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I run a company called Celina Inc., Celina Inc. is my company, I run it everyday, and it's my brand.

Volume XLIII, Issue 14

chronicle.durhamcollege.ca

@DCUOITChronicle

page 10

March 22 - 28, 2016

UOIT, faculty reach tentative agreement page 3

Now that's a hot dog! page 27 Photograph by Tabitha Reddekop

Ch-ch-changes at DRT

Stepping it up in the gym

page 3 Photograph by Sachin Bahal

page 29

DC's 'colourful' history page 15

Photograph by Bill Christou

Photograph by Sherise Peart-Kent

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The Chronicle

March 22 - 28, 2016

Campus

chronicle.durhamcollege.ca

KCAB FRONT OF The

DC journalism students look at Durham College and UOIT, and beyond, by the numbers and with their cameras

Spring cleaning Sharon McIntyre (left) shows a student the bookstore's discount selection in The Pit last week. The bookstore unloaded its shelves in The Pit as part of a clearance sale. Durham College and UOIT items were sold at 40 per cent off from March 14 to 18.

Photograph by Remona Pillai

DOG BREEDS

The Chronicle crossword

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IT IS THE WORLD'S LEADING POLICE AND MILITARY GUARD DOG. A DOG WITH CROPPED EARS AND A DOCKED TAIL 10 OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE MOST DANGEROUS BREED IN THE DOG FAMILY.

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HAS A TITLE OF A HOLY PERSON PARIS HILTON CARRIES IT AROUND OCD IS COMMON IN THIS BREED SMALL WITH LOTS OF HAIR SMALLEST DOG BREED USED FOR HUNTING HUMONGOUS BREED CITY IN NEWFOUNDLAND, CANADA

Crossword by Amanda Ramlal

To learn about how service animals help their owners, see page 12

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March 22 - 28, 2016

The Chronicle

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UOIT faculty voting on deal Tentative agreement averts strike Alyssa Bugg The Chronicle Faculty members are wrapping up voting Tuesday on a tentative agreement reached between the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and the faculty association (UOITFA).

The tentative deal was reached Thursday, March 17, a few days prior to a March 21 strike deadline.

During voting, classes continue as normal for UOIT’s 10,000 students.

The agreement needs to be approved by the more than 170 tenured and tenure-track members of the association and UOIT administration. Details of the deal will not be available until it has been ratified.

According to UOITFA president, Gary Genosko, a ratification vote was set to take place on Monday and Tuesday of this week (after The

Chronicle’s press deadline).

“Both parties have negotiated for several months and we are hopeful that this agreement will be ratified soon,” says John MacMillan, UOIT communications and marketing director. “We are pleased that we were able to come to this tentative agreement with our faculty members.”

A strike not only would have impacted more than 10,000 students at UOIT who are nearing their exam period, but thousands more on the campus it shares with Durham College.

This would have been UOIT’s

first-ever faculty strike, which left many students concerned about what would happen to them in the case of a strike.

“I haven’t really experienced being on a strike and don’t know how it would result in…would I get an incompletion or completion for my courses?” says UOIT student Gian Basilio. Adding, “I just want to finish my semester.”

Others weren’t even aware of the negotiations or the potential strike until recently, but are relieved a tentative agreement has been made.

“I didn’t know [about the nego-

tiations], but now that I’m hearing about it, it’s good that they came to an agreement because we were going to get affected because of our education and everything,” says UOIT student Sajeeva Seran.

According to the UOITFA, among the issues concerning faculty members are earning wages comparable to professors at other Canadian universities, the promotion and tenure process and class sizes.

Updates will be provided through chronicle.durhamcollege. ca and The Chronicle Twitter, @ DCUOITChronicle.

DRT plans better ride for DC, UOIT students New strategy being rolled out through year 2020 Sachin Bahal The Chronicle Durham Region Transit (DRT) has recently revealed its five-year strategy with a focus on making the system faster and more reliable.

Vincent Patterson, the general manager for DRT, says the strategy is meant to provide DRT with a “game plan” for the next few years and how they can improve service.

Patterson says there are five key service elements that DRT is looking to focus on until 2020. They include: • to be available, so then people can easily get from one place to another.

• to be consistent, especially in regards to having the same schedule across their routes.

• to be direct, so DRT can have more competitive travel times with cars taking the same route.

• to be frequent, so then there can be shorter wait times between buses.

• and to be seamless, so it’s smooth going from point A to B. “Based on the five elements, we can really emphasize how we can grow service specifically on the main axis of travel, so then we can have more direct service, more frequent, and a grid-patterned network that is easier to understand, so then we can take people to where they need to go,” Patterson says.

He also says DRT has already started making improvements to its service and plan to make more in the next few years.

Some of things that DRT has implemented include adding trackers to its buses, so transit users can easily tell when their bus will arrive at their stop in real time.

The plan is based on feedback that customers as well as bus drivers

Photograph by Sachin Bahal

Students of Durham College and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology ile onto an already crowded bus looking forward to transit improvements. have given DRT in the past year or so, according to Patterson.

Durham College and UOIT campuses are know as trip generators, Patterson says. It means that these are the places where most people will start or end their trip in the course of a day.

He also says school campuses as well as GO train stations are key places for DRT to service because of the amount of traffic these places generate.

DRT plans on increasing frequency on routes such as the 915

Taunton, the 401 Simcoe and the 910 Campus Connect because they carry a lot of people each day, according to Patterson.

“It’s one thing to have a lot of buses going by and not picking up people but when frequency goes up, it is important to keep the interval as regular as possible,” he says.

Patterson also says DRT is looking to regulate how often buses come, so buses aren’t bunching up and causing longer wait times between buses, which is a problem that DRT is currently facing.

DRT will also be looking to start sending buses halfway through more crowded and longer routes like the 915 Taunton, so then people who are boarding along the route, are still able to board.

Some of the other things that DRT is planning, is to extend the 915 Taunton to the Harmony Terminal at the Walmart plaza, extend the 916 Rossland to the Pickering GO station instead of the Ajax GO station.

They will also start a new route that will go along Bayly St. between

Ajax, Whitby and Oshawa.

DRT also has a five-year strategy for the more rural areas of Durham Region, where they plan to add more bus routes include one that goes from Uxbridge to Newmarket.

The new route will be coming later this year.

More details about DRT’s fiveyear strategy are available on its website: www.durhamregiontransit.com and you can give feedback to DRT at their Public Information Centres, which are going on from now until the end of March.

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The Chronicle

March 22 - 28, 2016

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Editorial

PUBLISHER: Greg Murphy EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Brian Legree AD MANAGER: Dawn Salter

CONTACT US NEWSROOM: brian.legree@durhamcollege.ca ADVERTISING: dawn.salter@durhamcollege.ca

Cartoon by Alex Ross

Celebrity obsession is a reckless distraction Society is often drawn to what celebrities seem to be doing. Whether it is Justin Bieber getting arrested or Kylie Jenner buying a new car, people are always buying magazines or watching TMZ to catch up on the gossip of celebrities, even though their exploits have no relevance to our everyday lives.

Obsessing over the actions of celebrities often serves no purpose.

Instead, people should open their minds to relevant events and actual people who have a direct impact on their lives.

By keeping up with current issues in society, learning to accept ourselves and pursing realistic passions, people will realize what’s really important in life. Celebrities are perceived as god-like features

who can do no wrong. People follow celebrities because they are seen as being superior to ‘normal’ people. But in reality, there are so many other important things in the world that need society’s attention.

In fact, there is a section in just about every magazine, like US Weekly and In Touch, labeled ‘Celebrities Doing Things’, as in them just buying a coffee or pumping gas. Can you believe that?

Some people are in awe of celebrities because they have a hard time accepting themselves and often want to be in the shoes of that rich and famous person.

They follow their daily tasks and beauty tips mainly because they don’t view themselves in a

EDITORS: Deen Albertini, Sachin Bahal, Andrew Brennan, Alyssa Bugg, Ryan Burden, Logan Caswell, Megan Chase, Bill Christou, Michael Clark, David Conti, Alexander Costa, Jordan Edmonds, Alyssa Erwin, Michael Fletcher, Jordyn Gitlin, Sean Heeger, Kyle Johnson, Shane O’Neill, Mariah Pardy, Sherise Peart-Kent, Reba Pennell, Remona Maria Pillai, Cameron Popwell, Taylor Prest, Cody Quinney, Amanda Ramlal, Tabitha Reddekop, Christopher Rego, Alexander Ross, Justin Stewart, Marina Tyszkiewicz, Sandhya Visvanathan, Taylor Waines.

positive light. For example, some people get plastic surgery because they see celebrities doing it.

Of course people are allowed to do as they please but just because Kylie Jenner got lip injections, doesn’t mean that you need to as well.

There are so many real and important things happening in the world besides what outfit a famous person is wearing. Rather than following the news, a person may choose to follow how many kids Angelina Jolie has (six) or how many times Kim Kardashian has been married (three times). But when asked about the cause of the conflicts in Syria and Ukraine, their mind is mostly blank.

A big reason why society directs

themselves to celebrities and their lives is because this is what the media chooses to portray first.

For example, one of the top stories of the day on Google News was the release Justin Bieber’s new album and the second top story was the fourteen people who died in a terrorist attack in California.

How is Justin Bieber’s career more important than the loss of innocent lives? When a celebrity does something such as win an award or say something “controversial”, often these events take precedence over serious problems.

These problems are often a matter of life and death. If people choose to know what is really going on in the world, then the reign of stories such as who Taylor Swift

is dating will steadily decline.

We live in a magazine-cover culture and this affects not only people’s perceptions of success but also of reality. Society should aim its focus more on useful information and important world events, less on celebrities and their luxuries. If people do this, famous people’s lifestyles will dim down and recognition on world problems will rise.

So, how about it folks? Are Kylie Jenner’s Cartier bracelets more important than terrorist attacks like the Boston bombing or the November 2015 Paris attacks?

You be the judge.

Mariah Pardy and Amanda Ramlal

ADVERTISING SALES: Sharik Aga, Christina Alexiou, Kendra Allin, Evan Blair, Rebecca Broderick, Courtney Brown, Malik Burke, Garbrielle Charrois, Deanna Colomvakos, Shannon Darroch, Taylor Ellis, Francesco Ferrara, Kaitlin Francis, Brittany Gatlin, Lauren Givelas, Zara Impelido, Chayanika Kar, Zack Leveque-Wilson, Dominique Libbert, Tyler Macdonald, Anabella Macdondal-Pearce, Courtney Mccormick, Cameron Mckinnon, Stephani Michaud, Heather Moran, Karen Prozak, Justin Rojas, Justin Sagolili, Nicole Scholtz, Jacob Skifington, Taylor Smith.

The Chronicle is published by the Durham College School of Media, Art and Design, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7L7, 7212000 Ext. 3068, as a training vehicle for students enrolled in Journalism and Advertising courses and as a campus news medium. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the college administration or the board of governors. The Chronicle is a member of the Ontario Community Newspapers Association.

PUBLISHER: Greg Murphy

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Brian Legree

ADVERTISING PRODUCTION MANAGER: Kevan F. Drinkwalter

FEATURES EDITOR: Teresa Goff

PHOTOGRAPHy EDITOR: Al Fournier

ADVERTISING DESIGN: Darian Alphonso, Adrian Blake, Surya Brehm, Quinn Ciceri, Amy Dewey, Charlotte Dockerty Watters, Nicole Eder-Doucette, Aaron Esmaquel, Graham Hart, Alysha Jacovou, Okeen James, Jessica Lalonde, Jesse Mendell, Joel Mitchell, Julianna Moffatt, Jacob Moss, Kimberly Nickerson, Hasaan Osensi, Also Perri, Karlee Pafford, Alexander Pecchia, Aldo Perri, Madison Reesor, Caitlyn Swinerd, Paige Towell, Philip Trapp.

AD MANAGER: Dawn Salter TECHNICAL PRODUCTION: Darren Fisher

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March 22 - 28, 2016

The Chronicle

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The tall and short end of it The difficulties of not being an average height Jordyn Gitlin and Alex Ross The Chronicle

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eight is often a source of discussion, especially if you are extremely tall or short. Being extremely tall or short is not something to gawk over. The average height for males in Canada is 5’8, and the average height for females is 5’3. It’s easy to see the difficulties that come with not being average height. Whether you are a 6’6 male or a 5’2 female, many of these difficulties include crowds, clothing, and health problems.

JORDYN: There are many struggles for being short, including shopping for clothes. Clothes come in all sizes for adults and kids, but sometimes the items do not fit properly.

For example, if you are 5’2 and buy a maxi dress for the summer, expect yourself to keep stepping on the bottom of it. Or simply wear heels. Many fashion models wear clothing made for women 5’5 to 5’8,

so most clothes are made for that specific body type, according to an article by Paula Darnell, a petite fashion expert.

Most of the time short girls end up in the kid’s section of Wal-Mart or Winners only because the clothes fit. Part of the issue though is kids do not have the same body shape as women. Not only is finding clothes difficult for women but for men too.

According to the Huffington Post’s article on 13 shopping struggles that only short men understand, many men have to deal with their bottoms being too big, saying that they are too long for shorts or too baggy.

ALEX: Although the struggles of shorter people are understandably difficult, the trials and tribulations tall people face are much worse.

Stepping on the backs of your pants sounds bad but clothing can be hemmed to fit the person’s legs.

You can always shorten what you have but cannot extend what you don’t. Too much is better than too little. According to newmodels.com,

the average male commercial print model is 5’11.5” tall. The extremes are 6’3 and 5’8. Height usually means larger body parts, like bigger hands, feet and head. The sizing of clothing for tall people is a double-edged sword. When shopping for shoes, it’s hard to find any size above 12. This is because the average Canadian male has size 10 feet. Once you do find a store that carries your size, there is very little selection because there are fewer people who wear such large sizes.

shorter people have a 50 per cent higher chance of developing heart disease than tall people. There is no exact reason why. There are also aches and pains to being short. An example is having to look up to everyone who is taller than you, which can cause pain in your neck

JORDYN: Not only are clothes a big deal, being in a crowd is a struggle. A short person in a crowd is like a needle in a haystack: hard to find and easy to lose. The Canadian National Exhibition is a good example of how vertically challenged people can get lost in a big crowd. It’s easy to get lost in the showrooms where there are many people who sell products and many people walking around. This is especially hard when you are below average height with anxiety.

ALEX: There may be some positives to being tall in large crowds, but anybody with a kind bone in their body will feel bad when they elbow short people behind them, if they notice.

Sometimes those short people will be brave enough to ask to step in front of you.

Honestly, we don’t mind. It is much like those horrible class photos from elementary school, with tall people in the back.

But really, being tall in a crowd or audience isn’t fun. It always draws you away from the action at the front because you let the short people go ahead.

Granted there are some major bonuses, like getting your own supply of fresh air and not breathing in the stench from someone’s armpit. But the emotional stress and guilty conscience weighs heavy.

Photographs by Alex Ross and Jordyn Gitlin

Alex Ross is more than a foot taller than Jordyn Gitlin.

ALEX: There are some more serious risks of being tall. According to a study published in PLoS Medicine, for every two-inch increase above 5’3 the risk of developing ovarian cancer rose seven per cent in women.

For tall men, there is an increased risk of prostate cancer, which correlated to leg and trunk length.

