FEBRUARY 2021 - The Reckoner
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FEBRUARY 2021
12 FEBRUARY 2021 2 www.thereckoner.ca
VOL. 9 NO. 2
12 FEBRUARY 2021
VOL 9 NO. 2
Cover Art: Zoe Cheng
NEWS
4 Talking to Taira: an Interview with the President
5 Discovering Debate in Debate Club's Discord
6 Food For Families: Food Banks During COVID-19
LIFE
7 So They Forgot.
8 stardust
8 Suitor
9 misaligned
9 Serenity
10 Freefall
10 A New Lens
11 Skates, Seals, and Social Awkwardness
11 sketchbook
12 It's been a while since I last watched the birds take flight.
EDITORIAL
13 The Grammy Awards Never Fail to Disappoint
15 Guest Submission — Snowden: Vindicated by History
www.thereckoner.ca 3
12 FEBRUARY 2021
NEWS BOARD
A board to keep the student body informed about their school and local community.
Talking to Taira: an Interview with younger students to have more of a
voice on SAC, which has been histor-
ically dominated by older students.
the President One of Taira’s proposed initia-
tives is online mental health spaces,
by JACQUELINE HUO where students can relax, spend time
with their friends, and in her words,
student to ever serve in this position. “vibe to music”. She hopes to hold so-
Despite being younger than previ- cial events such as games nights and
ous presidents, Taira is confident movie nights. SAC is also working on
that she has the abilities required for connecting with small businesses to
the role. “I don’t think my age has supply school merchandise for MGCI.
anything to do with my competen- All events will be online this year,
cy, I also have the ability to figure so expanding outreach is a ma-
things out quickly. My experience jor concern for Taira. She wants to
on student council outshines the
make sure that SAC is able to com-
fact that I’m in Grade 11,” she said.
municate with the student body to
Her experience on SAC can speak
inform them about the events that
for itself. During the 2019-2020
are taking place, as well as initiatives
school year, Taira served as the So-
such as sweater sales. She encourag-
cial Convenor and was responsible
for organizing our Winter Wonder- es students to follow the SAC Insta-
A s 2020 drew to a close, MGCI wel-
comed its new Student Activity
Council (SAC). The Reckoner sat down
land dance. She had also hoped to
introduce grade lounges, but her
gram @mgci.sac to stay informed.
SAC meets weekly using Zoom,
and will be posting meeting min-
plans were cut short due to the pan-
with SAC President Taira Mehta to dis- demic. Since our SAC elections were utes and agendas once all positions
cuss her plans for the upcoming year. delayed until December, she was also have been selected. Taira anticipates
Taira obtained her position by de- part of the interim council last year that their work will be very fast-
fault, as she was the only candidate as the Spirit and Social Convenor. In paced in order to make up for the
to run for President. She said that this role, she hosted spirit events in- time that was lost due to the elec-
the main reason she wanted to run cluding Among Us tournaments and tion delays. She emphasized that
was that she “loved the idea of being a gratitude initiative on Instagram. her biggest goal is to not let COVID
able to guide the council in such un- In terms of how she plans to impact our spirit as a community.
precedented times.” She continued to lead, Taira said that, “a lot of people Finally, Taira had a message for
say, “I want to make sure that 2021, think that student council is some all students, an excerpt from her
for everyone in this school, is some- sort of hierarchy, but I like to think campaign speech which was never
thing that we look back on and love. I of it differently. I like to think that released: "Even though quarantine
think that especially in a time and pe- I basically am an assistant there to is changing our lives, it doesn’t nec-
riod like high school where people are inspire innovation and new ideas essarily have to be for the worse. In
trying to figure themselves out, if you based on the visions that the rest of fact I want you to give me the chance
throw COVID in there, people have a my council have, and I’m there to to make this the best year possible.
really hard time connecting with each accommodate that.” She aims to fo- It’s true that this past year has been
other. So that’s the job of the student cus on change and innovation and insane, but I think it’s time to take
council, to help connect people and is encouraging her fellow SAC mem- back the memories and experiences
make them feel like they’re a part bers to try out all their craziest ideas. that quarantine has stripped from
of something larger than just them- They’ve already started to make us. As your SAC President, I’d be hon-
selves, part of a school community.” changes by creating junior and se- oured if you let me make that a reality
Taira’s presidency itself is also un- nior roles in the place of single po- for our school. Stay safe Garneau. I
precedented: she is the first Grade 11 sitions. Taira hopes this will allow can’t wait to make great memories.” ■
4 www.thereckoner.ca
NEWS BOARD
to bond and feel supported. niors, Debate Club sorts members
Club president Akil said, “Our into “junior” and “senior” cate-
priorities at debate club are cen- gories. Some people have joined
tered around the construction of a to learn about debate with their
community at Garneau! Of course schoolmates, while others use this
Discovering we value the oratorical skills and opportunity for extra practice, like
argument-building that debate of- Carrie Jiang: “I joined debate club
Debating in ten helps with, but we try to create because I just started doing debate
a strong community bond and I in the summer and I wanted to de-
Debate Club’s offer whatever help I can—regard-
less of whether they’re debate-re-
velop my skills within the school
club, sort of like extra practice.”
