HUMBER ET CETERA
COMIC-THEMED FITNESS EVENT RAISES MONEY FOR FOOD BANKS
NEW SPIN ON DATA
NORTH CAMPUS TALENT SHOW BUILDS FOOD SECURITY FUND P. 11
Humber pedals to end food crisis
Luis Miguel S. De Castro HumberETC News
The energy was electric as participants at Humber Polytechnic’s North campus’ annual Cycle Challenge dressed in their superhero best, ready to raise money to fight food insecurity on Dec. 3.
From capes to masks, costumes added flair to the cause as everyone laced up and hopped on their stationary bikes.
The North Campus LRC buzzed with determination as students,
instructors, and community members pedalled toward a common goal: raising funds for the Daily Bread Food Bank.
Spinning wheels and determined faces reflected their commitment to making a difference.
The superhero theme carried through every corner of the event.
Free comic books, sponsored by All New Comics, brought smiles to participants and attendees alike.
Instructors Alyssar Tychouri, Jay Rosal, and Wilson Valle, all
graduates of Humber’s Fitness and Health Promotion program, brought their enthusiasm and expertise to the event. Their leadership inspired participants to push through every stage of the challenge.
Cheers erupted as the event wrapped up as stationary riders heard that the total raised for the Daily Bread Food Bank was more than $2,300. The success of the day underscored the community’s dedication to tackling
Toronto’s growing food insecurity crisis.
The 2024 Hunger Count reported slightly more than two million visits to food banks in Canada, with about a third being children.
The event ended with a group photo of participants, sponsors, and organizers posing in their superhero costumes. Their united effort symbolized the power of community in the fight against hunger.
Humber Et Cetera is the Humber Polytechnic journalism program laboratory newspaper. It is created by journalism students in the Advanced Diploma program. Et Cetera serves to inform the Humber community and give its readers well-rounded coverage on the things that matter to them.
Jay Rosal, one of the instructors at the 2024 Cycle Challenge, hypes up participants while pedaling his stationary bike at Humber on Dec. 3.
HUMBERETC/LUIS MIGUEL S. DE CASTRO
Wilson Valle, a Humber Polytechnic alumnus, motivates people on their stationary bikes during the 2024 Cycle Challenge at Humber on Dec. 3.
HUMBERETC/LUIS MIGUEL S. DE CASTRO
Pascal Siakam inspires students
through basketball statistics and coding.
Pascal Siakam may have mastered slam dunks on the court, but through his PS43 foundation and the Data Dunkers program, he is teaching students to score big in life.
The 6-foot-8, 245-pound power forward, who played nine years for the Toronto Raptors, reflected on the pinnacle of his career — winning the NBA Championship in 2019. He arrived at the Humber Polytechnic’s North campus gym on Dec. 2 to set the stage for an event that blended basketball’s passion with the power of data science.
For Siakam, the moment he slid the championship ring onto his finger was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, not just for himself but for his family and fans.
“I think probably the best moment of my career was winning the championship here. To this day, it still brings the same excitement when people talk about it,” he said.
The former Toronto Raptor and current Indiana Pacer, made a special appearance at the program before facing his former team at Scotiabank Arena, captivating the audience with his story of resilience and determination.
Despite facing his former team that he once called home, his heart still goes out to the people of Toronto.
Hosted in collaboration with Dell Technologies and Siakam’s foundation, the Data Dunkers program celebrated its innovative approach to education, inspiring students
Siakam’s journey to the NBA began late, at age 16, a fact he shared with students to highlight the value of perseverance.
“Basketball wasn’t my first sport. I had to learn faster and work harder than others to catch up,” he said.
Siakam said programs like Data Dunkers equip students with skills and opportunities he didn’t have.
“You already have that benefit of starting to learn these things right now,” he said.
CHALLENGES
Siakam reflected on one of the most challenging moments of his life: the loss of his father.
