StFX Scholar Strike

On September 9 and 10, 2020, scholars at universities across Canada stepped out of their virtual and physical classrooms to protest racism and police brutality in North America. They paused their teaching and administrative duties, and instead organized marches, demonstrations, and teach-ins in support of a list of demands. Those demands include: defunding the police and redistributing the resources to BIPOC, queer, and trans communities; removing campus police; addressing the underrepresentation of BIPOC faculty at Canadian institutions; and committing to actively “recruit, admit, retain, and mentor” BIPOC students.

The Scholar Strike Canada website states that the concept was inspired by a tweet from Dr. Anthea Butler, who was inspired by the recent WNBA and NBA strike. Dr. Butler’s call for a similar labour action from academics quickly garnered attention, and spurred action in the U.S (her home country) as well as in Canada, where the nation-wide strike was organized by Beverly Bain and Min Sook Lee.

Photo by Addy Strickland

Desmond Cole, a Canadian journalist, author, and activist, gave the keynote to kick off the Canadian strike and teach-ins on September 9. Titled “Abolition or death: Confronting police forces in Canada,” the keynote asked “who is being policed in Canada and why?” The answer is the motivation behind ongoing Black Lives Matter protests, and the driving force behind the fight to abolish the police. Cole spends three minutes of the talk listing the everyday ways in which police violence is perpetuated:

“It’s the arrests and assaults on us that are then documented as assaults against the police … It’s the routine sexual assaults of women by police officers because they know that they can get away with it … It’s the clearing out of homeless encampments during a global pandemic because people who own property don’t want to see homeless people around them ... It’s the thousands of black people in this country who can’t apply for jobs because they have a criminal record for possessing or selling marijuana ... It’s the police intimidation of non-status families, who want to send their kids to school but don’t, because they are scared of being deported.”

Abolition isn’t about money, Cole says; it’s “about our lives.”

Scholars at StFX were quick to join the strike, and support the calls to action. Following Cole’s keynote, dozens of faculty, staff, students, and community members met masked and social-distanced in front of the Coady International Institute. Organized by Dr. Corrine Cash and Dr. Donna Trembinski, the gathering highlighted the voices of people of colour, featuring speeches from Denton Anthony, Tara Reddick, Dhruv Patel, Ornella Nzindukiyimana, and Wendy Mackey. Dr. Cash was very pleased with the turnout, seeing various athletic teams, coaches, and community members out in support alongside faculty and students.

In her own speech, Dr. Cash called for StFX administration to “create a multiracial committee that conducts an audit of all facets of the university to identity racism, discriminations.” She shared that she hopes a study of this kind could be used to inform real action, in the form of a

strategic plan aimed at obliterating racism and discrimination on campus. Dr. Cash encourages anyone who wishes to see the same to email StFX President Dr. Andy Hakin, and let him know.

The event comes at a pressing time for StFX, following the announcement of an increased RCMP presence on campus. A number of the event’s speakers explicitly condemned the school’s decision to allow RCMP on campus, and the province’s decision to involve them in check-ins for isolating students.

Photo by Addy Strickland

Following the speeches, the organizers led a march through campus, stopping to chant “Black Lives Matter” and “no justice, no peace” in front of Dr. Hakin’s office, as well as across from the RCMP station on West Street.

In an interesting turn of events, members of the school’s upper administration, including President Hakin and Academic Vice President Kevin Wamsley, were also present at the march. Donna Trambinski shares that “it was great to see them, but they’re putting into practice policies that are problematic for people of colour on campus.” Attending a march is one thing, but actually doing the work to ensure a safe and equitable campus environment is something else entirely. “It would be really nice to see them do something, and to respond to the problematic announcement of RCMP on campus,” shared Trembinski.

It is evident in their enthusiastic participation that many StFX faculty, staff, and students wish to see an end to racism and discrimination on campus. The question now, is what will it take for that to happen, and how much more of a push do administration need to act?

Pray For It: Bold Change or Failed Attempt? July Talk REVIEW

July Talk has always been known to please their fans. 

The Toronto band features the clashing voices of the soft and soaring Leah Fay, the gravelly and growling Peter Dreimanis, drummer Danny Miles, bassist Josh Warburton, and guitarist Ian Docherty. The group are known for their energetic and loud live shows, often involving Faye dancing around the stage and getting into the crowd, all while barefoot. The band has earned a reputation as one of Canada’s loudest and most in-your-face bands of the modern era.

Prior to Pray For It, July Talk released 2 studio albums — a self titled album in 2012, and Touch in 2016. The self-titled album inseminated the public ear with a brand of abrasive and loud rock music the band would be known for, a sound they would deliver again on Touch. 

While July Talk was hit after hit front-to-back, Touch showed signs of progression from the band, experimenting more with their sound and giving their tracks more room to breathe.

When the band began releasing singles for Pray For It, the songs signified a new sonic palette  for the band. Their signature gritty guitar riffs and fire-in-the-belly attitude was traded for something smoother, more relaxed and less in-your-face. 

Going into this album, the listener is posed a question: Is Pray For It a step in the right direction or a failed attempt at a new sound?

On Pray For It, the band has infinite space to move around and experiment with their sound. Is this album perfect? No. Is it a step in the right direction? Absolutely. After 8 years of sitting on the same material, the July Talk sound becomes stale. On Pray For It, the band presents a whole set of new ideas sonically and lyrically that blow their earlier material out of the water.

Although July Talk is known for their sound, the best thing about Pray For It, by far, is the songwriting. The group has always touched on social justice, gender and sexuality, violence. On Pray For It, the band looks at the way these themes affect society and explores a simple question: why? The band looks at  these relationships from a microscopic viewpoint and explores their intricacies on a level much deeper than surface. 

This all starts on the opening track, and third single from the album, Identical Love, which starts the album on a very haunting note with a very fragile and sweeping drone that builds throughout the song and erupts like a firework display later in the track. The writing is almost poetic.

“The evening heat surrounded us // It blossomed from the cup // The only one of their kind // Welcome inside”

The album then moves into the song Good Enough which has very dark lyrics about feeling inadequate and being in a manipulative relationship, but is played almost like an 80’s dance song. It features really bouncy drums that make you want to get up and dance mixed with echoing and sustained synth chords. 

