The Queen's Journal, Volume 151, Issue 26

$25,400 in fines issued for St. Patrick’s Day 2024

Kingston Police say celebration was ‘best in recent memory’

S ophia C oppolino Senior News Editor

Annual St. Patrick’s Day festivities engulfed the University District over the weekend.

Students took to the streets on March 16 to celebrate, resulting in $25,400 in fines. Police shut down a nuisance party on Aberdeen St. between 2 and 3 p.m., saying attendees were “mostly respectful and cooperative,” dispersing quicker than in previous years, according to a press release.

“This compliance will allow the Kingston Police to pivot from enforcement to crowd management as we move forward,” Kingston Police Chief Scott Fraser said in a press release.

The weekend “was the best in recent memory” for Kingston Police in wake of its infamous reputation for rampant partying and an elevated police presence.

Despite positive reviews, police issued $6,300 more in fines than last year. Last year, 47 fines totalling $19,100 were issued over the weekend, compared to the 46 fines with a $25,400 price tag issued this year.

Twenty-two of the issued fines were for amplified sound or “yelling and shouting.” Police laid six $2,000 fines for hosting nuisance parties.

See St. Patty’s on page 2

Award to cover tuition, offer mentorship for mining students

S ophia C oppolino Senior News Editor

Alumnus Don Lindsay is passing the torch to the next generation of mining engineering students at Queen’s.

Teck Resources Limited announced on March 13 it’s funding two $1 million endowments for the Don Lindsay Teck Award, creating renewable scholarships for mining engineering students at Queen’s and University of British Columbia (UBC) while recognizing former Teck President Don Lindsay, Sci ’80. Two to three students in each year in the Robert M. Buchan Department of Mining will be chosen as recipients, covering most of their tuition while having mentorship meetings with Lindsay himself. The size of the award will depend on the endowments’

investment returns.

Canada has seen a decline in the number of mining engineering graduates by 50 per cent since it peaked in 2016. At Queen’s, only 46 of current first-year students chose to specialize in mining for their degree.

For Lindsay, selecting recipients is about the “whole person,” including students’ community involvement at Queen’s. Building relationships is a skill learned through multiple avenues at Queen’s and it’s critical to succeeding in a global industry like

mining, Lindsay said.

“That’s what it takes to succeed in this world today. The highest academic standing isn’t the only criteria that will get you to succeed, it’s a baseline,” Lindsay said in an interview with The Journal The namesake of the award, Lindsay served as Teck’s President and CEO for 17 years. He’s excited to meet the recipients at Queen’s, having lunch with them or orchestrating a trip to Teck’s offices in Toronto.

As a Vice-President for the Queen’s Mining Society,

Becca Randall, Sci ’25, was one of 20 students who travelled to Toronto for the award announcement at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM).

The opportunity to learn from Lindsay is more valuable than the monetary award for students, Randall said, calling Lindsay a “titan” in the industry.

Mining wasn’t on Randall’s radar as a first-year student, but after Assistant Professor Charlotte Gibson gave a guest lecture in one of her classes, she was inspired. Randall holds no regrets.

“I’ve been very fortunate with my experience where I love Queen’s mining as a culture. It’s an incredibly tight knit group of people,” Randall said in an interview with The Journal See Teck on page 2

Kingston Police issue fines, court summons, arrests on St. Patty’s weekend

... continued from front page

Kingston Police issued 101 liquor license violations, resulting in court summons, and two charges of public intoxication, resulting in one arrest. There were no serious safety concerns at the event, Kyle Compeau, City of Kingston manager of enforcement, said in a press release. Compeau attributed students’ cooperation to the liaison teams outreaching to students about the University District Safety Initiative (UDSI) leading up to St. Patrick’s Day.

The UDSI is implemented during peak times for nuisance parties, increasing the price of the fines handed out. It was in effect from March 11 to 18.

Queen’s brought in extra security over the weekend to stop St. Patrick’s Day attendees from bringing alcohol into university buildings. Security personnel conducted bag checks in Mitchell Hall, the Queen’s Centre, Stauffer Library, and the Athletics and Recreation Centre.

Teck selecting mining students involved in community for award

... continued from front page

Surrounded by a supportive network of faculty and alumni, Randall is excited to enter the industry, claiming it’s welcoming to young professionals.

Queen’s equipped Randall with not only the technical skills she needs but the business acumen and a sensibility for sustainability to make an impact in the industry.

On campus Randall said Teck’s investment has her peers talking about being “the future of mining.”

Queen’s graduates are well represented in the Canadian

resource industry, Smith Engineering Dean Kevin Deluzio said in an interview with The Journal.

Smith Engineering is home to the only explosives laboratory in Canada, 50 km north of Kingston. Mining students get practical experience during field trips to sites in northern Ontario and Arizona. Two mining courses at Queen’s use virtual reality labs where students simulate operating a mining site.

The award and evolving mining industry align with the humanistic approach being taken at Smith Engineering. Deluzio

said the industry needs talent as it evolves towards sustainability, and industry leaders want students who can understand the local community’s needs.

Deluzio predicts mining engineering is going to be an exciting field as the industry grapples with the energy crisis, climate change, and supporting the Canadian economy.

“The resource sector and mining engineering has to be at the forefront of that the greatest change that they can make and making the world a better place, is within this area,” he said.

Students teach prisoners art of debate

Debate union skills associated with success at parole hearings

Mikella Schuettler

For two years, the Queen’s Debating Union (QDU) has taught debate fundamentals to 15 incarcerated people each week. The two students running the program this year hope it will expand in coming years.

Incarcerated people at Collins Bay join students on Mondays with pens and paper, ready to learn from the volunteers. Though some were initially apprehensive about the Queen’s students coming into the prison, the team kept going and slowly started to build trust.

“They really love to share their stories and be heard, and [talk] about injustices they face within the prison. The more comfortable they get with us, the more they can talk to us about their experiences,” previous QDU Vice-President Nimai Koneru, HealthSci’24, said in an interview with The Journal QDU students believe that rational argumentation and communication are useful for

incarcerated people at parole board hearings and in future job interviews after release. In sessions, incarcerated students learn about different types of arguments and how to refute them, run drills, and practice debating. They receive feedback from the QDU volunteers each week to improve their skills.

criminal justice system and prison abolition during their sessions.

According to QDU Prison Outreach Director Tristan Jones, HealthSci ’25, the inmates are always most engaged when practicing debates.

“When I first went in there, I had a bias that I think most people have, which is that prisoners are brutish,

The QDU team.

This year, an incarcerated person told QDU volunteer Koneru a past participant was granted parole, in part because of the skills he learned from the students.

“People are actually getting parole because of some of the skills that they’re learning here,” Koneru said.

QDU doesn’t shy away from difficult topics, debating the

and they’re not interested in learning,” Jones said in an interview with The Journal. “But that was very quickly done away within our very first session.”

Koneru and Jones both acknowledge their privilege to have learned about the debate in the first place, having attended funded international competitions, and are happy to give back in some way.

SGPS revives food program, $5,000 from Queen’s

Mikella Schuettler Assistant News Editor

Following consistent advocacy, the SGPS reopened its Food Insecurity Relief Program.

The SGPS secured $15,000 for Loblaws gift cards to distribute amongst members, a renewal of their Food Insecurity Relief Program which closed in November. Sign-ups closed on March 18, and half of the funding will prioritize graduate students with children, who serve as caregivers, or those with disabilities.

“A lot of these [debating] skills

I’ve had the privilege of gaining just by going to Queen’s, just by nature of having the opportunities here, I feel like there’s almost a responsibility to give back,” Koneru said.

According to Koneru, incarcerated people have much to teach students about debate—they often use arguments Koneru wouldn’t conceive of based on their lived experiences. Working within the prison system comes with challenges. After preparing a presentation for their first session last year, the QDU team was told they weren’t allowed to bring any technology into Collins Bay. Now, QDU brings in booklets for the inmates to follow along with since volunteers can’t bring laptops or phones in.

Sometimes for weeks at a time, Koneru and the team will arrive at Collins Bay only to find out the prison is on lock down, and the session for that week is cancelled. It has been difficult to get new volunteers on-boarded due to the delays in background checks and fingerprinting.

Despite difficulties, Jones is proud of the fact QDU is giving back to the Kingston community.

“Eventually a lot of these people will be coming back into our society. If we have any free time, [we might as well] take that time to ease their transition back into society,” he said.

“The program is very similar to last time, but we tried to balance things a bit better in recognition of groups that are likely to require more support,” SGPS President Devin Fowlie said in a statement to The Journal.

Students submitted over 400 applications, representing nearly 10 per cent of SGPS members. Fowlie is unsure how many students will receive funding, and relief will be dependent on need.

“More students needing higher value gift cards means the relative number of students receiving gift cards drops slightly,” Fowlie said.

The Food Insecurity Relief Program is funded by SGPS student membership fees, but the additional $5,000 came from Queen’s Student Affairs boosting the capacity.

Kingston Police patrolling Aberdeen Street.

PHOTO BY JOSEPH MARIATHASAN

Former Teck CEO Don Lindsay.

‘Biggest change in history’ of AMS elections underway

AMS Assembly discuss de-slating the executive elections and talk move to JDUC

Sofia Tosello Assistant News Editor

AMS elections may look different next year.

