charlatanFeb25_2010

charlatan the

Vol 39•Issue 24 • February 25 - March 3, 2010

carleton’s independent independent weekly weekly -- since since 1945 1945 carleton’s

*Disqualified candidates cut

for rejected receipts p. 3

cover by

Talbert Johnson

INSIDE: Carleton varsity teams dominate OUA playoffs p. 15-16 • ONLINE: Growling about Tiger Woods see charlatan.ca

presented by carleton & ottawa u.

international

march 20, 2010

hilton lac-leamy | 6:00pm tickets: dinner $45.00 • doors 6pm dessert $25.00 • doors 9pm available at the cusa office 18+ • black tie event

MARCH 3, 2010

SOUTHAM THEATRE B | 7:00PM | $10 STUDENTS | $20 NON-STUDENTS TICKETS AVAILABLE IN THE CUSA OFFICE (401 UC)

Want to be a

facil?

Applications will be available in the CUSA office (401 UC) and online: www.cusaonline.com Interested students can sign up for an interview. Interviews take place March 1-5, 2010 at the CUSA Office.

For more information, contact Alex Sirois, VP Student Life: vpsl@cusaonline.com

News ‘United Carleton’ triumphs

by Danielle Whittemore After the votes were tallied on the night of Feb. 12, the “United Carleton” slate was declared the winner of this year’s Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) election, securing all six executive spots.

Alex Sirois, who was elected president, said he already has big plans for his year in office.

Some of these plans include lobbying for a fall Reading Week, banning the sale of bottled water on campus and making September 2010’s orientation week bigger and better than ever, he said.

The first steps toward this involve making students more aware, and providing canteens, which will be available through the CUSA office, said Dina Skvirsky, vice-president-elect (student issues).

Sirois, CUSA’s current vicepresident (student life), beat out fellow executive member Nick Bergamini, who is currently vicepresident (student issues), by a margin of more than 400 votes, with 4,885 votes cast in total.

Sirois said he is “happy to have the whole team with me.”

Meera Chander was re-elected vice-president (finance), defeating Katie Pagnello by a margin of more than 700 votes.

Fellow slate members Khaldoon Bushnaq, Skvirsky and

3 February 25 - March 3, 2010 News Editors: Joel Eastwood and Andrew Nguyen • news@charlatan.ca

Twenty-nine candidates DQ’d

by Jane Gerster and Andrew Warham

CUSA executive election winners “United Carleton,” clockwise from upper left: Meera Chander, Alex Sirois, Sam Heaton, Khaldoon Bushnaq, Chris Infantry and Dina Skvirsky. || photo by Ashley Metzger

Sam Heaton were all elected by more than 500 votes over their “A Better Deal” counterparts to the positions of vice-president (internal), vice-president (student issues) and vice-president (student services), respectively.

Vice-president (student life) candidate Chris Infantry crushed his competitor Aliza Virani by a margin of over 1,300 votes.

Yulian Ihnatyuk, the only independent candidate on the ballot, received 482 votes in his

bid for vice-president (internal).

Sirois said he has already started work on furthering the U-Pass, which Carleton undergraduates voted 72.4 per cent in favour of in a referendum.

Skvirsky said she was very passionate about working on creating a support centre for sexual assault, as well as fighting tuition increases through lobbying and campaigning. q

Candidates are crying foul after 29 students running for Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) councillor positions were disqualified Feb. 12 due to problems with their campaign expense reports.

Chief electoral officer (CEO) Sagal Osman said the students submitted receipts that “weren’t real,” as they were only typed and didn’t contain tax or GST information.

But the disqualifications were unfair, according to Kaisha Thompson, a disqualified candidate for the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), in part because candidates were given no “structure on how [the electoral office] wanted receipts.”

However, despite her shock, she said, “I also suspected it. I know going in that insane things happen and nobody even blinks.”

“I was told to expect this. It’s like fighting gravity; you can’t win against these people,” Thompson added.

Chris Gillen, who was running for re-election as a science councillor, said he thinks the disqualifications aren’t actually about bad budgeting.

“I think everyone’s going to plan on appealing this decision. I want to see how they handle this many appeals,” Gillen said.

In Thompson’s case she said after submitting her final expense report it was “within four minutes that they found something wrong with my budget, which I found suspicious.”

Like Gillen, Thompson said

— with files from Joel Eastwood

New master’s degrees at CU

by Colin Sutherland Two new interdisciplinary master’s programs will expand Carleton’s scope of study in international security and cognitive science.

The master’s of infrastructure protection and international security, managed by the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs and the department of civil and environmental engineering, will focus on responding to terrorism, natural disasters and technological security issues.

“We are going to be looking at the whole area of threats that could possibly happen anywhere around Canada,” said Abass Braimah, assistant professor of infrastructure protection and international security.

“We will address these problems by looking at them from an engineering standpoint as well as a policy perspective. The world is becoming a very small place, more and more we are interacting with others. We should not think that we are in a niche,” Braimah said.

The new master’s of cognitive science also takes an interdisciplinary approach.

“At Carleton, cognitive science is an interdisciplinary program

that uses psychology, linguistics, philosophy and computer science to look at how animals, machines and humans think,” said Dr. JoAnne LeFevre, director of the institute of cognitive science at Carleton.

“Philosophy and computer science come at problems in many

different ways. Cognitive science makes them appreciate these different views,” LeFevre said.

“Someone who has come from an interdisciplinary program is a bit more sensitive to dealing with people who do not all have the same perspective as you do,” LeFevre said. q

The Education of Charlie Banks

For Durst more Fred

coverage . . .

Members of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity spent 36 hours outside the Minto Centre Feb. 23-24 to help out the Ottawa homeless. || photo by Ryan Lindsey

Helping the homeless

Graham Shonfield covered a Carleton frat’s frigid fundraising.

Divestment controversy

Hillary Lutes previews Israeli Apartheid Week at Carleton.

Return from Haiti

Stephanie Vizi follows up with students just back from Haiti.

charlatan.ca

Disqualified Candidate Kaisha Thompson had resubmitted her receipts Feb. 11 but they were still not acceptable. || provided

All seven FASS candidates were disqualified, leaving the faculty’s seven seats vacant. Council has 26 faculty representative seats, plus six executive seats.

Chelsea Sauvé, who had been running for a Faculty of Public Affairs seat, said several candidates were called into a meeting around 3 p.m. Feb. 11 where they were told there were some mistakes with their budgets and given until 10 p.m. to fix them.

Osman said the candidates called to the meeting “submitted receipts that were inaccurate,” and after the 10 p.m. deadline the 26 candidates who chose to re-submit their receipts “submitted receipts that were still inaccurate, therefore they were disqualified.”

Thompson said when she learned of the original problem with her photography receipt, she called her photographer to have a corrected receipt issued which she then submitted to the CEO before the deadline.

Thompson, who has appealed her disqualification, said she was, “totally blown away” when she heard of the disqualifications.

she believed budgeting was not the true motivation behind the disqualifications.

“My support was with ‘A Better Deal.’ Everyone who was disqualified was supporting ‘A Better Deal,’ ” she said. “In my opinion they’re trying to stack CUSA.” Osman firmly denied any ulterior motives to the disqualifications.

Disqualified candidate Rob Nettleton, the only student running for journalism councillor, said the decision “calls into question the legitimacy of the entire election.”

He said he feels there are too many unanswered questions.

“We followed the instructions and despite that, we were still disqualified,” Nettleton said.

Osman said that currently she “can’t give out any more information because [candidates] have 10 days to appeal.”

“I can’t give out anymore information until the whole process is completely finished and the electoral board has submitted their final ruling.” q

— with files from Joel Eastwood

4

charlatannews

Charlie Taylor for mayor

February 25 - March 3, 2010

St Pats gets animated

by Jane Gerster

by Melissa Li

Carleton journalism student Charlie Taylor, 32, will run in the mayoral election Oct. 25. The thirdyear student said problems with the current administration are a large factor in his decision to run.

Taylor said most city issues are currently not well handled.

“It seems to be that they’re really focused on the corporatefriendly approach.”

Taylor said he would like to solve the city’s problems and bring the wards together. He said he doesn’t believe younger residents would be interested in a 32-yearold running for councillor.

“I think to build a buzz among younger people you really want somebody who’s sort of going for the big guns.”

Born and raised in Ottawa, Taylor said he isn’t fazed by his lack of experience since “every new mayor will be learning their job from scratch.”

He said his lack of political experience makes him a worthy candidate since he is able to listen and is less jaded.

Taylor said a priority of his is being environmentally friendly.

“The federal government has really dropped the ball on

Students interested in checking out series ranging from 1970s tennis melodrama, Aim for the Ace, and 1980s giants robot action such as Armorded Trooper VOTOMS, to more recent productions, such as the supernatural mystery Umineko No Naku Koro Ni or the heart warming romantic comedy Kimi Ni Todoke can get their fill with Carleton’s anime club.

