See USS on page 13 See Memorial on page 17 Volume XLIII, Issue 2
October 13, 2015
Colour splashing into the lives of students Nova Smith, a forensic science student at UOIT, enjoying a laugh at the mental health fair on October 6. The painting was to help express people’s emotions in an expressive manner instead of a destructive or harming way.
Tabitha Reddekop
NYC trip inspires Oshawa outreach Tabitha Reddekop The Chronicle
A UOIT student is starting her own homeless outreach in Oshawa inspired by a mission trip she took to New York City this past summer. Arden Ward, a chemistry student at UOIT, wants to build relationships with the homeless people of Oshawa because she believes simple things can make a difference in people’s lives. “Sometimes it’s as simple as saying, ‘hey, how is your day’ and having an actual conversation,” she says. “Telling them you love them and care about them can change their life.” Ward is leading other mission trip members to hand out food and get to know the homeless of Oshawa each month but is hoping more people will join her in the future. She was one of seven UOIT and Durham College students
who travelled to New York City for a week in August. A local church, Calvary Baptist, sent the students to teach them how to reach out to the homeless people around them. Nick Doyle, a pastor at the church led the team. He describes New York as a training ground. “It’s a good place to allow students to see the diverse culture, plus it’s like Toronto,” he says. He explains he likes to train students in another city to push them out of their comfort zone so they see they can do the same back home. Ward says she wanted to go on the trip because of all the homeless people she passes by in Oshawa everyday on her way to school. She wanted to know how to help them. The team ran missions such as McMission, where small groups went out with backpacks full of supplies and ham-
burgers from McDonald’s so they could sit down and have a meal with a homeless person. The most powerful nights on the trip were when they got to sit down and talk with people, says Ward. “It was the most humbling experience. We would literally get right down with them at their level, down on the sidewalk and share food with them while everyone else in New York City is rushing past you, tripping over you and giving you weird looks.” She says one man she got to sit down and talk with really inspired her to take action when she came home. He complained someone left a bag of food beside him while he was sleeping. He explained food wasn’t what he really needed. “He was more touched we had sat down to talk with him,” she says.
See Helping on page 11
Tabitha Reddekop
SERVING WITH SMILES: Arden Ward and Nick Doyle with supplies for a children’s ministry inside the Living Waters Fellowship where they stayed in Brooklyn, New York.
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October 13, 2015
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The accuracy of pre-election polling With numbers changing, can we trust the polls? Sean Heeger The Chronicle
Throughout the course of a federal election campaign, polling numbers can change quicker than Superman in a phone booth. And throughout an election that spans 11-weeks (making it the longest in Canadian history) anything can happen. At the end of September, one of the latest poll results, from Nanos Research for Ontario, showed that the Liberals and Conservatives are almost even with 32.2 and 32.1 per cent respectively. The NDP sit in third with 26.3 per cent. These numbers have changed significantly. A week earlier, an Ipsos Reid poll had the Liberals sitting with a sizable lead with 41 per cent, while the Conservatives held second with 32 per cent, and the NDP followed in third with 24 per cent. Throughout this process there have been dozens of surveys and test polls done both by groups with close ties to
each party, and national firms like Ipsos Reid, and Nanos Research. Nanos Research is one of North America’s premier research and strategy organizations. Since 1987, Nanos Research has helped hundreds of corporations, government agencies and advocacy associations conduct research on topics that affect citizens on a global scale. Today, Canada’s largest private broadcaster depends on Nanos Research as the official pollster of record for CTV News. As one of the major broadcasters in Canada, CTV is turned to by millions on a daily basis for updates on the world around them, and information on things like stats for the election and campaign. But how do we know if the numbers given by these research firms are correct? Ipsos Reid weighs the data against population factors to ensure accurate results, according to Sean Simpson, Ipsos Reid’s vice president of Public Affairs.
All infographics by Sean Heeger
STATS: Snapshot reveals what the polls looked like on September 29 according to a short poll by The Chronicle. Ipsos Reid does most of their research online using a panel of 150,000 Canadians to get a reflection of the population. The company also calls citizens by
phone at random to validate the data that they’ve collected. A firm like Ipsos Reid also has proprietary equations to account for potential bias or mischief within their online polling. Large companies like Ipsos Reid and Nanos Research have access to wide swaths of citizens each and every day to try and bring the most accurate coverage to the masses. But what information would come from a survey on a much smaller level? The Chronicle decided to do its own polling to determine just how accurate pre-election surveys are. We surveyed 100 people from Oshawa, Hamilton, and Kingston to try and get the most accurate representation of Ontario voters. Our survey divided voters into five age groups. To get a sense of why each group votes a certain way, we asked participants to choose from popular reasons for why they’re voting for a certain party. Out of 100 voters, 64 were male and 38 were female. Thirty-four people say they will vote Conservative to keep Stephen Harper in office. Trudeau and the Liberals came away with 33 of the 100 votes. The NDP had 29. Four votes went to other parties that are running for office. This is represented in figure A. Looking at votes per age group, the 18-29 year-old group seems to be leaning toward the Liberals with 14 votes, six higher than the Conservatives. This is represented in figure B. This is a complete 180 from the group of 80+ year-olds who seem to support the Conserva-
tives, beating out the Liberals by ten votes. It also looks like the early retirement age group of 5579 supports the NDP with 15 votes, beating out the Conservatives and Liberals by 11 and ten votes respectively. To look into why people vote a certain way, we asked people to give us a reason for their choice and we rounded off the top three. Most people say they will be a “loyal voter” for this upcoming election, as almost a quarter of people surveyed said that affected their vote. “Other reasons” was the second most popular reason affecting voter’s choice this election coming in at 20. “Believing in the party’s platform” rounded out the top three with 16 votes. This is represented in figure C. As with all surveys, there is a chance for bias and error, however we believe this is a strong representation of Canadian voters for the upcoming election. To continue the research we would like you to participate in our online survey at www.chronicle.durhamcollege. ca and cast your vote. With less than one week left until the election, anything can happen. In the blink of an eye those polling results have changed time and time again, and the longest election in modern history is more like the Man of Steel than we can imagine. The election will leave a mark that will last for years to come. It’s up to you as a voting citizen to decide who will be our next federal leader. Visit www.elections.ca to find out more. Election Day is Oct. 19.