If you think about human height in terms of dog breeds and their differences in size, being tall is not a good thing. Great Danes, widely recognized as the largest dog breed in terms of height, only have an average lifespan of eight years.

Smaller dogs, such as Chihuahuas, have an average lifespan of about 16 years, which is double that of the Great Dane. A study conducted by T. T. Samaras and L. H. Storms showed that people t a l ler than 5’8 lived, on average, 5 years less than people shorter than 5’8.

JORDYN: There are many negatives to being vertically challenged, including having huge items of clothing, getting lost in a big crowd and having horrible health issues.

Short people face many struggles. These are only a few of them.

Being average height is not something to be upset about, at least you didn’t get the short end of the stick.

ALEX:

JORDYN: After not being able to fit into clothes or getting lost in a crowd, the biggest worry about being short is health. An ABC news article, written by Katie Moisse, reviews 52 studies involving over 3 million people who concluded that

and lower back. You also have to climb on top of things in order to retrieve an item, which can lead to falling and hurting yourself.

Jordyn Gitlin (left) and Alex Ross

Being a tall man may seem to have its perks, like being able to reach the top shelf and the general views on height being an attractive feature for men, but it comes at a cost.

People make fun of your pants, asking “Where’s the flood?” Not to mention the emotional struggle of being torn between seeing your favourite band up close and personal or being nice and not blocking other people’s views.

There are many health risks to go along with an increase in height as well.

But the single most annoying thing about being a tall guy must be the first question nearly everyone asks…

“Do you play basketball?”

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The Chronicle

March 22 - 28, 2016

Campus

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150 years of service Michael Clark The Chronicle The Whitby Highland Rifle Company, a militia formed from Ontario County, which went on to become known as Durham Region, served on the Niagara frontier at various times during the Fenian threat in the spring of 1866. This is one of the first major conflicts that the militia would face as it evolved to one day become the Ontario Regiment, which this year is celebrating its 150th anniversary.

The Ontario Regiment has big plans this year and is already getting started by giving something back to the municipalities that are under their protection and have supported them throughout the years.

“We’ve planned a number of events over the course of the year to recognize the significance of the sacrifice, the significance of our honour and tradition of the regiment for over 150 years,” said regiment commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Michael A. Rostek.

The regiment has already given thanks to the City of Oshawa and Town of Whitby by handing them a painting commemorating the regiment history in the Canadian military and thanking them for their ongoing support. Other presentations will be made in Durham Region to Pickering, Ajax, Ux-

Photograph by Michael Clark

Relics of battles are on display at the Ontario Regiment museum on Stevenson Road. bridge, Clarington, Scugog and Brock.

They have also commissioned a new montage that depicts the history of the regiment from the Fenian threat up until its involvement in Afghanistan that they will be showing each town.

“Everyday these young men and women do great jobs within our communities,” says Oshawa Mayor John Henry, “They’re teachers, they’re lawyers, they’re policemen, they’re firefighters and at the same time they’re citizen soldiers.”

The regiment will also be given a new battle honour sometime later this year for its service in Afghanistan, where they sent more than 50 troops over the course of the conflict trying to stabilize the country.

Due to the high percentage of the regiment’s numbers who participated in the conflict, they will be honoured with the Afghanistan battle honour by the federal government, which will be sewed onto their unit’s guidon flag which holds all its other battle honours.

Not many Canadian regiments

have been given this honour. The last battle honour awarded to the regiment by the federal government was in 1945 for its participation in the Northeast European campaign in the Second World War. They will also be publishing a rewritten and recommissioned regimental history book as part of the anniversary and will be released on April 30.

The last historical documentation of the regiment was almost 60 years ago and there were some noted inaccuracies, so when retired

Sergeant Rod Henderson came to regiment proposing an updated version, they felt it was an appropriate time.

Henderson has been working independently on his book for the past five years.

When he felt he had gained enough information, he presented his proposal to make a new history book to the Ontario Regiment’s War Museum curator, who agreed to the offer and very quickly Henderson was on the 150th anniversary planning committee.

Henderson’s book, ‘Fidelis et Paratus: A History of The Ontario Regiment 1866-2016’ covers the full history of the regiment. ‘Fidelis et Paratus’ is the regiment’s Latin motto meaning “Faithful and Prepared’.

The book will include some of the earlier, temporary military units in the area prior to 1866. The last regimental history book that was published in 1951 focused heavily on the Second World War. The new one covers all eras with suitable detail.

The regiment will also host a capstone event for the 150th anniversary Sept. 17 at the General Motors Centre in downtown Oshawa. The Ontario Regiment will also execute a trooping of the guidon flag and a change of command parade. The regiment’s actual birthday is Sept.

14.

Controversy looms Canadian internet over SA results users shame for fame Andrew Brennan The Chronicle If next year’s Student Association (SA) accomplishes nothing else, it will at least be diverse.

The recent SA election at Durham College (DC) and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) provided an abundance of choice. Students had the option of five presidential candidates.

Three of them were women, compared to last year when all three were men.

Reem Dabbous beat out incumbent president Jesse Cullen to unofficially become the first female SA president since Amy LaRue in 2012.

“Just having people see there’s a female president and there’s more female presence on the SA, these are things that are going to empower women and empower people from diverse groups into seeing that this is something they can do,” Dabbous says.

Dabbous and vice-president (VP) of college affairs-elect Vianney Nengue say they’ll build relationships with every DC and UOIT student.

Nengue has been VP of Whitby campus for the 2015-2016 term. He says he’ll use his experience to further the bond between the SA and the students it represents.

Dabbous says DC and UOIT are home to a diverse group of students, consisting of various cultural groups, genders and ages.The SA

executive-elect will echo that diversity.

However, the SA elections have not been without controversy. Incumbent president Jesse Cullen has filed an appeal.

Cullen says the Athletics Department illegally endorsed the Student Voices slate and therefore tampered with the results. He claims Student Voices promised a new soccer field to varsity soccer coach Peyvand Mossavat.

Cullen announced on March 7 via social media that he filed a Freedom of Information request with DC and UOIT. According to Cullen, the request was to, “access security camera footage in the area of [Peyvand Mossavat’s] office, to access any emails that were sent between February 20th and March 4th that reference [a meeting between Mossavat and Student Voices] or any reference to SA elections, soccer fields, and Student Voices, and access to Mossavat’s Outlook calendar.”

Independent presidential candidate Cerise Wilson says the focus should be on moving forward and supporting the students.

“I believe you need to lead by example. Not by oppression or by abusing power. Your leadership is within the classroom. It’s within the hallways. You don’t wait until you get in the office. You carry it out in your daily life,” says Wilson, adding you don’t need the title of president to support students.

T

he main purpose of the Internet has shifted from a communication and information channel to a deplorable entertainment channel, and it does not appear to be turning back, at least not in Canada.

The main use for the Internet in Canada is for entertainment purposes, according to a report posted in the Huffington Post last year. A 2014 ComScore study of global Internet users placed Canadians at the top of the list of nations worldwide who spend over 36 hours each month. Canadians mainly use Internet messaging and social media, two common vehicles for sharing infamous online videos that often include content that is used to shame or bully anonymous people and are viewed from anywhere in the world.

The death of Nova Scotia teen Rehtaeh Parsons awakened the country to the growing problem of cyber bullying and the social media platform. Parsons was reportedly raped at a party in 2011. Footage of the incident was recorded and shared online. Seventeen months after the incident, Parsons attempted suicide and was later taken off life support. While the virtual distribution of humiliating footage may not seem to have any immediate or concrete ramifications, the consequences of cyber bulling are very real. Not everyone will handle this type of public shaming in the

Sherise Peart-Kent same way. But it causes one to wonder who takes pleasure in seeing the misfortune of others they otherwise would not know existed if it weren’t for the Internet.

Because of Rehtaeh Parsons, many Canadians are working to bring cyber bullying laws into effect. Currently, consent laws don’t apply to filming in public places with personal smart phones.

In recent years, cyber bullying has left the classroom and entered the home. Countless parents have exposed their children’s wrong doings on social media as a form of punishment. Parents have shared videos of their children’s dirty bedrooms as punishment for not keeping a clean space. Others have caught the attention of the media by having their children carry signs on street corners that list their offences. Some of the most popular transgressions include disrespecting parents and teachers, lying and fighting with peers.

Some may argue that the virtual tar and feathering of impressionable adolescents does wonders for a budding character, but influence is often the biggest teacher.

Dr. Carl E. Pickhardt PhD wrote

an article for Psychology Today on adolescence and parental influence. He says children observe parents behaviour more intently than parents often realize and the relationship between parents and children changes as children age. While young children tend to glorify parents, adolescents become critical of parenting skills. In adulthood, Pickhardt says the child will attempt to rationalize their parents methods of childrearing. As the first generation to receive this type of punishment approaches adulthood, we will have to wait and see whether this cyber discipline shapes the adults of tomorrow positively or negatively.

People have proven that their self-respect, dignity and safety is expendable.

In the past few years alone, trends and challenges far more dangerous than dumping ice water on your head have millions of teens rushing to upload videos and attract attention at any cost. Not only are people being served up on a virtual platter by others they are also doing it to themselves.

Those who want to enjoy the benefits the Internet and avoid the social carnage are best to brace for the worst and muddle through until the day developers can restore the Internet’s reputation by creating a filter and sending all cyber bullying junk to the search engine spam folder.

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March 22 - 28, 2016

The Chronicle

7

Durham housing needs $105 million Band-Aid Thousands waiting for low-income housing Alyssa Bugg The Chronicle

W

alking down the street of Oshawa’s downtown core, fingers clench your bag as you cross paths with someone who looks and smells like they haven’t showered in months. The bustling crowd that often surrounds St. Vincent Pallotti’s Kitchen in the heart of the city is amidst run-down houses and people who frequently sleep on the street. Those are just some of the reasons why Oshawa, or the dirty ‘Shwa as it’s colloquially referred to, has a bad reputation.

But the old question, “which came first, the chicken or the egg?” is very relevant in deciding whether Durham Region has a homeless problem, or simply not enough housing.

St. Vincent’s Kitchen is Durham Outlook’s core program and is the only soup kitchen in the Durham Region which serves patrons 365 days a year. The building matches many in the area and is usually encircled with hungry people eagerly awaiting a hot meal. As you descend the steep stairs which connect to a small room, excited chatter immediately fills your ears. A small dining area, fit to seat roughly 60 people is filled with somewhere between 100 - 150 people daily. The accommodations here are far from ideal.

Photograph by Alyssa Bugg

Jodi Millen, executive director of Durham Outlook.

Even though the atmosphere and appearance of some patrons may seem intimidating, according to Durham Outlook’s executive director, Jodi Millen, many of the kitchen’s patrons are not homeless.

“There’s a great misconception about who our patrons are, it’s incredibly diverse,” says Millen.

Joanne Woudstra, 59, has been a patron of St. Vincent’s kitchen for more than 20 years. She is not homeless nor intimidating. In fact,

Photograph by Alyssa Bugg

Durham Region Non-Proit Housing Corporation owns 18 social housing buildings throughout the region.

she owns her own home and rents out rooms to help pay her mortgage.

According to data from Numbeo, the cost of living in Oshawa is six per cent higher than Toronto. Even though most items, such as the cost of food and rent, are about on par in terms of price, people living in Oshawa pay nearly double for apartment utilities.

Trying to supplement her mortgage with boarders, even though she receives up to $500 every two weeks, just isn’t enough says Woudstra. It’s worse for those who are even less fortunate. Some of the patrons at St. Vincent’s are homeless, but many are not.

“They’re couch-surfing, they are sometimes on the benches in the summer. Oshawa does not have so much of a homeless problem as an under-housing problem,” says Millen.

In March 2015, there were 5,422 seniors, singles, couples and families who were on the waiting list for Rent-Geared-Income (RGI) housing, which tailors your rent around your income. Of those 5,422, a little more than five per cent of those (301) were listed as no priority.

There are 90 individual social housing buildings throughout Durham Region, most of them owned by smaller housing providers.

Dan Carter is a regional councillor and president of Durham Region Non-Profit Housing Corporation (DRNHC), a non-profit housing provider, which owns 18 buildings with 1,100 units throughout Durham Region.

According to Carter, the demand for housing exceeds the number of buildings and the list for RGI housing is not a short one.

“The unfortunate part is many people are waiting on the list, not only with our organization, but with all the socialized housing files across the region, but they could be waiting from anywhere between four to five years,” says Carter.

Even though these numbers show the state of social housing, the general situation throughout Durham Region isn’t much better. In 2015, the average vacancy rate of one, two and three bedroom apartments in

Durham Region was 1.7 per cent, while the national average was sitting at 2.9 per cent, according to Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). To put this in perspective, for every 1,000 rental units across Durham, only 17 are available for rent – and that doesn’t even guarantee they meet renter’s needs or are in any sort of condition.

Access to housing is clearly an issue, not only in Durham, but across Ontario (and Canada) and the government is taking notice.

In 2014, Durham Region announced their 10-year housing plan.

At Home in Durham concentrates on four key goals: Ending Homelessness in Durham, Affordable Rent for Everyone, Greater Housing Choices and Strong and Vibrant Neighbourhoods.

This aligns with the 2016 provincial budget in which the Ontario government committed to investing $178 million over three years toward housing, including to support the construction of up to 1,500 new supportive housing units.

According to Carter, in order to build even 70 - 80 new units it would cost somewhere around $12 million.

For the short-term, the quality of life of residents in supportive housing is more important and more manageable than building new units.

“What we’ve been able to assess is that we would need somewhere in the neighbourhood of about $105 million dollars in the next 10 - 15 years to reinvest into our existing housing sites to be able to meet climate change aspects, green energy, better windows, all this kind of retrofitting of our housing sites,” says Carter.

Although Carter says DRNHC has the capacity to take on 3,000 5,000 more units throughout the region, the money just isn’t available.

“We’re all just waiting with bated breath, waiting on the federal government,” says Bob Chapman, regional councillor and DRNHC board member.

While waiting for national action on the federal level, things are happening at the provincial level.

In 2015, the provincial government established an Expert Advis-

ory Panel on Homelessness in an effort to create a better understanding of the definition of homelessness, its scope and ways to better collect data related to homelessness. Based on the panel’s report, titled A Place to Call Home, the Ontario government has set a goal of ending homelessness in 10 years. At this point, the government will provide up to $10 million over two years through the Local Poverty Reduction Fund to aid in the prevention and elimination of homelessness According to both Carter and Chapman, even though there’s a clear need for more supportive housing, such as RGI housing, there are other things of importance to keep in mind.

“We’re trying to create an environment on our housing sites that really adds to the quality of the life of the individual. In some circumstances, they have complex issues that are going on in their life,” says Carter. “So we want to make sure our housing sites are clean and safe, that they are able to utilize our communities to enhance their lives

or their children’s lives.”

Through assessments of their buildings and evaluations, DRNHC was able to determine what the communities of their 18 sites across Durham Region would require to thrive.

“What we’ve been able to assess is that we would need somewhere in the neighbourhood of about $105 million in the next 10 - 15 years to reinvest into our existing housing sites to be able to meet climate change aspects, green energy, better windows, all this kind of retrofitting of our housing sites,” says Carter.

Chapman adds that given their budget, the DRNHC makes improvements as often as possible, such as switching to low-flush toilets to save water and changing the windows in some units so they’re more energy efficient, which saves on the heating bill.

