Vancouver’s tent city fights back

Last Sunday, following the men’s hockey team win in Vancouver, the streets of many cities across Canada erupted in a celebration.  In Peterborough, we often hear people yelling for various reasons outside of our office on the weekends. But on this particular day, we were confused.  “Meaaaaaaghaaaaaaaaan” we heard a voice yell.  And then another.  And then another.  Finally Meaghan turns to me and asks, “did you hear someone calling me outside?” Finally I figured out that Peterborough crowd was actually yelling “Caaaanaaaaaada” in a bizarre, muted and intoxicated manner.  They were a confused bunch to say the least.

Trent Professors Host Teach-In for IAW

Can the situation in Palestine be referred to as apartheid? That was the question the discussion “Defining Apartheid in South Africa and Palestine” sought to answer. The session was being held as part of the program of activities for Israeli Apartheid Week at Trent. The discussions were led by Professors Marion Boulby and Tim Stapleton from the History department.

Trent University Relay For Life

Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back: Make Cancer History!

In 2009, Statistics Canada stated that based on current incidence rates, 40 per cent of Canadian women and 45 per cent of Canadian men will develop cancer during their lifetimes. Current and projected mortality rates are even scarier. In 2009 alone, there were an estimated 75,300 deaths from cancer in Canada, and there were 246,000 new incidences of cancer with Lymphomas being the most commonly diagnosed and Leukemia accounting for the majority of deaths among adolescents and young adults aged 15-29.

Arthur Elections

On Tuesday March 30 at 6 pm the fate of next year’s paper will be decided. Members of the Arthur staff collective will elect next year’s editorial team and open positions on the Board of Directors. Anyone  who has contributed to three or more issues is eligible to run for these positions, as well as vote.  Food will be provided.

Trent finds Success at Ontario Vocal Festival

On Thursday, February 25, nine women represented Trent in the Ontario Vocal Festival (OVF).  The Trent University Madrigal Choir was Trent’s first music ensemble. They have specialized in 16th century works with excursions into the Baroque, and have participated in OVF since its inception. Their community service goes hand in hand with campus performances. Peter MacKinnon has been their director, as he puts it, “since the earth cooleth.” The choir was very successful at the festival this year and had a very helpful clinic. The choir always welcomes new members to their Thursday evening rehearsals. There is a range of musical abilities and everyone is accommodated with optional extra coaching. To contact the choir, please email Sophie ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or the Trent University Music Society ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).

RBC protesters demand justice

Since 2007, The Royal Bank of Canada has invested billions of dollars into the tar sands. The Albertan tar sands are responsible for devastating environmental damage, violation of Indigenous rights, and a complete stunting of any of Canada’s attempts to fight climate change. March 3, 2010 was the Annual General Meeting of the RBC shareholders at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, where across the street a crowd of over 100, organized by the combined efforts of the Rainforest Action Network, Counsel of Canadians and No one Is Illegal, rallied to show support to impacted First Nations groups, as well as to demand the immediate termination of any tar sands support.

TCSA Election Profiles

Come out to the TCSA speeches and hear what this year’s TCSA candidates have to say!

Tuesday March 9th from 7-10pm in Traill Multipurpose Room (in Scott house)

Thursday March 11th from 7-10pm in Champlain 307 (Champlain Lecture Hall)
Come out and vote who you want representing you!

Creating True Dialogue at Trent: The debate about activism, IDS, and Haiti continues for another week

Though I appreciate Kristen’s reply to Anonymous’ letter, “Students Need to be More Respectful,” and I apologize for dragging this debate into a third week, I feel that the issues Anonymous raised are important and we haven’t seen a constructive resolution to them yet. The string of comments that started this whole conversation – and a string of comments is all it was, started by an individual who is not even an IDS student – was a simple exchange of feelings of discomfort about inappropriate images of nameless children. Such portrayals of white children, without their parents’ consent, would be illegal in this country, so the discomfort about the double standard is completely understandable. There was absolutely no attack on the Hong Kong Students Association, or their event, and I think they deserve an apology for being unfairly dragged into this.

President Obama’s Speech in Ghana

While Obama may be struggling now, he still represents an important shift in American policy

“The future of Africa is up to Africans,” argued President Barack Obama, in an exciting and revealing speech to the Ghanaian Parliament in Accra on July 11, 2009. Only 6 months into his presidency, Barack Obama was being globally lauded as one of the most diplomatic presidents in US history.

Trent Radio Fundraiser Extravaganza: Saturday March 13 at The Montreal House

Trent Radio would like to thank the staff and owners of The Pig’s Ear Tavern, and everyone who came to sing their hearts out and support us at our 2nd Annual Karaoinke event on February 27. The evening was a huge success, raising $417 for the station!

Culinaria Ventures To Lakefield!

