Durham Chronicle - March 13, 2017

Students feel their voices aren't heard.

Volume XLIV, Issue 13

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March 14 - 20, 2017

50 reasons Durham is amazing pages 8-9

Photographs by Alex Costa/ Illustration by Toby VanWeston

Oshawa's Lords fall short

page 34 Photograph courtesy of Scott Dennis

all-time best concerts

pages 24-25 Photograph courtesy of Laura Stanley

pages 6-7

IIlustration by Alex Ross

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The Chronicle March 14 - 20, 2017

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KCAB FRONT of the

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

Photograph by Alex Debets

Future firefighters Benton McNicol (left) and Matthew Snache got a taste of what it's like to sit inside a firetruck during their Wednesday morning class, March 8.

Soaking up student life Michael Constantinou tickles the ivories of the painted pit piano.

Brennen Sloan jamming out in a stairwell in the L wing.

Photograph by Brandi Washington

Photograph by Euvilla Thomas

Campus

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DC, UOIT SA-ga continues Each school gets its own SA after vote March 22-23

Tommy Morais and Frank Katradis The Chronicle

Durham College (DC) hasn’t had its own Student Association (SA) for more than 14 years. That’s because when the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) opened its doors, students at DC and UOIT began sharing the same SA. But that’s about to change soon.

After years of controversy involving accountability and student fees, the SA is in the midst of a split. DC and UOIT will now each have their own respective student governance instead of one serving both institutions.

Students at DC and UOIT will vote to elect their respective SA representatives over a period of two days, March 22-23.

Meri Kim Oliver, vice-president of student affairs at DC, hoped the SA wouldn’t come to a split.

“One of the things that Durham College students didn’t want to do was to see a split of the existing association,” she explains. “What we are very concerned about is that Durham College student built a student association for its students.

We wanted to see a continuation of the SA to represent the current population.”

Oliver says political participation among DC students tends be lower than those at UOIT. “Frequently the executives are more heavily weighted towards UOIT - and Durham College students, in terms of their board participation, have tended to withdraw,” she says.

“There was only one Durham College member on the board.”

The SA split appears to have caused much frustration within the student body.

“The Durham College institution keeps advocating on behalf on their students for a vibrant Student Association and arguing that there has been decline in the amount of participation from their institution,” says Sara Ventura, president of the DC and UOIT political science

Photograph by Frank Katradis

The former interim SA president, Vianney Nengue, says students want to create a new organization. club. She thinks current executives are failing to create trust and actively engage students.

“The reason we don’t have a lot of board positions filled right now is because of current executives and this continued distrust and their inability to engage the student body,” she says.

hall meeting to outline the split in the SA only hours prior to the event, Ventura says.

“When the students don’t know what they’re voting on, when the agendas haven’t been posted seven business days in advance and when we know that the agenda’s being changed without students being

Students at DC and UOIT who want to be involved in the decisions are finding it difficult to do so and events and meetings are announced on an inconsistent basis, Ventura says. Students were sent a mass e-mail about a Feb. 14 DC town

consulted it leads to frustration,” Ventura says.

The Feb. 14 DC town hall meeting, held at the Gordon Willey building, didn’t go as planned.

Students voted to end the 4 p.m. meeting early.

Ali Naqvi, a student in UOIT’s community development and policy studies program, says students voted to end the meeting prematurely because they felt the meeting wasn’t about student participation.

“My view on the meeting was that it was very disorganized and it wasn’t about having meaningful participation - it was creating control of messaging to an audience,” he says.

He is not convinced an SA split between DC and UOIT will benefit students in the long run.

“I think that it’s really problematic for us to separate as an SA because unions are based around people power. Without people power we have less power so two separate unions means less people and the institutions have more control over us,” Naqvi says.

The SA’s agenda and policies can be accessed online by students. On this day they were changed without prior student consent according to Naqvi.

“That’s incredibly problematic,”

all the clubs and societies.”

Most recently, the ASA hosted an indoor soccer tournament at the Campus Field House. The tournament was a fundraiser to support the group’s upcoming Gala Night.

The turnout was not as high as Edebiri and the rest of the ASA would have liked. Only 14 players came out to play. At $10 a player, the group only generated $140, which means the ASA didn’t break even financially due to the cost of running the tournament.

The students who did play enjoyed the games. Among them was Emmanuel Anugwa, a mech-

anical engineering student at University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT). He wants to see the SA resolve its problems so events like this are more common.

“This is a great way to meet new students,” says Anugwa. “It’s an opportunity to do something fun away from class.”

Earlier in the year, the ASA planned to host a multicultural night in conjunction with other cultural clubs at DC and UOIT. However, they were unable to host the event, in part due to a lack of funding by the SA. Another problem facing clubs

such as the ASA is E.P. Taylor’s losing their liquor license. This forces associations to look at outside venues to host events such as pub nights. This can be a costly expense for groups that already lack funding, says Edebiri.

“We have to go through the hassle of finding proper venues, getting insurance and doing it all for next to nothing,” Edebiri says. “We need to charge people accordingly since they are students. We need to find places that won’t charge them too much so we don’t spend too much.”

The ASA’s Gala Night is set for April.1 at the Italian Recreation

Students feel their voices aren't heard.

he says.

Vianney Nengue, who has stepped down as interim SA president, was also at the meeting. He paints a different picture.

“Students are not opposed to having two different Student Associations, they’re opposed to how it happened,” Nengue says.

He says some students feel their voices aren’t heard.

“They want to have more of a say in how this is happening and they want to have a voice in the process, that’s where the frustration comes from,” he says.

Nengue has seen students concerned over the SA split, but says many of them are supportive of the change.

“We have students from UOIT and DC who are concerned about what the future is going to look like, but overall there’s a lot of students that want us to create a new organization.

"In the next two months we’re going to figure how to make that more compliant,” he says.

Centre in downtown Oshawa. It is the club’s biggest night of the year.

“It’s a dress up, red carpet event.

We will have lots of food and entertainment,” says Edebiri. “It is open to everybody. I know the name African Student Association scares people but it shouldn’t. It’s just a platform for us to share our culture with other people and embrace diversity.”

The ASA has no other events planned before the gala, according to Edebiri. He says they will continue hosting events for students and hopefully have more support from the SA.

Student group suffers from SA's financial constraints Michael Welsh The Chronicle

The turmoil that has plagued the Student Association (SA) this school year is taking its toll on the smaller groups that rely on the SA, including the African Student Association (ASA).

The ASA has been unable to host as many events as it would have liked to, according to group’s events director Imina Edebiri.

“Starting from last year it has put a huge dent on different associations and clubs,” says Edebiri.

“There just isn’t enough funding for

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March 14 - 20, 2017

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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 Toby VanWeston

Solving opioid use starts with treating trauma One of the main reasons people become addicted to drugs isn’t because they’re curious and want to try drugs. It is rooted in untreated childhood trauma. According to the CBC article “Fixing fentanyl means treating trauma that creates addicts,” Canada is facing an opioid crisis because it lacks the resources necessary to help traumatized individuals.

Canada’s justice system needs to rethink the way it handles people suffering from drug addiction.

People found possessing illegal drugs are not criminals, rather they are damaged individuals coping the only way they know how… through self-medicating.

South of the border, the attempt to change substance abuse has be-

come a war on drugs. But this isn’t a war on substances. It is a war on already traumatized individuals, which should be a crime in itself.

Only people in serious emotional pain are willing to harm their bodies and risk their lives to temporarily lessen that pain. About two out of three addicts have faced physical or sexual trauma during their childhood and most of them never received the proper help to move forward from these experiences, according to the organization Dual Diagnosis.

Childhood trauma changes the brain’s chemistry and increases the chances of addiction. Countless studies have shown childhood neglect or abuse is at the heart of

EDITORS: Jenn Amaro, James Bauman, Logan Caswell, Rebecca Calzavara, Sharena Clendening, Dean Daley, Alexander Debets, Travis Fortnum, Tyler Hodgkinson, Barbara Howe, Noor Ibrahim, James Jackson, Christopher Jones, Frank Katradis, Daniel Koehler, Angela Lavallee, Laura Metcalfe, Tommy Morais, Joshua Nelson, Nicole O'Brien, Samuel Odrowski, Devarsh Oza, Trusha Patel, Matthew Pellerin, Asim Pervez, Alex Ross Emily Saxby, Tyler Searle, Jessica Stoiku, Euvilla Thomas, Toby VanWeston, Kayano Waite, Brandi Washington, Michael Welsh, Jared Williams, Erin Williams.

Publisher: Greg Murphy

the emotional patterns that cause addiction.

According to Dual Diagnosis, over 66 per cent of addicts experienced some form of childhood trauma, while only 49 per cent of diabetics are obese. This means there is a higher correlation between childhood trauma and addiction then there is between diabetes and obesity.

All legal and medical professionals need to become aware of this data if they want to implement any meaningful change to help fix Canada’s opioid epidemic.

Increasing the penalties for individuals who use drugs will not deter them from use. Yet before leaving office, Stephen Harper made Canada’s drug laws stricter

and now B.C is facing the worst opioid crisis it has ever seen.

Our current drug laws do not rehabilitate users but instead punish them.

This needs to change.

If the money spent keeping drug addicts behind bars was put towards rehabilitation and addressing the root of the problem, our rates of drug addiction could be similar to that of the Netherlands where only 0.3 per cent of the population use opiates.

If the federal government wants to begin fixing the drug problem, there needs to be a reform of the drug laws in this country.

Supervised injection sites have begun to be implemented in B.C in the wake of fentanyl overdoses.

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.

Editor-In-Chief: Brian Legree

Advertising Production Manager: Kevan F. Drinkwalter

Features editor: Teresa Goff

Photography Editor: Al Fournier

These sites do not encourage people to use drugs.

The focus is harm reduction, which involves using strategies to reduce negative consequences of drug use.

More injection sites, a change in our laws, and a focus on offering help to traumatized individuals are some ways the Canadian government could begin to fix the country’s drug problem. When it comes to dealing with Canadians that are addicted to drugs, a focus on rehabilitation instead of retribution would be a step in the right direction and just might begin to help Canada recover from its drug problem.

Samuel Odrowski

PRODUCTION ARTISTS: Brandon Agnew, Justin Bates, Zach Beauparlant, Kayla Cook, Nathalie Desrochers, Charlotte Edwards, Yannick Green, Madeline Grixti, Stephanie Hanna, Lijo Joseph, Sarah Judge, Shannon Lazo, Megan Mcdonald, Ashley Mcgregor, Josh Mcgurk, Katie Miskelly, Louisa Molloy, Jasmine Ohprecio, Alex Powdar, Olivia Randall-Norris, Kaela Richardson, Madeleine Riley, Alex Royer, Spencer Stevens, Rachel Thompson, Geroge Tsalavoutas, Alexandra Weekes, Cameron Westlake.

MEDIA REPS: Rachel Alexander, Angela Bahnesli, Sarah Bhatti, Anokhi Bhavsar, Steven Brundage, Chanel Castella, Brandon Clark, Scott Cowling, Leanne Howorth, Bryce Isaacs, Erin Jones, Natasha Kowo, Samantha Mallia, Alyssa Matthew, Alexandra Rich, Bethany Seaton, Kristian Seepersad, Georgina Tsoutsos, Marisa Turpin, Rachel Wendt, Travis Yule.

Ad Manager: Dawn Salter

Technical Production: Keir Broadfoot

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March 14 - 20, 2017

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Opinion

Way to go, Child care rates in Ontario keep growing, Justin Trudeau forcing parents to pay Quebec has the right idea for child care rates, and Ontario should, too The average cost for child care for Canadian families is increasing steadily.

A recent study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) shows an increase of eight per cent since 2014.

This of course, is not a problem for families in which one parent chooses to stay home to care for the children, rather than work.

But many parents who decide to or need to work are digging holes in their pockets from the unaffordable child care costs.

Multiple children can end up costing over $3,000 a month in care.

These child care rates should be lowered and capped at a reasonable and affordable cost for working families in Canada.

The study from the CCPA focuses on three age groups: infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. All day care for children under four years old seem to cost the most.

Costs of care also depend on where you live.

The highest cost for child care in

Erin Williams Canada is Ontario. More specifically, Toronto.

In Toronto, infant care costs an average of $1,649 per month, which adds up to $19,788 a year.

The lowest rate is Montreal. Parents using full-time care in Quebec pay an average of $164 per month.

Many Toronto residents have moved east to Durham Region where daycare costs are a little less, but no major decrease.

The Region reports cost for toddlers at a non-profit daycare at $48.40, compared with $43 at a local commercial daycare.

Both rates are above the proposed increase to $42.75.

The Region’s daycare centers also saw a three per cent rate increase since last year.

In Quebec, the province and its government stepped in to put a cap on child care rates.

Because of this, many stay-athome parents who really wanted to work were given the opportunity. The extra jobs boosted average household incomes along with the entire economy.

The system in Quebec wasn’t perfect and did eventually prove to be too expensive for the government.

The rates were changed again, but Quebec families still pay the

lowest rates in Canada.

The “Quebec model” or a system like it, is worth applying to other provinces and jurisdictions.

During his election campaign, Justin Trudeau did commit to a national child care strategy.

According to Liberal.ca, they plan to meet with provinces, territories, and indigenous communities to begin a new “National Early Learning and Child Care Framework” to deliver affordable, high-quality, and flexible child care for Canadian families.

The Liberals say it will be funded through their investments in social infrastructure.

According to The Toronto Star, as of February 6 Mayor John Tory announced an investment and grants to fund local school boards that house child care spaces. The investment of $1.13 million in 2017 will mean the parents of more than 8,000 children in Toronto will not see their fees go up.

At least for now, some parents of Toronto can be assured their rates will not go up.

