“IT’S NOT ABOUT US” Dons respond to ResLife restructure Volume 150 Issue 7 March 1st, 2017
Editorial Board
Editor-in-Chief - Adam Travis Business Manager - Nicholas Williams News - Stephanie Sirois Arts - Katie Kim Sports - Anne Ugabi Photo - Bradley Parker Production Manager - Connor Jay Copy - Jadrien Hong Multimedia - Camile Coulombe
Staff Advertising Manager - Pouria Poursaeid Delivery - Dan Gallagher Staff Reporters -David Bardwell, Nathalie Sturgeon, Kennedy Bowden-Welsh, Katie Morehouse
Contributors Justin Collett, Anna Jackson Kyle Lamkin, Caroline Mercier, Spencer Folkins, Ryan Cormier, Katie Morehouse and Stacey Taylor
About Us The Brunswickan, in its 150th year of publication, is Canada’s Oldest Official Student Publication. We are an autonomous student publication owned and operated by Brunswickan Publishing Inc., a nonprofit, independent body. We are a founding member of Canadian University Press, and love it dearly. We are also members of CUPWire, a media exchange of university media throughout North America. We publish monthly during the academic year with a circulation of 4,000. We publish weekly, online at www.thebruns.ca.
Letters to the Editor Letters must be submitted by e-mail to editor@thebruns.ca including your name, as letters with pseudonyms will not be printed or posted online. Letters must be 500 words at maximum. Deadline for letters is Friday at 5 p.m. before each issue.
Editorial Policy While we endeavour to provide an open forum for a variety of viewpoints and ideas, we may refuse any submission considered by the Editorial Board to be racist, sexist, libellous or in any way discriminatory. The opinions and views expressed in this publication are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Brunswickan, its Editorial Board or its Board of Directors. All editorial content appearing in The Brunswickan is the property of Brunswickan Publishing Inc. Stories, photographs, and artwork contained herein cannot be reproduced without the express, written permission of the Editor-in-Chief.
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Table of Contents 4 Beyond 150 - What isn’t being celebrated this year
6 #MyDefinition campaign against mental health stigma hits Canada
8 It’s literally us against the world Online security at UNB
10 The dons have spoken: It’s not about us
12 Op Ed: Whose side are you on?
13 Mr. Grey will see you again: Fifty Shades Darker movie review
14 ECMA-nominated rock band The Starfields promise a proper rock show
16 Students discuss struggles of dating with disabilities
Words by Stephanie Sirois
Words & Photography by David Bardwell
Words by Adam Travis
Words by Stephanie Sirois Photography by Bradley Parker
Words by Katie Kim
Words & Photography by Bradley Parker
Words by Kennedy Bowden-Welsh
Words & Photography by Nathalie Sturgeon
20 Athlete Profile: Jordan Murray
Photography by Kyle Lamkin
18 Sports supplements: Necessary or a waste? Words by Anna Jackson, RD Photography by Kyle Lamkin
22 Athlete Profile: Maggie Mclenahan Photography by Kyle Lamkin
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News
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News
Beyond 150 - What isn’t being celebrated this year Words by Stephanie Sirois This year, Canadians from coast to coast are celebrating the 150th year of Confederation and the history that makes up this country. However there are some key parts of heritage that are increasingly being forgotten in the festivities. Five students from Renaissance College are launching a media campaign called Beyond 150 to draw attention to how indigenous people view Canada 150 as something other than a celebration. Grace Mangusso said the class project is meant to be about community action. “We decided to focus on Canada 150 celebrations with specific interest to how the indigenous culture, heritage and resilience is not put out to the public, and that part of Canadian history isn’t really talked about.” The students were inspired by an article on how Canada 150 means something different for indigenous families. “Our main concern is ‘how do we go about doing this as five white students that don’t have direct indigenous heritage?’ because we wanted to be respectful,” Mangusso said. After speaking to members in the indigenous community on campus, the campaign became about spreading awareness and educating the public. They said they don’t intend to be seen as white saviours. “It’s about how we see the error in the ways of Canadian history and we see how in the Canada 150 celebrations, they’re continuing to kind of not acknowledge that part of our history which is so important and it’s what made Canada where it is today,” she said. Austin Henderson said it’s hard to celebrate Canada 150 when there’s a large percentage of the population who don’t have a reason to celebrate. “We wanted to take our own approach on that as people who aren’t indigenous, we also have to recognize that means something to us because we’re also part of the problem.” Something the students have focused on are the Peace and Friendship treaties signed between settlers and indigenous people which were meant to last forever. “We are all treaty people, the way they put that is