Anime@Carleton (A@C) will be hosting screenings for students in St. Patrick’s Building Feb. 27.

“The main goal in selecting shows is to choose things people haven’t likely seen yet, and to have some variety,” co-president McCann said.

Currently the club has roughly 80 members and with membership fees abolished this year, “there are no restrictions on who can and can’t come,” said club president Craig MacEachern.

“Our events are open to anyone, whether it’s students from Carleton or another school or the general public,” MacEachern said.

In its ninth year, A@C is devoted to the exposure of anime and welcomes anyone who loves of the animation or simply wants to come out and enjoy some quality

Charlie Taylor wants to squash the U-Pass. ||

environmental issues,” said Taylor who believes it’s up to the municipalities to lead by example.

Taylor said he will focus on community involvement with issues such as public transit.

“The issue is not new,” said Taylor, but he said he believes “fresh blood” could be the solution to the city’s problems.

In a move directly affecting Carleton students, Taylor said he intends to squash the U-Pass.

“Students who make the environmentally conscious decision to live within walking distance of school should not see their tuition go up 6 per cent to subsidize those who choose to live in Orleans or Kanata.”

photo by

Grant Oyston

Taylor said he is also concerned with social issues.

“We can do a lot more to make the city more fun,” he said.

Taylor’s campaign Facebook group said he will support City of Ottawa programs by taking a 50 per cent pay cut.

One of his primary concerns, he said, will be to make Ottawa a more “citizen-friendly” place and that he wants to get some new perspectives. Taylor said he hopes this will get young people out to vote and get involved in municipal politics.

“I want to make a greener, happier, healthier, wealthier city.” q

entertainment.

Anime is a style of animation that originated in Japan at the start of the 20th century. During the 1930s, Japanese artists were influenced by early Disney films. Anime typically features characters with large eyes, big hair, elongated limbs and exaggerated facial expressions. “[A@C] is a good place to meet people with similar interests and see shows I might not otherwise check out on my own,” McCann said.

Currently, A@C holds events devoted to the screening of anime programs, which run at various venues around campus. The showings are held on Saturdays and usually run for the most of the day.

“Anime had stories that appealed to me more because they were generally more interesting than what the North American market was putting out,” MacEachern said. “It can fill any genre and can really be anything from a light fluffy show to a heavy series that has multiple story lines.”

Not only is anime geared towards children, but it produces programs that appeal to a wider and older audience as well. q

As a student, you’re thinking: “One day, I’ll get my hands on some real money.” How’s March 17, 2010?

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CHOOSE YOUR LEVEL OF CHALLENGE Eligible and registered students choose between two levels of difficulty; both levels offer cash and scholarship prizes (see ‘A Rewarding Experience’ for details). Choose your level carefully – this decision could earn or cost you cash, that is, a realistic chance at being in the winners’ circle.

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charlatannews

February 25 - March 3, 2010

5

OC Transpo to get smart in 2012

by Matt Blenkarn The City of Ottawa transit committee is developing a new smart card system OC Transpo riders will use to pay their fare, and it could be available as early as 2012.

Marianne Wilkinson, the vice-chair of the committee and councillor for Kanata North, said while the card would only be able to pay for transit fare initially, it could potentially expand to other city services.

“Eventually, we hope to have it take over for a lot of other things,” she said. “You could do your registration for recreation programs with the city with it; you could pay for your parking at the new smart meters with it.”

Wilkinson said the pass would reduce costs since people would be able to fill their cards up online, leading to fewer line-ups and less need for places across the city to sell bus passes.

Implementing these smart cards will cost the city approximately $7 million after receiving a grant for the same amount from the Ontario government.

According to Wilkinson, provincial involvement will allow people to use their smart cards in several other Ontario cities.

“The smart card we’re doing is one being done with a lot of different transit systems in Ontario,” she said. “The province put it together and there are seven or eight of us altogether, so you’d be able to use this smart card in different centres if you have money for it.”

The smart cards would also speed up people getting on and off the bus, and would reduce fraud

potentially help satisfy students unhappy with the introduction of the U-Pass.

“It would be a huge benefit,” he said. “When students go home for the holidays . . . to a different city, they’ll be able to use the transit system there.”

Wili Martin, a first-year computer systems engineering student at Carleton, said he

You could do your registration for recreation programs with the city with it; you could pay for your parking at the new smart meters with it.

— Marianne Wilkinson, vice-chair City of Ottawa transit committee resulting from stolen or misused passes. But a possible problem with this, Wilkinson added, is the smart card might only detect fraud for a short time after its last use.

“It would pick up certain types of fraud, but if you used it in the morning and somebody else uses it at night, I’m not sure that it would pick that up,” she said.

The pass would have significant advantages for students, said CUSA vice-president (internal affairs) Cameron McKenzie. The smart card’s flexibility could

”

is concerned with the kind of replacement policy OC Transpo will offer if a person loses their pass, and what will occur if cards and card readers may malfunction.

Despite these issues, he said he supports the direction taken.

“I think it’s about time. I mean, many other cities have smart card systems in place and I feel Ottawa is sorely lacking in that they don’t have one yet,” Martin said. “I really think that automation is something that transit could benefit from greatly.” q

NEWS BRIEFS

Fare hike in March, U-Pass in the fall

‘Welcome to Carleton’ in plenty of languages

Carleton undergraduates will have to wait until September for a student bus pass, even as the cost of transit tickets increases next week.

Carleton undergraduates voted in favour of a $145 mandatory student bus pass (U-Pass) in a referendum on campus Feb. 10-11.

Of 5,068 ballots cast, 72.4 per cent were in favour of the U-Pass, and 26 per cent were against it.

The remaining 1.6 per cent were spoiled or rejected.

A similar referendum held at the University of Ottawa passed with the support of 64.3 per cent of voters. With students at both schools in favour, the U-Pass has cleared the final hurdle and will begin as a pilot project for students of both schools in September.

OC Transpo fares will increase 7.5 per cent March 1, bringing the cost of student monthly passes to $73.25. Individual bus tickets will cost 10 cents more, and the O-Train fare will rise to $2.75.

The hike comes after another 7.5 per cent hike this past July.

More than 140 students have registered with Carleton’s new Language Exchange Program created by the International Student Services Office.

The program is an opportunity for Carleton students to connect and share their languages.

“Spanish, Chinese, Japanese and Russian are very popular languages exchanged,” said Maria Garcia, co-ordinator of intercultural programs.

Students seeking a more indepth and personal method of supplementing their knowledge of other languages will have a new way to dive into the material.

This program gives students the opportunity to pair up and co-ordinate a mutual learning experience, Garcia said.

Applicants are placed in a database where they are matched with other applicants based on their needs and criteria, according to Garcia.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for students of different backgrounds to interact in a cultural exchange,” Garcia said.

— Melissa Novacaska and Joel Eastwood

— David Chan

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National

6 February 25 - March 3, 2010 National Editor: Veronica Tang• national@charlatan.ca

Students’ English needs improvement: Waterloo

McGill abandons take-out

by Kitty So

A YouTube video shows McGill student Amanda Garbutt teaching fellow students how to cook.

by Jane Gerster

Y O U

W CO IN UL N D BE ER A !!!

McGill University students Amanda Garbutt and April Engelberg, both 21, started their own cooking show, The Hot Plate, which aired regularly on TVMcGill and online.

Engelberg, a fourth-year English major, credits good friend Garbutt with getting her interested in cooking. She said she wanted to start a cooking show and she wanted the fourth-year sociology major to be the “star.”

The show is designed to be accessible to busy students. Cooking equipment is limited to the basics: cutting boards, knives, pots, bowls and pans. Each episode is also kept at five minutes.

“I don’t think students are willing to watch much longer,” Engelberg said.

Engelberg, initially an arts producer for TVMcGill, invited the other executives to Garbutt’s apartment for a meeting. Garbutt made a six-course meal that amazed everyone, Engelberg said.

Garbutt “and I teamed up as co-producers and went with it.”

Then it was just a “matter of giving the kitchen a good wipe-down before shooting,” Garbutt said.

The result was The Hot Plate. The show is currently in its second season and episodes can be viewed online at www.thehotplate. net and www.tvmcgill.com.

They said the response from McGill students has been very positive.

“People literally call [Garbutt], text her, with the most obscure cooking questions.

And I do it to her all the time. I’m the worst,” Engelberg said.

Engelberg said she knows there are problems with students’ diets, but that wasn’t a factor in starting up the show.

“I wasn’t thinking, ‘Oh, I’m going to save McGill and make them healthy,’ or anything.”

Garbutt said she thinks the main issue with student diets today is time management.