But for many other parents of nearby regions, the battle for lower child care fees continues.

If a change is going to happen, it needs to happen now. The price should be capped like Quebec’s model and help our province’s economy as well.

For hardworking Ontario parents, the plan and federal budget for affordable child care can’t come soon enough.

Earlier this year Prime Minister Justin Trudeau began a cross-country tour to talk to Canadians on political matters, as well as answer the public’s questions.

This was a good thing for the Prime Minister of our country to do, and is something that Prime Minister Trudeau should do.

However, cross-country tours shouldn’t be made to cover up wrong doings, and this tour was just that. A total cover up: a distraction from Trudeau’s potential vacation.

Trudeau was originally supposed to travel to Davos, Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum.

The forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation whose motto is “Committed to improving the state of the world”. This seems like a logical meeting the leader of our country should attend. However, it seems Trudeau was potentially “Committed to improving the state of his lifestyle”.

Instead of heading to this meeting, Trudeau decided to take the family on a trip to a private island owned by Aga Khan, the multimillionaire who created Aga Khan Development Network (ADKN).

Several media outlets such as the Toronto Star and Globe and Mail took no time in making it public, since ethically the Prime Minister shouldn’t be taking vacations when there is important work to be done and especially not on a private island of someone who gets funding from Ottawa. According to a press release on ADKN.org, the Canadian government agreed to fund $30 million towards ADKN’s Global Center for Pluralism’s endowment fund back in 2006.

When Trudeau knew the news

Frank Katradis

was out, he decided to cancel his “vacation”. He then went on to do his cross-country tour. The tour however, was a complete waste of money and over half of Canadians agree.

According to an Ipsos poll done for Global News, 52 per cent of Canadians said the tour was a waste of money and 51 per cent believed it was an attempted distraction at Trudeau’s mistakes. Yes, 92 per cent believed it was a good thing Trudeau met the public face to face. It is a good thing. But, Canadians are not being quick to forget about his travel plans.

The truth is Trudeau made an ethical error for his position and many Canadians are not happy.

It really hurt the tour. The Prime Minister is already facing difficulties with the public. According to Trudeaumeter.ca, a non-partisan site that tracks all of Trudeau’s promises since he started in office shows that out of the 223 promises he has made, Trudeau has only achieved 41. Add a potential trip to a private island and you will have a rather unhappy public.

Yes, it can be said being the leader of a country can be a very difficult and demanding job, but that’s just it, running a country is very demanding. The people of Canada expects their leader will take care of the promises he made and will do what he can to help shape the nation. There is still a lot on the table, and Trudeau has to show the people he can do it.

Toronto is sitting next to a nuclear disaster In January 2017, the radiation levels in Fukushima were the highest they have been in the past six years.

In the year 2011, a tsunami followed by an earth-quake disabled the cooling system at the Fukushima Daichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan.

Due to three nuclear power reactors melted and threw radioactive ma-terial in the atmosphere.

The tragedies in Fukushima, Japan still scare many people.

The disaster caused high levels of radiation the cities, which led many people to migrate somewhere else kind of a mini refugee crisis.

The Canadian government needs to take a lesson from both disasters and relocate the nuclear power plants from Pickering to Parry Sound in north of Southern

Devarsh Oza Ontario.

Many people in Fukushima and Chernobyl had to migrate due to the radiation in the cities, the same thing could occur in Toronto.

The nuclear power plant in Pickering is the oldest nuclear power plant in Canada and fourth oldest nuclear power plant in North America. It was opened in 1970 and meant to generate electricity for thirty years; it is now forty-six years old.

In fact, the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station’s license ex-

pires next year, but the Ontario Power Generation, also known as OPG, wants to renew it to 2024.

This is not good for any reason.

The Pickering Nuclear Generating Station has had nearly twenty big or small accidents in past three decades. The most recent accident was in September 2015, when the OPG had to shut down the plant due to a system trip. A system trip is a problem, which occurs in the cooling sys-tem of nuclear power plants and stops the cooling in nuclear reactors.

Apart from all these accidents, the plant is located in the most densely populat-ed area in Canada.

The plant is surrounded by more people, than any other nu-clear plant in North America.

The GTA is home to more than

6 million people. In case of an accident, it will be hard for the government to evacuate all the people.

In Parry Sound nothing like that could happen, as the population of the whole district is less than 50,000 people.

The evacuation of the people of Toronto would also cause the shut down of Canada’s financial capital.

That would cause the Canadian economy to fall down, and it would be hard to recover the loss.

If the government decides to relocate the plant, it would not only be safe but would also create about 30,000 new jobs.

That would bump up the economies of Durham Region and Parry Sound. It would require about 18,000 people to safely defuse the old plant and also more

than 12,000 people to create a new plant. So, relocating the nuclear plant would be good for both regions.

Parry Sound is also 240kms far from a highly populated area, which makes it a safer location for a nuclear power plant. Parry Sound is far enough away to be safe and close enough to supply electricity to the GTA. All the accidents occurred in the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station and its location in relation to the GTA makes the Pickering Nuclear Plant dangerous for the residents. Relocating would not only be safe, but would also help the econ-omy. Due to all these reasons, the government needs to relocate the nuclear power station to Parry Sound.

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March 14 - 20, 2017

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Innovation

NEW ideas, FRESH faces

This is our second and final part of a series examining innovation in Durham.

Tyler Searle The Chronicle

The Chronicle has collected stories of Durham Region-based organizations and how each innovates in their respective field.

Whether it’s by creating unique products and services, providing new jobs, or new ways to use developing technology to improve our

Interviews with the innovators and creative minds of Durham

lives, these companies plan to evolve and expand the Durham Region in the coming years.

Innovation is often the cornerstone of the technological industry. The act of creating something new, or improving greatly on what already exists, has allowed companies to invent unique and convenient ways to improve our day to

day lives.

Over the last few years, the Durham Region has seen a massive spike in innovation from a variety of sources.

The brothers John and Howard Russell also understands this, and changed the operations of their company, RBRO Solutions, to accommodate the needs of their

clients.

Additionally, innovation in wearable technology has resulted in a spike in social media use.

But innovation is not solely limited to products and services. It can also be used as a way of advertisement. Durham College professors have begun researching the different methods marketers reach their

Pickering company goes international Sharena Clendening and Rebecca Calzavara The Chronicle

John and Howard Russell founded RRBO Solutions, which helps to create workflow and productivity strategies to help lawyers and companies worldwide. Their office is located in Pickering, Ont. Innovation is defined as the introduction of something new through a method or device. Dennis Croft, the Chief Operating Officer of RBRO, explains what

RBRO does and how they manage their clients.

“RBRO solutions specializes in providing software in the document management space,” says Croft.

This company isn't just a local Canadian company; it is a global company with offices in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. With that being said, they have created a larger presence by working with bigger companies.

Croft says innovation to him means creating something new or exciting.

intended audience in our growing technological world.

At the centre of innovation is adaptation. The world is changing based on society and people’s opinions. Industries must evolve to service consumer demands and requirements. This is crucial to web design, the professional skill of designing and maintaining websites.

Visit www.chronicle.durhamcollege.ca for the full the innovation pieces, interviewa, photos and more.

Meet the Chronicle's innovation team

Photograph by: Sharena Clendening

: Dan Croft, chief operating officer at the RBRO offices in Pickering.

Series Producers: Nicole O’Brien and Tommy Morais Fact Checker: Sam Odrowski Copy Editors: Barbara Howe and Jessica Stoiku Banner and branding: Alex Ross Layout Design: Tommy Morais and Tyler Searle Online Design and Support: Dan Labecki

Fishing industry hooks great minds Sam Odrowski Asim Pervez Kayano Waite and Jared Williams The Chronicle

Chasing the next big catch is one of the perks of being a professional sports angler.

Accomplished sports fisherman and the founder of National Pro Staff (NPS), Dan Miguel, says he first went fishing with his parents at the age of two.

"I fell in love with it, you couldn' keep me off the dock," says Miguel.

"That's all I wanted to do, was just fish."

By the age of 16, Miguel says he already had a fishing scholarship.

Miguel is a graduate from the Photograph courtesy of Dan Miguel University of Ontario Institute of Catches from one of Dan Miguel's successful fishing day. Miguel is the founder of National Pro Technology (UOIT). He is from Ajax, which is where he met BranStaff, a social network for anglers. don Wetzel. Weztel is also the cofounder and co-owner of NPS.

NPS is a social network for anglers everywhere. This is where they share their catches, techniques, and fishing spots.

The website's main purpose is to help talented anglers get sponsorships with fishing brands.

"Our site is quickly approaching the 100 thousand user mark.

People are very active on our site," says Miguel.

One in five anglers who pay the small fee and apply to get brand sponsorships through NPS actually get sponsored.

For Miguel, NPS has always been about creating sponsorship opportunities for talented anglers to get noticed without having some type of firsthand connection in the industry. Your average joe fisher. Acc ording to Miguel, there is no other website that does what NPS does. "We're the only social platform that connects brands with anglers," says Miguel.

Innovation

March 14 - 20, 2017

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7

Web design breakthroughs at Durham College Trusha Patel Euvilla Thomas Laura Metcalfe and Angela Lavallee The Chronicle

To the naked eye, the outside building might not be a true representation of web design.

But inside the two-story building that houses Digital Ink Technology (DIT), a small business in the downtown core of Whitby, is a hub of activity.

Rob Ragusa, the Durham College alumni who started this business, has turned what started out as a hobby into a million-dollar company.

Web design just may be the easiest industry to enter, but to stay can be a tad more difficult, especially starting your own company.

Ragusa started DIT from the ground up.

The award-winning solution team now has about 15 employees at its Whitby location.

Photograph by Joshua Nelson

Howard Russell (above) co-founded RBRO Solutions with his brother John.

Brothers offer productivity solutions to their clients Dean Daley Chris Jones Joshua Nelson and Jenn Amaro The Chronicle

Bringing productivity solutions to the market was the goal for two brothers who knew there could be a better way in the work force.

RBRO Solutions, as founded by

Howard and John Russell, is an organization dedicated to helping their clients figure out how to do things better.

Their innovative company can be found in Pickering, Ont. “At RBRO, our goal when we first started was to bring productivity solutions to the market,” Howard says.

Productivity solutions are solu-

tions to difficult tasks which an upcoming business whether this be an app that may help a employee stay focused or a file to make a certain task easier.

"But today, we look at ourselves more as an organization that is helping our client organization and Photograph by Euvilla Thomas people that we work with to get better value out of their content," says Robert Ragusa, president of Digital Ink Technology.

Howard.

Marketing makes the leap from TV to iPhone Dan Koehler Tommy Morais Kevin Steinbach and Toby Van Weston The Chronicle

Photograph by Dan Koehler

DC students use their cellphones to access media marketing.

Older methods of advertising, such as newspaper, radio, and TV, are limited when it comes to reaching new audiences.

As mobile usage continues to grow, companies need to tweak the way they reach people. Utilizing digital marketing through mobile is the 'new wave' of advertising. For

companies to keep up, they need to get on board.

Dawn Salter, advertising program co-ordinator for Durham College, says mobile marketing will be the next big thing. In the next five years, Salter says expenditures on mobile advertising will surpass much of the traditional media, such as television and radio.

“As short as ten years ago, client budgets that went into digital spending were maybe five per cent,” Salter says. “But now consumption for most target audiences is via their

smartphones.”

This is where MobileXCo comes in.

MobileXCo is a mobile marketing company based in Whitby, Ont. The company partners with major businesses for various promotions and deals. The company offers consumers vouchers, coupons, and contests to consumers through cell phones. MobileXCo attempts to bypass a major mobile marketing problem that has been damaging the industry in recent years, ad blocking.

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March 14 - 20, 2017

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Campus

reasons to study at Durham College

Chronicle photo

Durham College maintains a commitment to the success of its students. DC’s mission is for the student experience to come first.

Jessica Stoiku, Michael Welsh, Travis Fortnum, and Alex Ross The Chronicle

1. Students help each other Upon getting accepted to DC, students start Facebook pages to help with navigating college. These can be ‘buy and sell’ groups, people looking for housemates, or groups dedicated to specific programs.

2. Off-campus housing Oshawa is one of the cheapest places to live in Durham Region.

There are three different places for students to live on campus alone, and more within walking distance.

3.Learning in a Global Environment without leaving Oshawa Durham College has more than 600 international students on campus from 54 different countries.

4. General Education Electives Whether you’re enrolled in a two or three-year program, you’re required to take three general education courses, which may include exciting electives like “A Hero’s Journey: Frodo, Luke and Harry.”

A dream for any nerdy students, it looks at the common themes in many mainstream heroic tales.

5. Exciting Elective(s) - Humanity’s Destiny, Short History of the World, and The Global Class All taught by Lon Appleby in a global classroom that brings students from around the world together in a unique learning

experience. Topics range from xenophobia to restorative justice, fake news and the legalization of marijuana. You can view previous classes online.

Photograph by Jessica Stoiku

Appleby in the Global Class.

6. Exciting Elective - The Impact of Rock & Roll: Early Years The perfect class for rock stars looking to take a louder class.

Young people need experience, and DC can provide this through hands-on education. Students demonstrate knowledge of course material in order to understand what their field of study entails on a day-to-day basis.

en the learning experience outside the classroom.

10. Pathways You can design your own educational path. Durham College has more than 450 educational pathways to universities such as Trent and UOIT, as well as other schools in the province, the country or even abroad.

14. New SA DC will be introducing a brand new Student Association for the 2017-18 school year to serve its students.

11. University students transfer here According to ontariocolleges. ca, university graduates enrolling in colleges has increased to 40 per cent in the last five years.