Faculty society leaders and AMS executives went back and forth about de-slating the AMS executive elections during AMS Assembly on March 19 in Dunning Hall.

Following a heated discussion, student leaders confirmed they’ve received their student activity fees after a 128-day delay, and KMV gave a brief update about the JDUC move.

To de-slate or not to de-slate Amaiya Walters, ASUS president, motioned to start amending section 2.2.2 of the AMS Constitution, allowing candidates for executive positions to run individually rather than as a team. The motion passed, but all three current AMS executive members voted against the proposed change.

AMS President Kate McCuaig claimed the AMS Secretariat Alysha Ahmad already works 35 hours per week and won’t have the time to amend the constitution in time for the final AMS Assembly on April 9.

Michelle Hudson, AMS vice-president (operations), questioned whether the motion

passing was “illegal,” as it may require Ahmad and the AMS Internal Affairs Office to work beyond the hours outlined in their contract. “We can’t compel people to work more hours than policy,” Hudson said during Assembly. The maximum hours an employee in Ontario can work is 48 hours a week, according to the Employment Standards Act.. If employees work 44 hours or more in one week, they’re entitled to time and a half for those hours.

In a follow-up statement to The Journal, the AMS claims previous constitutional amendments took them just over four months.

Luca DiFrancesco, chair of the AMS Board of Directors, echoed

Hudson and McCuaig’s concerns, describing the amendment as a substantial change requiring more effort than the 12-day timeframe until the next Assembly. The AMS won’t be able consult the student body with tight turn around, DiFrancesco said.

“This is the biggest change to the Constitution in the history of the AMS,” DiFrancesco said. “We don’t want to undertake this process without hearing student voices.”

Calder Bryson, AMS chief electoral officer, told Assembly she’s willing to shoulder the extra work to amend the constitution.

“Don’t worry about asking me to work outside my hours. I’m more than happy to take on the extra work,” Bryson said.

Queen’s hikes tuition for out-of-province students for a second year in a row

The University is seeking other faculties help to mitigate the budget deficit

Meghrig Milkon Assistant News Editor

Queen’s out-of-province students are expected to see a five per cent hike in their tuition.

At the Board of Trustees meeting on March 8, a five per cent tuition hike for out-of-province students was announced. The hike follows a similar adjustment which was implemented for the 2023-24 year.

In 2019, Ontario implemented a tuition freeze for all domestic students while permitting a three per cent increase in tuition fees for out-of-province students. Queen’s University

didn’t enact this change originally, according to a statement from the University.

Despite the hike, Queen’s said interest from out-of-province students remains the same, with 16 per cent of the student population coming to Ontario from other provinces.

Seventy-four per cent, of first-year students attended high school within Ontario.

Decisions regarding tuition adjustments for out-of-province students for the 2024-25 academic year will be finalized in time for the May budget report to the Board of Trustees.

Re-allocating undergraduate seats to higher tuition brackets

Smith Engineering is growing, and Arts and Science is shrinking in light of the University’s budget deficit.

During the latest Board of Trustees meeting, Provost Matthew Evans announced 91

enrolment seats from the Faculty of Arts and Science (FAS) are being reallocated to faculties in higher tuition brackets. Smith Engineering and the Faculty of Health Sciences are expected to take on more students to mitigate financial pressures.

The new plan has to be approved by the Senate Committee on Academic Development and Procedures so it can be presented at the Senate meeting on April 18.

The University has announced plans to implement an escalating deficit mitigation fund charge across all faculties in support of the FAS. The “tax” will start at 1.75 per cent in the 2025-26 academic year, increasing to two per cent for the following year, 2026-27.

The University said creative solutions are needed across departments to address the substantial financial deficit within the FAS.

AMS doubles down on JDUC move Faculty Society (FacSoc) leaders haven’t received updates from the AMS about their move into the JDUC. Megan McDowell, president of the Concurrent Education Student Association (CESA), asked other faculty society leaders if they’ve received any emails about the move from the AMS during Assembly.

In response, Hudson announced faculty societies will move into the JDUC on July 1. Hudson told McDowell she will provide FacSoc leaders with boxes to pack up their offices.

Walters acknowledged de-slating the executive election will take work but asked the AMS executives to make time in their schedules.

“I want to acknowledge this does sound like a big undertaking, but from what I’m hearing, this is work AMS Assembly members are asking the AMS to take on,” Walters said.

This year, the AMS election season was extended following the dissolution of the only running team. The previous year, a racially insensitive image of an AMS executive candidate resulted in the withdrawal of a team from the election.

The past two years of elections have shown how difficult it is for students not involved in the AMS to form teams, Walters said.

The amended Constitution will be presented to Assembly on April 9 with a final vote expected then.

As Hudson pushes the move to the JDUC, its uncertain how the failure of the Student Life Centre fee at winter referendum impacts the change. President McCuaig didn’t explain how the AMS’s plans to move into the JDUC after the fee’s failure.

McCuaig said the AMS is back at the negotiating table with the University to represent student interests over rent costs in the new JDUC.

FacSocs get their student fees

The Health Sciences Society (HSS) and Computer Science Student Association (COMPSA) received their 2023-24 student activity fees from the AMS this month, 128 days after they were supposed to receive them, according to the memorandum of understanding signed between the faculty societies and the AMS in September.

The problem was resolved after Akash Singh, COMPSA president, and HSS executives met with Hudson.

Following the discussion, the AMS is rewording the faculty society memorendums of understanding, considering each FacSoc’s different policies.

$100,000 goal to save the Grad Club

Meghrig Milkon Assistant News Editor

The future of the Grad Club remains in the hands of potential donors.

On March 12 the Grad Club launched its “Save Our Club” fundraising initiative to fundraise $100,000 to ensure its doors remain open for community members. The call for support extends to a wide audience of faculty, students, and Kingstonians who have been impacted by the Grad Club over the years. The emergency fund is needed to cover the costs of the aging building—which requires significant infrastructure upgrades—the repayment of Canada Emergency Business Accounts (CEBA) loans granted during the pandemic, and a 400 per cent increase in rent implemented by the University over the next five years,

the press release read.

According to the University, the operating costs and building investments have consistently surpassed rental income from the Grad Club. Since 2017, close to $650,000 has been spent on repairs and maintenance, the University said in a statement to The Journal.

Stephen Lougheed, professor of biology and environmental studies at Queen’s University, said the Grad Club had been an integral part of his three-decade-long teaching career at Queen’s University, in a press release.

The press release emphasized that over the years, the Grad Club hosted a diverse range of artists including Neko Case, Death From Above 1979, The Tragically Hip, Sarah Harmer, and numerous other Canadian acts from across the country.

AMS Assembly in Dunning Hall.

PHOTO BY SOFIA TOSELLO

‘Everybody comes and everybody’s happy’

Skylar Soroka Features Editor

This article discusses consent and may be triggering for some readers. The Kingston Sexual Assault Centre’s 24-hour crisis and support phone line can be reached at 613-5446424 / 1-800-544-6424.

On a cozy Saturday night in, Jerry* and his housemates were lounging on the living-room couch, immersed in an episode of Futurama, when a sharp knock echoed through the house. In a cloud of curiosity, one of Jerry’s housemates answered to find two unexpected visitors standing at the door.

“Someone who lives here gave me chlamydia,” one of the girls slurred, inebriated from a night out on the Hub.

Skepticism rippled through the room as the housemates tried to piece together the unexpected accusation—none of them had ever met the girl standing on their porch. It wasn’t long before they traced the source of the problem back to one of their own: a younger brother of one of Jerry’s housemates who returned from a visit to Kingston for homecoming.

u/skaorn’s question claiming the wait period at SWS is only a few days maximum. The lack of knowledge of these services paired with uncertain sexual encounters fosters a greater need for precaution among students.

SHRC

As a nonjudgmental and confidential information and referral service, the Sexual Health Resource Centre (SHRC) aims to equip students with resources when navigating their sexual journeys at Queen’s.

“We are a place where Queen’s students and members of the Kingston community can come to receive vetted information from a trained volunteer on sex, sexuality, and sexual health,” SHRC Director Annika Bey, HealthSci ’25 said in a statement to The Journal Bey said the SHRC operates a drop-in centre, a confidential phone line, and offers a lending library with books on various topics within their mandate. The SHRC also offers free HIV self-test kits, and events around campus including sex trivia, pop-up sales, and boothing. The SHRC offers education teach-ins which can be booked for larger groups.

possible. By reframing STI testing and prevention methods as another component of caring for one’s health, we hope to reduce the negative perceptions around STIs,” she added.

The SHRC is constantly re-evaluating their practices to ensure the centre remains nonjudgmental and supportive.

“Some clients may simply want a referral for an STI testing location, and that’s totally okay. Others might have some complicated feelings or concerns they’d like to talk about, and the SHRC is here for that.”

There’re a variety of challenges in promoting safer-sex practices and sexual health awareness, Bey said.

“Students aren’t a homogenous group, it’s important the SHRC tries to understand their concerns as individuals.”

The SexLab with Caroline Pukall

For Caroline Pukall, each day in the SexLab looks different, looking at various aspects of sexual health—a broad term encompassing a range of topics.

and managing risks, promoting safe practices, and fostering open communication. Overall, sexual health involves embracing one’s sexual identity, making informed decisions, and evolving in alignment with personal values throughout life.