“That was a big moment for me where I could either quit or work harder,” he said. “It just gave me a purpose. I wasn’t playing basketball only for me. I was playing for my family and all the people I care about.”
Siakam used this lesson to inspire students, urging them to find motivation in their dreams and the people they love.
“If you have a dream, don’t do it just for yourself. Do it for the people you love. It pushes you to move on,” he said.
Hosted in collaboration with Dell Technologies and Siakam’s foundation, the Data Dunkers program celebrated its innovative approach to education, inspiring students through basketball statistics and coding.
Siakam’s journey to the NBA
began late, at age 16, a fact he shared with students to highlight the value of perseverance.
“Basketball wasn’t my first sport. I had to learn faster and work harder than others to catch up,” he said.
Siakam said programs like Data Dunkers equip students with skills and opportunities he didn’t have.
“You already have that benefit of starting to learn these things right now,” he said.
Siakam reflected on one of the most challenging moments of his life: the loss of his father.
“That was a big moment for me where I could either quit or work harder,” he said. “It just gave me a purpose. I wasn’t playing basketball only for me. I was playing for my family and all the people I care about.”
Siakam used this lesson to inspire students, urging them to find motivation in their dreams and the people they love.
“If you have a dream, don’t do it just for yourself. Do it for the people you love. It pushes you to move on,” he said.
Students from different schools under the Toronto Catholic District School Board were chosen to be a part of the event.
Students like Rui Neves Guiomar, who participated in the program, found new perspectives through the initiative.
“It made me realize there’s more to basketball than just playing. It’s about the stats, the strategy, and the data behind the game,” he said.
Guiomar also showed his appreci-
ation to his teachers for encouraging him to partake in Siakam’s PS43 Foundation.
“I really liked the Data Dunkers program. It was very fun and I’m greatly thankful for my teachers who told me to join the program,” Guiomar said.
Kimberly Dixon, Superintendent of Education at the Toronto Catholic District School Board, praised the program’s impact.
“Students were initially skeptical about coding, but now they’re excited to see how math and data science apply to real life,” she said.
Programs like Data Dunkers demonstrate the potential of non-traditional learning paths to engage students and provide them with future-ready skills.
“Well, that’s a whole idea for me, especially as the superintendent of math, is that we want kids to see math outside of the math period and in everyday life,” she said.
The Data Dunkers program reflects Siakam’s belief in the power of education.
“I always tell my team, Dakota, and my sister Melissa, we’re not just teaching basketball. We’re teaching life skills. Education will take you further than anything else,” he said.
Siakam concluded the Data Dunkers program with a powerful message for the students who participated.
“Keep going, no matter what. Work hard, dream big, and don’t let anyone tell you it’s impossible. No matter how crazy you think your dream is, it’s possible,” he said.
Fernando Bossoes, a third-year Journalism student at Humber Lakeshore, never knew when he first walked into the varsity department gym in September 2023 how much he would exceed his expectations.
Bossoes never envisioned himself as a journalist in high school. He was never interested in courses like math, chemistry or biology, but gravitated toward history and communications.
“So when I actually started and started hearing people’s stories and writing about all their stories, that’s when I realized I really, really love this profession,” he said.
Despite when he first walked in, he knew nothing about sports or their rules but ended up walking away mind blown when he was awarded the Jerry Howarth Sports Broadcasting Award on Nov. 7. Howarth was a play-by-play announcer for the Toronto Blue Jays from 1981 to 2017.
Bossoes credits his win to his manager.
“Brian Lepp, my manager at the varsity job. I’m very grateful for all the opportunities you’ve been giving me.” Bossoes said. “Like I didn’t know anything, and for Brian to keep giving me these opportunities and keep trusting my work and my work ethic. I can give him all the credit.”
He said how despite winning the award, he didn’t do it to be recognized, but for the love he has for the Humber and Varsity community.
“It’s something I’m very proud of, I’m very grateful for getting that, but it only gives me more fuel to keep working on my craft and keep improving every single day,” he said.