12. CFCE The new Centre for Collaborative Education will be replacing the old Simcoe Building. Students and faculty will connect to broad-

7. Exciting Elective - Hockey: The First Century Sports aficionados will beg to be in this class that explores the history behind hockey.

8. Industry experts Many DC faculty members are experts in their respective fields.

From journalists, to video game developers, advertising executives and marketing experts, students won’t have a problem finding someone to help them along the way to their dream job.

9. Experiential learning

13. President Don Lovisa Since being appointed in 2008, Don Lovisa has led the growth of the college.

15. CICE Cooperative Integration through Cooperative Education works with students with intellectual disabilities to complete courses through their college career.

16. SALS The Student Academic Learning Services provides students with the tools and resources to guide you through their academic studies.

17. Library Friendly and helpful staff run the three-storey library. Great place to study and use resources to help your schooling.

18. Bistro '67 Enjoy this up-scale, student-run restaurant at the Whitby campus.

19. Whitby agriculture Enjoy fresh-grown foods at the farm on DC’s Whitby campus.

Photograph by Emily Saxby

Durham College president Don Lovisa (left), Whitby MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes (centre) and DC VP Elaine Popp (right).

20. Jim Ferr Writing a paper and your Mac crashes? You don’t need to go to the Genius Bar, Jim Ferr will solve all your tech problems.

Photograph by Matthew Pellerin

Jim Ferr, Mac expert.

21. Plenty of printers Available in most classrooms and common areas for students who are rushing to print out an assignment on time.

22. Campus bookstore More than just textbooks. Pick up DC apparel and all your school supplies.

23. Bus pass Students are given bus passes for Durham Transit. This is a great way to get around and enjoy some fun away from school.

24. Gym membership Your tuition covers the cost of a membership to the gym facilities on campus. One less outside expense for starving students to stress over.

25. Campus Wellness and Recreation Centre Students have access to two gymnasiums and a full-service fitness centre. Physical therapy and other services are also available.

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26. Health and Wellness Club For students who want to make a positive change toward their nutritional, physical, and mental well-being.

9 46. Developing area Durham is an ever-growing region and specifically North-Oshawa has been expanding in the past decade. The 407 expansion, as well as the added housing, is making the school more accessible to students.

27. Campus Ice Centre Students can enjoy free public skating every weekday.

47. Close to Toronto We’re only an hour east of downtown Toronto, which means easy access to all that comes with the big city.

28. Sports teams There are more than 20 sports teams between DC and UOIT, giving every student a team to cheer for.

48. Alumni at Work Durham College is a proud place for alumni to come back and work with the college, giving back to the place that helped mold them into the people they’ve become.

29. Louie the Lord Durham College’s mascot. He attends almost every event taking place on campus and in the community. He’s always happy to give you a high-five.

30. Dental Clinic A full-service dental office run

by DC students at affordable costs to clients.

Chronicle Photo

31. FastStart Have an innovative idea? FastStart is an entrepreneurial partnership with DC that provides students with the skills and resources to build and market business and product ideas.

36. Prayer room Students of all faiths can come and practice their faith in a safe and peaceful environment.

32. Campus work opportunities The on-campus employment program offers DC students many jobs right on campus. DC Works

37. Tim Hortons There are 5 Timmies locations at the Oshawa Campus. Some of the employees have even been there for over 15 years!

E.P. Taylor's Pub & Restaurant, located in the Student Centre.

42. Board Games Club Willing to ruin friendships over a game of Monopoly? Just kidding. The Board Games Club provides students with a friendly space to kick back from the stress of classes and assignments.

44. International learning opportunities Durham College facilitates opportunities for students to travel abroad to further their education through international partnerships. Last fall, a team of students

49. Notable alumni The halls of Durham College have been walked by many successful students. A very small sample: Liam McMorrow is a professional basketball player who played in the Philippines. He graduated from DC in 2008.

Lauren Williams, more commonly known as Angelina Love to wrestling fans, is currently signed to Impact Wrestling.

Jerry Ouellette, was a Progressive Conservative MPP for Oshawa from 1995 – 2014.

38. Hangry app No more waiting in lines!

Apps like Ritual and Uber Eats have been a hit in Toronto. Here, you can order and pay for your Marketplace meal, right from your phone!

33. Job fair Durham hosts different businesses as students get ready to graduate and look at prospective employers. Armed forces are usually on hand and LinkedIn shows students how to effectively brand themselves.

34. Aboriginal Centre Offers a great facility and services for Aboriginal students and faculty. All students have the opportunity to take courses to enhance their knowledge of Aboriginal culture.

35. Peggy Forbes She’s a member of the Aboriginal Advisory Circle in the Aboriginal Student Centre.

Forbes teaches a general elective (GNED) course called Introduction to Aboriginal Culture. Some assignments involve watching videos, reading articles online or attending cultural events in the Durham Region, like the Full Moon Ceremony at Camp Samac in Oshawa. Students pick assignments from DC Connect and are required to either watch videos on YouTube or attend and experience certain events out in the region, then write a reflective report on what they've learned and experienced.

39. After school entertainment E.P. Taylor’s remains to serve as a great space to hangout with friends between classes. Shagwells’ Thirsty Thursdays are a great way to blow off some steam and make new friends, Shagwells and is only a short walk from the main campus.

40. Riot Radio Students have the opportunity to have their own radio show broadcast online. Shows can be about whatever interests students have.

41. Media Loans Great place for MAD students to rent camera equipment and photo studios.

Chronicle photo

Riot Radio, situated between the Pit and Computer Commons.

43. Anime Club All local Otakus will want to join one of the biggest clubs on campus. Members get together regularly to watch and discuss some of the most popular anime series.

and staff travelled to Trujillo, Peru to document one of these partnerships.

45. Campus security The on-campus security look out for the safety of students.

50. Convocation Location Celebrate your graduation at Durham’s largest venue, the Tribute Communities Centre, which is packed every June with proud DC grads, along with their families and friends.

Durham College culinary student Kyle Rist (left), Centre For Food Chef Dave Hawey, Manager of International Projects and Partnerships, Katie Boone and DC students Travis Fortnum (journalism) and Vik Panjwani (videography) pose with Peruvian staff and high school students in Trujillo, Peru last September.

Photograph by Danielle Harder

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Unpaid internships: Slave labour?

Euvilla Thomas The Chronicle

It is the last semester of school at Durham College, (DC). Dark clouds are looming and despair can be seen on many faces. Some are worried they might not secure a placement, this is an opportunity to work hands on in the industry to gain experience and to enhance resumes.

The few who are lucky enough to have a placement can breathe easily. The not so lucky ones are on brink of giving up and their future is uncertain.

DC has more than 100 full-time programs. For all the three-year programs, field placement is a requirement.

In the School of Media, Art & Design, six out of the 18 programs require placement for graduation.

“It’s kind of hard when you have placement, then you have school and then work. That’s the time when something has to take a backseat burner,” says Sarah Bella, a Social Services student in her second field placement stint.

Her internship allows her to have hands-on experience dealing with at-risk youths.

During those moments is when time management comes in, according to Bella.

Even though her part time job had to come second to her placement at a family court clinic, Bella says it was a great experience.

For many students, internships or field placements are the start of a career.

This is an opportunity to gain some experience in the real world.

Yet unpaid internships have become an issue in recent years.

Some people are concerned businesses are taking advantage of their interns.

Unpaid internships can be time-consuming. With no pay and expenses such as transportation, some students say it is a financial sacrifice that could or could not pan out.

According to a 2014 Forbes article, hiring rates for people who completed unpaid internships were 37 per cent and those with no internships were 35 per cent. At a staggering 63 per cent, those with paid internships were more likely to get hired.

Greg Murphy, the dean of the school of Media, Art & Design, says the school wants students to have all the necessary tools for success.

This is the reason DC has mandatory internships for programs such as Contemporary Web Designing, Public Relations and Journalism.

“We do that so you have a real life sense of what it is like in a professional setting, we put you in an environment where you take all you learn in an academic setting and put it in real life experiences, “says Murphy.

“We want you to have all of that to make it in competitive fields such as PR. Madelaine Dantas is a DC student in the Public Relation program and is currently doing a field placement as per her program pre-requisite.

For Dantas, her unpaid internship at The Children’s Wish Foundation is a dream come true. She has learned so many things, which she says she will carry with her into the real world.

“I am doing a lot right now and it’s been good. I feel like I am getting a lot of hands on experience,” says Dantas.

Right now the Foundation is putting on an event and Dantas is helping with PR.

Photograph courtesy of Madelaine Dantas

Madelaine Dantas is in the Public Relations program at Durham College.

Photograph courtesy of Madelaine Dantas

Madelaine Dantas is doing her internship at The Children's Wish Foundation.

According to a 2014 article in the Toronto Star, unpaid internships have risen in Canada as graduates try to get a reference for their dream jobs.

According to that same article, there are thousands of people working at prestigious organizations for free.

Yet Education Developer at DC, Anna Augusto Rodrigues, says the school sends students out on field placement because it leads to job opportunities.

“I would say 60 to 70 per cent of our students are finding part-time positions based on contact and experience through field placement,” says Rodrigues, a professor who initiated the Broadcasting - Radio and Contemporary Media program at DC. While Rodrigues believes internships lead to jobs, according to a 2013 report for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), Sean Geobey shows roughly about one in two young people are able to secure a paying job from an internship.

The reason for the rise in unpaid internships also links with the rise in the unemployment rate in Canada.

Dantas hopes to use her placement experience to get a job to avoid the unemployment plague that has taken over the world since the recession; although Statistics Canada has shown the unemployment rate in Canada dropped 6.8 per cent.

In 2014, the Ontario Ministry of Labour requested Toronto Life and The Walrus Magazine end their internship programs due to unfair labour.

This shows organizations are relying on interns to do a lot of

work for free.

Both organizations were taking advantage of interns knowing students need some experience in the field they hope to turn into their career.

In 2016, the federal government requested to know why certain organizations were not paying their interns.

The review was requested by Scott Brison, the president of the Treasury Board of the federal government.

organizations are made to do minimal work, which has no impact on their intended field.

Unpaid internships are really time- consuming and take advantage of young people looking to get a job.

“I had a friend who was interning for Community Living and all she did was lunch for the clients,” says Bella.

This is clearly not enhancing the student’s résumé or giving them any hands-on experience.

I am doing a lot right now and it's been good.

According to the Canadian Intern Association, interns are entitled to wages and other workplace protections unless they are students.

The reality comes in when the unpaid internship is over. What is the next step for the student who had to quit their part-time job to make the interning opportunity work?

According to Bella, who interns at the family court clinic, placement can be hard but she makes it work.

“I do work part-time and go to school… if I didn’t have that internship, I wouldn’t know how to talk with youths. I wouldn’t have that experience if I was only doing theoretical work.”

Some unpaid internships come at a high cost. Interns at these big

Not all interns are learning valuable work skills, especially if their only hands on experience is preparing lunch.

However, there is change in the air.

The media outlet, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, has a paid internship program for Aboriginal students.

This is done in order to help foster more First Nations voices represented in Canadian media.

Although this is not for everyone, the negative experience some students have had at their field placements may soon be relegated to history.

But as the final weeks of the semester come into view, students are getting ready to go on placement.

Some may just be lucky enough to find a job.

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Personal narrative: I do not fit in your box Noor Ibrahim The Chronicle

I am a Muslim woman living in Canada.

I am here to tell you that it is easy to put people in boxes, especially if they’ve moved straight from Saudi Arabia like I did. It is easy to assume that I am veiled head to toe, with nothing but my eyes visible through a niqab. It is easy to assume that I am uneducated, with a heavy accent. It is easy to assume that I already have a marriage arranged by my family, that I am forbidden to socialize with men, that I am oppressed and trapped in a prison created by the society around me.

But I am not.

I am no longer surprised when people ask me how I can speak English, or if I’ve ever listened to The Weeknd.

But the problem is much bigger than that.

The miseducation about countries in the Middle East, especially surrounding Saudi Arabia, has become a rigid belief system which sees Saudi Arabia as a country ruled by barbaric kings who jail women for speaking up. These same kings are seen to dominate capital without spending it on education. If the public was willing to investigate, or even listen, they would find something else.

I am a living, breathing example of somebody brought up in the Middle East. Yet the assumptions about my ‘oppression’ never end.

It is true Saudi Arabia is plagued by various socioeconomic problems. Sexual harassment in public places is prominent. Women cannot have their own living permits, Instead they have to be listed on their

Cartoon by Toby VanWeston

Chronicle cartoonist Toby VanWeston depicts Noor Ibrahim's journey from Saudi Arabia to Canada.

guardians’. Religious police’s only job seems to be being absolutely annoying.

I cannot deny that oppression does not exist, especially when a quick Google search reveals YouTube videos of women being sexually harassed or chased. Yes, horrible things do happen. But singling them out to portray an entire country does not show the big picture.

We are part of a race that has

DC's MAD students use their skills to assist charity

Tyler Searle The Chronicle

For the last year, several students at Durham College have been profiling, advertising, and web designing, to help promote Spinal Cord Injury Ontario (SCIO).

Greg Murphy, the dean of the School of Media, Art and Design, was approached by the organization in April, 2016.

“I got approached by a man ‘amateur-ing’ in photography in April," said Murphy.

"He wanted someone more trained to profile not just this event, but also to promote them generally."

Murphy decided to incorporate the SCIO into DC’s Media, Art and Design programs.

Over the last year, DC students from photography, video production, advanced filmmaking, advertising and web design programs are helping profile the SCIO. “It is work-integrated learning,” said Murphy.

“The student learns how to work with the client, how to listen to them and how to meet their needs.

But even more than that, they learn how to make a contribution to their community using their skills as photographers, videographers, writers, advertising strategists, and designers.”