“Students either don’t realize that they have the time to spend 30 minutes in the kitchen or they don’t want to commit the time to learning about what’s more budget friendly.”

Engelberg and Garbutt are set to graduate this year, but would still like to keep the show going. Currently they are pitching the show to a variety of different networks, including Much Music, MTV and the Food Network, Garbutt said. q

Despite the increasing failure rate of the University of Waterloo’s mandatory English entrance exam, U of W’s English Language Proficiency Program (ELPP) said all universities should have the exams.

Thirty per cent of first-year students do not pass the ELP Exam, up from 25 per cent five years ago, according to program managing director Ann Barrett. Even so, Barrett said all universities should implement the exam, currently unique to U of W, to ensure students have the necessary writing skills for academic success.

Director Rummana Khan Hemani of Simon Fraser University’s academic advising sees the same decline in English proficiency at SFU, with one in 10 new students not qualified to take the mandatory writing courses needed for graduation, according to CNews.

“There has been this general sense in the last two or three years that we are finding more students are struggling in terms of language proficiency,” Hemani told CNews.

According to The Journal, ELPP costs U of W $15 per student, not including tutoring costs.

“It’s up to the university to decide if they can administer the exam and also what to do with the students who fail,” Barrett said.

The exam is a choice of one of three essay questions and students must organize their

answer into four to five paragraphs, Barrett said.

All students must score at least the passing grade, set by their faculty, by a certain date in order to study at U of W. For students who fail, ELPP offers free tutorials at their Writing Centre prior to rewriting.

Barrett said there has been no research yet to explain why so many students fail “such a simple exam.” However, lack of preparation may be a factor.

“In talking to students, we have some clues. Sometimes it’s nerves. Sometimes it’s not understanding what the exam was about, not taking the exam seriously.”

She said she does not think electronic forums such as Facebook, Twitter, e-mailing or texting — all notorious for improper grammar use — affect the failure rate.

“What we do know for certain is that students know where to separate the language they use in social settings [from] academic settings.”

Barrett said more education about the exam can improve the success rate. She said ELPP tries to make its website as comprehensive as possible, uploading the marking scheme and actual exam questions for students to practice.

ELPP is also considering increasing the writing time from 50 to 60 minutes.

Barrett said she can only encourage students to use the Writing Centre. It is ultimately the students’ responsibility to seek help. q

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charlatannational

February 25 - March 3, 2010

First Nations University of Canada may close

by Melissa Novacaska Canada’s only First Nations post-secondary school may soon close due to financial scandals and a mishandled school board, the federal government said.

Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Chuck Strahl announced Feb. 8 that the three campuses of First Nations University of Canada (FNUC) may be in their last school year of operation. The federal and provincial governments rejected about $12 million of the school’s proposed funding after the school neglected to follow a mainstream school system for five years.

Jennifer Millsap, a fourth-year social work student, told CBC reporters the University of Regina is a nearby alternative for her, but it would not offer the same quality and programs that meet her standards.

Gerald Gosselin, who attended FNUC from 1995-99, said he was disappointed to hear the news since FNUC was the place where he earned his degree and felt connected.

The Globe and Mail reported the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) was forming a new board of directors after allegations arose of board members receiving

Get a start

money for unused leave and vacation luxuries.

Though these allegations were later disproven, according to the Globe, the school was asked repeatedly to reform. Not all members said this was fair.

On Feb. 15, Strahl and Minister of Advanced Education Rob Norris said FNUC could stay open if U of R assumed responsibility for funding and management.

The Globe reported federal and provincial governments would also have to hold voting power on the school’s board of directors.

Norris said the government would write a cheque directly to U of R, not to FNUC. “I understand that these are difficult times for students and faculty. My primary interest is to ensure that students are able to complete their academic year,” Strahl told the Canadian Press.

FSIN Chief Guy Lonechild said he was satisfied by the decisions made thus far.

“I’m a firm believer that no one’s ever really in control. . . . Our creator’s in control,” Lonechild told CBC. More announcements regarding the school’s future are due March 1.

Funding will stop by April 1. q

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7

U of A breaks dodge ball record

by Daniela Fisher More than 1,200 students, staff and faculty dipped, dodged and ducked at the University of Alberta Feb. 5 to break a Guinness World Record and make dodge ball history.

The event broke the record for the largest number of players in a dodge ball game.

The record was previously held

by San Diego State University with 420 players in a game.

Resembling a scene from Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, participants gathered in the university’s Butterdome Universiade Pavilion to hurl red foam balls at their opponents.

The players were divided into gold and green, the university’s colours, with matching T-shirts and headbands.

“I was really excited going into it.

I knew we were either going to fail

U of A hosted the biggest dodge ball game in the world. || photo courtesy of Pete Yee

at the record attempt completely, or we were completely going to blow it out of the water,” said Brennan Murphy, external administrator of the Lister Dodge Ball League.

Murphy helped organize the

event, which took approximately 100 volunteers and two months of planning.

For a full report on the dodge ball action, see

www.charlatan.ca

UVic fined $10,000 for false fire alarms

by Kathleen Clark A Victoria fire department has levied nearly $10,000 in fines against the University of Victoria for a yearlong spree of false alarms coming from the campus residences.

The fines are meant to be a warning to future pranksters, but the fire chief said penalties need to be harsher.

“It’s not much of a deterrent,” said Saanich Fire Chief Dave Ward.

The city issues a warning after

the third false alarm. Fines are imposed after a fourth false alarm.

The fire chief estimates that 80 per cent of the city’s total false alarms last year came from UVic residences.

The penalties to students caught causing the false alarms range from a $200 fine to eviction from residence, UVic’s director of student services Joel Lynn told Canwest.

“The fines come directly out of the money we use to renew facilities,” Lynn said.

At $200 for each false alarm, students would have needed to cause at least 50 false alarms to ring up $10,000 in fines one year.

Each trip the firefighters make to the university takes at least eight minutes with a 20-minute sweep of the building, according to Ward.

He said a false alarm coming from UVic ends up costing the Saanich Fire Department an average of 30 minutes every time.

Altogether, that is over 24 hours of wasted time. q

Features

8 February 25 - March 3, 2010 Features Editor: Rosella Chibambo • features@charlatan.ca

February 25 - March 3, 2010

9

Who’s Still Using the ‘F’ Word?

Who is the modern feminist? And are changes to university women’s studies programs making feminists an endangered species?

men – and recognizes this is the construction of gender that causes many of the issues women face today.” orty years ago the historical study of women became But in Tremonti’s radio report it was noted that an academic discipline. But today international women’s studies programs thrived because they changes to women’s studies programs are seeing connected a community of women, adding that gender gender and sexuality studies merge with the traditional studies complicates this connection.

study of women’s issues, Carleton included.

Gurli Woods, associate professor in WGST and CBC Radio One host Anna Maria Tremonti went on comparative literary studies, says she thinks this is a air Jan. 12 with reporters Catherine Porter (Toronto Star) non-issue. and Barbara Kay (National Post) to discuss this change “I personally think that masculinity studies are a part of – a debate that sparked controversy surrounding the gender studies,” she says. “But I wouldn’t want women’s relevance of women’s studies and activism associated studies programs to lose their primary focus on women’s with university programs. issues and lives.”

Professor Victoria Bromley, undergraduate supervisor In the radio report, Kay put forth the notion that at Carleton’s Institute of Women’s and Gender Studies, women’s studies, and now gender studies, are often would not comment on the Radio One piece, but focused around activism and recruitment to a feminist forwarded a note expressing the popularity of the ideology. new women’s and gender studies (WGST) program at Couchman and Sam Whittle, a fourth-year English Carleton. major and sexuality minor, say they disagree.

“Women’s and gender studies is a flourishing WGST and sexuality studies at Carleton are not academic discipline at Carleton,” she writes. “Our supposed to promote a certain ideology, Whittle says. students are very engaged with both the academic “You’re not forced to adhere to a certain set of discipline and the community building that informs values,” she says. “The programs are just asking that Carleton students (left to right) Madison Paquin, Brandon Wint and Yamikani Msosa all say they are feminists. critical feminist thinking.” you open your mind and think critically about what we The Institute of Women’s Studies at Carleton has take for granted and what we take for common sense existed for more than 20 years, Bromley adds, and has knowledge.” compiled by Juanita Bawagan more than 1,000 students currently enrolled in various Couchman agrees, underlining the importance WGST courses as well as 80 majors and another 80 of recognizing Kay’s position within current “No. I took women’s studies first semester minors. academia.

“Yes, because I believe women should be and couldn’t stand it. . . . I couldn’t find any “Last year we integrated ‘gender’ into our name to He argues students in social science and connection at all. I grew up with brothers and a able to have the choice to wear whatever better reflect the work we do. This does not mean that anthropological fields, for example, recognize the lot of boys in my life. I’ve never experienced the they want, do whatever they want and enter feminism has disappeared. Feminism is thriving here at inadequacy of objective methods of study. any field they want. A girl can be a pro inequalities. I can do anything boys can do.”

