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India’s Farmer Protests: What You Need to Know

Shreya Ivaturi
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India’s farmer protests have made news around the world. They began last fall and have continued until now. Although the protests have faded from mainstream headlines, the systemic issues at hand that are affecting the livelihoods of millions cannot be ignored. 

In September 2020, the Indian government passed three laws: The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce Act, The Farmers Agreement On Price Assurance And Farm Services Act, and The Essential Commodities Act. Until now, farm produce was bought and sold primarily in government controlled markets. Only licensed traders could buy in these regulated markets. The laws allow for farmers to sell directly to the private sector outside of the government controlled markets (APMCs). They allow parties in the private sector to establish contracts with farmers and place orders in a tax free setting. They remove laws that previously made hoarding by the private sector illegal. The laws mandate that if there are problems farmers cannot go to court. Instead, they must go to a regional magistrate that will have the final say in the matter. Moreover, nobody can file a case about the specifications of the laws passed against any parties within the central or state government, including the regional magistrates farmers are instructed to approach in the case of the problem.

Farmers are protesting the details of these laws. The farmers are saying that if the private sector is allowed to open markets that may be sheltered from taxation, they will wipe out the government controlled markets. If these government controlled markets are effectively discontinued, then the private sector will have an effective monopoly to force the prices of goods down. Farmers need government controlled markets because they offer a minimum support price (MSP). MSP is offered primarily for staple crops to prevent farmers from taking severe losses if there is an oversupply of crops. When government controlled markets are discontinued, private sector markets will be under no obligation to offer the same economic support to farmers.

The government proposed allowing state governments to create laws to regulate the private sector in agriculture. Farmers have rejected this by arguing it simply places responsibility in another power without taking any meaningful change. The government has suggested civil courts may be used by farmers to take problems to a ruling authority, which was not accepted considering the bias with which the farming laws were created in the first place to benefit private markets. The government has agreed to consider a written assurance for MSP with broader eligibility than now, extending to all crops instead of just staple ones in all markets (both public and private). Farmers argue a written assurance is a get out of jail free card as it is not the same as a legal right that ensures protection if parties are wronged.

Until the full demands of the farmers are met, protests will continue. 

I hope you all found this post informative and eye opening! Bye for now!

Sources:

1/2/3/4/5/6

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas—A must-read series

Steven Dong
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July’s blogs have largely been focused on book lists already. Though I am a little late to the show, I’d nonetheless love to feature the series that I have been reading this summer: Throne of Glass. There are eight books in total, and I am currently on the seventh one. I am not usually the type of person to go for long series; I prefer standalone books in general. But, this does mean that you know it is good if I can’t stop picking up book after book after book.

It is difficult to explore the series in-depth without revealing spoilers, but in essence, the first book highlights the protagonist, Celaena Sardothien, selected for an ominous competition designed by a tyrannical king. However, throughout the later books, she realizes her world is far darker and more evil than she had originally thought. I do find that the books get better as I go on—the first book I felt really focused on one main setting and POV, while later on, Maas’ books diversify more. Looking back, I now realize that the beginning books served more as just groundwork or foundation for the real interesting, nail-biting plots to be discovered in later on.

In my opinion, the characters aren’t perfect, but they’re decent. However, the plot and setting, in my eyes, is where Throne of Glass really shines. To be honest, I did not even enjoy epic fantasy pieces before picking up Maas’ series. Her world-building and plot development are just great to read and learn from.

I have to say, my favourite part of the series is that, with each book, the protagonist learns more about herself, her history, and her world. Every revelation is surprising, suspenseful, and all around fun. This is what truly makes the series hard to put down.

Now, I am aware that the reviews for this series is very polarized—some love it, some hate it. I think you should find out for yourself where you are on that spectrum. Regardless, I encourage you all to try it out!

Image source: 1

Utilizing Your Platform

Daniyal Sait
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In all the different aspects of our lives, one thing remains constant – we are all unique. And through social media, your personal network, and other resources, we have all developed a voice and platform that is unique to us. Anyone has the power to exercise their platform, and how you use it is up to you. Some people, such as celebrities, may inherently have a larger platform due to existing fans or followers. But no matter what your platform looks like, your voice is valuable and it is up to you to use it. This article highlights three individuals and how they use their respective platforms.

Mark Giordano

Mark Giordano is a defenseman who plays in the National Hockey League (NHL). The 37 year old has recorded 509 points in 949 career games. He has been the captain of the Calgary Flames for many years, but he took his leadership beyond the ice.

On Wednesday, July 21st, Mark Giordano was drafted by the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. This will be the first time he plays for an NHL team other than Calgary, as he will join Seattle in their first ever season. Calgary will miss the 2019 Norris Trophy winner as more than just a hockey player, but also as an amazing community member, thanks to the way he utilized his platform.

As a major league athlete, Giordano has millions of fans watching him every year. He knows that his voice will travel immeasurable distances and reach countless people, so he uses this power to make a positive change.

