The Dialog, Mar 7 - Mar 20, 2016 by The Dialog

Meltdown: Schools say no to anti-radiation pills pg. 8

In a nuclear accident KI pills can help prevent cancer but schools won’t stock them

Putting a freeze in ‘Free Tuition’ pg. 7 // You can’t stop karate champ Patricia Wright pg. 10 // GBC Reggae star heads back to Junos pg. 11 // What’s tasty around Casa Loma? pg. 12 Mar. 7–Mar. 20, 2016

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NEWS

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // Mar. 7–Mar. 20

Ontario budget to eliminate tuition for low-income families Expanded grants plan in budget applauded by student groups DIALOG STAFF “For college and university students who come from families with incomes of less than $50,000, average tuition will be free,” said Ontario’s minister of finance Charles Sousa in his speech announcing the 2016 Ontario budget. The government plans to scrap tuition and education tax credits replacing them with non-repayable grants that will be given upfront to students in 2017-18. The budget says that no student will receive less than they did through the current Ontario Tuition Grant. OSAP debt levels will be capped at $10,000 a year for high-income families. “Tax credits did not provide assistance when students needed it, and they diverted aid money to those who did not need the help,” said Nestico-Semianiw, President of the Ontario University Student Alliance. “For years, OUSA has led the push for tax credit funds to be repurposed into effective, up-front aid, and now that’s exactly what we’ll be seeing.” The Ontario government said that they are merging existing financial assistance programs and grants offered by OSAP into a single pro-

File photo of Queens Park by Ibagli/Wikipedia Commons

gram called the Ontario Student Grant. “I am thrilled to see the focus on students in this budget and applaud the Ontario government for making education more accessible,” said Anne Sado, president of George Brown College. In the lead-up to the 2015 federal election, Justin Trudeau’s Liberals pledged to increase “the maximum Canada Student Grant for low-income students to $3,000 per year for full-time students, and to $1,800 per year for part-time students.” The Ontario Liberal’s budget promises for post-secondary

“We have a lot to celebrate today with this commitment to fairness, equity and justice for students”

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students are depend on its federal counterpart delivering on their campaign promise. “We have a lot to celebrate today with this commitment to fairness, equity and justice for students,” said Gabrielle Ross-Marquette, national executive representative for the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario. “We hope this commitment will carry on into the development of a new tuition-fee framework that can build upon this investment and make higher education more affordable for all Ontarians.” The government is also getting rid of the rule that

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limits the Ontario Tuition Grant to students who entered college and university within a few years of from high school, meaning mature students will now be able to qualify for the new grants. Several post-secondary advocacy groups, including Colleges Ontario, Canadian Federation of Students—Ontario, and the College Student Alliance recommended removing the limit in the lead up to today’s announcement. “There is a clear commitment to college education and helping greater numbers of students pursue the career-specific programs at colleges,” said David Agnew, president of Seneca College and chair of Colleges Ontario. The budget allocates $97 million over three years to support initiatives to help First Nation, Métis and Inuit students, of that $5 million is for the province’s nine Aboriginal Institutes. “Currently, there are multiple barriers hindering aboriginal learners, mature students and mature students with dependents from accessing PSE (post-secondary education),” says Ciara Byrne, director of advocacy for the College Student Alliance (CSA). “Today’s announcement showed the government’s commitment to making PSE accessible to all students. CSA is proud to be part of the process.” CORRECTION The story about Kiowa McComb (Feb. 22) incorrectly stated that the Nancy King (Chief Lady Bird) was a lead artist with 7th Generation Image Makers. She in fact no longer works there.

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OPERATION The Dialog newspaper is published by The Dialog with the support of the Student Association of George Brown College. The Dialog is responsible for the overall vision and direction of The Dialog newspaper, as it coincides with the larger vision and mission of the Student Association. The cost of producing a monthly newspaper is in part

THE DIALOG PARTNERS defrayed by advertising revenue and largely subsidized by student fees. Occasionally, some advertisers, products and services do not reflect the policies of the Student Association. Opinions expressed in The Dialog are not necessarily those of The Dialog, the Student Association of George Brown College, or its editorial staff.

The Dialog is a member of CUP, the Canadian University Press

NEWS

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // Mar. 7–Mar. 20

// STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Events Information Session for Newcomers Tuesday, March 8 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

St, James A, Room 550E

GBC Entry Advising Services is running special information sessions for refugees and newcomers to Canada.