“We’re doing what we can within the budget, but we certainly need more money for two aspects. One is for some great improvements to the stock that we have, but in addition, to add more units because there is that need,” says Chapman. “This government is talking about green (environmentally friendly) so it’d be nice to be able to get some green stuff in some of those older places, you know, windows, even maybe change some of them from electric heat to forced air gas because it’s cheaper. But this is what we’re looking for here.”

A renewed commitment from the government for more social housing funds, improvements to existing housing and a better awareness of the housing issues which face Durham Region, show solutions seem to be on the way. But in the mean time, improving the quality of life, providing support and resources for those in supportive housing is the highest priority. Once you wade through the crowd outside of St. Vincent’s Kitchen and descend the steep stairs into the crowded basement of smiling faces and full stomachs, the reality of the situation becomes apparent. None of these people choose to be without homes.

But they have few options.

Photograph by Alyssa Bugg

One of Durham Region Non-Proit Housing Corporation's 18 buildings in the region, located in north Oshawa.

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Hauntings of Durham Region The

Exploring the legends and lore surrounding many famous hauntings at locations around Durham Region Sean Heeger The Chronicle Walk in to the automotive museum in Oshawa and step back into a time of letterman jackets, poodle skirts, and grease lightning. Two floors of classic model cars scream 50’s diner complete with laminate floors and Elvis music. One might think the automotive museum the perfect setting for an episode of Happy Days but The Paranormal Seekers, an Oshawa-based group of ghost hunters founded in 2004 decided to check if the legends of a haunting around the Canadian automotive museum were a true fit for an episode of the X-Files.

One night back in 2014, the Paranormal Seekers took a handful of their members to what they describe as one of the most haunted locations around Durham Region, and were witness to a moment that can only be described as bone chilling.

On the lower level, just in front of the staircase that takes people up to

Starting in Ajax, the historic Salem Cemetery was built in 1849 for the Wesleyan Methodist Congregation on lands donated by a man named John Adamson. After going through renovations in 1880, the church closed 10 years later.

However, the cemetery continues to serve the community. Land is added as needed and new gates were erected on the 150th anniversary in 1999. Today the cemetery, located about two kilometres north of Taunton Road just shy of Hwy. 7, has tombstones that litter both sides of the road with an eerie and almost foreboding warning of what has yet to pass on and continues to give off haunted vibes as time goes on.

Cemeteries are creepy at night and the mind can play tricks but according to Rachel Cross, the current leader of Oshawa’s Paranormal Seekers, most ghost hunters believe Photograph by Sean Heeger cemeteries are not haunted at all.

Ghosts haunt places they died or The Whitby Courthouse Theatre is home to one of the most tragic ghost stories have a strong connection to, says in Durham Region from when the building served as a county court.

Cross. While there are not many

The mind can play tricks on you if you really want to believe. the second floor, the team’s equipment, which includes night-vision cameras, infrared thermometers, and electromagnetic field (EMF) detectors died. Photographer Colin Williamson heard a voice audible to no one else. While checking the voice recorders after their investigation was over, a raspy and almost terrifying voice could be heard saying “hello.”

This story is only one of many.

There are reports of paranormal and allegedly haunted locations around Durham Region, like those explored in the book, Haunted Durham. Examining allegations of what goes on at these locations and exploring their history is what makes allegations of ghostly presences come to life. Sometimes this is the only way to find answers to the mystery. In the Durham Region allegedly haunted locations include the Salem Cemetery, the Whitby Courthouse Theatre, and the Canadian Automotive Museum.

reasons why hunters believe ghosts don’t haunt cemeteries, there are people who speculate that the iron gates placed around cemeteries are to keep the rowdy spirits in.

Yet most of these places are simply peaceful resting grounds Paranormal Seekers leader Rachel Cross has seen many ghosts since she was a young girl, including one at Salem Cemetery. Cross says people have reported sighting of the old grounds keeper there. He is said to be keeping watch. “There have also been reports of disembodied barking and growling,” says Cross. She goes on to recount a story of dogs that used to join the groundskeeper on his rounds.

Brenda Montgomery, a medium with the Paranormal Seekers, has picked up the presence of people still attending church and keeping watch at the cemetery.

One Ajax resident, who has been coming to the cemetery since high school, has had numerous run-ins

with the paranormal. “I’ve seen a guy walking around when no one else is here and I’ve heard barking right beside me when there’s no dog around,” says Ashley Locke. “This is such a creepy place and it fills the cemeteries have ghosts stereotype so well.”

But there is no way to get conclu-

said to be given off by spirits. Even though Salem Cemetery is a very open space with no technological interference, it is extremely difficult to get accurate readings due to the presence of powerlines. Average readings come in around four. But at Salem Cemetery there is so much interference it’s hard to determine

ally known as the Ontario County Court, it was built in 1853 by architects Cumberland and Storm in a classical revival style. The location at the north-west corner of Ontario Street and Centre Street S. was chosen for its prominence. The building occupies the highest elevation in the town, which contributes to the building’s grandeur, according to Canada’s Historic Places.

As a major landmark of the 19th century in Whitby, the property was originally designed to house a separate jail and small registry office alongside the court.

For Judi Bobbitt, an author of the story courthouse story in the book Haunted Durham, investigating wasn’t easy as the town was not too keen on the idea so poking around for sightings of a ghost was frowned on. But the Whitby archives reports ghosts as far back as 1873. At that time, rumours of a ghost sent the town into a frenzy trying to see if the hauntings were true. According to Bobbitt, a black dog-like form was seen turning into the shape of Photograph by Sean Heeger a man with “burning red eyes”.

A mysterious shape (circled) seems to stare out of Others say they saw a man walking a window of the old Wesleyan church in Ajax. up and down the courthouse steps then disappearing as quickly as he appeared.

According to the book Haunted sive proof of ghosts at this location. whether or not the readings are Durham, in 1988 a reporter from One of the ways ghost hunters look accurate.

Oshawa This Week stayed the night for spirits is by fluctuations in elecMoving east of Ajax in Whitby is at the theatre with two psychics. tromagnetic field levels. EMF is also the Courthouse Theatre. Origin- This has become a famous ghost

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Photograph by Sean Heeger

Salem Cemetery in Ajax on a clear night has mysterious fog that settles into one spot for a brief moment before dissipating without warning.

From Salem Cemetery to the Whitby Courthouse Theatre, there are many allegedly spooky spots around the area legend in Whitby. Bobbitt says the five who spent the night tell tale of a man who fell to his death while witnessing the sentencing of a boy believed to be his nephew or son.

The boy was on trial for what is believed to be rape. When the man heard the judge hand out a guilty verdict, he lost his footing and fell to his death on the seats below.

The final stop on this haunted tour of Durham Region returns to Oshawa’s Canadian Automotive Museum. The museum was founded in 1962 by a group of businessmen in Oshawa through the Chamber of Commerce. It was created with the intention of preserving the automotive history of Canada, and to give visitors an educational look at Canada’s automotive culture.

that houses the museum in downtown Oshawa was the original location for Ontario Motor Sales car dealership in the 1920’s. The building is now a permanent home to over 65 classic cars, and apparently a few other-worldly residents who want to call the museum their home.

Paranormal Seekers’ leader Cross says that no one really knows when these hauntings began, but the team considers this one of the most haunted places they have ever investigated. Throughout their 12 years of ghost hunting, they have experienced things such as disembodied voices and orbs of light that float above certain cars. In total, five spirits live at the museum, according to medium Brenda Mont-

eron, an extremely friendly spirit who died in his late 40s. “He’s our tour guide each time we go to the museum,” says Rachel Cross.

Montgomery also says there is the spirit of a little girl attached to a car that used to belong to her family.

There is also the spirit of a boy who died in a fire next door, a car enthused pharmacist, and an old guard who continues to do his job.

However, just because there are many people who have experienced paranormal events at the museum, not everyone will. “I’ve heard stories from most people who work here and many patrons who visit, but I’ve never personally had a spooky experiences,” says museum curator Alex Gates.

Investigating a location like this

to all corners of buildings as well as and the ability to shut down power.

This allows for more accurate readings with the EMF detector. Since

be swayed in their beliefs.

“The mind can play tricks on you if you really want to believe,” says Cross, who wants everyone in-

Photograph by Sean Heeger

This Canadian Automotive Museum decoration is said to have many ghostly sightings tied to it.

Photograph by Sean Heeger

The Canadian Automotive Museum in Oshawa is said to be one of the most haunted locations in Durham Region with the ghosts of up to ive people residing after their deaths.

The museum officially opened to the public on Sept. 23, 1963.

The 25,000 square foot building

gomery.

Montgomery says the most notable ghost at the museum is Cam-

can cause problems for anyone without VIP access. Professional ghost hunters gain complete access

electricity affects the readings, it’s difficult to search any building connected to the power grid. However, readings taken during a recent visit at the museum were five and above in areas not close to electrical boxes. This gives a slightly more accurate picture of ghost presence in the area.

Rachel Cross of the Paranormal Seekers believes that many people visit these and many other locations each year hoping to experience some ghostly phenomena. Almost all of them are disappointed. Many people will try and explain away any paranormal experience but there are still many who can never

terested in the supernatural to do their research before they go into a location. She advises people to “keep their eyes open” for anything that can accurately prove what’s really going on.

Even if a place like the Canadian Automotive Museum isn’t haunted, the atmosphere alone brings you to a different time where technology wasn’t present and the mind can play tricks. While exploring cars at the museum, tombstones at the cemetery, or even watching a ballet recital at theatre, be aware of all surroundings, the best supernatural moments happen when you least expect them.

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Taking control of your money Mariah Pardy The Chronicle As students make the leap from high school to college, many have little or no experience with managing money. This can make designing and sticking to a budget a challenge, according to Kurt Rosentreter, a financial advisor at Manulife Securities.

“Kids coming out of high school have very low financial literacy,” says Rosentreter.

Not knowing how to budget properly during your college or university experience can create challenges down the road and make debt more overwhelming upon graduation says Rosentreter.

“Coming out of school after four or five years with $100,000 in debt is one of the worst things that could happen to you,” says Rosentreter.

“It’s a burden on your back that will limit your ability to get debt for future purposes, like borrowing to buy a home or a car.”

College is an exciting time in a new student’s life: the trips to WalMart for the mini fridge to hold your snacks, lamps for your desk for late night studies, bulletin boards to manage classes and hangers to hold your clothes.

But what about money?

The college experience may be different for everyone. Some students might receive a set amount of cash every month from their parents whereas others might be entirely responsible for their own money, making it more challenging for students to properly budget.

Freshman year, for example, is

the year when a student is most likely to be living in a dorm and eating on a meal plan. This means spending money on “wants” like late night pizza and weekend adventures with friends.

Alyse Chung is a Durham College student who says that her freshman year in college was a new experience balancing cash.

“My friends were always out doing things like going away and just constantly spending money,” says Chung. “Obviously I wanted to do those things too, so I would give into the temptation and before I knew it I was pretty much broke and had to be calling my parents to help me out with money here and there.”

Budgeting takes discipline and there are lots of ways to ensure you are properly saving your money.

One way to save is thrift shopping.

According to an article by The Globe and Mail, the average Canadian family of four saves about $1,150 each year by buying secondhand items, with total spending on used goods clocking in at nearly $30 billion.

Carolyn Schneider, author of The Ultimate Consignment & Thrift Store Guide, says that the average discount a shopper can find on clothing in thrift stores is up to 50 per cent off.

Being a budget conscious student can work out in the long run. The savings you make can add up over the course of your schooling.

It is also important to be wary of credit cards. Try not to give into the temptation of borrowing money, if you are not diligent about paying off your balance in full every month.

For example, according to the

Government of Canada, if you have a $1000 balance on your credit card and the minimum payment is two per cent of the balance and you only make the minimum payment, it will take you 19 years and four months to pay off your balance owing. You would have paid $1,931 in interest.

Therefore you would be paying almost triple the purchase price.

Advisors at Durham College and UOIT also stress that students take advantage of the programs are available to them.

Chris Rocha, Director of Financial and Awards Services at Durham College and UOIT says that very few students think about budgeting when entering the school year.

“First-year students are the hardest hit when it comes to financial trouble, because they’re often out on their own for the first time,” says Rocha. “We stress that budgeting is key.”

The campus financial services office offers a number of options for students to help with budgeting like one-on-one counseling, information on government loans and even a work-study program that pairs students with part-time jobs on campus.

Unfortunately, very few students take advantage of these services until they are in over their heads in debt and have no money left to support them throughout the school year.

College or university will be the years when your ability to prioritize will become apparent. If you want to do some shopping but don’t have the funds to support your spending habits, simply see what resources

Whitby MP meets Obama Taylor Waines The Chronicle A dream came true for Liberal Whitby MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes recently. She met the U.S. President Barack Obama.

“It was amazing, I think it was a great opportunity for me personally to meet the president it was something that I’ve always wanted to do,” Caesar-Chavannes says. “But it was great when you know, a small town gets on the world stage.”

Caesar-Chavannes not only represents Whitby in Parliament, but also was handpicked by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to be Parliamentary secretary.

When President Obama opened his doors to the prime minister, Caesar-Chavannes was also welcomed as part of the entourage.

Representing Whitby, and by extension Durham Region, Caesar-Chavannes, brought fame to the community as she spoke about all that Whitby has to offer.

“Where’s that?” she was asked many times in Washington, followed with, “Oh, what do they do in Whitby?”

Caesar-Chavannes says being Parliamentary secretary gives her an opportunity to speak to a greater number of people.

Standing on an international Whitby’ first, ‘Parliamentary secretary for the prime minister’ second.”

Caesar-Chavannes says she had an opportunity to talk about a range of subjects from Girl Guides in Whitby to climate change strategies.

Throughout her lifetime Caesar-Chavannes never saw politics in her future. She always loved neuroscience and research.

Caesar-Chavannes holds two MBAs and started her own research business called ReSolve Research Solutions.

She says becoming Parliamentary secretary never crossed her mind.

After receiving a call from Katie Telford, chief of staff to the prime Photograph by Taylor Waines minister, she was told one of the reasons why PM Justin Trudeau Celina Caesar-Chavannes, wanted her as Parliamentary secLiberal MP, sharing retary was because they had built her experiences. a relationship over the 2014 Whitby-Oshawa by-election, where she ran for the Liberal party after Conservative Jim Flaherty passed while platform, she says it gave her the in office. While she lost the 2014 opportunity to advertise Whitby’s by-election, Caesar-Chavannes won greatness. the Whitby 2015 general election.

“It gives me access to people…

She responded to Telford by saythat access is so important especial- ing, “I appreciate the fact that I ly if you are using it appropriate- have this role, but the fact that you ly,” Caesar-Chavannes explains. think Justin appreciates our rela“Every time I was in Washington tionship… is the most important it was ‘Member of Parliament for thing for me.”

Photograph by Mariah Pardy

Improper budgeting during college can afect students later on.

are available on campus. This could result in a part-time job to earn some extra cash.

If you need to do some clothes shopping on a student budget, head over to your local thrift shop where you can buy an outfit for less than 20 bucks.

But make sure your spending is done safely. It’s not the best idea to give into credit card offers. Unless you want a high interest rate and a not-so-great credit score, make sure you have the funds to make the monthly payments on time beforehand.

Total your income, total your ex-

penses and then, finally, make sure that your budget balances. These are some of the ways you can, as a student, learn how to become successfully independent, personally and financially.