Carleton and across the community. There are feminists “All knowledge should be seen as subjective wrestler if she wants. If she thinks she can — Shauna Daly, both within and outside the academy working for social [because] even in science there are no absolute do it, she can do it.” second-year psychology student change and social justice – every single day.” truths. It is about finding hypotheses that have not — Kae Nhan, “I do consider myself feminist. I think that there Ron Couchman, a third-year Carleton WGST major, yet been disproven,” Couchman says. third-year business student says he agrees this change does not mean the end of the Jessica Prominski, a second-year human rights and are a lot of inequalities that exist between men and women’s movement. law major with a sexuality studies minor, says activism women that are either very subtle or have been normalized. . . . Women have won the right to vote “The goal of the movement is the same: to ensure is only one aspect of women’s studies.

“I don’t know if I consider myself but we [have] to see representation in our political women are no longer oppressed based on sex,” he says.

“I do agree that women’s and gender studies a feminist by certain definitions. I institutions.”

“The movement is not over. It is changing and adapting programs are about activism and teaching students believe in feminism along the lines of to the times.” about the theories and ideologies out there . . . but it is gender equality.”

— Rabita Sharfuddin, Couchman says the addition of gender to the program my opinion that it is also the responsibility of the students — Sophall Duch, first-year public affairs and means the field recognizes the need to include a “dialogue to question the knowledge they are being taught,” she third-year journalism student policy management student that engages [with] those who commit oppression – often says. q || photos by yusra uzair by

charlatanfeatures

Andrea Wrobel

F

Are you a feminist?

■ ■ ■ ■

■

A male perspective

He used to have no problem listening to rap songs like “Dead Wrong” by Notorious BIG, depicting violence against women. He used to be comfortable calling girls “hot” instead of beautiful. But now, he’s a fixture at Carleton’s Womyn’s Centre. This is fourth-year Carleton student Brandon Wint’s take on the “male feminist.”

I

||

have heard many times that everything is political.

Everything from what toothpaste you choose to use in the morning, to what conversations you have with friends late at night, can be decidedly political. If this is the case — and I’m inclined to believe it is — trying to understand precisely where my ideologies fit within a political context has been the source of much confusion, doubt and even guilt.

Within the sea of labels that exist in political discourse, few terms have been as easy for me to swallow as the term “feminist.”Even with that said, I am still reticent to call myself a feminist without some qualification.

Feminism — both as a way of thinking and as a tangible social movement — has roots (within the Eurocentric photo by Lasia Kretzel context) that date at least as far back as the publication of Mary Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication Vocabulary of a gender studies major: of the Rights of Woman in 1792.

Feminism has also experienced Misogyny: the hatred of women.

Patriarchy: 1 a system of society, government, at least three waves of social and ideological transformation. And it etc., ruled by a man and with descent has been criticized in more recent through the male line. 2 the attitudes, years for its historical unwillingness structures, etc of a society seen as ensuring to reconsider its self-image in light of male dominance. the meaningful intersections between Homophobia: a hatred or fear of womanhood and race, class and homosexuals or homosexuality. sexual orientation.

Heteronormativity (was not in the This history is a large part of the reason a term like feminist cannot be dictionary, but as always, Urban taken lightly and why, although my Dictionary has it!): A pervasive and relationship with the term “feminist” institutionalized ideological system that is less ambiguous than most other nutralizes heterosexuality as universal; ideological labels, I am still not a it must continually reproduce itself to feminist in earnest. maintain hegemony over other nonMy ability to sympathize with normative sexualities and ways of identity feminist ideals is related to a construction. personal journey that has allowed — source: Oxford Canadian Dictionary me to better understand my former

relationship to ideologies that have perpetuated misogyny and patriarchy.

Before being immersed in the culture of the Womyn’s Centre at Carleton, I had been unable to meaningfully identify the proximity of my ideologies to such damaging ideas as homophobia, heteronormativity and misogyny.

It is only after coming in contact with people who could understand and articulate the ways in which conceptions of manhood and womanhood stifle true human expression and fulfillment that I could understand how not to oppress others through my actions and thoughts.

I cannot claim to have totally relinquished all misogynistic, homophobic and damagingly patriarchal world views. But I can say my horizons have been broadened to a degree that allows me to identify the presence of these ideologies within my way of relating to the world.

In light of all this, I cannot call myself a feminist, because my understanding of the struggle that women are made to endure is not deep enough to warrant its use where I am concerned. I am not a feminist; I am simply someone who has committed himself to understanding the ways in which misogyny is reproduced in our social existence, and trying as best as possible not to see the world through a hyper-masculine lens. Trying our best to relinquish the lenses of masculinity, femininity, misogyny and patriarchy is a large part of what allows the true human essence to emerge.

Though it is often difficult for me to find words to hold on to whenever a political discussion arises, I can hold on to a claim to humanity.

So politically speaking, my only perspective is the one that allows me to stand in solidarity with all of those who understand the beauty, strength and ultimate importance of their humanity above and beyond all political subscriptions. q

10

charlatanop/ed

The numbers don’t add up In early 2007 I was hired as the deputy electoral officer for that year’s Rideau River Residence Association election. I was a Conservative, but it was a time — now long past — when being an active partisan meant you had relevant election experience, not some perceived conflict of interest with student politics. In fact, I was hired because I was familiar with electoral rules and constitutions, and had scrutineered elections in the past. This is the type of experience you only get in politics, and the only experience relevant to the job of an electoral officer.

If there is one basic rule of elections, it’s that the numbers must add up. In the case of this year’s Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) election, unfortunately they do not. For one, there are missing ballots. In one case, as many as 225.

A spoiled ballot is one that is ripped, torn or otherwise marked in a way that it could be individually identified. As such, spoiled ballots are not cast; rather, they are collected and kept separate from the ballot box. That means we shouldn’t count them when counting the votes in the election, they should be counted on top of the votes cast — and are inconsequential to our purposes.

Rejected ballots are another matter entirely. These are ballots without valid votes — meaning the person marked too many candidates, marked the ballot incorrectly, or didn’t mark anyone at all. Let me repeat that: blank ballots should be counted as “rejected.” Therefore, every ballot placed in the box should be counted. The poll clerks

gave every voter six ballots for the executive vote and each voter should have given them six ballots back.

The voters should not have been allowed to keep their ballots — them doing so would mark a serious flaw in the process. As a result, the race for every executive position should have had the same number of votes cast. However, when we add up the two (or three) candidate’s totals, plus the rejected ballots, we get a different number of votes cast for each position.

These totals range from as many as 4,974 vice-president (student issues) to as few as 4,749 vice-president (student services) — a difference of 225 votes. What is the official number of students that CUSA believes voted? And where did those missing votes go?

If the number of students that voted is indeed 4,974 (the highest number of votes cast in any race), then CUSA needs to account for the difference in every race — a missing 685 votes.

If Sagal Osman wasn’t aware of any of these things, then she never should have been hired for her position. If that’s the case, CUSA needs to rethink the criteria by which it hires its electoral officers. Regardless, a review needs to be conducted on what happened in this election — specifically, where those votes disappeared to.

— Grant Dingwall, third-year public affairs and policy management student

February 25 - March 3, 2010

Overheard at Carleton Poll Clerk 1: Who is Nick Bergamini?

Poll Clerk 2: I think he’s the nice one.

OOO Guy 1: Oh, she’s gonna give him a blow job in the van.

Guy 2: Do you think she spat or swallowed?

Girl: Well, where would she spit in a van?

Guy 2: I dunno? A Tim Hortons cup . . . it is Canada.

The Education of Charlie Banks

For more Fred Durstthoughts and opinion . . .

CHARLABLOG:

CU in . . . Vancouver Wish you had been at the Olympics during your Reading Week?

Go online for the inside scoop from Farhan Devji and Chris Tse.

CharlaBuzz Mitch Vandenborn gives media commentators a piece of his mind for manufacturing outrage over the Tiger Woods scandal.

Higher Learning

OOO Guy: I heard in military prison you have to go on that bread and water diet.

Girl: Ooh, but I love bread!

Why does Jesus question God if he is God? Sara Douha wants to know.

E-mail more convos to: oped@charlatan.ca

charlatan.ca

Charlatan Publications Inc. will be hiring an editor-in-chief for the 2010-11 publishing year. For a list of duties and responsibilities, see a contract available at the Charlatan office at 531 Unicentre.

If you are interested in applying for editor-in-chief you must submit a resumé, a cover letter announcing your intention to run, and a list of proposals to Alexandra Stang, the Chief Electoral Office (CEO), as part of the application package by March 1 at 12 p.m.