Decolonizing Consent Roshu Nagi’s father told him pursue his dreams. Photo: Renuka Malhotra/The Dialog

If you are scared, get involved says Roshu Nagi With three degrees, Nagi came to George Brown to pursue his dream of studying information technology RENUKA MALHOTRA STAFF REPORTER

As an only child, Roshu Nagi had a difficult choice to make when deciding to come all the way from India to study in Canada. But his parents continuously supported his determination to explore his dreams. Now pursuing a computer systems technician diploma at George Brown College (GBC), Nagi previously completed a post-grad course in network systems security analysis. Before coming to Canada, Nagi had a vibrant academic background with three bachelor degrees in computer applications, commerce, and law. It was soon after he finished his law degree when he discovered a great interest in information technology and decided to move to Canada. Nagi managed orientations for international students at GBC for the fall and winter terms this year. The main reason he got involved, was because his initial experience at the college was not that great. “I wanted to make it a point that whenever new students come, especially international students, they should not feel that they have landed in an entirely different country,” said Nagi. “They should feel comfortable and know there

are people to support and guide them, just like home.” Nagi keeps busy volunteering on campus as a team leader at the student leadership academy and an international ambassador at GBC. Initially he didn’t make many friends at GBC, but through volunteering he met people who are now like family to him. “Some experiences change your life. Coming to Canada was one of them.” Nagi also works as a sales clerk at Value Village, and in one way or another he is constantly supporting the community. With such a busy schedule, “it became very difficult to manage studies, volunteering, and work.” With classes starting at 8 a.m. and work ending at 10 p.m.—plus regular volunteer activities— Nagi can be busy up to 16 hours a day. What guides Nagi through the hard times, is the encouraging example of his father; “Not just because he is my dad, but as a person too he inspires me a lot.” A self-made man, his dad is a lawyer from a business-oriented family. When choosing law over business, his father did not receive much support from his family. However, these days he is a successful man with no regrets of the choices he made. “He tells me to do the same, to pursue my dreams, to do what

I feel is right and that is how I will be successful.” The message Nagi wants to pass on to all the fellow students is to leave hesitation, fear and a lack of confidence behind. “If you are scared, get involved—it is the best thing ever.”

Thursday, March 10 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

St. James A, Quiet Lounge (Inside the Kings Lounge)

Join Alena Peters, as they break down colonialism, rape culture and their effect on consent in this free workshop. Fuego Latino Party Friday, March 11, 7 p.m. St. James A, Kings Lounge

The Organization Latin American Students is putting on a foosball tournament as part of the Fuego Latino Party.

Student Association Election Meet and Greets Monday, March 14, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Casa Loma E Building, Student Centre

Wednesday, March 16 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Waterfront, Main Lobby

Get to know this year’s candidates in the Student Association Elections.

Student Association Election Debate Tuesday, March 15 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

St. James A, Kings Lounge

Watch candidates for the Student Association’s executive debate the finer points of student leadership.

Skyzone Trampoline Park Friday, March 18, 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

45 Esandar Drive, Unit 1A

Everybody jump! $10 for GBC students, $15 for guests. Tickets available at SA offices.

Where’s your spot? Find wellness, health and mental health resources for students.

Discovered a spot? Find out what other users have to say.

Share your thoughts? Let others know how you feel about the places and services you’ve used.

Check us out online at mythoughtspot.ca 5387a-Dialog-Thoughtspot print.indd 1

2016-02-25 4:00 PM

NEWS

The Dialog â&#x20AC;˘ dialognews.ca // Mar. 7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Mar. 20

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THE STUDENT ASSOCIATION IS HAVING THEIR ANNUAL

INCOME TAX CLINIC

Tax season can be tough. Be sure to visit www.studentassociation.ca/tax-clinic for information on what documents to collect before you book an appointment with the tax clinic. YOU QUALIFY IF: You are a GBC Student, you have a yearly income of/or below the following: Single person: $25,000 · Couple: $35,000 · Single w/child: $30,000 For each additional dependant add: $2,000 Interest income of less than: $1,000 VOLUNTEERS DO NOT PREPARE RETURNS FOR: deceased persons, bankrupt individuals, clients who have capital gains/loses, people who are self-employed(employment expenses, business, or rental income and expenses), previous years’ returns.

MARCH 15–31

St. James campus, room 147 Book an appointment online at www.studentassociation.ca/tax-clinic Appointment slots are limited. Visit www.studentassociation.ca/tax-clinic/ for a list of free income tax clinics in your neighbourhood.

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facebook.com/runyourfuture

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STUDENT ASSOCIATION ELECTIONS 2016 Be a st udent leader! Join our Board of D irectors! Nomination period: Ending Thursday, March 10 at 2 P.M. Nomination packages can be picked up at your campus Student Association oﬃce: Casa Loma campus, room E100 St. James campus, room 147

Waterfront campus, room 033 Ryerson campus, room 614

Voting period: March 18 to 29 Poll locations: Casa Loma campus: C Building – Second Floor Food Court E Building – Student Centre, Main Floor C Building – Third Floor Library

St. James campus: SJA 1 – Main Floor (Outside the King's Lounge) SJA 2 – Basement Food Court SJB (Hospitality) - Main Entrance

Waterfront campus: Main Entrance

Ryerson campus: SHE Building - Main Floor

To learn more about the positions available, please see our website at: studentassociation.ca/elections studentassociation.ca/elections/

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P LEASE REC YCLE AFTER THE ELEC TION