that treaties were not one way agreements, they were two ways and the treaty has been kept on one part but has not been kept on the other and the other is us as non indigenous people,” he said. Henderson said he’s learned so much just from coming to university that he never had access to before and wonders how so much history could have been overlooked. “The thing that constantly gets me is that the last residential school closed two years before I was born, in 1996,” he said. “That is not a long time ago.” A professor in the first university course Henderson attended gave a quiz to the class and asked them what the name of the river that flows through Fredericton was called, and who governed the area. The students put down the Saint John River, and the mayor, but the professor corrected them. “The Saint John River isn’t the Saint John River, it’s the Wolastoq River,” said Cameron Lane. “I’m not from Fredericton. It’s little things like that you hear and you would never have known otherwise.” Lane gets frustrated at the thought that he never learned anything about residential schools earlier in his life and thinks the information should have been introduced as early as elementary school, but said he’s reassured to know he can take part in learning more now. “It’s not a bash of Canada 150 … We’re not saying that Canada 150 is a bad thing, we’re just going beyond Canada 150, beyond 150, and we’re trying to acknowledge the things that aren’t being acknowledged,” he said. Henderson said he recognizes a lot of people haven’t been taught the history of residential schools and what was done to the children who were forced to attend them. He said it isn’t anyone’s fault they haven’t been exposed to the information but when they do, they have a role to play. “There are people here in Fredericton that are also Canadian who have completely different experiences and recognize that Canada 150 is something that’s bittersweet, more bitter than sweet.” The Beyond 150 campaign continues until the end of March.
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News
#MyDefinition campaign against mental health stigma hits Canada
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News Words & Photography by David Bardwell The #MyDefinition campaign that launched on the UNB campus three years ago now has nationwide partners. The campaign’s focus is on reducing stigma around mental health issues and works by showing that people with mental health issues are multifaceted. Lee Thomas, the campaign’s founder, said the organization is now partnered with Access New Brunswick and is set to make more stigma-reducing campaigns across the province and in turn, the nation. Thomas said they never anticipated the rampant growth of their campaign when it first started. “We started with nine faces of the campaign, now we have around 80, mostly in the east coast but some in Manitoba … and hopefully soon other provinces as well,” they said. Despite growing nearly tenfold in three years, Thomas said the plan was initially not intended to carry on past 2014. “Our plan was originally just to do a one-year thing with the Student Union, pat ourselves on the back and move on with our lives,” said Thomas This led to some growing pains, namely things like getting advocacy training for the faces of the campaign. Thomas remembered being asked by an advisor “What kind of training do these faces for the campaign get?” “That never occurred to me,” Thomas replied. “So since then we’ve developed MyDefinition training for all the faces of the campaign,” This training involves instruction on self-care, setting reasonable boundaries and instructions on how to refer people to mental health resources. ‘It’s kind of been a constant learning process on the business end of
things too,” said Thomas. After their departure from UNB, the organization had no graphic designer, so they learned a bit on that front and started hiring photographers to do the campaign photos. “We used to have the student union graphic designer to do it, but after graduation we had to learn how to do it all on our own,” they said. Despite the steep learning curve at first, they’re glad they took the time to expand the campaign. “[Being an] entrepreneur was never the plan. I always thought I’d find a safe, 9 to 5 job and that was the dream,” Thomas said. “There’s a lot of little practical things I wish I would’ve known,” said Thomas. “I mostly wish I had thought to dream bigger.” One thing they’re hopeful the government will do is provide more funding for non-crisis mental health services. “I think that private groups are doing a lot of good reducing stigma so maybe spend more on things like peerto-peer services,” “Right now, it’s kind of like we’re rushing from fire to fire rather than investing in fireproofing,” Thomas said. What’s shown on TV shows and movies may contribute to stigma and confusion around mental illness. This is because people with mental illness in pop culture are often defined entirely by their illness, rather than it being a part of their overall character. One area Thomas expressed particular interest in expanding stigma-reduction campaigns was within the LGBTQ+ community, but noted no partner organizations have asked to target the demographic yet. “I’d love to do a campaign that’s all LGBTQ+ people because I’m under that umbrella, but no organizations have approached me about doing one.” Despite no dedicated campaigns, members of the LGBTQ+
community have been featured, as have indigenous people. One such indigenous people is Lacey Clair, a student at St. Thomas University and a member of Elsipogtog First Nation who’s being featured in part of the Access NB/MyDefinition campaign. She’d like to see greater focus on indigenous communities in particular. “People don’t talk about it,” she said. “Even with adults the stigma is still very high; nobody would ever tell another person they have a mental illness because they’d discriminate against them.” Stigma is still present everywhere, but Clair says that in some First Nations communities it’s more prevalent. “[People] grow up with the “what happens in this home stays in this home” kind of mentality,” she said. “This transfers to our youth, so now when the MyDefinition campaign came up, we asked and our youth were so terrified, absolutely terrified of having their picture next to their mental illness,” This realization made it more important to come out along with a friend and present herself as a person with a mental illness. “It’s to say we have a mental illness and we’re not afraid to speak up,” said Clair. One area of the province she’d like to see more mental health advocacy in is the Miramichi area, which is home to four reserves. “That way, there would be a lot more access for people in those areas,” she said. This helped to show people in her community that just because someone has a mental illness didn’t mean they’re broken, or less of a person. “You’re still a good person, you’re still who you are. It’s just a part of you, but it doesn’t define you.”