In 2014, ‘Team Giordano’ was founded. Over the years, this program has developed connections with schools all over Calgary and provided resources for them. The program has distributed $300,000 to these schools as of 2017, and has changed the lives of thousands of students. Mark Giordano also makes regular visits to the schools to talk about fitness, leadership, academic success, and goal setting.

As a result of his incredible work, Giordano was named the 2017 ESPN Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Of The Year, an award presented to an athlete “whose continuous, demonstrated leadership has created a positive impact on their community through sports”. This is a global award that applies to all sports, not just hockey. This amplifies how truly outstanding Giordano’s work is, and how powerful someone’s voice can be. As the winner, Giordano directed a $100,000 grant from ESPN to his charity, Team Giordano.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio is an American actor and producer who you may recognize from films such as “Titanic”, “The Wolf of Wall Street”, “Inception”, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”, “Romeo + Juliet”, and more. As one of the world’s most famous actors, he also has a powerful platform.

In 1998, Leonardo DiCaprio decided to translate his concern for environmental issues into an avenue for positive change. By establishing the ‘Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation’, which is “dedicated to the long-term health and well-being of all Earth’s inhabitants”, he has been able to focus on wildlife conservation, biodiversity protection, and addressing climate change. Over the years, the foundation has shared more than $30 million to environmental organizations on a global scale.

You

There is another person who has a platform and a voice that they can use for good – you. You may not be a major league athlete or a Hollywood star, but you have your own platform that is unique to you. Your voice is valuable to our society, and you are capable of making change. It’s time to speak up, whether on social media or in real life, because you have the power to make the world a better place.

Featured Image

Image Source 1

Content Source 1/2/3

Icy Oasis

Laiba Nasir
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In order to procrastinate from actually doing my physics homework, I was distracted by the law of thermodynamics. Which led me down a rabbit hole of natural disasters, before I stumbled upon the 2003 tragedy that struck Albertan kids. I’ve read about it before, but the only thoughts that consumed me, this time around, was “What more could have been done?” This is the question I sought to answer.

 

Through my readings in the articles I’ve linked, what I found is a lot of nothing. Other than the fact that once you’re under an avalanche, you are done for, there’s not much you can actually do to save a person this fast. You have mere minutes to save them if a large enough air pocket doesn’t exist. When you are someone who isn’t in the wreck, and instead a rescuer, you have mere seconds to decide who lives and who dies, and those people’s lives are lost just beneath your feet.

 

I found this entire ordeal horrifying. How could we, as a society, let all of these kids, who clearly had the money and the means to afford good technology to keep them safe, succumb to a snowfall like this? I think that farther than it was the fault of all natural disasters, the fact that the technology we had in that period wasn’t enough to save them, disappoints me.

 

We rely so heavily on technology as a society, we live in nothing more than a technocrity in which we have people who are glued to screens and tablets. The same people who then rely on good technology to keep them alive when they go out. If even trained skiers weren’t safe, then is anyone really?

 

The major lesson to be learnt here is that the minute you get cocky, take off your jacket while skiing and don’t understand the actual meaning behind what we do in life. That’s the moment your life becomes meaningless. We’ve seen that happen in less abstract examples, where people bank their lives on tech and it fails them. Leaving them to freeze under the icy surface of the avalanche. Be wary of relying on anything in the world, before it topples you and traps you in a place that will soon be, your untimely, icy grave.

 

More reading:

Buried alive: An avalanche survivor breaks his silence

https://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/avalanches-school-trip-tragedy

COVID-19 Vaccine Accessibility for Individuals Living in Poverty

Samarah Kanji
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With the delivery of vaccines, a spark of optimism hits many individuals in the world with the hope of getting somewhere more familiar; the place we call normal. In Canada, roughly 50% of Canadians are fully vaccinated. Globally, 1.02 billion individuals are fully vaccinated. While caution is still advised for people who are fully vaccinated, people who are not vaccinated face a significant risk. In places with high poverty rates, and government corruption, these barriers interfere with people having accessibility to these vaccines. People of minority groups also have difficulty accessing vaccines.

Factors that impact the accessibility to vaccines:

According to WHO (World Health Organization), factors that influence people getting the vaccine are:

  • Vaccine schedule: “Although there may be an appreciation for the importance of preventing individual vaccine-preventable diseases, there may be a reluctance to comply with the recommended schedule. While this may alleviate hesitancy issues, accommodating individual demands are not feasible at a population level”- WHO 
  • Costs: “An individual may have confidence in a vaccine’s safety and the system that delivers it, be motivated to vaccinate, but not be able to afford the vaccine or the costs associated with getting themselves and their children to the immunization point.” – WHO
  • Design of the program delivery: “Delivery mode can affect vaccine hesitancy in multiple ways. Some parents may not have confidence in a vaccination coming to the house; or a campaign approach driven by the government. Alternatively, if a health center is too far or the hours are inconvenient”- WHO

What action is being taken to get vaccines to people?