Don’t get sucked into the world of student debt by panicking and becoming $1000 more in debt by getting yourself a credit card. Explore your options and do your research, then you might be able to plan a March break trip without worrying about the expense.

For more on budgeting, see the Chronicle online for Mariah Pardy’s column, Broke Fashion.

MP: 'I am the total opposite of politics' Taylor Waines The Chronicle In two years, Celina Caesar-Chavannes has gone from running her own business, to a household name for many Whitby and Canadian residents. Caesar-Chavannes is the Whitby MP for the Liberal party and Parliamentary secretary for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Caesar-Chavannes spoke to UOIT students on March 15 about enjoying her new job.

“I am the total opposite of politics,” Caesar-Chavannes said, “and here I am today.”

Caesar-Chavannes earned two MBAs at the University of Toronto and started a career in research.

In 2014, she worried for her children’s future as they raised concerns. With the support of her friends, Caesar-Chavannes decided to run in the 2014 Whitby-Oshawa by-election, following Conservative Jim Flaherty’s death.

Standing beside Trudeau during the by-election campaigns, she remembered praying that no one would ask her a question, as she knew nothing about politics. And then it was over. She lost to Con-

servative Pat Perkins.

She said she accepted her failure, and began to learn more about politics. With a passion for business and evidence-based analytical thinking, Caesar-Chavannes entered the Whitby 2015 general election running her campaign like a business and using her skills to get her ahead.

Caesar-Chavannes won this time, beating Perkins.

Caesar-Chavannes said she found a way to ‘marry’ two things she liked and incorporate them into her campaign.

Having a job is great but is it worth it if you don’t enjoy what you do?, she asked students.

She credits her success to her self-awareness.

“I run a company called Celina Inc., Celina Inc. is my company, I run it everyday, and it’s my brand,” Caesar-Chavannes explained. “It’s how I appear, it’s what I do, it’s everything that encompasses me.”

Caesar-Chavannes said everyone should be running ‘You Inc.’.

Skills can be learned, and experience gained, she explained. But “you can’t teach passion, and you can’t teach drive,” said Caesar-Chavannes.

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Prescription for controversy Taylor Waines The Chronicle

E

xcruciating pain radiated through Maria Caporusso’s abdomen. The doctors had no answers. At 16-years-old, Ajax resident Caporusso, was suffering from a chronic pain that only she could feel. The invisible disease had her crippled over. “It got so bad some days I…I couldn’t even walk,” she remembers. The doctors wrote prescriptions for some of the strongest painkillers such as OxyContin, but the pain didn’t subside.

Prescription drug overdose OxyContin contains oxycodone, which is an opioid drug. Other opioid drugs include morphine, codeine and heroin. Between 1991 and 2004, the death toll related to opioid drug abuse in Ontario doubled, according to the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA). North America consumes 80 percent of the world’s prescription opioids, making Canada the second largest consumer next to the U.S, according to the CCSA website. Campus Health Centre Pharmacist Vijay Pandya, says more education and addiction treatment needs to be available. He also says that addiction is a mental health issue, and needs to be treated as one, not a criminal issue. Standing neutral on medical marijuana, Pandya says the benefits of prescription drugs are that “it enhances the quality of life, keeps people alive longer, and reduces pain and discomfort.”

For Caporusso, however, this wasn’t true. Overcome with pain, she was told by a friend that marijuana could help lessen the pain.

Eager for relief, Caporusso began smoking marijuana every once in a while and was astounded by the results. On a scale of one to 10, Caporusso rated her pain relief from marijuana in comparison to prescription drugs she had tried.

Without a pause she said, “Ten, I barely feel any pain.”

The history of cannabis The Canadian Cannabis Clinics (CCC) website says marijuana was originally known as cannabis, and was used to treat migraines, insomnia, and rheumatism throughout the 19th century. Following the Mexican Revolution in 1910, Mexicans migrated to the U.S. bringing what they called ‘marijuana’. Much backlash against the migrants and the drug were brought forward. The

director of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, Harry Anslinger who held the position from 1930-1962, referred to cannabis as marijuana creating a stigma around the foreign drug as it sounded Hispanic. From there the controversy began.

The drug now known more commonly as marijuana has an addiction rate of 9 per cent, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). This is much lower than drugs such as cocaine, heroine and even nicotine. It is used to treat many chronic illnesses such as: chronic pain, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, depression, anxiety, cancer pain and Crohn’s disease to name a few.

Unfortunately, Caporusso struggled to gain a medical marijuana license, as her doctor like many others, did not believe in prescribing marijuana as a treatment. Caporusso was 18-years-old when she was hospitalized for 10 weeks as her doctor tried to solve the mysterious disease. The pain in her stomach wasn’t just caused by her disease, but also by the gut feeling she had.

“I call myself a hypochondriac, but from day one I knew I had Crohn’s disease… something just told me I had Crohn’s disease,”she said. But because the disease is hereditary and no other family members had it, her doctor ruled it out and refused to test for it. Caporusso clung on to life as her immune system continually attacked her intestines. The doctors worried they couldn’t save her. Becoming desperate to find her some relief, she and her parents managed to convince her doctor to license her for marijuana.

Opposing marijuana This experience is one many patients face while trying to find relief for chronic illnesses. The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) website says it “is a leader in engaging and serving physicians and is the national voice for the highest standards of health and health care.” However, the CMA stands against the use of medical marijuana despite the fact it has been legal since 2001. Access to medical marijuana became easier in 2014. Before 2014, users had to apply through a program, but now physicians are the ones who determine who gets access.

In a statement authorizing medical marijuana, the CMA says they have “consistently opposed Health Canada’s approach which places physicians in the role of gatekeeper

Photograph by Taylor Waines

Prescription pills are a more conventional way to treat pain, but some patients sufering from chronic pain choose to medicate with marijuana.

Photograph by Taylor Waines

Maria Caporusso, a 22-year-old Ajax resident, uses medicinal marijuana to aid in her Crohn's disease symptoms. in authorizing access to marijuana.”

With the national ‘voice’ of physicians against medicinal marijuana, it is easy to see why many physicians feel the same.

Canadian Cannabis Clinics Ronan Levy, now the director of the Canadian Cannabis Clinics (CCC), noticed this trend and decided to do something about it. ““Doctors just didn’t feel comfortable with cannabis because unlike pharmaceuticals, which come in standard

At least if I'm not feeling good I can roll up a joint and feel better.

dosing… it doesn’t fit neatly into the structure that most medicine is practiced with these days,”Levy said.

After seeing many patients struggle for a license, Levy and other entrepreneurs saw an opening to help people struggling and run a steady business. In 2014, after the laws surrounding medical marijuana changed in Canada, the first Canadian Cannabis Clinics was opened in St. Catherines, Ont. There are now 10 CCC’s in Canada including one in Whitby, with a new one opening in Mississauga this month. “It was an essential part of the industry that was missing that this new medication had come to the market but it really wasn’t being utilized because most doctors didn’t feel comfortable,” Levy said.

CCC takes on patients who have tried conventional medication but have found little to no improvement of their symptoms. A doctor must refer them to the clinic where they are assessed, based on previous medications, and family history.

The CCC relies on scientific data

and conducts their own studies as well. One of their assessments includes checking for history of schizophrenia in the patient’s family, as science has proven marijuana may accelerate, and/or unmask the disease. Levy estimated about 50 to 60 per cent of the patients are using marijuana for pain, but he also sees a lot of patients with depression, anxiety and cancer. Levy said he isn’t against conventional medication but he believes that medical marijuana can benefit a lot of people. “The more options people have the better it is, as long as those options are properly regulated,” he said.

True Compassion Toronto Member and owner of the True Compassion Toronto (TCT), known to the community as Trey Jacksson, sees the benefits of medical marijuana every day. Trey suffers from Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and said growing up he was truly against marijuana. After someone told him to try marijuana for his MS, he did.

It worked wonders. “My life is so functional right now, if you were to see me I look really healthy,” Trey said enthusiastically.

Trey said he sees the same changes in patients who come into the centre. “You can see the instant comfort that they go through and that third or fourth time, happiness,” he said cheerily. The joy of seeing these people come over and over again smiling is the best part, he says.

Patients serving patients The TCT opened in November of 2015, after Trey and other volunteers at another compassion centre in Toronto decided to start their own compassion centre in the west end. The TCT website reads: patients serving patients. Trey explains that means all volunteers are both owners and members of the centre.

They use medical marijuana to treat their various illnesses.

The reason the TCT functions so well is because the community is very supportive of the centre. Like Levy, Trey said he isn’t against prescription drugs. In their view, marijuana is just an alternate way of

medicating.

The centre was created to provide a safe and convenient place to medicate, and receive medicinal marijuana easier. “There’s a lot of people who don’t want to be in the public eye of someone who’s medicating such as teachers, so when they come here they want to make sure that this is a safe environment and that there's no camera use,” he said Now 22-years-old, Caporusso has seen the stigma first hand. She has been using medicinal marijuana for four years to help treat symptoms of her Crohn’s disease. “I kind of hide it from some people because there’s always going to be some sort of stigma you know, but… at the end of the day it helps me so I kind of just ignore all of that,” she said.

Her medical marijuana license is now expired and no doctor is willing to re-issue it, Carporusso said.

This creates issues with her trying to medicate. Unable to afford the $700 fee to see go to a clinic once a year, she has no way of getting medicinal marijuana.

The benefits of legalizing If Canada legalized marijuana, she says it would benefit her and many others in her position. “At least if I’m not feeling good I can roll myself a joint and I can feel better,” she explained. Currently, she could risk getting charged if she were ever caught with it, as using marijuana without a license is illegal.

With legalization of marijuana, Levy, the owner of Canadian Cannabis Clinics believes there could be fewer stigmas surrounding the drug.

If Prime Minister Justin Trudeau follows up with decriminalizing marijuana, it may cause it to be more normalized and accepted in society, he said.

For many, cannabis carries stigma and controversy, and for others it carries hope, and freedom.

The same can be said with prescription medication. Regardless, Levy says, each has its place. “Each carries its benefits, and each carries its risks. How you balance those is really subject to everyone’s individual choice.

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They're here to support Using animals to help build confidence Amanda Ramlal The Chronicle Service animals have taken on a new challenge by helping more people in different ways. Service animals have a history with helping the blind, PTSD victims, police and, as of recently, the mentally ill.

People are opening their minds to using different animals as support systems.

Cats and even horses can help comfort and assist people in need.

It’s estimated 10-20 per cent of Canadian youth will be affected by a mental illness or disorder.

With this increasing rate, people might start to turn to support animals to deal with their illness.

It’s important to know the difference between service animals and Emotional Support Animals (ESA) in order to understand what they do as more people are relying on them.

As opposed to service animals, ESA animals are not trained to support a disability but they benefit the owner by providing companionship and comfort to different forms of mental illness.

Some individuals may require an animal to provide them with comfort in public places whereas psychiatric service dogs are trained to fully support a specific disability such as assisting the visually impaired to help them get around daily.

Sometimes with an ESA, it can be difficult to tell the difference between a pet or companion.

If someone has an ESA and is impaired by a form of mental illness but not fully disabled, having the support of the animal could benefit them emotionally.

According to the Canadian Service Dog Foundation, not only can dogs be ESAs, cats can too.

Many argue cats are more ideal.

The best breed of cat to work as an ESA is the Devon Rex. These cats are most ideal as ESAs because they have strong social skills, are very active and easy to train.

The Devon Rex breed is considered a hypo-allergenic cat because of its short curly fur, making it a valuable option for those with cat allergies.

There are even services available using horses to help with therapy.

The term “hippotherapy” means treatment with the help of a horse.

Hippo is Greek for horse.

Hope Therapy is an organization in Florida which works to to improve the lives of children and adults with special needs using horses.

Horses have been used since the 1960s to help treat PTSD, traumatic brain injuries and car accidents.

Marianne Davenport is cofounder and board president of Hope Therapy which started in Florida in 2001.

Davenport says a lot of studies show that hippotherapy is able to help kids at a young age.

According to Davenport, if there’s an early start the individual can make great strives.

“Some people will never be able to walk again but if the quality of life is better psychologically, if not physically, we’ve done a good thing,” Daveneport says.

Service animals and ESA are sometimes needed in school environments to help provide comfort or assistances to their owners.

Only some schools require that students needing service dogs or ESA go through a complete registration, but at Durham College and UOIT that isn’t necessary.

Students go to the Access and Support Centre to register their service animal.

The school then looks at the request and validates whether or not the animal is fully trained.

Right now on campus there is a

small number of working animals, according to Meri-Kim Oliver, vice-president of Student Affairs.

“As more people use service animals to cope with mental illness, I think we will see more present,” says Oliver.

The challenge of having service animals or ESAs in school environments is that there are laboratories and kitchens on campus and animals can become a health concern.

Other issues are students with allergies or those who may be afraid of the animal.

According to the Ontario Blind Person’s Rights Act, service dog training facilities must provide minimum three months of training.

Facilities must also ensure that the dogs have successfully completed the training program and can demonstrate basic obedience skills on leash and using voice commands.

Service animals and ESAs continue to assist people daily.

But as more animals are used to

Photograph from Flickr by Nickolas Titkov

The Devon Rex breed of cat is hypo-allergenic.

help support people with mental mals and how to treat them. illness, there will be an increase of service animals so people need to know how to be around these ani-

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Prostitution laws fail sex workers Bill C-36 poses safety risks for sex workers Marina Tyszkiewicz The Chronicle

T

he notorious serial killer Robert Pickton, who is currently serving a life sentence for six counts of second-degree murder, recently sparked public outrage with his memoir Pickton: In His Own Words in which he claims his innocence. The book prompted an online petition, which received almost 60,000 signatures urging Amazon to remove the book from its site. In 2002, the DNA or remains of 33 women were discovered scattered across the former millionaire’s Vancouver pig farm. Following his arrest, Pickton bragged to the police saying he murdered 49 women, many of whom were believed to be prostitutes pushed by the police into the remote pockets of Vancouver’s eastside.

In Canada, an estimated two per cent of the female population are engaged in some form of prostitution.

Eighty-five per cent of sex workers will have experienced homelessness or grew up subjected to poverty and 90 per cent were abused, according to Amber Dawn, a former sex worker in How Poetry Saved My Life: A Hustler’s Memoire.

On December 2013, the Supreme Court of Canada determined that the laws surrounding prostitution were “unconstitutional” and undermined sex worker’s rights and safety. Parliament was given a one-year deadline to create a new legislation.

At midnight on Monday, Oct. 6, 2014, the House of Commons passed the controversial prostitution Bill C-36. Under the new bill, clients instead of sex workers, will be criminalized for the purchase or consideration of sexual services in exchange for any monetary value.

The new law also prohibits sex workers or a third party from soliciting their services in public spaces.

The bill has made it criminal for all print and online publications to chair the ad of a sex worker, while also criminalizing anyone living on the avails of prostitutes, with limited exceptions such as family members.

The bill dismisses a sex worker’s human rights and impedes on their ability to work under safe conditions. Sex workers are not meant to be confused with sex slaves or those who are sex trafficked and often coerced into operating against their will.

Individual laws should be set to combat sex trafficking crimes.

However, a business that is exploitive should not dement the laws surrounding a business model that based on consenting adults.