Although the album has several other high notes like Life of The Party, Pay For It, and Governess Shadow, the album has some pretty unignorable missteps. 

Pretender almost feels like a B-Side from Touch. It is very reminiscent of the band’s older sound by incorporating distorted guitars and a loud, gritty delivery from Peter on the chorus. While the song is enjoyable, it feels like the band holding onto the familiar instead of exploring their new direction. 

The most criticised track on the album, Champagne, is also the most socially conscious.The song seems to reflect the concept of Champagne Socialism — someone identifying as a socialist while living a luxurious lifestyle — but instead of referring directly to socialism, the term is being more directed toward social justice and fake activism — people virtue signalling while reaping the benefits of white privilege without using their resources to support the movement in any meaningful way. 

The track is essentially a gospel song which may be the reason so many people dislike it. Sonically, Champagne sticks out like a sore thumb in the track list. While the idea is very meaningful and important, the execution falls apart and really doesn’t fit on the album.

Pray For It closes on a very dark and brooding note with Still Sacred. The track is almost frightening with its hammered and distant piano chords laying on top of some really languishing guitars. It acts as a nice book-end to the album by sounding tonally similar to the ominous opener, Identical Love. 

Overall, Pray For It is a good album and successful foray into a new sound for the band. Although there are some pretty notable missteps on this album, it is still a step in the right direction for July Talk. Their songwriting has improved and they’ve shown they can contribute meaningfully to current social discourse. 

The band’s new sound mostly works and while there were some flops, the songs that swing hard enough knock it straight out of the park.

It makes me very excited for their next album, hopefully we don’t have to wait until 2024 to hear it. If you’ve never heard July Talk before, I recommend listening to this album and exploring their earlier two releases as well.

RATING: 7/10

An Interview with Martha Wilson

Arts & Community Editor Addy Strickland interviewed author Martha Wilson over Zoom on July 16, 2020.

Martha Wilson's short story collection, Nosy White Woman, was recently awarded the Alistair MacLeod Prize for Short Fiction at the 2020 Atlantic Book Awards. The prize was established in 2015 to honour the memory of Alistair MacLeod, a masterful short fiction writer who called Nova Scotia home. Wilson was also a finalist for the New South 2018 fiction prize and runner-up for the 2017 Peter Hinchcliffe fiction prize, and has published work in the New Quarterly, Real Simple, The New York Times, The Japan Times, Kansai Time Out, and the International Herald-Tribune. Nosy White Woman is Wilson’s first published collection of short fiction.

AS: Can you start by telling me a little bit more about you?

MW: I’ve been in Canada for twenty-five years. I’m American, and I feel very grateful and lucky to be in Canada. My husband is from Nova Scotia. We were in Toronto for ten years and moved back to Nova Scotia when our children were small, so my children have grown up in the country, in rural Nova Scotia, which has been a wonderful experience for them. I’ve really appreciated having the chance to have lived, as a younger adult, in a big city, and then as a mom in the country. I read a lot, though especially during this pandemic it’s harder for me to read a book than it used to be. And I do read Twitter a lot. Like, way, way too much. I especially read political Twitter, and since I still vote in the United States, I follow a lot of Washington journalists and track U.S. political news pretty closely. That takes up a lot of my attention, and I don’t know a lot of Americans here in Nova Scotia who are as focused on it as I am. It can be a little bit isolating, since my family doesn’t want to hear about it. That’s probably my big “hobby” —following U.S. politics.

 AS: Can you also tell me about your journey as an author?

 MW: I always knew I wanted to write, so it was really so satisfying to have published this book. It took me twenty years to complete it, and in finishing the book, I realized that I was able to finish it and publish it because my mother had died. She died in the spring about five years ago, and in the summer, I signed up for the Humber distance writing course, and I thought, “I’ll finish this short story collection.” I worked on it for a year and then started the publication process, with literary press Biblioasis. We were well into the editing of it before it dawned on me that I’d been able to write it because my mother was gone. I was really surprised by that. Not by not having been able to finish it, but by the opacity of that process—that I did not realize what was going on for months and months, even though I was really engaging with the stories and the publishing process. So I’m very interested that things that can be so apparent in retrospect can be so invisible at the time. It’s not that I thought the stories would be painful for my mom, or too specific—my mom’s not in the book—but it was just too close while my parents were still around.

 AS: Did you go into writing these stories with the intention of publishing a collection?

 MW: No, but I've always loved short stories, and for years and years I subscribed to Harper's and The Atlantic. Those two were monthlies. The New Yorker obviously has amazing fiction, but it comes every week. I could never finish a New Yorker before there's another one dropped through the mail slot; they just come all the time. The Atlantic and Harper's, during my twenties and most of my thirties, were publishing one story a month each; it was the perfect amount. It was as if the fiction was titrated at a dose to perfectly match the attention and thought I would give it over the course of the month. A novel, you choose it yourself: you go to the bookstore, you order something; or you like a writer, so you buy their book. With the short stories in monthly magazines, it's like they're assigned to you. They just arrive. That had a really big impact on how important short fiction became to me. I still remember a lot of those stories that I read when I was a young adult. I remember them with great clarity. It's something that has nearly disappeared from public life during my adulthood, and that makes me sad. (But it's okay; we didn't have Twitter then.)

 AS: For people who are interested in reading Nosy White Woman, can you give us an idea of what to expect?

MW: Because I'm so interested in politics, there's a lot of that; I'm extremely interested in the effects of policy on our daily lives. I'm always telling my daughters who are teenagers that policy is more important than anything else. At the same time, that’s not exactly what the stories are about. They're about families, they're about adult children, they're about marriages, they're about fear and worry and happiness. They're a lot about privacy, and the fact that we all have that private internal life that’s separate from the life that even our most intimate family members see.

Most of my stories are not about race, but I was very conscious about not having whiteness as the default. The title story is about police brutality, especially against men of colour in the United States.

 AS: Can you talk to me a bit about the book’s title? Why did you decide to call it Nosy White Woman?