Discord lated or not—to our members.”
Debate Club meetings typical-
The Debate Club also sends sev-
eral members to tournaments to
by AMY JIA ly consist of lessons on new skills represent MGCI. This year, tourna-
and practice rounds. Motions have ments are run online on a Discord
W hat do models, POIs, table
banging, case construction,
and whipping have in common?
ranged from those extracted out of
recent high-school tournaments to
server. Most tournaments take place
over a span of one or two days with
fun, unique motions on challenging multiple rounds each day, along
Here’s a hint: it’s not fashion, topics with unexpected formatting. with “break” rounds—the semifi-
math, table misuse, architecture, or Lessons teach important skills and nals, finals, and junior finals. These
foamy cream. Rather, they are all techniques used in debate, such as tournaments include Upper Canada
elements of debate. Chances are, argumentation, refutation, speech College’s Pro-Am tournament, and
these words have been uttered mul- structuring, and more. Despite coming up in 2021, two of Toron-
tiple times in the Debate Club Dis- the argumentative nature of de- to’s highly well-known high-school
cord server during their meetings bate, Debate Club has a comfort- tournaments: Hart House HS 2021
on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Wednes- able environment that encourages and Western University’s 2021
days. Members attend on different friendship and community. Debate high school debate tournament.
days, depending on their cohorts. Club member Lisa Zhang stated, “I Regarding the near future and
Marc Garneau’s Debate Club wanted to join the club for a more coming years, Vice President Laris-
was founded in 2018 by Grade 12 laid back experience. I just enjoy sa Long said, “Honestly, I just want
student Akil Miki Huang when he being able to debate with friends MGCI debate to remain an open
wanted to build up a robust de- and do interesting motions that I and inclusive club where anyone
bate team for MGCI. When asked don’t always get in debate class.” can join and come to learn, make
about what inspired him to start The experience of club mem- new friends, and joke around. I
the debate club, he said, “Talking bers also varies, as everyone, re- love the atmosphere that this year’s
with debaters at other institutions, gardless of skill level, is welcome Debate Club has fostered, and look-
I realized that we were behind on in the club. Because levels range ing at how far we’ve come in these
training and club opportunities. from new novice to seasoned se- past few years is astounding.” ■
A couple friends and I decided
we would set up a club, starting
small and working our way up.”
Unlike the infamous televised
debates, high school debate is civ-
il, educational, and fun to watch.
Students learn to think critically
and analytically. They are encour-
aged to debate a wide scope of top-
ics that range from regretting so-
cial norms to types of activism and
even whether or not the opposition
side has already won the debate.
Through the numerous lessons
and practice debates, club mem-
bers have an opportunity to hone
their skills of idea organization,
collaboration, efficient note-tak-
ing, and public speaking. Further-
more, Debate Club is a commu-
nity and a safety net for members
www.thereckoner.ca 5
12 FEBRUARY 2021
Food For Families: Food Banks During COVID-19
by RENA LIU
D espite the numerous challeng-
es of COVID-19, food banks
around Toronto remain open to serve
crease in the number of food deliver-
ies made to families. Before the pan-
demic, the food bank delivered food
perishable and non-perishable items
composed of non-processed foods,
low in sodium and sugar. Although
families in need. However, just like to approximately ten families each the food bank does accept donations
the communities they assist, food week, but now it delivers food to more of healthy food at this time, it must
banks have also had to adapt to the than thirty-five families each week be contacted in advance and food do-
pandemic. Many food banks, such in collaboration with Better Living, nations must be isolated for ten days
as Flemingdon Park Food Bank and which runs a Meals on Wheels pro- before they can be distributed.
Community Share Food Bank, which gram. Apart from donations of food or
was established in 2004, operate money, raising awareness about food
under reduced hours or have had to banks and the need for food banks is
handle distribution with fewer volun- important for food banks to contin-
teers. ue operating. Students had previous-
“One of the biggest changes is that ly volunteered at Community Share
we’ve had to hire a part-time food Food Bank, but under these circum-
program manager to oversee our op- stances, no student volunteers are
eration,” said Dorothy Boothroyd, allowed.
one of the Co-Chairs of the Commu- Furthermore, Ms. Boothroyd sug-
nity Share Food Bank, which oper- gested other resources for youth,
ates out of the Church of Ascension adults, and seniors, including Kids
in the Don Mills area. Help Phone [1], Toronto Seniors Help-
Before the pandemic, the food line [2], What’s Up? [3], and a guide to
bank was managed by over one hun- coping during COVID-19 from North
dred volunteers who worked in rota- York General Hospital [4].