Charlatan Publications Inc. will be hiring section editors for the 2010-11 publishing year.

The positions available are news editors (2), national editor (1), features editor (1), opinion/ editorial editor (1), perspectives editor (1), arts editor (1), sports editor (1), photo editor (1), graphics editor (1). Charlatan staff will also be electing staff representatives (2) to the board of directors at this time.

A full description of each section editor’s duties and responsibilities, and those of the staff representatives, can be found in Charlatan Publications Inc.’s contracts, available in the Charlatan office.

If you are interested in applying for any position you must submit a cover letter announcing your intention to run to Alexandra Stang, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).

Examples of past position papers for all positions are posted in the Charlatan office (531 Unicentre). The letter must include your full name, mailing address, telephone number(s), e-mail address(es) and valid Carleton student ID number. You must also include a signed contract for employment at the Charlatan dated May 1, 2010, for e-in-c and for section editor applicants. Blank contracts will be available in the Charlatan office or from the CEO during the nomination period: February 11 - March 1 for e-in-c, and February 25 - March 8 for section editors.

Completed applications must be submitted by March 1 at 12 p.m. local time for e-in-c and March 8 at 12 p.m.for section editors. No late applications will be accepted. Applications can be dropped off at the Charlatan office during regular business hours.

Qualified e-in-c candidates will give a speech to the electors and answer questions March 5 at 4 p.m. Qualified section editor candidates will give a speech to the electors and answer questions and March 14 at 4 p.m. or March 15 at 11 a.m. Voting will occur March 9-11 (e-in-c) and March 16-18 (section editors) in the Ombuds Office (511 Unicentre). Results for the e-in-c election will be announced March 11 at 5 p.m. and results for the section editors will be announced March 18 at 5 p.m.

Qualified voters for each position must have at least four credits (contributions to the newspaper), including one in the current term by the time of speeches, or be a member of the 2009-10 editorial staff. A credit is given for every story written, picture taken, graphic drawn or page copy edited. For the positions of news editors, national editor, features editor, arts editor, sports editor and photo editor, volunteers must have a credit in those particular sections in order to be able to vote for them. Please note, all of the eligible voters listed below are able to vote for editor-in-chief, opinion/editorial, perspectives, graphics and staff representatives to the board of directors, as well as sections listed next to their names. Please come to 531 Unicentre to see the official Charlatan Electoral Code.

A list of eligible voters follows below:

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Opinions/Editorial

11 February 25 - March 3, 2010 Op/Ed Editor: Marlee Wasser • oped@charlatan.ca

Nothing half full about it On the morning after the final ballots were cast, 29 hopeful Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) councillor candidates awoke to find they had been disqualified for breaking rules they likely had no idea existed.

The CUSA electoral office decided the day before, after the candidates had handed in their campaign budgets, that the receipts they had included were invalid and then barred them from filling the seats they might have won.

Disqualifying these candidates for breaking ambiguous rules that were not explained to them is entirely unwarranted.

Rejecting their appeals would set a dangerous precedent for the undergraduate student government system.

The electoral office failed to ensure at the outset of the election process that all candidates understood what specific information budgetary receipts would need to include. The electoral code simply states: “all election expenses shall be accounted for in actual Canadian dollars including tax.”

CUSA’s electoral officer, Sagal Osman, chose to interpret this to mean that receipts needed to differentiate taxes from subtotals and that e-mailed receipts would not be accepted. Yet this was only explained to candidates after they handed in their expense reports. Candidates were given a few hours to satisfy the electoral office’s demands and then were disqualified without notice and without the chance to justify their budgets. Some of these disqualified candidates were left with the impression that they were victims of the electoral system’s inherent bias, as almost all those disqualified endorsed the same slate.

While holding byelections to fill empty seats following elections would be the most democratic course of action, CUSA’s policy is to appoint students to vacant spots. So the partially-elected council will soon pick students to fill the seats now left empty due to disqualifications.

The will of students who voted is being ignored — a huge blow to democratic engagement on campus. CUSA is discouraging students from participating in their own government and raising doubt that their votes matter. q

What’s in a name?

With recent changes to the names of women’s studies programs across Canada, students are getting a better understanding of gender.

Some universities, such as Queen’s University, went so far as to completely take “women” out of the program’s title and re-brand it as “gender studies.” Nipissing University made a similar move, renaming its program gender equality and social justice. Carleton simply added “gender studies” to the end of its Pauline Jewett Institute of Women’s Studies.

Although it’s just a change in the name, it symbolizes a drastic, positive step in the academic study of women.

Broadening the discipline reflects society’s growing acceptance of all genders and sexual orientations.

By joining women’s studies with gender studies, the discipline gives students a chance to contemplate diverse perspectives when studying gender issues. It also lends these programs more academic credibility because students are able to critically examine gender’s role in society from different points of view rather than from a single angle.

The renaming of these programs might also attract a wider variety of students, of both sexes and all gender identities.

While feminism might still warrant a place on campus, with women still fighting for equality in certain spheres, there should at least be inclusiveness in gender-related program titles. q

charlatan poll the

Have you ever pulled the fire alarm?

Vote online at www.charlatan.ca Last issue: Do you care about the CUSA elections?

the

charlatan

Yes: 45 per cent

No: 48 per cent

Feb. 25-March 3, 2010 Volume 39, Issue 24 Room 531 Unicentre 1125 Colonel By Drive Carleton University Ottawa, ON — K1S 5B6 General: 613-520-6680 Advertising: 613-520-3580

www.charlatan.ca charlatan@charlatan.ca

Circulation: 10,000

Maybe: 8 per cent

Editor-in-Chief

Julia Johnson editor@charlatan.ca

Production Assistant

The evolution of communication could be affecting our English abilities — p. 7

No heroes or villains in Palestine alone and is therefore inconsistent with a vision of a future peace.

The promotion of an imbalanced perspective, which Chelsea Sauvé is a third-year political science asserts a disproportionate amount of blame on Israeli action, student who says framing conflicts as battles will not surmount to a peaceful solution as such a solution to of good versus evil hinders peace. Sauvé is the Middle East conflict will only be born from diplomacy. president of Hillel Carleton, however this Radical agendas merely serve to further agitate an already piece is reflective of her personal views. explosive situation as polarization is furthered via the hardening of opinions caused by punitive action.

A willingness to criticize both actors is an essential Boycott. Divestment. Sanctions. These three terms are at step in the reconciliation process. Instead of committing the heart of the current campaign led by Students Against to divestments, we should invest in a vision of peace via Israeli Apartheid (SAIA) Carleton. BDS is a campaign that support for co-existence and peace building initiatives, seeks to impose broad boycotts of Israeli products and which remain central to creating a diplomatic peace. The BDS initiate divestment against Israel, until Israel meets the campaign does not seek to attain peace in the region with a demands of the movement. vision of a two-state solution; instead it evidently seeks the As a believer in a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian ultimate destruction of the state of Israel and is therefore conflict, two states for two peoples, I strongly disagree with the not a formula for peace. Much like in the playground, fundamental values associated blaming one party alone for a with the BDS campaign. Prior misdemeanour will not get to the As a believer in a two-state to delving into the factors that root of the original problem, which solution to the Israeli-Palestinian influence my opinion on the in reality was most likely caused by conflict . . . I strongly disagree with both parties. BDS deems Israel the subject, I would like to state the fundamental values associated sole bearer of responsibility for the clearly that the position I have taken is not compelled by a perpetuation of instability within with the BDS campaign. desire to protect Israel from the conflict, distorting the realities criticism. Instead my objection of the complex conflict at hand and to the BDS movement is driven evoking further division. by my belief in the art of dialogue both in the Middle East and The extreme dichotomy of victim versus villain on campus, an element which is not tangible in advocating BDS. established by the BDS campaign hinders progress within SAIA is calling on the Carleton University Board of the region and on campus, as one party is vilified while the Governors and Pension Fund Committee to develop a other is victimized. The constant tug of war for claim to socially responsible investment (SRI) policy which would victimization of the other will not bring peace to the region; divest from the following companies: Motorola, BAE instead, the status quo will persist and a two-state solution Systems, Northrop Grumman, L-3 Communications and will never come to fruition.

Tesco. SAIA has suggested that these companies support As opposed to promoting co-existence, the BDS campaign Israel through investments in the production of weaponry reinforces the perceived “mutual exclusivity” associated used in warfare and therefore violate human rights and with being pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian. This perception is possibly break international law. deeply flawed and unreflective of the true reality.