MW: At Biblioasis, Dan Wells (who established the press), suggested it. Fiction editor John Metcalf and I had “The Golden Bra” as the title story, and Dan said to me, what would you think of changing it, making “Nosy White Woman” the title story, because that's really more reflective of your interest in policy and politics and societal issues, and how those play out in our daily lives. And I agreed. I'm not sure of the date; I think it was probably fall of 2018, but one thing that I talked about in “Nosy White Woman” was that we had seen on YouTube and on social media the deaths of Philando Castile, of Freddie Gray, and several African American men shot by the police, for not-valid reasons. It became clearer and clearer over the years I was working on these stories that my experience with the police in the United States is a completely separate reality from the reality that a lot of people have. I've been shocked to come to understand how different those are, and that's the reckoning that white people are coming to. We've really seen that this summer with how white people regard the Black Lives Matter movement: the belief that white Americans have in the validity of that movement has just skyrocketed over the summer.

AS: What do you hope that people take away from reading this collection?

MW: Even though I talk so much about politics, and it sounds like that's all I write about, that's not it at all. One of my early readers, Catherine Newman, called the book “gloomy and hilarious.” I really love that description, and asked the publisher if we could put that on the front—it's my favourite tagline. So I guess I couldn't imagine a better way for my book to be described.

AS: You were recently awarded the Alistair MacLeod Prize for Short Fiction for this collection. What does receiving this prize mean to you?

MW: It was very exciting. It was encouraging and gratifying to be linked with such an admired name in Canadian fiction, someone so beloved. That was a lovely thing. I also thought it said that my book is in some way speaking to this moment. This particular summer, at least. Especially in the United States, white people are learning more about white privilege, which is one of the most important ways our society is going to move forward.

AS: You’ve lived in Nova Scotia for the last 15 years, and before that, you lived in Toronto after coming from the United States. Has living here, or moving here, impacted your writing?

MW: Yes. It brought me back to my childhood, because I grew up in a small town. I live near Windsor, Nova Scotia, and it's very much like the town in Georgia I grew up in. One of the things I wrote about in what's probably one of my favourite stories, “Midway,” is how small towns used to be much more rural. Talking about when the protagonist is growing up, I wrote, “Since we lived in a town, I thought that was my identity: town person. Now I can see how newly scratched in the dirt that life was, how essentially rural it remained. How all of that held me.” That's something that I've really gotten back in touch with since moving to Nova Scotia 15 years ago. I grew up in a small town but it was really like the country. So many of the people I went to school with were farm kids, and we had FFA—Future Farmers of America; we had 4H. Many of the kids I knew a raised chickens, and the boys would be driving tractors after school and on the weekends. That was the life I was familiar with. Moving back to Nova Scotia has reignited those memories, because that way of making a living is still so apparent here, in ways I never saw in Toronto.

 It's really important to honour that lifestyle and not look down on it a second-best. My younger daughter is dying to get out of Nova Scotia. She has very specific plans to go to university in either Toronto or Montreal, and she is out of here the day she gets that high school diploma. Which is fine, obviously. But it's important that we not fall into a trap of believing cities are somehow cooler, or a better way to live.

AS: What can the world expect next from Martha Wilson? Are you working on anything new?

MW: I'm working on a new short fiction collection. A lot of it is about working in a church. Church life really fascinates me, especially the behind the scenes of church life that isn't about attending church, but about the church office. That's something I'm working on now.

The CSSG has an Equity Problem

On Thursday, June 25, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG), which provides students with up to $5,000 for volunteering in programs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The multi-million dollar contract to administer the grant was initially awarded to WE Charity, a Canadian organization that claims to empower youth to make a difference, but the contract has since been rescinded in response to public criticism. Looking deeper, there are also a number of equity concerns within the structure of the grant itself.

 Even though they are no longer engaged with the CSSG program, the fact that the government awarded WE Charity the contract to begin within warrants concern. The obvious ties between the Trudeau family and WE were immediately criticized by the media, given that there has been little information provided on how the decision to allocate the contract was made. This past week, a number of current and former WE staff have also come forward with allegations of racism, homophobia, and censorship against the organization and its leadership. Former WE employee Santai Kimakeke alleges that he is currently separated from his family and unable to travel from Kenya as a result of false accusations pitted against him by Marc Kielburger (one of the organization’s founders). Kimakeke has also accused Marc Keilburger of psychological abuse and misuse of power, and has further detailed fraudulent and criminal practices, misappropriation, money laundering, and tax evasion committed by the organization on his blog, “Odd Truths About We Charity.” Amanda Maitland and Talitha Toles are two other former staff members who have spoken out, detailing the organization’s racist tendencies. 

For those familiar with the organization, these recent allegations shouldn’t come as a surprise. Jaren Kerr, a reporter for Canadaland, has investigated ethical issues within the organization since 2018, with findings including the use of child labour in their supply chain, a toxic work environment, bullying from senior leadership, high burnout rates, false advertising, and a lack of professional boundaries. Even earlier, in 2015, WE came under fire after footage of We Day and criticism of WE trips to Ecuador was scrubbed from CBC’s “Volunteers Unleashed” —a documentary centering on the harms of voluntourism—just before its air date. The footage that did make it into the film, according to the interviewee featured, was heavily altered to direct criticism away from the organization. 

Looking to the grant itself, its valuation and structure have also raised a number of pay equity concerns. The grant provides students with $1,000 for every 100 hours volunteered, up to $5,000. Broken down to an hourly wage, that comes to $10 an hour—well below the minimum wage across Canada. Coupled with CESB, students could potentially earn $22 an hour if they are able to complete the full 500 hours of volunteer work—but the likelihood of that happening seems slim. 500 hours is an extremely high expectation (equivalent to the number of hours they’d work over the course of 3 months at a regular 9 to 5 job). For students who are also caring for family, pitching in at home, taking courses online, or actively looking for work, 500 hours would prove next to impossible. 

The way the grant is structured adds to its inequity as well, in that it has the potential to leave huge amounts of labour unrecognized. Because the grant is broken into sections of 100 hours, if a student volunteers 199 hours, they’ll only be paid for the first hundred. Unless a student is completely certain they’ll be able to complete the hours in sections of 100, they could finish the four months with a lot of uncompensated work. 