tions. Given current restrictions, only “Stay hopeful. We have to obey
about thirty volunteers are available Illustration: Colleen Chang municipal, provincial, and federal
to work on a rotating basis. Volun- guidelines to stay safe. If we work
teers wear masks while on duty, and When asked about the qualifica- together, we can get through this,”
wash their hands and change gloves tions needed to obtain food, Ms. Boo- Ms. Boothroyd concluded. “Contin-
frequently. Food is distributed be- throyd said, “There’s only one qualifi- ue to reach out to people via Zoom
hind plexiglass in pre-packed bags of cation, and that’s that you live within and other platforms. Try to laugh,
perishable and non-perishable items. the catchment area.” There had been get exercise, stay as well-nour-
Furthermore, clients in need of food additional requirements based on ished as your circumstances allow,
must make appointments through financial criteria three to four years and avail yourself of food banks as
phone or email before arriving at the ago, but “nobody comes to a food necessary.” ■
food bank. Distribution hours have bank who doesn’t need to be here,” Resources
been reduced to Wednesdays instead she said. However, if a client resides [1] https://kidshelpphone.ca/
of Tuesdays and Saturdays. outside of the catchment area, they [2] https://torontoseniorshelpline.ca/
Moreover, Community Share Food will still receive food, but will be re- [3] http://whatsupwalkinclinic.ca
Bank, which operates under the um- ferred to the food bank in their area. [4] https://mentalhealthcovid19.ca/
brella organization North York Har- Due to the pandemic, Communi- To learn more about Community Share
vest, has had to roll back many of its ty Share Food Bank has not run any Food Bank, visit https://www.communi-
programs due to the pandemic, in- food drives, but it has been running a tysharefoodbank.ca/.
Flemingdon Food Bank (https://www.
cluding its popular nutritious break- successful ‘no-food’ food drive by ac- fcfoodbank.com/) distributes food on Mon-
fast program, which provided healthy cepting monetary donations through days and Wednesdays, and operates under
food and opportunities to socialize. its website. The donated funds are the umbrella organization Daily Bread Food
Bank. Registering at https://dailybread.
Although need may be increasing used to purchase produce, milk, and link2feed.ca/ gives weekly access to a food
in other areas of the city, Ms. Boo- eggs to enhance what is regularly re- bank that is part of the Daily Bread Food
throyd said the demand for food has ceived from North York Harvest and Bank.
Second Harvest for families in need. For more community resources and sup-
remained mostly static in the catch-
port, visit https://211central.ca/ to receive
ment area of the Community Share The food bank has a strict healthy information on organizations serving spe-
Food Bank. However, there is an in- food policy and strives to procure cific locations in the Greater Toronto Area.
6 www.thereckoner.ca
LIFE BOARD
LIFE BOARD
A board for imaginative self-expression through written and visual content.
“Dalavea, their beginning.” mortal eyes watched helplessly as their
So They Forgot. Her will broke across the dams of time, world blinked dark, but only for a mo-
and shot into their Worlds as spades do ment as that timeline, too, was gone.
by SARAH LI through wood. Quakes of celestial mag- My sister and I held our hands and
nitudes shook them like lifeboats tum- danced across our dominion. The day
M y fingers faded into twinkling
starlight, abandonment pricked at
the skin and ate away my flesh.
bling in storms, but only for a moment
as that timeline was gone.
and the night, light and dark, life and
death. Bountiful harvests and destitute
“If you will rebel, then I may as well, homes, framed family photos and little
There was yet still light in the sky of “For wherever you go I am destined to skeletons in the ground.
our home. My eyes, that mortals once follow. The third orbital, bound by the wills
peered upon and bowed to, dulled with “And whatever is yours shall be mine of the sixth. How ironic, and how tragic.
the last of our rule. too.” One step away from the serenity of in-
“How could they forget us?” my sister The black crept up my hands and swal- finity, from an eternity of power. A dis-
roared. Her skin crackled, splintered lowed my arms, ink so dark no light tance that we will never close.
and peeled. escaped, against skin so pale the moon Let the lower orbitals, the fifth and
The bright mass of light beneath shone hid in disgrace. the sixth, see what they can do, against
out from golden ruptures that pierced “There will be creatures, wondering us, the primal forces beyond their rule.
the dullness. their skies, Two, three, six, eleven, numbers the
“Let go of your anger, dear sister of “Space will flow vast and empty be- mortals do not understand but are ours
mine,” I soothed with a silky voice. tween them, to be lit up by lonely rocks to command.
“It was only a matter of time. and spinning stars.” “How I wish they could see,” my sis-
The mortals are foolish, they drink and “When they dare to step outside and ter laughed,
dance and war, and forget about all venture into the unknown, Her skin finally flooded by the burn-
things that are important in the world.” “My beasts will devour them and re- ing inside.
How could they forget the sun and the turn them to me,” “One last ballad to the songs of yore!”
moon? Cruel were the strings of fate, “Lan, their end.” “And we will be here, my sister.” I
a mummer’s farce played by powers And out from me, my creation erupt- sang,
much too great. Do they who rule eter- ed, coiling their bodies and swimming The dark in me flowed towards the
nities untold see us as their puppets and in nothing. They hungrily devoured wordless void.
toys? Or were we all temporary, souls stars and planets for the very first time, “Until the end of days." ■
confined to lower dimensions, time a
roaring canal to us, mere droplets to
them?