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OPINION

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // Mar. 7–Mar. 20

// OPINION

// EDITORIAL

Choose cooking school over apprenticeships CLEMENT GOH

Tuition-freeze must follow ‘free tuition’ Budget announcement a win, but not if tuition soars Ontario’s new “free tuition” plan, announced with much fanfare in the recent provincial budget, is a step in the right direction. But it’s not enough if tuition keeps going up every year. The reforms to student financial aid are a significant change in government policy, with increased upfront non-repayable grants replacing tax credits that can be claimed at the end of the year. Most significantly, the reforms would mean a shift from a strategy that disproportionality benefited students from high-income families to one that is more targeted toward students from low-income families. 2011 data from Statistics Canada shows that young people with a family income of less than $50,000 were 19 per cent less likely to be in post-secondary than those whose families earned more than $50,000. Some researchers argue that family income only has a moderate impact on post-secondary participation when factors like parental education are taken into

account. But, the number of low-income families with higher education is actually quite small. Student organizations have rightly been supportive of the budget reforms because, as far as they go, the new grants will help increase access to post-secondary for the most marginalized students. That said, the plan is set to take effect in 2017-18, the same year that the current tuition framework is set to expire. This framework holds annual tuition increases to a maximum of three per cent for most programs and five per cent for professional, graduate and “high demand college programs.” Another study by Statistics Canada in 2005 found that large tuition increases in deregulated programs during the mid-to-late 1990s significantly shifted enrollment towards people whose parents also had graduate or professional degrees. Low-income students already experience streaming into vocational programs or general arts degrees; deregulated tuition puts the socalled professional degrees further out of reach for people who otherwise could contribute greatly to our society. It would be a huge mistake for the Ontario government to make this worse by deregulating more programs

and increasing tuition. The government needs to ensure that the gains for students in the latest budget aren’t undone by rising tuition costs once the current framework expires. As it stands, it’s unclear how much these non-repayable grants will cover if tuition increases in 2017. Tuition rates need to be frozen and government funding to institutions increased to ensure that the quality of students’ education doesn’t suffer. A zero per cent tuition freeze is what student organizations need to focus on fighting for, otherwise today’s victory will become the groundwork for tomorrow’s defeat. // EDITORIAL CARTOON

Lately, I’ve seen some skepticism about the value of going to culinary school instead of getting right into the fires of a commercial kitchen as an apprentice. While it may sound promising to learn from scratch, save some tuition and dive right into working at a restaurant, I believe that culinary school offers a more practical approach for preparing you for the industry. An apprentice may learn the on-the-job skills, but culinary school kicks things up a notch through additional courses besides cooking that can expand your skill set beyond the stove. “In an apprenticeship, let’s say you go into a stove to repeat grilling a steak over and over again. In culinary school, you get the full picture,” said Meenakshi Bhojwani, a graduate of the culinary management program. “They make you learn how the steak is done, where it comes from, how much it costs, and how that cost affects your business.” Cooking labs were a large part of the curriculum in my culinary management program. The cooking labs were expected, but I was surprised to know that the program offered courses on a variety of other skills. From wine classes for food pairing, to cost control if you intend to run a business one day, the culinary program offered a com-

prehensive learning experience. The diversity of content in the program broadens the learning process, so that a student is able to do more than just cook on the hot line. Although it is much cheaper to work as an apprentice, mistakes are costly in the culinary industry. Culinary schools on the other hand, are a perfect, low-risk place to make those inevitable rookie mistakes. As apprentices are incorporated into actual commercial kitchens, mistakes can cost restaurants money as poorly prepared food is thrown out. If you are a klutz like me, your relationship with the head chef in a restaurant is going to be affected. Since the fast-paced environment allows no room for error, there are high expectations for any new kitchen employee. While it takes longer for an apprentice to reach a certain level of proficiency, culinary graduates know they need to make sure the chef has a good reason to keep you on the team. Through learning restaurants such as The Chef ’s House or the Chef on the Run cafe, culinary students get a real-world experience with customers but in a classroom setting. With these experiences in culinary schools, students get an edge by learning from their errors in a safer environment. These future employees will have a better chance to get it right by the time they enter a real kitchen.

FEATURE

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // Mar. 7–Mar. 20

Colleges and universities refuse to stock anti-radiation pills After Fukushima , iodine pills predistributed or available to order near Canadian nuclear stations STEVE CORNWELL ASSISTANT EDITOR