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News
It’s literally us against the world - Online security at UNB
Words & Photography by Bradley Parker Not to sound like a fear mongerer, but you probably want to change all of your passwords. Now. Cloudflare, a self described “web performance and security company,” has had a major security breach. “But Bradley”, you say, “I don’t 8
use this Cloudflare thing, so I’m safe right?” Cloudflare is used by some 5.5 million websites to make them load faster and (usually) more secure. That all changed when knowledge of Cloudbleed vulnerability became known this February; lots of private data like passwords and messages were potentially publicly
available if you knew the trick to get them. David Shipley, the director of strategic initiatives for ITS at UNB, is required him to work with online security 75 per cent of the time. “The first thing you have to realize is that the internet was never built to be secure.”
News The World Wide Web as we know it started as a project by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), where everyone on the web was part of the group, and trust was implied. By the time the ‘90s rolled around, this information super highway was well on its way to becoming what it is now, and all people were thinking about was potential, possibility, and money. “No one ever stopped to say ‘what about the highway robbers?’ — no one even thought about the concept of cyber-crime.” From a social-political view, the internet evolved very organically; there were no plans. “There is no law or international treaty that covers the planet when it comes to cyber-crime, there is only the convention of Budapest that covers several European nations, Canada, and the US, but notably doesn’t cover most African nations, Brazil, Russia, India, or China,” says Shipley. “Most crimes are not committed within national borders ... as long as you don’t pee in your own pool, you’re probably never going to get caught.” In 6 per cent of police-reported cybercrime (with about 1 in 15 reported), were police able to identify a suspect. For example, if UNB experiences a sophisticated cyber crime, the police force with jurisdiction is the Fredericton police force. The RCMP national task force is only able to deal with the worst of the worst attacks. Shipley said they don’t have the time, money, bodies, or expertise to help us battle cybercrime. Because of how easy it is to launch cyber attacks, and because the internet was not built with security in mind, almost every internet connected device on the planet can potentially communicate with and attack every other device. Shipley says university communities assume ITS can protect them but they’re only able to protect a fraction of what they’re up against.
“We rely on the users, who don’t realize how much they are responsible for their own security. They might assume that police have their back, we already talked about that, police aren’t there, they’re not even in the show. They might assume government is there, they don’t even know what to do.” UNB’s security appliances stop on average half a billion events a week, according to Shipley. Most of these aren’t sophisticated attacks, they are predominantly “nobodys” or inexperienced cyber criminals just starting to explore the world, trying very basic attacks. “It’s an arms race, and it’s unfair to us because as a mid-sized university with significant financial constraints [...] here we are saying you have to pay more and more to protect yourself, and it’s all driven by factors the university can’t control. It’s literally us against the world.” Attacks come from Russia, China, India, even the US. In 2016 ITS was able to prevent all the major attacks that it knows of and had no breaches. UNB gets 1.8 million malware emails a month, 10% of their total emails. Sec appliances get 97% stopped. 4500 get through. The UNB security model is endorsed by the Information Communications Technology Council Canada as the recommended model on how to protect industry, healthcare, and other parts of the canadian economy. The University has huge stores of intellectual property that someone might want to steal, or millions of dollars in credit card information could be stolen from a large company like Target. But why students, small businesses, or people who aren’t celebrities can be targeted and should be careful. He took me to HaveIBeenPwned.com and entered my email address, and 4 data breaches that I was affected by showed up, including a dropbox breach in 2012 and some more recent
ones. Fortunately I use unique passwords for every website and two factor authentication (if supported) so if one is compromised, the rest of my online identity is protected. However I am an exception, Shipley says that 75 per cent of people reuse passwords. “A well educated, informed person is the best defense. It’s like safe sex.” Big Data is one of the latest buzzwords in IT. It’s really what it sounds like: having really big data sets. Shipley says cyber criminals are awesome at big data. They buy and sell data sets and correlate the results. So my email and password were leaked. A cyber criminal buys that and tens of thousands of other accounts, then tries every service online using my email address and password. And if they log into something, the tools will automatically grab everything of value. “There are lots of strategies you can employee to reduce your risk. Being selective with your partners, making sure you wear and engage in proper contraceptives and protection. It’s the same thing in digital, people don’t realize that ‘oh crap i have to take an ownership for this stuff’.” Shipley recommends the Cyber Security course on D2L, though it is geared towards a more corporate audience. He also advocates going to HaveIBeenPwned and search your email address. Going forward, we need to push for cybersecurity regulations. Shipley believes that there is hope, and that someday we’re going to be able to safely enjoy the information superhighway. “We need people to get away, and even get pissed off a little bit. Pissed off at government for not doing enough because they’re not defending us appropriately in the digital space. […] Hold them accountable, demand transparency”.
