Group 4

Summary of Events (Veronica)

On the day of March 16th in the year two thousand and ninety nine, the University of Toronto experienced a terrorist attack at the St. George campus located at 27 King's College Circle. Former associate professor, Dr. Erwin Van der Wood began brainwashing his pupils during his introduction to capitalism and capitalist systems, forcing them to adopt extreme anti-capitalist ideals while under the influence of their government mandated study drug, which makes the user extremely impressionable to new information absorbed while under its influence. For the entirety of the fall semester, the now disgraced Dr. Van der Wood took advantage of students who per government mandate arrived to each class having taken their dose of Neurovance, the attention maximizing drug, in order to create an army of mindless rebels to destroy this historic institution. Neurovance, which was developed by graduate students of the university was created to extend one's attention spans after decades of citizens slowly losing their ability to focus due to increased smartphone usage. Having initially been approved for students to use as a stimulant similar to typical ADHD medication, the provincial and federal government eventually mandated usage of Neurovance for all citizens of Canada currently in the education system, from kindergarten to post-secondary.

Neurovance, Canada's brain enhancing drug

With anti-government, anti-capitalist, fascist ideals now unwillingly implanted in the minds of over a thousand students across the three sections Dr. Van der Wood taught, terrorist propaganda began to spread amongst the student population. Overnight, the once idyllic and peaceful university campus became wrought with strife as student protests broke out and escalated into full blown warfare as Dr. Van der Wood's brainwashed students began to attack professors, their peers, and miscellaneous staff members. This attack ended with the death of thirty and the destruction of the historic Gerstein Science Information Centre. These brainwashed militant students then formed into a loosely-organised extremist group under the name Glendonites, who continue to operate as Canadian authorities attempt to seek out and neutralize the group's cells scattered throughout Toronto and increasingly throughtout Ontario as a whole.

Testimony and investigation into the matter revealed that the majority of the perpetrators attended Dr. Van der Wood's lectures. Upon inspection of his home and personal devices, a hard drive and several handwritten journals were discovered which extensively detailed his plans for his students. Dr. Van der Wood's plans included inciting a riot at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, overthrowing the idea of academia as a systemic institution, and destroying the Neurovance industry. According to his notes, Dr. Van der Wood sought to restore Canadian society to what he claims is their prime before the province-wide ban of cellphones in school, in Ontario in the 2024 academic year. Allegedly, he is in possession of a handful of relics from the 1990s to the mid 2010s which were passed down to him from his grandfather. These relics and a deep disdain for the usage of Neurovance are what spurred his plan into action, fuelling him to pursue a masters and doctorate for the sole intent of brainwashing students so that they too "woke up" as he did.

Dr. Van der Wood is currently being held without bail while he ungoes advanced interrogation in the 51st Division at 51 Parliament Street, Toronto, Ontario. A trial date has not been set yet as evidence continues to be collected and witness statements are taken. At this time, the University of Toronto and police are working together to ensure all of Dr. Van der Wood's victims are treated to ensure a peaceful and safe community once again.

Aftereffects of Attack (Lauren)

Following the attack, most identified members of the initial terror group–coined as ‘Glendonites’ by the press–were run out of the city by an elite branch of Canada’s military known simply as PHANTOM (Precise, High-Alert Neutralization Team for Operations and Manoeuvres) while others simply disappeared without a trace. To ensure that no further attacks would ensue, by either the aforementioned disgraced individuals or those seeking revenge on their behalf, the government began a purge of all citizens' belongings–on their person or in their homes, or otherwise. A strict curfew was also instated so that perceived secret meetings could not be conducted. On the medical side of things, many Neurovance users reported enduring short-term side effects like hallucinations and neurological fatigue due to forced withdrawal as well as more severe long-term consequences like impaired memory and decision-making.

Despite the Canadian government and by extension PHANTOM's best efforts, it is quite clear even a year after the initial attack that the Neurovance drug as well as its psychological influence on innocent Canadian citizens is still running rampant across the country, with illegal underground drug rings being a majorly encompassing section of today's black market.

