By Alex Prong and Juhi Karkera
“Rouge et Noir” was a column in The Brunswickan back in the 1940s meant to bring attention to people, places, and things that deserve a little extra love (receiving a rose)… or hate (receiving a thorn). Read on to see who we’re crushing on and who is a thorn in our side.
Roses
12 Neighbours
A rose to the 12 Neighbours tiny home community, who along with serving some of the best coffee in Fredericton at Neighbourly Cafe, have also partnered with the New Brunswick Department of Social Development to provide housing for the underprivileged. With an aim to reduce crime and poverty, Marcel LeBrun and his team provide grassroots housing solutions while building an equitable community.
The Custodian of Bailey Hall
A rose for the Bailey Hall custodian. They are always working extremely hard to keep the halls and the labs clean—the floors literally sparkle! On top of that, they always smile at students on their way to class. Amid intense coursework a clean environment and a friendly face makes a huge difference in managing stress.
Juno Noble & Julianna Hallett
Roses for the administrative team in the English department, Juno and Julianna. Not only are they the printer-whisperers, but they also have the coolest offices at UNB. Juno’s crochet squid and Oat Milk poster and Julianna’s lush green plants shine from their offices—hinting at Juno and Julianna’s personalities. The English department is lucky to have such creative and helpful staff taking care of faculty and students alike.
L’Arche Fredericton (board members)
A rose for the volunteer board members of L’Arche Fredericton who work tirelessly to make Fredericton an accessible and welcoming city for people of all abilities. A special shoutout to Jan and Mary who ensured that L’Arche Fredericton’s recent fundraising dinner went off without a hitch.
Tabatha Armstrong
A big, vibrant rose for Tabatha, who is the fastest email answerer at UNB, and whose work on the Arts Internship program enriches both the lives of UNB students and the larger Fredericton community. She also keeps us all in the loop with her mega-newsletter, bringing interested parties to the vibrant and diverse events that happen on this campus. Tabatha cares deeply for her students and is currently at a conference learning how to serve them even better!
Dirk Lenentine
A rose for Dirk, The Bruns’ personal Johannes Gutenberg. Dirk works tirelessly to get The Bruns printed, sometimes answering emails in the deep dark of the night. Fun fact: Dirk was the first Dirk to go to UNB, so his email is just dirk@unb.ca. Dirk has managed Print Services for a quarter of a centutry, and we couldn’t ask for a better guy for the job.
Ms. Borealis
A cosmic rose for the rarity and beauty of the Aurora Borealis, which is one of the few miracles of nature we still get to witness despite the declining state of this planet. It always serves as a reminder for appreciating the expanse of the universe and the mysteries we have yet to discover.
Thorns
New England Pizza Company and Rocket Burger Owners
Thorns for the owners of New England Pizza Company and Rocket Burger, who have both recently gone absolutely unhinged on social media. Some people might like the boomer humour, rampant antagonism, and AI-generated images of goats, but ultimately these social accounts are just annoying.
Bomb threat kid
A fat thorn for the kid who called in bomb threats as a prank to several Fredericton schools in early November, causing widespread panic and concern for many residents and parents. Find another hobby!
Chartwells
A thorn to Chartwells catering services for selling food at substandard quality for an exaggerated price, and for serving food in McConnell Hall that makes students question what punishable offence they committed to deserve it. Nothing but appreciation for their hardworking staff though.
Mark Carney
A thorn for Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose politics and reforms are becoming more and more conservative. Make like your predecessor Justin Trudeau and do something inconsequential—like dating Katy Perry!