Review: Riverhouse Company
36 Bridge Street, Lakefield
Phone: (705) 652-7407 / Web: riverhousecompany.com
Hours: Wednesday-Sunday: 5-9 pm
Payment: Cash, Interac & Credit Card

Canada and Israel: Building Apartheid: Yves Engler visits Trent for IAW

Speaking as part of a series of Israeli Apartheid Week lectures hosted by the Peterborough Coalition for Palestinian Solidarity (PCPS), Montreal writer Yves Engler addressed a group of concerned students and community members Wednesday, March 3. The subject was Canada’s complicity in maintaining the racist apartheid system with which Israel oppresses the people of Palestine, the same topic Engler tackles in his newest book, Canada and Israel: Building Apartheid.

Israel is an apartheid state and that is why they are losing legitimacy

Before Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) even began, members of the Ontario Legislature and the Canadian Parliament were falling all over each other to denounce it. I can’t remember another time when elected legislators formally denounced a student activity like this. Perhaps during the 1950’s when McCarthyism was rampant, but that was before my time.

The Case Against Tenure

Tenure was put in place in the 19th century to protect academic freedom. Academics, it was argued, should never be fired for writing something that may run counter to the politics of their university or the donors who finance it. Give them a job for life, and professors will feel free to write and conduct meaningful research.

Student housing initiative elects board

Last Thursday, Otonabee College held the first members meeting of the Student Co-operative Housing Initiative (SCHI).

Drawing a crowd of about 30 students, alumni, and community members, the meeting was chaired by James Smith and for those new to the SCHI meetings, Smith provided a thorough recap.

The Cine-files: Arthur has the scoop on the filmsters in Peterborough

I'm not cool. In cultural studies standards, I'm far from cool. 

I indulge my pop-in-the-club-hit urges and mainstream movie inclinations unabashedly, although I like enjoying alternatives and lesser known titles when I’m not in the mood for junk food. When I first came to Trent, there was a readily available place where I could feed this hunger. It was called Cinema 379. 

ReFrame: Changing the World, Critical film festival visits local high school

So, you thought ReFrame was over a month ago? The truth is that it went underground, and is still going strong. The ReFrame film festival has just completed its fifth year of bringing the latest works created by film and video makers from our community, Canada, and around the world, right here to Peterborough. Along with a full weekend of films screened at the end of January, the organization has just hosted its annual Changing the World event at PCVS high school on March 5. Each year, ReFrame holds a one-day film festival at one of the local high schools in Peterborough in order to develop an appreciation and awareness of arts and culture in contemporary media for the community youth.

Levy Questions

Student Co-operative Housing Initiative

The Student Co-operative Housing Initiative (SCHI), currently made up of 50 members and growing, seeks to establish an affordable housing alternative to on-campus residence and downtown landlords. As members of a non-profit student co-operative, every month of rent we pay would go straight into the buildings we live in and the food we eat; in fact, we would be our own landlords!

Progressive activists and union leaders murdered and tortured in Honduras

When Stephen Harper recognized the results of the Honduran election in November and the inauguration of Porfirio ‘Pepe’ Lobo to the presidency in February, he was probably relying on the hope that the nightmare situation the de facto government of Micheletti created would end. He was wrong. February has been a month filled with human rights violations, including several kidnappings, cases of torture, and three assassinations in the first month of Lobo’s presidency.

On Society: A Progressive Ranting

“Analogizing to the Cold War strategies, we know that certain countries have been investing heavily in cyber-warfare  techniques such as multiple Trojans, malware, and spear carriers designed to infiltrate our computers. It would seem we might want to minimize a ‘cyber-gap’ so they don’t get too far ahead of us.” James Zirin, Are We On the Brink of a Cyber-War?

Sofie Campus

I have nothing to say. I have all the freedom in the world to say anything and I really have nothing to say. No beef. No fire. No burning need to tell someone off. I realized this as I walked home from a dub poetry reading at Kubo last weekend. All those poets from all over Canada stormed the stage with their words and ferocity, getting up and standing up for gay rights, civil rights, women’s rights, Indigenous rights, and Palestinian rights, while I sat and watched, sipping a martini. Some even rapped against the horrors of globalization and global warming, spinning concepts like Pepsi selling revolution, imaginary borders broken by hearts and the connection between mad gunmen and American soldiers.

Money Makes the World... My journey from Toronto to Peterborough

Money is the reason why I’m in university, and also money is how I got into university. Money comes in red pockets during my people’s new year celebrations in February, and money is the reason why we have cancer research of this kinda magnitude. Money is sometimes the only reason why people would even give a shit about you, because once you have a lot of money, people wanna piece of you. Money gives you a roof over your dumbass head and even gives you food in your stomach… now I know what y’all people be sayin’ right now…  “oohhh money can’t buy you happiness though”… and you know what, I agree, but all I’m sayin’ is, make sure all y’all make ‘n’ save a shit load of money after you graduate. Trust me... ain’t nobody gonna be truly happy when they broke as hell livin’ on a fuckin’ park bench dying of hunger.