During the exploration phase of sexual health, Pukall noted many university students experience living away from home for the first time. This period coincides with gaining access to peers of the same age, attending parties, and navigating social interactions. Students are simultaneously learning how to engage in these interactions safely and consensually.

adventures, Pukall believes safe sexual practices involving

informed knowledge of risks and comfortability with your partner are paramount.

“There’s almost a carefree attitude [among students] with the idea that you’re coming to university, you’re gonna be having lots of sex, and everyone’s immune to these [sexual] issues that may come up,” Pukall said.

Pukall is the Director of the Sexual Health Research Laboratory (SexLab) and the Director of the Sex and Relationship Therapy Service at the Queen’s Psychology Clinic. Pukall is the Canada Research Chair in Sexual Health.

Navigating the roads of sexual wellness is like driving a car—you learn the rules of the road over time and communicate effectively to ensure you’re being safe, Pukall explained. Just like checking your blind spots, it’s crucial to be aware of the risks and communicate them to your partners.

“Part of that involves comfort talking about sex, either with a healthcare provider, with a trusted person or with a partner, even if it’s something like asking if your partner has a condom. A lot of people think that it may ruin the moment, but in fact, a little bit of awkwardness can save people from unwanted risk in the longer term.”

Pukall spoke to the gender representation in sexuality-related classes, explaining a predominance of female-presenting individuals—around 80 per cent of students in her experience teaching.

Though unsettling for Jerry and his housemates, this incident reflects a reality often encountered within university hookup culture. The pervasive pressure to partake in such activities can inadvertently lead to precarious situations and unforeseen outcomes, such as the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Talks of STIs range across all corners of campus, from chance encounters between strangers to allegations on the @queensuconfessionss Instagram account that “the entire football team has chlamydia.”

Even when students take measures to test against STIs, there’s a knowledge gap on campus of where to get tested and what services are available.

“Where is the closest/best spot for walk-in STI testing?” u/skaorn posted one year ago on the Queen’s University subreddit, acknowledging they thought Mitchell Hall’s Student Wellness Services (SWS) has a three-week wait period for testing.

In reality, SWS offers a same-day clinic and recurring STI quick test walk-in clinics.

Some users responded to

“The SHRC is nonjudgmental, and we allow clients to access our services on their own terms. We provide support, information, and resource referral for clients to help them navigate tricky situations and difficult decisions,” Bey said in a statement to The Journal

FEATURES to sexual wellness

Pukall’s analogy likens safe sex to wearing a

“I have a predominance of women in my lab as well. I tend to also have a lot of non-binary or trans-identifying individuals, but I have very few cisgender men in my

Fasten your seatbelt: Navigating the roadmap

“The very promotion and existence of the SHRC relays the idea that it’s okay to discuss and explore sexuality […] The SHRC seeks to reduce barriers to safer sex,” she added.

The SHRC uses a harm-reduction approach wherein they provide information and try to minimize barriers to safer sex and sexuality expression. For instance, the centre offers at-cost retail where clients can purchase $0.21 condoms, $4 pregnancy tests and menstrual products, as well as a variety of sex toys.

“Through this at-cost retail, we aim to reduce the financial burden of purchasing menstrual products, barrier contraceptives, and pregnancy tests,” Bey said.

Bey spoke to the stigma of STIs due to their long and complicated history, noting the SHRC always uses the term STI or sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBI) as these terms are more scientifically accurate.

“The term disease can have an inherently negative or isolating connotation,” Bey noted.

“When we discuss STIs and sexual healthcare in general (e.g. STI testing, treatment, prevention) in teach-ins or volunteer training, we remain as neutral and factual as

The SexLab explores participants’ experiences on many fronts: fertility, sexuality, healthcare, and intimate relationships.

“Some of our studies [in the SexLab] involve recruiting students and community members to participate in research conducted in the lab. Participants may be asked questions and have their genitals imaged while watching porn to report on their level of arousal,” Pukall said in an interview with The Journal. “We conduct brain imaging studies and pelvic floor imaging.”

The research in the lab includes both healthy and clinical populations, consisting of individuals with sexual or pain issues, intersex conditions, or other diagnosable medical conditions. The lab conducts remote surveys and interview studies to explore participants’ lived experiences, including how sexual experiences manifest in their daily lives.

“Our studies aim to represent underrepresented groups in psychology, including sexual and gender minorities and racialized individuals. We strive for diverse representation in our research to promote sexual health and develop interventions to help manage distressing sexual concern,” Pukall said.

Sexual health, as explained by Pukall, encompasses physical wellbeing, satisfaction, navigating sexual experiences, and freedom from distressing issues like stigma and STIs. It emphasizes understanding

“seatbelt” in a car, emphasizing the importance of protection. Just as seatbelts safeguard us in case of accidents, safe sex entails taking precautions to minimize risks. This involves using condoms to reduce the chances of STIs and unintended pregnancies. Just as accidents can be unforeseen when driving, the potential risks of sexual encounters can be overlooked. Just with driving, taking precautions to protect oneself is necessary given it’s not always clear if everyone is following the rules.

“If something bumped you [along the way], you may get an STI [for example]. You’re aware of those risks, and you come out of it, being able to talk to a doctor about it, get appropriate treatment, make different decisions the next time and have communication with future sexual partners,” Pukall explained.

While some STIs are completely curable, some aren’t, Pukall said, noting some are a bit more cyclic—HPV is one of them and herpes is another.

“Unfortunately, not a lot of people have good knowledge about STI contractions and transmission. They may not have been screened themselves and may not know how to communicate. Maybe they have great communication skills, but at the moment [during sexual activity], those communication skills aren’t a priority. Maybe their expectation is that condoms will be part of sexual activity, but maybe that’s not the expectation of their partner,” Pukall said.

As an advocate for sexual

lab [SexLab],” she said.

“There’s something about the topic of sexuality, which I think there’s a narrative that it’s almost the burden of feminine-identified individuals,” she added.

The risk of female dominance in learning about sexual health is the narrative that it leads to privileging male sexual pleasure.

An academic study on the risks associated with self-reported STIs among postsecondary Canadian students claimed 3.88 per cent of participants had an STI, with the highest rates observed among females and individuals aged 21 to 24 years old—the age of university students.

In 2012, Canadians aged 20 to 24 years old reported the highest rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, HPV, and HSV infections with females having higher rates than males, the study found.

Pukall pointed out the spotlight on the male climax in heterosexual encounters, highlighting the orgasm gap. This phenomenon, where men are more likely to reach climax than their female partners, reinforces societal beliefs that pleasure is primarily for men. It’s as if women are handed the keys to sexual responsibility and risk mitigation while men sit back and enjoy the ride.

Although Pukall believes this stereotypical message is changing over time, it’s still the dominant message out there.

Employers—stop ghosting applicants

Applicants in 2024 face uniquely frustrating barriers to accessing employment.

Many companies conduct hiring through online processes. The facelessness of this procedure leaves applicants vulnerable to disingenuous or expired listings. Businesses admit to advertising positions they have no intention of hiring for, either because they hope to promote from within, to misconvey their expansion, or to give current employees false hope new additions are coming to support their workload. In the case of positions that do exist, employers often fail to remove job listings once they’ve been filled.

The difficulty, not only of finding employment but of receiving assurance one’s application has even been received, is immensely demoralizing for those seeking employment. Increasingly, employers fail to notify the applicants they don’t intend to hire of their decision.

The use of AI to scan resumes for keywords and automatically further or eliminate hundreds of applicants is standard. Not taking the extra step to program hiring systems to send automated emails to rejected applicants evinces a total disregard for the time, effort, and emotions individuals invest into job applications.

Even for those who do manage to get their applications seen, interviews are often

Food insecurity ravages shoppers, not LobLaws

Grocery store receipt scanners aren’t problematic but point to larger issues in Canada.

Supermarket chain Loblaws is facing backlash after implementing receipt scanners at four of its locations. Customers who use selfcheckout machines at these locations must use the new devices to scan their receipts’ barcodes to be able to exit the store.

The many shoppers expressing outrage over this new anti-theft measure are exaggerating the inconvenience it will pose.

Although it’s not overly common, checking receipts at a grocery store as an exit ticket isn’t a novel idea. Costco stations employees at its exits to verify the items in customers’ carts match those on their receipts. The scanners at Loblaws don’t even encode the purchases on shoppers’ receipts; they just ensure people aren’t leaving without having paid for anything, so they can’t be said to invade privacy.

Receipt scanners shouldn’t pose difficulty in terms of accessibility either, so long as they’re installed at an appropriate height. They require just as much exertion as push buttons on doors.

The greatest threat receipt scanners pose is loud beeping at confused customers and those who may be technologically challenged and try exiting without using the machines.

Rising food prices are the true threat.

Shoplifting, particularly at self-checkout machines, is a growing problem against which Loblaws presumably and understandably hopes to defend itself. Yet the increase in grocery theft corresponds to increased food insecurity.

As many consumers and businesses struggle to keep their heads above water recovering from COVID-19, it’s difficult to sympathize with the supermarket giant floating by on $529 million in profits earned in a single quarter.

impersonal. Automated interviews which meet applicants with a blank screen and a timer disadvantage those who struggle with intense time constraints.

AI replicates historic hiring biases

in-person visits to businesses and social networking.

The capacity to network doesn’t have to rely on existing connections or social capital. Researching and attending job fairs or similar events can allow applicants to make impressions on their employers.