From the past G7 summit, groups of wealthy nations pledged extra doses for low and middle-income countries. This was a promise from Joe Biden to send 500 million Pfizer vaccines, UK pledged to send 100 million vaccines, France, Germany, and Japan pledged to send 30 million vaccines each. In Africa, cases have risen. According to a science Journalist T.V Padma, during the week ending in June 27th,  infections in the Democratic Republic of Congo rose by 39% between June 13th-20th, and by 25% by June 27th. Many countries in Africa are also experiencing the third wave.

To help in this situation, The World Bank has given financial aid to secure 400 million doses of the single-shot vaccine from Johnson and Johnson. COVAX also aims to provide 2 billion doses to low-income countries. This has started slow as many high-income countries have more access. (An issue these countries face is the lack of purchasing power. While many negotiate with vaccine companies, they are often put last on the list as rich countries have more purchasing power. With all the help to try and get people vaccinated, researchers predict that only one-fifth of the population will be vaccinated by the end of 2021.

Places with higher populations and people living in poverty struggle to access vaccines. Ironically, while India plays a role in vaccine production, recent articles have suggested that only 4% of people in India are vaccinated. This is not only something to blame on the population but also, the cost for a shot is $20. Not being able to afford the shot also puts some at a disadvantage, as some employers in India have policies about having to get the vaccine in order to work.

What role do governments play in the distribution?

The UNODC (United Nations of Drugs and Crime) also recognizes the possible corruption there is, as some places sign private agreements to secure many vaccines for higher-income populations. Governments also examine who in the population needs the vaccine the most. Currently, many governments are trying to ensure that people receive the first dose of the vaccine. Only 1 percent of Africa’s population is fully vaccinated. Some have received more due to COVEX; however, some still have not gotten a lot. In some scenarios, the government is not to blame for vaccine distribution as delivery takes a long time and due to rising concerns about the new variants.

Issues people of minorities have faced:

Research from the U.K. has shown that twice as many people not of minority groups have accessed vaccines, whereas the people that have not been vaccinated have faced issues such as constitutional racism. Other issues people of minorities have faced are inadequate health insurance and insufficient access to information.

What can be done?

While there is much to be done to ensure people are vaccinated, there are sites we can donate to help out. People can also speak out more to try and help people in need. The quicker people in poverty getting vaccinated, the faster they can continue to work towards having a better lifestyle.

https://www.gavi.org/donate 

Above is a link to donate

“Vaccines are one of our most important tools for preventing outbreaks and keeping safe. While most children today are vaccinated, far too many are left behind. Unacceptably, it’s often those who are most at risk- the poorest the most marginalized, those touched by conflict, or forced from their homes- who are persistently missed” -Dr. Tedros Adhamon Ghetreysus (General WHO)

Sources:

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/health/why-experts-are-not-happy-with-india-s-covid-19-vaccine-procurement-pricing-policy-76731

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/06/29/1011022472/india-is-the-worlds-biggest-vaccine-maker-yet-only-4-of-indians-are-vaccinated

https://www.who.int/immunization/sage/meetings/2013/april/1_Model_analyze_driversofvaccineConfidence_22_March.pdf

https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-immunization-week/2020/key-messages

https://www.nature.com/search?author=%22T.%20V.%20Padma%22

https://qz.com/1990168/consumer-attitudes-about-pfizer-jj-and-other-covid-19-vaccine-brands/

Source for feature image: 2

Freshly Released YA Books to Scratch Your Summer Reading Itch Part Two: Electric Boogaloo

Lara Mylde
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A continuation of yesterday’s post on scratching your summer reading itch! As I said yesterday, let me know if there’re any particular inclinations you have—I’ll do my best to come up with some top tier recommendations.

You’re in the mood for a sprawling, epic fantasy with metric tonnes of worldbuilding:

Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard

You oughta see this woman’s mapmaking process. She’s committed, and it shows through in this 560 page minor monster of a novel. I enjoyed her Red Queen series, but I honestly feel that in retrospect, they were just the warmup for this one. Upon release it very quickly climbed the ranks of the NYT bestseller list, but it’s definitely an epic fantasy and it will appeal to a specific subset of readers. It’s probably not the best intro to the genre as it can be heavy on the descriptions and characters, which is what many people love but which I suspect also may not be as accessible to a casual reader. Then again, the classic premise of the book is just begging you to pick it up and dive right in, no holds barred, everyone welcome. From the synopsis on Goodreads, here’s a sampler of the characters you’ll be meeting:

“A squire, forced to choose between home and honor.
An immortal, avenging a broken promise.
An assassin, exiled and bloodthirsty.
An ancient sorceress, whose riddles hide an eerie foresight.
A forger with a secret past.
A bounty hunter with a score to settle.”

And of course, Corayne an-Amarat, the plucky pirate’s daughter, certified Chosen One, and the “main” character out of an ensemble cast. This is not your book if you’re looking for a romance, as the relationships are much more focused towards the whole found family idea the crew has going on. But if you’re looking to lose yourself for a while, this is the book for you.