~321 600 students

~37,000 staff + faculty

“We have 10 (nuclear) reactors in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada’s largest city,” said Shawn-Patrick Stensil, a nuclear analyst with Greenpeace Canada. “Fukushima was a really rural area and the consequences of such an accident here would be way worse.” The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear station was not designed to withstand the earthquake and tsunami that hit it on March 11, 2011. According to a 2015 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report, the 9.0 magnitude earthquake generated a 10-metre tall tsunami that combined to wreck the station’s on-site electrical capacity and cut it off from off-site power. Without electricity to cool its nuclear reactors, the station eventually suffered meltdowns in three units, releasing radioactive materials into the

atmosphere, ocean, and onto land. Evacuation orders were issued and stable iodine, used to help stop the absorption of radioiodine in the thyroid, was administered. The emergency response however, was far from smooth. Among many issues in the disaster response, the IAEA noted broken lines of communication, “significant challenges” with evacuating patients from hospitals near the station, and that the distribution of stable iodine was hindered by inadequate pre-planning. Five-years removed from the beginning of the Fukushima nuclear crisis, the distribution of stable, or potassium iodide (KI), pills around nuclear stations in Ontario is raising concerns that not enough is being done to ensure the safety of people living, working, and studying near nuclear stations. As part of new requirements, KI pills have been distributed to 200,000 homes and businesses within a 10-ki-

lometre radius zone of the Darlington and Pickering nuclear stations. Free KI pills have also been made available to order for individuals and businesses within 50 kilometres of nuclear reactors in Ontario. According to Ontario Power Generation (OPG) spokesperson Neal Kelly, there have been 15,001 KI pill orders in Ontario’s 50-kilometre secondary zone as of Jan. 15. France, Sweden, Switzerland, the United States and others, have KI pill distribution zones around nuclear facilities. In 2014, Switzerland expanded their KI pill pre-distribution, sending pills to every home, business and school within 50 kilometres of its four operating nuclear stations. Pickering Nuclear Station’s 50-kilometre secondary zone engages Toronto from Morningside Ave in Scarborough to Mississauga. Seven of nine publicly-funded colleges and universities operating in this 50-kilometre secondary zone in Toronto, including George Brown, Centennial, and Seneca colleges, as well as York and OCAD universities, have said that they do not intend to order KI pills for staff and students. Humber College and Ryerson University have not responded to requests for comment. The University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus

campuses 50 km zone

Amount of schools that have ordered KI pills?

50 km zone

0 *Post-secondary schools in the 50 KM radius from Pickering Nuclear Station

Primary and secondary zones of Pickering and Darlington Stations Map by Mick Sweetman / The Dialog

FEATURE

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // Mar. 7–Mar. 20

Pickering Nuclear Station, seen from Pickering Beach Photo by Steve Cornwell / The Dialog

is within Pickering’s 10-kilometre primary zone, and as such has a supply of KI pills for its staff and students. Lisa Marchitto, corporate communications manager at George Brown College, said that the college is aware of the availability of KI pills. However, due to the range of health considerations associated with the pills, the college’s position is that it’s best to let health professionals administer KI pills in the unlikely event of nuclear disaster. “We would want the pills to be provided in a context where people could be assured of receiving appropriate and correct instructions about when, where, when, how and by whom the pills should be taken–which is best done by public health officials,” said Marchitto. The risk of side-effects from taking recommended doses of KI pills is very low for everyone with normal thyroid function, according to the preparetobesafe.ca website, where people in the 50-kilometre zone can order free KI pills. But, the website, established by OPG, the City of Toronto and Durham Region, says that people with iodine sensitivities as well as existing or previous thyroid conditions should consult with health professionals prior to taking KI pills. In spite of the potential side-effects, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) stands by the benefits of taking KI pills in the event of a nuclear accident. “Decades of experience and studies in Canada and in other countries have demonstrated that the pre-distribution of KI pills can be done effectively and that its benefits are real and significant,” said Michael Binder, president of the CNSC. Theresa McClenaghan, executive director of the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA), thinks that not ordering the KI pills is a missed opportunity for those in the 50-kilometre zone. “All institutions,

businesses, residences with workers, residents, with people attending during the day, during the night, within 50 kilometres should order the pills.” McClenaghan is particularly concerned about the well-being of children in the event of a nuclear accident. Children can absorb radioactive materials faster than adults, and KI, McClenaghan said, is much more effective if it is consumed at the beginning of nuclear accident before radioactive material is released. “It would not be possible to get KI distributed fast enough to all of those (child-care) locations to really help after an accident sequence has started,” said McClenaghan who stressed that everyone who has young children in their care should have KI pills on hand. Each of the nine colleges and universities in the Toronto’s 50-kilometre radius zone from Pickering run their own child-care centres with the excep-

thing that you should do, this is something that would be good for the students, this is something that would be good for public safety’,” said Stensil. “Aside from putting up their website, (preparetobesafe.ca), the province has done nothing to alert the public (in the 50-kilometre zone) of this program.” “Public awareness has been and will remain a key focus for all parties engaged in nuclear emergency planning,” said Brett Ross, a spokesperson with the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services. Ross said that all residents within 10 kilometres of the Pickering and Darlington plants were sent brochures outlining safety preparations followed by a KI pill mailing in October. There was also a series of open houses held in Durham Region in the summer and fall of 2015. Ross said that more outreach is planned for both the 10-kilometre and 50-kilometre zones. Ross said that emergency KI pills