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News
The dons have spoken - “It’s not about us”
Words by Stephanie Sirois Photography by Adam Travis An uproar has consumed the UNB Fredericton campus and it shows no signs of dying down. Students have been weighing in on changes proposed by Residential Life which include the removal of the don position as well as the addition of a senior proctor role, two new ResLife coordinators and ResFellows for additional support. Now the dons have weighed in on what campus can’t stop talking about. Three dons contributed to the information and quotes included in this article, however they will remain anonymous to protect their identities. Being a don is a lot of hard work, but benefits include a fee apartment, and 10 free meals per week during your term. Of course, those are all taxable benefits so they aren’t as appealing as they could be. “If I was paying money to live in that apartment, I would be perpetually pissed every day because the quality of life is not very good, living among that many students.” But you do get a thousand dollars 10
to plan fun events and activities for the house, as long as you pay for everything up front and give them the receipts to be compensated. “Over the past few years, they’ve been taking power away from the dons. We don’t even sign event forms because they don’t want us to be a liability. They’re not even sure if we’re insured.” It’s not the greatest job but it had its high points, until the dons found out Thursday that it would no longer exist come September. This announcement came days after they chose their proctor teams for the upcoming school term. One don found out from Facebook and their proctor. “What they’ve been telling us is this year would be dons, next year would be a mix and then it would be coordinators. But they just spring this on us.” They’re understandably unhappy to find out on such short notice, but they’re more concerned about the sense of community and how it will be affected by these changes. People have come to live in residences in the past just for that reason. They’re concerned about their teams, too.
“I could not imagine being a proctor without a dons’ support because I just can’t see myself going to a coordinator.” They say disciplining and managing peers is hard enough for extremely mature and experienced leaders, and it’s going to make it harder for the proctors to do their jobs. “We’re giving proctors more work and less support and it doesn’t make any sense.” One of the biggest benefits of having dons living in residence is that they’re able to shut things down in the moment if anything happens because they live there. But if no one does? “My fear, ginormous fear, is that there is an issue and there aren’t adults in the residence to shut things down … I worry about the level of craziness in that house that will ensue.” That sense of community, where dons can leave their rooms to manage the other residents, where proctors can approach dons for mentoring, and where residents can approach sympathetic proctors, is in danger, the dons say. It could create a culture of silence. “What ResLife doesn’t understand is that all these new people that they’ll hire, they think from their perspective, that they’re providing more support for students, but the students don’t view that as support, they view it as punitive because it’s coming from the university and it’s not personal, so they’re afraid of them.” At the end of the day, the dons say it isn’t just about them, but about what removing their position will do to people who work and live around them. “Our job is hard to measure. A lot of our duties are intangible … I can see why the university has a hard time understanding, because they never bothered asking.”