SCIO is a service organization that helps people who suffer from traumatic spinal cord dysfunction.

This includes individuals who have suffered from spinal cord injuries and diseases that affect the spine.

“The first thing we offer is support from someone who is also suffering from spinal injuries," said Gillian Lynne-Davies, SCIO’s manager of communications and marketing.

"Most people need help adjusting to these changes to their life, and it comes easier from someone who is also going through the same things you are. It’s based in the philosophy that the person is in the driver seat."

pioneered technology. That has discovered the atom. That has been on the moon. We are capable of much more than passing poor judgement.

The United States of America waged war on Iraq in 2003. Yet I do not greet an American with “didn’t your country kill 126,000 people that one time they thought Iraq had nuclear weapons?” No country is innocent from horrible atrocities. Yet defining an entire

country and its people by its mistakes is an overarching judgement which serves no purpose.

The reality of Saudi Arabia is not what bloggers or viral videos have led you to believe.

Yes, Saudi Arabia is home to capital punishment but so are some states in America.

Yes, it is illegal for women to drive. Yes, almost all public sitting areas are separated into ‘male’ and

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‘female’ sections. But the existence of these conditions doesn’t add up to equal oppression.

When living in Egypt was not an option, Saudi Arabia gave me a home. In fact, it opens its door to people from all ethnicities, which is a lot more than you can say for a country like America these days (I’m looking at you, Trump.)

Saudi Arabia gave me an education equal to that of the West. Not to mention the friends, memories, and lifelong lessons I have been blessed with.

I do not fit in your box and I refuse to be forced in.

I am not some lottery winner who got to live a comfortable life in Saudi Arabia after scratching the right numbers.

Millions of people share the same fortunes the country has to offer every single day. Fortunes such as the government paying for post-secondary education inside or outside the country granted that students return post graduation to work in Saudi Arabia, i.e.: they are being guaranteed a job. These are things even the West can’t seem to offer.

I do not care about not being able to see men through a partition while I eat my Happy Meal.

I do not care about having to turn down music at a party every time the religious police pass by. I, alongside millions of others, live in the safety of a country providing for our parents for years.

In a time when people are murdered for the colour of their skin, when innocent blood is spilled over land, when news of death and destruction boom from every radio station, that safety is all I need.

Let me out of your box.

Photograph courtesy of Rob Blakely

Ski instructors from Alpine Canada flank someone with a spinal disability (middle).

"Whatever their personal goal is, like finding a more accessible home or playing volleyball, our staff will be there to help them reach it.”

Forty-five students work with the advertising department of SCIO, and another 30 are re-designing their website.

The SCIO held a ski and snowboard day at Craigleith Ski Club, near Collingwood, Ont., on Feb 16.

It was a conjoined effort with the Canadian Association of Disabled Skiers—a volunteer organization that teaches disabled people to ski— and Alpine Canada, which

is the national governing body for alpine, para-alpine and ski cross racing in Canada.

It raised more than $100,000.

Fifteen video students profiled participants and volunteers who attended the event and made a promotional video for the SCIO website.

“I speak with someone at Spinal Cord Ontario once a week about new clients. We have lots of contact because so many students are involved,” said dean Murphy.

Through SCIO, DC students met with an Olympic hopeful in

gymnastics on March 7.

Lynne-Davies has spoken to DC students several times and will return to speak to the web design and advertising students on March 20 and March 30 respectively.

“We are a pretty mall shop, and yet we are a big organization in terms of marketing,” Lynne-Davies said when asked why she values DC students working for SCIO. “Students can provide and keep us in tune with upcoming trends and make sure we are kept up to date to attract donors and people coming to our website."

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Schooling in street art

This is one in a series of conversations with faculty experts at UOIT and Durham College

Rodrigues says art can teach Tyler Hodgkinson The Chronicle

Anna Rodrigues doesn’t act like a stereotypical graffiti enthusiast.

Her proper posture and softspoken tone relay a more sophisticated perspective on street art, as well as its correlation with literacy.

The Durham College professor’s research study is part of her doctorate degree at York University.

Rodrigues has a personal connection with her topic, and hopes the effort will offer more insight on a fruitful, but largely hidden way of learning.

What are you studying and how do you research it?

I’m looking at street art as a way to educate people on social justice issues. Specifically, I look at feminist street art. It has to be feminist in nature, meaning that the street art is trying to inform people about the rights of women, equal rights for women, equal rights for healthcare and that kind of thing.

Whenever I travel, I take pictures of street art as I go along. I sometimes take pictures of graffiti and tagging in my neighbourhood because it’s interesting to see the communication that’s happening, and tagging is very localized.

What lead you to researching this topic?

I moved to Portugal when I was 11, and I didn’t speak Portuguese, and I couldn’t speak or read or write. But I could certainly look at pictures on walls and things like

Photograph by Tyler Hodgkinson

Anna Rodrigues, a Durham College professor, has done extensive research into street art. that. At the time, I’m not understanding any of that, I’m just excited by seeing those on the walls.

But later in life, I went back and saw it’s very powerful.

What are some places you’ve found intriguing street art?

In Montreal, it’s so much easier to find that sort of social justice message embedded in the street

art versus here. I did come across something like that after walking through alleyways in Chinatown for about three hours on a very hot day. When I was about to give up, I saw a wheatpaste (painting) that was actually quite degraded, but it was a picture of an Indigenous woman, and on it was written “What about our girls?” That was very powerful. I knew exactly what that was all about. It was in 2015

when the Harper government was still in power, and it was around that time that he had said that the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women is not even on our radar. So this was somebody speaking to that.

What is the most difficult part about researching your subject?

Writing it, once you have your data, is I think the most time-consuming and a little bit frustrating.

What can be frustrating as well is sometimes not being able to do everything you want to do due to money or time constraints. Research can be very expensive if you need to interview people or

We’re being taught to not question things. Get in at a certain time, leave at a certain time, put your hand up if you need to go to the bathroom, it’s very much like being in the army and being good little soldiers. So is there a space for people who don’t learn like that? And why do those people end up being discarded? Because we say you don’t fit into this system, why can’t we create new systems? So street art I think might be part of that new system.

What do you want people to take away from your research?

If we keep people who learn differently, or even who didn’t have

We’re being taught to not question things. you need to wait for people to be available to be interviewed.

Why do you think your topic of study is relevant today?

Photograph by Phil Raby

Anna Rodrigues documenting tags at Camp 30 in Bowmanville.

You kind of go from kindergarten to grade 12, and then from there you decide university or college and it’s all very regimental.

the opportunities to go to a regular school, from sharing their ideas simply because they can’t read or write like we do, we’re losing those voices. If street art can help encourage people a little bit, I think that’s a good thing for people to look at and say this is maybe something we can carry on in the future.

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Photograph by Barbara Howe

Kay Corbier, a developmental services worker professor at DC, says there is no 'one size fits all' approach in supporting people with special needs.

Corbier loves it when students are excited

This is one in a series of conversations with faculty experts at UOIT and Durham College

Professor discovered her passion to work with children while working at a summer camp Barbara Howe The Chronicle

Kay Corbier always wanted a career helping people. A summer job as a camp counsellor introduced her to working with people with developmental disabilities. Four years ago she transitioned to teaching from her successful career in social services, and now passes on knowledge to students in the Developmental and Social Worker program at Durham College.

Tell me what you do and how you do it.

I am a professor in the Developmental Service Worker Program at Durham College. It’s is a two-year diploma program, and we prepare students to work in community living organizations, probably some will work in the

school board, but they are working with children and adults with a developmental disability.

What makes your topic of research relevant?

It’s relevant because developmental services is a specialized area of understanding in terms of working with people. There are some more general social service and child and youth care diplomas, but this one is particularly specific in working with children and adults who have a developmental disability.

How and when did you get interested in this area of expertise?

Oh Wow! For as long as I can remember, as I small child, when people asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I want-

ed to work helping people. How I specifically got into developmental services, is I worked at a summer camp with children with autism, and right away, my first day on the job I thought, “This is my career.

This is it. This is me. This is what I am going to be doing.” Once I graduated with my psychology degree I started working for Community Living Toronto, and from that point forward I just started moving up in the field. I started out working part-time.

I did overnight shifts, I did evening shifts, then I became a supervisor of a group home, program director, executive director, director of operations, HR. So, I would say I grew up in the field.

I have held a number of positions, which really helps me with my students because I can say, “I have done that.”

Can you tell me about your roots and how you ultimately arrived in Oshawa?

I was born in Barbados. I ended up here because my mom is a nurse. She was trained to be a nurse in England, and when she finished her nursing training she

went back to Barbados to work.

She responded to a call for the need for nurses in Canada. She and my dad came to Oshawa, and she worked at the Oshawa General Hospital as a registered nurse.

I followed her shortly after, aged nine.

Who has inspired you along the way?

I have been very fortunate to have had people supervise me who I thought were great role models and mentors. As well as, my mom who has been a great inspiration for me as well. Because, just coming to a different country, working and pursuing her career at a time when a lot women did not go away to go to school, and come to a foreign country to work.

What is the most important thing in this field you think people should know?

It is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach in terms of supporting people with disabilities. They will need to bring a lot of themselves into work, so, they have to be aware of their own values and their own

biases. And that they have to listen intently to what people want.

What’s your favourite part of this research?

My favourite part is when students are excited and engaged with the material and they’re making me think, and they are analyzing stuff critically, and they are giving feedback and excited about the work and what they’re learning and what they’re going to do in the field.

What is the toughest challenge you have faced in this research?

I think switching from the role of expert in the field to teacher.

It’s a very different role. You can have a lot of expertise in the field, a lot of knowledge about a particular field, but how you share that knowledge to students in a way that’s going to be meaningful to them, that’s going to have value for them when they go out and try to work, is a real transition.

This interview was edited for style, length and clarity.

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Studying hard at the library Photograph by Jared Williams

Kathryn Manwaring, paralegal student, studies at the library for an evidence test.

Safe workplaces create freedom Brianne Lisinski

Special to The Chronicle It can be argued that co-workers are essentially a second family; sometimes individuals may even form tighter relationships with a co-worker than they have with their own family members. Naturally, individuals consider it important to ‘fit in’ and feel as though they’re part of the team. This can prove to be a difficult task for individuals concealing a form of their identity Individuals of the LGBTQ community may find themselves worrying over acceptance in the workplace, whether or not to ‘come out’ to their co-workers, and ultimately how to mesh in to their workplace environment and co-exist with the people they work with.

First and foremost, it is essential to understand that being part of the LGBTQ community is neither shameful nor wrong, and is simply a part of what makes that person unique.

The question often at the forefront of an individual’s mind within the LGBTQ community is the debate of whether or not to come out at work. Should they or should they not tell their co-workers about their sexual orientation. The answer to this question is not always cut and dry and very much depends on the situation. As suggested by Canadian Heritage and Parks Canada in their brochure Out and About, an individual should evaluate their workplace.

Are there non-discrimination policies and does it include sexual orientation? Is it open to diversity amongst employees; even to a small degree such as body size, height or even hair color?

If the answer is no, an individual may be met with more of a negative reaction than originally hoped for.

Education is key in cases such as this; and it is important to remember that not everyone is properly educated on LGBTQ individuals and their lifestyles; just as we all fall prey to our own preconceived notions, we also fall prey to false knowledge. It is important to fight stigma with accurate, well–sourced knowledge. By educating those in the workplace, whether it be through a workshop, presentation or just a simple chat, it can influence an in-

dividual to be more accepting and understanding.

The benefits of ‘coming out’ within the workplace vary within diverse sets of people. Some of the common benefits may include: • an increase in work productivity as the individual no longer feels they must hide a part of themselves • increased confidence and comfort within the workplace and the work the individual produces • stronger personal ties to coworkers who accept and embrace the individual for who they are • simply feeling more relaxed within the workplace environment.

Another question some individuals struggle with is not only should they come out to their co-workers, but how?

It is important to remain professional when in the workplace and remember to be both considerate of others and respective of the environment in which you find yourself.

This means, announcements do not need to be grandiose, loud or disruptive. Simply providing small comments on popular current events in relation to your announcement can be beneficial.

Respect is key in the workplace and in any situation. As much as an individual may expect respect, they must also provide the same respect to others. An individual must first be accepting of others’ differences before they can expect that others accept their own; and people often forget this fact. Be for others, what you expect them to be for you. By simply exchanging smiles with a co-worker, a level of comfort can be formed and both parties may find themselves more at ease with one another.

Overall, it is important to remember, evaluate your workplace environment. If the environment is generally negative and unaccepting, it may not be in your best interest to leave yourself feeling vulnerable.

Educate individuals on the information you’re providing them, give as much respect as you expect, and treat others the same way in which you yourself wish to be treated.

Co-workers can become some of our best friends if you keep an open mind.

This column in courtesy of Career Development at Durham College.

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Help is just a phone call away Good2Talk, a 24/7 helpline for students Jessica Stoiku The Chronicle

College and university is an exciting chapter in one’s educational career. But whether you are in your first year, or approaching the final weeks of your last, it can be a stressful experience.

Good2Talk is a 24/7 helpline for post-secondary students in Ontario struggling with stress and mental health.

Started in Oct., 2013 by the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development, Good2Talk is in partnership with ConnexOntario, Kids Help Phone, Ontario 211, and Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health to provide students with a variety of resources and support.

Megan Van Massenhoven, an outreach coordinator for Good2Talk, spreads awareness of the 24/7 helpline to post-secondary students on campuses across On-

September and October when school is either in full swing or nearing its end.

“Within the first sixth to eighth months we were getting 2,000 [calls]. We now average about 1,500 [calls]. Since we started in Oct. 2013, we’ve received 60, 000 calls, and that’s only Ontario,” says Van Massenhoven.

