Six individuals were inducted into the Canada Hall of Honour Thursday for their contributions to the Canada Games.
Jennifer Bishop – Distinguished Alumni – Tennis – Team NL (1985, 1989)
Bishop hopes to continue building sport across the country
Jennifer Bishop participated in the 1985 and 1989 edition of the Canada Games for tennis.
Bishop was inducted into the Hall of Honour for her work in law and sports governance.
Since participating in the games, Bishop has served as the Global Chair of the International Bar Association’s Women’s Leadership Group.
She has also served as Chair of the Board for Tennis Canada, while also working with the International Tennis Federation and Canadian Olympic Committee.
Bishop said that being inducted into the Hall of Honour in her home province was something she holds with “great honour.”
Bishop hopes she can continue to create opportunities for future leaders and athletes to “build sport across the country.”
Ajay Patel – Builder – Team BC (2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011)
Canada Games played a significant role in Patel’s life and career
Patel served as Chef de Mission for Team BC for six straight years between 2001-2011.
At the event he was credited extensive contributions to helping grow the Canada Games Movement.
Aside from the Games, Patel is being recognized for his contributions as one of Canada’s Top Immigrants along with his community involvement.
Patel has also held other positions in sports, serving as a board member with Sport BC, along with serving as CEO of Gymnastics BC.
Patel said that the Canada Games and the Team BC program helped play “a significant role in my life and career” and that it helped “shape who I am as a person, as a community leader and as a president of a college.”
The most important thing Patel wanted people to take away from the Canada Games is that it is “not just about building on a legacy, it’s about the thousands of legacies that are built on the experiences that the coaches, athletes and mission staff will have this week.”
Sharon and Shirley Firth – Athlete – Cross-Country Skiing – Team NT (1971, 1975)
Sharon Firth was there on both her own behalf and her sister Shirley’s behalf, who passed away in 2013
Sharon and Shirley Firth both hold very prestigious careers in cross-country skiing, as they both participated in the 1971 and 1975 Canada Games for the Northwest Territories.
The Firth sisters dominated the sport for years, breaking numerous records, and winning multiple medals and national championships.
Their hard work payed off at the 1972 Winter Olympics as they became the first ever female Indigenous athletes to represent Canada.
They would also participate in the 1976, 1980 and 1984 Winter Olympics. They are both members of the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, as well as being member of the Order of Canada.
They are both seen as big role models for Indigenous athletes.
Sharon Firth was there on both her own behalf and her sister Shirley’s behalf, who passed away in 2013.
Firth saidthis was a “ginormous award that is very important to us as Indigenous people,” and that she hopes more Indigenous people are taking part in the Games.
Firth also talked about her twin sister Shirley: “It’s very emotional because my twin sister is not here with me. She was a leader in so many ways. We grew up in the residential schools, so we are both victims and survivors, and no matter what we do in life, we are going to survive, and that’s the message I want to pass on to the Indegenous youth today.”
Diana Matheson – Athlete – Soccer – Team ON (2001)
Matheson scored the game winning goal for Team Canada’s Women’s Soccer Team at the 2012 Olympic Games, helping them win Bronze
Diana Matheson participated in the 2001 Canada Summer Games for soccer, a sport where she has since had a lot of success, representing Canada at three Olympic Games and three Women’s World Cup’s.
During her illustrious soccer career, she is best known for scoring the winning goal for Canada at the 2012 Olympic Games to help them win Bronze over France, Canada’s first ever Olympic Medal in women’s soccer.
Since her playing career she has founded the Northern Super League, which is Canada’s professional women’s soccer league.
Matheson said the Canada Games had a huge impact on her life and that she still remembers what her experience was like.
“The Canada Games is special and you can talk to so many former and present Canadian athletes about what the Games meant to them, my wife included. It creates the next generation of leaders, it invests in sport infrastructure, which is so needed, and its unifying like nothing else.”
Lennox Lewis – Athlete – Boxing – Team ON (1983)
Lewis at the 1983 Canada Games (Canada Games Council)
Lewis is a household name in boxing, as he became the undisputed world heavyweight champion in 1999. Lewis also participated in the 1988 Summer Olympics, where he won Canada’s first gold medal in boxing in 56 years. Lewis has since been inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame and the Order of Canada. Before that, Lewis participated in the 1983 Canada Games for Ontario, where he won a gold medal.
There won’t be many cities in Canada busier than St. John’s in the coming weeks thanks to the Canada Games. The city is set to host thousands of athletes from across Canada, and Memorial University is going to be at the center of it all.
Memorial University is playing a massive role in the Games. Jordan Wright, the Lead Organizer for the Canada Games says that without the university playing a key role in hosting athletes, sporting events, the Games likely cannot happen in the city.
“The host society said it pretty explicitly, the Games could not be delivered without Memorial University,” said Wright.
Why MUN?
Out of all the possible places in St. John’s, why is the Memorial University campus playing such a big role in hosting the Games?