The initial CESB announcement was already concerning for many, given that it was a hefty $750 less than CERB’s $2,000—appearing to value students less than the working population. Now with the announcement of the CSSG, the pair suggests that the government only values the wellbeing and security of students if they are able to benefit from their labour. CESB hardly provides enough for students looking to pay for rent and food, let alone tuition, so many will have no choice but to sign up for the CSSG. Funnelling students into a semi-accessible four-month volunteer program through which they will be underpaid, and that appears to take the place of efforts to create student jobs, is exploitative at best, and takes advantage of students who are struggling financially. 

Can we really call it “volunteer” labour if students need the extra money in order to survive? 

 It is also important to recognize who is eligible for the program. International students, students over 30, and students who have received CERB at any point—which is quite a large portion of students—are ineligible. Those students are not immune to the costs of living in Canada, and some (international students) pay far higher fees for tuition while at school, likely increasing their need for such a program. Evidently, then, the grant isn’t meant to support all students.

The CSSG as a program is deeply flawed. Taking the implementation of the program out of the hands of WE Charity is a step in the right direction, but it doesn't solve the issues that come with the grant itself. Whether the grant proves to be successful for the young people who apply remains in question, but the outlook, considering the issues presented above, isn’t good.

The Waiver: an Article on Complicity

​Dear X, 

​I knew this day would come. My story, my unique StFX experience, that made national headlines would one day feel meaningful to tell. Though my name was hidden I was the student Dr. Robert Strang was talking about, the student CBC was talking about, and the student my campus was talking about. I was the kid that beat meningitis twice. My Xaverian journey begins in 2014. 

 ​Like many of my peers I moved to Antigonish as a first-year student from Ontario. I had never lived away from home before. I was now to fend for myself in this new grown-up world. I adjusted and found a new home in Antigonish. I moved into residence, befriended my roommate, expanded social circles, participated in my classes as well as frequented the intramural sport arena. I was becoming someone, something I was unable to do back in Ontario. I was at peace. The safety and security I felt in my new home was beyond description. Then one night my peace was shattered. I found myself unable to hold down any food, water, or cold medication. I could not sleep, for the pain exploding through my spine was horrific. I felt like I was made of glass. My head was spinning, my eyes so sore I could not see very well and yet that afternoon I was happily sitting in meal hall. The symptoms appeared so quickly that by the time my roommate awoke on November 10, 2014, I was already dying. Once admitted to the regional hospital I began to deteriorate. Spinal fluid, blood samples, and stool samples all returned congruent with a horrifying discovery. I had contracted Bacterial Meningitis Strain-y. Immediately I was rushed to the ICU and the garments of people around me began to change. I was suddenly too sick to touch and or even share the unfettered air. I remember wondering If I would die alone before I was 20 years old. Would anyone even know I was dead? Then I blacked out. I awoke and my mother was beside me in a hazmat suit holding my swollen speckled hands. IV’s dotted my arms pumping me full of heavy medication. I was alive, somehow. I spent the next weeks attached to heart monitors, slow drips, and oxygen masks. I felt like I was rotting. I felt like my life was over. The comfy new home I had grown accustomed to had been ripped away and replaced by something cold and metallic. My new university friends came to see me, my new friends have supported me, my new friends have constantly been their for me, my new friends are everything to me. My new friends turned into my best friends but my best friends could not wait on their Xaverian journey for me. I lost my first semester but I survived the unthinkable. 

​I made the decision to return to my studies in second semester. I felt well enough and though my parents were skeptical I was determined to return to StFX. I agreed to a reduced course load and a different way of life. I was the student that beat the deadly disease that swept through the province. The first time I ever really heard tell of an outbreak was when it was used to describe my illness. I was ostracized despite my friends best efforts to keep my self esteem in check. Any and all conversations resulted in my struggle with the disease. Jokes were made at my expense by strangers who had no understanding of what kind of illness I just defeated. Upon my return to StFX one would think I was present the entire fall. I was not approached by any StFX resource to aid in my transition back to classes. I was not offered any refunds for the class I missed, the meals I did not eat, nor the nights I did not sleep in residence. I was forced to negotiate the exemption of my winter examinations. I felt alone and isolated by the university that made me feel so welcome. The one thing that infuriated me was that the university did not look into the outbreak on my behalf nor did they complete any precautionary measures to ensure something like this wouldn’t happen again. I was expected to just pick up where I left off thinking I was at least protected by my institution. 

​On January 28, 2015, I contracted a different strain of Bacterial Meningitis from the one I had less than two months ago. I almost died at the same University, in the same residence, from the same deadly disease. This time I was the boy who cried wolf. Not a soul on campus believed my cries as I lay crippled in my residence. The residence staff were hesitant to call the ambulance so they didn’t. By the time those around me realized my situation was deteriorating again there was no time to wait. I was put in the back of a taxi cab and rushed to the hospital again. My grip on reality was slipping. My body was failing me again. I found myself in a very familiar position second semester of my first year.  I was alone in a hospital wondering if I was going to die, I watched the scrubs of the medical professionals around me change from colourful shirts to hazmat suits, I watched watching IV’s and needles force their way into my veins and spinal fluid once more. My grip on life slipping away from my swollen hands speckled again, pockmarked by liver failure. I awoke to my family beside me. I awoke to my name being in the mouths of my peers as they circulated campus. I awoke but this time I had lost my will to fight anymore. I medically withdrew from StFX. I was lucky to be alive. 

​Upon my medical withdrawal I was offered barely 1/4 of my tuition, even though I missed 3/4 of the school year. I was not informed of any tests done by the university to understand the causes of the outbreak despite StFX’s name spattered across CBC. There was no attempt at acknowledging any accountability. I was just a number but I didn’t find that out until the end of my second year. 

​My second year was a mistake. Since surviving meningitis I had contracted three new ailments. I was diagnosed with Depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and debilitating anxiety. I was not ready for anything close to the cognitive levels required to participate in scholastics. I descended into a chaotic spiral. Nearly one year to the day of my contraction of Meningitis I mentioned my desire to take my own life. I couldn’t cope, I couldn’t keep up with school, I thought I would never be able to operate like I once did. I was visited by my residence  Hall director but nothing was done to help me. I made up my mind and ran from the building towards the highway that ran behind our residence. One of my closest friends followed me to the bathroom and watched me try and run to the highway. He stopped me, hugged me, and told me it was going to be okay. My friends took it upon themselves to sleep on my floor and they are the reason I am here today. If you are reading this, thank you. I decided to move off campus to a safe environment where I was surrounded by close family friends. Despite my feeling of safety I could not cope. I failed most of my classes and failed out. StFX was going to let it happen, no questions asked. I got my doctors to weigh in and fight for me to avoid the hefty academic expulsion. I was reinstated. 