Counsellors most commonly speak to students who are experiencing stress or anxiety, or refer information and resources to help them manage their high levels of stress or anxiety, says Van Massenhoven.

“We don’t do any diagnosis on the phone. We’ll never tell you ‘oh, it seems like you have an anxiety disorder or clinical depression,’ because that needs to be diagnosed by somebody face-to-face who can give you ongoing care,” she says.

Another common reason for calling Good2Talk is relationship difficulties, Van Massenhoven says.

“I think that also includes friendship breakups, but relationships in general are a really common thing to have people call about,” Van Massenhoven says.

Good2Talk receives many repeat callers, which is estimated as 10 per cent of their overall calls, according to Van Massenhoven.

The goal is to provide that in-themoment support. tario and recently spoke to students at Durham College.

According to Van Massenhoven, Good2Talk provides post-secondary students with both counselling and information or resources on and off campus, where other helplines may only offer one or the other. Good2Talk will help you find community services that are low cost or free for students, or are covered under student or parent insurance.

“The goal is to provide that inthe-moment support, but also help students and young people, especially if you might have moved to a new city, you don’t actually know what’s available, or maybe you’ve only been on campus for a few months,” says Van Massenhoven.

“We can actually tell you what’s there so you can make the best use of the resources on and off campus.”

The busiest times for calls, according to Van Massenhoven, are in the months of January March,

“We do have what we call repeat callers. We don’t keep case-management files, so nobody is identified as a repeat caller.

Sometimes that’s once a day, sometimes it’s multiple times a day,” says Van Massenhoven. “Often we encourage people to tell us if they’ve called before. We can’t promise that it will be the same counsellor, but it helps us start that discussion of what you talked about last time and how are you feeling now.”

The counsellors and information referral specialists at Good2Talk are ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) trained and will take as long as needed to help students who are suicidal or in crisis.

“We’ll often call an ambulance on someone’s behalf, but we make sure we have their permission to do so,” says Van Massenhoven.

“With every single caller, especially in those higher-risk situations, we work with them to make a safety plan. Even if they’re not open to

Photograph by Dan Koehler

A screenshot of the banner from the Good2Talk website.

going to a hospital, who is someone they can call after we hang up the phone?”If you are going through

a hard time, whether you’re struggling with school, relationships, or mental health, Good2Talk

will provide you with the support you need at their toll-free number 1-866-925-5454.

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Age is just a number Sam Odrowski The Chronicle

He still drives his own vehicle and passed a driving test for re-examination in January. Driving is important to Burns, as it gets him to and from his church, Immaculate Conception, four to five days a week.

He helps Father Marco Testa as an altar server during the week and helps with the collections on the weekend. As well, Burns has served as a Eucharistic minister for the past 25 years.

This isn’t his only involvement in the church. He also runs the euchre club, which typically brings in 20 to 30 people.

Many seniors slow down as they get into their seventies or eighties but a 94-year old man from Port Perry is staying active.

Ted Burns is a Second World War veteran who still lives at home in Port Perry, almost completely independently. He is also active in the community and says he likes to keep moving.

“Stay active. Don’t sit around lying in bed all day,” says Burns.

Burns is part of Canada’s aging population that is quickly approaching the five million mark.

The current growth rate for seniors is double the rate of growth for the rest of Canada.

There are more Canadians 65 and older than those who are 15 and younger, according to Statistics Canada, meaning more than one out of six people living in Canada are 65 or older.

His daughter Micheline HillBurns says he’s making an effort to stay active and involved.

“He even picks up other seniors “He has stayed active, he’s on his way to cards,” says Hillmade sure he’s kept involved in the Burns. church, and his community,” she The veteran has helped the says.

Knights of Columbus with it’s Re-

Stay active. Don't sit around lying in bed all day.

chronicle.durhamcollege.ca

Community

Photograph by Sam Odrowski

Ted Burns, a Second World War veteran, actively living his life to the fullest. membrance Day ceremony for 20 years now.

“We came up here (to Port Perry) in ‘96 or ’97. I did the first one for the Knights and have done it every year ever since,” says Burns.

According to his daughter, he still gets his own groceries, makes his own meals, and does most of the housework.

“He’s positive and a good role model for everyone, very gentle and kind,” she says.

Up until four or five years ago he was completely independent. These days, he receives help shoveling his driveway and cutting his grass.

Burns remains incredibly healthy and active for someone of his age but he still enjoys a shot of rye and ginger ale every day before dinner.

He said he is going to try to come out to the Remembrance Day service again this year and doesn’t plan on slowing down any time soon.

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DC's fire and life safety students get $20,000 in new equipment Barbara Howe The Chronicle

No alarm bells were ringing but there was excitement in the air when the Fire and Life Safety Systems Technician (FLSST) program at Durham College (DC) received a donation of equipment valued at more than $20,000. The state-ofthe-art equipment, donated by fire alarm manufacturer, Notifier by Honeywell will be used to enhance the learning experience of students enrolled in the program which trains students in fire suppression systems, fire alarms and life safety plans, according to regional sales manager for Notifier by Honeywell, David Secord.

Secord is a member of the FLSST program advisory committee (PAC) and said DC is the first school to receive this hi-tech equipment.

“Honeywell is making this donation to the program so that the students are getting taught on the latest technologies. So, when they come to school they are well-versed to head right into the marketplace,” said Secord.

The donation consists of a “First Vision” fire alarm control panel, “Swift” wireless smoke detection devices and a “FAAST” aspiration unit which is a smoke detector which draws air into a patented, high-sensitivity smoke-sensing chamber. This device is effective in facilities where downtime from smoke or fires can be costly.

The new equipment will be incorporated into what has already been installed in the program lab by program coordinator, Randy Panesar to build a complete network system which will be able to communicate with each other as one.

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Photograph by Barbara Howe

(From left) Michael Stoica, David Secord, Randy Panesar, Stephanie Ball and Rick Bowler at the presentation of the new equipment at the DC fire hall.

DC’s Dean of the School of Justice and Emergency Services (SJES) at DC, Stephanie Ball, is excited about the donation.

“We’ve always prided ourselves with this program on providing current information so our students are workforce-ready as soon as they graduate, and this will help them even more to be a step ahead of the game,” said Ball. “It is also a nice fit with our pre-service firefighter students as well, giving them the opportunity to see how this works when they arrive on site.”

Ball stressed the importance of having experts like Secord on the PAC because they tell the college what is current in the industry and

what may be missing in a certain program which may enhance the students’ education.

“We really appreciate it and the students appreciate it as well, because they’re very tuned-in to what’s out there in the market and what they need. They’ll be very happy to get it here,” said Ball.

Secord said the advantage of the new equipment is that it is wireless, so there is no need to damage existing sub-structures when installing in historic buildings for example, or do remediation work where there may be the risk of asbestos.

Secord said the control panel is also a great new tool for first responders to help them track a fire

in a building which is not completely engulfed in flames.

“It would have a full graphic of all the floors, all the rooms. They [firefighters] can touch it and see if there was any hazardous material in these rooms,” said Secord.

Also at the presentation were Panesar and Michael Stoica, from the FLSST program and Rick Bowler, lead instructor in the pre-service firefighter program.

The new equipment will be installed in the lab next semester.

“I can’t tell you how exciting it is,” said Ball. “I don’t understand the lingo but I can tell you by the excitement of our faculty that this is a really big deal."

erasand faster processors, they’re small little upgrades that don’t impact the smartphone industry, according to Levy.

MWC 2017 didn’t show anything that students should be overly excited about, Levy says.

“MWC 2017 left us with more of the same, it didn’t have anything that stood out or was spectacular, unique or new,” says Levy, “compared to last year it didn’t move the bar fast enough for us to get out of our seats and give a standing ovation.”

This year some companitried to

do some things that would attract customers, but they’re only for niche clientele, says Dawn Salter, coordinator of the advertising program at Durham College.

At MWC 2017, Blackberry released the KeyOne, a new phone with a QWERTY keyboard.

According to Levy, “the KeyOne as interesting and unique of a device it is, it isn’t going to have a major impact on the overall smartphone market.”

Like Salter, Levy contends the KeyOne is only for a niche market for people who are committed to the Blackberry brand.

“There is a small and loyal slice of the market where consumers still value a physical keyboard and for them they now have another option, and that particular side of the market the KeyOne will do well,” says Levy.

Nokia has also done something considerably new to attract interest although it most likely won’t sell, according to Levy.

Nokia has released the Nokia 3310, a retro phone that isn’t touch screen, doesn’t have any apps but does have the game Snake. According to Levy, the 3310 will not sell well in the Canadian, U.S. or European markets.

“Everybody wants a smartphone today, we’re not going back to the year 2000 and buying a phone that doesn’t run apps and uses a T9 keyboard and doesn’t do a whole lot else,” he says.

According to Levy, the 3310 is a PR move by Nokia to get its name back out there. Nokia did release three other phones dubbed the 3, 5, and the 6, with the 6 being the largest out of the three phones.

“If you remember nothing else from MWC 2017 it’s 3310, it absolutely stands out and was a masterful execution,” says Levy.

This year at MWC LG released its G6 that was quite different than last year’s flagship phone the G5.

At MWC 2016, LG released the LG G5, a modular phone - meaning you were able to replace pieces of the phone and add other parts to improve it. For example, adding a camera module would allow you to significantly improve the camera on your G5 without upgrading your whole phone.

This year LG scrapped the design and came out with the G6, a simple phone that resembles an iPhone. According to Levy, this suggests that, “consumers would rather buy a well-executed basic phone with very good features instead of having to buy one that forces them to purchase additional options after the fact.”

According to Levy, the smartphone industry is reaching a point where it can only improve so much.

Like laptops, mobile devices will get sleeker, have OLED screens and barely have any sides on the edges of their screens, but these upgrades are evolutions and not revolutions, says Levy.

Levy says revolutions would be something large, and completely new, such as the touchscreen, introduced more than 10 years ago or the smartphone.

MWC did focus on heavily in 5G, which will be the next revolution, according to Levy.

However, 5G isn’t a phone – it’s the network phones run on and won’t be available for the next few years.

No reason to upgrade your phone this year

Dean Daley The Chronicle

Each year smartphone manufacturers continue to release new products, however, lately there’s nothing really innovative or new about these products.

That’s the message from London, Ont.-based tech expert Carmi Levy, who assessed new phone releases from the recent Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017, in Barcelona, Spain.

“The smartphone as we know it - essentially little more than a rect-

angular slab of touchscreen-based, sensor-infused glass - has been around in its basic form since the original iPhone first bowed 10 years ago,” says Levy, who appears regularly on CTV news and radio stations across Canada.

MWC showed the world an array of different cellphones from several companies. LG, Sony, Blackberry, Lenovo and even Nokia stood up in front of many and displayed their new mobile devices.

Although some of the phones at MWC feature brighter and bigger screens, higher megapixel cam-

Photograph by Dean Daley, graphic courtesy of HMD Global

Nokia is bringing back an old look (left) with its new Nokia 3310 (right).

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DC celebrates its fifth annual Alumni in the Pit Durham College grad gets his logo chosen for the CFL Nicole O’Brien The Chronicle

A crowd of students flocked to the pit early last month to hear success stories from past alumni. It was the fifth Alumni in the Pit event at Durham College.

The hour-long event connected students to DC alumni who gave advice and insight into the world of possibilities that awaits after you receive your diploma.

Brent Lassard and John Hotts shared stories of their experience at Durham College as well as about their lives after graduation.

Hotts graduated in 2008 from the Advertising and Marketing Communications program.

He currently works as a creative director at OneMethod,a Toronto-based design and ad shop, that identifies as a “creative crew that is most definitely digital.”

Hotts has worked with brands such as Delissio, Haagen-Dazs, Coors Light, Smarties and Sweet Jesus.

But his favourite campaign was having his design chosen for the new Canadian Football League logo in 2015.

Hotts said it was great to be back visiting the college.

“It’s great just walking through the halls again,” Hotts says.

Lassard graduated in 2014 at the top of his class from the Mechanical Engineering Technology program.

He works as a technician coordinator for International Leak Detec-

Photograph by Nicole O'Brien

Durham College President Don Lovisa (second from right) talks with alumni about their success. tion, as well as a project manager for rLoop, an online think tank and talent resource company, which he co-founded.

Durham College president Don Lovisa attended the event.

He said it helps spread the word abouthe good things DC students can achieve.

“We are here to support our alumni,” said Lovisa. “Our students do so well.”

Hotts says students should never be afraid to fail.

“I just want to take a second to acknowledge that failure is OK,” Hotts told the audience.

The two alumni took questions from an audience of students and faculty in the Gordon Willey building and via Twitter and Facebook.

They provided tips on subjects such as pursuing your passion, and also talked about the future of their careers.

Students who attended the event also had the chance to win a $100 door prize and some Durham College swag.

I just want to take a second to acknowledge that failure is OK.

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No 'fake love' here Brandi Washington The Chronicle

Let’s take a trip up North to where it all began for Aubrey Drake Graham. He told us to Thank Me Later then afterwards told us to Take Care. He wanted us to know Nothing Was the Same and showed us his Views.

Now we are about to get More Life with the Canadian rapper as his fifth studio album releases this year.

Drake wasn’t all rap all the time.

After playing Jimmy Brooks on the Canadian drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation, he quickly switched career paths and focused on rapping. Five albums later and Drake is now a household name.

Drake is known for giving his fans a lot of personality through his music. For example, his 2016 song Hotline Bling brought out a curious, yet fun and joyful dancing side of Drake. His albums give us a taste of R&B with the soulful sounds of slow instruments orchestrated by his gentle, yet calming voice.