In-person meetings can allow employers to gain a greater sense of an applicant’s competence for and suitability to their work environment. Inviting applicants to a workspace to demonstrate their

when screening resumes, discriminating against and eliminating applicants based on race and gender. Relying upon automation in hiring processes is literally and figuratively inhumane.

Admittedly, employers’ apparent disregard for applicants can be mutual. Failing to attend interviews, to notify employers of having received a better offer, and phenomena like “quiet quitting”—wherein employees boast doing the bare minimum and slowly fading out of work—imply workers’ lack of investment in the positions they apply to.

The perceived impossibility of getting a job incites applicants to send out innumerable applications, subsequently putting little effort into each one. The impersonality of these applications allows employers to guiltlessly dismiss prospective hires without communication.

Those who wish to set their applications apart or feel seen in the job hunt must rely upon traditional methods, like

relevant abilities on technical tasks—in addition to reducing the facelessness of job hunting—could better assess qualifications than abstract interview questions do.

Not all types of positions may warrant this level of concerted effort. For short-term employment or cases where employers receive massive amounts of applications, the convenience of virtual processes may reign preferable. Their procedure therefore must be ameliorated.

Applications must be designed to be easy to fill out and submit without user error.

LinkedIn could easily train a model to verify the legitimacy of job postings, flagging those posted over 30 days ago or reposted several times over as unreliable.

Whether our methods are computerized or analog we must restore humanity—literal and figurative—to the job market.

—Journal Editorial Board

‘Saltburn’ isn’t the eat-the-rich delight you should be craving

Miriam Slessor Senior Video Editor

Hollywood struggles to meaningfully depict the eat the rich trope.

Entertainment of late has had a thirst for class commentary, specifically the type that has its wealthy characters humiliated or dead by the end of the story. The eat the rich trope emerged as an encouragement to criticize the wealthy and often employs imagery that alludes to literally eating the rich.

Yet, despite the situation of this thirst—or appetite—in a time where the wage gap is increasing, movies like Saltburn fall short when subjected to a social rather than aesthetic lens.

The phrase “eat the rich” originated with political philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who, during the French Revolution, asserted “when the people shall have nothing more to eat, they will eat the rich.” While Rousseau was referring to the aristocracy, his phrasing has since been adopted to reference all excess displays of wealth.

The re-emergence of the phrase is punctuated by the growing income inequality between the highest earning and the lower and working classes. It’s symbolic of a demand for the distribution of funds, meant to address unbalanced power dynamics and hold the oppressor accountable.

Hollywood has attempted to fictionalize this concept on multiple occasions, with

films like Knives Out, Parasite, and The Menu contributing to the narrative. All of these films have been praised for their execution, where ridiculously wealthy folk get their comeuppance at the hands of those they see as lesser than. The most recent attempt at this narrative is a current internet hot topic: Saltburn

Written and directed by Oscar winner

Emerald Fennell, Saltburn tells the story of Oxford scholarship student Oliver, his obsession with the more popular—and much wealthier—Felix, and Oliver’s attempts to acquire these sought-after assets by proxy. It’s obvious the audience is meant to sympathize with this supposed protagonist, but Fennell’s work falls short when it starts to forgive its rich characters.

Felix and his family are extravagantly wealthy, exhibiting absurd behaviours like gossip mongering and manipulation, but their behaviours are overshadowed by a sympathetic lens.

Continued online at queensjournal.ca/ editorials.com

ILLUSTRATION BY ARDEN MASON-OURIQUE

PHOTO BY HERBERT WANG

The solar eclipse on April 8 should be a statutory holiday OPINIONS

We should maximize the memories and tourism money possible on this once-in-a-lifetime day

OLIVER ZHAO Contributor

The Ontario Government should declare April 8 a statutory holiday to mark the upcoming total solar eclipse as an extraordinary occasion.

For the nearly 20 million Canadians living in the Quebec City-Windsor corridor—half the country’s population—this is the best chance we’ll ever have to see a total solar eclipse. Major cities and tourist spots including Niagara Falls, Hamilton, Kingston, and Montreal will be in the path of totality, while those in Toronto, Ottawa, and Quebec City can drive less than an hour to reach a spot in the path.

Solar eclipses are relatively common, but the chance of any specific location on Earth being in the path of totality during an eclipse is exceptionally rare. The last solar eclipse that could be seen from Kingston was in 1349, and the next won’t occur until 2399.

Cities including Kingston are preparing to welcome thousands of tourists for this truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but governments should go further. April 8, 2024, should be a public holiday in the provinces closest to the eclipse, namely Ontario, Quebec, the Maritimes, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Many school boards in Ontario have decided to make April 8 a professional activity (PA) day, so students won’t be going to school. The boards cited concerns with traffic safety and children looking at the sun without

proper protection, as the eclipse is happening around the schools’ normal afternoon dismissal times. Subsequently, some teachers’ unions are asking for teachers to be permitted to work from home, arguing if it’s not safe for children, then it’s not safe for adults to be working on site.

April 8 will be easier for everyone if it’s a holiday. People can stay off the roads during peak darkness. If parents have the day off, they’ll be able to supervise their kids at home and even turn eclipse-viewing into a fun family activity. More people can enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime event without worrying about work or school obligations.

Queen’s students will find it difficult to spend the afternoon watching the eclipse, as their exam period starts just three days later, and some classes are still taking place on April 8.

It would be a pity for someone to be in Kingston, have a chance in their life to see a total solar eclipse in all its glory, and be forced to miss it because they’re too busy finishing a final assignment or studying for an exam that week. A holiday unfortunately won’t solve everyone’s problem—essential workers will still have to work, and Queen’s students need to plan their time well over the next few weeks, so they’re prepared enough for their exams to afford a few hours off on April 8.

But for many people living in Toronto—or from further away such as northern Ontario—who want to drive to Niagara Falls to see totality, or for those in Kingston who would rather be camped out by the waterfront looking at the sky instead of working at their desk or peeking through their living room window, making April 8 a holiday would be a huge benefit.

Making April 8 a public holiday wouldn’t be an unprecedented decision, as governments have declared one-off holidays before. Two years ago, a few provinces

made September 19, 2022, the date of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, a public holiday.

Ontario chose not to make the Queen’s funeral day a holiday, in part so students could “stay in school and learn about the contributions the Queen made to the people of Ontario and the entire commonwealth, as well as the accession of King Charles III.” With April 8 being a PA day for many students, however, this rationale doesn’t quite work this time.

Following Queen Elizabeth’s passing, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) opposed making the date of her funeral a statutory holiday, arguing the short notice “would be deeply unfair for small businesses and cost the economy billions.”

Unlike the Queen’s passing, however, we’ve known for years the eclipse is coming. It’s unfortunate there hasn’t been an earlier push to make April 8 a holiday and give everyone more time to prepare accordingly. Nonetheless, many of the businesses the CFIB was concerned about last time, such as restaurants, hotels, and movie theatres, are in the

hospitality sector and will likely benefit from the increased tourism of an April 8 holiday.

Unlike a day of mourning where businesses are expected to close, the eclipse is a joyful occasion that will draw people out to spend money in bars and restaurants, which typically stay open on holidays, as part of their eclipse day festivities.

Elizabeth II was Canada’s head of state for 70 years. The monarchy is an important part of our constitutional system, and her passing was a significant moment in global history that deserved commemoration. However, many also viewed her as the head of an antiquated, colonial institution, with little impact on Canadians’ day-to-day lives.

While few Canadians ever met their monarch, millions will experience the eclipse on April 8 in their home communities in a very real and personal way.

A solar eclipse is a magnificently emotional and unifying event. It’s a wildly lucky cosmic fluke: by pure chance, the moon is exactly the right size and distance from the Earth to make this sight possible

at all. Everyone stops what they’re doing, comes together and watches the sun disappear and the sky turn to night in the middle of the day. The bright star that makes life on this rocky, blue planet possible, replaced by a round, black void, surrounded by the white, filamentous ring of the otherwise invisible corona.

For those, including myself, who’ve never seen an eclipse in person, nothing can prepare us for how stunned we’ll be until we see it happening. If there’s any culturally significant, buoyant event worth marking with a holiday, it’s this upcoming April 8. If we get an annual day off to celebrate the Earth completing one more rotation around the sun, we should for this equally impressive—and rarer—cosmic event too.

This year, April 8, should be a statutory holiday. But holiday or not, come hell or high water, I’m not missing out on the eclipse.

Oliver is a second year law student.

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO Oliver believes there is opportunity for economic gain by making this year’s eclipse a holiday.

<BIZ-SCI-TECH>

The untapped economic potential of eldest daughters

First-born daughters disproportionately care for aging parents

Aimée Look Business, Science, & Technology Editor

First-born daughters undergo early puberty when their mothers are stressed during pregnancy, shedding truth behind the “eldest daughter syndrome” trend on social media.

But the oldest daughter’s conditioning from conception until maturity could largely predetermine the economic burdens she faces later in life.

Eldest daughter behaviour is marked by perfectionism, parentification, and emotional suppression.

Actors on TikTok like Vienna Ayla create satirical “oldest daughter” characters who exhibit these behaviors. Ayla’s character plans her own funeral, sleeps by the door to prepare for a trip, and ends up therapizing her therapist.

“Am I bossy… or am I just always right?” Ayla says in a skit.