​I am 25 now. I started my Xaverian journey at the age of 19. I am set to graduate this year. I am finally able to call an X-ring mine. I can finally say its over. I have yielded to the whims of time. I am no stranger to highly contagious diseases. I am no stranger to the sharp needles of the regional hospital. I am no stranger to being locked up in an ICU containment room. I am no stranger to Dr. Robert Strang. I am no stranger to StFX. So please hear what I say. Making students sign a waiver is insulting. It is insulting to the wonderful staff at X who make up this university. You have metaphorically cut away the life boats and forced them to go down with the proverbial ship. I cannot emphasize this enough; having to deal with medical complications alone in first year University derailed my life for nearly five years. The completion  of my studies is a testament to the support systems that have surrounded me. I cannot believe StFX is acknowledging the dangers of a return to campus. Your waiver may absolve you from legal trouble but this is direct act of dangerous complicity. Complicit just like back on November 10, 2018, when you sent out an email in regard to another Meningitis outbreak on campus. In the very same residence I nearly died in twice. How dare you demand anyone to sign a waiver and usher a student into a potentially harmful environment? Your lack of awareness to the dangers of highly contagious diseases has nearly resulted in the deaths of two of your students. 

​If I should be able to receive my X-ring in person or it is delivered through the mail I will be hesitant to put it on. The message you are conveying is that student well being can be summed up in a legal document. The message you are conveying is the deficit that the university has incurred is more important than one students life. The message you are conveying is that I am just a number. When I receive my X-ring and Diploma this year I hope that I will be able to look back fondly on the instances where the Xaverian values have made me a better person. I just hope that you will reconsider opening campus if this waiver is your ticket to a fall semester. I worry about the first years who might wind up in an ICU. I worry you won’t have their backs like you didn’t have mine. I worry that this is just a numbers game. I worry I fell in love with a University that practices a different sermon than the one being preached. Hail and… saying Health in this situation would be a bit redundant no? Get better X. 

With warmest regards,

The Former Patient Zero

Signing the COVID-19 Waiver: Is it worth the risk?

Our true character is revealed in times of crisis. For universities,the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the largest crises they have faced in recent history. Not only does COVID-19 threaten the safety of students, staff, and faculty, it also impacts a university’s bottom-line. Small universities such as St. FX rely significantly on students who not only pay tuition but also residence costs and meal plan fees. In this regard, the prospect of going fully online would be financially catastrophic for these small institutions. It is not a surprise then, that Mount Allison, Acadia and St. FX have all decided to re-open in the Fall, each with varying degrees of online-course delivery.

With re-opening comes a variety of risks for universities. In a Cornell study on small universities, researchers created three simulations to model COVID-19 spread. Even when eliminating sporting events, large classes and shared residence rooms, the virus still had multiple pathways in which to proliferate. Indicating that if COVID-19 enters the campus, it is likely that it will be passed on. While much is not known about COVID-19 and this is simply one study, it is worth noting that St. FX, being a for-profit institution, likely understands the potential risks of re-opening and has evaluated those risks against the benefits(mostly financial) from opening in the fall. 

It is for this reason that they want students to sign the waiver emailed on July 10, 2020, in order to be allowed on campus. In signing the waiver, students release St. FX from all liability in the event that student(s) contract COVID-19 and are harmed. In a lot of cases, this kind of waiver is standard. If you go to an amusement park and break your leg after falling off a roller coaster, the amusement park is not responsible for that injury if you have signed a waiver releasing them of liability. In this case, you have acknowledged that you understand the risks, and your relationship with the amusement park is not significant enough to indicate that it should have protected you beyond a certain level.

The relationship between universities and students are fundamentally different than the relationship between a private citizen and an amusement park. Universities are institutions that operate under a high-level of trust on the part of their patrons, the students. In other words, they have a fiduciary duty to take reasonable measures to protect them. In some circumstances, if they haven’t taken reasonable measures to protect students, they can be found to have breached their duty of care or to have acted in a negligent manner in court and may be ordered to provide compensation. Under this waiver, they ask students to waive their right to sue the university for negligence or a breach in their duty of care, in exchange for students’ ability to go on campus.

So, what does this mean? Primarily, it means that St. FX expects to students to spend thousands of dollars in tuition and other costs but is unwilling to take responsibility in law to reasonably protect students from the risks of COVID-19. Students are asked to agree to the statement: “I understand that I may be infected by COVID-19 as the result of negligence on the part of the Releasee (St. FX).” Indicating that rather than take reasonable responsibility for the risks involved in reopening, and possibly purchase insurance, St. FX has decided to transfer the risk involved to the student body.

Further, students are asked to agree that in entering in the “Release Agreement” they are not relying on any “oral or written representations” made by St. FX with respect to the safety of participating in St. FX activities, or being at St. FX, other than what is set forth in this “Release Agreement”. Meaning that under the law, St. FX does not have to follow their own COVID-19 Pandemic Plan in order to mitigate risks, and that students need to indicate that they do not expect them to. In other words, the university has not put their money where their mouth is, in that any plan St. FX creates to respond to COVID-19 has no legal value.

What’s most significant is that St. FX has unbalanced bargaining power in this circumstance. For a lot of students, missing a year of school is not an option, leaving them vulnerable. Further, other than in the waiver itself, St. FX has not indicated the legal gravity of signing to students. Administrators, at the very least, should explain in plain language the rights students are giving up when signing.

It is important to stress that type of contract is not required. The university can create a waiver that obligates them to take reasonable steps to prevent harm to students, and in the event of circumstances they could not prevent, they can ask to be absolved of liability. This would be a fair contract with students and reflect the responsibility that administration needs to undertake in their decision to re-open, when other universities have not.

The COVID-19 waiver stands in direct contrast to the consistent messaging by the university administration on working together as a Xaverian community to ensure safety for everyone. If the university will not obligate itself to take reasonable measures to ensure safety for students, how can it expect students to do the same?