In his interview with Muse News, Wright said that there is going to be roughly 5,000 athletes and staff attending the Games in St. John’s. Not only is it a very large number of people, but Canada Games Host Society CEO Karen Sherriffs said in an information session back in March that this is trending to be the largest Games ever,with thelargest number of athletes, coaches and staff ever expected to participate in the Games.
MUN is one of the only places in St. John’s that could support that amount of people, and Wright says it’s because of the infrastructure that most universities possess.
“Universities tend to have the infrastructure in terms of housing, food, eating space and sport venues that really assist with the planning and execution of the Games… as the city of St. John’s became a focal point for potentially hosting, Memorial University became a key delivery and planning partner to say, if we’re going to host an event of this magnitude in the region, Memorial has to be involved.”
Historically, the Canada Games have had a lot of support from universities. Wright mentioned MUN’s support during the 1977 Games in St. John’s, as well as their support during the 1999 Games in Corner Brook (Grenfell).
He also mentioned the integral role Brock University played during the 2022 Games in Niagara, and how they’ve been in contact with 2022 Canada Games organizers at Brockl, who have been helping them ensure the Games at Memorial run smoothly.
“If you look at the history of the Canada Games across the country, Universities have always been key partners to their delivery and execution.”
Simply put, without support from the universities in host cities, the Canada Games would not be possible, which is why Memorial University is needed to make these Games a reality.
Housing
While Memorial’s support was necessary to ensure the Games could be pulled off, that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been controversial among students.
In order to make these Games a possibility, students who lived at the MUN residences ended up being evicted to allow athletes and coaches to stay at the university housing, something that has been a hot button topic in the lead up to the Games. Wright gave the Muse some insight into how that process played out.
“Our objective was to ensure the university community had awareness of what was happening during the Canada, and that we were prepared and accommodating to those that may or may not be impacted. The attempt was to have early notification, early lead time etc. back in 2024, a year before the games.”
Wright says he’s glad they started the process of notifying students early so that they could provide an adjustment period to anyone affected by the move. Wright also credited the role that student advocacy played in ensuring supports were put into place for students affected by the move.
Parking
Not only will spectators and members of the Host Society need parking on campus to attend the games, but also the core community at MUN that will still be operating like usual during the games. There is already less parking spaces at MUN then there are students, so having reservations on how the campus can sustain the high volume of people parking to attend the games is reasonable.
One way Wright believes this problem could be mitigated is by carpooling and taking public transportation to and from the events, however he also says he has a reasonable degree of comfortwith regards to parking should everything unfold the way it is supposed to.
“It’s great to say here’s where you park, here’s where you don’t park, but what does behaviour look like? We’re keenly aware that some individuals are here for one off events at a certain venue, and if it means they might have to park somewhere they are not supposed to, they will. So we’re trying to look at measures to dissuade people from parking rogue. One of the measures we have looked at is parking signage.”
Wright says there will signage around campus specific to Canada Games that will inform people where they can and can’t park, and that multiple exercises specific to parking on campus were done to ensure they had an idea of the spaces they could comfortably license for the Games.
Map of all the licensed parking lots for the Canada Games (mun.ca/2025canadagames)
Students Involvement
With so much happening here at Memorial during the Games, Wright says students have been given plenty of opportunities to get involved with the games.
One way students have been involved has been through the host society, who had a call for 5,000 volunteers.Wright says that goal has been surpassed, however, to his knowledge, the host society is still taking calls on potential volunteers. There have also been multiple co-op placementsthat have revolved around the Canada Games, with Wright mentioning programs like HKRand Engineering.
Even though the Games are only a few days away, Wright says they have also reached out to MUNSUto see if they would be willing to help out at the Games.
“We are currently working with leadership of our Student Union to see if there is some proactive programming, where the spaces of the undergraduate students association can be used during the Games to host activities for athletes to participate in.”
Long Term Impacts
Without the Canada Games, Wright believes the Aquarena renovation would not have been possible. (MUN)
There has been a lot of money and resources put into making the Canada Games a possibility, however, it is only a two week event. What benefits long term will the University get for hosting the games?
One long term impact Memorial will receive from the Games is the massive Aquarena renovation, which Wright says would not have had same level of support if not for hosting a major sporting event.
Apart from the Aquarena, many spots on campus have also gotten some upgrades because of the Games.
“There are infrastructure investments around campus that our campus community will benefit from for years, such as the accessible ramp at Gushue Hall, we have had a number of washrooms upgraded around campus, and have had a number of touch-up projects around campus, like Burton’s Pond and the Physical Education gym. We also have a temporary cooling station at the Field House, which is something we will look into for the future.”
Besides the infrastructural investments made for the Games, Wright believes that the national spotlight falling on Memorial will serve as a recruitment opportunity for the university.
If you want to hear more from Jordan Wright, listen to our full conversation with him here, where we dive deeper into the topics mentioned in this article.