There were two consultations, one at the house level and another at the senate. Both were there to listen to stake holders, but neither listened to the sex workers who testified about their experiences, according to, sex worker campaign lawyer for Pivot Legal Society in

Photograph by Marina Tyszkiewcz

A street-based sex worker approaching a parked vehicle attempting to solicit business.

Vancouver, Brenda Belak. Belak started advocating for sex worker’s rights in South Asia over two decades ago and says Bill C-36 was a disappointment. “What we got with Bill C-36 was a law that is informed by a combination of morality, and ideology not evidence and not experience. The law basically just reproduces the harms of the laws that were already struck down,” says Belak.

In the 1980s, legal repression in Canada made brothel work more difficult and street prostitution became more common. Before Bill C-36 anyone, including the client that communicated in public for the purpose of buying or selling sex, would be prosecuted. Under the new bill only those caught selling sexual services, be it the sex worker or a third party, will be targeted if they are caught communicating their services any place where someone under the age of 18 could be present. These areas include parks, schools, public streets, malls, restaurants, bars and residential neighbourhoods. However, the parameters haven’t been specified on how far sex workers need to be from these spaces.

Beth Whalen has worked with sex workers for more than two decades.

She is the Harm Reduction Service Coordinator at the John Howard Society in Durham Region, which offers drop in support services for sex workers. Whalen says the majority of clients who come to access the services are street-based sex workers and that the new laws make working conditions extremely dangerous for them. “They’re now driving them into more secluded places.

We’re driving them to areas where they’re by far more at risk of violence. That’s my biggest concern,”

says Whalen. Dave Selby is the spokesperson for Durham Regional Police and says it’s difficult to quantify the number of sex workers in the Durham Region. “They might work a week in Pickering or Oshawa then be in Mississauga or Hamilton the next week. Some of the girls we intercept and talk to aren’t even sure what city they are in,” said Selby. Due to pressure from city and residents, Vancouver police spent decades moving sex workers out of residential and upscale neighbourhoods into remote, industrial, and commercial areas of The Downtown Eastside. These areas were under-policed, making it easier for sex workers to go unnoticed. It was also where Pickton acquired his victims.

Many sex workers are not in a position to work independently.

Street-based sex workers have a much more difficult time screening their customers, and are at a higher risk of being spotted by police.

Whalen says since the bill passed she hasn’t known of any arrests of local sex workers. She says since 2010, the relationship between sex workers and Durham Police has

improved significantly. “Durham Regional Police have actually been quite good, they’ve come along way,” says Whalen. Adding that a police officer has helped to create a ‘Bad Date Booklet’. The booklet is designed to teach sex workers how to provide a better description and gather information on the person.

Sex workers also have an anonymous line they can use to report back to the John Howard Society who then forwards information to the police. Selby says he is unsure if the bill has improved the safety of sex workers because they don’t have statistics. “Certainly the focus of police activity has moved from traditional enforcement (e.g. prostitution sweeps) to ensuring the young women involved are participating by choice - without coercion,” says Selby. Steve Lyon is a criminal lawyer in Toronto who used to represent sex workers, Johns and pimps.

Lyon says he hasn’t represented a case related to sex work in years and doesn’t consider charges against sex workers or Johns to be common.

According to Lyon, police often targeted his clients by tracking them down then catching them while sexual services were being performed.

He says there have been other instances where sex workers and Johns were caught by undercover police who solicited as sex workers or clients. When asked if sex workers confessed to experiencing sexual assault by police, Lyon says they had, but didn’t wish to elaborate.

Lyon says charges against a sex worker can often be hard to dismiss because some of his clients had drug issues and prior charges. In 1997, Robert Pickton drove Wendy Lynn Elistetter, a street sex worker, to his farm, sex handcuffed her, and stabbed her in the abdomen. The

woman survived but because she had a drug addiction, the prosecution said her testimony was unstable and the attempted murder charges against Pickton were dropped.

Bill C-36 also criminalizes alternate platforms for sex workers to communicate and advertise by making it illegal for any publication, including an online publication, to host the ad of a sex worker. Sex workers can advertise their own services but if any publication chooses to run the ad of the sex worker, the publication will be prosecuted. The maximum sentence for running an ad can be five years. This creates a challenge for sex workers who work indoors and can no longer attract, negotiate, communicate, or screen their clients.

Belak says this poses a safety risk for sex workers. “It’s now impossible for a client and sex worker to negotiate consent and that’s very important because consent is what differentiates sex from sexual assault, and sex workers want to get rid of that part of the law,” says Belak.

Operating indoors has also become a challenge for sex worker and almost impossible under the new law. Indoor venues not only pose a risk for clients, but also for anyone operating and working in them. In accordance to Bill C-36, anyone caught procuring or “living off the avails” and receiving material benefit from a sex worker can be subject to prosecution.

This includes coworkers and managers or anybody oversees a sex worker establishment. Even a sex worker who works inside a commercial enterprise with another sex worker is automatically criminalized under the new bill.

By forcing these women to work alone and making anyone working with a sex work criminally liable, sex workers are subject to working under more dangerous circumstances. “Many sex workers are not in a position to work independently. They actually want to be able to work in commercial establishments,” says Belak. On June 22, 2011 the body of 36-year-old Cindy Glandue, an Indigenous sex worker and mother, was discovered lifeless in the bathroom of an Edmonton motel. Gladue was discovered with an 11 centimeter wound to her vagina. The killer was from Ontario.

The jury acquitted him because they believed that Glandue consented to the violent sex that caused her to bleed to death.

In 2015, Amnesty International joined the United Nations and the World Health Organization to legalize prostitution worldwide in an effort to improve the safety of sex workers. Whether sex work is ubiquitous or covert, we can’t deny the existence of these workers anymore than we can their basic rights and ability to work safely. Some do it by choice, some as a means of self-expression. For the majority, sex work is a means of survival.

Whether you’re pro sex work or against it, society needs to recognize there are larger challenges sex workers are facing outside of public opinion. Until we reach a compromise that enables their safety, sex workers will continue to operate under peril conditions. Even with Bill C-36.

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Police assault may be common T

oronto Police chief Mark Saunders, we need to talk about sexual assault and Toronto Police Services (TPS). A 27-year-old woman alleged that Toronto Police Sgt. Christopher Heard sexually assaulted her while driving her home in a police cruiser on Sept.

24, 2015. Heard was charged in relation to the incident on March 2, 2016. In January 2015, three Toronto Police officers were charged with gang raping a parking enforcement officer.According to an SIU report, between 2014 and 2015 there have been 14 allegations of sexual assault reported against TPS. These numbers are higher than any other region in Ontario. TPS has a problem. Yet when it comes to sexual assault allegations against TPS police chiefs have a history of evading the discussion.

When Heard was charged, a CP24 reporter asked police chief Mark Saunders what the policies are about police offering rides to

Student debt woes Sean Heeger The Chronicle One of the most difficult things for a student is having a sustainable amount of money to get them through the year.

The average Durham College (DC) tuition is about $3,000 and that doesn’t include expenses like books and sometimes mandatory laptop costs that can put struggling students in mountains of debt. There are few well known financial aid programs, like OSAP, that gives students a pre-determined amount of money based on income and family situation. But even these programs cannot fully provide a cushion for students who want to carry out their education without worry as they are expected to start paying it back as soon as they are out of school.

“I work almost every day because I don’t want to count on my parents for everything,” said Bernard Rosario, a DC student. Rosario has a two-year-old daughter in which he uses his extra income to support.

For those students who do need financial help there is a wildly untapped solution that many students like Rosario can take advantage of known as bursaries and grants.

There are thousands of bursaries and grants available to students.

Many are offered by the school, but a portion also comes from private donors and organizations like Lions Club International and Desjardins Insurance who wish to aid students in their studies.

In 2015 alone there has been about $5-million in unclaimed bursaries and grants, according to a study done by Scholarships Canada. Many grants are available for students to browse for Canada-wide bursaries at Scholarshipscanada. com. To find out about DC specific bursaries and grants contact the Financial Aid and Awards office at 905-721-3036.

Marina Tyszkiewicz members of the public, he said “To get into the minutiae of the investigation I’m not going to comment on that. If a person asks for help, we will provide help.”

It wasn’t a direct response to the policy. Considering the severity of the allegations and the threat driving civilians around could pose to people the public deserves a concrete answers on those policies.

If the TPS can’t be trusted to respect civilian boundaries, then the public should have the right to know what those boundaries and policies are.

When the reporter probed Saunders for more questions, Saunders said he felt it would be inappropriate to comment on an SIU investiga-

tion. When four police officers were charged with perjury and obstructing justice in Feb 2016, Saunders held a press conference and allowed time for reporters to ask questions.

When a Toronto parking enforcement officer was allegedly gang raped by three off-duty TPS officers, reporters asked former police chief Bill Blair why it took 33 days for the officers to be charged, he said, “The investigation needed to be conducted, it was conducted and those charges are laid, and that matter is now before the courts, and I won’t be commenting on it.”

According to media reports, the professional standards unit and the sex crimes unit did the investigation.

Blair denied there was any conflict of interest for police to investigate other police and said the SIU had also been consulted.

All three officers are currently suspended with pay, and were freed after paying $15,000 bail.

Of the charges laid against TPS

officers there have not been any statements made by the current and former police chief or TPS encouraging other possible victims to come forward. In contrast to the numerous instances where non-TPS officer(s) have committed sexual offences across the city, other potential victims have been requested to contact the police.

Blair encouraged victims to come forward involving sexual assault allegation on CBC’s radio host Jian Ghomeshi. Even eliciting a response

from potential victims has an underlining tone of disparity when it involves allegations against TPS. Sexual assault is not a light matter, but there are greater power dynamics when it comes to civilians versus the police.

The police are the people victims need to turn to for help. Saunders needs to create a safe environment for victims to come forward and address the public when it comes to sexual assault, no matter who the perpetrator may be.

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Photograph by Sherise Peart-Kent

Carol Beam, DC executive director of communications and marketing, encourages students to take pride in their school's colours.

Pride in school colours Sherise Peart-Kent The Chronicle Durham College is more than just a school - it is also a brand.

Durham welcomes thousands of students and staff to its campuses each day, all of them familiar with the shade of green and crest that can be found on the school’s branding.

Founded almost 50 years ago, the school’s banner has worn a number of different colours and crests, and while some old designs have been abandoned, others have stuck.

Carol Beam, Durham College’s executive director of communications and marketing, says the school’s colours were originally turquoise and black.

Eventually it was turned to green when the Durham Lords sports teams started wearing green and gold to their games.

The momentum picked up quickly and the branding evolved.

“It’s important to just constantly check in with yourself, and make sure that your brand is still doing what it’s meant to do," says Beam.

"It’s still portraying the expression that you wish your institution and your brand portrays,”.

Beam also says the current school colours pay respect to the school’s history but also embrace the future and work to welcome new students.

“Our family culture is portrayed in our brand, and so with the introduction of brown, that brought in warmth, so green could be maybe a more cool colour, and so introducing the brown into that brought the tradition of the green but also the warmth of the brown and that’s where that culmination came in,” she says.

Beam says students have the opportunity to comment on the school’s current branding through DC Cares comment boxes that can be found across campus.

Students have made some suggestions for school image rebranding the next time it’s due, which should be soon, as Beam says an update comes about every 10 years.

The new branding may include a spectrum of colours from purple and turquoise to pink and white.

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A toast to improvement Mariah Pardy The Chronicle Some studies have shown that fear of public speaking ranks up there with the fear of death. From sweaty palms to a shaky voice, speaking in front of a big crowd can be nerve-racking. But what if there was a way to help face the fear of public speaking?

This is precisely the mission of the Pickering Powerhouse Toastmasters Club.

The Pickering club is a local chapter of Toastmasters International, a non-profit organization that gives its members the opportunity to develop and improve their public speaking abilities through local club meetings, training seminars and speech contests.

“The thing I liked about Toastmasters is that there is no one judging you,” says Anela Jadunandan, a previous member of the Pickering club. “We were all there to learn and had fun doing it. You really cannot fail.”

At the meetings, members can expect to learn to improve their speaking abilities by speaking to groups and working with others in a supportive environment.

A typical Toastmasters club is made up of 20 to 30 people who meet once a week

for about an hour and the meeting provides members with an opportunity to practise conducting meetings, present prepared speeches, give impromptu speeches and offer constructive evaluation.

Jadunandan says the club helped her build her speaking abilities.

“No matter how bad you think you are doing, when your colleagues listen to your speech they will give you immediate private and honest feedback in writing so you can take it home, read it, and try to improve,” says Jadunandan.

The meetings take place every Monday from September until June at the Pickering Central Library. The club meets from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and is open for anyone in the community to attend.

According to toastmastersclubs.org, Toastmasters allows you to learn and practise in a friendly and comfortable environment with people who are there for the same reason you are – to become better communicators.

For more information on Pickering Powerhouse Toastmasters Club, visit toastmastersclubs.org or to learn more about the development, visit Toastmasters International at toastmasters.org

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Changing the commute to campus Shane O'Neill The Chronicle When the weather is right, Lon Appleby likes to take a leisurely three hours to commute from his home near High Park in Toronto to his office in the Gordon Willey building at Durham College. Along the way he has to manoeuvre traffic, rough terrain and the odd flashfreeze.

Asked what he enjoys most about his daily commute, Appleby, a professor of interdisciplinary studies and Director of the Global Classroom, says, “I’m a physical person and I believe a lot in the power and stillness you can get from physical exertion.”

Appleby is one of the few people who cycles to and from their workplace in Durham Region. According to the 2011 Transportation Tomorrow Survey, four per cent of daily trips made in the region were on bike or another form of active transportation.

The study, conducted by 23 municipal, provincial, and regional governments as well as transit agencies in the Greater Toronto Area, sampled the households and commutes for the over 600,000 residents of Durham. It found the daily commute for residents of Durham Region is getting longer in distance and time every year. Over 50 per cent of Durham residents work outside Durham Region and rely on cars to travel to Toronto and other communities around the Golden Horseshoe.

One of the major areas of growth for employment and education in Oshawa and Durham Region is the DC-UOIT campus. For all the industries and institutions drawing Durham residents out of the region, the campus, with 22,000 full-time and apprentice students, is growing all the time.

In fact, the shared campus of DCUOIT is set to change drastically over the next 15 years.

The Campus Master Plan (CMP) is the plan and projections currently under review by the administrations of both the college and the university. The latest version of the plan

Photograph by Shane O' Neill

Lon Appleby rides his bike to Durham College from Toronto.

was presented in June, 2015. The plan was drafted in conjunction with MMM Group, Greenberg Consultants Inc., and Educational Consulting Services. The CMP projects the growth of the campus until 2030, when the campus will have tripled in size.

The college and university own land north along Simcoe, beyond the intersection at Conlin Road to Brittania Avenue West. This expansion will drastically increase the number of people travelling to, from and within campus.

To address increasing traffic problems and increased use of public transit, a variety of infrastructure projects are in the works in Durham Region and on the DC-UOIT campus. Metrolinx and the province are committed to incorporating cycling and active transit infrastructure with features like dedicated paths and locker facilities at the GO Transit network of stations, as part of their GO 2020 initiative.

For Appleby, and local residents who want to commute to and from

campus safely, these plans are rolling in the right direction. But with so many plans and projects from different levels and agencies of government, a coherent active transit network could get lost amid the negotiations.

Tanya Roberts, Sustainability Coordinator at Durham College, expects there to be lots of support for cycling infrastructure and the development of the pedestrian trail on a campus the size of the one being proposed. While she is not a member of the CMP consultation committee, she knows that building a network of active transportation will face a number of challenges.