News
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Opinion
Op Ed: Whose side are you on? Words by Adam Travis UNB is happy to market the residence experience as a core benefit of the university, but seems focused more on dismantling the community atmosphere of campus housing rather than encouraging it to flourish, instead concentrating power within its office walls. Full disclosure: I lived in residence for four years. I served as a proctor in Neville Jones for two years, and as a member of Harrison House committee for one. The removal of don positions is but the latest in a string of frankly ridiculous policies that serve only to reduce costs and liabilities to the university, at the expense of students’ well-being and residence communities. This year’s pub crawl ban is another example of that. Instead of allowing campus pub crawls (with sober, on-duty proctors, responsible for students’ safety), ResLife has instead encouraged students to create their own pub crawls, or join for-profit commercial pub crawls (12 Barz, anyone?) which outright encourage dangerous behavior and risky drinking. Instead of funds from these events going back to the student causes that host them (residences, societies, etc.), they line the pockets of a faceless company. The real benefit to banning pub crawls is not in improving the safety of students, but in removing any liability from ResLife’s shoulders, should a student be injured. This echoes the drinking policy enacted by UNB two years ago, in which any student believed to have engaged in “concerning behavior” while under the influence was sent a warning letter and brought in for a mandatory meeting with the head of ResLife. These letters were sent without house teams’ knowledge or input, meaning proctors were as surprised as the recipients to see the letters. This policy caused
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a breakdown in the critical, trusting relationship between students and proctors; students who at one time reached out for proctor assistance when they or a friend had drunk too much began to hide behind closed doors, fearful that a simple mistake may lead to an ominous letter and a disciplinary meeting with someone they had no prior relationship with. The removal of dons is another sign that ResLife is, at its core, a business, and will act in the interests of said business, even if it negatively impacts its primary customers. Beyond the effects on regular residents, this policy change will heavily affect the students who choose to take leadership roles within residences. In the place of dons, ResLife will hire two coordinators (for a total of three) to care for 13 residences. In each residence there will be a “head proctor,” a senior proctor tasked with an incredible workload increase. The difference between receiving disciplinary action from a coordinator, as opposed to a proctor or don, is substantial. Students live next to proctors — they rely on their proctors for emotional and academic support, and develop a personal relationship. The same goes for dons; they are actively involved in their residence activities and students see them not as the iron fist of punishment, but as the head of their shared community who cares deeply for students’ best interests and their well-being. Students don’t have this kind of relationship with coordinators, and it would be impossible to expect them to. Coordinators are only seen as the face of discipline that doesn’t understand the individual’s circumstances, needs, or mentality. In removing dons, ResLife has dismissed the hard work and dedication of employees who have focused their lives on the betterment of the residence community, with little advance warning, in the name of minimal savings and a continued centralization of power.
Arts
Mr. Grey will see you again: Fifty Shades Darker movie review
Words by Kennedy Bowden-Welsh Photography submitted From its publication in 2011 to the movie adaptation in 2015, Fifty Shades of Grey has made waves across North America and beyond. Fifty Shades Darker, the much anticipated sequel to Fifty Shades of Grey, has recently hit the box office in the new movie adaptation by James Foley. The film opens with flashbacks from young billionaire Christian Grey’s dark past. Revealing more about Grey’s character seems to have been one of the goals of this movie. Through these flashbacks the audience gets a glimpse of what makes up the “man behind the mask,” so to speak. The movie then shifts forward to present day Seattle, right after the events that lead to Anastasia Steele walking away from Christian.
The two connect again and attempt what Christian calls a “normal” relationship, but this is difficult as the two soon find themselves struggling to escape Christian’s past as it continues to come back to haunt him. Fans of the novel will fall in love with Foley’s adaptation from page to screen. Foley was able to take some of the most iconic moments from the book and transfer them onto the screen, making them come alive; the masquerade ball at Christian’s parents’ house, the love birds on Christian’s boat, Ana handling her creepy boss, the spreader bar and helicopter crash are just some of the examples. Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan both reprised their roles from the first film. This time they even added a bit of humor into what could easily have been awkward moments. It’s easy to see that the chemistry between these
two has only grown stronger, as if to reflect the strengthening relationship between Ana and Christian. Foley was able to steps things up from the first film. One of the improvements from the first movie was vivid on-screen displays that showed the audience the depth and the extent of Grey’s world. Foley uses various cinematographic techniques that show just how impressive Grey’s character is, some of which include the impressive shot panning over the water and hills from his helicopter, Charlie Tango, and the walk-in closet the size of a typical room for Ana. Foley’s attention to details is also evident throughout the movie, which help made the world of Fifty Shades of Grey seem more realistic, yet true to the book. Some small details also added to the enjoyment of the movie, such as the camera focusing in on Ana in the bus with an unknown person in the back; this character is later revealed to be a central part of the movie. Even if you are not a fan of the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise, one thing you might enjoy from the movie is the film’s soundtrack. All the little details described above are combined with a star packed music crew featuring Taylor Swift, Zayn, Nicki Minaj, Nick Jonas, Halsey and Sia, just to name a few. Movie fans might also recognize the name Danny Elfman, who was responsible for the soundtracks of movies such as Men in Black, Avengers: Age of Ultron and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Fifty Shades Darker was more bold, more intimate and, as befits the title, darker, compared to the first film. The screen adaptation of E.L. James’ best-selling book with James Foley’s incredible attention to details will have the fans on the edge of their seats waiting for Mr. Grey to see them again on February 2018.