Further Repercussions

The first hit was the fact that no paraphernalia regarding Neurovance was permitted to be distributed. Anyone found guilty of being involved with either the drug or the group was immediately sentenced and jailed indefinitely. Widespread fear and distrust ran rampant in the first few months as well, tearing families and whole communities apart due to countless accusations of being ‘drugged sympathizers’ or even ‘collaborators’. There was also a province-wide lockdown on even reputable cognitive-enhancing substances and technologies. Possession or use of such substances also became a felony punishable by 53 days in prison, which led to protests from accredited researchers and genuine biotech companies.

Another lasting consequence that Canadians, particularly those in Toronto, had to make peace with was the increased security in and out of the city. Before where there was virtually nothing even remotely related to border crossing along the multiple perimeter lines that dictated the landmass that made up the city of Toronto proper, now local authorities littered the street from top to bottom: each group of three overseeing a screening station similar to the ones at the border between Canada and the US where people were asked to give over their Ontario driver's license to prove that they lived within the boundary lines before being allowed into the city. This was the government's way of trying to ensure that no foreigner could slip in undetected, but the entire process was quickly repealed on accounts of 'discrimination' against various singular individuals.

Changes in Government Policy Post-Incident

At this time, a year after the initial incident, the government of Canada has since introduced multiple legislations meant to regulate and curb the possible further spread of ideologies similar to that of Neurovance, Dr. Erin Van der Wood, and the Glendonites. Such policy changes include but are not limited to:

 1. The Mandatory Neural Monitoring Act (MNMA for short) which is meant to monitor the neural activity of all citizens in real time to ensure that none have somehow been in continous contact with Neurovance in some capacity
 2. A detox program known colloquially as the ‘Neurovance Rehabilitation Initiative’,  made to help those who have already been exposed to the drug to be recovered and restored from the supplementary brainwashing of underground operations
 3. Various surveillance and indoctrination programs that are supposed to flag certain individuals who are possibly more susceptible to radicalization so that the government can apprehend them before more damage is wrought

Though many of these calls to action have been heavily and indiscriminately protested in recent months due to alleged rumours of mistreatment as well as countless other forms of physical and mental abuse, Canada's parliament as well as local law enforcement continues to advocate for these programs in an effort to rid the country of Neurovance's influence once and for all.

Key Figures (Arianna)

Dr. Erwin Van der Wood

Pictured, Dr. Erwin Van der Wood. Photo taken from his Linkedin profile.

Dr. Erwin Van der Wood, a once-renowned associate professor at the University of Toronto’s Department of Political Science, is now infamous for orchestrating one of the most shocking incidents in Canadian academic history. Born in 2053, Van der Wood grew up in a small town in northern Ontario and was always fascinated by societal systems and their intersections with power and control. He had a brilliant academic trajectory and earned a Ph.D. in Political Economy from Cambridge University. However, colleagues and students often described him as enigmatic and eccentric, with a growing obsession with critiquing capitalism in his later years.

Van der Wood’s radicalization appears to have stemmed from a personal vendetta against modern educational practices and what he perceived as the corporatization of academia. He openly criticized government-mandated use of the drug Neurovance, which he believed stripped students of their agency and natural cognitive processes. Found in his study, his journals revealed a deep nostalgia for a pre-smartphone era, fueled by his grandfather’s collection of “relics” such as flip phones and physical books, which Van der Wood viewed as symbols of lost freedoms.

By 2099, Van der Wood’s lectures had transformed into disguised platforms for anti-capitalist indoctrination, using the Neurovance-induced influence put on his students. His teaching began as subtle ideological discussions, but then escalated into full-scale brainwashing, culminating in the radicalization of over 1,000 students. His meticulously planned revolt aimed to dismantle both the university system and the Neurovance industry, which he condemned as tools of governmental oppression.