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Tuition talks dominate debate Sachin Bahal The Chronicle
The federal Conservatives aren’t the ones to blame for high tuition, says Colin Carrie, the Tory MP for the Oshawa riding. He says that one of the biggest reasons Ontario has high tuition is the “complete mismanagement of the Ontario economy through the Liberal government of Kathleen Wynne.” Carrie made the comment at an Oshawa riding all candidates debate hosted at the Durham College and UOIT campus on September 30th. Carrie also says the Conservative government is responsible for providing education funding to the province of Ontario. The provincial government has jurisdiction over the educational system and where the money will be used, Carrie says. Carrie also says that the Conservative government has established better student grants, enhanced the Canadian student loan program and eliminated work penalties for students who would like to work at the same time as going to school. He also says that his party has increased the amount of money that is given to provinces and territories for their educational systems. The Conservative government has also given tax credits to students and enhanced Registered Education Saving Plans (RESPs). But the other candidates
Sachin Bahal
ON COLLEGE TUITION: (From left to right) Colin Carrie (PC), Michael Dempsey (Green Party), Tito-Dante Marimpietri (Liberal), and Mary Fowler (NDP) debating Ontario’s tuition costs at Durham College and UOIT. inthe Oshawa riding disagree with Carrie’s position. Liberal Tito-Dante Marimpietri says, “I hear from a number of students that it costs more for their loans than it would for a house that they are purchasing.” Marimpietri says the Liberal party thinks there should be a national strategy to help make tuition more affordable. The Liberal party also will take a look at what costs are being burdened onto students and try to eliminate some of those, says Marimpietri. Meanwhile, Michael
Dempsey of the Green Party says his is one of the first parties to try and eliminate tuition for post-secondary education, so that debt doesn’t become an issue. He says the Green Party is also looking into implementing a debt forgiveness program to help graduates get rid of their student debts. Dempsey also says that by eliminating tuition, it will not only reduce post-secondary education cost by half but also will allow students to focus their finances by taking care of the things they need most like
food, clothing and housing. NDP candidate Mary Fowler believes there should be adequate funding to post-secondary institutions so then the burden doesn’t fall onto students. “It’s very unfortunate that under the Conservatives, debt load of students has been very much ignored, instead of increasing taxes to our largest corporations, they’ve chosen to ignore the struggles that these young people are facing as they exit post-secondary institutions,” Fowler says. Some of the other topics that were talked about at the
debate included: youth unemployment, making public transit better, promoting post-secondary education, the environment and pensions for seniors. The debate attracted a crowd of about 100 people including students and community residents. A Durham riding candidates debate took place after. The candidates for the Durham riding includes, Erin O’Toole (Conservatives), Derek Spence (NDP), Corinna Traill (Liberal), Stacey Leadbetter (Green Party) and Andrew Moriarity (Christian Heritage).
Whitby candidates outline plans Shane O’Neill The Chronicle
The federal election is just around the corner, and many Canadians have yet to decide how to vote. For all political parties, winning the undecided vote will be key to securing victory on election day. To help undecided students here on campus, as well as those voters living in the riding of Whitby, The Chronicle reached out to all the candidates seeking election. Here are their answers to two short questions. Each answer has been edited for length only. Interviews were conducted by phone and email. Can you share one project or plan for the riding of Whitby that you will implement should you be elected? Pat Perkins – Conservative Party of Canada, in-
cumbent MP: I plan on continuing to work with Durham Region and the Town of Whitby to determine the required infrastructure for our area beyond the highway 407 extension that is already being built. Celina CaesarChavennes – Liberal Party of Canada: The Liberal Party will make a strong investment in infrastructure, social infrastructure especially. [We] will make sure that investment comes back to Whitby in a very strategic way. [Through] leveraging some of our existing infrastructure, including DC, UOIT, the Abilities Centre and Ontario Shores, and creating partnerships with industry to make Whitby a centre of excellence for information, green and health technology. Craig Cameron – Green Party of Canada: One of the first things I will do upon being elected is hold a series of town hall meetings for all constituents in Whitby. I would help return our democracy to where true constit-
uent representation matters, transparency is a given and cooperation is the key. Ryan Kelly – New Democratic Party: A plan I have for Whitby as MP - a plan that characterizes my form of representation and sets me apart from my competition - is to be both accessible and transparent. I want to hear the great ideas of our residents and bring Whitby’s ideas to Ottawa, not solely the other way around.
What will you or your party do for students or young people in general in Whitby should you be elected? Pat Perkins: I think one of the main issues facing post-secondary students is the amount of debt students walk away from school with. Our party has introduced measures that are helping Canadians gain improved access to post-secondary education and the training they require for high-quality jobs.
The Conservative Party will help students in Whitby by reducing their financial burden and increasing their employment opportunities. Celina CesarChavennes: The Liberal Party has a number of great initiatives for young people, especially related to jobs and the trades in particular. We will work with the provinces, territories and post-secondary institutions to expand pre-apprenticeship programs, invest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) industries and create job opportunities for young people. This includes 40,000 youth specific jobs in the next three years through annual investment to the youth employment strategy. Craig Cameron: Greens will create a national Community and Environment Service Corps, which will provide $1 billion/year to municipalities to hire Canadian youth to do work that needs to be done. I would ensure Youth Communi-
ty and Environmental Service Corps projects are developed in partnership with municipalities and based on local priorities. Young people need hope for a sustainable future and I believe sustainable jobs in a ‘green’ economy are the key to that future. Ryan Kelly: I am still rife with student debt. I was fortunate enough to access OSAP, but find it offensive that the government seeks to earn interest from my loans. The NDP will restore the federal role in making education affordable and accessible. Also, we will ensure interns get the same workplace protections as other workers. Graduates are always asked for ‘experience’ to be competitive for a job once graduated, yet often are not afforded the chance to utilize their skills. An NDP government will recognize education as ‘the great equalizer’ and work to ensure education is more affordable. Whitby and Canada go to the polls on October 19th.