“There are a lot of different players involved in a project like expansion of the campus,” Roberts said.

“Making something like a pedestrian network takes a lot. The sustainability office tried to implement a bike share network on campus, as part of a regional project. But the Region wasn’t able to agree on a coherent system, so we had to hold off on that idea.”

Durham Region Transit (DRT) is also in the midst of multiple expansion and efficiency studies.

Vincent Patterson is the General Manager of Durham Region Transit. He says the transit company is working hard to address traffic along multiple corridors throughout the Region. One example is the Highway 2/Kingston Road corridor between Ajax and Scarborough.

Another is the Simcoe Street corridor from downtown Oshawa to north campus.

“Our short term vision is to increase service along the main corridors and serve the existing need in the Region,” Patterson said. “DRT is always looking at ways to make the service more efficient and responsive to users needs.”

Ultimately, long-term plans are underway to expand the bus rapid transit (BRT), currently found along Highway 2. The idea is to include the Simcoe Street corridor in the BRT program.

Patterson explained DRT’s planning in terms of projected “trip generators,” like new residential developments and an expanded university campus. These “trip generators” grow and change over time and the agency tries to make use of partnerships and population projections to plan for growth. DRT believes integrated modes of transit can be used to make roadways as safe and clear as possible.

“We’re looking at public, private and active transportation,” Patterson said, “and how they each fit into daily commutes and trips along major corridors.”

Patterson says a plan has yet to be presented and voted on. DRT is examining a variety of ways to service the expected increase in traffic to and from the expanded north campus.

Prasenjit Roy is the manager of transit planning and economic development for the Region of Durham. He says he and his department are aware of the Campus Master Plan but would like the college and university to consult with his department further.

“The planning and economic development department was not

involved in the CMP consultations to the extent we would have liked,” Roy said. “We are hoping for more collaboration and input in the building stages of the plan.”

Roy explained the Region, outside of DRT, is also undertaking its own Transportation Master Plan, looking at growth and traffic patterns in the Region. He said the CMP and projected population growth in the north Oshawa area as a result of the campus expansion are a major indicator and generator of data.

The Regional Transportation Master Plan, currently under development, will be presented to Durham Regional Council later this spring. Roy said the Region is actively looking at plans to create a fully integrated transit network to promote many different types of active transportation, along with public transit and personal vehicles. Segregated bike lanes, jogging paths and effective public transit across municipalities and transit agencies will be key to making the new DC-UOIT campus attractive people looking to ditch the car and drive less.

For local residents who want to commute to and from campus safely and quickly as an alternative to driving, the proposed CMP offers plenty of potential. But so far, not enough has been done to coordinate with local partners to expand on the active transportation plans for 2030, to create an integrated network.

For Appleby, local planners and administrators should look towards other municipalities and leaders for inspiration when it comes to cycling and active transportation. “They need to take a cue from the Mayor of London (England, Boris Johnson),” Appleby said. “He bikes to work every day, despite being a more conservative politician.”

If Durham Region and the administration of DC-UOIT hope to attract more people from outside of Durham, a more cohesive and forward thinking cycling strategy that matches other similar communities in Canada and around the world can keep communities pedalling forward.

'She told me she no longer wished to live' Sean Heeger The Chronicle “She told me she no longer wished to live, because she could no longer hug her son.”

Those words by lawyer Chris Considine echoed through the Regent Theatre in downtown Oshawa on March 10 during this year’s large-scale symposium put on by the UOIT Student Law Association. This year the law association chose to bring awareness to an extremely timely topic on the national political front: Euthanasia.

Considine, a veteran lawyer who handled the infamous Sue Rodriguez case in 1992, was the guest speaker at the event.

“She was fighting for change since she walked into my office that

day,” he said.

Rodriguez suffered from ALS, which is a rapid and fatal neurological disease that attacks the nerve cells responsible for controlling muscles.

She was diagnosed in 1991 and had been fighting the disease for more than a year when she entered Considine’s office in British Columbia hoping for a way to end her life.

With up to 14 years in prison as a possible sentence for assisting a person to die, Rodriguez became an activist for the right of terminally ill people to end their lives if they so choose.

She eventually took her case to the Supreme Court of Canada on Sept. 30, 1993 but ultimately they rejected her case 5-4.

On Feb. 12, 1994, Rodriguez de-

cided she could no longer take the pain and suffering and she took her own life with the assistance of an anonymous physician.

It has been more than 20 years since Rodriguez became a wellknown public figure fighting for what many others deem immoral and ungodly.

But she and her famous words “if I cannot give consent to my own death, whose body is this, who owns my life?” have managed to change the law for millions of people in the future.

On Feb. 6, 2015 the Supreme Court overturned its 22-year-old ruling and unanimously decided that people with terminal cases do have the right to choose when they die, stating “the sanctity of life also includes the passage into death.”

The court gave Parliament one

year to amend the legislation and on June 6, 2016 it will be completely legal for people with irremediable and grievous medical conditions to end their lives with the assistance of a doctor.

As of Feb. 6, 2016 the legal ban on assisted suicide expired across Canada, however, it has been legal in Quebec since 2014.

“We are at the beginning of a new era for dealing with terminal illness,” said Considine.

Udo Schuklenk, a professor at Queen’s University and Ontario research chair in bioethics, spoke about the implications of not letting people with terminal illness have the right to end their lives.

“There is always concern that by decriminalizing assisted dying, we will increase the chance of abuse of the practice, when in fact, we found

that decriminalization tends to lower the incidence of abuse,” said Schuklenk, citing abuse of euthanasia as a reason for hesitating on legalizing the process.

Now just a few months away from the new legislation, Canada is about to step forward as one of few places around the world like Germany, Switzerland, Japan and the Netherlands that allows people with terminal illness to finally free themselves of the pain they have to endure.

According to Considine, Canadians owe this all to Rodriguez who took the step that no one else could and made people realize the importance of the issue.

“At the end of the day we owe it all to Sue Rodriguez, she opened the door for assisted suicide in this country,” said Considine.

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Gratitude: How to make today better Taylor Waines The Chronicle “Gratitude is one of the most neglected emotions and one of the most underestimated of the virtues” – Robert Solomon Every October, Canadians give thanks and gratitude to friends and family with turkey and sore stomachs.

Whether it’s the pie, the stuffing, or the presence of loved ones, the day is presented with joy and happiness. But what if we celebrated our life each and every day?

The Five Minute Journal The Five Minute Journal is a place to be grateful each morning and each night of the little things in life. Each page includes a daily quote, a daily affirmation, and asks the writer to consider three things he or she is grateful for: three things that would make the day great, three amazing things that happened, and ways to make today better.

What is gratitude?

In The Psychology of Gratitude, David Steindl-Rast defines gratitude as ‘‘an act of heightened and focused intellectual and emotional appreciation.’’ However, researchers and psychologists argue there isn’t one definition that encapsulates

Photograph by Taylor Waines

The Five Minute Journal includes quotes and airmations to improve your day.

gratitude.

The benefits of gratitude In a study done in 2003 by Robert A. Emmons and Michael E. McCullough, participants were separated into three groups. One group was to ‘count their blessings’ each day so researchers could see the psychological and physical effects of gratitude. The second group recorded hassles, and the third group

recorded major events.

From this paper, which included multiple studies on gratitude, it was found that being grateful each day not only increases positive emotions but decreases negative ones, improves sleep, improves physical health.

Gratitude and materialism Although gratitude can derive from gift giving, researchers found

that gratitude and materialism do not go hand in hand. In a study, called “More gratitude, less materialism: The mediating role of life satisfaction”, done by Florida State University and William Paterson University, researchers found that being grateful led participants to feel highly satisfied in life and have lower materialism. The Journal of Positive Psychology published the

results showing that higher satisfaction in life actually “mediated the relationship between gratitude and materialism.” On the contrary, low gratitude coincided with high materialism.

Self-induced positivity Being grateful and counting your blessings is something that doesn’t cost money, or take long. Yet gratitude and appreciation are “one of the most concrete and easiest of the positive emotions to self-induce and sustain for longer periods of time,” according to Rollin McCraty Ph.D., of HeartMath Research Center.

By shifting focus from negative to positive emotions, a person’s heart rate will change sending messages to the cognitive and emotional areas of the brain. Creating what could be referred to as a mind shift can allow people with depression, anxiety or even anyone just having a bad day to push aside the negative thoughts and replace these with self-induced happiness and positive emotions.

HeartMath techniques are based on mind shifts and the self-induction of positive emotions.

Though stressors are inevitable, positivity is just five minutes away.

By acknowledging the good and releasing the bad, you can not only live a happier life, but as well, learn to cope by adding a dose of gratitude to your daily life.

Girls take flight in Oshawa

DC's open house

Marina Tyszkiewicz

Jordyn Gitlin

The Chronicle

The Chronicle

The famous female pilot Amelia Earhart once said, “You haven’t seen a tree until you’ve seen its shadow from the sky. Girls ages ten and up had the chance to do exactly that when they were given the opportunity to fly an aircraft during the Durham Flight Centre’s third annual women’s aviation event, called Girls Take Flight, on March 12 at the Oshawa Airport.

Pilots from various airlines volunteered to fly the planes with the girls. Several volunteers from the aviation industry came to discuss career opportunities for women.

Young girls discovered they could do their first solo flight at 14, before they can drive a car.

However, like most teens they probably need their parents to drive them to the airport, unless they’re like pilot Marilyn Daigle, who had her own sneaky way of getting there.

Daigle is a pilot, who came to volunteer at the event and has more than 10,000 hours of flying experience. She spent the last six years working for Porter airlines.

However, her journey to become a pilot wasn’t easy, and started off as a secret.

“I wanted to be a pilot, but my dad didn’t think women should be pilots. He sent me to university. I went, but I also became a pilot. I just had to do it behind his back,” says Daigle. She says she spent her whole childhood around planes but didn’t think becoming a pilot was a possibility for women.

“My dad was fixing airplanes and wanted to be a pilot but then he had us. Then one day a bush pi-

Durham College will have its spring open house on Saturday, April 2.

This is a chance for future students to come and take a look at the school they could possibly attend the following school year or examine a program which they have already applied or been accepted.

The open house is a chance for students to take a tour of the college, look at the classrooms, check out the facilities the school has to offer and be able to get familiar with their future surroundings as well as talk to and get familiar with their program and faculty members.

“We want them (students) to go and talk to their program tables, so talk to the people that are teaching those programs, the program coordinators, advisors, deans,” says Lisa White, director of student recruitment and admissions at Durham College.

The tour for the open house offers breakout rooms, which are specific rooms where guests can explore labs and see the classrooms. The spring open house is more in-depth compared to the fall open house, which is a more generic says White.

There is also a chance to meet school president Don Lovisa as he greets guests at the door.

The open house had just under 4,000 students and guests at all of the campuses last year, which includes Oshawa, Whitby and the Pickering Learning Site. The college expects the same amount of people this year.

“Students should choose Durham College because the student experience comes first…that’s what we al-

Photograph by Marina Tyszkiewicz

A pilot speaks about her experience as a woman in the ield.

lot told me I could be pilot and it stayed with me,” says Daigle. When Daigle told her father she became a pilot and showed him images of the places she had flown he didn’t believe her.

“Even though I was flying all over the north he still couldn’t believe it. I was supposed to take him for a flight, but he passed away six years ago and it never happened. It’s really too bad I never got to take him for a flight,” she says.

Two hundred women and girls registered for a 15-minute opportunity to steer a Cessna 172 with a volunteer pilot. The girls were suppose to take off by 10 a.m. but due to foggy weather conditions the flights had to be delayed for a few hours.

Giselle Mcnamee volunteered at this year’s event. The year before she attended with her 16-year-old daughter Raquel who won a Ground

School scholarship at the Durham Flight Centre. Ground school costs $350 but a single one-hour flight with an instructor cost $178. Mcnamee says the program has had a huge impact on her daughter’s self-confidence and helped set her apart from more traditional interests.

“She was never a sports person this has given her an identity and this is something very few people can claim,” she says.

Mcnamee says she has never flown a plane and didn’t intend on getting into the one during the event, but says that she isn’t nervous about allowing her daughter to take flight.

“Surprisingly not, because of the self-confidence it’s given her and the self-confidence she has about it. She told me she would rather get a pilot’s licence than a driver’s licence.

ways tell people and that’s what we live and breathe here at the college,” says White.

Durham includes many benefits when attending the school such as a shared campus with UOIT, state of the art facilities, top-notch professors and engaging programs, says White.

When applying to a college students want to make sure the program they have applied to has a great job outcome.

“When they come to the open house they’re (students) talking about that with the school table, so each school will have a table and so they can talk the program’s specific questions,” she says.

Staring in the fall, there will be new programs offered at the college including graduate certificates in advanced filmmaking, and investigative journalism and documentary production along with a diploma offering in finance – business and business administration.

If students want to confirm their college offer there will be a booth available for them to do that.

All the individual schools will have booths, which will hand out prizes and Durham college merchandise to the guests such as pens, cups, T-shirts and many other school-related items.

There is also a contest where students have an opportunity to win a $2,800 certificate towards their tuition, White says.

The open house is Saturday, April 2 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. You can pre-register online to beat the rush or register once arriving. For more information on the contest and open house visit www.durhamcollege.ca/ open-house.

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Celebrating 43 years of the Chronicle on campus

Photograph by Jim Ferr

Journalism class of 2015-2016 Second-year students from Durham College's Journalism - Web and Print and Journalism - Broadcast and Electronic Media programs come together one more time to produce their final Chronicle newspaper and Riot radio show for the 2015-16 school year, before turning things over to first-year journalism students.

Photograph by Jim Ferr

Advertising class of 2015-2016 Second-year students from Durham College's Advertising program gather to salute another year of selling, designing and producing advertising content in the Chronicle.

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Entertainment The tale of a galaxy far, far away Taylor Prest

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uthor Alan Dean Foster’s novel adaption of Star Wars: The Force Awakens enriches the blockbuster’s adrenaline-laced experience.

The novel creates additional scenes not in the film. Foster also develops on background stories for individual characters, including Jakku scavenger Rey and ex-stormtrooper Finn. Each story gives the novel its own original material with new angles and material.

Taking place 30 years after Return of The Jedi, Foster’s novel includes extra information on characters, beginning with the introductory paragraph.

The New Republic struggles to gain support after the horrendous and unjustified acts of their nemesis, The First Order. General Leia Organa oversees the Republic but has difficulties gaining recognition for her newly developed resistance.

Sequences move quickly between resistance pilot Poe Dameron’s capture to Finn and BB-8’s roles

Photograph by Taylor Prest

The book, Star Wars: The Force Awakens by Alan Dean Foster, is nothing short of brilliant when it is paired with the ilm.

during the opening massacre. The novel builds on details that the film couldn’t have added due to time restrictions. Readers see familiar scenarios more in-depth with deeper character reactions and thoughts.

Foster’s writing is brilliant and gives readers a vivid picture for each chapter. His descriptions contain active verbs and concrete nouns.

This descriptive writing works especially well with Rey. The novel moves rather quickly but still contains the same number of descriptions as the opening chapters. Fans are able to learn about what happens to certain characters the movie overlooked.