On October 29 of last year, Drake (also known as Drizzy to many fans) released three songs off his upcoming album More Life.

With the release of “Fake Love,” earning Drake his 18th number one song on Billboard charts, he gives us his honest opinion about the people around him. Although many people are fans of Drake, he displays, through his sweet and rhythmic tone, there are people around him who are taking advantage of his success. Drake is not shy to call out his fellow rap acquaintances. He showed us that

Photograph by Brandi Washington

Drake's Fake Love being played on Apple Music.

all Summer Sixteen when he had a Back to Back battle with Meek Mill.

In his two other songs, Drake switches gears and raps. He rhymes and stirs up a previous feud with fellow rappers in the song “Two birds, One Stone,” which sparked a little more controversy than “Fake Love.” He strikes back at rappers

Meek Mill and Pusha T, who are the birds (ex-drugdealers) and Kid Cudi the stone (who is known for smoking a lot of weed a.k.a a stoner).

However, “Two Birds, One Stone” isn’t all about being aggressive towards other rappers. The unique beat produced by Kanye West and friend Noah “40” Shebib

carries Drizzy’s vocals as he thanks God for his success and gives praise to his mentor Lil Wayne. 40 is also from Toronto and he has been producing songs with Drake since the beginning of his career.

“Sneakin” was also released alongside the other two songs and it features 24-year-old Atlanta rapper 21 Savage. This song is produced

by London On Da Track, who said the first instrument he used to start the song was a guitar and describes as “horror sounding.” This song tells the story about how Drake still manages to come out on top and continues to sell more records each year despite the difficulties with rap acquaintances. Drake has been in a variety of alleged feuds throughout the years with other singers and rappers, however, any line Drake raps or sings can be about anyone or anything.

Drizzy continues to break history, being the first Canadian rapper to go platinum in the U.S. Drake is also the most streamed artist of 2016 on Spotify after his hit “One Dance” reached one billion streams. His 56-show Summer Sixteen tour of 2016 alongside rapper Future is the highest grossing hip-hop tour of all time.

Every summer Drake comes back to his home town of Toronto performing in his annual OVO Fest, where he has brought out famous artists such as Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj and Rihanna, just to name a few. Drake has put Toronto on the map, branding the city’s nickname as “The 6” due to the area code (416).

As for More Life, the three songs Drake released have received a lot of attention from the media therefore the fans just can’t wait.

Drizzy’s heavy beats and energetic rhymes give us a great taste of what is to come. All we can do is patiently wait for the rest of the songs on the album while Drake is overseas on his Boy Meets World tour.

It is safe to say that More Life is one of the most anticipated albums of 2017.

Oshawa rapper James Lean drops third project

Jared Williams The Chronicle

What could Manhattan’s famous Wall Street and Oshawa’s Bloor Street possibly have in common?

Well, a wolf of course.

Oshawa rapper, James Lean, 27, has dropped his third full-length project entitled The Wolf on Bloor Street, a take on the 2013 film, the Wolf of Wall Street.

Inspired by the early work of rappers such as Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka Flame, Lean says he aims to re-create a style of rap similar to what he remembers listening to in the early 2000s.

In the film, Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Jordan Belfort, a young stockbroker hoping to achieve the American dream as a businessman on Wall Street in the early 1990s.

Throughout Lean’s mixtape, skits of scenes taken from the movie connect to each track. Songs like Purse, and Like a Doll, are paired with scenes from the movie that reflect the same idea in the music.

Photograph by Jared Williams

James Lean rapping it out at Gravity Lounge in Oshawa. “[Rappers] would do this all the time. They would take a movie, or they would name themselves some-

thing and make a mixtape based off just that concept. Gucci 2 Time, Lebron James Flocka, things like

that,” Lean said.

While recording the mixtape, Lean held of on doing any live preformances to focus on creating new music.

Lean said in a two-month period he recorded roughly 40 songs and from there whittled it down to the 10 best songs that reflect the movie-based concept. The project’s artwork took nearly three months to complete and represent the music, he said.

“I had the project for a long time ¬– it was just [ a matter of getting it] mixes and mastered, and to sit down and pick every skit. It was a big process,” Lean said.

“I just wanted to wait for the new year to put it out. I want to release three mixtapes this year,” with the Wolf on Bloor street being the first, paying homage to Gucci.

In the studio, Lean’s creative process usually begins with finding an instrumental and from there record the song’s chorus.

“Shout out to Phil G Productions, he made every beat on the

Wolf on Bloor Street. [During the making of the tape] I was striving so hard to make it the best I possibly could. I was just [throwing away] whole songs– really trying [to achieve the best].”

Lean describes his style as “I sound like, cause I listen to, Atlanta rappers,” listing some of his favourite rappers such as Travis Scott, Migos, and Young Thug as some of his major influences.

“The moment I hear Travis Scott I knew I need to do something like that, but still rap [in my own way],” Lean said. “Somewhere along the line I want to find my own uniqueness like he has.

He came out with something that was original and it captivated everybody.”

Lean says he plans to release his next mixtape, Lebron James Lean, in May during the NBA playoffs.

“I just want to be happy,” Lean said.

“Everybody wants to be famous, but my ideal [ job is being] able to do shows and just live my life.”

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Photograph courtesy of Jason Liebregts, Oshawa This Week

Music legend Elton John bowing to the crowd at the GM Centre in 2011.

The best acts in Oshawa's The Chronicle's list of the biggest names to play the city Tyler Hodgkinson and Jared Williams The Chronicle

Oshawa has been home to some noteworthy events, such as the founding of General Motors Canada, and the filming of movies including Billy Madison, and X-Men. Additionally, some of the biggest musical acts have played the city.

From royal knights to country superstars, Oshawa’s concert history upholds the city’s slogan of “prepare to be amazed.”

Here's The Chronicle's list of the the most succesful music acts to play the "Shwa."

The Rolling Stones Perhaps the most successful band to play the city is The Rolling Stones. After guitarist Keith Richards was charged with possession of heroin (among other drugs) in Toronto in 1977, he was forced to play a charity show for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.

Because all of the venues in Toronto were booked up, the British legend brought both his side-project, The New Barbarians, and The Rolling Stones to Oshawa.

The Rolling Stones played two separate shows at the Civic Auditorium on April 22, 1979. Tickets for the concerts cost $10.

While media and residents piled into the arena, celebrities were also in attendance.

The emcee of the night was John

Belushi, best known for his work on Saturday Night Live and as one of the Blues Brothers.

Elton John The Rocket Man has played two shows at the Tribute Communities Centre (TCC, formerly known as the General Motors Centre). The first concert was a solo show on Sept. 9, 2011, and he then returned a second time on Feb. 12, 2014 with his band.

Victoria Lisi, 23, saw the latter concert and experienced a “once in a lifetime opportunity” after her and her boyfriend were gifted the best seats in the house.

“Someone from Elton’s camp just came up to us and offered us to sit front-row, center,” she said. “We were speechless.”

She believes they were offered the tickets because of their age.

“They probably just wanted young, energetic people in the front. But little did they know that we are massive fans.”

Toxic, Hold it Against Me, Overprotected, and Slave.

Bob Dylan Recent Nobel Peace Prize winner and folk legend Bob Dylan arrived at the TCC on Nov. 12, 2008 for his first and only show in the city.

The tour, called The Never Ending Tour, has been running since 1988.

The singer-songwriter played reworked classics of Like a Rolling Stone, All Along the Watchtower, and Highway 61 Revisited, as well as thennew tracks Thunder on the Mountain, and The Levee’s Gonna Break.

Aaron Tymec, a 25-year old Whitby resident and employee at Oshawa music store Wilson & Lee, is happy he saw the concert, but says some didn’t enjoy it as much as he did.

"It was amazing to see such a legendary artist, but for those who wanted to hear the classics the way they were recorded, it may not have been as great.”

He says he still has a tour poster of the show in his basement.

Alan Jackson Oshawa country fans grabbed their 10-gallon hats and slipped on their cowboy boots when country superstar Alan Jackson played the TCC in 2011.

The show, which took place on Feb. 11, was sold out.

Over his 40-year career, Jackson has earned 35 number one hits and has soild more than 80 million records. He also has 10 Grammy awards.

Selena Gomez Back when she was still touring with the Scene, former child star Selena Gomez made a single appearance in Oshawa on her We Own the Night tour. The sold-out concert took place on Oct. 25, 2011.

In addition to tracks off of her then-new album When the Sun Goes Down, the set list featured a medley of Britney Spears songs, including

Photograph courtesy of Sabrina Byrnes, Oshawa This Week

Selena Gomez at the GM Centre in 2011.

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Photograph courtesy of Sabrina Byrnes, Oshawa This Week

Country superstar Alan Jackson relishes in the crowd's response at his show in Oshawa.

incredible concert history Johnny Cash

Most people know The Man in Black” for his songs Ring of Fire, I Walk the Line, and Folsom Prison Blues, and not for his concert in Oshawa.

However, the show did actually happen, and it was at the Red Barn on Dec. 18, 1958. Known today as the Red Barn Auditorium, the venue is still operating, but is mainly used for bingo.

Cash returned to the city 33-years later to play at the Purple Onion on Sept. 24, 1992.

900 people, despite the venue having a maximum capacity of 800 people. The tickets cost $3.

Cooper returned to the city for one show at the Civic Auditorium on May 10, 2006, and then at the TCC on Oct. 8, 2008, and Dec. 7, 2001, respectively.

The now 69-year old is known for his high-energy, irreverent concerts, which often feature the singer being hanged or decapitated by a guillotine.

Over his 48-year career, Cooper has sold more than 50 million records.

for eight Grammys, returned to the Civic Auditorium under one year later on March 18, 1977 on their All the World’s a Stage tour.

KISS Oshawa was visited by the “hottest band in the world” after winning a tour stop in an online contest. Fans voted for which city they wanted the group to play, with Oshawa earning 14,569 votes. That is over 1,500 more than second

place, Winnipeg.

Annette McKee, an Oshawa resident, says she stood in line for tickets, but was unsuccessful until winning two through a local radio promotion.

According the fan, the hunt was worth the effort, as was attending the concert.

“On the night of the show, we waited in line for them [to play] for a long time. They were like an hour late. But once they came on, they put on a really good show. I did

really enjoy myself.”

Kiss asked the crowd if they wanted the band to return to “the ‘Shwa,” but despite a loud response, the “Rock and Roll All Nite” hit-makers have yet to make another appearance in the city.

Oshawa has also hosted concerts for a variety of commercial and critically-acclaimed acts ranging from Anne Murray and Stompin' Tom to Marilyn Manson, Motley Crue , The Ramones, and Megadeth.

The Tragically Hip

Photograph provided by Durham College

Poster for Alice Cooper show.

Alice Cooper The original shock-rocker played Oshawa multiple times at different venues in the city, with the first show being a part of Durham College’s Winter Carnival on Feb. 28, 1971.

The concert, which took place at the Polish Veteran’s Hall, attracted

One of Canada’s most celebrated bands played shows at the TCC in 2007, 2013, and 2015.

According to The Top 100 Canadian Albums, a book by Bob Mersereau, The Tragically Hip’s Fully Completely is the fifth greatest record out of the country. It beat Alanis Morrisette’s Jagged Little Pill, Rush’s Moving Pictures, and Bryan Adams’ Reckless.

The last concert the group played in Oshawa, which was on April 15, was on the Fully Completely tour.

They played the album in its entirety, along with hits like Bobcaygeon, New Orleans Is Sinking, and My Music at Work.

Rush Rush played Oshawa in support of their critically acclaimed album, 2112, on June 18, 1976. The Canadian trio performed the album in its entirety.

The band, who has won nine Juno awards and been nominated

Photograph courtesy of Laura Stanley, Oshawa This Week

Gene Simmons of KISS at the band's concert in Oshawa.

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Sweet sounds of Wonder Women

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery hosts its Wonder Woman event in celebration of International Women's Day Toby VanWeston The Chonicle

Two women of song took the stage at the RMG Fridays Wonder Woman event to help celebrate International Women’s Day. The event, held at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery, highlighted women in the arts.

Oshawa native Taylor Murray and Bowmanville’s Trish Robb took turns on the stage.

Murray, known professionally as Tay Sera, opened the evening with her performance. The folkpop artist performed original songs and covers on both guitar and ukulele.

Murray says she has been writing lyrics and melodies since “probably the time she could talk.”

Some of the songs she played were inspired by events in her own life, while others were from movies and television shows. She says that problems, whether personal or fictional, are her main influence.

“I tend to dwell on things. I’m a perfectionist. When things are just not going to plan, and they’re not working, I feel inspired by that,” says Murray. “Whether that is in a TV show, or a movie, in someone else’s life, or my life. When something is not right, that’s all it really takes for me to find something to write about.”

Murray’s set included both sad and upbeat songs about relationships, covers from movies which make her happy, and songs about taking chances on what you want in life.

Murray’s debut EP Fix It releases on March 31. The inspirations she speaks about make up the overall theme of the project.

It is about “fixing what is broken, moving on from what you didn’t fix, and taking chances that might leave you broken.”

The EP will be available on Tay Sera’s personal Bandcamp site. Murray also has her own business, FUNctional Accessories, which sells personalized guitar picks and strings.

Despite opening the Wonder Woman night, Murray says her music doesn’t particularly aim to have a feminist voice.

“I really try not to be too discriminating in my songwriting,” says Murray. “There are some female artists out there who always blame the other gender. I don’t think that’s fair. That’s not what I want to be.”

Photograph by Toby VanWeston

Trish Robb was one of two singers who performed at RMG Fridays Wonder Woman event, celebrating women in the arts.

Murray says what is more important to her is honesty. This means being honest to who she is, and to the audience listening.