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A millennial vote can make a difference As October 19 approaches, Canadians prepare to make a big decision on election day. For some, this decision is a no-brainer. While for others there may be last-minute second thoughts. But statistics show there is one group of Canadians that almost never shows up at the polling stations. This group is called the millennials. If you’re reading this and you were born between the early 80s and the early 2000s, then you’re a millennial and you are always lowest by voter demographics. Just one-third of youth, ages 18 to 24, voted in the last federal election. That is only 38 per cent of Canadian youth. What is the cause for low youth turnout? While most millennials don’t vote, this doesn’t mean that they are not politically active. If you turn on the TV or read the news, there are daily revolts and protests around the world. Who participates the most in these movements? The youth! This shows that young people are engaged in politics, if only to speak out against something. The problem that seems to be common with the millennials’ low voter turnout is that while they do care about the issues, they don’t trust the system and as a result see their vote as useless. Thanks to a few scandals here and a few arrests there, millennials have good reasons not to trust the system. They don’t think politicians run for office because of the concerns of their constituency but rather for the politicians’ own selfish reasons. The recent Senate scandal revealed our politicians’ lack of honesty and respect of Canadians as well as politicians’
Alex Ross
wastefulness with taxpayers’ dollar. The scandal found a number of unelected senators freely using large amounts of taxpayers’ money for luxurious hotels and living conditions. The same thing happened with an MP here at home not too long ago. Bev Oda, the now-retired MP for Durham, had her own little expense scandal: notably her limousine expenses of more than 17,000 dollars of taxpayers’ money. Ms. Oda’s punishment was a good slap on her wrist and a nice farewell pension. Another reason millennials turn away from the voting process is their feeling of hopelessness.
Will these leaders make real commitments and follow through on their promises? Or will we see flip-flopping once in power? During the early 90s, many Canadians were opposed to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Many Canadians felt the Conservative government gave too much to the Americans and Mexicans for the sake of free trade zones. Some Canadians called for a renegotiation. If that failed, they wanted the government to scrap NAFTA. Jean Chrétien and the Liberal party stated that they would get rid of NAFTA, if talks
failed. Chretien’s Liberals won the election in 1993 and began renegotiations, but they soon fell flat and it looked like NAFTA was to be scrapped. But instead of sticking to their promise, Chretien just threw that issue under the rug. In the end, youth turnout boils down to a lack of trust in MPs and the system they serve. Millennials are under the belief that the parties don’t serve their interests, so why vote? What these millennials might want to consider is the reason politicians don’t serve their interest. It is because the youth don’t vote. Politicians don’t talk
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enough about millennial issues because millennials don’t bring their issues to the ballot box. The equation is simple: the more votes, the higher priority of the issues. Youth should consider the possibility that the student debt crisis might be a top issue instead of a brushed over topic. If youth voted more often, this might be the case. It’s better to do something than do nothing at all, even if you believe it won’t make a difference. Go vote millennials. Let’s see what happens.
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pinion O Ripped jeans in the school Refugees in Canada system causes controversy Reba Pennell When All Saints Catholic high school student, Madi Carty, arrived at school wearing ripped jeans, she didn’t think that it would be that big of a deal. But wearing ripped jeans turned into a suspension, which then spurred a protest by students. While ripped jeans have grown in popularity in recent years, wearing them at school is quite simply unprofessional. That being said, school is not only a place to practice professional decorum, it is also a place for students to express their individuality. So the question remains, to rip or not? Suspension may seem like an extreme repercussion for ripped jeans, but looking more closely, it’s not. The dress code clearly states that ripped jeans are not allowed. Carty broke the rules and suffered consequences. It is understandable that students want to express their individuality while they are at school but when the dress code states that ripped jeans are not allowed and you wear ripped jeans, there will be consequences. High school is right before college or university and teachers try to get you prepared for post-secondary as soon as they can. Then post-secondary attempts to prepare students for the workforce. All Saints High made the argument against ripped jeans stating that students would not show up to a job interview wearing them. The students, including Madi, replied that they are “just going to school,” and not a job interview. Students may be going to school but school is supposed
Reba Pennell
RIPPED APART: Alyssa Clapp, a Durham College student, models ripped jeans amidst controversy. to prepare you for the real world. How are students representing themselves when they are wearing clothes that are ripped? Not professionally. That is not to say that students should dress professionally every day. One cannot expect a 15-year old to wear a dress shirt and dress pants to school every day. What the teachers are simply trying to say is that clothes should not be ripped because this is not acceptable in the world of work. The way you represent yourself at work is different than the way youths represent themselves at school. Going to school is an opportunity for students to express who they are. This self-expression is done through music, their hair and fashion. Wearing ripped jeans is a way that girls, and guys, express themselves. Jeans are being sold with rips already in them. This could be because of ce-
lebrity influences. On Monday, September 28, 2015, NBC’s The Voice coach Adam Levine was wearing ripped jeans during the show. Other celebrities like Kanye West and the Kardashians also wear ripped jeans. Teenagers have always followed celebrity influences. Youth see their favourite celebrities wearing something and they go and buy it. Students wearing ripped jeans are not exposing any inappropriate body parts. If students were showing any inappropriate parts, the suspension would have more merit. Ripped jeans are simply showing parts of the students’ legs. While students are supposed to be expressing themselves at school, there is a time and a place. High school is supposed to be preparing students for their future. Ripped jeans should not be worn at school because they are unprofessional.
The ongoing crisis in the Middle Eastern nation of Syria has forced two million of its twenty-two million former citizens to flee their borders and find better lives for themselves and their families. One of the countries that refugees have tried to reach is Canada, where currently over ten thousand refugees await processing so that they may begin their new lives. In response, the Canadian Government has proposed a plan that would see ten thousand Syrian refugees brought in by the end of 2016. This would expedite immigration processing by skipping some of the standard screening international travellers normally go through. Despite the benefits of speeding up procedure, the risks of skipping too many steps in procedure are not simply inconveniencing, but potentially endangering to the lives of Canadians. These refugees are fleeing a region seized by I.S.I.S., a group with a history of planting agents and coercion through extremism and threats. Canada itself has been through two incidents incited by such extremists. This resulted in the deaths of two law enforcement officials in less than a three-month span. The proposal, according to Harper, would prioritize the processing of refugees over existing applications. This would significantly slow the integration of nonrefugee immigrants, greatly disrupting the queue and the lives of others waiting to become citizens of Canada. That said, the circumstances from which the refugees have fled are extenuating, and should be treated as such. In terms of proportion, Canada is faced with ten
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thousand potential immigrants out of the existing two million currently seeking refuge throughout Asian and European countries. Canada has, at the time of writing, already processed a quarter of the ten thousand
Cameron Popwell without major incident. The process has the added benefit of having doubled the workforce of immigration offices throughout Alberta and Manitoba, specifically Winnipeg. In addition to this, expediting the immigration process for Syrian refuges has become increasingly necessary. Recently 3,000 of the 400,000 refugees fleeing Iraq have attempted to reach Canada, adding on to those already waiting for immigration processing. As the situations in wartorn countries intensify, the possible solutions become more difficult to define as morally correct. Solutions proposed to help tend to both inconvenience and, in some instances, endanger the lives of both refugees and the citizens of countries that they flee to. When one looks at the situation from both perspectives, a solution becomes more difficult to discern. Perhaps reducing circumstance to that of numbers and speed is the only solution. With this in mind, it would make sense to expedite refugee processing. This may be the most efficient and feasible solution, if only because we currently lack any other.