The BDS campaign ignorantly attempts to reduce the I believe that the current BDS campaign led by SAIA intricacies of the conflict to a simplistic notion of bad guy Carleton remains incongruent with a desire for peace, and versus good guy, as it explicitly disregards the suffering will merely serve to further exacerbate growing tensions and and loss encountered by both Israelis and Palestinians. The dislike for the superficial “other” as the formulation of peace establishment of this over simplistic dichotomy vilifies Israel grows distant. q

by Chelsea Sauvé

Features Editor

Photo Editor

Op/Ed Editor

Graphics Editor

Rosella Chibambo Marlee Wasser

Heather Wallace

Perspectives Editor

Joel Eastwood and Andrew Nguyen

Arts Editor

Veronica Tang

Erin Walkinshaw

News Editors

National Editor

Wyatt Danowski

Larissa Robyn Johnston

Sports Editor

Lasia Kretzel

Talbert Johnson

Web Co-ordinator William Hearn

Photo Assistant Adam Dietrich

Copy Editor

Contributors:

Jordan Adler, Juanita Bawagan, Matt Blenkarn, David Chan, Kathleen Clark, Farhan Devji, Sara Douha, Sabrina Jade Doyle, Chelsea Fahey, Daniela Fisher, Jane Gerster, Chris Hannay, Chris Herhalt, Jamie Harkins, Colin Harris, Iris Hug, Melissa Li, Ryan Lindsey, Daniel Link, Hillary Lutes, Greg Mason, Ashley Metzger, Melissa Novacaska, Grant Oyston, Stacey Poapst, Rebecca Ryall, Chelsea Sauvé, Graham Shonfield, Kitty So, Colin Sutherland, Yusra Uzair, Mitch Vandenborn, Stephanie Vizi, Andrew Warham, Danielle Whittmore, Brandon Wint, Andrea Wrobel, Rizwaan Zahid

Ruby Pratka

The Charlatan’s photos are produced exclusively by the photo editor, the photo assistant and volunteer members, unless otherwise noted as a provided photograph. The Charlatan is Carleton University’s independent student newspaper. It is an editorially and financially autonomous journal published weekly during the fall and winter semesters, and monthly during the summer. Charlatan Publications Incorporated, Ottawa, Ontario, is a non-profit corporation registered under the Canada Corporations Act and is the publisher of the Charlatan. Editorial content is the sole responsibility of editorial staff members, but may not reflect the beliefs of all members. The Charlatan reserves the right to edit letters for length and grammar. The Charlatan’s official push is for the podium. GO CANADA GO! Contents are copyright 2010. No article or photograph or other content may be duplicated or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the editor-in-chief. All rights reserved. ISSN 0315-1859. National advertising for the Charlatan is handled through the Campus Network, 145 Berkeley Street, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario, M5A 2X1: (416) 922-9392.

Perspectives

12 February 25 - March 3, 2010 Perspectives Editor: Wyatt Danowski • perspectives@charlatan.ca

A Future Presentation of a capella

by Daniel Link Barbershop quartets have a dapper quality similar to those old-style change belts and salt-water taffy: they’re so quaint, nichey and such a throwback to yesteryear you forget they’re still around. And not just around, mind you, but thriving in a manner both quiet and old-timey charming.

Seth Bocknek, Ryan Lindsey and Chris MacMartin are three quarters of Future Presentation, part of the Ottawa-based Capital City Chorus. While not usually decked out in the bowties, striped vests and boaters of their forbears, this quartet is one of many keeping the tradition alive.

“For the singer, barbershop is a very rewarding style of music,” MacMartin says. “You can take four average voices and when they sing in tune, the sound is expanded far beyond what any singer can do on their own.”

MacMartin, a recent graduate of Carleton’s music program, describes the ideal barbershop sound as one of “blend and unity,” emphasizing oneness rather than separate, soloing voices.

Also Lindsey mentions that, for some, there is also an element of attracting the opposite sex. Today there are not only female barbershoppers, but they outnumber men.

Barbershop quartets consist of four voices: a “lead” singing the melody, a tenor to harmonize with higher notes, a bass voice below and a baritone rounding it out somewhere in between.

Unlike other styles of vocal music, namely the soprano-altotenor-baritone form, the four voices are in relatively close range of each other, usually within an octave (eight notes) or a little wider.

Harmony is the key element of the unmistakable barbershop quartet sound. As MacMartin describes, when a chord “locks”— when all four voices are in proper intonation with each other — the separate voices lose their independence and give the impression of a single, multifaceted voice, or “unit sound.” This also produces a “ringing” effect, when overtones, or harmonics, are so reinforced they create notes above what any of the individual voices are singing. Very technical, but this demonstrates how a confluence of sonic resonance and physics can make transcendent music.

Lindsey says this near-magical application of harmonization adds to to barbershop music’s niche appeal.

“What makes it so distinctive is precisely what defines it and separates it from other a capella [music], and that is the chords that physically sound good,” he says. “There are mathematical reasons behind it, but the original way barbershop was created was just having a few guys try out harmonizing to a melody.

They found that the closer their voices sounded, the better the chords sounded, and the more the overtones were present.”

Though he has only been barbershopping — the casual

Future Presentation barbershoppers (left to right) Seth Bocknek, Michael Black, Ryan Lindsey and Chris MacMartin love harmonizing. ||

name of this particular game — for five years, Lindsey has competed in district and international contests and has won collegiate and district trophies for the former. Discussing the persistence of barbershop music well beyond its original epoch, he emphasizes the impressive notion of a quartet singing chords that “sound so universally good.”

The audience “just can’t believe the sound that can come out of four people like that — and especially without microphones,” Lindsey says.

Also Lindsey mentions, for some, there is also an element of attracting the opposite sex with music. Today there are not only female barbershoppers, but they outnumber men.

Like Lindsey, Bocknek hasn’t been long in the world of barbershop music, having only been singing for under two years. But during this time he has become familiar not only with genre itself but its roots and context.

Bocknek, a first-year University of Ottawa student, says he was introduced to the unique world of barbershop music after watching several videos dedicated to the subject on YouTube.

He says his addiction was immediate.

“Back in the day, barbershop was truly an ‘average Joe’ singer’s hobby, consisting of easy-to-sing arrangements that all sounded quite similar and priding itself on being something that anyone could do,” he says.

Now newer arrangements are not only more complex and challenging but also include contemporary classics, such as Disney tunes.

MacMartin says barbershop quartet music remains so appealing today because it can evoke feelings of either hokeyness or nostalgia in its listeners. That being said, an experienced quartet can bring an audience to tears, he says.

provided

“Essentially the same things that were appealing in the 30s [are] appealing now. Innovative, moving music that is actually not that hard to get a grasp of,” he says.

On a more personal level, MacMartin notes, “there is something about singing a chord so in tune and that blends so well with the other three voices that is highly rewarding. It’s the most joyous feeling, and sometimes it gets hard to keep singing and not break out into fits of laughter. It is, in my opinion, the perfect musical art form.”

“I think now, the appeal comes in the musical and performing talent that can be used to compete and entertain within barbershop,” Bocknek says, explaining respect for barbershoppers increases with barbershop’s exposure to the public, allowing a wider audience to appreciate its complexity and difficulty.

Bocknek also says there is a “huge amount of camaraderie” associated with the tradition.

“Anytime you have a ‘society’ uniting guys with a common interest, you can imagine the friendships [that] ensue. Every barbershop chorus-quartet becomes a sort of family.”

His particular quartet raises money for Harmonize 4 Speech, a charity dedicated to providing funds for treatment of various voice and speech disorders throughout Ontario.

“It’s a very easy art form to get into, and there’s a huge variety of options for one to explore,” Lindsey says. “Anyone can do it, and even sing as well as gold medal-winning champions can — maybe not for an entire song, but the feeling of ‘ringing’ a chord like crazy is physically amazing.”

And thus the art of the barbershop quartet continues on, sans boater hats, but still enthralling and with an undeniable charm.

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Arts

13 February 25 - March 3, 2010 Arts Editor: Larissa Robyn Johnston • arts@charlatan.ca

Words coming out of my lips

by Juanita Bawagan Many people are still instantly transported back to immature giggles and awkwardness from elementary school sex-ed every time they have to say the word “vagina.”

Carleton’s production of Eve Enslee’s play The Vagina Monologues will still induce fits of child-like laughter, but this time it will be from women’s stories on issues that definitely go past your typical sex 101 class.

The play is co-directed by April Nebril and Samantha Normandin who both perform in it.

The taboo of the word vagina does attract a lot of attention, but what deserves more attention is the dialogue the monologues spark, Normandin said.

“Most people want to know what it’s about,” she said. “We’re talking about vaginas very openly.”

In the monologue “Reclaiming Cunt,” a woman describes her love for “cunt” by dissecting it acrostically with words like clit, urge, next and tantalizing. In “Hair,” a woman describes the need for pubic hair and manages to get in a few impressions of a German marriage therapist.

The humour is anything but dry, unlike the “dry wad of fucking cotton” (a.k.a. tampon) one performer expressively and humorously rants about in addition to other female matters, such as douches that “torture” vaginas.