“It’s about whether or not we’re meeting the basic standard for protecting our residents,” tion of OCAD and the Michener Institute. Along with its partners, George Brown runs 10 child care centres, all of which are within 50 kilometres of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station. Greenpeace’s Stensil thinks that post-secondary institutions should order KI pills, but ultimately the responsibility to ensure that the pills are pre-distributed lies with the province. “I’ve seen no evidence that the province has done any outreach to these institutions to say ‘this is some-

are stockpiled in provincial government and community facilities throughout the 50-kilometre zone. In an emergency, residents would be told where they could get KI pills. In November, the City of Toronto’s executive committee passed a motion to have city staff assess Toronto’s nuclear emergency plan against international best practices and the appropriateness of current KI distribution policies. For Toronto city councilor Mike Layton, the request to evaluate nu-

clear emergency planning for Toronto is about understanding why plans for Pickering and Darlington station seem less stringent than in other parts of the world, where KI pills are pre-distributed for up to 50 kilometres. “It’s about whether or not we’re meeting the basic standard for protecting our residents,” said Layton. “In other jurisdictions, they use the 50-kilometre range, so I want to know why is it that the province has a 10-kilometre primary zone, when other jurisdictions use 50?” The report assessing nuclear emergency plans in Toronto was scheduled to be delivered by March, but is not yet available. CELA and Greenpeace filed a request under Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights to undertake an evidence-based review of current KI distribution policy. Claims made in the application for review include that there is no scientific basis for the policy as it stands, that the public was not consulted on the policy, and that evidence suggests that the current distribution zone inadequately protects Ontario’s environment, public health and safety. “I would advocate for the a broadening of the primary zone to be at least 30 kilometres,” said McClenaghan. “Fifty would be better, but I would say that the policy should be based on evidence.” In January, the Ontario government pledged to go ahead with plans to rebuild four nuclear reactors at the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station, at a cost of $12.8 billion. In the same announcement, the government said they would extend the life of Pickering station to 2024. Pickering Station, which started generating power in 1971, was originally scheduled to be decommissioned in 2020. With files from The Varsity

SPORTS

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // Mar. 7–Mar. 20

Injury and disability no match for karate champ Former George Brown culinary student wins Karate Canada Nationals STEVE CORNWELL ASSISTANT EDITOR

“Don’t use or believe the word ‘can’t.’” Patricia Wright, a former George Brown College culinary arts student, and recent gold medal winner at Karate Canada’s national competition, knows about pushing through adversity to succeed. When she was poised to get her black belt Wright suffered a seizure so severe she was hospitalized. “My sensei called and asked me where I was because I was supposed to be at the grading,” Wright said. “I remember trying to explain to him that I was in the hospital because I had a seizure.” Wright has had epileptic seizures since she was an infant, and is mostly at peace with her condition. “It’s part of me. I wish I didn’t have the seizures, but I don’t know life without them.” Wright was riding her bicycle in 2010 when she was hit by a car. The incident left her with a traumatic brain injury. A year later, she was on the phone with her case-worker, who couldn’t understand what Wright was trying to say. Wright went to the hospital where it was determined that she had a stroke.

Wright’s conditions mean that the karate champ has a mobility device and a seizure-detection dog named Georgia to help her get around. While many might be discouraged by the kind of adversity Wright has endured, the karate champ shows flashes of the mental toughness that helped her take the gold. For Wright, the bicycling accident which left her with a severe brain injury, was actually auspicious. Without it, Wright “wouldn’t have had the opportunity to go to nationals,” she said. Wright took home gold in her category, athletes competing with a physical disability or visual impairment, at the nationals in Richmond, B.C. in January. In the championship match, Wright edged out a win over British Columbia’s Neil Surry with a score of 24.9-24.8. The win was extra sweet, because Wright thought she lost before the competition began for accidentally bumping into a referee. “I initially thought that I was disqualified,” said Wright. Thinking that she wasn’t going to have a chance to compete, she said she was extremely disappointed in herself but was still trying to encourage Surry. When she

Huskies men’s basketball team eliminated from post-season Huskies end with a 13-7 record

Wolfpack Ticker Scores from George Brown College athletics Men’s Basketball Playoff Qualifying Match Niagara. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 George Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . 80 George Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Centennial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Women’s Basketball Mohawk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 George Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Patricia Wright tastes gold at Karate Canada’s national finals Photo courtesy of Patricia Wright

was called to the mat to compete, she had to put her game face on. “She’s so determined to succeed it’s not even funny,” said Heather Fidyk, chair of Karate Canada’s athletes with a disability (AWDA) program. The next battle ahead for Wright, will be convincing the World Karate Federation to include her AWDA category in its international competition. Fidyk thinks that this year’s world championship in Austria is unlikely to include a category for Wright and other athletes with physical and visual limitations, but Fidyk plans to go to the worlds and make the case to broaden the EMEKA IBEH STAFF REPORTER

The Niagara Knights men’s basketball team defeated the George Brown Huskies 10080, in their do-or-die playoff qualifying match on Feb. 27 to advance to the OCAA Championships. The Huskies were led offensively by Dejazmatch James who poured in a game-high 35 points while also receiving support from teammates Kevon Mascoe, and Nerquaye Nettey, who chipped in with 15 and 13 points respectively. Both teams struggled to make shots, as the Knights

George Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Centennial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Loyalist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 George Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Men’s Volleyball

“I remember trying to explain to him that I was in the hospital because I had a seizure.”

