Hamilton community members and students call for justice and accountability in wake of Erixon Kabera's death
On Nov. 14, 2024, over 400 people gathered outside Hamilton City Hall in the rain to honour the memory of Erixon Kabera. A well-known member of the Rwandan-Canadian community, Kabera was fatally shot by police two weeks ago.
The crowd, which included some McMaster students, marched from City Hall to the Hamilton Central Police Station, demanding transparency and accountability in the investigation of his death.
Kabera, 43, was fatally shot on Nov. 10, 2024, after an encounter with police. According to the Special Investigations Unit, which is responsible for investigating circumstances involving the police, officers responded to a call reporting a man at an apartment building with what appeared to be a handgun.
The Special Investigations Unit initially stated there was an "exchange of gunfire" during the incident but later clarified that Kabera did not fire a weapon. The Special Investigations Unit stated that two police officers discharged their firearms and that a replica gun was found at the scene.
Kabera's family has expressed outrage over the evolving narrative from authorities. "We find that reversal of crucial facts, a full day after telling the entire world otherwise and painting an image of violence for our very own, to be deeply outrageous and unnerving," expressed Kabera's family in a statement to The Public Record.
We find that reversal of crucial facts, a full day after telling the entire world otherwise and painting an image of violence for our very own, to be deeply outrageous and unnerving.
Erixon Kabera's family
The family described Kabera as a compassionate and honourable man who dedicated his life to his three sons, Garry Sean, Terry and Zack, aged 10, 13 and 17.
Hfsa Awan, a McMaster undergraduate student who attended the event, shared a reflection upon attending. “The memorial felt really empowering . . . I expected mourning, but instead, it was a powerful moment of people coming together and calling for justice,” said Awan.
Awan believes students can play a crucial role in raising awareness by fostering open dialogue and educating themselves on issues like police accountability. “Our privilege as students is to educate ourselves—that’s how we can contribute,” said Awan.
She also expressed feeling that the university should take a more active role in addressing the tragedy, noting that its proximity to campus makes it a deeply local issue. “Everyone is affected, and the university should be uplifting students who are mourning his death,” said Awan.
Kabera had lived in Canada for 20 years, building a life for his family as a resource officer with the Canada Revenue Agency and starting a small business. He was an advisor to the Rwandan Canadian Healing Centre for nearly a decade, contributing to community initiatives and supporting others.
During the vigil, speakers remembered Kabera's kindness and called attention to the Hamilton Police Service's disproportionate use of force against Black residents. The Rwandan Canadian Healing Centre issued a statement calling for "a full transparent investigation" into the circumstances of Kabera's death.
Kabera's close friend Andy Ganza, who had been on his way to visit Kabera the night of the incident, has started a GoFundMe campaign to support Kabera's family and cover funeral and legal expenses.
"Erixon dedicated his life to his family, faith and community, building a reputation as a compassionate, gentle and honourable man," said Kabera's family in their public statement. Community members continue to mourn his loss and demand answers about the events that led to his tragic death.
Erixon dedicated his life to his family, faith and community, building a reputation as a compassionate, gentle and honourable man.
Erixon Kabera's family
Hamilton community members gathered to honour lives lost and advocate for a brighter future in overdose prevention
Two weeks ago, the Substance Overdose Prevention and Education Network held a drop-in butterfly art installation in honour of International Overdose Awareness Day to honour lives lost to overdose.
The initial gathering to create the origami butterflies occurred on Aug. 22, 2024 at 12:30 p.m.. The memorial was fully assembled and commemorated on Sept. 26, 2024 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at 541 Eatery & Exchange in Hamilton.
International Overdose Awareness Day takes place every year on August 31 with the goals of destigmatizing discussion and action about drug-related death and raising awareness about substance use. For SOPEN, the idea of a public memorial originated from a deep sense of grief over the rising death toll due to drug poisoning in Hamilton.
This year, SOPEN worked collaboratively with members from the REcreate Outreach Art Studio, Positive Health Network and Hamilton Public health to create a permanent art installation.
The memorial is made of 1,051 origami butterflies that represents the lives lost to drug poisoning in Hamilton since 2015. Kayla Crabtree, co-founder of SOPEN, shared the symbolism and significance of the butterfly. “The butterfly represents transformation and although [these] folks may not be here on earth with us now, they're often on a journey to something more beautiful,” Crabtree explained.
The butterfly represents transformation, and although folks may not be here on earth with us now, they're often on a journey to something more beautiful.
Kayla Crabtree, Co-Founder
Substance Overdose Prevention and Education Network
The memorial was a community effort. On Sept. 26, local Hamilton residents came to create and paste origami butterflies to a canvas. “It was a way to highlight the amount of grief for the amount of lives lost but also a beautiful way to bring together the community of people who are grieving the loss of all those lives,” said Crabtree.
In addition to honouring those lost, the butterfly installation serves as a reminder of the ongoing opioid crisis in Hamilton, where overdose rates have far surpassed the provincial average. Crabtree said she hopes the memorial will inspire action and raise awareness about the importance of harm reduction services, which help save lives by providing support to those struggling with substance use.