A second ticked by. Another fragment
of my power faded, like a thread of
old yarn slowly falling apart in a dusty
drawer.
“I will not stand,” My sister announced,
“To be thrown aside like a useless dog.
“I will remind them so they may not for-
get.”
And she glowed then, hair of magma
and skin of obsidian, the brilliance of
her light crowding space and time.
“There will be lands, on each of their
planets,
“Where I will hold power so to keep
them in place.
“Those who visit, who are to set their
eyes upon that glory of my making,
“Will return to me, my fiery embrace, Illustration: Max Lu and Akshaya Varakunan
www.thereckoner.ca 7
12 FEBRUARY 2021
stardust
by ABBINAYA PARAKARAN
Photograph: Justin Wei
i hold extraordinary stars and planets through the ethereal
a galaxy between shine through the void leaving a flowing trail
my palms of the foggy edges that cools the orb i hold
each a slightly different like an ice cube dropped into
the heat makes my color, unique, a steaming cup of tea
rings melt and the hues blur and blend
and the black holes together as i trace lines between and all i am left with
suckle at my fingertips constellations with my eyes is a stinging cheek,
and lap up the molten silver fingers tipped with blue
that runs through the i watch as the stars implode and for a moment
crevices of my hands and meteors streak the world is at peace■
Suitor Sure, you learned the sacrifices
that this kind of love demands. You
what it suggests, and forget soon that
they ever said it. Inhale and clear
by SUMEDH DHANVANTHRY decided never again, but it’s appar- your throat.
ently not up to you. You wondered Come face-to-face—let yourself
B right white metal, grainy smooth
light that flits down like helicopter
seeds. Everybody inside their homes,
then, and now I wonder how I’ll see
it in 20 years.
—with the shifting and course-cor-
rection of silences. The colours and
moods of the soundlessness flutter,
talking with the sound off. Walking though its physical intensity is un-
yourself home down the warm street changing. Why, then, does she feel
when nobody else knows. A purplish such blaring discordance? The ques-
stomach inside you, lightening with
tion, unanswered, dissolves. The
unease. It’s making you so angry that
surface of the asphalt sends purple
you can’t describe it just right.
sparks—a lilac—into your fresh brown
Let the city unveil itself to you, the
soles, and up through your heart and
suitor. A rusting synth plays seventh
tongue.
chords that coat your dusty eyes as
Looking through the fine wire mesh
you walk. Inhale the richness around
on the door, see his shirt on the floor,
you, the deepening of humors, until
the nighttime clouds sag and barely see a hand press the wall, watch them
brush your head of hair. play pick-up ball. He lays upright in
And in an instant, let yourself be late midnight hours with glassy eyes
reversed as your experience resolves to make sense of silver and darkening
to singularity. Feel the dryness and lilac. The road smells of vanilla and
cleanliness of the road. Feel weaker. rubber; they think, “I haven’t been out
A tough dark man holds you upright this late since I was little.” Haven’t,
until he doesn’t. No sharp rocks to since the kinship was minced. The
Photograph: Justin Wei newest and worst hormones on the
provoke your backside; there are only
the smooth and sultry voices of crick- The insect tones pollute and make cul-de-sac, tearing friends apart. Like
ets and cicadas in their treehouses. impure the foreign fluid in the mouth that time you got your wheel stuck in
Cheering screeching baritones are of a non-identity youth, cooling on the a manhole cover and you fell and tore
fluted across the city like rains and low porch. A drained male shatters an up the palms of your hands. Played
sands, dropping dead on those awake. ice tray into the sink to soak his skin. ball bloody.
They engage a cotton-mouthed driver He ungratefully internalizes this as Let that night’s life trickle down like
seething under shallow red light. The self-soothing. In the horizon, hear the dream-physics into a want for cars
city in heat may seem noiseless. But thunder of game, hooves pounding and bloodied hands and long eyelash-
when noticed, the insect tones find a the city into a kaleidoscopic habitat. es.
way to creep into the mind, through It’s one for festivities, so note the ivory I wish you could steal the view
the nose and breath. The driver’s trumpets sounding off. through their eyes.
hands are yellow from cigarettes. They’ll call you that, not knowing Bare your dull full radiant face. ■
8 www.thereckoner.ca
LIFE BOARD
misaligned
Maryam Mobashir
Serenity
Lucy Qi
www.thereckoner.ca 9
12 FEBRUARY 2021
Freefall
Fatima Gulab
A New Lens
Sophie Yang
10 www.thereckoner.caLIFE BOARD
Skates, Seals, and Social Awkwardness Sketchbook
by MAGGIE PANG by ZIXUAN XU
I t’s a rather cold day. Indeed,
it’s only been five or so minutes
and my toes are no longer send-
people are sitting on the benches,
lacing up their skates, so I try my
best to fully enjoy one lap before
my thoughts flow like rushing rivers
out of my feelings and into the waters
jet black ink on a crisp white page
ing signals to my brain other than the influx of people arrive. something they’ll never understand
“cold cold cold”. The sun shining There are a few different types
through the window before I left of people on the ice. I notice that i dream of future and i dream of life
tricked me into thinking it would there are quite a few little kids to- beyond this cycle, with blessed
be warm, but thankfully, I have a day. They may look very innocent, meaning
rather large, brightly coloured hat. but they are in fact very dangerous. but it’s all monochrome, just sketches
It makes 5’7” me look like a child, When they fall, they have a tenden-
but that’s perfectly fine, since it not a droplet of sparkling coloured joy
cy to slide across the ice directly in
gives me an excuse to act like a front of you like colourful seals,
child. My laces are slightly too i’m missing a ripped page and a half
forcing you to stop, which is indeed
tight for comfort, since I dislike of not only my mind but also my heart
something I am morbidly bad at.