 Given this information, the question before students is if they should sign. It is unclear what the repercussions would be if not signing. St. FX indicates in their email to students on July 10, that they will not be allowed on campus. How will that be enforced? Will students not be able to attend class? It is also unclear if the university is legally allowed to prevent an individual from receiving higher education on the basis that they do not sign this waiver. 

 If you are a student who believes that the university should take reasonable steps to prevent the spread COVID-19, and that if they do not they should be held accountable in court, think twice before you sign.

Faculty Split on Reopening

On June 19, 2020, StFX University announced its intentions to host students back on campus in September, with the majority of classes being offered in-person. Until the nineteenth, StFX was one of the few Canadian universities yet to make a decision regarding online vs. in-person classes, and students, staff, and faculty alike were eagerly awaiting the official announcement. Now that we have an answer, the question is, what does everyone think?

For the week following the announcement, I collected survey responses from 88 members of StFX faculty to find out what they are thinking and feeling about the university’s decision. The responses came from both contract and tenure or tenure-track faculty, and from more than 22 different departments. This article is a summary of what I found.

Overall, faculty are largely divided in their opinions about whether StFX made the right decision. 35% of faculty surveyed agree or strongly agree with the statement that StFX made the right decision to host students on campus in the fall, while 42% disagree or strongly disagree. The remaining 23% opted to remain neutral.

For those who agree with the decision, the mental health of students is front of mind. Dr. Angie Kolen, for instance, believes that in order for us to remain mentally healthy, “we need to be social, see people—in person.” Another professor, who wishes to remain anonymous, agrees with the decision largely because the alternative (online delivery) would cause more harm, and exacerbate a number of problems that already exist. Those problems include the mental health struggles that Dr. Kolen mentions, as well as academic struggles and social inequity. Then, there would also be an array of new problems to deal with, such as inconsistent internet access. Online education, they say, “has been shown to exacerbate social inequities, further widening the gulf between high-performing students who often come from wealthier … backgrounds and students who are disadvantaged.”

Those who are more skeptical, however, also speak to the inequities that an in-person approach might exacerbate. A number of respondents point out that students and faculty who are immuno-compromised will likely face increased difficulties and lower quality education, having to take or teach all their courses online regardless of an open campus. One professor, whose son has asthma, worries that returning to in person teaching would put their son at serious risk. “What of faculty, students, and staff with serious health problems or in vulnerable age groups? What about parents with young kids and nowhere to place them? What about elder care,” they ask?

If an outbreak occurs, many faculty are also concerned that the resulting shift online will look much like it did in March: chaotic, rushed, and nowhere near the quality of education students are paying for. A scramble to get home could also create financial hardship for many students, or prove impossible for those who need to cross international borders. What more, faculty are being told by administration that “they do not have to provide any more accommodation for students who have to self-isolate and miss face-to-face classes than they normally would if students get sick,” despite the fact that the situation we are in is far from normal. The professor who pointed this out was also concerned that some faculty may be penalized for putting in the extra work to support sick students, and consequently spending less time on other aspects of their jobs such as research.

Another big factor for those against the decision was whether they thought students and faculty would follow the rules. 65% of faculty surveyed disagree or strongly disagree with the statement that they believe StFX students will respect social distancing protocols, while only 20% agree or strongly agree. Concerns about fellow faculty not following those protocols were expressed in survey responses as well. For many, this distrust in others is a big reason why they feel unsafe returning to work. For others, there are still simply too many unknowns. Dr. Tharshanna Nadarajah, who teaches Math and Statistics, believes that given the identified risks, “forcing students back on campus is putting the school’s financial interests over student safety—regardless of how they try and spin it.”

Of the faculty members surveyed, only 35% of faculty said that they had been consulted by StFX prior to the announcement, while an even smaller 30% agree or strongly agree with the statement that StFX adequately consulted with and considered the needs of faculty prior to making their decision. For those who were consulted, some also expressed that they felt their concerns were ignored because of the institution’s financial concerns.

The responses of contract faculty versus those of tenure or tenure-track faculty also revealed a number of inequities within the university’s decision-making process. While all faculty are being asked to contribute a significant amount of labour to preparing for both online and in-person teaching, part-time and contract professors aren’t being paid for that work. Another respondent pointed out that the various seminars, webinars, and townhalls being hosted by StFX administration might be missed by contract employees who are technically not employed by StFX during the summer, and may be busy with other jobs or commitments. This respondent wonders “how many contract employees will miss out on opportunities to learn online teaching methods, or proper safety protocols because of their current employment status?” Many contract faculty also don’t receive sick leave (paid or unpaid), or other health benefits, which in the midst of a global pandemic, makes returning to work all the more unsafe. Failing to provide all faculty with sick leave and health benefits while asking them to return to return to work, as one professor puts it, “is to treat them as disposable.”

Not all contract faculty were upset about the decision to open campus, however. One professor shared their excitement over the decision, because had the university decided to shift online, their position may have been cut; they were grateful to still have employment in September. Others appreciated the opportunity to learn how to teach online, despite the fact they weren’t being paid—looking at it as free professional development.

Overall, faculty opinions on StFX’s decision to reopen campus for in-person instruction are mixed. Some are overwhelmingly in favour, while others remain skeptical that the university’s plan will be effective in preventing an outbreak of COVID-19. The most common trend among responses was a concern about the inequities that either decision would have exacerbated, leaving us to wonder why so many inequities exist to be exacerbated in the first place. For an institution that prides themselves in social justice leadership, StFX has a lot of work left to do.

StFX ALUMNI - Homecoming 2020 Rescheduled

Homecoming at StFX is a special day for alumni as they return to their home. Alumni from all years travel to StFX for a special weekend of re-visiting their residences, seeing their favorite professors, and finding out what is new on campus at StFX. Alumni have the chance to visit their old sports teams, societies, and visit with old friends. It is a weekend filled with fun activities for students and alumni to look forward to. It is also a special day for current students as they learn about new and old traditions from the alumni, and see StFX’s school spirit throughout the day from alumni. Homecoming brings every StFX student current and past together to celebrate their university, the place they call home, the weekend has something for everyone.