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Arts
ECMA-nominated rock band The Stan Words by Katie Kim Photography submitted The Stanfields is a band from Halifax that “play what they want, sing what they want, and leave nothing on the table.” The band is set to perform at the Capital on March 10. Jon Landry is the band’s guitarist, singer, harmonica-player and manager. When asked about being labelled as a band with a blend of hard rock and Atlantic Canadian folk music, Landry was quick to agree with the description. “It’s not exactly the recipe for world domination but at least it comes honestly,” said Landry. More specifically, The Stanfields’ music genre is classified as rock/roots. While this is a genre that the younger generation might not be familiar with, Landry 14
had an interesting description for their music. “It’s like the music that your cool uncle listens to which you dare not admit to your friends that you secretly like, but has always been a part of your life. Our music has nods to Springsteen, Neil Young and ACDC, with a dash of Stan Rogers thrown in to mess things up.” In order to generate the interesting mix of music, the band uses instruments that you don’t typically associate with a rock band: harmonica, fiddle, violin and bouzouki. Bouzouki is an eight stringed instrument from Greece that resembles a large mandolin. “[The Bouzouki] is very prevalent in both folk and Irish-punk scenes, both of which we have a hard time fitting in with,” said Landry. Despite the variety of instruments they play, the band members have one thing
in common; they all sing. Landry said that this affects the band’s dynamics as well as the performances. “It gives the performance an ensemble feel, which in my experience, subliminally invites the audience to take part.” It’s no secret that the success in the music industry is very challenging. Landry admits that he has had “a couple of false starts in [his] fledgling music career.” The band was created when he found a group of artists with similar histories and “burning desire to play.” In fact, Landry goes as far as to say that “each one of these guys experienced similar versions of my life.” The band debuted in 2010 with the album Young & Restless. Since then, they’ve produced three more full-length albums, most recently 2015’s Modem Operandi. In 2016, the album was nominated for ECMA Rock Recording of the Year, and
Arts
nfields promises a proper rock show the band toured throughout Germany and Europe. Looking back on how the band started and their current success, Landry said it was rewarding to be able to perform for those who enjoy their music. “Awards for music are kind of silly but it’s nice to be recognized. Touring the world and playing night after night for complete strangers who love your music is the real pay off, especially when there is so much work that goes into making it happen.” Landry also mentioned that the band was “mired in contradiction.” This is mainly due to the fact that their most recognized song, The Dirtiest Drunk (in the History of Liquor), is so different from the rest of their pieces that center around folklore, social justice and temperance. The success of The Dirtiest Drunk brings mixed feelings to Landry, who said he feels bless-
ed that the song exists but also despises that he wrote it. Unlike his response to The Dirtiest Drunk, Landry said he was pleased about the band’s most recent album. “I’m still pretty happy with our latest record Modem Operandi, and our back catalogue as a whole. Everything we have ever done is exactly where we were at the time, but we’ve moved on.” While the band is back in Canada for a spring tour in March, they are also preparing for their new album. “We are currently in the early stages of recording a new record, so a good portion of my time is spent writing these days. Given the state of affairs in… the West as a whole, there is no shortage of inspiration.” The Stanfields is not afraid to take risks with their music and perform in ways that are not expected of a rock band. In
fact, their third album, For King and Country, contained ten songs that were performed and reordered all acoustically. Landry said that the decision was based on their belief of how the songs should be played. “The songs just seemed to make more sense in an acoustic format. Ultimately, we didn’t want to try and force a square peg in a round hole.” As mentioned before, the band enjoys performing for the crowd. There were many memorable moments during the tours, but Landry picked their opening performance for Queens of the Stone Age at a festival in Germany. When asked about their upcoming Fredericton performance, Landry said he was “stoked.” He added that he is especially looking forward to playing with Kill Chicago. “Our shows are very interactive and fun. [Expect] a proper rock show.” 15
Arts