You really just need a good cry:

They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera

This one is admittedly not all that recent. It came out a while ago, but it’s seen a huge resurgence in popularity recently due to the YA/reading fanatics corner of TikTok (dubbed Booktok). The hype is well-deserved; you can probably guess that it’s a tearjerker from the title, but it’s also a fantastic piece of speculative fiction.

It’s set in a world where a mysterious service called DeathCast notifies you on the day that you’re going to die. Rufus and Mateo, two boys from very different backgrounds, meet through a service that connects people with others who are going to die that same day. Over the course of the 24 hours (or less) that they have left to live, the two boys connect, help each other do the things they were never brave enough to do before, and grow together… possibly falling a little bit in love along the way. As for the ending…

Well. No spoilers, right?

You need a protagonist who’s willing to do whatever it takes:

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

This one was on all the “best of” lists upon its release late last year. And really, it’s no surprise; it barely needs an explanation. Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920’s Shanghai? Romeo (Roma) and Juliet (Juliette) are the heirs to rival gangs? Relevant social commentary on colonialism? Glitter, debauchery, and literal monsters? Tell me you’re not already sold. I dare you.

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

Again not the most recent of picks, but it is a pandemic-release so I’m calling it recent enough. I’m obligated to include it anyway, because it’s definitely one of my favourite if not my favourite fantasy book which I read in 2020. Malik, Main Character Número Uno, is tasked with killing the land’s freshly minted sultana in order to save his siblings. Karina, said sultana and Main Character Número Dos, needs the heart of a king in order to resurrect her recently assassinated predecessor. Karina’s solution? Of course, she does what anyone would do in her position: She plans to marry a guy, then kill him. And when Malik, questing after Karina’s death, enters into a competition to win the sultana’s hand in marriage… Hm. What could possibly go wrong?

You’re most excited for cosplay-appropriate cons to make their grand return after the pandemic:

Be Dazzled by Ryan La Sala

Ryan La Sala writes what he and others call quite possibly the gayest books ever. His debut, Reverie, went so far as to feature a drag queen sorceress as a prominent central character, and it was unsurprisingly amazing.

Be Dazzled is a pandemic release and La Sala’s sophomore novel, but it certainly doesn’t feel like one. It’s a contemporary centred around Raffy, a teen with a passion for, in his words, bedazzling. He creates massive, larger than life cosplays and was planning on entering a huge competition the year previous before his partner ditched him at the very last moment.

Enter Luca, Raffy’s ex and former teammate-turned-main-competition. Things didn’t end well between them last time, what with Luca’s insecurity and Raffy’s all consuming creative perfectionism. But Raffy’s determined not to let this year end like the last. He’s winning that cosplay competition if it’s the last thing he ever does. And when he and Luca are forced to team up in the final round? Sometimes, you have to just roll with the punches.

Freshly Released YA Books to Scratch Your Summer Reading Itch (Part The First)

Lara Mylde
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All summered up and nothing to read? I know the feeling. Sometimes the books in the TBR pile just aren’t quite what you’re in the mood for. Luckily, I’ve got you covered with top picks in fiction to scratch whatever your particular reading itch may be. Part One today, Part Two tomorrow, and let me know if there’re any particular itches you want me to pull recs for—I guarantee I can find you something good.

You really miss the Princess Diaries:

Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean

Everyone remembers Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi. And if you don’t, you’d better go and watch the Princess Diaries right now. (The first one and the second. What are you waiting for? Go!)
Back to the book. Izumi Tanaka has been single parented by her mother all her life; she’s never known her father. But when she learns that her father is the literal crown prince of Japan, she’s swept up into the affairs of the Japanese crown exactly a la a new generation Princess Diaries. Feat. Handsome Bodyguard (TM), diaspora kid discovering their heritage like never before, and a heroine described as “irreverent,” it’s guaranteed to give you the perfect mix of nostalgia and a fresh, heartwarming whirlwind of a story.
It’s also a Reese’s YA Book Club Pick, so you already know it’s going to be a good one.

You’re in need of some serious fairy tale comfort food:

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim

To be honest, I bought this without knowing anything about it other than that I’d loved the author’s earlier book Spin the Dawn (also a very fairytale-esque read, if you’re looking to stockpile). That’s pretty unusual for me; I don’t tend to just buy books on a whim. But imagine my delight when I found out that this is actually partially inspired by The Wild Swans, one of my favourite folk/fairy tales. Drawing on that and some seriously awesome East Asian folklore (dragons!!!), the world and characters and plot will absolutely just completely suck you in. Here’s the official description from the deal announcement:

“Six Crimson Cranes centers an exiled princess who must unweave the curse that turned her brothers into cranes, assisted by her spurned betrothed, a mercurial dragon, and a paper bird brought to life by her own magic.”

I am also such a sucker for the wonderful, terrible trope of “they’re meant to be betrothed and now they’re bonding but only one/neither of them knows who the other is.” Call me a simp if you’d like. I’ll be over here, frantically turning pages to see what happens next.