when the two skates do not have Also, the second they spot a gap in should I make it my purpose to find it
equal tightness, and one cannot a group of people, no matter how or is it destiny, for it to only burn?
really tell the difference if they’re small, they will make an attempt
both too tight. to fit through it and pass them at but no matter how many unfinished
After a little bit of shuffling to- full speed, all the while scaring the no matter how many merely
wards the ice, with a little bit of people they are trying to pass with attempted
hesitation, I step onto the ice. The their loud scrapy skate noises, con- i close each drawing in my bruised fist
Zamboni had just made its rounds fidently swinging limbs, and a ver- and hold them close, eyes welled with
around the rink, and there were tical deficiency that makes them tears
already a couple people speeding
rather hard to see.
around in circles, making lines on
Another lap later, I encoun- every memory is recorded by my hand
the pristine ice. I, however, require
ter another challenge—a group of rough and hazy in its fading glory
a bit of adjusting, and wobble
teenagers. This is very bad news it’ll all likely never be fully complete
around for a few seconds. Unsure
because they are teenagers, so not but nevertheless, they remain on the
if I still know how to skate, I take
only must one face the challenges paper
a few shaky, penguin-like strides
of trying to—without going close
before gaining more confidence,
enough to them to be considered
forgetting that newly zambonied
ice is slippery, and falling. creepy—bypass a very slow-mov-
ing group of people literally per-
fectly blocking the path, but one
must also avert one’s eyes so as
not to attract the attention of their
judging stares. I finally manage to
escape once the path widens.
Eventually, as the sky grew dark-
er, the number of people on the ice
dwindled to the point where I could
find myself with several meters of
empty ice in front of me. My toes
Illustration: Helen Sun
at this point are essentially non-
First fall of the year, I suppose. existent and the wind is blowing
I would sit there and continue to more confidently against my face.
pity myself, but the ice, surpris- Above, the moon shines as I skate
ingly enough, is icy, and I need along to the “Beatles Only Radio”
not torture myself like that. More blasting from the speakers. ■ Illustration: Elizabeth Wei
www.thereckoner.ca 1112 FEBRUARY 2021
It's been a while
since I last watched
the birds take flight.
by FATIMA SHARIPOVA
L ast week I learned I wasn’t
doing so well in my classes
this semester. Two weeks be-
fore that I learned I wouldn’t
be visiting my family for read-
ing week. I can’t remember the
last time I looked outside my
window, or went outside just
for the sake of it.
I watch the birds walk
around, occasionally hopping Photograph: Amy Jia
elsewhere to switch spots.
They squawk at one another. Ask Alex for a storytime of goes where and who leads the
Could they be giving orders? her latest adventures. Call my flight, squawking at one anoth-
Could they be rehearsing for sister, see how she’s doing in er to just stop being so slow?
their great act? highschool. Maybe give her They’re a dotted V against
I didn’t learn I wasn’t doing some advice on college appli- the marigold sky. And they
so well in my classes this se- cations. keep going forward, away from
mester. I knew all along. It’s The blues got larger, and less my spot on the edge of the
not difficult to know when blue. It’s more yellow. I won- cliff, and I can imagine them
you’re not doing so good. I der how the sky goes from blue flying as one, through mari-
didn’t learn I wouldn’t be vis- to yellow without first turning gold fields and poppy fields
iting my family for reading green. Maybe she just knows and fields you can’t identify
week. I never intended to. green’s not her color. because it’s just too dark.
The sky is white. It should be Maybe I should go home be- Do you think they’re born
beautiful, heavenly even, but fore it gets dark. But it’s been a with it? Gracefulness, know-
really it’s just awfully cloudy. while since I last watched the ing exactly where you belong?
Of all the days I decide to sky turn blue to yellow, and They’ve got their destina-
leave the house, I choose the yellow to orange to red to pur- tion at heart, like they’ll know
day the sun is MIA. ple to blue again, but darker. it when they see it.
Maybe I should work hard- I’ll start working out. I’ll I don’t think they can be
er. Study more, sleep less. clean my whole house, make it confused, or clumsy, or wor-
Make time for a social life. I feel like a fresh start. I’ll even ried, or tense. They’re not hu-
really want something to point take— man.
to, to fix, that would make it go A mass of birds lift from their
away. places in a graceful, almost re-
A small blue opening forms. hearsed movement. They join It has been a while since I
The sun’s peeking out at the their comrades in the sky. They last watched the birds take
birds. move as one, swooshing down flight.