Students discuss the struggles of dating with disabilities
Words & Photography by Nathalie Sturgeon In this time of dating apps, instant connections and hook-ups, dating is complicated. Most people will agree that they have nerves about a first date. For Janet Gormley, it goes beyond that. Gormley suffers from thrombocytopenia with absent radius, 16
or TAR syndrome. As a result, she has no radius bones in her forearms. “The only bone I have in my lower arms is my ulna,” she said. “This makes my forearms five inches long, my elbow does not fully straighten out and my left hand has a slight bend in the wrist.” Gormley said her TAR syn-
drome dramatically affects her dating life. “I had a date where I forgot to tell him in advance that I have an arm disability,” she said. “He didn’t notice in my pictures that I have an arm disability. So, when I showed up in a sleeveless outfit, it really threw him off.” It was the quickest date Gormley ever had. They never spoke again. “For the most part they just avoid me due to my looks and do not bother to get to know me as a person,” said Gormley. She said this usually ends things before she gets hurt. For Gormley, having a disability is a part of who she is that it doesn’t even cross her mind most of the time. “The biggest obstacle is with dating apps, and making sure I come out to the person as disabled before we meet or get too far into the conversation,” she said. No matter how many times she has told others about her disability, the awkwardness never goes away. On top of that discomfort, Gormley faces judgment from complete strangers. Some even get upset at her for being who she is. One of Gormley’s dates turned sour because she didn’t immediately tell him about her condition. “He went on to rant about how he took another look at my pictures and felt very hurt that I didn’t tell him in my first message back to him; [that] I didn’t start with ‘hello, I’m disabled,’ ” she said. She has experienced everything from being asked if there were dating websites for people with disabilities, to people attacking her for even
Arts considering dating someone without a disability. Gormley isn’t the only one facing the challenge of dating with a disability, though some have found success. Kelsey Lyons is a fifth year student with a learning disability. She and her boyfriend have been together for four years. She said communicating with your partner is key when it comes to dating with a disability. “It is very common that I will not understand a paragraph in my textbooks; my boyfriend will often explain it to me in different perspectives to help me understand it,” she said. “And he is always excited when I do well in class, which is a help on the hard days.” Lyons said it is common for her to have a hard time understanding what her boyfriend is saying, asking him to re-explain. She said this can be frustrating for both of them. “Remain confident, and be honest with your partner. Your partner is there to help and support you even with your disability,” she said. Haley Flaro, executive director of Ability NB, agrees with Lyons. Ability NB is an organization that supports the independence and community involvement of those with mobility disabilities. Flaro said dating is about communication, building trust and finding commonalities. “For persons with a disability,
some face stigma and negative self-image, and developing connections and trust can be difficult, especially after a new diagnosis or an injury which compromise mobility,” said Flaro. And for Courtney Keenan, things definitely changed when he lost his mobility. “I am a C5 Quadriplegic,” said Keenan. “Just shy of my 22nd birthday I was at a lake. It was late but a gorgeous August night … There were a few girls going for a quick swim before bed. I decided I was going to go too. I ran about 30 feet passed the girls who were up to their necks in the water. I dove in and my hands hit the bottom. I felt a shock run down my spine, and then nothing.” He is now able to function fully independently, even volunteering his time at Ability NB, but after Keenan broke up with his then girlfriend, he wasn’t sure how to get back into the dating scene.
“Why would they want to date me?” he said. “This was the question I asked over and over again in my head. We as humans get stuck on visual perceptions.” He said those perceptions carry through his everyday life. “You find that people stare,” said Keenan. “Everybody is looking at you. You get paranoid about it. What you eventually learn is that they are staring because they are curious.” But despite those stares and overwhelming challenges, Keenan has found love. “I now live with my girlfriend of over five years,” he said. “She is a beautiful person and is absolutely stunning. Our relationship is like everyone else’s.” He said the success of his relationship is not about his disability — it’s about love.
