there as well — and we can hear you.

The impossibility of scent free zones

Jack Amos
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The impossibility of scent free zones

The other week I had the privileged opportunity to become cultured: I witnessed my first symphony. Set in the beautiful Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, I nestled down to experience my initiation into the upper echelons of culture. As the lights went down, an invisible emcee politely reminded us to turn our cellphones off and notified us we were in a “scent-free” zone. I shan’t say this announcement spoiled my ascendence up the ladder of class, but it did bring to mind a long held suspicion of scent-free spaces. 

As a resident stinker, I have been troubled by the recent popularity of scent-free initiatives, that now range from music halls to public libraries, and now the university campus. While I understand the unfortunate sensitivities some folks have to noxious artificial scents (I’m not an overt fan of Axe body spray myself), I think the uptick in prohibitive legislation has been made without considering the past cultural approach to the smell of the human body. The social atmosphere is such that if someone were to show up to work or school or some other public venue reeking of body odour, sex or whatever other cocktail of odours our organisms produce, they are seen as an antisocial pariah and an inconvenience. I know this to be true because I have done so and been received as such. I’m a sweaty boy with a distinctive musk that even I find troubling at times. 

The history of my stench

I’ve been told I reek. Mostly by my mother but on the odd occasion by peers, fellow students and colleagues. To my credit I have a cultural disconnect I have trouble surpassing. I grew up in a dry cabin without running water or electricity, bathing in an oversized rubbermaid tub filled with melted snow water, at regular intervals of once or twice a month. Call me filthy, call me a barbarian, but this is the background I bring to the debate surrounding scent-free spaces. When puberty first hit me in this hillbilly horror story, my parents made quite a display of my developing body odour, inviting relatives, family friends and neighbours to take a whiff of my budding manhood. It was humiliating to be paraded around the living room before a crowd of familiar faces with nothing but my jeans on, arms raised above my head, just to prove to the community I was developing accordingly and on track. 

After that humiliating ritual I became incredibly self conscious of my odour. Taking initiative to spare my own embarrassment, I tried frequent showers at the local laundromat. While some youth turn to compulsive masturbation after the fruits of puberty begin to bloom, I had recourse to scrubbing my body with the intensity of a jackhammer. I tried everything; loofahs, volcanic bath rocks, sponges, washcloths and for a short period steel wool. I tried Dr. Bronner’s scented and unscented soap. I tried hand soap, bar and liquid. I tried vinegar, and when that failed, diluted bleach. Nothing worked. I took to experimenting with different scent products; stick deodorant, body spray, cologne, perfume, Febreze and carried a fresh urinal cake around in my back pocket for a short time. No matter what I did I couldn’t shake the undercurrent of sour pot smoke and stale sweat that seemed to ooze non-stop from my pores. My hygienic trials and experiments have proven one thing: for some folks if not all, it is quite impossible to banish all smell from the body. It seems I am cursed to be an offensive affront on either the nostrils of the everyday city goer, or on the medical conditions and allergies of the scent-sensitive. I am doomed to be a walking harassment to the very idea of scent-free zones. 

Scent free zones are contradictory and nonsensical

It seems the logical sum of these cultural stances result in the attempted neutralization of the human scent. Despite how thoroughly you scrub yourself with scent-free soap or how often you use that salt stick on your underarms, the human body will still produce some whiff of dermatological ecosystems. The possibility of establishing a truly scent-free zone is about as likely as establishing a dust-free one. The human body smells, there’s no way around it. If smelling of Old Spice is considered antisocial, and smelling like yourself is antisocial as well, the conclusion is that the only way to be considerate of everyone’s experience is to not smell at all. And that demand is practically impossible.

Using artificial intelligence as a student: walking a fine line

Kate Link-Horvath
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Using artificial intelligence as a student: walking a fine line

Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. And as it continues to develop, it remains up in the air how it will affect our academic institutions. It could be a scary step in the direction of all that the sci-fi genre has been trying to warn us about: one day you’re using AI to fix your grammar, the next you’re on the run from sexy robot Megan Fox, an Ex Machina horror story. 

All jokes aside, the conversation around AI is relevant for students and anyone in academic institutions because it truly is inescapable. Even for those who aren’t actively seeking out AI, it’s now integrated into simple, everyday software like the Google search engine. 

I wonder, though, what is the cost of this technology — and what does it say about the students that use it? As with all new inventions in the realm of technology, there are pros and cons to consider 

Learning enhancement versus abuse of technology

There is a fine line between abusing the power of AI within an academic institution and using it in a scholarly manner. It seems justifiable to use AI to enhance one’s learning. 

Maybe you’ve done a set of calculus or statistics questions and want to check your answers — there is nothing wrong with wanting to learn from your mistakes and have AI show how to better solve a question. In this instance, the student has put in the work and used their own learned skills but is using the technology to enhance their learning. 

It becomes different when a student uses AI to do the work for them. In this case, technology is taking away from one’s learning experience. With all the expenses of attending post-secondary institutions, I would hope that students would want to make the best of their experience and put in effort to better themselves. Not only can AI take away from a student’s learning, but it is also often wrong, providing incorrect information and citations. Having AI not only do the work, but have it do it incorrectly is certainly not a risk I am willing to take. 