Shopping secondhand, or ‘thrifting,’ has skyrocketed in popularity the last few years, in part due to trends, in part rocky economic conditions faced by everyone, especially students.
There are lots of reasons to buy secondhand: maybe you need a cheap couch or dishes for your student apartment, an outfit for an event or an interview, or perhaps you’re environmentally savvy and want to help prevent textile waste in landfills.
If you’re – as we affectionately call it – a broke student looking to get into thrifting, the Muse has got you covered with a guide to some of St. John’s most popular secondhand stores.
The Neighbourhood
The Neighbourhood is a Choices for Youth Social Enterprise thrift store located at 38 Pearson Street, St. John’s. The CFY has spent over three decades empowering vulnerable youth through housing, education, and building meaningful employment opportunities. Inside its welcoming doors, holds caring staff, as well as thoughtfully organized racks with fair prices.
In addition to their already accommodating prices, The Neighbourhood has a $2 clothing area, flourishing with some gently used garments and some brand new.
There is also a kids’ fill-a-bag section at The Neighbourhood, making it easy to stock up on children’s clothes. This is especially helpful since kids grow as fast as prices rise in an ever-expensive economy. At the checkout, you can also grab a punch card which goes toward further savings.
Other items such as books, toys, electronics and furniture are not available at this thrift store, though there is an option to contact the CFY team about donations by phone at 709-754-0446.
What sets the Neighbourhood apart from some other thrift stores is their commitment to direct community support, as well as how fresh and inviting the store feels. No clutter, just a tidy, well-maintained space that makes secondhand shopping feel more like a curated experience.
Their location at 351 Kenmount Road was opened in 1983 after a local mother identified a need for more epilepsy support and information following her son’s diagnosis. ENL directly supports community members diagnosed with epilepsy and their families, raising awareness of the condition and connecting people with various support resources within the province.
This thrift store has clothing for adults and kids, outerwear, formal wear, furniture, and household items (they have a fantastic mug selection for those exam season coffees!) at pretty reasonable, standard thrift store prices. Typical items range from $1 or 50 cents to $10 or so, depending what it is, but clothing usually remains on the lower end.
Previously Loved’s location is quite far up Kenmount Road, so if you’re taking the Metrobus it’s a bit of a jaunt, but if you get lucky with your finds, the trip is well worth it. The store itself is situated in a large warehouse, and things are all over the place, so allow yourself ample time to pick through the racks.
Value Village
Without a doubt, Value Village is St. John’s most popular thrift store, located at 161 Kenmount Road. It is a for-profit business, so expect to pay taxes on items. It has a partnership with Diabetes Canada. Value Village purchases the donated items from the organization, but the store is careful to note that shopping at Value Village does not directly support a charity.
The store is in a good location if you are travelling along Kenmount Road, especially by Metrobus where there are stops a couple minutes walk away. Value Village has a large selection of clothing, houseware, electronics, and more. The pricing at this thrift store often fails to take into account the donated nature and wear of the items, which isn’t ideal for student’s wallets.
The store is thoughtfully laid out and there is no shortage of items, but prices often feel closer to retail than secondhand. Notably, Value Village is a for-profit organization, seldom supporting charities or social enterprises.
A helpful shopping tip for Value Village is to make use of the 20% off coupon they provide if you make a donation. This coupon is only given once per drop-off, no matter how much you donate. Another tip is to sign up for their emails, where the store sends out coupons, but they usually last only a few days and apply to select items, so you have to act fast to take advantage.
Clothing items such as your basic t-shirts and jeans typically range between $5-$15, some exceeding this amount if they are higher-end brands.
Overall, although the store offers plenty of options, those looking for more affordable deals may find the prices a bit steep.
TheSalvation ArmyThrift Store
In our opinion, the Salvation Army thrift store is one that’s pretty hit or miss.
Right across from the Avalon Mall at 51 Kenmount Road, it’s quite easy to get to by public transit. Prices are okay, just shy of Value Village’s overinflated rates, but whether or not you’ll find something you like is a toss up.
Due to its registered charity status, there is no taxes on goods, and it accepts the Student Price Card which gives members 15% off.
They have clothing, shoes, electronics, housewares, and furniture. There’s undoubtedly some hidden gems in the racks, but the clothes sometimes lean towards dated styles, which usually doesn’t align with students’ typical ways of dressing.
It should be noted that the Salvation Army is primarily a religious organization and has been criticized for its positions on gender and sexuality equality.
Critics say that they have used their profits to lobby against 2SLGBTQ+ rights, refused their services to transgender people, and employ discriminatory practices.
It’s website has a statementthat claims otherwise, but whether or not you believe it is up to your discretion. Regardless, it’s a good lesson in caring about the social impact your money can have.
Despite their problematic history, this organization makes their “Impact Reports” publicly available online, so shoppers can see the direct impact their donations and purchases have on the community and the environment.