“As artists, we have a responsibility to anyone who is listening to be fair and honest,” she says.

“I would consider myself a feminist in the true sense of the

word, and not what people have come to understand it to be.”

Robb closed the evening with her performance. The New Brunswick-born, Bowmanville-raised, Toronto-based artist just made it to the RMG in time for her set. Robb agreed to fill in for another performer who came

There's a lot of bulls**t we go through as females. And we've been kind of told to keep our mouths shut about it.

down with strep throat at the last minute. She explained to the crowd she was more than happy to make the show.

“I love celebrating women. I will do that anytime,” said Robb, as she warmed up for her set. “I’m recently single, and I’m loving just hanging out with my girlfriends right now. Because they don’t want to have sex with me.”

Robb says the event was something she truly believed in. She says women continue to experience hardships, not just in the music industry.

Robb supports any kind of cause that acknowledges the difficulties women experience, and celebrates their success.

“There’s a lot of bullshit we go through as females. And we’ve been kind of told to keep our mouths shut about it,” explains Robb.

“It’s so nice that there’s a bit of buzz around it, the sensitivity

we need to have around women’s issues.”

Despite that, Robb doesn’t think this drives her songwriting.

“I’m not a Disney person.

That’s not really my style. I’m more of a realist,” says Robb.

“I do, obviously, talk about love. Sing about love, feel about love. But I don’t know if you could tell through my songs I’m a feminist.”

Robb’s set included songs about romance and relationships, an ode to the nostalgia of radio, and cover of Bruce Springsteen’s Dancing in the Dark.

Robb is currently working on a new project she hopes to release later this year. Her self-titled debut album can be currently found on iTunes.

The strong performances by Murray and Robb helped RMG Fridays honour women’s contributions to art. International Women’s Day was March 8.

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Photograph by Alex Debets

The OddBird Studios team is (from left to right) Josh Cappelli, Ben Scott, Zach Wolfe, Brenden Muir, Cody Romphf (absent, Shae Humphries).

An 'odd' battle for OddBird College students fighting for position in gaming Alex Debets The Chronicle

OddBird Studios was competing in the annual Level Up gaming showcase in Toronto when they learned an invaluable lesson.

The team made business cards for the event, leading showcase goers to a contact page on its website, complete with a submission form. As the event began, the team noticed its website's contact page was broken. Pressing the send button did nothing.

So they fixed it. After retrieving Ben’s laptop from the car, and tethering a phone to the computer for Wi-Fi (since the event had none), the team’s submission forum was changed to their email address and a simple message: CONTACT FORM IN PROGRESS. Three members of the six-man team were fixing the contact form problem, the other half of the team was fixing a new bug they had discovered on the show floor.

It was tense.

OddBird is made up of six Sheridan college students. Benjamin Scott and Joshua Cappeli are the programmers, Shae Humphries is the 2D artist and Brendan Muir takes care of 3D. Zach Wolfe and Romphf work on designing the levels.

The team has faced many hiccups during their time of building their own studio. They started developing their first game, Arrowheads, one year ago when they started the studio.

Arrowheads is an isometric multiplayer archery game, originally conceived from Wolfes love of Archery, and the game Towerfall Accession.

During their time at Level Up, PAX West and E3, the team has come to terms with not knowing what they don’t know. This has taught them some valuable lessons, like being open to feedback, and understanding more content doesn’t always mean better.

The biggest lesson they have

Photograph courtesy OddBird Studios

Screenshot of Arrowheads, OddBird's flagship game.

learned is to ask for help.

They have accessed the SparkCentre in Oshawa for business and legal assistance as well as pitching.

This is what lead them to win the Level Up pitch competition in 2016.

The SparkCentre is one of 18 not-for-profit, government funded Regional Innovation Centres (RIC) in Ontario. They focus on working with people with ideas for tech.

Whether that be hardware, like a new computer, or software like a video game.

Ashlin Milley is the first acess point at the SparkCentre in Oshawa, and deals with ideas that are in the beginning stages. What struck Milley as odd was the assets OddBird team had at their disposal, such as coders, artists, designers and a makeshift audio engineering.

Milley has worked with OddBird for about a year, and has since put the team in-touch with lawyers and other business people.

Unlike most businesses that come to SparkCentre, OddBird had a wide range of tools at their disposal “That is unusual about OddBird is a lot of people come to us with ideas or really early stage ideation businesses but they don’t have the team that’s able to execute their vision,” said Milley. “OddBird is like a small village, they have resources within their team that make them very self-sufficient.”

The SparkCentre has given the team a mentor to help them with pitching their ideas, to not only Level Up, but publishers like Microsoft and Sony. According to Milley, it is not typical for early stage ideas to go out and win competitions immediately after visiting the SparkCentre.

“Not typical,” said Milley. “But they’re not the first.”

That’s not the only atypical thing about OddBird. They are also coming out of a relatively new program in Sheridan’s Bachelor of

Video Game Design. This program has not even seen a graduating class yet, but has seen OddBird showcasing Arrowheads on the show floor at E3 and PAX West.

Jeff Pidsadny works at Sheridan and teaches the team 3D level design and architecture lighting and design. Pidsadny has a Bachelor of Architecture design from the University of Waterloo, but switched gears to work in the gaming industry. He worked for Rockstar Games and Radical Entertainment of titles like Max Payne 3, Red Dead Redemption and the two Simpsons games.

Pidsadny says the teams focus on process is a very strong asset.

They became sort of stars in the program...

“Here at the school there is no shortage of desire to make things, but sometimes how we make things and focusing on designing things, people don’t want to investigate that as much,” says Pidsadny.

“Whereas I think these guys were really successful with having a process.”

Angela Stukator is the Associate Dean of animation and game design at Sheridan College. She has worked with the OddBird team by providing them administrative support as they started to pick up more steam.

“They became, sort of stars in

the program very early on quite to our amazement,” said Stukator.

“Because they are only second-year students and they were doing such superb work.”

Stukator also says the school has been thinking very hard about changes the school can make to the program based on OddBirds success.

Still, despite all the conference floors, the private meetings with executives or the numerous awards from pitch competitions, the team remains humble.

“We try to not speak about it as much as possible,” says Muir.

The team is not afraid to ask their professors questions, or to visit local resources the help finesse one component they’re struggling with.

As young entrepreneurs, the team feels their biggest shortcoming is themselves.

“No one has really told us we’re too young to do this or anything like that,” Romphf says. “It’s our own unknowing, it’s the things that we don’t know that are our biggest adversities. We came in, not as business experts, we came in as a bunch of guys who wanted to make a game.”

Romphf added learning about business is very important for the team.

“We need to become business really quickly, and we need to learn about these law deals and contracts and really quickly.”

OddBird plans on releasing Arrowheads on Steam, PS4, and Xbox One some-time in April.

The team will continue working after the release of Arrowheads.

Post-launch support will be coming for Arrowheads, but the team is aiming to start prototyping for their next project in September.

“It all depends on how people are receiving it and how fast people go through the content that we have,” says Cappeli. “We’ll be in a frantic rush to make new content.”

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Not all scars will heal Imagine not

being able to live your life Laura Metcalfe The Chronicle

Alone. Bruised and beaten. Tied to a fence in the middle of a field in Laramie, Wyo. Matthew Shepard, 21, just wanted to live his life as an openly gay man.

I was a young gay teenager at the time so it really affected me.

His beating made world news.

Church groups did not accept Shepard’s lifestyle choice, while others in the community wanted to let the world know that violence and hatred like this would not be tolerated.Now Dancyn Productions in Oshawa is performing The Laramie Project at Dnipro Hall.

The play focuses on the reaction of Laramie to the brutal attack that resulted in the death of this young

Photograph by Laura Metcalfe

Joan Mansfield (centre) director of the Laramie Project.

man.

“I was a young gay teenager at the time so it really affected me,” says cast member Kyle Robertson.

“It’s such a tragic story and it really hit home to young gay teenagers, especially around that time.”

The cast and crew are aware of the current political climate, although it did not factor into producing this play, says Joan Mansfield, artistic director of The Laramie

Project.

The play was already in production when Trump made his immigration order to ban people from certain predominantly Muslim countries. Mansfield chose the play because she says it sends a strong message of acceptance.

“I tend to learn towards things that send a message out there.

I’m very conscious of what’s going on in the world and spreading

the world to correct things that are so wrong,” says Mansfield.The play is a unique experience for cast members who play as many as five different characters with various accents.

The Laramie Project has been performed in the U.S. where some church groups have picketed the performances and staged protests.

The cast and crew in Oshawa does not see this being an issue. Many

are part of church groups themselves and say there is no hostility here towards the play.Mansfield has high hopes for the production.

“I want people to think. They need to leave the theatre thinking.

Does it change someone’s mind and opinion? Good. Then I’ve done my job,” she says.

The Laramie Project is onstage at Dnipro Hall in Oshawa from February 22 to March 5.

There's no reason to 'wine' about the Shiraz Jenn Amaro The Chronicle

It is almost impossible to find two bottles of wine that are exactly the same. Every brand, every winery has a unique flavour to their grapes.

A popular grape red wine drinkers enjoy is Shiraz. This wine comes from a grape that is mostly known for its origin in Australia, and also goes by the name Syrah: a fruity wine with a spicy complement.

Two bottles of Shiraz that are just as similar as they are different, are Wallaroo Trail Shiraz, a Constellation Brands product, and Yellow Tail Shiraz, an LCBO product.

The main difference between these two bottles is their selling location. Yellow Tail can be found in the LCBO where Wallaroo Trail is strictly found in Wine Rack stores.

These are either stand alone stores, or found within grocery stores.

One aspect that differentiates Wine Rack from the LCBO is that wines from Wine Rack have to have at least 30 per cent Canadian grape in their wines, a fact that the employees learn during the training process and the company prides itself on for using Canadian

Shiraz ia a fruity wine with a spicy complement.

product.

The LCBO have wines that are fully manufactured from another origin. In the case of these two wines, Yellow Tail Shiraz is 100 per cent Australian and Wallaroo Trail

Shiraz is 30 per cent Canadian grape and 70 per cent Australian.

This leads to the difference in flavours between the two wines.

Yellow Tail Shiraz has flavours of blackberry and vanilla in the

Photograph by Creative Commons

first sip. It’s a full-bodied dry red, and lingers on the tongue for a while. The peppery quality in this wine is quite heavy, and captures the traditional spice of a Shiraz. The only negative aspect that

comes from enjoying a glass of this wine is the level of acidity.

In contrast, the Wallaroo Trail Shiraz is smooth from the first to the last sip. With 30 per cent Canadian grape, the peppery flavours are fainter but still complement the ripe berry flavours in the grape.

The body is not quite as full as Yellow Tail, but still falls in a full-body category and the flavours last on the tongue.

As dry full-bided reds, both wines were similar is their sugar code, and fall in a very comparable price range. The Wallaroo Trail sells for $12 for a 750 millilitre and Yellow Tail Shiraz retails for $11.95.

They would pair nicely with steak or pizza to bring out the peppery flavours in the food. But the robust flavour of the wine needs a heavy meal so it will not over power what is served on the table. However, Wallaroo Trail Shiraz can be enjoyed as a glass on its own, whereas Yellow Tail Shiraz goes better with food because of the heavy spiciness.

Overall, the smoothness of the Wallaroo Trail is worth making an extra stop at a Wine Rack to pick up a bottle to enjoy for any occasion.

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Keynote speaker, musician and political activist Emmanuel Jal (centre) teaching a group of people how to dance at the #Claim It event.

Photograph by Kayano Waite

Black history month matters Remembering the importance of the past month is shown to be vibrant at the Cultrual Expressions gallery Kayano Waite The Chronicle

While Black History Month is celebrated in February, the long history of black people is varied and some say it should get more attention.

“People tend to not think we’re Canadians. They’re always saying ‘so where you from?’” said Esther Forde, president of Cultural Expressions Art Gallery Inc. “We’ve been here hundreds of years, we’re Canadian.”

She recently organized the gallery’s 10th annual Black History Month celebration, #Claim It, at J. Clarke Richardson Collegiate in Ajax.

The space was filled with locals of all ages, gazing at the art, displays and live performances.

The event allowed for several associations and community groups that focus on serving black people.

These GTA organizations were there to promote themselves and connect with eventgoers. Some of the groups included the Black, African and Caribbean Community Outreach (BACCO), Nile Valley Books and Legacy Posters.

Robert Small, a Whitby artist and graphic designer from Legacy Posters, was at the event. Small has worked on posters and educational art for more than 23 years.

His artwork is primarily focused on the African experience worldwide. “As an African-Canadian growing up I didn’t hear too many things African-Canadians accomplished,” Small said.

“The one thing I wanted to do

was share that information so another generation knows about their culture, their history and what they contributed to different parts of the country.”

Several performances were also

note presentation and performance from Sudanese-Canadian musician Emmanuel Jal. Whitby MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes was also there.

She spoke about the current political climate in North America, with the recent rise of violence towards other visible minorities.

Caesar-Chavannes said community members should not be passive to the changes in the world.

“We need to stand with those who are marching and protesting and boycotted,” she said. “Because not less than a generation ago, people marched and boycotted with us.”

People tend to not think we're Canadians. held in the school auditorium, including a performance by the Ngoma Ensemble, Collective of Black Artists (COBA) and a key-

Forde said a decade ago, she and a friend noticed a lack of events celebrating black history events locally.

“Based on the population, and how many people of black/African descent are here, we knew we needed a celebration of Black History Month.”