Now detained at Toronto’s 51st Division, Van der Wood remains unrepentant, refusing to cooperate with authorities. Investigators continue to uncover evidence of his extremist intentions, cementing his role as both a cautionary tale and a figure of controversy in the intersection of education, politics, and personal ideology.

Glendonites

Image captured as the Glendonites stormed the University of Toronto

The Glendonites, a militant extremist group, emerged in the aftermath of the terrorist attack at the University of Toronto that occurred on March 16, 2099. Comprised primarily of students indoctrinated by Dr. Erwin Van der Wood, the group was initially a loosely organized collective but has since evolved into a decentralized network of cells. The Glendonites derive their name from an obscure reference in Van der Wood’s notes, believed to symbolize resistance to institutional control, though its exact meaning remains unclear.

Born from the disgraced professor’s lectures, the Glendonites were molded under the influence of Neurovance, the attention-enhancing drug mandated by the government for students across Canada. Exploiting the drug’s side effects of heightened suggestibility, Van der Wood implanted anti-capitalist and anti-government ideologies into his students, whom he referred to as his “disciples.” The group’s primary objectives include dismantling the education system, overthrowing capitalist structures, and abolishing the use of Neurovance nationwide.

Initially concentrated on the University of Toronto’s campus, the Glendonites have since expanded their reach throughout Ontario, forming isolated cells that operate independently but align with the group’s core ideology. Their tactics range from propaganda dissemination to violent acts of resistance, including the destruction of historic buildings and targeted attacks on perceived government agents. Despite their infamy, the group’s decentralized nature makes it difficult for law enforcement to dismantle their operations entirely.

The Glendonites’ impact extends beyond violence; they have ignited polarizing debates about the ethics of government intervention in education and the societal consequences of cognitive enhancement drugs. While widely condemned as a terrorist organization, the group has garnered a fringe following among individuals disillusioned with Canada’s political and academic systems. Authorities continue to crack down on the Glendonites’ activities, but their ideology persists, raising questions about the long-term effects of mandated Neurovance use and the fragility of modern educational institutions.

Neurovance (Damien)

Neurovance is a nootropic stimulant drug developed in 2095 by the Canadian Pharmaceutical and Biotech conglomerate Nofrills. Originally developed as the next generation of medications to treat ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), it's effects on concentration as well as information retention were remarkable, and just a few years later the medication was being prescribed freely to many as a nootropic supplement. After lobbying efforts by Nofrills, this drug was permitted to be sold over-the-counter within Canada, and after further lobbying efforts, the Canadian government realized the benefits that this drug had on learning, and began distributing it to all students in Canadian schools, colleges and universities. This was followed by a remarkable increase in standardized test scores as students were able to absorb and retain information far more efficiently than they were previously capable of achieving. Neurovance however has no effects on creativity, so these improvements heavily favoured performance in standardized testing, where the average performance of Canadian students on these tests surpassed those of any other country in the world, though this improvement was not necessarily reflected in the performance of Canadians in a dynamic workplace setting.

Neurovance is widely considered a miracle-drug within Canada for its unparalleled ability to temporarily boost memory and learning while under its influence and also presenting no side effects, purportedly. Neurovance has been approved for use in children, adults, the elderly and pregnant women due to its unrivalled level of safety. In the past few years Neurovance has been considered by some to be the new equivalent to coffee as a drug that is so widely used and accepted on a societal level that it is almost impossible to cease its use, as so many Canadians are now dependant on its performance enhancing properties in order to function on a daily basis.

Alleged Side Effects of Neurovance Usage

Neurovance has only been approved for human consumption for 4 years since it's invention in 2095, so it's long-term effects have not yet been fully studied. Nofrills has steadfastly maintained it's stance that Neurovance is the world's only medication with absolutely no side effects, but in recent years reports have begun to emerge of adverse health outcomes connected to long-term exposure to Neurovance. Reports of alleged permanent reduction in cognition and academic performance after cessation of Neurovance has been reported by some frequent heavy users, as well as a concerning rise in reports of psychosis, mood disorders and mental instability in some users, though the Nofrills corporation has been quick to label these reports as unfounded or as targeted attempts at defamation. Despite the recent reports of adverse mental effects of Neurovance use, the Canadian Ministry of Health has continued to support the absolute safety of this medication, and has not shown any signs that it is considering changing its policies of the distribution of this medication to any and all Canadians participating in any level of education in the country.