Conclusion
Whether you thrift for fun or out of necessity, the secondhand stores in St. John’s are a treasure trove of affordable options for students – all while being somewhat environmentally friendly and often in support of local charities. There are many more than included here as well.
Most thrift stores also take donations if you’re looking to offload gently used items, just make sure to look up donation hours beforehand!
The eyes of the tennis world were turned to Canada in recent weeks thanks to the National Bank Open, with the women’s tournament being held in Montreal and the men’s taking place in Toronto.
Ranked 85th in the world, Canadian Victoria Mboko was not a name that people were talking about much ahead of the tournament, however, that narrative changed fast once she started beating some of the top tennis talents around the world and subsequently began her underdog run.
Her first win came against unranked Kimberly Birrell of Australia in the first round, where she won in straight sets (7-5, 6-3). Her next win came against world 23rd ranked Sofia Kenin of the USA in the second round, once again doing so in straight sets (6-2, 6-3).
She had a close call in the third round against Czechia’s Marie Bouzkova, where she lost the first set 6-1, before coming back and winning the next two sets 6-3 and 6-0.
Mboko really started to make headlines after she beat world number two Coco Gauff in the fourth round, who is a two time grand slam winner (US Open 2023, French Open 2025).
Not only did she beat arguably the best tennis player in the world, she did it in straight sets and in a somewhat dominant fashion, winning the first set 6-1 and the second set 6-4. Defeating Gauff booked her a spot in the quarter-finals, where she faced off against Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, where she won in straight sets (6-4, 6-2).
Her semi-final matchup was against another tough opponent in Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, who is ranked 9th in the world and is also a Wimbledon champion, winning it back in 2022. This was one Mboko’s toughest tests of the tournament, as she lost the first set 6-1.
Mboko would bounce back in a very close second set, winning 7-5 and forcing a third and penultimate set. The third set was also close as it required a tiebreaker, which Mboko persevered, winning 7-4 and making her the first Canadian to make the NBO finals since 2019 (Bianca Andreescu).
Former world number one Naomi Osaka in her fourth round win vs. Jelena Ostapenko (Christinne Muschi).
Mboko was one win away from winning on home soil, but standing in her way was Japan’s Naomi Osaka, the former world number one who has a very impressive resume that includes two wins at both the US Open and Australian Open respectively.
The first set was a slow start for Mboko, as she lost 6-2. She bounced back in the second set, winning 6-4, forcing a third and final winner take all set, and she never looked back, dominating to a 6-2 win, and leading Mboko to her first career tennis title on home soil.
Mboko is now ranked 25th in the world tennis rankings after starting the week ranked 85th, an absolutely incredible rise for the 18-year old, who certainly has a lot more to show the tennis world.
Let’s not kid ourselves, MUN is missing many “normal” university fixtures—proper ventilation, ceiling tiles, and undisturbed asbestos—just to name a few. But the root causes of these issues are boring—resource management, provincial government funding, and administrative issues.
MUN is also missing another aspect of university life: Greek Life.
The earliest concept of fraternities existing at MUN was back in 1955, when male students unofficially formed a group called The B’ys. However, this group was rather rag-tag and according to a 1957 edition of The Muse, the group “wasn’t very elaborate.”
In that same 1957 article, a mention of the first official frat is found. The group is unnamed in the article, but mentions that they planned to apply for recognition from the Council of Students’ Union (CSU,) unlike their faux predecessors, The B’ys.
Though they vied for recognition, some students at the time opposed the granting of official status to the group. One wrote in The Muse, “But the disadvantages of fraternities at Memorial would outweigh any advantages they might have. Fraternities mean segregation—an ugly word—and snobbery.”
Upsilon Nu society executives featured in the 1961 Cap and Gown yearbook (MUN DAI)
Despite some students’ objections, fraternities were allowed. Upsilon Nu and Delta Beta Sigma were subsequently formed by 1960. Their roles as frats were as expected: parties and events justified by perhaps pathetic philanthropic endeavours. They operated fairly similarly to how any other frat would, even competing against other frats athletically.
In 1962, Delta Beta Sigma trashed Upsilon Nu 6-1 in an inter-fraternity hockey game. Upsilon Nu got trashed again that night with one player reportedly raising team “spirits” by bringing some consolatory spirits—shocking behaviour from the hockey-playing frat boys.
Mu Gamma society executives featured in the 1961 Cap and Gown yearbook (MUN DAI)
Frat spirits would take a serious blow just months later, when MUN’s President denied the formation of a new frat and said that he was “opposed” to any new frats, citing their “disproportionate role” in dictating student life. This sentiment was not extended to sororities though, as they approved two sisterhoods—Mu Gamma and Omega Phi.
The 1960s began the use of The Muse as an outlet for those on all sides of the debate to voice their opinions, even to the governing bodies of MUN societies. One frat proponent accused the Students’ Union of having “in effect, two constitutions” and unfairly targeting frats. The Council of Students’ Union (CSU) refused to recognize fraternities but would still engage with them on student issues.