Eldest daughters exhibit an overwhelming “sense of responsibility” for the well-being of the family, taking on adult responsibilities

in the household, the UCLA study said. When mothers undergo prenatal stress or mental health difficulties, the daughter’s early maturation could help her raise subsequent children.

The economic burden of the oldest daughter manifests in an outsized responsibility for household care.

“The economic value of the eldest daughter ties into the broad issue of the undervaluing of care and domestic labour—usually undertaken by women in society,” Yang Hu, professor of global sociology at Lancaster University, said in an email to The Journal.

First-born daughters are most likely to mirror their mother’s behaviours, which could mean they’re prone to take interest in household tasks, Hu said, which is a clear example of the behavioural role modelling theory. Girls between five and 14 years old spend 40 per cent more time than boys on domestic work, a UNICEF study found.

When working mothers have less time for household tasks, they tend to fall on the shoulders of the oldest daughter because of labour substitution theory, according to Hu’s research.

“Girl children are usually given more chores. More responsibility for siblings, higher

The mastermind behind QBarLive speaks on inception and termination

The website will be shutting down at the end of the semester

VioLettA ZeitLinger FontAnA Business, Science, & Technology Editor

When Lucas Gordon, Comm and Comp ’24, created QBarLive in September 2023, he never imagined just how quickly and widely word would spread. Within the first week, the site was visited over 12,000 times. This number has since climbed to almost 200,000.

QBarLive live streams footage of popular bar lineups in Kingston. Active from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. every night, the site provides a look at how many people are in line for Stages, Ale House, The Brass Pub, and Trinity Social.

People, often students, use the video feeds to identify which places are most popular on a given evening, how long they can expect to wait in line, or if going out is worth it.

For some students, QBarLive makes or breaks their evening plans—if they can’t access the video feed, they won’t go at all.

Haleigh Schreyer, HealthSci ’24, told The Journal that when she couldn’t view the Stages line over St. Patrick’s Day weekend, she decided not to go at all since she couldn’t tell when the line was starting to form.

When Gordon moved into his current apartment, he realized he had a perfect view of the lines that would form outside of Brass and Trinity Social. His roommate had the idea to install a camera and livestream their new discovery. With a bit of research, Gordon realized this was a relatively feasible endeavour and got to work.

With no organized promotion, news

expectations for academic performance, and more expectations about (thin) weight, food, hygiene, appearance, and many others,” Sari van Anders, a professor of psychology at Queen’s University, said in an email.

Women tend to categorize self-care as a luxury rather than a priority when compared to men, a study from the MIT AgeLab found.

“That means when women think about taking care of people, that gets socialized as being more important than their own needs or their own aspirations,”

The disparity in gender roles at home accentuates global gender inequality. For example, in the Philippines many mothers migrate elsewhere to find work—leaving the eldest daughter as a “surrogate” mother for the household, according to Hu.

While eldest daughters take on parentification of younger siblings, the oldest son embarks on “strategic brothering” which is valuable for future careers, The Atlantic said.

Adam Felt, a research associate at the MIT AgeLab said in an interview with The Journal

Seventy-five per cent of unpaid caregivers of aging parents are women, according to Felt. The first-born child, of either gender, is twice as likely to take on the role.

about QBarLive spread rapidly via social media and word of mouth. Within a few hours of Gordon sharing the website to a few group chats, it received hundreds of views. The site has now collected over 52,000 individual users.

Following the website’s initial success, Gordon wanted to expand QBarLive’s scope to include the Stages and Ale House lines. With only two apartment buildings in the area with a direct line of sight, Gordon began to write letters to tenants, explaining his initiative and requesting to install a camera on their balcony in exchange for $50 per month.

A fellow Queen’s student and resident of Brock Towers accepted Gordon’s offer.

In Canada, it’s legal to video record people in public spaces without people’s consent as they don’t have a reasonable expectation of privacy. However, audio recordings are illegal and QBarLive’s cameras have audio recording disabled. To further protect privacy, QBarLive’s technology automatically blurs faces and license plates that are in clear enough view to recognize.

To stream a video feed in real time, Gordon’s server is programmed to locate a certain IP address associated to a wifi router and look for a specific port. The port acts a gateway for the video feed, allowing the server to access the footage and stream it on the website.

While this is a relatively simple process, Gordon had to navigate two issues when outsourcing one of his camera locations to a stranger’s balcony.

Firstly, residential routers have dynamic IP addresses, meaning the IP address will change periodically—this means for the server to retain access to the video stream, Gordon needs to be told the new address every time it changes.

A second issue is that the port access

There’s a significant financial burden to being an unpaid caregiver, and career implications too. Unpaid caregivers in the US lost on average $304,000 in wages and benefits over their lifetime, according to a MetLife study from 2011.

Women and oldest siblings have been independently shown to bear the brunt of unpaid care for parents—ringing in the costly reality of the eldest daughter’s tendency to take responsibility.

A Swedish study on firstborn males found they were 30 per cent more likely than their younger siblings to become CEOs or politicians. Another study found eldest boys received more scrutiny from parents when completing tasks like homework, benefiting from a phenomenon called “strategic parenting.”

Although the first-born daughter likely reaps similar benefits from strategic parenting, older brothers often showed dominance and leadership over younger siblings, who looked to creative ways to prove themselves—leading them to embark on creative careers in the future.

necessary for streaming live video requires administrative-level access to the router. This means that Gordon would be able to access the internet activity and device histories of every user connected to that router—this involves a certain level of trust between Gordon and the Brock Towers resident.

It would be possible to bypass the router requirements by inserting a SIM card directly into the camera and connecting to the server via cellular data, but Gordon mentioned this method would be significantly more expensive, and still wouldn’t guarantee a location to install the camera.

Overall, Gordon invested a significant amount of money into this project. His three cameras total around $1,000, on top of monthly costs of paying the Brock Towers resident and server host, totalling around $200 per month.

With a site like QBarLive, there are limited opportunities to profit financially—you could charge a subscription fee—which Gordon didn’t want to do—or sell advertisements. With the average user spending only 26 seconds

on the site per visit, Gordon said there isn’t a lot of demand for advertisements, and they make the site less visually appealing.

Despite generating absolutely no revenue from the site, Gordon says QBarLive was worth the investment.

“It’s been a fun project. It’s a cool feeling to make a product and see people getting utility from it,” Gordon said in an interview with The Journal.

With graduation on the horizon, Gordon plans to shut down QBarLive as the semester ends. This news comes as a shock to many students and dedicated fans.

While a few individuals have offered to take over the endeavour, Gordon said it would be too complicated for someone new to find a location to install the cameras.

Even though QBarLive may be nearing its end, bar line livestreams may be far from over. Students from the University of Western Ontario and University of Guelph, as well as several exchange students, have contacted Gordon, eager to begin sites of their own.

Oldest daughters tend to take on responsibility from a young age. GRAPHIC BY AIMÉE LOOK

SPORTS

Smith vs Smith face off against cancer

For the first time in Queen’s history, Team Engineering and Team Commerce took the fight to the ice on March 14 to see who is the better Smith School.

The Cure Cancer Classic (CCC) raised $624,000 dollars for cancer research this year, in one of the most highly anticipated sporting events of the Queen’s social calendar.

“They’re helping to change the landscape and cancer outcomes for

‘We

Cure Cancer Classic raised $624,000 for cancer research AIDAN

generations to come,” said Doug Kane, director of independent fundraising and sports alliances at the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS), in an interview with The Journal.

The Cure Cancer Classic executives raised $312,500 themselves, which was matched by other donors secured by the CCC. The money will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Trials Group, which conducts clinical trials to test treatments.

“There’s no other event I have been to that has this much

passion, this much energy,” Kane said.

Stephen Smith, the donor whose name graces both Engineering and Commerce faculties at Queen’s, joined the co-chairs of Cure Cancer Classic on the ice and was met with

will make you feel proud to be a Gael

Season two of the We Are Golden docuseries will have you buying into the brotherhood that is Queen’s football.

Set to start streaming on Bell FibeTV starting March 25, the six-episode docu-series produced by Viva Productions We Are Golden blends Gaels football legends of the past with current stars, bringing viewers a complete behind-the-scenes look at what it means to be part of Queen’s historic brotherhood.

Relying heavily on first-hand accounts from fan favourites such as Alex Vreeken, Kin ’25, Aidan O’Neal, MIR ’25, Ashton Miller-Melancon, ArtSci ’25, Darien Newell, ArtSci ’24, Jared Chisari, MSc ’25, Eric Colonna, Comm ’24, and Head Coach Steve Snyder, the six-part special offers a closer glimpse into the program than ever before.

Recorded throughout the 2023-24 season, the docu-series followed the Gaels’ triumphs and failures from this year’s campaign, with each episode focusing on an individual athlete’s relationship with Gaels football and the historical figures who closely match the legacy the players and coach plan to leave behind.

Though each episode only ran for 10-15 minutes, I can’t understate the array of emotions that washed across me as I watched the docuseries.

Director and Executive Producer Anthony Agostino and his staff at Viva Productions did an excellent job embodying the program we’re blessed to have here at Queen’s.

The series emphasized the close relationships players share on and off the field. When Chisari spoke about breaking the all-time Queen’s single season rushing yards record, he didn’t hesitate to credit

contribution, especially with the recent one to the Engineering faculty, is amazing,” Co-Chair of CCC Justin Tanenbaum said in an interview with The Journal.