Meanwhile, more aspects of characters are revealed such as

their thought process and mental state, as well as inner conflicts and bonds developed over a slower time period. Readers learn more about characters, such as Kylo Ren and his obsession for Darth Vader, along with the friendship of scavenger Rey and ex-stormtrooper Finn.The novel teases the possible parentage of Rey and the disturbing past of

the ancient Supreme Leader Snoke, seducer of the Dark Side leading to Ren’s seduction. Foster continues to tease fans and readers with tiny pictures of information before jumping quickly towards a different scene.

The dialogue though similar with the film produces more creativity and information without the restriction of time.

It gives insight into this wellknown galaxy far, far away. Even without the support of facial expressions and movement, Foster does well with his artistic approach on paper.Experience for a wide tale comes from his adaption of A New Hope, which was written for creator George Lucas.

However, unlike The Force Awakens, Foster’s previous novel was produced before the film even began to release worldwide, giving insight and experience for the story a rather noteworthy opinion.

Star Wars fans will not be disappointed with this adaption of the sci-fi classic.

The Force Awakens is blessed with superb writing that can only be accomplished by a veteran writer familiar with the background and history of the films. Fans will be pleased with Foster’s writing. The upcoming trilogy is an exciting time for Star Wars fans.

Bringing back childhood cartoons Taylor Prest The Chronicle

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othing can compete with the feeling of watching memories from your childhood. The popularity of cartoons is on the rise based on the rates on Disney’s websites; however, there are more technical aspects of animation that viewers overlook. A blockbuster such as Titanic was a live action story telling a depressing tale, but the bodies flying off the ship and the huge waves were all animation, a feat only talented animators can accomplish, much like Durham College’s coordinator for the program.

Gary Chapple, Durham College’s animation coordinator, says taking the essence of something such as eyes, a very emotional item of the face, and enlarging them in characters is seen as beautiful and physically appealing. Chapple fuels his own animation with feelings of nostalgia from his creative childhood.

He discovered his passion for the arts back in preschool. What started as tracing developed into full-blown drawings for the animation veteran.

Durham College is one of many institutions in Ontario with animation programs.

Others include Sheridan College and Algonquin College. All three institutions thrive on displaying their student’s artwork and using experience from their professors animation background to deliver well thought out course material.

From blissful memories of an animation professor, research of multiple animated studios, the opinions of those who find passion in creation and the rate of success animation has brought, a beautiful picture slowly emerges and illustrates why this artistic medium is so adored.

Here at Durham College, Chapple helps fuel his students with passion by displaying some of his own artwork during classes.

He takes pride in his student’s portfolios as well as the program’s Facebook page, which has close to 200 likes. Chapple says with portfolios, students are more confident when pursuing a career in animation and excited to showcase all of their published artwork.

Tom Crook coordinates the animation program at Algonquin College in Ottawa, where he is a design professor. Crook pursued his love for animation at the age of three, when he developed a talent for drawing.

“Ottawa has a large animation studio system and now studios like Mercury here in Ottawa are now beginning to work on Disney shows, something that seemed impossible 10 years ago,” said Crook.

Disney and Pixar hold internship programs for graduates of animation programs all around the world. They pride themselves on giving international and local artists a chance to pursue their dreams and lengthen their careers in the arts. Trent Correy, a graduate from Crook’s program, is now working for Disney animation and

his work can be seen in the latest film, Zootopia.

Correy has worked with Mercury, the animation studio in Ottawa, in the past. He got this work through the connections at Algonquin College.According to animation studio Mercury, more jobs are now offered in Canada, thanks to the 3D software program Maya. Mercury offers entry-level jobs for students who are pursing animation once gradation is finished.

Sheridan College has an animation program that prides itself on teaching the core value of why artists are so adored by the work they supply their audience with.

“I think we get nostalgic whenever we are confronted with something of value,” said Sheridan College professor, Angela Stukator.

Stukator is the associate dean of Animation and Game Design at Sheridan College. She has been in the position for 13 years and oversees the faculty and curriculum for all media programs. Her background is in film.

However, unlike most live action films, Stukator believes animation has the ability to imagine anything and everything, making it more appealing to reality.

“I grew up with the Bugs Bunny television show, The Flintstones, and other great classics that made me love the ability for animation to communicate basic stories and layer them with timely messages,” said Stukator.According to CBC Canada’s website, many individuals pre-

fer to watch older animated shows from their past because it allows them to relive a simpler time and to also relive their youth.

“Watching Saturday morning cartoons like Scooby Doo and Bugs Bunny with a bowl of cereal in front of me, that’s what made it so memorable, so timeless,” said animation professor Tom Crook.

Watching Saturday morning cartoons with a bowl of cereal in front of me, that's what made it so memorable.

Cartoon Network, a Canadian program that showcases multiple programs consisting of Japanese animation (anime) says on its website that the more physically appealing the characters appear, the more popular the show will become.

When you watch something with crisp and clear images, it’s physically attractive to the brain. People are

more attracted to beautiful things.

This is why anime has become so popular over the years, with its cute characters and compelling story lines. It’s on par with northern animation such as Disney and Pixar.

However, CGI such as Lord of The Rings has become the most popular type of animation. Although we still see a lot of 2D digital animation and stop motion such as The Corspe Bride or The Nightmare Before Christmas, says Durham College coordinator Gary Chapple. The different styles are all doing well because it doesn’t really matter what style is used. What matters are the stories being told and the way the style supports those stories to create a well-rounded and compelling picture. A specific style will fit one genre better than another. It all depends on tastes and the preferences of each individual.

“Animation is known to exaggerate emotions much more than live action, because the goal of animated films and shows is to appeal to the eyes of the audience,” said Durham College professor Gary Chapple.

Without animation, the world would be quite dull and vague, with no memories from your childhood. Memories that bring a warm feeling of nostalgia and happiness when recalling those precious animated films. The need for cartoons will prevail as long as animation is continued through the teachings of veterans in the craft and the past memories of our childhood.

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Psychotic characters Leader of clowns, Gonko will give you chills Taylor Prest The Chronicle

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ill Elliot strikes again with The Pilo Travelling Show, his grotesque sequel to horror novel The Pilo Family Circus. Continuing right off the ending of the first book, Elliot continues with his wacky approach to his psychotic characters.

Gonko, the leader of the clowns, is banished to the depths of hell when circus owner Kurt Pilo goes on a rampage and destroys every living thing that inhabits the success of the circus.

However, our protagonist Jamie strategizes a much more elaborate plan in order to avoid the boss’s murderous tantrum.

Anything can be brought back in the soul stealing realm of the circus, even the show itself, meaning all of its freaks.

Jamie is now back home, completely clueless to the previous events in the last novel.

Standing tall adorning a clown suit and a weary smile, the Australian protagonist can only guess what might have transpired.

He has completely lost his marbles. With his roommate Dean’s disappearance, Jamie is now accused of murder. With no evidence, no memory and no body Jamie is at quite a loss.

A year has passed since Kurt destroyed the circus but that doesn’t stop the need for entertainment: everyone needs their circus, even the residents of hell.

At the newly reformed circus, Kurt’s brother George now runs the show.

Elliot uses many different ways of describing the circus, appealing to audience and fans.

Any unfortunate soul who wanders through the ticket collector’s

Photograph by Taylor Waines

Will Elliot is back with his crazy characters from his horror sequel The Pilo Travelling Show.

gates will slowly lose a piece of their humanity. This makes the circus thrive.

The story still lacks character depth but this isn’t needed because of Elliot’s storytelling style.

What the story lacks in depth, it makes up for in malicious and

unshakable scenes.

The clowns are both terrifying and fantastic, making them a compelling group to cheer on during their quest to overthrow the circus.

The Pilo Travelling Show is just as appealing as its predecessor. It has the same amount of humour,

horror and description.

Even though character growth could have been better, Elliot’s descriptive writing manages to pull the story forward.

There is emotion and a progressive story that allows readers to see past the characters and accept them

for stereotypical clowns.

The sequel has done well. It hits the same tone and feel as the first book and for those who think otherwise…

‘Night night, said Gonko’s fist.’

Taking interesting ideas and making them generic

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ommercial success almost always results inevitably in imitators, nowhere is this more apparent than in the world of video game development.

With the tools for game development being more easily accessible than ever before, the difficulty becomes turning your creation into a profit.

There exists three frequently used methods of making a game that people not only like, but want to spend money on. The first and most abused is sequelization: taking an already-popular franchise and taking the metaphorical bat to the metaphorical horse until every ounce of profitability has been beaten out of it. The second, and least common, is creating something that

Cameron Popwell

stands out in the market.

This means creating a game that not only does something unique and interesting, but also provides the player with an experience that both leaves an impact and fulfills whatever your game’s sale price is.

The third, and most prevalent in recent years, is what could be described as genrefication.

Genrefication is the act of taking something that became popular through sequelization and flooding

the market with imitations and derivatives in the hopes of pulling a profit from releasing substandard products on the original’s popularity alone.

In October of 2011, Minecraft changed the survival game genre.

After obtaining licensing deals with Microsoft and Apple, this unassuming game went on to make over $101 million during its first year.

Following Minecraft’s success, clones like Craftworld, Fortresscraft, and Terraria began flooding the market. The result was the creation of the “crafting survival” genre.

Ordinarily, the creation of a genre of games would be a good thing. Providing a great deal of content for a fanbase that otherwise

wouldn’t have existed.

However, these clones resulted in forcing the creation of new genres in order to help categorize them.

In addition, the clones would often be made without genuine intent for quality, but instead with the hope to ride on the profitable coattails of the current trend.

In the end, the vast majority of these were created with the intent of cashing in on something that ended up being more popular than expected.

It wasn’t just limited to Minecraft.

Games like Portal in 2007 and the creation of the term “Physics Platformer”, as well as the four-year flood of “Cover-based Shooters” that followed Gears of War’s release in 2006, show that this trend has

been going on for as long as digitally-distributed gaming has existed.

The difficulty with “genrefication” is that you can’t rightly propose a preventative solution without entering the realms of censoring creators and their potential work.

That being said, the best possible solution is for consumers to properly inform themselves prior to making purchases that might end up supporting faulty products.

Showing the creators of these derivatives that riding on the coattails of another’s success is not a financially viable tactic is the only way to encourage creativity in the medium.

Hopefully someday, the unique and memorable will no longer be the exception in game development, but the rule.

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X-Files: Better off dead?

Sometimes old shows are meant to be over, like The X-Files

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arlier this year, Fox television revived the dead X-Files series for one last shot at life.

The X-Files follows FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully as they solve paranormal criminal cases known as “X-files”. The new season intends to return to the good old days of the original X-Files and give fans a treat as well as something great to watch for new fans.

But should the dead ever be brought back to life?

If the original X-Files taught us anything, it’s that the undead are always up to no good, so it begs the question, should we trust this new X-Files? Now that season ten is over, it is clear that compared to the previous nine seasons the show isn’t the same.

Viewership is low, the actors fall flat, and the attitude toward conspiracy isn’t the same now as it was in the 90’s.The most important aspect of any television show is viewership. Without viewers, television shows die.

When the X-Files began in 1993 it brought 12 million viewers to their televisions. For nine seasons, the X-Files averaged 14.49 million viewers. The highest audience aver-

Justin Stewart age was for season five at 19.8 million: the peak of the show. In the ninth season viewership dropped to 9.1 million viewers and the network cancelled the show for fourteen years. When season ten opened to 16.19 million viewers, it set high hopes for fans. But sadly, season ten’s second episode took a sharp downward turn, viewership dropped to 9.67 million viewers.

It went down further in episode three to 8.37 million viewers. Then in episode four it dipped to 8.31 million viewers, and in episode five it plummeted to 7.07 million viewers. The finale only had 7.60 million viewers. Low viewership spells death for any television show. So does tension between actors and studios.

In the early 90’s, David Duchovny said he felt five years of the show was enough. He left the show in its seventh season, then only appearing sporadically for the final two.

He also filed a lawsuit against Fox, in which Duchnovy was awarded $20 million. Similarly, costar Gillian Anderson vowed after the ninth season to never be a part of the series again.

Both actors share a strained relationship with the X-Files and this translates into their flat performances in the latest season.

Photograph by Justin Stewart

Fans have been watching The X-Files for more than 20 years, but the revival isn't all it's cracked up to be.

In an interview with The Daily Beast, Anderson said that after 9/11 it became taboo to associate the government with conspiracy.

The show’s main plot has always revolved around government con-

The artistic vision of The Cycle in Oshawa Tabitha Reddekop

that will bring local artists together to create artwork based on a shared theme.

Imagine entering an art gallery The first set of themes is the sevwhile live music swells and lingers en virtues, which are faith, hope, in the air. At the centre of the room, charity, fortitude, justice, prudence several dancers pirouette and twirl to the gentle melodies. Behind their rhythmic movements, colourful paintings are splayed across the walls and in the corner poets recite soft sonnets.

This experience is the vision that Oshawa councillor, Rick Kerr, is hoping to bring to Oshawa next year.

The project, called The Cycle, combines all types of art, under one roof to help people appreciate art on a new level.

“The audience comes in and they walk into this room and instead of eclectic art work that has no connection to each other, they hear music, they see people dancing and they get it (art) on a way more visceral level,” he explains. and temperance, with the addition He says the project could also of love. bring tourism to Oshawa, but his The Cycle would operate on a focus is on the people already living rotation, which cycles through an here. individual virtue every four months, “This isn’t about some grandiose according to Kerr. attention seeking thing,” he says.

Local artists would collaborate “This is about getting the commun- to bring their own rendition of the ity to work together to create and virtue in any medium. enjoy art.”

Archival pieces of art from loThe Cycle is a two-year project cal galleries would also be used The Chronicle

This is about getting the community to work together to create and enjoy art.

in the display to show how artists portrayed the virtues in the past to compare with more modern styles.

After the full cycle is complete, Kerr says the cycle could begin again. Kerr says The Cycle is still in the planning stages, but the project is making progress.

Kerr, along with members of the Oshawa Business Improvement Area and the Oshawa Heritage committee, will be meeting over the next few months to plan the next steps.

He says these steps will include reaching out for the support of local galleries, such as the Robert McLaughlin Gallery. He hopes if the Robert McLaughlin Gallery is interested in the idea, the project can use their space to display the art.

He predicts the first run of The Cycle will begin by the spring of 2017.

He says he was first inspired to create The Cycle after a trip to an art gallery in Italy during 2013.

“Looking at all this magnificent art, I just thought about a unique and totally different way to look at art.”

Since then he has been trying to bring his vision to life.

“It seems like a long time, but in terms of an event of this magnitude and novelty…I’d say things are going to plan.”

spiracy and in the newest season the depth of the conspiracy is shallow.

Fourteen years after the X-Files ended, nothing has changed.

Viewership is still low, the actors are still on bad terms because of

personal and professional conflicts, and the conspiracy backbone of the show is weak. The X-Files revival attempts to ride a wave of nostalgia.The X-Files should have stayed dead.

Vegetable popsicle

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f you’re looking for an easy way to change up your diet and live a healthier life. Incorporating flaxseeds into your diet is a great start. Flaxseed contains nutrients like omega-3 fats, fibre and protein. There is 2 grams of protein in a tbsp. of flaxseed.

Because flaxseed is a complete source, it contains every amino acid that our bodies can’t make on its own.

Flaxseed is also the best source for lignans, which is a chemical compound found in plants. Lignans help prolong the life of cancer patients. They contain 800 time more lignans than any other food.