Any book by Julie C. Dao

Okay. “All of her books ever” don’t exactly qualify as a recent release. But I just can’t make a list of book recommendations and not include a little plug for her. I’ve been following Julie C. Dao since her 2017 debut, and for me it’s been hit after hit ever since. Her first three, Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix, and Song of the Crimson Flower (my personal favourite), are all set in the same East Asian-inspired fantasy realm. FOTL is an Evil Queen origin story (she’s incredibly beautiful and she eats hearts); KOTBP continues the narrative into a Snow White retelling; and SOTCF is set in the same world but the story is detached from the previous two and stands alone. They’re all excellent and her writing just exudes that cozy (although at times chilling) fairy tale feeling.

Her most recent book and the one that I can use to justify including her entire current YA repetoire here is called Broken Wish. It features a more European setting and a much smaller scale plot-wise than her other books, but it’s just as wonderful and I bawled through the whole last thirty pages. It’s also the first in a planned four book series spanning the effect of a family curse on multiple generations, with a different author writing each instalment. To my knowledge, this sort of thing hasn’t really been done before on such a scale, so it’s definitely a series to watch.

You’re craving a solid mystery:

The Ones We’re Meant to Find by Joan He

I’ll be honest, I tend to lean more in a fantasy direction than in a sci-fi one. But I loved Joan He’s first book, and frankly even that notwithstanding the cover of this book alone was already enough of a sales pitch.

This is not a dystopia in the typical sense of “plucky heroine leads rebellion against the system” a la many of the books released in and around the Hunger Games Era. It’s much more focused on the lives of two sisters, Celia and Kasey, and their attempt to reunite with one another after Celia gets shipwrecked on a deserted island. The rest of the world thinks she’s dead, but Kasey is determined to keep looking. Meanwhile, Cee’s got a nasty case of amnesia, and the only thing she remembers is that she has to get home to her sister.

As the plot unfurls, the reader learns more about the world, how society got to this point, and gets to grapple with the question of whether humanity is really worth saving given the amount of problems we’ve collectively caused.

If I were to describe this book as a wine, I’d most likely describe it as “gripping and suspenseful, with environmentalist undertones and notes of unbreakable bonds of sisterhood and moral dilemma. Also a “washed ashore but make it aesthetic”-y bouquet.”

I don’t know anything about wine. But I do know things about books! And this is a good one if you like to watch all the pieces assemble before your eyes, if you like to think a little bit while you read, and if you like your novels right in the middle of that Goldilocks zone of 350-400 pages in length. I’m a chronic binge-reader, and this one was no exception. Highly recommend.

 

See you tomorrow for the rest of the list!

Spotify Users! Feel like Getting Roasted? Click me!

Ranya Bajaj
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An introduction because I feel obligated to do so:

Hey Spotify users! I’m back with a cool website that’s surely to provide you with entertainment, and absolutely roast your music. If you’re interested – keep reading. If you already feel offended I suggest you continue reading as you’ll soon find out that life’s just rough.

Get to the point bro:

Yessir of course. The beauty I intend to share today is *drumroll* the website, “How Bad is Your Spotify”. This A.I. software is specially trained to insult your music at every stage of its’ scanning process. And later tell you how bad your taste is. Good luck trying to recover from this guy.

Ok so what do I do?:

What an insightful question! First, head over to How Bad is Your Spotify?. Next click on “find out”. This will then take you to a page where the AI will provide you some instructions to begin with. Choose wisely, that’s all I’ll say. But this AI has a way with words..

Now sit back, try to relax, and watch this AI absolutely destroy your music taste.

Here’s an insight on the AI’s cruelty to my music taste (in chronological order):

okay buddy. the only reason that song was on repeat is bc the kid laroi was featured in “speak” okay and ari is IMPECCABLE so my music taste is also IMPECCABLE *not me raging*
i was legit so happy for a second
SIKE
not me crying rn 🙁
hey u do u boo
NO U
well alright then.

Okay i’m done exposing myself now:)

Credits (because I’m a decent human being):

To the men who we owe it all to!! A big shoutout to Mike Lacher and Matt Daniels. God bless.

Conclusion (because once again I feel obligated to do so):

I hope you enjoyed that and comment down below what I should post next! And if you’re an Apple Music users – what is you even doing at this point fam.

No shade tho.

Much love<33

Ranya

Source: [1]

Canada’s Gender Wage Gap

Kassidy Thompson
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As you may know, women in Canada do not receive equivalent pay compared to those of a male. Evidence shows that in Canada, women earn 84 cents to every $1 a male earns. For minority men and women, there is an even greater gap between their income and that of a white man’s in the same field.

What causes the gender wage gap?

The gender pay gap is influenced by a variety of factors such as, discrimination, choice of occupation and childcare policies. Since women are more likely to take parental leave or time off from work to care for a child, it can have a negative impact on their earning potential. Employers with inadequate childcare policies often put working parents in an undesirable position, forcing them to move to lower-paid positions with more flexible hours.