Although I do not recommend the use of AI, and generally frown upon it, I don’t think it is necessarily a poor reflection of students if they use it: AI has been produced to be used and is very easily accessible. Students have been set up by mass corporations with control — like Google — and put in a position where it often seems implausible to not use it. But the easiest method is not always the best, and I think AI reflects this.

AI & the English student — additional cons

For an English student writing essays and doing creative writing assignments, AI is simply a waste of my time: the whole point of my degree is to develop critical thinking skills and explore my own writing style. If I used AI to write, I would no longer be thinking about these things at all. 

Even something as simple as the editor tool on Microsoft Word can be frustrating — oftentimes the recommended grammar is not what I’m looking to do and is wrong; wording choice recommendations also take away from my writing style. I think there is merit in scholarly learning and taking the time to do the work oneself. University can be stressful, but it feels so rewarding when I’ve done an assignment well — and if AI did my work for me, the experience would no longer be rewarding. I hope others share this sentiment and honour the better parts of academia — like the reward that comes from doing work yourself.

Professors’ response to AI use

So far in my academic career, most of my professors have handled the use of AI well. In many classes, tests are done on paper or online in a lockdown browser, and these methods seem pretty foolproof. As for papers or assignments, it can get trickier.

I’ve seen varying levels of AI mentions within various syllabuses: some have no statements on AI whatsoever; meanwhile, some have mention of a firm rule of using zero AI as addressing this. And it can get tricky for a prof, seeing as how at times it can be difficult to discern between AI use or a commonplace phrase. 

At the end of the day, by abusing the technology available, you can put your academic career at risk. At the end of the day, the person you’re hurting the most in using AI for school is yourself.

Your vote matters: Students in the 2025 federal election

Kate Link-Horvath
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0
Your vote matters: Students in the 2025 federal election

With every generation comes new perspectives and different societal values. As our population and economy changes, so do the needs of the people. There will be a Canadian federal election before Oct. 20, 2025, likely in the fall — and for many new, young students, this will be the first time casting their ballot in an election. This can be an exciting and important opportunity to exercise one’s civic duty as a citizen of a democratic country. Voting can be empowering, and although it can seem like a difficult decision, or at times irrelevant, at the end of the day your vote matters. The election is the time to give your input and attempt to create change.

Canadian election & voting process

Knowing who to vote for can prove to be a challenge, especially as a new voter, but there are a variety of things you can do to prepare for the election and become educated on which parties represent what ideals as well as how the voting process actually works. A first step is to understand how the election process works. In the most basic explanation, Canada is divided into ridings (or federal electoral districts). Each party will have a candidate running in each riding; there may also be independent candidates running. This is who you will be voting for. Whoever wins the majority of the vote in their riding then represents the area as a member of Parliament. For more information on forms of government, you can look at Parliament of Canada’s website. 

For the actual voting process, there are many different methods available: you can vote on the day of the election, in advance polling days, at any elections office or by mail. It is important to note that in doing any of these, you must first ensure that you are registered to vote at your current address. For a more detailed look on the voting process, Elections Canada is one of many good resources. 

The importance of voting

Students are the future, and our future is dependent on the actions of our government. So, it only makes sense to promote a government with values and action plans to further support a future we want. Some students think the election may not impact them or may think their vote does not matter. But not voting means that your voice is not making a difference within the election. 

For example, you might support a minor party. And because you don’t think they will win, you don’t vote. But if everyone whose views align with a very small party do not vote because they think they won’t win, the party of course is not going to get votes. However, if enough people with the same mindset,vote, change is possible. 

Knowing who to vote for

The federal government regulates several things, including: criminal law, national defense, citizenship and marriage. You don’t need to know every single detail of the federal government to know what your general political values are. 

Each party runs a campaign prior to the election, promoting their ideals and proposals for the government. Public Service Alliance of Canada provides a breakdown of each major party’s electoral platforms, with links to each of their individual websites. Elections Canada is another great site with direct information and direct links to all registered political parties. 

It is important to be informed, as voting blindly is more of a disservice than not voting at all. In showing up to the election ready to vote but being unaware of the policy plans and values of the party you vote for, there is a shade of danger. Especially with one-sided media, or heresay, improper information can falsely inform citizens of those running for political power. Looking at multiple sources when doing research, and sifting through information is important. Since the government voted in will create laws and everyday policies that affect us, being informed when voting is imperative.  

Taking next steps

If you are passionate about political action, you can do more than vote. A form of political participation students can partake in is contacting local members of Parliament and other party members to advocate for one’s concerns. This can be done by email, letter or phone. 

By doing this, you can further exercise your right to freedom of speech and help spark discussions about any number of social and economic issues. 

An even bigger step could be volunteering for a political campaign. If you have done your research and are particularly interested in a party, you can meet your local representatives and aid in their campaign. This can include going door to door, discussing values and plans of your supported party to the public, and promoting the vote and democracy in general. This is a great way to not only further engage with the election, but also further promote the party with which your values most align. 

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