Normandin, who has a history degree from Carleton, said the monologues are more than funny.

“They teach people to not just be accepting of their bodies but to be appreciative of what they have — acceptance and pride in their differences and what happens when people are not tolerant,” she said.

The play confronts darker issues with “My Vagina Was My Village,” which is a Bosnian woman’s testimonial of her experience in a rape camp.

It is not meant to portray rape victims as

broken and victimized, but to demonstrate their ability and strength to move forward, said Sharrae Lyon, who performs the monologue with Nebril.

“There is the pain and the ability to continue living. There’s something beautiful in that,” said Lyon, a second-year human rights student.

The play is performed annually for VDay, founded by Ensler to raise awareness about violence against women. A new monologue is released annually by Ensler to highlight an important issue. This year the spotlight piece will be “Teenage Girls Guide to Surviving Sex Slavery.”

Across Ottawa many other organizations have joined the VDay movement. There will be performances of the monologues at the University of Ottawa and at the National Gallery of Canada (NGC).

Rima Zabian, who has been involved with VDay for seven years and is the producer of the NGC’s production this year, said while the play does have a shock value, it functions on multiple levels to touch all audiences with its humour and its darker stories.

“When someone goes to watch it, it’s not just the funny antics of the whole play that they get. It touches audiences and makes them want to be part of a big movement,” Nebril said.

Tickets, which benefit the Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre, are on sale in advance for $10 at the Womyn’s Centre and will be $12 at the door March 5 and 6 in the Minto Centre. q

— graphic by Talbert Johnson

Ottawa gets flashed

This pair of flash freezers turned the freeze into a fiesta. ||

by Andrew Nguyen “If I told you the location, it would ruin the surprise,” said Emily Hollander, a second-year psychology student at Carleton who organized a freeze flash mob Feb. 12.

A flash mob is a group of people who get together and perform a spontaneous action then quickly disperse as if nothing happened.

The term, coined by Bill Wasik in 2003, “was originally an assault on hip culture,” said Kevin Bracken, the creator of interactive public art group Newmindspace.

The idea for an Ottawa flash mob, which began two months ago between Hollander and a small group of her friends, quickly drew attention on Facebook. The plan was to freeze for three minutes against the backdrop of ice sculptures in Confederation Park.

On the day of the event, roughly 200 participants gathered at the foot of the Unknown Soldier memorial as Hollander shouted instructions to the crowd through a megaphone.

“I [had] never organized, let alone participated in, a flash mob,” said Hollander, who was inspired to bring a similar event to Ottawa after watching a video of a Paris flash mob on YouTube.

While it may be difficult for people to hold the same position for a long period of time, the appeal of a flash mob is that everyone can participate, Hollander said.

Chelsea Renaud, a second-year social work

photo by

Andrew Nguyen

student at Carleton, said she was persuaded to participate after seeing the improvisation group Improv Everywhere.

“I can hold a pose for five minutes unless I have to sneeze,” Renaud said before the event. “But I’m especially pumped since we are actually going to freeze during our harsh Canadian winter.”

The most important people in the flash mob are the cuers. They start the domino effect by giving the signal for everyone to freeze. Cuers need to be as subtle as possible to the public, but easily identifiable by the participants.

At first, the method was to text all the cuers at once to freeze, Hollander said, but since cuers weren’t as spread out, the freezing happened more spontaneously.

Bracken said there are few places where young people can gather in large numbers for playful social activities, but others think of it as an opportunity to reclaim public space.

“For the public it’s strange, but it’s also a lot of fun,” Hollander said.

Organizing this event was very timeconsuming, said Hollander, but she said she shouldn’t have stressed herself out about it.

“Everything went well, everyone cooperated, listened and it was straight to the point and the turn out was exactly what I expected it to be,” she said.

It’s captivating to watch, participant Renaud said.

“It’s kind of like art, using people,” Renaud said. q

CARLETON LEGAL CLINIC

(A Satellite clinic of the University of Ottawa Community Legal Clinic)

We provide FREE legal advice and representation to undergraduate students.

Location: Carleton University Unicentre Room 614, 6th Floor (Graduate Services) Tel: (613) 520-2600 ext. 8205 Consultation Hours: Wednesdays, 10:00 – 11:30am (Winter Schedule) Thursdays, 9:45 – 11:15am Notary Hours: Fridays, 9:30 – 10:30am

· · · · · ·

We deal with matters related to:

Criminal Offences Tenant Rights Employment issues Debtor / Creditor issues Small Claims Court Applications to the CICB (Criminal Injuries Compensation Board)

14

charlatanarts

The Education of Charlie Banks

For more coverage . . .

Shutter Island Martin Scorsese Paramount Pictures

Hollerado will be performing in Ottawa Feb. 26. || provided

Colin Harris chatted with Ottawa natives Hollerado about their big win at Live 88.5’s Big Money Shot.

Farhan Devji interviewed the lead vocalist and guitarist of Comfortably Numb, Ottawa’s own tribute to Pink Floyd.

charlatan.ca

Director Martin Scorsese, best known for his crime thriller masterworks (Goodfellas, The Departed) and haunting character studies (Raging Bull, Taxi Driver), tackles a new set of genres with his latest film, Shutter Island.

Adapted from an excellent, palpably exciting page-turner by author Dennis Lehane (2003), Scorsese pays homage to Alfred Hitchcock, paranoia thrillers and the B-movie schlock of the 1940s and ’50s.

He casts good pal and frequent collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio as U.S. Marshal Edward “Teddy” Daniels.

Daniels and his partner, Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) have arrived on Shutter Island, home to the Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate the disappearance of a patient, one whom the head physician, the pipe-smoking Dr. John Cawley (Sir Ben Kingsley), believes has escaped with an Ashecliffe accomplice.

February 25 - March 3, 2010

Yet, as the plot thickens, Daniels and Aule suspect that there are grislier happenings on the island. Lehane’s throat-grabbing bestseller gained much acclaim for its tense atmosphere, compelling mystery and whopper of a twist ending.

The film version pales in comparison to the superior source material, especially in regards to the central mystery. The novel revealed clues cryptically. The film accentuates each hint with blaring obviousness.

Those who’ve never cracked the spine of a whodunit will have little trouble predicting the outcome by the hour mark.

Another more concerning mystery to grapple with: how editor Thelma Schoonmaker, Scorsese’s go-to cutter and a three-time Oscar winner, manages to bring the film together so clumsily.

There are glaring continuity errors between shots. Schoonmaker doesn’t make the images flow. Instead, they seem to pile on top of each other.

Thankfully, despite the editing glitches and far-too-predictable trajectory, Scorsese is the star of Shutter Island.

He doesn’t act in his own picture but he’s the ringmaster of creating Hitchcockian dread and unease.

Paying much homage to the master of suspense, Scorsese inserts many nightmarish (sometimes unrelentingly scary) sequences and images.

For the unabashed trippiness of Island’s atmosphere, the film is glorious to watch.

Scorsese also manages to insert classic B-movie staples: rats, foul weather, villains grabbing the protagonist as he walks down a darkened corridor.

It’s a twisty mind-bender, even if much of the psychological mystery barely recedes from the surface.

For instance, DiCaprio as Daniels is riveting, but even though his character is a widower, frequently haunted by his experiences as a Dachau liberator in the Second World War, the film explores his character through DiCaprio’s facial expressions.

His scars underneath are more ambiguous and receive little focus.

Regardless, most schlock doesn’t aspire to have rich characterization.

And Shutter Island is schlock.

But, it’s excellently performed, stylishly orchestrated, compulsively watchable schlock.

It’s best to read the novel before watching the film.

The book is first-rate. The movie is just an A-quality B-picture.

— by Jordan Adler

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Sports Golden weekend for Raven fencers

by Chelsea Fahey History was made on home turf, as the Carleton Ravens’ fencing team captured both the men’s and women’s Ontario University Athletics (OUA) titles Feb. 13-14 in the Norm Fenn Gym. This is the first time both teams have won the championship simultaneously in the history of Carleton’s fencing program.

“This is the strongest team I had ever put forth,” said Raven head coach Eli Sukunda. “It was our year.”

Overall, the Ravens won seven medals in individual events and five in team events.

It was the Raven women who could do no wrong though, placing first in five of their six events and winning the overall title by more than 60 points.

“We knew [the women] were strong but they really just did everything,” said Eli Sukunda.

“We won by an enormous margin.”

Rookies Kelleigh Ryan and Jennifer Dunev finished first and second respectively in women’s

foil. In women’s épée, rookie Gillian Turnbull won first and veteran Rachael Gardner placed second. Adrienne Sukunda took home the women’s sabre title.

The women’s foil and women’s épée teams captured first place, while the women’s sabre team finished third behind the University of Toronto and Royal Military College.