YOUR CAMPUS & HOUSE MERCH SUPPLIER Contact James Wood 478-4337 17
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Sports supplements: Necessary for optimal performance or a waste of money? Words by Anna Jackson, R.D. Photography by Kyle Lamkin Protein powders, fat burners, sport bars and pre-workout products are just a few examples of the enormous variety of supplements available on the market today. With promises to enhance muscle mass, burn fat fast, increase energy, focus and endurance, supplements are marketed as a crucial component of an effective training diet. Is there truth behind these claims? Let’s take a look at three of the most commonly used sport supplements. Protein Powder Protein powder is the most popular nutritional supplement used by individuals looking to build muscle mass. Getting enough protein is easily achieved by most of us through our usual diets. Foods like meat, fish, legumes, milk, nuts, and seeds all provide quality protein, as well as other vitamins and minerals. However, endurance and strength athletes require additional protein to promote recovery and muscle growth. In particular, individuals who have just started a strength training routine require more protein than individuals who routinely engage in resistance training, as our bodies become more adept at utilizing protein to maintain muscle mass. Research has shown that protein consumed in the hour following exercise can help to promote muscle growth and recovery. However, protein is not the only nutrient of importance post-workout. Carbohydrates are also needed for replenishing glycogen stores after a tough workout. While protein powders are safe and convenient, they are often lack the carbohydrates your body needs to refuel after your workout. Turn your protein shake into a smoothie by adding some frozen fruit
and milk to create a balanced snack. Some more examples of good post-workout snacks include: a glass of chocolate milk, low fat Greek yogurt and berries, or cereal and milk. Bottom line: Protein powders are safe, however no better or no worse than food in terms of promoting muscle growth and recovery. Sport Drinks Sport drinks are intended to assist athletes in meeting electrolyte, water and energy needs to improve performance. Sport drinks are very heavily marketed, with celebrity endorsements and sponsorships galore. Hydration is crucial for optimal sport performance. However, despite their widespread use, sport drinks simply aren’t necessary for most of us. Most of the time plain old water will do the trick! Sport drinks can be counterproductive to our goals if not needed by our bodies, as they can be high in sugar and sodium. For light exercise, stay hydrated by drinking ½ cup to 1 cup of water every 15 to 20 minutes. Individuals who would benefit from a sport drink include those who have very high sweat rates, exercising in very hot or humid conditions, or who are exercising for over an hour. Marathon runners, football players, or triathletes are all examples of athletes who would benefit from a sport drink. Bottom line: It is only under special circumstances that sport drinks are truly necessary. Most of the time, water will do the trick.
available form of creatine is creatine monohydrate. It is most commonly sold in a powder form that can be mixed with water, or as a capsule. Creatine is also naturally found naturally in foods such as meat, eggs and fish. Research shows that use of creatine is most beneficial for athletes engaging in intense activity lasting less than 30 seconds. Therefore, for sports like weight-lifting and sprinting, the use of creatine may be beneficial, whereas endurance athletes such as marathon runners would not benefit from creatine supplementation. The most common side effects of creatine use are water retention, cramping, nausea, and diarrhea. There has been little research conducted with regard to the long term side effects of creatine. While, it is generally considered to be safe for healthy individuals, those at risk for kidney or liver disorders should speak with a health care professional before taking creatine. Bottom line: Creatine supplementation may be beneficial depending on the activity. However, the long term effects remain unknown. For the answers to all of your sport nutrition questions, check out the Coaching Association of Canada website (www.coach.ca). For nutrition information on a wide variety of topics, visit Dietitians of Canada (www.dietitians.ca). For help with meeting your nutritional needs call, or drop in to the Student Health Centre (506) 453-4837 to book an appointment. Dietitian services are FREE to all full-time UNB and STU students. No referral is needed.
Creatine Creatine is most commonly used by individuals looking to build muscle and facilitate recovery. The most widely 19
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Name: Jordan Murray Hometown: Riverview, NB Team (position/event): Men’s Hockey - Defense Why UNB: I chose UNB because it’s close to home and the hockey program is one of the best in the country. Favourite thing about UNB: The campus and the people are very friendly. One person in particular is Barb Macinnis, she helps our team out and has helped me out a lot. Favourite experience as a VRed: Winning a national championship last season. Favourite colour: Orange Favourite food: Chicken, asparagus and perogies as a meal. Describe yourself using one word: Upbeat; I like to keep things light and have a good time.
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Name: Maggie Mclenahan Hometown: Oromocto, New Brunswick Team (position/event): Women’s Volleyball - Libero Why UNB: It has always been a first choice to come to UNB. As a kid I used to watch the Varsity Reds play and getting the opportunity to become a VRed was something I couldn’t pass up. Favourite thing about UNB: The people here. Everyone is so welcoming. I’ve met such incredibly supportive and inspiring people here that I don’t think I would have met anywhere else. Favourite experience as a VRed: The friendships that I have built with my teammates Favourite colour: Purple Favourite food: Pad Thai from Thai Express Describe yourself using one word: Dedicated
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CHOOSE YOUR PAYMENT PLAN Fredericton
Down Payment:
$36,400
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$142,000
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Down Payment:
$201,600
Most of us want to own a home some day. But with sky-high housing prices in Canada’s biggest cities, it’s never been harder for young people to make that dream come true. In Vancouver, it takes the average home buyer 23 years to save for a 20% down payment. That’s about how long it takes for someone in Fredericton to pay off their house. In full. Mortgage-free or just starting out in 23 years? What’s your choice?