The positive impact of gamification There may be a negative perception of the gaming community but many gamers in the gaming community have been the driving force behind many positives in our world today, such as Games for Change, which exists to create games that impact social change. Gaming can be used to improve people and communities as long as games are used responsibly and ethically. Gamification is a term that is used to describe when companies and organizations that have no connection to the gaming industry
Chris Rego use video games. When people hear gamification, they envision games created for a business purpose, but gamification is not about creating something new. It is about amplifying the effect of an existing, core experience by applying the motivational techniques that make games so engaging. The
purpose of gamification is the betterment of the human race and the goal is to propel us into a positive future. This is being achieved by creating interactivity between the user and the system that helps to solve a problem, such as health or education. Games have been used or created specifically for mental and physical well-being. Schools use learning games to teach children important life skills like how to share, and work in a team. Games, like Minecraft even help children
learn how to read. Hospitals use games such as Ungame and SPARX to help .Games studios develops games that create playful, innovative software for children with autism ages 4 to 10. Games have also been used to help terminally ill patients deal with their situations and give them experiences that would be next to impossible otherwise. For example, a terminally ill patient who was house-ridden and too weak to travel went on his last summer vacation to Tuscany using a virtual reality headset.
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There are many ways game technology can be used to help people and there is still so much it can do that has not yet been realized. For example, ARAIG is a suit that gives sensory feedback. Developers believe this may be useful in many ways: from training soldiers and astronauts to giving a paraplegic the feeling of walking. Gaming has the possibility to help people live healthier lives and overcome obstacles whether they be physical or mental. The possibilities are only limited as our imaginations.
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A fish-ful of dollars Ryan Burden The Chronicle
Raising and breeding aquatic animals is both very expensive and rewarding. To 58-year-old Oshawa resident Colette Fontaine, “it certainly is! “I started when I was a little girl, about seven, when my uncle gave me guppies and mollies,” she says. Mollies are a small, tropical freshwater fish. A couple years later, Fontaine had to leave her love for fish behind because money was scarce. It wasn’t until about seven years ago when she picked the hobby back up with a 30-gallon aquarium. Seasoned aquarists know that their hobby can be quite expensive, and with bigger tanks comes a much steeper cost of maintenance. Fish food can be $20 per container, and chemicals are around $60 per bottle. Equipment including heaters, filtration systems, lights and decorations can be hundreds of dollars depending on size and quality. And all of that is just to prepare for the fish themselves - which can range from a few cents for minnows to $400,000 for the coveted platinum arowana. Despite the costs, Fontaine found that her aquariums became profitable over time. Soon after she got back into the hobby, her aquarium began to thrive with fresh plants rapidly growing, and mollies rapidly reproducing. Fontaine began to sell the baby mollies to beginner aquarists in Durham Region over Kijiji. She would sell the mollies for only a dollar each, well below the local fish store price of around six dollars. She would also sell a handful of her aquatic plants for five dollars a bag. Every dollar she made, she put in an envelope to save for an unexpected splurge. In a couple months, Fontaine had managed to save $205 from sales. She put the money towards an African Cichlid tank she found on Kijiji. “They had no idea what it was worth!” Fontaine explains how she managed to get the aquarium, as well accessories valued at $500 for $200. With a little bit of cleaning and painting, Fontaine managed to turn the tank into a beautiful home for new fish. With a new tank upgrade on the horizon, she decided to sell the tank for $500. Through her dedication to the hobby, she managed to purchase her gorgeous 90-gallon aquarium. “It’s a very rewarding and relaxing hobby,” Fontaine said, “I could just sit here and watch them all day.”To the new aquarists, Fontaine says to be prepared for a very expensive, difficult, and rewarding journey.
CATERING FOR ALL OCCASIONS
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Police ready to respond
Sgt. Leon PresnerSean guns per 100 people, there are almost 10-million civilian guns Heeger
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Durham police are welltrained and always prepared for gun-related crimes around their jurisdiction, says Sgt. Leon Presner of the Durham Regional Police Services (DRPS). While our police service is prepared for such events, our neighbours to the south are dealing with another tragic shooting. On Oct. 1 there was a mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon. The shooter, 26-year-old Chris Harper-Mercer, fatally shot ten people (including himself) and wounded seven others in his rampage across campus. “If by chance someone attacks a school we are prepared, our Tactical Support Unit is always prepared and we have trained for such events especially in the wake of tragedies across the border,” said Sgt. Presner, who wants to try and squash a potential rise in fears of these events happening here. Harper-Mercer’s father Ian Mercer told media he believes his son had some kind of mental health issues that led to him committing this heinous act. These crimes are few and far between in Durham Region. Annual reports from DRPS state that crimes involving guns have been dropping over the last five years. These numbers are down almost 50 per cent in each category of gunrelated offences. There has been an outcry for years from some Americans who want stricter laws, to cut the amount of guns in the hands of citizens because it’s “easier to buy a gun than it is to go to the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles),” said Sgt Presner. Each state in the U.S. has different laws for owning and using firearms, however, the second amendment in the U.S. Constitution allows for any citizen to have guns. The laws here in Canada differ greatly thanks to the Federal Firearms Act and Criminal Code. “These laws govern how the public can acquire them, the licensing, the training, and the usage of firearms,” said Sgt. Presner. Because of these laws, Canada ranks 13th in the world in terms of gun homicides and ownership of a gun, according to statistics from the Washington Post. Here in Canada we have 30.8
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across the country, and there are 0.51 gun related homicides per 100-thousand people. Comparable numbers are drastically higher in the U.S. America ranks number one in the world for gun homicides and ownership. There are 88.8 guns per 100 people, 270-million civilian guns, and a gun homicide rate of 3.2 per 100-thousand
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If by chance someone attacks a school we are prepared.