Playoff qualifying game Sheridan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 George Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . . 0

Women’s Indoor Soccer OCAA ‘A’ Regional St. Clair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 George Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 George Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 St. Lawrence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 George Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Lakehead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0

competition categories. For Wright making the worlds at nearly 40 years of age, “would be incredible, it would be a dream for me.”

Georgian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 George Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . . 0

shot 41.8 per cent from the floor compared to the Huskies sub-par 30.7 per cent. Niagara took advantage of George Brown’s poor shooting and capitalized by starting the second half with a decisive 14-7 run. The Huskies never recovered from that, losing the game and finished their season with a record of 13-7. The team showed tremendous growth throughout the season and were able to show their untapped potential in the last game. They are miles apart from where they started, at the beginning of the year, but will be able to show their progress even more next season.

OCAA ‘C’ Regionals

Huskies don’t advance to OCAA championships

Men’s Indoor Soccer

George Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Redeemer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 George Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 St. Lawrence K. . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 Georgian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 George Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Huskies advance to the OCAA championships

ARTS & LIFE

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // Mar. 7–Mar. 20

Lyndon John gets third Juno nomination GBC alumni nominated for album Escape from the Mongoose Gang EMEKA IBEH STAFF REPORTER

Thomas McCole (right) with his business partner Jake Mednick Photo by Nolan Begley

‘Babsocks’ a hit Former George Brown student creates coveted Leafs nation souvenir STEVE CORNWELL ASSISTANT EDITOR

What started as a beerleague hockey dressing-room joke has become a full-blown business for Thomas McCole, a former George Brown College student. Babsocks, blue socks with white strips featuring the face of Toronto Maple Leafs head coach, Mike Babcock, garnered interest almost immediately from major media outlets including Rogers Sportsnet, Fox Sports, and Yahoo Sports. But the transition from locker-room talk to coveted Leafs paraphernalia has not been without its challenges, especially with securing a manufacturer. “ We w e r e s c r a m b l i n g like mad men,” said McCole. “There was a lot of sleepless and stressful nights where communication had broken down between us and the manufacturing.” With Christmas approaching and close to one thousand orders waiting, McCole and his business partner Jake Mednick had no reliable suppliers. McCole thought that unless they could get it to-

gether and deliver the socks, Babsocks might be finished. Following the advice of his father, McCole approached a family friend, Nam Leung who also ran a local Canada Post location. According to McCole, the Leung made some calls and set up Babsocks with a reliable manufacturer in China. Babsocks was able to meet its holiday rush, and in McCole’s words, Leung “saved us, basically.” Babsocks boomed so quickly that McCole had to stop pursuing his marketing diploma at George Brown last fall. He still draws on the experience of faculty from the college. Professor Lori Futterer, who taught McCole at George Brown, has been impressed by the success of Babsocks. “Not only did they come up with a creative idea, they have such great initiative from idea conception to production, logistics to advertising and public relations, they have just gotten it done.” Even the namesake of Babsocks, Stanley Cup and Olympic gold-medal winning coach Mike Babcock is getting in on the action. According to McCole, coach Babcock ordered 30 pairs of Babsocks through his assistant just before Christmas. McCole offered to give the socks to Babcock for free, but the Maple Leafs coach was adamant about paying. “That’s our closest contact with the coach, but hopefully in the near future we can shake the man’s hand,” said McCole.

Lyndon John, a multi-talented reggae sensation and a George Brown College alumni has been nominated for a Juno award for the third time in eight years. The upbeat and smooth reggae artist, who takes some of his vocal styles from David Hines, earned a nod in reggae recording of the year category for his third album, Escape from the Mongoose Gang. Music has been a consistent part of his John’s life since he was five years old. He started playing piano and violin at an early age. He didn’t enjoy those instruments as much as playing the guitar, which he started playing at the age of eight. With Grenadian parents, the music of the Caribbean has always been his principal influence. “There’s a group called Steel Pulse, out of England, and they’re probably my favourite group,” explained