The sun peeks out at me. and then up again, and away.
Maybe I should call some Did they practice for that?
friends, catch up with them. Spend hours finding out who Where should I go next? ■
12 www.thereckoner.caEDITORIAL BOARD
EDITORIAL BOARD
A board that amplifies student voices through supported opinions.
ers. An award might be award-
The Grammy Awards Never ed to music a committee de-
cides shows the most artistry
Fail to Disappoint and technical skill, or perhaps
to music that dominated the
by MAGGIE PANG year’s charts. One might say
T he internet is going crazy be one of the worst songs I have that the purpose of the Gram-
over the Grammys. Again. ever heard in my life with a bor- mys is to honour and recognize
For those of you who don’t al- ing melody and oh-so-romantic the achievements of the great-
ready know, Canadian artist lyrics like “you got that yummy est artists of the year. But what
Abel M. Tesfaye, better known yum, that yummy yum, that does that even mean? It certain-
by his stage name The Weeknd, yummy yum” and “she’s a bona ly doesn’t have anything to do
did not receive a single Grammy fide stallion”—over “Blinding with statistics or technical skill,
nomination this year. Not one. Lights”. and it’s based entirely on the
Despite “Blinding Lights” hav- It’s not just that I have any- opinions of a select group of a
ing set a record for most weeks thing against “Yummy” partic- few thousand individuals work-
spent in the top 10 of the Bill- ularly; it is, in terms of music ing in the music industry [10]. It
board Top 100 Chart [1] and his theory, quite bland with its rep- should also be noted that many
album “After Hours” setting a etition, in terms of reviews by of these individuals work for
record for the most pre-adds on critics [5] and the internet [6] certain companies and might
Apple Music [2]. [7], complete and total trash, have certain interests that
The R&B singer turned to and in terms of popularity, would make them biased—there
Twitter shortly after the nomi- made it onto the Billboard Top have been many allegations in
nations were revealed, saying, 100 solely because of constant, the past of corruption and brib-
“The Grammys remain corrupt” shameless, and pretty much ery [11][12], along with racism
[3]. While it may seem like he desperate promotion [8][9]. [13] and sexism [14]. Therefore,
is simply being a sore loser, he Every single year, we com- it’s not quite recognizing any-
makes a good point. The Al- plainers and nitpickers find a thing, other than music a bunch
bum of the Year category went justified reason to be upset with of music professionals like.
against everyone’s expectations the Grammys. Indeed, the Grammys are
by not having “After Hours” So why do we even pay at- incredibly bad at recognizing
nominated, which was one of tention to them in the first achievement in essentially any
the best selling albums of the place? Why do they even exist? genre other than pop. Despite
year [4]. Sure, popularity does Can the Grammys please just be the widespread popularity of
not decide something’s worthi- cancelled? rap, only two rap albums have
ness of being nominated, but Each contest tends to have a won the Album of The Year
the Grammy Awards proved defined thing they’re looking award, the last time being in
they do not make decisions for. The People’s Choice Awards 2004, and no rap song has ever
based on talent either by choos- and Billboard Music Awards are won Song of the Year or Record
ing “Yummy”—which has got to based on popularity among vot- of the Year. It should also be
www.thereckoner.ca 1312 FEBRUARY 2021
noted that some genres will, due a diverse assortment of genres.■ [7] https://rateyourmusic.com/release/single/
justin-bieber/yummy/reviews/2/
to their relative lack of popular-
Works Cited [8] https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-en-
ity, have committee members tertainment/music/features/justin-bieber-yum-
[1] https://www.stereogum.com/2108353/
without much expertise voting the-weeknd-blinding-lights-record-billboard-
my-video-lyrics-tiktok-viral-youtube-album-re-
for them. top-10/news/ lease-date-a9318306.html
A lack of a Grammy doesn’t [2] https://www.musicbusinessworldwide. [9] https://www.insider.com/justin-bieber-
com/the-weeknd-smashes-apple-music-record- get-yummy-to-no-1-despite-lackluster-re-
make Diana Ross and Queen heading-towards-1m-global-pre-adds-of-new- sponse-2020-1
any less legendary and the vot- album/ [10] https://www.thebalancecareers.com/who-
ing process is so untranspar- [3] https://www.bbc.com/news/entertain- votes-for-the-grammy-awards-2460684
ment-arts-55858548 [11] https://gritdaily.com/the-grammys-are-
ent and untrustworthy that the
[4] https://www.billboard.com/charts/year- once-again-accused-of-corruption/
possession of a Grammy doesn’t end/2020/top-album-title-sales [12] https://www.bbc.com/news/entertain-
mean anything either. Overall, [5] https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/jus- ment-arts-51204484
the Grammys could not be more tin-bieber-yummy/ [13] https://www.bbc.com/news/entertain-
[6] https://www.albumoftheyear.org/al- ment-arts-38982994
irrelevant and incapable of rec- bum/201432-justin-bieber-yummy/user-re- [14] https://www.vogue.com/article/grammy-
ognizing music achievement in views/ awards-2018-sexist-or-out-of-touch
Illustration: Julia Shen
14 www.thereckoner.caEDITORIAL BOARD
Snowden: Vindicated research on China’s mass surveil-
lance, but soon became concerned
tivity—everything. Even though
you would expect Americans to
by History that the US was engaging in the
same behaviour on a much larger
be the primary targets of Ameri-
can surveillance agencies, foreign
scale. Around this time, he began citizens were targeted en masse
GUEST SUBMISSION to raise concerns through official due to their lack of protection un-
by ANTHONY CHEN channels—concerns that went der the US Constitution—in some
I n June 2013, yet another mys- completely unheard. He then be- countries, every phone call was re-
terious three-letter organisation gan downloading files, determined corded. Americans, Canadians, ac-
entered our collective conscious- to reveal the NSA’s actions to the tivists, companies, governments—
ness. Unlike other famous organi- world [3]. no one was immune [5][6]. In a
sations like the CIA, FBI, KGB, and In March 2013, James Clapper, leaked document, the NSA listed
CDC, the National Security Agency who was in charge of overseeing the its goals to “Collect it All,” “Process
(NSA)’s sudden prominence was NSA, testified under oath that the it All”, “Exploit it All”, “Partner it
not due to movie directors looking NSA did not collect any data at all All”, “Sniff it All”, and eventually to
for a quick buck. Instead, it became from Americans [4]. For Snowden, “Know it All” [7].