Discrimination also plays a major role in widening the pay gap. Hiring managers and bosses usually tend to favor male workers over female due to patriarchal ideas. They have the perception that men perform better at certain tasks, when in fact, this is not the case.

How do we take steps towards narrowing the wage gap?

Canada is ranked 7th in the world for worst gender wage gap (18.97%.) It is clear that this gap needs to be narrowed. A few strategies for narrowing the gender wage gap are raising the minimum wage, unions and increasing access to childcare.

  •  Raising minimum wage

Women represent nearly two-thirds of workers in low-wage work, such as service-sector jobs. This is one of the factors that contribute to the gender pay gap. Due to women being over-represented in low-wage work, raising the minimum wage would have a positive and immediate effect in terms of narrowing the gender pay gap.

  • Unions

Unions commonly advocate for more equitable pay practices such as, pay transparency and grievance procedures. They help women secure benefits like scheduling accommodations and paid leave. Unions have proven to be effective.

  • Increase access to childcare

Childcare is expensive. These high costs mean that childcare is unaffordable for many families, especially those who earn minimum wage. Due to this fact, many women end up leaving the workforce to care for their children, rather than staying at a job that barely covers the cost. Increasing the access to childcare would help narrow the disparity by keeping more working mothers in the workforce.

Due to the gender wage gap having no singular cause, there isn’t a quick way to reduce the pay gap between men and women. Constant, concentrated activism will be required in order to ensure that these gaps are eliminated.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*   *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧  ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ :*  *:･ﾟ✧  *:･ﾟ✧✧ ･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ :*    *:･ﾟ✧*: ･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*   *:･ﾟ✧*:*: ･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ:

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A Sea of Yellow Flowers

Cindy Lei
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A Sea of Yellow Flowers

Two days ago, I went out of town with my family to see the canola fields. We do this on every year, but we would usually go at the end of August, when most of the yellow flowers have finished blooming. This year, however, we didn’t make the same mistake again and went during the peak of blooming season. And since I am way too addicted to photographing scenery and flowers, here are some photos of this cute little trip:

A classic photo to start off. I have around 100 photos of canola fields, blue skies, and clumps of trees on the side. Here is one of many from this year’s collection.
Here’s another one of the “classics”. This time with the trees in the middle! This style of photo always makes me think of the Windows “Bliss” background. I actually have one of these photos as my current desktop background.
Spicing it up with a gravel road down the middle. My parents like to photograph the flowers and ONLY THE FLOWERS, but I think that gets boring after a while. I guess I’m more interested in the “canola farm all-in-one experience”.
Canola fields sometimes feel like a sea of flowers. This photo makes me feel like I’m “swimming in the sea”.
Yes, we are diving deeper and deeper into the canola sea. For some reason, the smoke in the sky makes the photo feel cinematic, like a scenery shot from a film.
Another thing about canola flower photography: I feel like most people like to take pictures of the huge flower field, but not the individual flowers. So I went closer and took some pictures.

 

Here are the individual canola stalks! Before this, I didn’t know that canola stalks were so tall. You learn something new every day…
And we end with this extreme close up! A few years ago, I took a photography course at school and my teacher specialized in “macro photography” or extremely detailed close up photography. Ever since I saw his photos, my camera roll was filled with macro photographs (mostly of flowers).

An Ideal 1-Day Calgary Zoo Itinerary

Grace Du
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There is almost no prospect of travelling anytime soon for me. To revitalize my interest in Calgary, I’ve tried experiencing the city through a tourist’s lens.

Attractions in Calgary tend to have a business model that favours locals, who can forgo the exorbitant daily admission prices by purchasing an annual pass. One adult ticket for the zoo is almost 35 dollars, while a membership granting unlimited access to the park is only 70. If I was visiting Calgary, I would want an ultimate, streamlined tour of the zoo.

Planning

Masks are no longer mandatory, even in buildings and indoor animal habitats. Dress appropriately for the weather, with emphasis on a comfortable pair of shoes and sunscreen. Currently, only the North Gate Entrance is open. It is conveniently located by the CTrain “Zoo” station and the parking lot.

9:00 am – Canadian Wilds

Grey wolves photographed by me

The Canadian Wilds capture the Rocky Mountains and northern forest ecosystems with winding paths and iconic animals. Exploring the Canadian Wilds first is strategic since this immersive land is situated near the entrance. Navigate through bighorn sheep, mountain goats, the aviary, and caribou. When you reach the whooping cranes, Bugtopia, a new bug-themed playground that opened in June 2020, will be just around the corner. The wolves, bears, and cougars at the end of the Wilds leave a lasting impression as you head to the next leg of your adventure. Be aware that Cequel Energy Lodge, home to the otters, is currently closed.

10:30 am – Prehistoric Park

Prehistoric Park claims to take you on a journey back in time. The park itself is one of the most scenic spots in the zoo, with a waterfall, hoodoos, and volcano formations. In the realism department, the dinosaur animatronics are presentable. Although they are clearly robots, their details and movements are no small feat.