John. “I just really enjoy listening to them, and other artists like Barrington Levy, Santana, and Peter Tosh, all helped me get better musically.” When John, who is now 39, was in high school, he wrote the song All My Lovin for a school play, which can be heard on his 2007 Juno award nominated debut album, Two Chord Skankin. After John’s music teacher Steven Zerkowski heard a recording of the song, the teacher encouraged him to pursue music. “He was the one that told me that, if I connected with artists in Toronto, my music could really take off,” said John. “A few years later I re-recorded the song, All My Lovin and that was when I started recording the album Two Chord Skankin.” Since then, John hasn’t skipped a beat, and his quick rise in the music industry has him wondering if he’s living in a dream. John is also a full-time structural detailer, or drafts-

man, for an engineering consultant doing drawings for different radio towers and the equipment that goes on those towers, a trade he learned at George Brown. Music has always been his true love. Although he has to practice at night, the only time he can manage to do most his recordings, John gives guitar lessons to multiple students from his community around Huron East to keep the reggae rhythm sharper. His best advice to up and coming musicians is that consistent practice and repetition make the formula for a great performance. For John, practice is what gets all the jitters away, “it’s just you and the music, it’s not you thinking about ‘Oh, I am going to screw up coming up on bar 17’ or ‘Oh man, am I going to forget this because it’s my first time playing by memory?’ No, you practice the music as much as you can so you know exactly what you’re doing.” The Juno Awards are considered one of Canada’s premiere music awards. The Grammy’s of the north are happening this year on April 3 in Calgary.

Lyndon John is nominated for his third Juno Award Photo provided by Lyndon John

ARTS & LIFE

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // Mar. 7–Mar. 20

What’s tasty around Casa Loma?

RENUKA MALHOTRA STAFF REPORTER

GBC CASA LOMA

Roti Cuisine of India 308 Dupont St

Creeds Coffee Bar 390 Dupont St

Apollo Eleven Restaurant 1093 Bathurst St

Photos by Renuka Malhotra

Roti Cuisine of India 308 Dupont St

Apollo Eleven Restaurant 1093 Bathurst St

$$$

Although it’s small, Apollo restaurant is a cozy place for those in need of both good food and good hosts. The restaurant is run by Paul and Roula who have become so familiar with the visitors that they instantly know what their regulars are looking for. The place offers a wide range of daily specials, quick snacks, coffee and tea along with a la carte menu and lunch items. The most popular items are chicken and pork souvalaki with rice and greek salad. Fries are also one of the hot-selling items at the Apollo. The place’s biggest clientele comes from the neighbouring TTC yard, but the prices are affordable enough for students for a one-time meal. A regular menu item costs $11-12 plus taxes.

$$$

A few steps west of Dupont Station, Roti Cuisine of India is a must-go place for foodies seeking to soothe their hunger. The sumptuous variety of rotis offered will make the restaurant one of your favourites. The menu offers curried classics like butter chicken roti, mutter paneer roti, and saag roti, which are a few of the hot-selling items. Roti Cuisine’s unique way of presenting North Indian cuisine as West Indian is a striking element of the restaurant. An otherwise routine combination of North Indian-style roti and curry gives the West Indian food a style makeover which steals the show. The mutter paneer roti is a perfect blend of spices and creamy enough to dissolve your hunger with a single bite. Each dish can be made mild, medium, or very spicy by request. All roti items on the menu are around $8.50 per person plus taxes making it an ideal place for students to grab a lunch or dinner. Even though all the rotis on the menu are priced at $8 or higher, the portions easily serve two people. In addition to being good spot to dine, Roti Cuisine of India is popular for take-out in the neighbourhood. With several vegetarian options available, it is a great place for students to eat.

Creeds Coffee Bar 390 Dupont St

A luxurious yet modest café experience for students in need of a great place to work on projects and group assignments. Located just a few blocks west from Dupont Station, Creeds Coffee Bar offers a variety of hot beverages including regular coffee, Americano, cappuccino, latte, tea and more. The coffee bar also has cookies, scones, chicken and tuna wraps and salads available. Creeds’ highlight is a combination of a peaceful ambiance and a student-friendly atmosphere. Free Wi-Fi is a cherry on the cake. A regular food and drink combo is priced at approximately $8 taxes included.

A part-timer can work here for years and never get health benefits or a single sick day.

HOW IS THAT FAIR? â&#x20AC;?

#Sign up Erin Thorson ADMIN ASSISTANT LANGUAGE STUDIES

Health benefits at

collegeworkers.org

If you work as part-time Support staff for George Brown College, or worked during this academic year, email tracy@collegeworkers.org for more information.

SCIENCE & TECH

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // Mar. 7–Mar. 20

New app promises to unlock Toronto nightlife Booth and Bottle application cofounded by George Brown student RENUKA MALHOTRA STAFF REPORTER