Article in the Muse on the end of Fraternities recognition by the CSU (MUN DAI)
This enraged a member of Upilson Nu to point where he wrote a scathing op-ed in The Muse, referring to himself as a “right wing cynic” and the CSU President and Muse Editor as “psuedo-leftists.”
The publishing of such an incoherent rant marked the end of the significance of frats at MUN until the turn of the millennium. The refusal to recognize frats by the CSU, pushed them, kicking and screaming, to the brink of irrelevance.
Modern resurgence?
Nu Delta Mu sorority members pose (Nu Delta Mu Weebly)
The debate would reignite in 2011, this time with Sigma Theta Pi and MUNSU (CSU’s successor) at odds. Sigma Theta Pi touted themselves as the second chapter in Canada, though they were not officially recognized by MUNSU.
The Director of Student Life at the time, Ryan Murphy, cited the exclusionary nature of frats as the reason to why they remained unrecognized. Pushback did come, citing the fact that MUNSU seemed to pick and choose when they applied their inclusion clauses, as faith-based clubs and societies existed. However, there were some terrible arguments made, such as using gendered bathrooms as an example of said “hypocrisy”—rather than their existence being of legal necessity.
Sigma Theta Pi fraternity and Nu Delta Mu sorority attempted to gain legitimacy through the Greek Philantrophic Society (GPS) in 2013. This was eventually shot down by MUNSU, killing the Greek Life dream at MUN.
The GPS rehashed many of their broken arguments highlighted earlier, though they did make an interesting point surrounding the “exclusionary nature” of the GPS. They argued that MUNSU picked and chose which societies were “exclusionary”—highlighting the existence of faith-based and gender-based societies existing.
In their arguments, MUNSU pivoted mainly to the correlation of sexual assault and harassment with fraternities and sororities. This may be a legitimate concern, and in all honesty, before researching for this article I assumed that frats dissolved due to an incident related to this, simply due to their reputation. However, I could not find cases or reports of sexual assault or harassment at MUN’s frats, at least in the pages of the Muse.
The most striking issue with this portion of the debate was that both sides were making arguments to hide the fact that they simply just didn’t like each other. MUNSU would make their case on preventing discrimination and sexual assault, and the GPS would fire back about their philanthropic endeavours.
Muse article on the Greek Philanthropy society (MUN DAI)
From the several op-eds and interviews given by prominent figures from both MUNSU and the GPS it was clear that they simply had different perspectives on what university is supposed to be like.
It makes complete sense—think of the types individuals who are interested in MUNSU leadership and then compare that to the types of individuals who are interested in Greek Life. They don’t mesh.
At the end of it all, it was MUNSU with the power. And though their reasoning may have been hypocritical, it was and still is understandable.
On a social level, MUN does not operate as other universities do. It is highly divided between its international students, local students, and students living in residence. Combine that with the fact that the bar scene is located well off-campus and you’ll find a strange and vaguely disjointed social scene.
Perhaps the presence of frats and sororities could have helped remedy that. One thing overlooked by the near 70-year-old debate is the lasting cultural impact this has had at MUN—one that is largely unknown.
Editors note: Evidence of Nu Delta Mu’s operation continues as far as 2020, however with a private Instagram account, and broken links to their LinkedIn and Facebook account, it is unclear whether they are still active. We have sent an email to request an interview to the address on listed on their website.If you have experience with Greek Life at MUN, send an email to editor@themuse.ca
As I sit and read about the increasing prevalence of wildfires in the country and across the province, I am reminded of a viral quote: “Climate change will manifest as a series of disasters viewed through phones, with footage getting closer to the viewer’s location until they are the one filming it.”
It is no secret nor surprise that Climate Change will increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as heatwaves. Scientists and those who study the climate have been telling us this for decades.
There has already been 192 wildfires in the province, compared to last year which saw 58.
The unfortunate reality is these are not random nor unexpected events. We continue to push past the ecological limits of our planet maintaining a status quo that will only lead to further human suffering. Extreme heat is predicted to make much of the world much less habitable.
If we continue roughly on track towards more than 3°C of warming we will be well above the 1.5°C limit set out in the 2015 Paris Agreement average.
The 2021 IPCC report was called a “code red for humanity” by UN Chief Antonio Guterres. It portrayed a stark warning about the need to lower CO2 emissions.
Meanwhile political leaders in the country talk about about building new pipelines and LNG terminals as a form of supposed ‘Nation Building’ at a time when we are supposed to be transitioning away and off of existing fossil fuel infrastructure. This is not to mention the bad economics of such a plan inclusive to volatile price swings and dwindling global demand.
Our previous premier said we are “all in on oil and gas,” the PM is calling for “decarbonized barrels of oil” (they don’t exist) and the President of the world’s most powerful country called Climate Change a “hoax.”
If we were really interested in nation building we would invest in an east west electricity grid, public transit, high speed rail. We would be increasing density, decreasing car dependency and suburban sprawl.