Sadly this year there will be no homecoming. Due to Covid-19, it has been decided to postpone the weekend. The decision has been made to have homecoming 2020 in August of 2021.

StFX said in an email to students, “While everyone was disappointed with the news, it is the responsible thing to do from a health and safety standpoint.”

StFX plans to send out more information and scheduled dates closer to August of 2021.

Even though StFX will not be able to show their school spirit during homecoming of 2020, students and alumni will continue to celebrate their home, StFX.

StFX to Reopen Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic

Following approval by the University Senate on June 18th, and the Board of Governors June 19th, StFX President Dr. Kevin Wamsley announced plans to reopen campus to students. In an email to StFX students, Wamsley announced that StFX will “offer a Senate-endorsed approach of mixed-method course delivery,” beginning September 14th.

In the email to students, Wamsley noted that the decision comes after “much careful planning and deliberation,” citing the safety of the StFX community as the university’s top priority.

Reactions to the announcement are mixed. While many students celebrate the potential return to normalcy, others are concerned. StFX Students’ Union Graduate Student Representative Lauren Viana, who is returning to campus shortly to complete self-isolation before continuing research, is concerned about safety. “All you need is one person to slip up,” Viana says, “and you can decimate a population.” According to Viana, graduate students doing research have been asked to fill out a return-to-research form outlining what facilities they will need, and what PPE they have. However, Viana has yet to see any official documentation with guidelines on returning to research. Despite these concerns, Viana is satisfied, and described reopening as “great.”

Sanjidha Ganeshan, a 4th year psychology student from Mauritius told the Xaverian Weekly that she “love[s] that school is opening again for the fall semester.” Ganeshan notes that “reopening campus will be easy if everyone does their part and respects all safety protocols.” Despite this, Ganeshan, who previously served at the International Student Representative for the Students’ Union anticipates that “some international students who went back home might decide to take the semester off just to be safe.”

StFX Students’ Union President Sarah Elliott, in a statement released shortly after the announcement was made, expresses the Union’s support for the plan. Elliott emphasized that “the StFX Students’ Union’s number one priority is the well-being of our students.” Elliot went on to say that the students’ union “[looks] forward to working with the university to provide a safe and fulfilling StFX experience.”

The members of the StFX Association of University Teachers (StFXAUT) are “cautiously optimistic” according to a statement released Friday afternoon. The StFXAUT says that their members are “looking forward to again being able to have in person interactions with students and colleagues.” The StFXAUT did however express concerns “with the lack of support being provided to many of [their] members who, despite not currently being employed by the university, are expected to … begin preparations for the fall.” This would include any part-time academic staff and contract faculty.

Laurie Boucher, Mayor of the Town of Antigonish, commented “This was a university decision that was made based on consultations with the province and public health officials. Now that the decision has been made the Town will be working with the university, hospital, RCMP and landlords in Antigonish to ensure the safety of students and residents in our community.” Boucher, responding to anxieties in the community, said “All of the partners involved have everyone’s best interests in mind and is keeping health safety a top priority during the preparation process and for when the students return in August and September.”

In an interview with Xaverian Weekly Editor-in-Chief, Will Fraser, StFX President Kevin Wamsley described the decision making process that lead up to today’s announcement. According to Wamsley the planning process has been ongoing for more than nine weeks. This process involved consultation with various stakeholders including the Students’ Union, Town of Antigonish, Municipality of the County of Antigonish, the RCMP, Saint Martha’s Regional Hospital, and landlords.

Based on consultations with these stakeholders, the university conducted space assessments of the campus, and a flow assessment to determine how the university could safely operate in the fall. With nine weeks of planning completed, the university submitted their plans to the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Robert Strang, and the Department of Labour and Advanced Education. As of this week, Wamsley says, Dr. Strang confirmed the plans were “solid.” Following the sign-off by the province, the plans were presented to the University Senate and Board of Governors. After two hours of discussion, the Board of Governors voted unanimously in favour of the recommendation.

Asked for his message to students who now must decide if they feel safe enough to return, Wamsley says “safety is a responsibility of everyone.” and noted that the university has taken steps to ensure the safety of faculty, staff, and students. Wamsley calls upon students to “be partners with [the university] and the community,” and to protect the most vulnerable members of the StFX community.

It remains unclear what restrictions will be in place when students return in September, but we know that StFX will not look the same as it has in the past.

The Antigonight Art After Dark Festival Looks Forward to an Eleventh Year

The Antigonight Art After Dark festival is looking forward to its eleventh year despite challenges posed by COVID-19, and they’re looking for artists to help make it happen! 

For those who’ve visited the festival in the past, they’ll know it for it’s vibrant, colourful, and energetic takeover of the town’s streets, parking lots, and sidewalks—featuring dozens of different artists and performers in various genres. Typically centered in the connection and interaction between artists and members of the community, with last year’s attendance estimated at 3,000 people, this year’s festival may look a little bit different than what visitors are used to. Connecting with the arts, however, is more important than ever. Festival Director Emma MacDonald believes that “art is integral to who we are” and that even though we’re living through some fairly unprecedented times, there’s no better way to connect then through creativity.

Despite new regulations regarding social gatherings, MacDonald is excited about the possibilities that a socially-distanced event might allow, sharing that just because the festival might not look like what we’re used to “does not mean that it will be any less special.” She shared that “by creating an alternative festival plan we are not only supporting creative professionals in our community, but it may also be a bright spot for the community in the coming months.” A distanced festival also brings about new opportunities to engage community members who might live farther away. 

The festival organizing team is inviting artists, collectives, and community organizations to submit original project ideas that celebrate and consider ways that we can encounter art and be connected even if we cannot gather in-person. Previous projects have including music, dance performances, painting, sculpture, workshops, storytelling, and theatre. All submissions are welcome, whether digital or non-digital, and unconventional ideas are encouraged. The deadline for submissions is Friday, June 26 at midnight. The submission form and relevant instructions can be found here, on the Antigonish Culture Alive website.

 Successful submissions will be presented, performed, installed, or displayed during the Antigonight festival from September 1 to 12, 2020. Leading up to the festival, Antigonight will also be running several community projects, so keep an eye out for the announcements on any ACA or Antigonight social media!