a household name after contractor this was the last straw. He immedi- On top of it all, the NSA had also
Edward Snowden leaked classified ately quit his job at Dell and found developed numerous hacking tools
information on mass surveillance another consulting job, where he to help them illegally break into
programs to the world on the front could gather more evidence to ex- systems, and a search engine called
pages of The Guardian and The pose the NSA. Two months later, XKeyscore that allowed them to
Washington Post [1]. So who was he was on a plane to Hong Kong browse through someone’s entire
Edward Snowden, what did he do, under the pretext of getting medi- digital presence—every analyst had
and why should we care now? cal treatment. There, he met with the power to use or misuse this [8].
We live in a society. This means several experienced journalists he Some parts of the surveillance were
that although we have certain in- had previously contacted over the legal—enabled by the infamous
herent rights and freedoms, rea- internet, and fled to Russia shortly PATRIOT Act—and some were of
sonable restrictions sometimes after [3]. The subsequent revela- questionable legality, but the vast
need to be placed on them—hate tions, as we now know, were un- majority of it was unquestionably
speech laws, building codes, and precedented. illegal, unconstitutional, and in vi-
speed limits are good examples olation of international law [5][15].
of this. Furthermore, most people The most important part was that
believe that the restrictions need it was unknown and unaccount-
to be proportionate, and normal able to the public. The only pro-
people going about their daily lives visions for oversight were James
should not be troubled by them. Clapper—who we have already met
However, it was generally accept- above—and a rubber-stamp court
ed by those working for the NSA— that approved over 99% of re-
the US’s digital surveillance agen- quests [9]. Surely government offi-
cy—that covert, indiscriminate, cials would have thanked Snowden
oversight-less, Orwellian mass for doing his duty to “support and
surveillance was justified. Mass defend the Constitution”?
surveillance of not just US citizens, It’s often necessary to break
Illustration: Emily Lai
but the entire world [2]. an unjust law to bring attention
Looking at his initial career The world now knows that over- to an issue and eventually cre-
choice, most people wouldn’t ex- stating the extent of the NSA’s ate change—people in history
pect Snowden to later be branded as snooping is near-impossible. who have done this include Oskar
a traitor. He was a young, patriotic Through a combination of inter- Schindler, Rosa Parks, and Martin
special forces trainee who left the national partners (primarily Aus- Luther King Jr. Even though they
army only after both his legs were tralia, Canada, New Zealand, and were initially controversial, we
broken. He then signed on with the United Kingdom), willingly co- now recognise that they were com-
the CIA as a computer specialist operating companies, court orders, pletely justified and wonder why
but resigned shortly after because and hacking, the NSA collects all none of their contemporaries did
of moral objections. After that, he types of communications, indus- the same. We have a moral duty to
worked as a contractor for the NSA trial secrets, financial information, refuse to obey unjust laws, as well
through Dell. There he conducted location information, internet ac- as to speak out when we discover
www.thereckoner.ca 1512 FEBRUARY 2021
abuses of power—whether by the without them, he would just be Parliament [19]. Find and attend
government or some other author- another conspiracy theorist. Ad- protests against mass surveillance.
ity. Unlike other NSA employees ditionally, only a few documents Learn how to protect your digital
who felt they should be above the related to mass surveillance have privacy [20]. Support charities like
law or were intimidated into si- been released after being checked the Electronic Frontier Foundation
lence, Snowden spoke out at great over by journalists—the remain- and the Canadian Civil Liberties
personal risk to himself. ing ones are safely encrypted. The Association. Learn about where the
And it’s important to stress the final common argument is that political parties stand on these is-
full extent of the risk—the first the information Snowden leaked sues and vote when you’re able to.