Signs reading “Daddy loves us more” could be seen throughout the crowd, as students reveled in the first Smith versus Smith game in Queen’s history.

The first period started off with a bang. Commerce quickly bagged three goals before Engineering students even had a chance to catch their breath. With 2:19 left in the first period, Engineering students finally scored a goal, prompting applause and chants of “Daddy’s money” from the Engineering side of the arena.

“Every time, just skating out that first time here and hearing the Eng[ineering] crowd just be so loud, so much energy. Every year it’s the same thing, it’s the best feeling,” three-time Engineering player Matt Sheehy, Sci ’24 said after the game.

According to Sheehy, though Commerce might be scoring goals, the Engineering team will always have the best fans.

A quick goal by Team Commerce ended the first period at 4-1. Chants of “Puck Commerce” rang through the crowd, but the Commerce team skated off the ice with nothing to prove.

During the first intermission, bite-sized Timbits players took to the ice, dazzling

his teammates for his impressive accomplishment. Chisari said that without the support of his teammates, and the trust his coaching staff put into him, he would’ve never been able to accomplish such an outstanding feat.

backstories, blew away my expectations, the docuseries went well above the bare minimum of showcasing the wins and losses of Queen’s football. Stories from Newell, Vreeken, and Colonna stuck out as truly inspiring and

another goal for Commerce, raising the score to 5-2 by the end of the second period and dashing Team Engineering’s hopes for a comeback.

Throughout the game, kiss cams and free giveaways entertained the crowd, but by the third period, nothing could disguise Team Engineering’s slipping grasp on the game.

The third period kicked off with another goal from commerce, but a quick follow-up goal from engineering had the crowd cheering. A fight between three players got the crowd riled up, but nothing could bring Team Commerce down.

The final goal of the night, scored by James Moffat, Comm ’24, solidified Commerce’s domination.

“The best part of the game was just taking off and seeing everyone’s hands go up at the final whistle,” Moffat said in a post-game interview.

As a first-year rep for the CCC in 2021, Moffat enjoyed watching the organization grow in his four years at Queen’s. For him, scoring the winning goal was just the cherry on top.

Team Commerce had secured seven points to Team Engineering’s three.

“We’re a group of 36 university students, and we’re just here to make a big difference and a big impact on the cause,” Tanenbaum said.

“What we do as a company, which is the same thing, as our goal for this series, is to be storytellers, to capture the moments, to capture the emotions, to capture what we feel is the story of the team, and more importantly, the people who we featured in this and tell their stories,” Agostino told The Journal in an interview.

The first-hand accounts, accompanied by players’

moving examples of the important role that football and Queen’s have played in each young man’s life. Each story enables viewers to understand the things that drove players to become such competitors on the gridiron.

After the screening, Agostino said the goal of the documentary wasn’t merely to document the quantitative statistics of the game as mere wins and losses, but to capture the brotherhood of the Queen’s

Heads up Gaels fans!

Do you want to be on the Sports team at The Journal?

Email newjournal.editors@ams. queensu.ca

football program and showcase the players’ stories, growth, inspirations, and challenges.

“Sports, like life, isn’t about winning and losing, it’s about the journey that you take,” Agostino said. “It’s about the people that you meet along the way, and the growth that you have, as an individual and as a group.”

“I’m grateful that the Queen’s community, and especially the Queen’s football team, allowed us into their lives, and allowed us to share their journey and their growth and their development throughout this process,” he said.

Agostino successfully achieved his goal, and after watching the documentary in its entirety, I felt much more familiar with the football team and and how they motivate themselves to compete on a weekly basis.

We Are Golden is a compelling depiction of one of the most historic programs in university football and will bring you closer to the players and coaches of the past and present that have forged this program’s legacy.

Star player James Moffat secured Commerce win 7-3.

MIKELLA SCHEUTTLER

PHOTO BY HERBERT WANG

PHOTO BY HERBERT WANG

Seventeen Gaels recognized by OUA and U SPORTS

The stats behind the awards

RORY STINSON Senior Sports Editor

As several sports seasons come to a close, the OUA and U SPORTS have announced their player and coaching awards, acknowledging players for their efforts throughout the year in their respective sports.

Women’s Basketball

Following a record season, forward Julia Chadwick, MIR ’24, was named a U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian. Chadwick put up 405 points and 249 total rebounds in 22 games during the regular season.

Chadwick was named OUA Defensive Player of the Year.

Men’s Basketball

Guard Luka Syllas, ConEd ’24, was named U SPORTS Defensive Player of the Year and U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian. He put up 377 points and 131 total rebounds in 22 regular season games. Syllas won OUA Defensive Player of the Year

Men’s Volleyball at Nationals

Despite a guaranteed spot in the U SPORTS National Championship tournament last weekend, it was a bittersweet weekend for Gaels fans. The Queen’s Men’s Volleyball team failed to clinch a slot in the gold medal game after being eliminated in the bronze medal game by the University of British Columbia

The Gaels started the tournament strong after taking a five-set quarterfinal win on March 14 against the Trinity Western Spartans, pushing them into the semi-finals.

Semi-finals

As hosts, the Queen’s Gaels took on the number-oneseeded Sherbrooke Vert et Or for their semi-final game of the U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball Championships on March 15. The Gaels were

To start the game, the Gaels made numerous service and attack errors, contributing to an early lead for Sherbrooke.

“Their side of the net was probably some of the most efficient volleyball I’ve maybe ever seen. They’re undefeated for a reason,” Queen’s Head Coach Gabriel deGroot said following the game.

“I think we got the best version of them tonight, unfortunately. I think we just didn’t quite have the emotional energy to sustain being in a fight.”

and an OUA First Team All-Star. Guard Cole Syllas, Sci ’24, was named an OUA Second Team All-Star. He put up 277 points and 145 total rebounds in 19 regular season games played.

Head Coach Steph Barrie won OUA Coach of the Year. His team went 19-3 in the regular season and won the Wilson Cup in March.

Women’s Volleyball

Outside Hannah Duchesneau, ArtSci ’24, was named a U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian. Duschesneau had 241 kills, 282 points, and 30 total blocks in the regular season. Duchesneau was also named the OUA Most Valuable Player and was an OUA First-Team All-Star.

Middle Amanda Siksna, ConEd ’25, was also an OUA First Team All-Star with 115 kills, 187.5 points, and 75 total blocks in the regular season.

Setter Shea Baker, ArtSci ’24, was an OUA Second Team All Star. She put up 567 assists and 22 total blocks in the regular season.

Nerves seemed to be getting the better of the Gaels, and Sherbrooke closed out the first set 25-19.

MVP of the Gaels’ quarterfinal game, Erik Siksna, Comm ’24, and Reed Venning, ArtSci ’26, were two of Queen’s main point contributors, with Chris Zimmerman, ArtSci ’27, on the set-up.

The second set saw a similar

Head Coach Ryan Ratushniak won OUA Coach of the Year. His team went 18-2 in the regular season. The team lost in the OUA semifinals to the McMaster Marauders.

Men’s Volleyball

Outside Erik Siksna, Comm ’24, was a U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian with 217 kills, 286.5 points, and 24 total blocks in the regular season. Siksna was named OUA Most Valuable Player.

Graduate student libero Lhexen Rabit won the OUA Dale Iwanoczko Award of Merit and the OUA Champion of EDI Award. He had 129 digs, 69 sets, and 281 receptions in the regular season.

outcome. Despite efforts from Venning, Siksna, and Zimmerman leading the team once again, the Gaels fell short 25-17. Sherbrooke was now up 2-0, leaving the Gaels in a must-win situation for the rest of the game.

The third set was closer, and towards the end of the game the score was as close as 21-20, in favour of Sherbrooke.

Despite hope from the Gaels and their fans that filled the ARC, Sherbrooke took the third set 25-21, advancing to the finals and leaving the Gaels behind.

“The fact that we still didn’t give up—as much as they were just super efficient and making it tough on us constantly, I think the guys still held belief even though the job was too difficult for us,” deGroot said.

Zimmerman, with 33 assists, was named MVP of the game for Queen’s. Siksna and Venning tied for kills with 13 each.

Bronze Medal Game

The Gaels drew a crowd in the ARC on St. Patrick’s Day when they faced off against the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds in the bronze medal game.

Both teams had a day of rest between their semi-final games on Friday and this game on Sunday, fans expected high energy on the court.

The teams went point-forpoint for much of the first set, with neither the Gaels nor UBC seeing more than a two-point lead until the score was 20-17 for UBC.

Service errors provided several points for both teams, with the first set seeing 17 service errors.

Siksna had five service aces, three back-to-back.

In the end, UBC saw victory in the first set, winning 29-27.

The second set wasn’t as close as the first, with the Gaels down 24-16 near the end of the set. With only one point needed for UBC to take the set, the Gaels took off of an eight-point run, with Siksna at the forefront of the comeback. The score tied at 24-24.

Despite the excitement in the crowd, on the court, and behind the

Women’s Hockey

Goaltender Emma Tennant, Sci ’25, was named to the U SPORTS All-Rookie Team with a 0.915 save percentage and a 2.15 Goals Against Average (GAA) in 27 games played this season. She was named to the OUA All-Rookie Team as well.