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people. While gun violence does happen here on occasion police blame illegal guns for that, according to Sgt. Presner. “I can confidently say that they are either imported illegally from the United States or they are acquired illegally in Canada via break-in.” While the FBI stated in Sept. 2014 that mass shootings in America have been on the rise over the last decade, with 366 deaths in the last seven years, Sgt. Presner thinks we don’t have to worry about those kind of shootings happening at schools around us thanks to low gun rates and the preparedness of Canadian police
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Durham grad at ‘Home’ in his job Sachin Bahal The Chronicle
A DC grad is putting the skills he learned at school to use at the Home Depot – and he’s loving it. For someone like Steve Martinson, working there for the last two years it has become more than that. Martinson said, “Love my job, love interacting with people.”
Martinson graduated in 2013 from the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) program at Durham College. Martinson say that the program is a great way for students to get skilled trade jobs. It helped him get the job at the Home Depot. For Martinson, trades has always been something that has been in the back of his mind. He says, “I have a background of doing trades and I
went to Durham College for HVAC, it kind of relates altogether for me.” Martinson says that his job’s main focus is on customer service. Each day he’ll help customers make sure they have what they need and he’ll restock store shelves with more products. Martinson hopes that he will be able to help more and more customers for years to come.
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Keep calm, don’t stress Taylor Waines The Chronicle
With the start of a school year comes the start of many stresses. However, Durham College and UOIT offer ways for students to get help dealing with the stresses of school, life, and relationships. Students can access support in-person, over the phone, and online. It is all a part of the Student Assistance Program (SAP), which was introduced by Durham College and UOIT in September, 2011 and is run by Aspiria. This throws away traditional patient-counsellor therapies and SAP intertwines counselling with technology. The program offers four modes of counselling: telephone, in-person, video, and ecounselling. By offering different types of counselling, it may allow more students to seek help, says Aspiria CEO, Charles Benayon. “I think that technology has made it easier for students to be able to reach out in situations where they may not feel comfortable coming to see a counsellor for face-to-face counselling,” Benayon says. “Another benefit, is the benefit of convenience, you can do it in the convenience of your ‘rez’
or in the convenience of your apartment, you don’t have to leave your computer if you really don’t want to.” With one call to their 1-800line, students will be connected immediately with a counsellor on the phone. There is no receptionist, but rather a qualified professional counsellor on the other end of the line, says Benayon. The service offers support for everything from feeling anxious about exams, to feeling homesick, Benayon says. Following the initial questions students are booked to speak with a counsellor within 48 hours, for up to six sessions per problem, per calendar year. Benayon says about 95 per cent of the time the problems are solved within the six sessions, and for the few that aren’t, students can be referred into the community for longterm or specialized services. Benayon says the program was put in place to complement the pre-existing services at Durham College. “It’s a way of giving the student the choice of either seeing a counsellor internally or accessing our service externally which has the benefit of being 24 hours and being for 12 months of the year,” Benayon says.
This means that SAP can be accessed not only during the school months, but as well on winter break or summer months providing students with support all year round. “Accessibility is really important when someone has a mental health issue… it doesn’t just happen between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., it tends to happen after hours as well,” says Benayon. With the stigma surrounding mental health and reaching out for support some students may feel uncomfortable walking into the Health and Wellness Centre for counselling, in which case the SAP is the better option. Benayon says, “We are trying to give as many choices as we can to the students to increase the probability that they will reach out and ask for help one way or the other.” Benayon says the overarching goals of the SAP are to make every student at Durham College and UOIT aware of service, and to ensure every student who needs help reaches out. In a testimonial on Aspiria’s website, Kathy Lazenby, Director of Counselling and Health Services at Durham College says, “Aspiria has provided prompt, professional and proactive service to the student body at Durham College. They have helped us offset the increased demand on our various
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Taylor Waines
THERE IS HELP FOR STRESS: The Student Assistance Program provides help for stressed students. campuses for mental health services by expanding the accessibility of the program to include counselling after hours and weekends.”
Benayon says the hope is to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and counselling by educating students and creating public awareness.
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Campus
Campus
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October 13, 2015
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Adding trails to the campus Michael Clark The Chronicle
A proposal to create more open and green spaces around Durham College and UOIT could happen within the near future. The two schools released the ‘Campus Master Plan’ at an open house event in September. A key feature of the plan is the proposed trail linkages between the college and UOIT, with the Oshawa Creek forest valley, located on the west side of the campus.
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model videos of what the campus could look like in the future. New buildings will be added near the protected creek, so that it can bring more natural spaces to the campus, and provide walking and cycling connections across the community, according to the plan. “I like walking down here everyday because it’s great to release stress and helps me calm my mind,” said Holly Maillet, a second year Development Services Worker student who looks forward to more trails.
I like walking down here everyday because it’s great to release stress and helps me calm my mind.
Holly Maillet
Within the Master Plan, representatives from the MMM group, one of the contractors in charge of the future expansion, proposed integrating the natural systems of the forest valley with future campus buildings. “We’ve done this through developing an open space and trail plan which outlines trails (that) may be integrated into the natural systems into the future,” said Elizabeth Gillin, a senior planner at the MMM group. The event displayed 3D
Helping homeless Continued from page 1
She wanted to bring that aspect of the trip home to Oshawa. She says her goal is when she walks downtown is to have a relationship with the homeless people she sees.She encourages others to reach out also.“Here, I thought I was going to New York City to help them out and serve them but I think they had a even greater impact on me,” says Ward. “Trips like these are life changers. They are the most amazing opportunity you’ll ever have. I’ll take that over a vacation in the Bahamas any day!”