Flaxseed fights best against prostate and breast cancer by stopping the growth of cancer cells.

Flaxseed oil is unique compared to whole or ground flaxseed and put to full use. Once the oil is extracted from flaxseed it’s common that the leftovers are fed to livestock because of the Omega-3 properties found in it.

Regular whole flaxseeds can be stored for a long time but to get its benefits it needs to be ground.

Flaxseed oil is considered more of a supplement than food. The oil is the most expensive way to get flaxseed but is great for adding into chilled foods like salad dressings, smoothies or yogurt. It’s important to remember to never cook with flaxseed oil. Heat will take away all of its healthy properties. Once the oil is extracted

Amanda Ramlal from flaxseed it’s common that the leftovers are fed to livestock because of the Omega-3 properties found in it.

Creating a popsicle recipe and using flax is a unique way to get needed nutrients anytime. You can add any other fruits and vegetables you like.

Ingredients: - 1 cup frozen strawberries - 2 frozen bananas (sliced) - 1 cup coconut water - 1 cup chopped carrots - 1 cup spinach - 1 tbsp. honey - 1 tbsp. lax seed oil Instructions: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Add cup of frozen strawberries into blender.

Add one frozen sliced banana.

Add cup of coconut water.

Blend.

Add cup of chopped carrots.

Add spinach.

Pour tbsp. of lax seed oil.

Add tbsp. honey.

Blend.

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Smokin' up some wieners P

eanut butter and jelly is a staple, but does it belong on a hotdog? Smoke’s Weinerie (sic) is taking this traditional dog out of the ballpark and dressing it up for every occasion – including a classic childhood lunch.

Tabitha Reddekop The corner of King St. and Mary St. may be a landmark in Oshawa because of the well-loved Smoke’s Poutiniere, but it soon may be known for another restaurant.

Smoke’s Weinerie, which opened its doors this year, is situated right next door to the Smoke’s Poutiniere in downtown Oshawa.

Those who enjoy the unusual atmosphere and unique style of gravy and curds will probably find the same appeal in the newest edition to the franchise.

The layout of the new restaurant is a carbon copy of its sibling restaurant; only it’s decked out in yellow and blue plaid instead of the traditional lumberjack red and black.

Smoke’s Poutiniere is well known for its trademark icon called Smoke.

The mysterious mountain man from the 80’s appears on all products and his eccentric personality is played up with online fables on their website. Apparently, he invented the Rubik’s Cube. He also invented the hot dog, according to the website.

The weinerie has the same daring personality as the poutinerie.

This version of the franchise is not afraid of using some less than subtle innuendos. ‘Our wieners rise to the occasion,’ and ‘It’s not the size of the wiener…’ adorn the walls of the small restaurant. The ‘ha-ha,

Photograph by Tabitha Reddekop

Josh Sparrow enjoys one of the many hot dogs that Smoke's Weinerie ofers at its Oshawa location.

you said wiener,’ approach of the restaurant might cause great-aunt Rhonda to blush, but students will gobble it up.

Another appeal may be the fact that the weinerie offers many of the same toppings to doll up its dogs. Those who couldn’t resist the hot steamy poutine covered in crispy smoked bacon and mixed with sweet pulled pork might have trouble saying no to a dog dressed

with the same flavours. But the main difference between the two restaurants is the base on which the toppings are served.Smoke’s Weinerie uses a traditional ballpark style dog instead of the salty fried potato base of its neighbour. The wiener is topped with your choice of bacon, pulled pork, mushrooms or cheese.

The Weinerie even combines its poutine roots by offering a poutine hotdog so you don’t have to make

a trip next door. Unfortunately, the peanut butter and jelly wiener, which comes topped with bacon, isn’t sold in the Oshawa location.

A trip to Toronto will be required to chow down on that dog.

With more than 35 Smoke’s Poutineries locations across Ontario and more coming, the popularity of the chain is undeniable. Smoke’s Weinerie seems set to follow in the Poutinerie’s footsteps with four

locations opened since 2015. The popularity of the first restaurant, combined with their similarities, foreshadows the same success for the Weinerie. But Smoke is wrapping up more student-friendly cuisine under his name. Smoke’s Burritorie has already opened its doors in Ottawa and Toronto this year.

So whether you crave poutine, a hot dog, or even a Burrito, Smoke’s has you covered.

The rise of independent restaurants in Durham Sherise Peart-Kent The Chronicle

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he Greater Toronto Area is continuing to develop far beyond the outskirts of the city. The interest in tourism and culture is rising east of Toronto in Durham Region, which is no surprise to those with particular interest in food.

Independent restaurants are gaining a steady amount of consumers despite the abundance of chain restaurants in Durham Region. Many original food-focused independent businesses can be found from Pickering to Port Perry. The concept of preparing and selling foods may seem simple, but many factors tie into the success of any business, particularly a restaurant situated in a suburb.

Location is generally important for businesses. It’s good to start them in populated places but con-sumers prove that they are willing to travel for good food and a good experience.Chef Peter Lee is the Culinary program co-ordinator and a professor at Durham College. Lee says he works with other faculty members to

modify courses to ensure students are prepared to enter the restau-rant industry on both culinary skills and management. While students may have the theory portion of culinary skills and management upon graduation, Lee says this years 130 students can expect to spend a number of years gaining experience before they run kitchens of their own.

“A good five to 10 years is usually the norm to become a head chef, but along the way, going from apprentice to cook to maybe chef de partie, in a couple years if you’re really dedicated to the industry there’s no reason why you can’t improve and move up in seniority.”

Lee acknowledges the importance of the customer experience and bases much of a restaurants suc-cess on this fact both within and outside of the suburbs.

“The food’s gotta be good, it doesn't have to be super high-end, it just has to be really good,” says Lee, “You have to have customer service, if people don’t like you and you’re not that attentive people won’t come either.”Lee says the demographics may be different in a suburb compared to a major city, but where the

in-dependent restaurant is situated is less of a determinant than other factors.“The restaurant starts off, looks beautiful, but the food’s terrible or the service is terrible, they’re done after a year, maybe two years,” says Lee. One of Durham Region’s most successful independent restaurants is Chatterpaul’s. The restaurant opened for business in 2008 and has received acclaim from Oshawa and Whitby this Week, sees and thousands of customers each week and has as many reviews online. The business is owned by Chef James (Chad) Chatterpaul and manager Penny Johansen.

Whitby native Johansen switched from a career in the real estate industry but carried her communica-tion skills over to the restaurant industry and partnered with Chef Chad who has lived in Durham re-gion for 25 years.

“Our food is not West Indian, but our menu is very eclectic and I think having a chef with such a broad experience as well he has the professional training in the culinary world, but also just a passion for food in general,” says Johansen.

The business duo has a second restaurant in Bowmanville, Tetra Kitchen and Vines in 2014 and is steadily gaining its own reputation.

Johansen says she counts the long success of Chatterpaul’s to the independent strengths of Chef Chad culinary skills and her people skills.

“We decided our skills were very complimentary. He’s a wonderful chef and had a great reputation in the industry and in town, and I had a good business reputation from my past career.” Johansen enjoys the success of both restaurants but says the administrative and management side, handling food costs, structural maintenance and finances can be equally taxing.

“I think to people it looks like a lot of fun but it’s honestly the hardest job I’ve ever seen, with a very low profit return.” says Johansen, “There’s a lot of politics involved with running a business also, that’s the part I like, everyday is different.”

Johansen and Chatterpaul’s success has raised questions about the possibility of opening a third res-taurant in the other areas of the GTA. “We’ve been encouraged to open

a restaurant in Toronto and it’s very tempting,” says Johansen. “I don’t know how I could extend myself to have another place in the city, but you never know.”

Culinary students from schools across the GTA have travelled to Chatterpaul’s for field placement, but Johansen admits the experience can be overwhelming to industry newcomers. “In our business, you kind of just have to get thrown in to see if you can keep up,” says Johansen.The restaurant industry is rapidly growing in Durham and is continually monitored by professionals like instructor Chef Lee who has seen the extent of the region’s development.

Lee says the growth of the industry in Durham has welcomed many cultural restaurants, which is great for residents who can now find dishes like sushi and shawarma closer to home.

Food is a universal necessity and a major part of tourism internationally. People will travel for good food and a good time. As more independent restaurants open across Durham, residents don't have to travel very far.

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Sports The most unlikely of captains Reba Pennell The Chronicle The term hard work pays off applies to the new captain of the Oshawa Generals, Anthony Cirelli.

The 18-year-old Woodbridge native has accomplished a lot in the two seasons that he has played for the Generals. The Generals signed Cirelli as a free agent in 2014, less than a year after he went undrafted in the 2013 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft.

Being undrafted was a defining for Cirelli in his hockey career, but things turned out well.

“Coming from how almost three years ago, I wasn’t even on the radar at all… it was just an unbelievable feeling for me,” Cirelli said.

His career in the OHL has certainly proved to be a successful one.

Cirelli scored both goals, including the one in overtime, in 2015 that saw the Oshawa Generals win their first Memorial Cup in 25 years.

After having almost a year to reflect on that winning moment Cirelli says that it was surreal at the moment and sometimes, to this day, it still feels that way, but he couldn’t have done it without his teammates.

“If it wasn’t for the guys, it wouldn’t have happened,” Cirelli

third round, 72nd overall.

Cirelli said he knew he wanted to play hockey for pretty much his whole life. He started skating when he was about four years old.

“My parents always said that I would always have a stick and puck in hand,” Cirelli said.

From there Cirelli played for Mississauga in the Ontario Junior Hockey League from 2013 to 2014 before being called by the Generals.

In his OHL career Cirelli said that he enjoys playing against Mississauga because that’s when his friends and family come out to the game and it is always a good time to play for people that know him.

Although Cirelli has been busy with the Oshawa Generals, he still finds time to hang out with the guys on the team, play video games and just “be a normal teenager.”

Cirelli is the second leading scorer for the Generals in the 2015-2016 season with 20 goals. He does however have the most assists for the Photograph by Reba Pennell season with 37 and leads the team in points with 57.

With the regular season winding Oshawa Generals captain, Anthony Cirelli, is having a great year in the OHL. down Cirelli said that he hopes to be a leader for the other guys in the said. tice, too. While Cirelli is still very young captain. The Tampa Bay locker room and help the Generals People in the professional hock- much a part of the Generals, the Lightning drafted Cirelli during try and stay with the final playoff ey world are starting to take no- NHL has seen the potential in the the 2015 NHL draft, going in the spot.

Corruption on the courts Gym accessories

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port has been rocked by scandal over the past half year and tennis is the latest to fall victim to allegations of match fixing. Winners of singles and doubles titles at the recent Australian Open Grand Slam tournament are among the core group of 16 players who have been reported for losing games when suspicious bets have been placed against them.

Players are being targeted in hotel rooms at major tournaments and offered upwards of £35, 000 per fix by corrupt gamblers. The names of more than 70 players appear on nine lists of suspected fixers who have been flagged by tennis authorities over the past decade without having been penalized once. One top-50 player competing in the Australian Open that recently passed was suspected of repeatedly fixing their first set.

It’s apparent that tennis is a popular betting sport, undoubtedly because of the minimal amount of betting involved, but match fixing has been ideal for a number of reasons. Firstly, there are only two or four people participating and points are much easier to give up if compared to a National Football League game. Usually the game comes down to a few points, and a few points thrown can easily change the result.

Previous rumours about betting fraud have always circulated around typically minor and first round matches. Recently, an investigation by BuzzFeed and the BBC

Alex Costa analyzed the betting activity on 26,000 professional matches from 2009 to 2015 and found the field for the year’s first major is littered with suspected match-fixers. The report claims that a minimum of one major singles champion has been involved. Tennis has had just 19 ‘major’ winners – seven men and 12 women. That list would include the likes of Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Rafael Nadal and even the world number one, Novak Djokovic. Is it unfair that all the names fans have been accustomed to for several years now are in the spotlight? You bet. But ultimately tennis is getting exactly what it deserves.

This isn’t a shock though, not even a surprise. It was inevitable because tennis has a gambling problem, and its leaders are so tangled up in massive conflicts of interest and so clumsy about public relations that it didn’t do anything about the problem when it was first brought to their attention.

Tennis fans and sports fans across the globe are probably trying to hypothesize this recent theory. They want to try and relate some sort of evidence back to the idea of tennis match fixing.

Five years ago, then-CEO of

IMG, Ted Forstmann, admitted to betting on tennis matches, including on his friend and apparent partner at the time, Roger Federer.

This would be the first sign that something bizarre was taking place in tennis. Fans are realizing that IMG owned several important tennis tournaments. It is also becoming apparent that IMG is the agent for several big name players. This paints the picture that it’s not just some outside presence but rather something within the sport itself.

In late 2008, tennis set up the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) which has been looking at fraud and has successfully banned six players for life in addition to several other measures. Unfortunately, the TIU has not remained consistent and in subsequent years there have been repeated alerts sent to the TIU about multiple players and none of them were disciplined. The European Sports Security Association, which monitors betting for leading bookmakers, flagged up to 50 suspicious matches for the TIU in 2015, making things only a little suspicious. The organization determined that tennis attracts more suspicious gambling activity than any other sport.

The problem of suspicious betting and match-fixing is not going away. Multiple players, including the ones above, who have repeatedly been flagged by the TIU over the past few years and are due to play in the French Open.

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o you’ve been going to the gym since January. You’ve invested a little bit of money on protein and maybe some creatine or BCAA’s. Some of you may be asking, where do I go from here? Well, if you’re looking for accessories for your workouts, there are a few options at your disposal.

Most professionals will say that the four most important accessories for weight lifting are proper shoes, a weight lifting belt, knee sleeves, and resistance bands.

The first and most important accessory is the proper pair of shoes for the kind of exercise you’re doing. Think of gym shoes as a tool.

Different designs have different purposes, and although you can wear Chuck Taylors for running, it’s probably not the most comfortable option. If you want good shoes for weightlifting, you want to look for something with a thin, hard, and flat sole. Some good shoes to start off are Converse Chuck Taylors. They’re cheap, and have all of the elements listed that make a quality weight lifting shoe. You may see people in the gym wearing expensive Nike or Adidas weightlifting shoes. These are weightlifting shoes that meet official Olympic Committee determined standards. At 200 dollars a pair, they are not for everyone.

Next is the weightlifting belt.

This piece of equipment is something that often gets a bad rap from people who have either used it improperly, or people that think

Bill Christou it isn’t necessary. The belt is meant to help create stability in the core during heavy compound lifts, i.e. the bench press, squat, deadlift, and overhead press. The belt works by creating a wall for you to push your core against, to create a solid and stable spine and core while lifting.

Most beginners think that the belt is worn tight, to keep the core sucked in and prevent abdominal damage, which is exactly the opposite of what you want to do. It can actually cause damage due to restricting room in the chest cavity.

Knee sleeves and resistance bands both serve similar purposes. Knee sleeves are meant to help reduce impact on the knees as well as provide minor assistance in squat style lifts.

They’re most often made of neoprene, which is stretchy and durable. As for bands, they’re cheap, and come in many different thicknesses and tensions. Bands are used to stretch, and helps keep muscle tissue flexible. Bands can also be used to add resistance to lifts These are just the most basic pieces of equipment you can buy to enhance your training, but are some of the most important. Remember to always keep an open mind to pieces of equipment that can enhance your training.

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