If we are serious about addressing Climate Change we’d also stop subsidizing oil and gas.
As a young person who is relatively in the early stages of my life, it is frankly difficult not to have an ever present and intense sense of dread looming.
I often ask myself if I or any future generations will have a liveable future? Should I have kids? Where should I live that will be least impacted? Is there a point in building a future that’s likely to be surrounded by so much suffering?
I also read another quote from Christiana Figueres in The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis which made me a feel a little better. “Anger that sinks into despair is powerless to make a change. Anger that evolves into conviction is unstoppable.” What this is to say that the fight is never futile and checking out, while understandable isn’t an option.
Every tenth of a degree of warming we avoid means a brighter future for us all. So with that said keeping making noise. Push for change. Call your elected officials. Run for office.
Do something, because doing nothing is not an option and we fool ourselves if we pretend we have a choice.
With Heavy NFLD Fest III coming to a close, let’s look back at all the shows and other events that took place over the four day festival.
Thursday, July 24, 2025
The launch party for the festival was held at Lucy’s Bar for Heavy Metal Karaoke. With the recent passing of the Prince of Darkness, a lot of the night was spent paying tribute to a legend. The Heavy Metal Karaoke Instagram stated that out of the 55 song requests, 14 of them were either Ozzy Osbourne or Black Sabbath.
From the hits like ‘No More Tears’ and ‘N.I.B’ to a song off the ‘13’ album ‘God Is Dead?’, it was a great tribute to the man who started the genre as without him, this festival would not be possible. It was also a great way to set the tone for the upcoming weekend.
Friday, July 25, 2025
The start of the festival shows started out with the only show in Corner Brook and one in St. John’s. The Corner Brook show saw out-of-province bands Ratpiss and Ibex along with Corner Brook’s own Paranoia.
Rat Piss performing at the Black Sheep (Tony Dawe)
The St. John’s show was held at Peter Easton’s and was a heavily doom metal focused event. All the bands performing were local bands: Jigger, Mourning Shroud, Dark Star Blues Band, Big Space, Puce, and Fog Coffin. The first show highlighted some of the talent right here in Newfoundland.
Saturday, July 26, 2025
The first of two all ages shows at The S.P.A.C.E. for the weekend kick-started the day on Saturday. The show featured acts from Kaspam Cult, Fisticuffs, Bad Intent, Buionectomy, Exorcista, Bumper Fucks, Dead Inner Youth, and two secret sets.
The night ended with the one that many people had circled for the event. This show took place at The Black Sheep and saw all of the out of province bands together on one bill as well as a local bands InfectDead and Paranoia. The energy was contagious with mosh pits starting early in the event and going all the way through the night.
Alien to the Ignorant performance at the Black Sheep (Tony Dawe)
While all the bands were phenomenal, Alien to the Ignorant from Saskatchewan were the band that stood out above the rest. The music was a fusion of emo bands and post hardcore, but the stage present is what separated them for the rest. Led by bassist Myk Ulan-Hohol, reminiscent of My Chemical Romance’s Frank Iero with the way he commanded the stage.
With this being a Newfoundland festival however, it was fitting that the show was opened and closed by the only two bands on the bill that are from the island.
Sunday, July 27, 2025
The last day of the festival was a busy one, with two shows, a zine workshop, a merch market, and raffles for a guitar and a skateboard. Both shows were all ages and took place at The S.P.A.C.E.
The first show took place outside. Billed as a folk punk show, it included acts from Academic Prejudice, Lost and Found, Sheila’s Bush, and The Gutter Youth Choir. This was a fun show with a broader audience on the last day of the festival.
ibex perform at the Black Sheep as part of Heavy NFLD Fest (Tony Dawe)
The following show saw The Seadogs, Kicker, The Skeats, Ratpiss, Everose, ibex, Ched, Potatobug, The Way East, and Alien to the Ignorant perform half hour sets. The standout was once again Alien to the Ignorant.
In hot venue, after playing the previous two days, once in Corner Brook and then in St, John’s the night before, it would have been understandable if the band never had the same energy.
Despite this, it felt like they brought their peak energy at their final show. The on stage antics like synchronized jumps or the back and forth between the bassist and guitarist were great, and like the night before, the energy was contagious.
This whole weekend was a great experience for metal fans in the province. It was great to see some out of province bands as well as some extraordinary local talent. Metal fans are hoping the festival comes back next year for the fourth instalment of heavy music.
Gone are the days of two-dollar beers, five-dollar doubles, and three drinks for five dollars.
As of July 23rd, the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation has raised the minimum price of a standard drink from $1.65 to $2.65. Although a dollar increase may not seem significant, it represents a 62% price hike.
Many bars have been impacted by this change, forcing them to shift deals, promotional material, and marketing strategy.
A favourite for many university students and downtown regulars was Rob Roy’s “345.” On Thursdays between 11:00 pm and 12:00 am, for five dollars, customers could purchase three standard drinks—usually three beers or one-ounce cocktails. The price increase makes deals like this against regulations.