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“I hope the plans include more trails, I can’t wait to explore more of the forest.” MMM group has not specified the exact length of the proposed trails but said the plan would start from the south of Conlin Road, and head north, through the old Windfields farm lands, that will unify the old and new campus, as well as strengthening the relationship between the valley and the campus. According to the plan,the amount of the valley the schools own is about 129
The MMM Group
DC AND UOIT GO GREEN: The graph shows proposed trails that may be added near the existing and future campus buildings. acres south of Conlin and 324 acres north of Conlin. The plan has been in the making for years, trying to develop the campus while at the same time trying to protect the forest valley. The forest and the creek is an important part of the local ecosystem and under the pro-
tection of The Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA). CLOCA, which is a stakeholder in the plan, says it has been working closely with the contractors, the City of Oshawa, Durham College and UOIT, giving its input to make sure that the protected environment
and watershed surrounding the future campus is unharmed. The forest valley is part of the Oshawa Creek and the college’s storm water management pond is connected to it. The creek is an important place for migration of many fish species, like that of trout, bass, suckers and salmon, according to CLOCA.
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Entertainment
October 13, 2015
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Wes Craven’s legacy ongoing Horror movie director dies after battle with cancer Taylor Prest The Chronicle
Hollywood’s iconic horror film director, Wes Craven, died in August this year after a battle with brain cancer. Craven’s successful films include The Last House on The Left, Scream, Nightmare on Elm Street, and The Hills Have Eyes. His death, at the age of 76, left many Hollywood stars upset by the news including Halloween director John Carpenter. Now that his legacy has been left up in the open it’s time to find out who will take up the horror mantel. Wes Craven had a substantial and lasting impact on horror movies. Craven twisted the genre into a shape that other directors have imitated for years. Over the course of his fortythree year career, Craven bent the conventional rules of the genre and pushed the boundaries with his deranged flicks. Now the question is who will take up Craven’s legacy and how will they succeed in doing so. Being an inspiration of the horror genre there are a few in
mind but only time will tell if they can make this accomplishment or fall flat. Imitators, such as The Purge director, James DeMonaco, and The Strangers director, Bryan Bertino, tried to expand on what Craven produced. But each attempt had the same outcome: they always fell flat. Scream was released in the early nineties and continued with three sequels. The fourth was Craven’s last film, and continued with a television series by the same name that Craven produced before his death. Craven, who was dealing with brain cancer, still took the time to make his creations come alive and preferred to work rather than wait for the cancer to take effect. He took his influences and gained experience from other well-known directors in the genre. Dawn of the Dead director, Dario Argento, and Halloween director, John Carpenter, to name a few. With no fear of experimentation and a drive so fierce others felt threatened, he was impossible to follow and that is what made his work so exciting.
Photo illustration by Taylor Prest
HORROR GURU: Wes Craven, the iconic horror movie director, died in August after a battle with brain cancer. A fact most didn’t know about Craven was before he made his debut directing horror flicks he was in the adult film business under many different pseudonyms directing scenes. He experimented a lot of his past experiences of the business into his R-rated horror movies and created the heart stopping films that are known today. The question still remains, what of Craven’s legacy now? Who will be the new Craven? There is much speculation but only three directors stand out. Rob Zombie, James Wan, and Eli Roth have all used elements of Craven’s work and imitated what they could.
Rob Zombie, director and musician, acclaims that one of his top inspirations was Wes Craven, especially for his most popular films, House of 1,000 corpses, and the sequel, The Devils Rejects. The suspenseful scenes, which replace the gore, blend beautifully with the creeping soundtracks, something Craven excelled in. James Wan, director of SAW, Insidious, and the Conjuring took inspiration from Nightmare on Elm Street. Eli Roth, director of the Hostel series and cult classic Cabin Fever also shows signs of Craven’s work. He imitates Craven’s way of handling suspense and gore. He took many of Cra-
ven’s more graphic scenes and created films even more twisted, trying to outdo the veteran. Even though the mastermind of scares and suspense is no longer with us physically, Craven’s legacy will continue on through the fans and the directors that were and were not mentioned. Wes Craven’s name will be carried throughout the horror industry, not only as an iconic director but also as a horror legend that set the scene for upcoming films. What is next for the horror genre? Who will take up Craven’s legacy? Only time will tell who will be the 21st century Craven but the mantel remains unclaimed for now.
Megan Chase
tours for seven years now and gained a strong radio presence when our single, ‘Yin Yang’ became the biggest in the country. With the industry being so competitive, it’s been such a humbling experience,” said Parsons. While there have been struggles trying to make it as a Canadian band, Parsons said their Toronto record label, Coalition Music, has been nothing but supportive. While the band is enjoying its success, they make sure to stay grounded and look at things from multiple angles. Parsons said that for anyone trying to make it in the music industry, you should not forget about what’s best for the people at the bottom. USS’ album will be released in the United States on October 30 and with another album in the works right now, fans won’t have to wait long for another dose of energy.
USS: A scientific musical experiment Megan Chase The Chronicle
The band Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker (USS) describes themselves as a “science experiment set to music” and according to Canadian fans, these guys are top of their class. Ashley Buchholz (aka Ash Boo-Schultz) and Jason ‘Human Kebab’ Parsons met in 2004 while working at a golf course together and formed the band in 2007. Since then, the duo has toured with Canadian acts Hedley and Classified. ‘They had two songs on Toronto radio station 102.1 The Edge’s top songs of 2010, “Anti-Venom” and “3 Purple Butterflies.” Their second single, “Yo Hello Horray (Everyday)” appeared on the Canadian drama series, Degrassi: The Next Generation.
Megan Chase
UBIQUITOUS SYNERGY SEEKER: Jason ‘Human Kebab’ Parsons performing at CampusFest. When USS released its EP, “Advanced Basics” in 2014, they decided to play “pop-up” shows around Toronto and filmed the entire day. They released the video on YouTube, to the delight of their fans.
USS performed for the Durham College and UOIT CampusFest concert on September 18 at Polonsky Commons and drew a packed crowd. Concert-goers were dancing, singing and jumping to the upbeat songs being played, with security having to calm the fun down at points. “Definitely when the crowd starts jumping. Our fans always bring this great energy … we love when people feel the music,” said Parsons about their love of performing. The love is mutual, as the band has won two “as voted by fans” CASBY (Canadian Artists Selected By You) awards. The band bested musical artists like Bedouin Soundclash, Sam Roberts and Tokyo Police Club to win the category. This year, the band was nominated for the Juno “Breakthrough Group of the Year” award and is nominated
UBIQUITOUS SYNERGY SEEKER: Ashley Buchholz (aka Ash Boo-Schultz) performing at CampusFest. for a third CASBY award by their Canadian fans. Additionally, they signed an American recording contract with Bad Mascot Records via Universal Music Group. “We’ve been doing campus
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Entertainment
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Back To The Future’s 30-year anniversary Sachin Bahal The Chronicle
Chris Rego
RIOT RADIO: Volunteer Coordinator Kortney Beresford outside of Durham College and UOIT’s campus radio station.