11:15 am – Lunch at Kitamba Cafe

The Calgary Zoo also has a dine-in restaurant called Grazers, but I think Kitamba Cafe is the superior option. It’s cheaper, more efficient, and more representative of what you expect to eat at a zoo. The menu consists of pulled pork, hot dogs, burgers, fries, poutine, chicken fingers, and soups. Kitamba Java is adjacent to Kitamba Cafe and offers sandwiches, coffee, tea, bagels, and soft-serve ice cream. Although I find the food expensive, I can attest to the poutine and pulled pork sandwich being filling.

12:15 pm – Destination Africa

Destination Africa has two main components: the African Savannah and the Rainforest. I recommend tackling the African Savannah by entering the building and admiring the meerkats, hippos, and giraffes. Then, complete the loop that contains lions, ostriches, zebras, and concludes in the Land of Lemurs.

The rainforest section can overwhelm your senses since it’s warm and humid, but the gorillas, mandrills, crocodiles, boa constrictors, fish, and birds cannot be missed. In Destination Africa, there is a concession stand with soft-serve ice cream that I highly recommend. As the day progressively gets hotter, walking around with a chocolate and vanilla swirl cone can be a game-changer.

2:15 pm – ENMAX Conservatory/Dorothy Harvie Gardens

It’s easy to marvel at the butterflies or the outdoor garden, but I would also like to acknowledge the South American animals. There are flamingoes, but the Chacoan peccaries steal the show. With their long faces, hair standing on end, and periodic screaming, these pig-like creatures are unreasonably entertaining.

3:15 pm – Eurasia

Eurasia has some all-stars, including Amur tigers, snow leopards, Japanese macaques, and red pandas. Every animal in Eurasia shares the trait of seeming exceedingly fluffy.

4:15 pm – Penguin Plunge

King penguins photographed by me

Penguin Plunge is frigid, allowing you to recuperate from a strenuous yet rewarding day of walking. The penguins have a range of personalities. Some of them will enthusiastically swim up to the glass, while others will stand stoically by themselves. You’ve come full circle; Penguin Plunge leads you back to the entrance. Congratulations! If you were following, you just conducted a thorough exploration of the Calgary Zoo!

Image Sources: Featured/1/2/3/4/5

The importance of Juneteenth: coming to terms with our past

Zainab Majid
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Juneteenth (June 19th) is an official annual holiday to celebrate the legal end of slavery in the US. After many recent racially motivated attacks, this seems like a sigh of relief for many. On June 19, 1865, American troops arrived in Texas and informed enslaved people that the civil war had ended and slavery had been abolished. This marked June 19th as the official end of slavery. This day is an amazing opportunity to encourage reconciliation between African American people and others of society, and it’s a big step towards appreciating their culture and history. 

Although it has been celebrated for centuries since the abolition, it has recently gotten more attention because of the injustice African Americans are facing. People celebrate this holiday in different ways. Some people pray and visit their families, others hold parties in their backyard, and some larger cities like Atlanta and Washington hold large events like parades and festivals.

Although many people in the past have tried to make this a national holiday in America, they were unsuccessful. This year marks the official recognition of the troubles African Americans faced and continue to face, with Juneteenth being known as the 11th holiday recognized by the federal government on June 17, 2021! This important step towards reconciliation means everyone gets a paid day off to celebrate and reunite with family.

So next time June 19 rolls around, be sure to celebrate with your friends! 

History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.

– Maya Angelou

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Euro 2020: The Foul Play That Occurred After The Tournament Ended

Daniyal Sait
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The days succeeding a major sporting event are usually filled with celebration. However, the aftermath of the Euro 2020 tournament was far more unpleasant. 

Throughout the tournament, England’s success had its fans repeatedly using the phrase “It’s coming home.” And when they reached the finals of the tournament, it seemed as though their dream would become a reality. A victory in the tournament’s final against Italy would give England their first major international championship since the World Cup in 1966. It’s safe to say that fans were pretty invested.

After a tight match, Italy and England were heading to a penalty shootout – this was the first time since 1976 that a Euro final would be decided on penalties. 

This is how it went:

1. Italy – Score                                                  1. England – Score

2. Italy – Miss                                                   2. England – Score

3. Italy – Score                                                 3. England – Miss

4. Italy – Score                                                 4. England – Miss

5. Italy – Miss                                                   5. England – Miss

With a score of 3-2 in penalties, Italy triumphed over England and became the victors of the 2020 European Championship. This was a devastating outcome for England and their fans, but some of these fans had an unacceptable reaction.

England scored both of their first two penalty shots, but missed their last three. Just one more goal would have kept them alive. For them, this was unfortunate – but it should also have been the end of the story.

