The Crusader News Official Student Newspaper of St. Paul’s High School Volume 76 Issue 3
AMDG
Violence against Indigenous women in Canada John Ergon Golpe ’24 Contributor
Spring 2023
In Memory of Yash The Crusader News is not the same without Yash Varma. This letter is a small way of honouring his memory. Yash’s kind heart, his sense of responsibility and care, and his radiant energy were unlike any other. Along with many other areas of the school, Yash served The Crusader News. It is thanks to Yash Varma and his partner, Darius Martin ’24, that we have a thriving online platform: thecrusadernews.ca. Yash did everything not just with due diligence but with a beaming smile. Working with him in assembling the newspaper, in drama, and in the Human Rights Initiative are where my mind escapes to when thinking of Yash. With every encounter, Yash managed to be the light in my day and managed to make each moment a memorable one.
Red dresses hanging along a sidewalk Wednesday near Dr. Charles Best Secondary School in Coquitlam. Red Dress Day aims to raise awareness about missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. (Ben Nelms/CBC) The image on the dress is of a 4-year-old Cree girl named Serenity who was forcefully taken by the government and placed into a negligent foster family who failed to provide safety and care. This mistreatment led to her passing.
On December 1, 2022, Winnipeg Police charged Jeremy Skibicki with the murder of three Indigenous women. Those included The names of the deceased are Morgan Harris, Marcedes Myran, and Rebecca Contois, along with the murder of a fourth victim identified as Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe, also named Buffalo Woman. This tragic loss of life is unfortunately nothing new. However, Stats Canada has reported a recent upward trend in violence towards Indigenous women as far back as 2018. According to a 2018 report, two-thirds of First Nations and Métis women have reported experiencing physical or sexual abuse in their lifetimes, some being as young as 15 years old. Across Canada, Indigenous women were more likely to have been targets of abuse than non-Indigenous women: 64% of Indigenous women in the Atlantic, 62% in Central Canada, and 61% in Prairie provinces reported being victims of abuse.
Rest in peace Yash. You are, have been, and your memory will continue to be, the light in our days, even if you are not here with us. We will continue to honour Yash’s memory in our final Issue, Volume 76, in June. With profound sadness, Ilia Mehr Bakhsh Editor-in-Chief of The Crusader News
Read more on pg. 11
2023 SPHS STUDENT COUNCIL ELECTIONS Read more on pg. 13
13 Past Midnight Preview Sean Ehmann ’24
Mark your calendars everyone! This May a production that you will not want to miss is coming to St. Paul’s. The St. Paul’s High School Dramatic Society presents: 13 Past Midnight by Billy St. John, a thrilling murder mystery taking place in the esteemed Murray Hall! The stage is set for the play when a powerful producer, Victor Winslow, invites his show’s guests for a murder mystery party where things take a twisted and dark turn... Opening Night
To solve the mystery of 13 Past Midnight, come down to Murray Hall Thursday May 25th, Friday May 26th, and Saturday May 27th for an unforgettable evening of murder and mystery.
More information on pg. 14