Having a Riot on the Radio
Students get air time behind the microphone
Chris Rego The Chronicle
Riot Radio (RR) is packed with volunteers this year and the future looks bright for the Durham College and UOIT campus radio station. Kortney Beresford, the Volunteer Coordinator has been with RR for the last three years, and has seen it grow into what it is today. The RR is a visual radio station and, has a full schedule this semester and is full until January. RR now has a whopping 69 shows, 50 of which involve first year students.
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“Shows run from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. and consist of talk shows and music shows,” says Beresford. “But there are all kinds of shows, it all depends on the what the volunteers want their show to be about.” The on-air positions are optional and the jobs are quite flexible, Beresford says. The volunteer positions that are available are the On-Air Host or Hosts, which lead the show, create ideas, and can be more then one person. The Assistant Technician, who operates the equipment, like the mixing board, monitors the live chats, and supports the on-air host.
It’s really exciting that so many students have decided to create shows this semester.
Kortney Beresford “The number of shows brings Riot Radio to an all time high over the last three years,” says Beresford. This steady increase has been encouraging, from 40 shows in 2013, to 55 shows in 2014. September seems to be the busiest time for RR in regards to show volume because of first years wanting to take an active role in the college experience, Beresford says. In regards to the type of shows the only limit is your imagination. “It’s really exciting that so many students have decided to create shows this semester,” says Beresford.
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The Live Event Team covers live events such as concerts, and various other events like Campusfest. RR has had quite a few assistant technicians this year that have topped off at 50 setting a record, says Beresford. All anyone needs to do to get a show is simply go into RR and ask for an application. Positions are open to all fulltime students of DC or UOIT and if space permits part-time students can get a spot as well. Beresford says experience in broadcast isn’t needed, all that anyone needs is the enthusiasm to try.
In the words of Doc Brown, Great Scott! It’s crazy to think that it has been 30 years since the first Back To The Future movie was released back in 1985. While the actual 30th anniversary was back in July, celebrations are underway for Back To The Future day, which is on October 21st 2015. Back To The Future has been a part of pop culture for the past 30 years. It has become something that everyone who watches it can relate to. The movie has spawned not one but two cartoon shows (but one of those is only loosely based on Back To The Future), countless toys and even a episodic adventure game that was based on a new storyline in the Back To The Future universe. For those of you who may be unaware of the significance of the date, Marty McFly and Doc Brown leave Hill Valley in 1989 and arrive in the future on October 21st 2015. Since that moment on film, fans have been anxiously waiting for 2015. The future promised hoverboards (made by Mattel), flying cars, autolacing shoes and holographic
movies. Sadly, none of those inventions exist in functioning form. We’ll just have to wait a little longer - maybe another 10 to 20 years. While we’re waiting, there are a lot of events taking place on October 21st that force us back to the future. To start off, the Back To The Future trilogy will be re-released on Blu-Ray and DVD. One of the special editions will have all 26 episodes of the Back To The Future animated series. The Blu-Ray set boasts a new featurette called, “Doc Brown Saves The World”. Here, Christopher Lloyd reprises his role as Doc Brown. He explains why the 2015 we are living in isn’t the same as the one that was shown in Back To The Future Part II. In addition to the re-release on home video, a new documentary entitled Back In Time will be released on Back To The Future day. It features all-new interviews with Michael J. Fox (Marty McFly), Christopher Lloyd (Doc Brown), Lea Thompson (Lorraine Bates, Marty’s mother) and many more. The documentary looks at the impact that Back To The Future has had over the years.
There will also be a fourpart Back To The Future comic. Each issue will cover two storylines and will help fill in the gaps between when the films took place and other time periods that Marty and Doc will visit. All this points to the fact that Back To The Future has had a significant impact on pop culture. The movie is still something people talk about to this day. Not only do people talk about the movie or make merchandise, there are video games and a documentary. There are homages to the movie in the form of a cartoon series called Rick and Morty, which began in 2013. Now in its second season, Rick and Morty, a parody of Doc and Marty, this makes us see that Back To The Future is relevant enough that we are seeing shows loosely based on the first film. The first movie may have been specifically been set in 1985 and 1955 but when people watch it now, it seems timeless because we can compare what is was like in 1985 to what it’s like in the real 2015. These comparisons will still be made even when it is the 50th anniversary of the first film.
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Sports
Veterans lead the way for UOIT UOIT hosts the OUA provincial championships at Oshawa GC Michael Fletcher The Chronicle
The UOIT Ridgebacks are hosting the Ontario University Athletics men’s golf championships for the second year in a row at Oshawa Golf and Curling Club. They will be looking for a better result than last year and according to head coach Peter Butler they have the players to reach this goal. The Ridgebacks will look to execute on their home golf course as it is where the team practices and it is where players James Krantz (Oshawa, Ont.), Riley Prentice (Oshawa, Ont), Jordan Legros (Oshawa, Ont), Josh Harrop (Oshawa, Ont), Mackenzie Dasti (Oshawa, Ont) and Max Kisil (Oshawa, Ont) called their home course before joining the Ridgebacks golf team. The Ridgebacks are looking to improve on the ninth place
Michael Fletcher
HOSTS: Among the veteran roster, Riley Prentice will lead the UOIT Ridgebacks into the OUA provincial championships on October 19-20, held at the Oshawa Golf and Curling Club for the second straight year. finish from one year ago and will be led into the championships by team captain, Krantz. The Ridgebacks have played above expectations this year,
says Butler. To start this season the team captured a silver medal at the Queen’s Invitational and individually Krantz finished
atop the leaderboard shooting a 5-under 65 to win by four strokes. Butler and assistant coach Jamie Loverock both say the
team has what it takes to finish in the top five but the players should not let it get to them too much because overthinking things can be detrimental to how the team plays. Loverock says the expectations are to always win but they need keep things in perspective. “We obviously want to win but we have to be realistic and we would be happy with a top three or top five finish this year,” says Loverock. If the Ridgebacks are successful in finishing in the top five of the OUA championships they have sealed an invitation to the national championships next season. The Ridgebacks were fortunate to have players returning from last season who gained experience playing in the OUA championships, says Butler. Krantz and Prentice are among those players. “Prentice started out with the Ridgebacks as a quiet guy but has really stepped up and has played a part in the leadership role on the team this season,” says Loverock. However, Krantz, Prentice, Nicklaus Dirk and Ben Kennedy are four of the five starters on the roster who are in their final season with the team and winning the OUA national championships on the team’s home course would be a great sendoff for those players, says Butler.