Fall Reading Week Eliminated with Little Student Consultation

At an emergency meeting of the StFX University Senate on the morning of June 18th, the senate passed a motion to eliminate the Fall Reading Week for the 2020-2021 Academic year. The motion originated in the report of the Academic Vice-President, Dr. Tim Hynes.

Dr. Hynes commented that “the cancellation of the Fall Study Break was not something anyone wanted to see happen, ” but emphasized the university’s concern for the risks of student travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. The trade-off he says, “is ending classes sooner to get them [students] home earlier in December.”

This move comes as the university prepares their plan for fall classes, which will be voted on by the Board of Governors on June 19th.

According to Siobhan Lacey, the StFX Students’ Union Vice-President Academic, this decision follows conversations between the Students’ Union Executive and the University Administration. Dr. Hynes described the Executive as being “supportive.” Lacey agrees, saying that “the number one priority of the StFX Students’ Union is the safety of our students,” and that the Union is “eager to work with the university to fill any gaps” that are left by the elimination of reading week.

Some have raised questions about the lack of student consultation that was done around this decision. One student senator, speaking on condition of anonymity, described themselves as “surprised” by the motion to remove reading week.

Alex Clow, the Student Arts Senator, described “confusion about communication” due to the turnover of senators as leading to late notice of the meeting.  According to Clow, the Student’s Union Vice-President Academic was the only student senator notified of the meeting until Clow heard from a faculty member about the upcoming meeting. Following this, Clow emailed Lacey, and she had the information sent to the other five student senators. The student senators did not get the invitation to the meeting until Monday, June 15th, three days before the meeting.

Clow, who voted in favor of the motion to eliminate fall reading week for the 2020-2021 academic year described himself as being fully supportive of the idea, citing the dangers of travel in during the pandemic.

The fall reading week was created in response to advocacy by 2018-2019 Students’ Union Vice-President Academic Tiffany MacLennan, who conducted a student survey to gage support for the idea. Students overwhelmingly supported the idea of a fall reading week, with 97.65 percent of respondents supporting the idea, with the highest support in the Faculty of Arts with 98.41 percent support, and the lowest support in the Faculty of Arts and Science with 97.01 percent support.

With such wide support for a fall reading week, it is unclear how students will react. In response to the decision, one early commenter said “I think that the university should consider the possibility that students use that time to study for their courses effectively. Ultimately, student success should be the main priority. ”

As students prepare to begin classes in the fall, this schedule change will likely factor in to their decision making moving forward.

Being an ally in 2020: a how-to-guide by an unqualified white person

You read the news. You know about George Floyd’s murder, and about Regis Korchinski-Paquet’s. You are not BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Colour), but you want to show that you support the Black Lives Matter Movement. So, you posted a black square on your Instagram for #blackouttuesday. Maybe you even took five minutes to sign the “Justice for George Floyd” petition on change.org. While none of that is bad,although the jury is still out on that black square, that is not enough. As a white individual you have a unique advantage to use your inherent societal privilege to fight for equity without facing nearly as much of the consequences. Further, as individuals who benefit from a white-oriented system we have a responsibility to help dismantle it. So, let’s talk about being an ally. 

What does it mean to be an ally? More so, how does one be a “good ally”?

It is important to first recognize that “ally” might not be the correct term. According to activists like Feminista Jones, the term “ally” has been associated with performance, often for personal gratification. Allies dip their toes in and “support,” but do not dive in to see the cause through. Further, the term “ally” suggests that one doesn’t have a stake in the outcome. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. We all benefit from a more equitable society. Rather than an ally, be a co-conspirator. Being a “co-conspirator” involves actively taking on racism and oppression as your own issue, even if you will never understand or experience the damage it causes. 

“But I’m not racist.”

We live in a society that inherently benefits white individuals. It doesn’t matter that you had no control over the Transatlantic Slave Trade, or the residential school system. It doesn’t matter that you have never in your life said the n-word while rapping to Drake. Not actively harming BIPOC individuals does not absolve you from trying to dismantle a system that abuses them. Rather than “not being racist,” be “anti-racist.” Being anti-racist is a conscious effort to make daily choices to call-out racism when you see it, educating yourself, and understanding that we can always do better. 

It’s not about you. 

It is accurate to say that it can be alarming and a struggle to educate yourself on racism and oppression. History and the present day are not pretty. Despite that, if you are shocked by the headlines, imagine how a BIPOC individual must feel right now. You probably can’t. So, when on social media, or when talking to your black and Indigenous friends, don’t monopolise the conversation. Listen more than you speak. Moreover, recognize that it not the job of your BIPOC friends to hold your hand, educate you, or make you feel comfortable in this conversation. Being uncomfortable is good, it means you are probablyquestioning flawed internalized values and beliefs. 

Read a book.

There are so many excellent writers that discuss this issue in depth. This includes but is not limited to:

• The Skin We’re In by Desmond Cole

• How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

• White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide by Carole Anderson

• White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo

• Fatal Invention: How Science, Politics, and Big Business Re-create Race in the Twenty-first Century by Dorothy Roberts

• Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates 

Think locally.

Racism and oppression exist everywhere, not just in the United States. Make and active effort to buy from BIPOC-owned businesses. Pay attention to local issues and local leaders. How much does your city or town spend on policing? For example, the town of Antigonish recently approved it’s 2020-2021 budget, allotting for an almost 1.6 million contract with the RCMP. 

Go to a protest.

Wear a mask. Don’t loot and remember that you are a guest. If violence does occur, remember you are less likely to be harmed by police than a BIPOC individual, act accordingly. Don’t record and share images and videos of protesters unless you have their permission. They could be recognized and targeted. 

Understand the tactics of police and government regarding police brutality. 

Be critical of politicians kneeling and police officers hugging protesters. This is primarily performative. These individuals have the power and the resources to alter the system. Ask yourself, have they? If the Black Lives Matter movement was not significantly popular, would they still kneel? 

Donate. 

If you can afford to, put your money where your mouth is. However, it is important to research who you donate to, and what they will do with your money. Some good places include but are not limited to:

• Black Women in Motion

• Black Legal Action Centre

• Justice for Regis 

• Indigenous Awareness Canada 

• Circles for Reconciliation