Rob Roy’s has shifted to deals like “Three dollar Thursdays” and “Two for one Tuesdays,” in place of “Toonie Tuesday.”
No longer will weddings or events be allowed to offer toonie bars—a staple of Canadian party culture.
Additionally, for lower-income demographics, such as students, price increases might mean pre-gaming more, taking fewer cabs home, and being less likely to purchase food after a night out.
The Muse has contacted NLC for comment and will update with its response.
Fall course offerings came out the week of June 23, and some students are worried.
There is no set schedule for completing university. Just getting a degree is an achievement in itself, and there’s nothing wrong with taking time off or going at an individually manageable pace to avoid burnout or accommodate other responsibilities.
However, continuous cuts to funding, courses – including the frequency at which courses are offered – and sometimes entire programs, have impeded Memorial students’ ability to graduate “on time,” within the typical four years.
Naturally, this swiftly depleting budget is resulting in cuts to programs and courses, greatly affecting students’ University experience, finances, and projected graduation timelines. MUN students’ agitation is easily justifiable, paying more tuition for fewer course and program options is objectively not a great deal.
MUN’s biggest attractions are its acclaimed Engineering, Business, Medicine, and Marine Sciences programs, and shockingly, these faculties are being affected as well. Still, students in other programs believe that they deserve better – and that includes the ability to graduate “on time.”
Internal financial issues, unions demanding restored government funding
By this point, it’s widely known that MUN has some staggering internal financial issues. The auditor general’s report released earlier this year outlined over $480 million in deferred maintenance and severe mismanagement of funds.
The recently updated budget workbook outlines a whopping $20.85 million reduction in the 2025-2026 budget.
To amend the rescinded government funding allowing Memorial to maintain the tuition freeze, the University presented a new tuition framework, implemented in 2022. Despite the tuition increase, the university continues to slash its budget, attempting to rectify the millions of dollars in deferred maintenance and deficits.
In response to this, a #FundMUN campaign was launched in Fall 2024, allying both staff and student unions calling on the provincial government to reinstate the university’s rescinded funding.
St. John’s campus course offerings inadequate, students say
St. John’s campus Arts & Administration building (mun.ca)
So far, there seems to be little rhyme or reason to what exactly gets cut. Generally, with these things, the Humanities are the first to go, as seen at other Canadian universities, notably Saint Mary’s and Queens, but surprisingly, some STEM programs at MUN are facing cuts as well.
Biology student Kaitlen Morrissey expected to graduate after the current Spring semester with her Bachelor of Science degree, complete with a concentration in Applied Ecology and Conservation. Morrissey only had two field courses left to fulfill her degree requirements, but due to the cuts the courses were not offered, forcing her to take an extra semester.
Morrissey explained that she’s gone over her eligibility for the reduced rates, now forced to pay the higher fees. “I’m going over my time for the tuition freeze. I said this to my lab partner, we’re all doing at least an extra semester.”
“I’ve been affected by the course cuts twice in my time at MUN, both times causing a delay in my degree,” said Meghan Pennell, another student.Pennell set out to pursue Education, and, excited to be admitted to the program, began completing the courses required for application.
A required geography course for her focus area was not offered, and the faculty administration denied her request to complete a higher-level course in its place.
“This had delayed my degree by a year. Since that time, I’ve changed degree plans and am currently a CMST [Communications and Media Studies] major,” Pennell said.
Her expected graduation time would have been this Fall, but due to a required course only being offered in the Winter this upcoming academic year, Pennell is stuck doing another semester.
Many grievances can accompany unexpectedly longer degrees, such as financial strain and precarious housing access, piling on additional stress for already overburdened students.
Grenfell campus also affected
Grenfell Visual Arts
Grenfell Campus isn’t exempt from the cuts either. In particular, the Visual Arts program is experiencing slashes to its course offerings. Evan Williams, a Visual Arts student who just completed his first year, spoke with the Muse about the confusion and frustration Grenfell students are experiencing.
Visual Arts students are required to pick three studio courses per semester. There are usually about five options to choose from, but when Williams went to select his Winter Semester courses, the offerings were disappointing.
“Me and my friends went to pick our courses for the winter semester and saw there were only four studios and we got really confused,” said Williams.
“We called over one of our professors like, ‘Hey, what’s going on? Where’s the performance art class?’ And he was like, ‘yeah, about that…’ They straight up just got rid of them without telling us… we had to find out on our own.”
According to Williams’ professor, multiple Visual Arts courses were cut without any communication from the university. This led to overcrowded classes, students unhappy with their options, and inadequate resources to accommodate the surplus of students in the studio courses that went ahead. VA upperclassmen have also expressed upset on social media, stating that there are not enough third-year courses for the students enrolled.