charges brought against him car- harmed national security and Above all, stay informed about the
ried a combined prison sentence helped terrorists—the US Congress issues that affect us all—through
of thirty years, and more charges was kind enough to release a report The Reckoner. ■
were expected. He would be on the with twenty-one examples of how
run from the most powerful coun- the information harmed national Works Cited
try and intelligence agencies on the security, but they were all blacked [1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/
special/national/nsa-timeline/
planet. In an anonymous interview, out [14]. As for the terrorists, the [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_sur-
many powerful government offi- NSA could only cite one example veillance_disclosures_(2013%E2%80%93pre-
cials fantasized about personally that was later found to be unrelat- sent)
murdering him [12]. He expressed ed by a judge [15]. [3] Permanent Record, Edward Snowden
(Book)
it best himself, saying that “Every- After the revelations, there were
[4] https://www.politifact.com/article/2014/
one in the Intelligence Community protests and petitions—including mar/11/james-clappers-testimony-one-year-lat-
is aware of what happens to people many in Canada—demanding gov- er/
who report concerns about unlaw- ernments end illegal mass surveil- [5] https://www.theguardian.com/world/inter-
ful but authorized operations” [13]. lance and cut ties with the NSA. active/2013/nov/01/snowden-nsa-files-surveil-
We may not all have spoken out World governments—including lance-revelations-decoded
[6] https://www.businessinsider.com/
under the same circumstances, but Canada—took swift action. Specif- snowden-leaks-timeline-2016-9
we can support Edward Snowden ically, they legalised the surveil- [7] No Place to Hide, Glenn Greenwald (Book)
and recognise him for what he is— lance after the public attention had [8] https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/poli-
definitely not a traitor, but a hero died down [16]. Here in Canada, tics/2013/07/glenn-greenwald-low-level-nsa-
to all of us. Bill C-51 gave CSIS (our intelli- analysts-have-powerful-and-invasive-search-
tool/
Snowden has many critics, but gence agency) sweeping new pow-
[9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_
many of the arguments against ers [17]. Snowden
what he did purposely misrepre- Canadians often take pride in [10] https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/
sent the facts or are based on mis- Canada’s [objective] superiority to edward-snowden-poll_n_4175089
conceptions. The most common America. It’s tempting to dismiss [11] https://www.theguardian.com/
commentisfree/2014/may/30/daniel-ells-
argument is that he should return the NSA as an American problem
berg-snowden-fair-trial-kerry-espionage-act
to the US and stand trial, that the and trust our government to re- [12] https://edwardsnowden.com/2014/01/27/
justice system is just, and he should spect our privacy. The truth is far video-ard-interview-with-edward-snowden/
plead his case to a judge and jury. more unsettling. The Canadian [13] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/
This argument overlooks the fact equivalent to the NSA is called the the-switch/wp/2014/03/07/snowden-i-raised-
that he is charged under the Espi- CSE, and it has even less oversight nsa-concerns-internally-over-10-times-before-
going-rogue/
onage Act, a relic from history that than the NSA—it’s regularly found [14] https://fas.org/irp/congress/2016_rpt/
effectively stops the accused from to be violating our rights, and also hpsci-snowden.pdf
defending themselves—in previous helps the NSA around the world [15] https://www.businessinsider.com/nsa-
cases, whistleblowers were not al- [18]. The Bill C-51 that I mentioned phone-snooping-illegal-court-finds-2020-9
lowed to explain their rationale or above was the Canadian equivalent [16] https://thehill.com/policy/technol-
ogy/310457-spying-after-snowden-whats-
mention the word “whistleblow- to the PATRIOT Act, trading away
changed-and-what-hasnt
ing” [11]. our rights for “national security” [17] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/man-
Another argument is that the [17]. itoba/canada-csis-metadata-collection-priva-
documents he took were not lim- But it doesn’t have to be this cy-concerns-bill-c51-1.3798564
ited to those about mass surveil- way. We live in a democratic soci- [18] https://www.thestar.com/news/
world/2015/03/04/archive-puts-all-edward-
lance, and Snowden intended to ety, and there are countless ways
snowden-leaks-in-one-spot-brings-debate-to-
deliver the documents to Russia. we can fight back against the on- canada.html
He did take documents unrelated going erosion of our rights. Write [19] https://cpj.ca/writing-a-letter-to-your-
to mass surveillance, but he need- an email—or a letter that can’t be mp/
ed them to prove his credibility— intercepted—to your Member of [20] https://ssd.eff.org/en
16 www.thereckoner.caThe Reckoner
of Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute
EDITOR IN CHIEF
JACQUELINE HUO
NEWS MANAGER LIFE MANAGER DEPUTY EDITOR IN CHIEF & OUTREACH MANAGER
ZARMEEN YAQOOB SUMEDH DHANVANTHRY EDITORIAL MANAGER ALLYSON WU
SARAH ALI
PHOTOGRAPHY MANAGER DIRECTOR OF ILLUSTRATIONS MANAGER DIRECTOR OF
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JEFFREY CHEUNG CYNTHIA WANG
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