Booth and Bottle is an event-curating application that allows users to explore all that Toronto nightlife has to offer through a city-wide venue directory, efficient mobile bottle service and a guest list reservation system. “This application will revolutionize the night life of Toronto,” said Ernesto Gaita, co-founder of the Booth and Bottle application. He believes that Booth and Bottle’s easyto-use interface and social nature are the main reasons people like the app. He also emphasizes that Booth and Bottle is the first app in Canada that offers both a guest list and bottle service option. “There are other apps in Canada that are based on nightlife but not in the same way that we are,” said Gaita. Mario Cieslak, co-founder of Booth & Bottle and a third year student of construction management and engineering at George Brown College said, “Booth and Bottle provides users nightlife access in a truly unique way.” He added

that it is a simple tool to help plan your special night. Also, with this app users can book services at clubs, gather points and then unlock exclusive nightlife inspired perks and promotions. Booth and Bottle offers unparalleled access to nightlife establishments across the Greater Toronto Area through their unique mobile application. “We provide users with the ability to reserve booths and tables and guest list at a variety of venues while saving them the hassle of waiting in queue to take entry into a club,” Gaita said. While utilizing the Booth and Bottle mobile application, users will be able to browse through a direc-

tory of conveniently organized and categorized nightlife venues. The aim is to facilitate user exploration by simplifying the search for an ideal party location. Each venue maintains its own unique page, wherein users are provided with stunning photos, information about the venue,

and the ability to swiftly reserve a booth or a spot on the guest list. The application was also co-founded by Matthew Marij, and Daniel Palumbo. The team came up with this idea in 2013 when they realized that it was difficult for anyone who’s new to nightlife to book venues.

“This application will revolutionize the night life of Toronto”

Photo provided Booth and Bottle

Ragspin is the new Tinder for clothing New application helps revamp your wardrobe RENUKA MALHOTRA STAFF REPORTER

Photo courtesy of Ragspin

Is your closet flooded with clothes but you still have nothing to wear? Don’t worry there’s a new application for clothing that will give your closet a makeover. Ragspin is an application that connects you with people nearby who want to buy, sell, or trade clothing. “A lot of people have so many clothes in their closet that they don’t wear anymore. So instead of just giving it away or donating it.

We came up with this application for buying and selling clothes,” said Jane Furneaux, a post-graduate student in the small business entrepreneurship program at George Brown College, and the marketing and public relations lead for Ragspin. Buying clothes has never been so easy. If you’re interested in a piece of clothing swipe ‘yes,’ and swipe ‘no’ if you don’t want it. The ones you swiped ‘yes’ to will appear in your closet, and then the seller can be messaged for further trading. “Ragspin is an applica-

tion that gives you the ease of buying and selling clothes wherever you want,” said Furneaux, affirming that with the app it just takes a minute to post clothes with a brief description and price. The app mainly targets selling clothes, shoes and accessories. The team behind Ragspin is continuously running contests to promote the application. The latest contest was giving out myklco, an organic cashew and chai drink, to people who posted any clothing for sale on the app. The new application is currently designed for iPhone and iPad only, and the Android version is expected soon. Until then why not earn some money by trading your cluttered closet on Ragspin?

FUN

The Dialog • dialognews.ca // Mar. 7–Mar. 20

// SUDOKU

// COMICS

Medium Puzzle 4,703,654,134

8 8

9 9

4 3

4 9

2 6

9 7

// CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Across

1- Shaft shot from a bow; 6- Rolling in dough; 10- Woeful word; 14- Bobby of the Black Panthers; 15- Suffix with buck; 16- Money maker; 17- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame architect; 18- Poi source; 19- “A Death in the Family” author; 20- Grandparent; 23- Attack with severe criticism; 27- Name; 28- Trim; 29- A rural soviet; 34- Baffled 36- Panfry; 37- Breastsupporting undergarment; 40- At the same time; 43- Tricky curve; 44- Expressed disapproval; 45- Refuse 46- Logic; 48- City near Phoenix; 49- Medicinal shrub; 53- Eluded; 55- Counterpoise;

60- Hind part; 61- Abound; 62- Cosmetician Lauder; 67- Big brass; 68- Strip of wood; 69- Put back into service; 70- Kind of D.A.; 71- Automotive pioneer; 72- George of “Just Shoot Me”;

Down

1- Faulkner’s “___ Lay Dying”; 2- Sleep stage; 3- Knock vigorously; 4- Cheer for Manolete; 5- Place on a scale; 6- Pro follower; 7- Teheran’s country; 8- Thin rope; 9- Foot of a horse; 10- Stradivari’s teacher; 11- Illumination; 12- Slippery as ___; 13- One cubic meter; 21- Accelerate; 22- Be present; 23- Room; 24- The Younger and The Elder; 25- Upbeat, in music;

26- High schooler; 30- City near Kobe; 31- Ways to the pins; 32- Perform better than; 33- RR stop; 35- Starrelated; 37- Greeted the villain; 38- Charlotte ___; 39- Syrian president; 41- Half a fly; 42- Writer Bombeck; 47- Open mesh fabric; 49- Perfect Sleeper maker; 50- Horse play?; 51- Deadens; 52- Try to bite; 54- Swerves; 56- Wishing won’t make ___; 57- Ringing instrument; 58- Went through, as the paper; 59- Tsp. and tbsp.; 63- Date; 64- Pull; 65- Conductor ___Pekka Salonen; 66- Snaky swimmer;

"Crossword puzzles provided by bestcrosswords.com (http://www.bestcrosswords.com). Used with permission."