In lieu of this, the Visual Arts students staged a peaceful protest in the atrium of their Fine Arts building, aiming to draw some attention and hopefully get some answers about what was happening to their program.
“We were in class and our prof had to tell us, ‘Hey, yeah, sorry, three of your courses were cut.’ And I think everyone immediately said, ‘Oh, I guess we’re doing a protest.’ And we had a protest… We took the day off. It was a Thursday. All of our profs were cool with it. They showed up for it,” Williams said.
“The Dean of Fine Arts kind of just emailed us and was like, yeah, that really sucks, but nothing I can do. We didn’t really get any communication on why, which really sucked.”
Students also launched a “Save Grenfell Visual Arts”petition, and Fund Grenfell Visual Arts Instagram page and website, posting artwork, advocacy, and surveys for students to share how they’ve been affected.
Most of the Visual Arts students should still be able to graduate, albeit with varying options every year. Williams said a few of his classmates are considering transferring elsewhere. While the studio cuts are not absolutely detrimental to their university careers as of right now, some students are disappointed in the lack of choice and lack of communication from Memorial.
Uncertain projections
These are only a few selected stories from a couple students who came forward, there are likely many more who have been affected. Regardless of program, students seem frustrated with the lack of communication from Memorial regarding what will be offered, not offered, and when.
The MUN Budget FAQs website, in response to the question “Will programs be cut and people laid off?” states that “focused discussions are occurring around the future direction of Memorial University, its strategic priorities and structural changes. That will include a conversation about the programs that we offer and the sustainability of some positions.” This appears to be a worrying statement for both students and faculty.
When asked for comment, the Memorial Registrar’s office and Provost’s office stated that “Memorial remains committed to a positive student experience and to supporting students as they complete their academic programs.”
Memorial affirmed that the total number of course offerings for Fall 2024 and Fall 2025 is comparable at 1939 and 1905, respectively, saying “that figure will increase or decrease throughout the registration cycle as units monitor enrolment and waitlists and respond to demand for courses.”
The Board of Regents has also approved $3.9 million for contracting teaching positions.
“It is commonplace for a university to periodically reevaluate certain programs based on enrolment and interest, particularly certificate and diploma programs. Doing so ensures we’re meeting our students where their interests and aspirations lay, as the world and our workforce evolves. Likewise, universities cannot offer certain higher-level courses in each semester if there isn’t sufficient demand to fill them.”
“However, in the event students are impacted by changes to programs or a course they need, they will be provided support to finish their program. Students should consult with academic advisors in their unit as needed, as these advisors can outline options to resolve their individual challenge. For example, sometimes an alternate course can be taken in lieu of the one they need to graduate,” the statement said.
This comes at a similar time to over 20 staff layoffs and the closure of the Harris Center and Office of Public Engagement. MUNSU issued an official statement of concern about this announcement, calling on incoming President Dr. Janet Morrison to take action to amend the cuts.
Some students believe that failure to effectively communicate changes to programs, courses, and services makes it more difficult for people to plan their degrees accordingly. Any attempts to budget with MUN’s current finances are a difficult challenge amid continued cuts; however, it is clear that ongoing practices have drawn criticism from students seeking graduation and sparked calls for change.
Memorial University has announced that it has eliminated the operating budget for both the Office of Public Engagement on the St. John’s Campus and The Harris Centre. Six positions in these departments have been eliminated.
According to a statement in the Gazette, a total of twenty positions have being eliminated across the university.
In an interview with Memorial University president pro tempore Jennifer Lokash, she says that these cuts come from a “20.85 million dollar shortfall” in MUN’s core funding from the provincial government.
When asked about the loss of two of Memorial’s most front facing departments and the potential for loss of engagement with the public, Lokash said that public engagement is “integrated throughout the institution in a very meaningful way … whether or not those offices are there.”
Lokash said the Grenfell Campus office of public engagement will continue to provide support, and that the elimination of the St. John’s office follows the auditor general’s recommendation against duplication of offices.
When asked about future cuts, Lokash says she wishes she could say there would not be further job losses, but that there “may well be others in the future.”
Labour and student unions respond
“It’s shameful. It’s not really supporting the ongoing mission of the university. It’s creating a lot of uncertainty for students as well,” says Erika Merschrod, MUN Faculty Association’s incoming VP of External Affairs.
In an interview, Merschrod said it is demoralizing to see colleagues lose their jobs, and that these cuts are threatening the quality of programs at Memorial.
Nathan Gillingham, MUN Student Union’s Executive Director of External Affairs says its “really disheartening” to see these cuts, especially the end of the Harris Centre.
“Not only did it provide students experience with jobs as well as networking capacities it also provided the community itself with essential research,” said Gillingham.
CUPE 1615, the union “representing approximately 700 Administrative, Instructional, Technical, and Technical Support Staff” at Memorial says they have also been impacted by the cuts.
In a statement from President Bill Kavanagh, he says that losses of positions will have “measurable impacts that undoubtedly will impact Memorial and the student experience.”
