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Sitting on a Story

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  Visit a park, choose a bench, explain your choice, and describe your bench For my bench, I chose the one outside the library. It’s the one just outside city hall, sheltered by a huge tree, hulking overhead. The backing of a tree makes it feel safe, as though I’m sheltered by this great spirit. The bench itself is not particularly comfortable. It’s made of wood slats, up the back and on to the concrete block below. The wood is a cool brown, bleached over the years by the sun. The lack of space below the bench prevents one from swinging their legs back and forth, or folding them beneath themselves. Much of the library landscaping is very modular and modern. The benches aren’t quite ergonomic enough for people to sit there for long periods of time. Much of it is mildly hostile, in attempts to ward off homeless people. All harsh lines and the most practical of shapes. I haven’t been to the library in quite a while. When I was younger, I used books as a form of escape. While my childh...
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Trial of man accused of cyberbullying Amanda Todd begins, pleads not guilty

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Posted: June 6, 2022 By: Simon Little Ten years ago, the case of Amanda Todd and her suicide swarmed aroudn the internet. It was used to spread a message: stop cyber-bullying. Now, the case has gone to trial, and Aydin Coban, the Dutch man accused of harassment and extortion, has plead not guilty. He was initially extradited to Canada in 2020, and charged with “extortion, possession of child pornography, communication with a young person to commit a sexual offence and criminal harassment.” The Crown alleges that he used a variety of accounts over four episodes to pressure Amanda to send him pornographic material, or threaten to distribute such to her family, friends, or school. While there is no question about whether or not Amanda Todd underwent extreme extortion and harassment, her mother hopes that this case will close the “who” and give Amanda the moment she deserves.    I find this article fascinating, as I remember watching this video when I was much younger in elementar...
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Minimum wages increased in B.C.

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Posted: May 31, 2022 By: Victoria (no last name given) The minimum wage in BC is increased from 15.20 to 15.65 as of June 1, 2022. This is the highest current minimum wage of any province. This increase comes as a part of a five year commitment to “help support workers and their families.” The change has so far benefitted up to 400,000 British Columbians, many of whom are “women, immigrants or youth.”  This increase is in conjunction with the 2.8% calculated inflation rate over the course of 2021. The Minister of Labour, Harry Bains, says that this is “a key step in helping to… build a strong economy for B.C.”  I think this is great news, especially as a young worker. I am, and likely will be for the foreseeable future, working minimum wages jobs to build up some savings. Anying increase in wages is always incredible news. However, I also recognize that this means a great deal more to a lot of other people. There have been consistent reports of people cutting back how much foo...
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COVID-19 updates

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Posted: June 5, 2022 By: Tiffany Crawford and Joseph Ruttle Hospitalizations are dropping in BC, with 421 hospitalized from May 22-28. However, COVID-19 cases rose by 10.4% in a week, and we may have to be looking out for other respiratory viruses as well. There is also a data void due to a lack of centralized information and very little information available to the majority population. This means we may miss out on valuable data about the lasting effects of COVID-19. However, it has been found that when the vaccine is administered during pregnancy, it has cut down on the number of  infant infections. Canada has kept the travel restrictions, and they will stay in place for at least another month. They have authorized 16 and 17 year olds to solely get a single shot of Pfizer or BioNTech, as it’s been found that a booster shot increases risks of inflammatory heart conditions.    Ultimately, I find this article interesting as, despite that there is still a pandemic clearly g...
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Company offers subscription based bike business to Vancouver

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Posted: May 18, 2022 By: Gerald Vander Pyl The Canadian company Zygg is introducing a subscription-based plan to own an electric bike. Electrical bikes have seen a massive boom in popularity in the past few years, and even more so as we see the rising gas prices. The Vancouver based company looks to provide residents with access to e-bikes for 99$ a month. Included is the “e-bike, free regular maintenance and reduced liability coverage.” Once interested, you would get to choose the model off of their website, fill out the forms, and the bike will be delivered directly to your door. With the subscription based model, it’s hoped that more residents will be willing to try e-bikes, due to the lack of commitment and lower prices.    I find this really interesting, and truly, if I were in need of more regular transportation, I would use this model. I’ve used e-bikes before, and I think they are something that needs a bit more development to be truly successful, and I believe that mo...
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Shireen Abu Akleh murdered by Israeli Occupying Forces

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Posted: May 26, 2022 By: Zeena Saifi, Eliza Mackintosh, Celine Alkhaldi, Kareem Khadder, Katie Polgase, Gianluca Mezzofiore and Aber Salman           An incredibly important Palestinian-American journalist was assasinated by Israeli Occupying Forces on May 11th. The journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, has been doing coverage for the Arab speaking world for nearly 30 years. She was a part of the ever-shrinking Palestinian Christian community, and was an American citizen. The Israeli Occupying Force was conducting a raid into a UN-recognized refugee camp, Jenin, when they opened fire on a group of journalists who were clearly marked as press. All journalists were wearing press helmets and vests, and Shireen was shot in the neck. It’s believed that someone personally aimed in a place where they could kill her, and many of the eye witnesses testify to such. The Israeli forces have denied these accusations, saying that it was the fault of Palestinian terrorists. They...
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Former Supreme Court Justice calls for the military to give up control over sexual assault cases

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Posted: May 30, 2022 By: Ashley Burke      A report from a former Supreme Court justice has come out on the Canadian Armed Forces, and includes recommendations for huge changes, including recruitment, military colleges, and for them to permanently give up control of sexual offence cases. Louise Arbour recommends that the cases are moved to be dealt with by civilian police and courts. She says that the military courts have dealt with these cases for years, but have done “little to improve efficiency, discipline and morale.” Victims have been calling for these changes for decades, saying that the Canadian Armed forces haven’t properly investigated or prosecuted cases. It’s also necessary, as military courts can take years to implement changes that civilian courts have had for years.         I feel as though it is a necessary change that should have been implemented much sooner. The military has consistently displayed violent, old fashioned, misogyni...
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