The first two events were held in the art gallery, but demand was high and the location could not fit those who wished to attend. “People were backed up into the entrance, until it became a hazard,” Forde said. The federal government has officially recognized Black History Month since 1995. Before this, Negro History Week was established in 1926. The name was changed to Black History Week in the early 1970’s before it was expanded to Black History Month in 1976. Forde said black Canadians are still sometimes seen as only immigrants as opposed to having their own history, yet they may have their identities as Canadians questioned.

“With this year particularly being Canada’s 150th (anniversary), there is so much that we contributed to Canadian history but it is not known,” Forde said. “I’ve been here many hundreds of years, probably even earlier than you’ve been here.

So I say claim it.”

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George Miller should be new director for The Batman Tyler Hodgkinson The Chronicle

Batman has been one of the most beloved superheroes for over 75 years, however, due to poor directing and a shallow story, his portrayal in last year’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was underwhelming.

Ben Affleck, writer and star of the upcoming solo film The Batman, has stepped away from the director’s chair, which has since been taken

by Ryan Reeves. But because of his history developing a Justice League movie, dedication to gripping stories, and recent success with Mad Max: Fury Road, it’s actually time for George Miller to finally direct his version of the Caped Crusader.

The Australian filmmaker, who began his career as writer and director of the cult-classic Mad Max in 1979, was set to direct Justice League: Mortal ten years ago. According to Cinema Blend, production was smooth into 2008 until the Writer’s Guild strike halted production. The film would have featured Batman, although the casting had not been confirmed.

D.J. Cotrona, who was set to play Superman in the flick, said in an interview with Slash Film, “He [Miller] was doing things with the Superman character and Batman character, and all the iconic favour-

ites, that’s never been done before.”

Miller’s artistic vision has led to many critically-acclaimed films such as Happy Feet and the Mad Max series, and when combined with his familiarity of the Batman character, he can create the stunning film the franchise deserves.

The Dark Knight is a complex character who embodies grit and emotion. Miller has achieved both of these elements in some of his films, including Dead Calm and Babe (nominated for Best Picture at the 68th Academy Awards). For the director to bring his talents to the DC Cinematic Universe, it would add the missing emotional elements to the current movie line-up.

The Batman is being written byBen Affleck and DC Comics Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns, and despite a rumored rewrite by renowned screenwriter Chris Terrio (who co-wrote Argo with Affleck), the superhero project seems to be in the hands of solid script writers.

George Miller has proven throughout his work that he can handle thought-provoking subject matter – most notably with the climate change theme in Mad Max: Fury Road - and The Batman is on track to be a well-rounded effort.

Speaking of Mad Max: Fury Road, it doesn’t hurt that the 2015 film, written and directed by Miller, was

Photograph courtesy of Warner Bros.

Ben Affleck in the Batman costume.

a commercial success. On a budget of $150 million, the fourth installment in the post-apocalyptic series earned over $370 million at the box office. It was the second-highest grossing Warner Bros. film of the year (behind San Andreas), and was number one in 40 countries.

Mad Max: Fury Road’s success was not superficial; it holds a 97 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, won six

of 10 potential Academy Awards, and was nominated for two Golden Globe awards in 2015. At both of the ceremonies, Miller was recognized for directing. He has become a bankable director who not only delivers action and emotion-filled efforts, but commercial and critical success as well.

Batman deserves “ justice.” Because of his last appearance, the

character - and the DC Cinematic Universe – needs a success in order to remain relevant on the big screen.

Reeves is a talent director, Miller is more familiar with The World’s Greatest Detective, can display emotional elements through storytelling, and is a bankable filmmaker – and for those reasons, should be the director of The Batman.

you keep, and even the places you visit all affect your personal rating.

For her performance in this episode, Bryce Dallas Howard, who plays Lacie, was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie.

Episode 2, or Playtest, is based on a virtual reality universe, but not as we know it today. Instead of VR being used for entertainment, this chapter explores manipulation of the brain with a fake-reality as a form of punishment.

Unlike other episodes in the series, this falls more into the horror genre with some scary and jumpy moments.

Shut Up and Dance is an episode that flips your switch. First, you may find yourself siding with one character, then you may find yourself siding with the so-called “bad guy.” This episode shifts the viewer’s perspective.

San Junipero is an American party town and not a typical Black Mirror episode. This episode is uncharacteristic because of its sunny

atmosphere, positive use of technology, and portrayal of hope. It is a beautiful love story between a lesbian couple, set in the late ‘80s. It’s a mix of modern technology and social community but is set in the past. Unlike the previous installments, San Junipero is not a horrific tragedy, but a heartwarming with an unexpected ending.

Man Against Fire deals with a number a real world issues, from the Holocaust to our current refugee crisis. It’s how we become almost robotic by the way we think and act towards others from different countries or backgrounds.

Sometimes it’s easier to believe a lie than to stand up and escape societal beliefs.

The last episode of the season, Heated In The Nation, did not disappoint with Brooker’s classic element of detective mystery and an unusual murder investigation with a futuristic technology twist.

Overall, the episodes are all solid, intense, and dramatic with important and puzzling takeaways.

It’s worth the binge watch if you have a strong stomach.

Black Mirror is worthy of Netflix binge watch Erin Williams The Chronicle

Black Mirror, written by Charlie Brooker, was a British television show until Netflix picked it up for an American series and continued to create Season 3, its latest season. Even if you don’t like Sci-Fi, it’s worth binge watching.

The show has a unique and engrossing style. These six episodes all differ from one another, including a new plot and new actors for each one.

Every episode takes a current topic or issue in our society such as social media or a virtual world alternative from your own, and exaggerates it to the point of destruction.

Each beginning pulls you in with a futuristic-like theme or setting, and the stories will keep your eyes glued and your curiosity piqued with the almost gruesome and outlandish scenarios.

Along with the compelling storylines, the line-up of actors chosen for Season 3 went beyond expectations.

Photograph courtesty of Netflix

Mackenzie Davis as Yorkie in Black Mirror.

From Jon Hamm, known for the Mad Men series, and Bryce Dallas Howard, most famously known for her role in the Twilight franchise to her latest role in the sequel of Jurassic World.

Season 3, Episode 1 or Nosedive explores the status, the threat, and the everyday use of social media.

Social media and technology now affects our lifestyles, our employment, and how people perceive who

we are over the internet.

In this episode, Brooker takes that idea to a greater extent and who you are over the internet is how you get rated in real life.

People who have a rating below 2.5 are considered lower-class and unemployable. A good rating would be considered around 4.2 to be received well by a “higher class” community.

Photos you post online, the friends

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Lords retire from the court The 'hype' train is leaving Durham station Christopher Jones The Chronicle

“Braydon [Rodgers] brought fire to the team,” says Durham Lords men’s volleyball player, John Pham.

“He always knew when to hype the team. He was our hype man.”

After winning silver at the Ontario College Athletic Association (OCAA) championship, former rookie of the year Braydon Rodgers’ time with the Lords men’s volleyball team has come to an end.

As the OCAA championship came to an end, so did Braydon’s time as a Lord.

Braydon was the libero of the volleyball team, which means that he specializes in defensive play. He wore a jersey that was a different colour from his teammates. As a libero, he is not allowed to attack or block the ball while it is completely above the net, which means that he was not able to spike the ball.

The libero is also able to replace any player in the back row without giving the officials any notice.

Essentially, Braydon had unique responsibilities on the court.

On top of his responsibilities on the court, according to his profile on the Durham Lords website, Braydon’s nickname is Stabby. His favourite movie is the Mighty Ducks, favourite pro team is the Anaheim Ducks, and his most influential person is former Duck, Teemu Selanne.

While attending Uxbridge Secondary School, Braydon won

awards called the Athletic Pin and Tiger Award.

The Athletic Pin is given to the students who achieved at least eight athletic points. The Tiger Award is a leadership award given to students who have shown leadership qualities.

Former teammate Erik Janssen said, “Braydon is the Energizer Bunny of the team. Always getting everyone pumped up before the game and during warm up.”

Janssen and Pham have both said that Braydon is a positive force on the team, bringing an almost unattainable level of energy to the team.

“He has never spoke a word of doubt about any one of his teammates,” Janssen said. “He will tell you to your face that he is pumped up to make big plays with you and see you do well, which is an incredibly inspiring feeling.”

“No I didn’t know [that he’d be playing well into his twenties],” said Braydon’s high school coach, Tony Kiriakou. “He came in with a passion for the game and started off Photograph by Christopher Jones not knowing a lot about the game.”

But once again, another person Men's volleyball veteran, Braydon Rodgers, visits the halls outside of the old gym at the Athletic Centre. emphasized Braydon’s enthusiasm.

“You could tell his enthusiasm for the game and his love of the game Everyone who talks about Bray“It’s very sad knowing that next named rookie of the year my first really started to blossom as the sea- don talks about his passion and love year I won’t be returning to such a year at Durham and now leaving son wore on. for the game. From his high school great program and having some of my last year with a medal around “He was very competitive,” coach to his college teammates, my best friends around me every- my neck as well as a first team all said Coach Kiriakou. “He always Braydon Rodgers is a hype man. day. A lot of passion, heart and de- star for all of Ontario… it was an wanted to make sure our team got Braydon said that it’s a bitter- sire has gone into the sport I love,” unforgettable experience playing at better. He would want to practice sweet moment for him, leaving the said Braydon Durham and I have memories that outside of regular practice times.” team.

Finally, Braydon said, “Being will last a life time.”

Lords are losing part of their heart and soul in Harper Christopher Jones The Chronicle

Photograph by Christopher Jones

Mike Harper visits the Wall of Fame outside DC's old gym.

Mike Harper of the men’s volleyball team has finished his final season. At the end of this season, he will no longer be eligible to play on the team.

Mike is from Oakville where he went to Iroquois High School.

He played middle blocker for the Lords.

Mike is currently finishing up a degree in the marketing and promotions program. “[Mike] was a pleasure to play with because you know every time he gets a block he turns around, throws up his fist, and screams,” said John Pham of the Durham Lords men’s volleyball team. “You can expect that every time he gets a solid block and I love that emotion he gives off.”

Taylor Langdon coached Mike when he was in grade nine playing for Pakmen volleyball club out of Mississauga.

“The first words that come to my mind when I think of my years coaching Mike are: coachable, athletic and hardworking,” said

Langdon.

“He had the natural ability people work for their whole careers and can’t obtain,” said Langdon.

“He was a natural born leader and was willing to carry and bring the team up in any positions we put him in.”

Langdon also said that it was difficult to tell if Mike would continue to play volleyball after his time with the coach.

Langond wasn't sure if Mike would continue to play because he was a versatile athlete who played two other sports.

“I was very into roller hockey and ice hockey,” said Mike. “I only played competitive volleyball that one year outside of high school.”

Mike didn’t even start playing volleyball right away in college. “I didn’t decide to play competitive volleyball until my second year of college,” said Mike. “[I wanted] to see if I still had what it takes to compete.”

Langdon even emphasized Mike’s competitive nature when he said, “Mike is the type of guy that will always be involved in sport. I’m not surprised at all that he is in-

volved in such a high level of sport to this day.”

Former teammates Erik Janssen and John Pham had nothing but praise for Harper, with Janssen saying, “Mike has always had a veteran mentality on the team since I joined two years ago. He is the kind of guy that always goes back to the service line with confidence and goes for that challenging serve and the kind of middle blocker that gets clutch blocks or kills when the game is close.”

Mike has had a huge influence on his teammates, as Janssen said Mike brought a lot of intensity to the team and was still a good friend. “[He was] never shy to invite the whole team over to hang out.”

With his time playing volleyball coming to a close, Mike is looking to the future.

“It is bitter sweet,” said Harper. “I am very excited to start my career in the business of sport, but also I will miss playing with the great group of guys at Durham and battling each and every night either in practice or against an opponent.”

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Lords fall from B-ball grace Lords fail to qualify for OCAA championship after loss to Fanshawe Jared Williams The Chronicle

The Durham College’s men’s basketball team wraps up their season as they fell short in their Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) champion qualifier game in London against the Fanshawe Falcons. The Lords were defeated 68-65 on Feb. 25.

Durham was making what looked to be a comeback, with Funsho Dimeji making two clutch back-to-back jump shots in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter.

Dimeji then hit two more freethrows with 14 seconds left in the game to tie the score at 65-65.

But after a Falcons’ timeout, Chris Parker of the Falcons, scored a last second three-pointer, leaving 0.3 second left on the court, not enough time for Durham to recover, bringing an end to the Lords’ season.

Photograph courtesy of Scott Dennis

Brandon Halliburton dribbles the ball down the court.

Lords’ coach, Desmond Rowley says, “we did the best we could – unfortunately it couldn’t work out for us. We [had] a young team and

by the end we sort of grew together and hopefully we can take that forward as a group.”

The Lords finished their regular

season with a record of 10 wins and 11 losses. Sheridan college won the OCAA championship, defeating George Brown 76-74 in the final.

With Aaron Bowyer and Juon Nicholson graduating and leaving the team, Rowley says a majority of this year’s group is returning to play next season, where they’ll be able to build off the chemistry formed this season.

Team point guard, Brandon Halliburton, says the team went through a transformation in the middle of the season which played a role on the team’s overall performance.

“Since we all were freshmen it took a while for us to [gel together].

Throughout the season we started to play [more like a team],” Halliburton says.

“I’m proud of us for making it to the crossover game. We had a great season.”

This is the third time in four seasons the Lords have qualified for the OCAA post-season.

“A lot of teams didn’t expect us to go as far as we did because of how the season was last year, so [I think our performance this year] puts us on the map. I think we’re going to be on the radar for next year,” Halliburton says.

“I’m only expecting good things from this point on. I’m really excited [for next season].”

chronicle.durhamcollege.ca

March 14 - 20, 2017

The Chronicle

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The Chronicle

March 14 - 20, 2017

chronicle.durhamcollege.ca