"It [the opioid crisis] does impact us all .... and it's going to drastically impact us with the closure of CTS [consumption and treatment services],” said Crabtree.
It [the opioid crisis] does impact us all .... and it's going to drastically impact us with the closure of CTS [consumption and treatment services].
Kayla Crabtree, Co-Founder
Substance Overdose Prevention and Education Network
Supervised drug consumption sites are spaces that allow individuals to safely use drugs while being monitored by trained staff to prevent overdose and aid in overdose recovery. The Ministry of Health decided to discontinue its funding for CTS and safe consumption sites across the province and they will be closed by March 2025.
"But without those services in place, it's going to be everyday community members, parks, parking lots and public businesses who are going to experience the traumatic side of the drug poisoning crisis," said Crabtree. "So for me . . . this memorial continues the conversation about this to keep these services in place that make such a massive difference."
The memorial installation at 541 Eatery & Exchange will remain on display as a permanent tribute to those lost and a reminder of the need for ongoing advocacy for harm reduction. Crabtree said she hopes that by seeing the butterflies, more people will engage with the issue and understand the importance of services like supervised consumption sites and naloxone distribution.
“Reduction is a broad spectrum of different services with the goal of supporting people where they are at until they decide to make a decision,” said Crabtree. "Not everyone uses drugs their whole life, but if they die the one time they use it, then they never get a chance to try and be sober."
Not everyone uses drugs their whole life, but if they die the one time they use it, then they never get a chance to try and be sober.
Kayla Crabtree, Co-Founder
Substance Overdose Prevention and Education Network
The memorial will continue to inspire conversation and advocacy around harm reduction in Hamilton, serving as a lasting symbol of the community’s grief but also its commitment to action. Those who wish to visit the installation and pay their respects can do so at 541 Eatery & Exchange, where the butterflies will remain on display to honour those lost to the opioid crisis.
McMaster University has taken steps to memorialize Mahsa Amini but has not mandated accommodations for Iranian students
On Sept. 16, 22 year old Iranian resident Mahsa Amini died tragically, sparking protests around the world regarding the circumstances of her death and the treatment of women by Iran’s morality police.
After being arrested by morality police on Sept. 13 in Tehran for wearing her hijab improperly, Amini was taken to a re-education center where she collapsed. She was then transferred to the hospital where she died three days later. Authorities claim Amini’s death was due to a heart attack. Amini’s father claims authorities lied about the cause of his daughter’s death. Eyewitnesses support her father’s claim, saying she was beaten repeatedly by officers in the patrol car before being taken away.
Signs reading “Say her name: Mahsa Amini” appeared on McMaster University campus near the path running behind Hamilton Hall and were accompanied by scarves and paper chains. This initiative was led by Iranian student Roya Motazedian, who felt the need to commemorate Mahsa Amini and stand with the protesters in Iran.
“I was just filled with a lot of anger and kind of this feeling that I can’t sit still like I need to do something, especially since a lot of people in Iran are putting their lives on the line going out. . . what I decided I could do at that time was make use of the McMaster space,” said Motazedian.
Another way Amini has been commemorated on campus was at the memorial held by the McMaster Iranian Student Association on Sept. 28 outside of McMaster University Student Centre and Mills Library. MISA Co-President Sara Rafiei spoke about memorial and Amini’s death.
“The majority of people were so interested in learning, non-Iranians were interested in learning more, and then we had a few professors who came and spoke to us and offered support, which really warmed our hearts because for as long as I can remember, it’s always been, in my Iranian view of the world, no one really wanted to hear our voice,” said Rafiei.
“The majority of people were so interested in learning, non-Iranians were interested in learning more, and then we had a few professors who came and spoke to us and offered support, which really warmed our hearts because for as long as I can remember, it’s always been, in my Iranian view of the world, no one really wanted to hear our voice.”
SARA RAFIEI, Co-President Of MISa
As of Oct. 28, at least 270 people have been confirmed dead after taking to the streets to protest Amini’s death. Iran’s military warned protesters of backlash and have taken an aggressive approach in shutting down protesters. MISA executive member Sara Ghasemi said it was difficult to contact loved ones in Iran at the moment due to widespread cut off to internet access and a drop in cellular service in some parts of the country, making it almost impossible for McMaster students to reach their loved ones in Iran.
“Your friends are not responding or family’s not responding . . . it’s mentally draining, I can say for myself. Every day that I wake up, I’m crying. I see the videos and it makes me, apart from the guilt of not being there, it makes [me] feel even more guilty that [I’m] in a safe country,” said Ghasemi.
Co-president of MISA, Lida Nosrati, said that McMaster could further support Iranian students at this time by providing academic accommodations for those affected by the current state of Iran. She said so far, the school had not mandated any accommodations for Iranian students and they have had a difficult time tracking down who would have the authority to grant this request. Nosrati spoke about the struggle to find further accommodations.
“We went to the associate dean, we went to SAS, we went to the Student Wellness Center hoping for a bigger level of accommodation. We want them to reach out to our course instructors to let them know about what’s actually happening and how our whole community at McMaster is really affected,” said Nosrati.