Forward Mikayla Cranney, ArtSci ’27, was named to the OUA All-Rookie Team with 10 goals and 11 assists for 21 points in 28 games this season.

Defensive player Sarah Campbell, Comm ’24, was named an OUA Second Team All-Star with 12 assists, 15 points in 28 games.

Gaels bench, UBC shut down the Gaels and won the set 26-24.

UBC was up 2-0, and for the third time this tournament, the Gaels were in a must-win scenario.

The Gaels turned around their luck in set three.

Zig Licis, Sci ’24, generated four kills before facing an injury mid-set. Licis came back a couple plays later and added another kill immediately upon return.

The Gaels went on to win the third set 27-25.

With newfound motivation following the Gaels’ third-set win, both teams were desperate for a win in the fourth set.

The teams interchanged leads throughout the start of the set before UBC fell into a steady lead halfway through.

Much to the Gaels’ disappointment, UBC took the fourth set 25-17 and captured the bronze medal. Queen’s placed fourth.

Dax Tompkins, ArtSci ’24, saw his best of the tournament with 10 kills. Siksna was awarded MVP of the game with 12 kills and 10 aces.

Having signed with a volleyball team in Belgium, deGroot said Siksna may be one of the best volleyball players to come out of Canada.

“Erik’s career’s just started. I’m proud to have been just a little piece of it, but I’m super excited to see him represent Queen’s,” he said.

The fourth-place finish ties the Queen’s Men’s Volleyball program previous best, which was set in 2012 when the Gaels last hosted the U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball Championship. They lost 3-1 to the University of Manitoba Bisons that year.

Following a post-game locker room debrief with his team, deGroot shared his thoughts on what this team accomplished this year.

“We just debriefed as a group there for the last 20 minutes, 30 minutes, and I don’t know if I’ve ever wanted to hold on to a moment for longer because what we have in this group is truly special. They love each other. It’s hard to build that in a team.”

Men’s Hockey

Three Queen’s forwards received awards on the Men’s Hockey Team. Dalton Duhart, ArtSci ’26, was named an OUA First Team East All-Star with 17 goals and 27 assists for 44 points in 28 games, while Jonathan Yantsis, ArtSci ’24, was named an OUA Second Team East All-Star with 18 goals and 19 assists for 37 points in 26 games. Derek Hamilton, ArtSci ’27, was named to the OUA All-Rookie East Team with 9 goals and 13 assists for 22 points in 27 games.

Defensive player Jacob Paquette, ArtSci ’24, was named an OUA Second Team East All-Star with 3 goals and 11 assists for 14 points in 26 games.

IMAGE SUPPLIED BY HECTOR PEREZ

The Gaels lost 3-1 in the bronze medal game.

SpillingHoroscopes: the tea on the stars

The Psychic Scholar Staff Writer

While we at The Journal don’t condone gossip, the rumour mill on campus has been churning. So, here’s what we’ve heard about the signs.

Remember, it’s not gossip if it’s true.

Aries (March 21 – April 19)

Your boyfriend is cheating on you, Aries. Whether or not this rumour is true is a different story, but maybe it’s time to look around and ask yourself why this rumour is being spread. Even if you think he’s a good guy, you owe it to yourself to do a little investigating. Just think about it.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

We heard your e-transfer IS working, Taurus, and you’ve just been mooching off your friends for the entire semester. Even if this isn’t true, it’s not a good look. We all have our own rent, food, and bills to pay for—at least most of us do—and it’s time you start pulling your own weight. After all, no one likes a mooch.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

Rumour has it, Gemini, you’re not as happy as you thought you’d be in your new relationship and secretly—or not so secretly anymore—miss your ex. Look, people are starting to notice your relationship on the inside isn’t matching what you’re trying to portray on the inside. While this is the case for a lot of relationships, it might be time to re-evaluate.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

You think you’re so slick, Cancer, but your friends are getting tired of you bailing on them every night to fawn over your new beau. You fall in love too easily and it’s expected you disappear for months at a time when you cozy up to someone new, but the trick is getting tired. Be sure to show up to the next pre, otherwise you’ll have nobody to go out with when your newest fling realizes you’re kind of a dud.

Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22)

While you’re certainly fun to talk shit with, Leo, the second you show your true colours, your undergrad alma mater’s student paper becomes a mainstay in several people’s search history. Though people should indeed run for student government, the student engagement problem out west isn’t bad enough where you had a chance in hell at winning. Next time you run for any kind of office, don’t skip on the media training and be sure to take a marketing class.

Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22)

Your housemates are signing a new lease without you, Virgo. If this is true, I suggest you get a move on as houses are filling up quick. After you’ve gotten your housing situation figured out, I suggest you take some time reflect on why your housemates were so eager to ditch you.

Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22)

Whispers around campus have been saying you slept with your housemate’s girlfriend, Libra. Not cool. Even if this isn’t true, you should definitely sit your housemate down and chat. It’s the right thing to do.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21)

You’ve been purposefully excluding your third “bestie” from plans, Scorpio, because you actually think she’s annoying and don’t have the heart or spine to tell her. If this is the case, it’s time to cut the crap. Sit her down, air your grievances, and move on—there’s no point in dragging out this “friendship.”

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21)

You’re on the quieter side, Sagittarius, but the last few weeks people have been taking note of your prowess as you enter your career. What keeps the conversation about you flowing is people wondering how you’ll make out working a Big Boy job with your contempt for structure.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19)

We heard from your friends your praise kink is obvious, Capricorn, and you need to settle down. You are lovable, but the amount of fishing expeditions you go on when going out is getting out of hand and people are taking notice.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb 18)

We heard you’ve been telling everyone you slept with someone on the Varsity Basketball team, Aquarius, when in reality they’re just on an intramural team. If this is true, my only advice for you is stick to your story. The only thing more embarrassing than being caught in a lie is sleeping with someone who plays intramural basketball. So, save yourself from the embarrassment and learn from this moment.

Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20)

People talk, Pisces, and they know you’re sleeping with your TA to get that A+. When they said there’s a will there’s a way, you weren’t supposed to take it literally. When you look back at your transcript, remember how that GPA came to be. Next time, let’s put those office hours to better use.

We need journalists now more than ever

Allie Moustakis Senior Lifestyle Editor

Journalism is more important than ever.

Growing up, I was constantly told by my parents and other family members that journalism, as the world knew it, was dying. As sad as it is, they weren’t wrong.

The landscape of journalism has undergone significant transformation over the last decade, with traditional print media facing unprecedented challenges to its viability. The rise of social media platforms and online news aggregators has disrupted traditional revenue models, leading to layoffs, budget cuts, and the closure of many newsrooms.

Just last year in 2023, 36 local news outlets in Canada closed their doors, leaving communities across the country without vital sources of information and accountability. These 36 local news outlets join the not-soexclusive club consisting of 516 local radio, TV, print, and online news operations extinct in 345 communities across Canada since 2008.

In December, CBC/Radio Canada announced they’d be cutting 800 jobs across the country—roughly 10 per cent of their workforce—to make up for their $125 million projected deficit. Three months earlier, Metroland Media Group—a company owned by the Torstar Corporation—cut 605 jobs and turned 71 weekly newspapers into online-only publications. The closure of these local news

Journalism is a public good worth fighting for

outlets represents more than just a loss of jobs or revenue—it signifies a profound erosion of the democratic infrastructure that underpins our society.

Local journalism is the lifeblood of communities. It provides essential coverage of local government, schools, business, and events. Without it, communities are left without a voice, vulnerable to misinformation and lacking the means to advocate for their own interests.

Growing up 45 minutes outside of Toronto, I witnessed firsthand the impactofdwindlinglocaljournalism.

My local newspaper, The Liberal, has been publishing online only since at least 2017, but it’s clear

its resources were dwindling long before. Stories were becoming less frequent, investigative reporting was scarce, and coverage of important community events was minimal.

Front page stories were soon replaced with grocery store flyers and advertisements.

The loss of public information has profound implications for healthy democracy and discourse. With misinformation running rampant on social media and political polarization at an all-time high, the need for reliable, trustworthy journalism has never been greater.

Journalists serve as bearers of truth, working tirelessly to

separate fact from fiction and hold the powerful to account. They’re on the front lines, investigating corruption, exposing injustices, and amplifying voices that would otherwise go unheard.

Journalists can enact and create change in ways few others can. In 2022, a joint investigative report published by The Narwhal and Toronto Star exposed Doug Ford’s plans to cut into Ontario’s Greenbelt. The investigation prompted enormous public outcry, and the Ford government ultimately backtracked on the plans.

Continued online at queensjournal.ca/lifestyle

Men, you need to start holding your ‘friends’ accountable

It’s time to take a step up from the sidelines

Anonymous Contributor

To the boys who remained silent when their buddy verbally assaulted me in the street, remember your friends are a reflection of you.

Walking the 10 minutes home after an empowering dance class at the ARC, I was amped up—being in my second degree at Queen’s, I’m no stranger to walking home alone on nights when every tenth house has disco lights and music pouring out through open windows.

As I approached the corner of Collingwood and Earl St., a group of six men rounded the corner. I tensed slightly as many women often do when they see a group of men at night, but I kept my head buried in my phone. After all, making myself small and invisible seemed like the safest option on a block between lit-up houses. I’d almost passed the group and started to feel relief until one of them leaned over and

yowled in my face. I could feel his beer-scented breath slap my cheek.