However, it just so happened that the last three penalty shooters for England were Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka, all of whom are black. These athletes have served as great role models not only for black soccer players, but many soccer players on a wide scale. After performing well throughout the tournament to help their team reach the finals, they had the honour of taking the last three penalties for England. Rashford’s luck had seemed to run out, as he was able to beat the goalie but not the iron. When his shot hit the post, it was up to Sancho and 19-year-old Saka to ‘bring it home’. Unfortunately, they couldn’t get past Gianluigi Donnarumma, the Italian goalkeeper who eventually won ‘Player of the Tournament’. As Italy celebrated their victory, the English footballers headed off with their silver medals in hand. While many of their supporters saw this as still a great accomplishment, some took an utterly abhorrent approach.

In the days following the finals of Euro 2020, the three players received a significant amount of racist abuse. While it is understandable to be upset with a certain result, it is completely intolerable to make hateful comments based on the colour of someone’s skin.

These occurrences were atrocious, but every cloud has a silver lining. In the past few days, the entire sports world and beyond have condemned the racist behaviour of fans. By doing this, they did more than shed light on a serious issue – they encouraged positive changes by serving as role models in our society. They also softened the blow for the victims of this appalling abuse. Several figures such as David Beckham, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and Tom Holland have reinforced that the three English soccer players deserve nothing but respect following their efforts.

This instance is just one example of racism in our society. It is imperative that we continue making positive impacts to make our world a better place.

Note: The European Championship was set to take place in 2020, but was postponed due to COVID-19. As a result, it is still referred to as Euro 2020, rather than Euro 2021.

Source 1

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Aesthetic and Fun things to do in YYC

Samarah Kanji
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With restrictions easing and the summer sun shining, right now is the perfect time to get a break from school and hang out with the people close to you! Here are a couple of fun summer things you can do with your friends!

1. Go have a Picnic at the park

There are many picnic areas in the city including Princess Island Park, Stanley Park, and Olympic Plaza. Grab some picnic blankets, pillows, and delicious food for a nice picnic. This is not only aesthetic, but you can spend some time outside and catch up with people!

2. Go Hiking:

Hiking is not only a great way to explore nature, but it is also great exercise, which is great for your mind. You can hike in many places, such as Fish Creek where there are many trails, Glenmore Reservoir Trail, Douglas Fir Trail, and Weaselhead Flats.

3. Head to Devonian Gardens

You can head to The Core with your friends and hang around in the mall downtown. The wonderful Devonian Garden in the mall is also a great place to take pictures with friends. There are a variety of exotic plants along with fish and fountains.

4. Have an outdoor movie in your yard

You can watch a movie in the yard with your friends. Grab a sheet, a projector, some blankets, pillows, and lawn chairs on the grounds and snuggle up for a cozy time with your friends and family! You can even hang around some fairy lights! Some movies that give a fun summer vibe are both Grownups 1 and 2, Mamma Mia, and The Last Summer. You can even do a themed movie night such as a Disney-themed movie.

5. Backyard Camping

Can’t go out of the city to camp? No Problem! Just pitch a tent in the yard and set up a sleeping bag inside. If you have a fireplace, you can even make the food you would eat if you were to actually go camping. You can also make microwave s’mores.

6. Be a City Slicker

Go with your friends to the Kensington area where you can go to the Cat Café or the Hexagon Café where you can play board games and hang out! You can even take a walk on Stephen Avenue and go support a few businesses by grabbing a bite to eat. While you’re in the city, take a chance to go see the Calgary Stampede if you can for more fun!

These are just some things you can do with friends! I hope you can try these out and remember to stay safe and healthy!

Link for featured image

Image Source: 1/2/3/4/5/6

Some Movies That May be Useful When Writing the English 30 Diploma

Ranya Bajaj
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Hey y’all, even though we’re still in the middle of summer, the good grade 11 student that I am has come to a realization.

We are going to have to write the english diploma.

So since we have some time during the summer, maybe we can watch some of the suggested movies to utilize in Part A of the diploma – the Critical/Analytical Response to Literary Texts Assignment.

My reference is from the 2020-21 Alberta Education Student Guide for ELA 30-1 – but I guarantee you that they have all the classics. I, myself, have not watched many of them, however, I’m planning to take some time to finally watch them.

Without further ado, here is the list:

  1. Apocalypse Now
  2. Atonement
  3. A Beautiful Mind
  4. Big Fish
  5. Blindspotting
  6. Blue Jasmine
  7. Children of Men
  8. Dead Poets Society
  9. The Godfather
  10. The King’s Speech
  11. Lady Bird
  12. Lars and the Real Girl
  13. Moonlight
  14. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
  15. Pleasantville
  16. The Shawshank Redemption
  17. Stranger than Fiction
  18. Synecdoche, New York
  19. The Truman Show

That’s all I got for you guys! I might write another post about Short Stories, Novels, Plays etc. to study if y’all are interested. As always, if you have any comments, questions, or just any suggestions, feel free to shoot me an email at ranyabajaj1@gmail.com.

I’m rootin’ for ya!

Ranya

Sources: [1] [2]

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