“We went to the associate dean, we went to SAS, we went to the Student Wellness Center hoping for a bigger level of accommodation. We want them to reach out to our course instructors to let them know about what’s actually happening and how our whole community at McMaster is really affected.”
LIDA NOSRATI, Co-president of MISA
On Oct. 26 protests erupted with a new force in Iran, due to the significance of the fortieth day since Amini’s passing often recognized as a day of remembrance and mourning in Shiite Islam.
“Everyone’s been feeling like the way we felt when it first happened because of how important the 40 day mark is. So I think everyone, even students, are still grieving,” said Motazedian.
Some Iranian students have received individual accommodations, but no widespread relief has been offered by the university. McMaster has encouraged students to utilize the Student Wellness Center, individually reach out to academic advisors for accommodations or book an appointment with International Student Services for additional support.
Three weeks ago, one of my staff members came knocking on my office door.
“I recently found out about something, and I’m not sure what to do.”
The following 40 minutes were then spent discussing the difficult issue of covering the death of a student in the paper.
When someone the same age as you passes away due to sudden or violent reasons, it is never an easy discussion. It is something that needs to be done while still respecting the privacy of the deceased’s family, while still maintaining integrity and honesty in coverage. As a student news outlet that covers campus-related issues, the passing of a student can be a challenging but important story to cover.
As some of you may have heard, on the night of Saturday, Nov. 21, a fellow Marauder passed away from a tragic accident. Mariel Garcia, a first-year Humanities student, was struck and killed in a hit-and-run. The accused was recently released on bail, and the family is currently raising funds to pay for the funeral.
Garcia is not the first student to pass away during this school year. This is not meant to at all take away from her unfortunate and untimely death, but it is a reality that many students are sheltered from.
Our campus functions just as the rest of the world does — issues arise, conflicts are resolved, and sometimes, unfortunately, people will die.
There is a certain grief that comes across the student body that needs to be respected at a time when the loss of a life is affecting many. When you hear about the passing of a stranger in the paper, does it add or take away from your experience of grief? Is it our place to cover the death of a student?
As a newspaper governed by the ongoings of student-aged people, the notion of death can feel surreal in our community. We are taught that young people are not meant to die, and when it does happen, it is something to study and publicize. And while there can be merit in that, when you see someone’s face on a front page, it can be tough to associate them with a real person who once sat in the same lecture halls you may be in right now.
We have chosen not to write a piece specifically about the loss of one of our students as a way of allowing our campus community enough time to grieve together.
If someone close to you at McMaster has passed, and you would like to see a memorial, article or investigation related to their life or death, we ask that you contact us.
Ronald Leung-The Silhouette
Ryerson students turn to ‘Sugar Daddies’ for income
It’s not easy surviving financially as a university student – tuition, rent, food and entertainment attack from all sides as debt piles up. More than 150 Ryerson students, mostly female and in need of cash, have turned to dating website SeekingArrangement.com to find “Sugar Daddies”: older businessmen looking for company. These “Daddies” pay the students large amounts of money for dates, friendship and even sex. While not illegal, it certainly is a concern that some of today’s students are turning to prostitution to pay for education. (Reported by Diana Hall, The Eye Opener)
Memorial University theatre students get hate mail from Church in Kansas
The theatre class of Memorial University recently put on a production of Laramie Project, focused on the true story of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old who was physically attacked and left for dead in 1998 after being identified as homosexual. Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas turned its sights on the Newfoundland university by sending hate mail such as “God hates fags.” The Church has been known to picket the funerals of AIDS victims, American soldiers killed in the Middle East and individuals identified as “nation-destroying filth.” (Reported by Laura Howells, The Muse)
Burst reservoir floods McGill campus
Water freely flowed from the McTavish Reservoir on Jan. 28. The location of the reservoir, just uphill of McGill, allowed the leak to sweep through campus, resulting in hundreds of cancelled class and laboratories and over hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage. Although a home-made video of a student being swept away in the middle of the street by surging tides has gone viral, no injuries were reported. (Reported by Erin Hudson, CUP Quebec Bureau Chief)
Plans for new B.C. law school criticized for allegedly homophobic rules
The plans of Christian-based University Trinity Western to open a new law school on the West Coast has ignited controversy for proposing that all future student must sign a “Community Covenant” that outlaws pornography, alcohol on campus and limits “sexual intimacy” for “marriage between one man and one woman.” This gives the University sweeping powers to theoretically suspend or expel students displaying homosexual behaviour. Deans of law schools across the country have strongly opposed this point, arguing that Trinity Western crosses a moral boundary and is promoting discrimination based on sexual orientation. (Reported by Laura Rodgers, CUP B.C. Bureau Chief)
University of Toronto sex-based student party sparks controversy
The University of Toronto Sexual Education Centre recently held a controversial party at Oasis Aqua Lounge, where students were invited to spend the night exploring their sexuality. With pornography freely playing and piles of condoms and lube stacked in corners, it’s not surprising that this event ignited heated discussion on the online Toronto Star article page, which got thousands of shares on Facebook. Critics argue that “it says something about where our society is going morally,” but some students are proud of how accepting the event was. (Reported by Kristine Wilson, The Ryersonian)