As he passed me by, I uttered the first and most logical response that popped into my head: “Literally why?”

Of course, not to be embarrassed by a five-foot-tall woman in front of his buddies, he shouted back “f—k you, fatty.” His friends still said nothing.

I rolled my eyes at his words in utter disbelief. “Wow,” I thought, unimpressed by his comeback. The worst insult he could come up with is some idiotic, fat-phobic jab at my appearance after I called him out for bad behaviour.

I quickened my pace and set as much distance as I could between myself and the group. My cheeks and ears on fire with rage, struggling to process the interaction, I turned to my closest friends in a group chat. In my voice-memo account of what happened, I couldn’t help but laugh at how ridiculous the whole interaction was. I was proud to have responded to the initial invasion of my personal space but annoyed that making the safe decision to walk away meant that boy didn’t receive a consequence.

What made my blood boil with anger and disappointment was

the lack of action by his friends. Obviously, this boy had done something wrong—verbally assaulting a woman unprovoked who was walking alone at night—but his friends were no better. Their failure to condemn his verbal assault made them equally part of the problem.

Violence against women stays alive in the very moments where men are empowered to believe their bad behaviour is acceptable because they’re not called out on it.

As I walked away, I wanted so badly to insult his attempt at hurting my feelings, but I knew doing so would only be more dangerous for my own safety. Men have the power to call out violence when they see it. To tell their friends attempting to intimidate and verbally assault a woman at night isn’t only gross but unacceptable behaviour.

I don’t care how drunk he was. Drunk actions reflect sober thoughts. This boy felt it was acceptable and even funny to his friends if he picked on a lone woman at night. He felt safe enough to verbally assault a stranger to simply get a laugh.

This was on Earl St. I dare not imagine if it were a place with

From Liz, With Love: According to instAgrAm i’m not his type

Don’t get lost in the infinite scroll of comparison

Elizabeth Provost Staff Writer

Dear Liz,

This guy I really liked told me I wasn’t his “usual type.” To make a long story short, he then went on to describe his type and spoiler alert… it’s the complete opposite of me. Since then, I’ve found myself in an endless cycle of doomscrolling on social media comparing myself to every single girl he follows on Instagram. Though I know it’s pathetic, I can’t stop. I’ve always been comfortable with myself, my looks, my body, et cetera, but this is really starting to get to me. How do I break out of this cycle?

Sincerely, Doomscrolling Damsel

Dear Doomscrolling Damsel,

Not pathetic at all! We’ve all been there—believe me, I was so bad at one point I knew his ex-girlfriend’s dog’s birthday and his grandfather’s favourite sports team. Looking back, most of the information I uncovered before my retirement as an FBI agent was useless, but in the moment, it felt like there was so much I was lesser than.

no streetlights or houses with lights on. The group of boys’ inaction reminded me of “locker room talk” and the “boys will be boys” mentality which is still alive and infecting so many men within the Queen’s community.

Men, you need to start critically assessing your friendships and decide if you would be proud if someone said you were like your friends. Decide if your friends are an accurate reflection of your values and how you want to live. Acknowledge that not calling-out these all-too common interactions leads to bigger instances of assault.

In my circumstance, silence was necessary for my personal safety but in the case of men, silence is complacency. Choosing to stand beside your friends when they repeatedly show you with their words and actions what they think about women reflects on you. It’s not the sole responsibility of women to correct men’s inappropriate behaviours. With the privilege of feeling safe amongst other men, men hold the power to compel change.

After all, you can either be part of the problem or the solution. But you’ll never be part of the solution by remaining silent.

Some nights after typing in the same rolodex of names I’d gotten used to stalking, my heart would skip a beat when there was a new post or story. I’d hold my breath and check the comments. There were a few times I found out things that stung—real hard and left bruises, or just pinched my ego a little bit. After some time, I realized how mindless it had become—was almost part of my nighttime routine.

Before I tell you my fix, I want to point something out. You’re not defined by someone else’s preferences. This guy is entitled to have a “type,” sure. At the same time, you have every right to be incredibly uncomfortable with hearing you’re not your interest’s “usual type.” Honestly, that’s a very offhand thing for someone to even bring up. You want someone to want to be with you because of who you are and what you look like; not because of how you par with his go-to Instagram babe. Please, Damsel, don’t use this information as a yardstick for measuring your worth.

We must invest in journalism to safeguard the integrity of our PHOTO BY HERBERT WANG

Wrestling with generational ghosts of memory and meaning

Over-documenting to over-compensate for my fear of forgetfulness

Cordelia Jamieson Staff Writer

My grandfather’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis mercilessly woke me up to the fragility of memory.

His diagnosis in his mid-60s was a relentless reminder that my recollections, the threads that weave together my being, are susceptible to unraveling without warning.

In the wake of his death, the spectre of dementia ignited a deep-seated fear of forgetting. This fear, known as athazagoraphobia, is my constant companion, a nagging reminder of the ephemeral nature of life.

My worst nightmare is losing the tapestry of my personal history, all the small details that make up my bigger picture. I fear a future where the faces of those I love fade to anonymity, the taste of my favourite foods dissipates into the ether, the landscapes of my travels blur into obscurity, and the sparks of my inspiration are extinguished in a fog of forgetfulness.

focusing intently on mental slippage out of my control. I’m working on getting better at it. I try to treat it like a migraine I know it’s

attempt to escape the cruel bounds of time will stop me from forgetting.

In my best effort to

there, but I try not to think about it because it only makes it hurt more.

I grew up hearing

I’m acutely aware that dwelling on “what ifs” is a ruthless destroyer of intentionally appreciating the present. In my pursuit of preservation, I often find myself losing focus of the moments under my nose that imbue my life with meaning. Instead of fully relishing in the now, my attention drifts while anxiously scanning the horizon for signs of impending doom.

I saw what this vicious, infuriating, ugly, and destructive disease did to my grandmother, so I wouldn’t wish it on a soul.

She was simultaneously my grandfather’s caregiver and doting wife, telling him one-sidedly about our lives and hiding the tears rolling down her cheeks on the way to the parking lot after leaving his long-term care facility. It’s this silent anguish,thisunspokentorment, thatfuelsmyfear.It’safearbornfrom love but the thought of inflicting unconscious pain on my loved ones in a burden too heavy to bear. And so, I cling to my memories with fierce determination, refusing to let them slip away into the void of forgetfulness. My mind is a thousand elsewheres. My greatest hurdle is the inability to stay present,

Alzheimer’s skips a generation. Having buried my grandfather two winters ago at the age of 18, the looming abstraction of dementia has become a ghost of profound contemplation. The crippling fear of letting memories pass me by has caused me to over-compensate by over-documenting my life, as if clinging desperately to souvenirs in a futile

stall, taking pictures is my reminiscent medium of choice, exemplified by the exorbitant amount of money I pay every month for Google Photos storage.

I find reassuring solace in revisiting pictures and videos I’ve taken to document my beautiful, hard, testing, monotonous, and busy days. I’m itching to remember it all.

In 2015, the release of Pixar’s animated film, Inside Out,

struck a chord with audiences, offering a compelling glimpse into the inner of emotions a young girl adjusting to a new environment. One of the film’s most striking visual metaphors is the Memory Dump, a chasm where fading memories are dumped, destined to vanish into the ether once forgotten entirely.

enough to visit over 20 countries in my lifetime. Countless times during my travels, I’ve found myself before dramatic cliffsides, impressive temples, and historic monuments, willing myself to remember them. Unconsciously, I open my eyes a little wider and, like a mantra, remind myself how remarkable and worthy of remembering these memories are—almost always accompanied by a picture of the view or the person I was with.

Over-documenting throughout my life isn’t new. On my eighth birthday, I was gifted a digital camera. This present became the catalyst for my journey with memory, perception, and appreciation.

I clicked away, capturing the smiles of my parents, the laughter of my sister, and the antics of weekend playdates with friends. Here, I discovered beauty in the everyday and grew an insatiable curiosity to make sense of the world around me, sharpening my eye for detail and honing my appreciation for fleeting moments that comprise the bigger picture. Each snapshot served as a cherished memento, allowing me to consistently relive the joys, sorrows, and triumphs of days gone by.

Today, as I leaf through ever-expanding photo albums, I’m reminded of birthday parties, afternoons outside, playdates, and other moments I would’ve otherwise forgotten. Though faces have changed and landscapes evolved, the essence of what drew me to over-documenting my life remains unchanged, now exacerbated by fears of losing souvenirs.

In 2015, my grandfather was already living in a long-term care facility. Faced with the cruel reality of a loved one’s memory slipping away, the impulse to cling to memories drove me to capture every fleeting moment in a frantic bid to preserve what remains. My camera was my lifeline, a tangible anchor tethering me to my memories and their essence—resisting their fate, imminently bound for the Memory Dump. I’ve been fortunate

My journey with memory is a constant balancing act, a delicate equilibrium of preservation and clinging, and acceptance and appreciation. While the fear of forgetting lingers, I find solace in knowing every moment worth cherishing is documentable via a camera lens. I will always be the person posing friends for group photos, snapping pictures of loved ones cutting cake on their birthdays, and capturing the sky every time it beams orange. I’m sure in my later years I’ll look back on this habit favourably; I know I do now.

SUPPLIED BY CORDELIA JAMIESON

Cordelia’s first photo on her digital camera.