The weekend was not without suspense though as the men narrowly took the top spot over Toronto by a single point.

“We didn’t make it easy on ourselves,” said Raven veteran Scott McNeil, who captured gold in the foil competition. “The banner was our goal and as a team we had some upsets and some problems, but we ended up pulling it out in the end.”

The men’s sabre team successfully defended their title, while the men’s foil team finished second behind the defending champions, Toronto’s Varsity Blues.

For the third year in a row, a Raven was awarded the George Tully Trophy for the fencer

15 February 25 - March 3, 2010 Sports Editor: Erin Walkinshaw • sports@charlatan.ca

Ravens Nordic ski team dethrones Lakehead

most proficient in skill, style and sportsmanship. Despite injuries this season, Mike Ivankovic, who placed second in men’s sabre, shared the award this year with Queen’s University fencer Scott Bowman.

Ivankovic “exemplifies the ability to fence well and sportsmanship,” said Eli Sukunda.

“He was a worthy recipient.”

Eli Sukunda was also recognized for the part he played in the Ravens’ championship wins with the Christian Vidosa Trophy for OUA coach of the year.

“It was good to see Eli win,” said McNeil. “He’s worked hard all year and he has been overlooked before.”

Finally winning simultaneous championships has left the team with a lot to live up to for next year, and with the loss of some key players, the pressure is on to recruit and train harder.

“Defending the banner won’t be easy, but if we work hard and play a full season like this year we should have a shot at it,” McNeil said. “We’ll be continuing to train and work hard.” q

RAVENS SCOREBOARD MEN’S BASKETBALL

MEN’S HOCKEY

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

Carleton 108 Queen’s 65

Carleton 4 UQTR 6

Carleton 2 UdeM 3 (OT)

Carleton 87 Ottawa 86 (OT)

Carleton 3 Queen’s 4 (OT)

Carleton 3 Concordia 2

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Carleton 4 Queen’s 1

Carleton 1 Ottawa 2 (OT)

Carleton 47 Queen’s 40

Carleton 3 Queen’s 2 (OT)

Carleton 0 McGill 2

Carleton 68 Toronto 46

Carleton 5 McGill 2

FEB. 13

FEB. 13

FEB. 20

FEB. 17

FEB. 13 FEB. 20

FEB. 19 FEB. 21 FEB. 24

FEB. 14 FEB. 20 FEB. 21 FEB. 24

||

Thai Coconut

photo by

Greg Mason

The men’s team clinched gold at the OUA championships while the women took a respectable silver

by Rebecca Ryall The Carleton Ravens are the 2010 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Nordic ski men’s champions after beating out the five-time defending champion, Lakehead University Thunderwolves Feb. 20-21 in Orangeville, Ont. While the Carleton women placed a close second to the sixtime champions from Lakehead, the men’s team brought the Thunderwolves’ winning streak to an end.

It was “fun — the coaches really enjoyed it,” said John Langstone, head coach of the Carleton Nordic ski team. “And I’m really proud of the team.”

The weekend yielded what Langstone called “excellent” conditions: sunny skies, peak lows of -10 C and no sign of the slushy snow plaguing cross-country skiers competing at the Vancouver Olympics.

The Raven men’s 43-point total more than halved the overall score of the University of Guelph Gryphons, who came second with 95 points.

Carleton won gold despite being down two skiers. According to Langstone, Steffan Lloyd could not qualify because he is competing for Canada in the World Junior Championships while his teammate, Kyle Power, is a forerunner (course tester) for the Olympics.

But second-year Colin Abbott

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rose to dominate the competition, winning both the 10-kilometre classic and 15-kilometre freestyle events.

“It feels so good especially because I missed out by just a few seconds last year,” said Abbott of his gold-medal races.

Along with teammates Matthias Purdon and André Marchand, Abbott also won silver in the 15-kilometre freestyle relay.

All three skiers joined teammates Lee Hawkings and Logan Potter in becoming OUA Men’s All-Stars.

“We’d heard Lakehead had lost a few of their best skiers so we knew we had a good shot to win. . . . We have more depth than any other OUA team,” said Abbott, noting that the additions of rookies Potter, Hawkings and Michael Abbott have helped to strengthen the team.

The Carleton women won silver with a total team score of 67, just nine points more than of the defending Lakehead champions.

But Raven Alana Thomas was named the women’s overall champion. She won gold and silver medals in her events and earned the fastest individual combined time. She and teammate Adele Lay also earned OUA All-Star status.

Now back in Ottawa, Langstone said the team will continue practicing hard, getting in as many training races as possible before the national championships, which begin Mar. 14 in Whitehorse, Yukon. q

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16

charlatansports

February 25 - March 3, 2010

Ballers basket one-point overtime win

Gee-Gee guard Donnie Gibson tried to block a pass

by Raven guard Elliot Thompson Feb. 20 in the Ravens’ Nest. || photo by Adam Dietrich

by Rizwaan Zahid Whether it’s the high-capacity seating at Scotiabank Place or just the Ravens’ Nest on a chilly evening, the intensity is always the same for a Carleton-University of Ottawa basketball game.

Despite blowing an 18-point lead in the second half, the Ravens fought back for a thrilling 87-86 overtime win Feb. 20 at home.

The Ravens managed to secure a solid 39-30 lead going into halftime with sheer grit and picture-perfect passing.

The key to the success of the Ravens’ half was distribution, a trend that continued in the third as Carleton went on a 12-3 run to extend the lead to 51-33.

However, Ottawa later went on a 14-3 run of their own to trim the deficit to 61-53.

Yet it was in the fourth quarter that the drama really began.

Intensity started to boil when Ottawa’s leading scorer Warren Ward was blocked in what could only be classified as a volleyball spike by Raven Kevin McCleery.

Yet Ottawa soon cut the lead to come within four points with under a minute left.

Despite missing three shots, the Ravens recovered each time with offensive rebounds only to turn it over with seven seconds to go.

As Ottawa ran up the floor, a flagrant foul was called, an absurd call at best.

Ottawa only hit one from the charity stripe and were down 75-72.

On the possession, uncontested Gee-Gee Donnie Gibson hit the long ball to tie the game.

With one second left, Raven Cole Hobin could not find a player to inbound the ball to and instead took a shot from out of bounds which landed out of bounds, giving Ottawa another crack at the win with a second left.

Ottawa could not get a clean shot off, sending the game to overtime.

The Ravens looked frozen in the extra frame before McCleery hit his trademark post-up fade.

While Carleton had a slim lead of 82-79, Ottawa was in the game because of its own hustle. Gee-Gee Ryan Malcolm Campbell flew across the baseline to throw back the ball to keep possession for his team.

Hobin hit a key three-point play soon after to give the Ravens an 86-83 lead.

Then Ottawa hit a three-pointer, but the

referee switched the call, indicating it was a two-pointer since the shooter’s foot was on the line.

This upset Ottawa’s coach before the call was reversed once again, which had Raven head coach Dave Smart just as infuriated.

With the score 86-86, McCleery was fouled on the play but only hit one free throw, giving Ottawa one last chance for the win with eight seconds on the clock.

Ottawa went up court, but the pass on the inside to Malcolm Campbell went off his finger-tips, giving Carleton the 87-86 victory.

But head coach Dave Smart was less than thrilled at the close win.

“We’re young and we make mistakes, we’re talented but we’re also pretty immature for our sport. I don’t know how much we can prove in four weeks but we’re going to have to change something,” he said.

“It’s bad enough to be young, but it’s worse being young and thinking that you have everything under control.” q For the full report on this nail-biter, see www.charlatan.ca

The Education of Charlie Banks

For more Fred Durst

coverage . . .

Skating by Jamie Harkins reports on the men’s hockey team’s overtime victory Feb. 21 to advance in the playoffs.

charlatan.ca

Women hoopsters make history

by Farhan Devji Carleton’s women’s basketball team is heading to the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East Finals for the first time in the program’s history.

The Ravens secured a spot in the final with their 68-46 victory against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues Feb. 21 on home court.

Guard Alyson Bush led all Ravens with 17 points, despite finding herself in foul trouble early on.

Head coach Taffe Charles acknowledged that reaching the OUA East Finals for the first time is an accomplishment, but he said it would taste much sweeter with another victory.

“Hopefully we’re successful, and if we’re successful we can look back on that. We are excited about it but at the same time, we’re really focused on winning that game,” Charles said.

That game will come Feb. 27 when the Ravens host the University of Ottawa GeeGees for top spot in the east. The Ravens have defeated their cross-town rivals in all three meetings this year.

However, this time the stakes will be much higher. The winner will earn a berth in the OUA final Mar. 6.

“I hope we don’t get complacent thinking that just because we beat them three times we’ll beat them again,” said Charles, who said he hopes to keep the Gee-Gees to 40 or 50 points. “They’re going to be very, very motivated.” q