Some Canadians are showing signs of worry, however, as these serious reports are already beginning to emerge about Neurovance after just four years of being available to the public. Some believe that now that its use has become so widespread and the frequency of use chronic, the coming years will see a huge rise in adverse effects related to Neurovance that could, due to the large contingent of the population that uses it regularly, create a public health crisis in Canada related to mental health complications among those in the Canadian educational system due to this drug. Many concerned citizens believe that Canadian society will be unprepared should such catastrophic events occur. Most see no issue and continue to encourage its usage across the country.

Foreign Interference Conspiracies (Damien)

Bolivian Expeditionary Forces

Rumours supported by members of the Canadian government and authorities have begun to circulate that these events were not caused by dissatisfaction with Canadian society, but that foreign actors are the ones responsible for supporting and inciting unrest as a way to destabilize Canada. Fingers are being pointed at Bolivia as the perpetrators, especially as tensions between Canada and Bolivia have risen to never before seen heights since 2082 due to recent clashes between Bolivian and Canadian forces over conflicting colonial interests in South America. Since the middle of the 21st century, both Canada and Bolivia have undergone military operations within the area formerly known as Brazil to establish military bases and resource extraction colonies within the area. Both Canada and Bolivia have undergone extreme changes in their foreign policy as well as geopolitical positions in recent decades, and this has put the two countries at odds on the South American continent. Canadian politicians have stated off-the-record that they believe that Bolivia is attempting to create domestic crises within Canada in order to redirect Canadian interest away from the South American continent, though none of these statements have been substantiated by any real evidence. The rise of extremist movements that lack any real coherence to any one ideology or system of values and that instead propose empty, vague promises to restore a country to its former glory have been a cause for concern among many world governments, and it is unclear whether it is foreign actors instigating the rise in these groups, or that countries are simply using this worldwide phenomenon to find excuses for the civil unrest within their own countries.

Since the rise in prevalence of the Glendonites within Ontario, the Canadian government has been uncharacteristically permissive of discussion of foreign interference contributing to these events, and it is still unclear whether or not these claims are true. However, it can be said that Bolivia has much to gain from these periods of social instability within Canada, though there is still much debate about whether these events in Canada were directly influenced by the Bolivian government, or they are simply the geopolitical benefactors of Canada's lack of maintenance of social cohesion and wellbeing within its own borders. Since the University of Toronto attacks and subsequent shifting of Canadian interest away from colonial pursuits and towards the re-establishment of domestic social stability, Bolivian forces have accumulated in growing numbers in South America and are poised to redouble their efforts in the region. Regardless of the uncertainty of the causes of this social instability within Canada, the unchecked rise of extremism within its borders has caused geopolitical instability within North and South America, and no clear perpetrators have been established by any domestic or foreign investigating bodies. The only thing that has been made clear by these series of events within North and South America is that rises in extremist populist groups has radicalized both civilian actions and government policy within countries throughout the two continents, with no signs of imminent change unless something can be done to restore general order in the regions.

At this time, police, the RCMP, and other investigative forces do no believe Bolivia holds any ties to the current ongoing extremist factions arising in the GTA. The catalyst for such events remain pointed at Dr. Erwin Van der Wood, but there is growing concern at the amount of citizens who are feeding into and creating more conspiracy theories.

Individual Narratives

Blog Posts of Weff Flannigan gathered by authorities in the aftermath (Damien)

Journal Entries of Valentina Suarez found by her niece and given to police on suspicions of truancy (Veronica)

Notes App Apology from Dr. Lincoln Rodriguez discovered by his attending team and handed over to law enforcement (Lauren)

Insider Explanation from Bob given as testimony during Van der Wood's trial (Arianna)