Lords rookies look to own the course Lords head coach Martin believes his team can get the job done
Michael Fletcher The Chronicle
Michael Fletcher
UP AND DOWN: The Durham Lords travel to Chilliwack, British Columbia to compete in the CCAA national championships on October 13-16. Craig Conroy will lead the rookie laden Lords team into the tournament.
Coaches Tyler Martin and Don Shaw have guided a roster laden with rookies back to the CCAA national golf championships for a second straight year. The national championships are being held at Chilliwack Golf Club in Chilliwack, British Columbia from October 13-16. Of the six players on the Lords roster there are five who are in their first season with the program. The Lords added Colin Jex and Tyler Barrett both from Port Hope, Brady Seguin from Stouffville and Stewart Muirhead from Lindsay. The Lords qualified for the national championships after finishing in fourth place overall
at the OCAA Golf Championships at Hunters Pointe Golf Club in Welland, Ontario on October 30. The Lords finished just three strokes back of third place. Martin is coming off of an award-winning season in 2014 as he was named OCAA coach of the year after leading the Lords to six podium appearances last season. The success the Lords had last season has not translated over to the 2015 season . “It has been a tough season, we haven’t played as well as we would have liked but we aren’t too worried about it going into the nationals,” says Martin. Craig Conroy is the only returning player to the Lords roster this season and according to Martin he has not hesitated in
taking on a leadership role with the new team members. “Having Craig back is huge for the team, he has been good with the new guys on things like helping with their swing to warming up with before a round,” says Martin. Conroy has been one of the Lords more consistent players this year and when the team has a player like that it makes the job for the coaches a little bit easier, says Martin. “Craig has been very important for us in making it back to the national championships this year,” says Martin Martin says the expectations going into the season for the Lords were to make it back to the CCAA national championships, which they accomplished. “In terms of the nationals, our expectations need to be more realistic. We would like to win a medal to close out the year but even a top five finish would be nice for our guys,” Martin says.
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Memorial day for Generals
Photos by Logan Caswell
The Oshawa Generals honoured their 1965-66 Memorial Cup finalist team on Sunday, Oct. 4 at the General Motors Centre prior to their game against the London Knights. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Gens captain Michael Dal Colle (71) carries the puck between two London defenders; All-star alumnus Bobby Orr drops the ceremonial puck with the Oshawa and London captains; Goalie Jeremy Brodeur and defenceman Stephen Desrocher talk between plays; Sumo fun at intermission between two Generals fans; Goalie Brodeur sits on the ice after the play is whistled down.
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Varsity drug test funding gets a stab from the government Diversion of money impacts CIS sports
Michael Fletcher The Chronicle
The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports (CCES) receives funding from the Canadian government to conduct drug tests with the Canadian Interuniversity Sport’s athletes (CIS). But over the last few years the Canadian government has repurposed the funds they give to the CCES. The Canadian government is making sure the CCES is now focusing their testing on athletes that compete on a national level like, the Olympics. This takes money away from testing athletes who are only competing for their varsity sports teams. The funds provided by the Canadian government going to athletes competing on international levels depletes the money and resources the CCES has to use for testing varsity athletes. The result of the funding cut to the CCES mean’s only 400 drug tests were conducted last year between the 11,000 student athletes they have. The CIS and the CCES are given the task of conducting annual drug tests on student athletes across Canadian universities. “In Canadian sports, the use of illegal and banned substances is not a rampant issue, says Chief Operating Officer of the CIS, “ Drew Love. Having to cover drug tests for 11,000 student athletes, the CIS and CCES need to come up with the funds from somewhere, and that money comes from the pockets of the universities under the CIS banner. Universities wanting to be involved with drug testing done by the CCES must contribute money to a fund at the start of each academic year. Contributions are a minimum of $1,000 per school but universities with football programs will contribute approximately $5,000. A simple urine test com-
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Durham, UOIT home sports schedule
pleted by the CCES costs $450. If every athlete within the CIS were to be tested, the total cost would be just under 5 million dollars. There are currently 27 football programs within the CIS and if each of those 27 teams contributed $5,000 they would only pool $135,000, only a fraction of the cost to cover all its athletes. The CCES is funded by the Canadian government. The government provides the CCES money for resources used to test athletes in the CIS. The CCES does not just focus on athletes at a varsity level, they also look after the drug testing on athletes who represent Canada on a national level like the Olympics.
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In Canadian sports, the use of illegal and banned substances is not a rampant issue.
Drew Love
Sports
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There is not much the CCES and CIS can do about the lack of funding because if the money isn’t there, then they do not have it to spend. The lack of funds and the resulting lack of tests may lead to an increased use of illegal substances. What is not a rampant issue in CIS sports now could become a serious problem down the road.
Thurs. Oct. 15: Sat. Oct. 17 UOIT Men’s hockey vs UOIT Men’s Hockey vs Brock 7:30 p.m. York 7:30 p.m. DC Men’s Soccer vs Friday, Oct. 16: Algonquin 3 p.m. UOIT Men’s Soccer vs DC Women’s Softball vs Queen’s 8 p.m. St. Clair 1 p.m. UOIT Women’s Soccer DC Women’s Softball vs vs Queen’s 6 p.m. St. Clair 3 p.m. DC Men’s Basketball DC Women’s Soccer - Dave Stewart Tip-Off vs Algonquin 1 p.m.DC Tournament Men’s Basketball -
Dave Stewart Tournament
Tip-Off
Sun. Oct 18 UOIT Men’s Soccer vs RMC 3 p.m. UOIT Women’s Soccer vs RMC 1 p.m. DC Women’s Softball vs Fanshawe 1 p.m. DC Women’s Softball vs Fanshawe 3 p.m.
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