COURTESY/BRENDAN SMITH
Fernando Bossoes never thought he’d win an award when he first started out in September 2023.
Pascal Siakam hosted and spoke about his experiences in the Data Dunkers Program, equipping students with opportunities he did not have.
HUMBERETC/ GABRIEL
Luis Miguel S. De Castro HumberETC/News
Food banks around the GTA help
Reet Arora HumberETC News
Meghan Nicholls grew up in a family very committed to community service, which is what got her into the non-profit sector that is her whole career now.
Nicholls said what has kept her with Food Banks Mississauga for 15 years is that the work is not done yet.
“I feel compelled to continue doing the work we’re doing because my community is not better off yet,” the CEO said. She said it has been incredibly challenging for the people after the pandemic, but “there’s the sense that there is still more work to do.”
Nicholls said she keeps encouraging people who are not aware of the crisis at hand to learn about the crisis.
“I continue to flank people out in the wild who aren’t aware of the fact that there is a food insecurity and poverty emergency in Canada, and until we can address this, my plan is to keep fighting,” she said.
Nicholls said the cost-of-living crisis affects the food bank on multiple fronts where people cannot afford to donate, and more people need the food bank.
“I think people understand that for today, what people can do today to make sure people have food today is donate,” she said.
Nicholls said food banks need people’s financial support so they can get the food to bring to those in their community who need it.
“And in the long term, we need to make this an election issue, we need to be advocating our governments to increase the social assistance rates, to pass a groceries and essentials benefit, to improve E.I. (Employment Insurance), to invest in affordable housing,” she said.
Nicholls said this dabbling around the edges does not help getting to the root of the issue, which is poverty. And poverty alleviation, and that’s what they should be focused on.
“This is a very, very challenging time, that’s why we declared an emergency at the city on Nov. 13,” she said.
Nicholls said the food bank works very closely with the Mississauga mayor’s office and requested that it draw more attention to the issue.
“It means now, we and the city, are advocating together to the Premier’s Office, to the Prime Minister’s Office, to the associations and municipalities of Ontario,” she said.
Nicholls said they are writing letters together and advocating together, and this shows that the city is not responsible for food insecurity and that they are doing everything that they can.
“While food banks don’t primarily serve people who are homeless, people become homeless when they can’t afford the basics of life,” she said.
She said it is now more families that cannot afford a place for people with jobs, but it makes sense because the average income in Mississauga is $17,000, which is the cost of an apartment in the city.
“The thing that has been tough to hear this year is the folks saying that last year I was a donor, and this year I need to be here to use the food bank,” Nicholls said.
She said she cannot imagine what that is like for people to get to the point where they realize they have maxed out their credit and live on the edge.
“It’s hard to see people in your community just really not have the resources that they need just for a decent standard of living,” Nicholls said.
Peter Wixson, executive director of the Vaughan Food Bank, said they have seen a little increase in year-to-year usage of food banks.
“In our food bank, not one person gets paid, there are no salaries paid, and everybody is a volunteer,” Wixson said.
Wixson said food insecurity “is the ignorance of the people here to not understand what a best before date is and an expiry date is.”
He said these terms get people confused, and they do not eat the food past the dates
Volunteers at Food Banks Mississauga come together this holiday season to ensure that no one
help families get through the holidays
printed on the packages, and they end up throwing them out.
“This causes a lot of wastage in our garbage systems and recycling,” Wixson said.
Wixson said his food bank is providing up to 1.5 million meals in Vaughan alone
and another 1.5 million in regions around Vaughan, as well as globally, which is close to three million meals per year.
He said food security is more about securing the food that other people will not eat and shipping that off to a third-world country.
tures regularly from all around the world of people thanking him for the food that people here will not eat.
“That’s what matters, how much you are providing in meals,” Wixson said.
He said they are proactive, regularly running food drives and staff at the Vaughan food bank don’t receive any pay. He said they just finished a turkey drive with Fortinos, where they got more than 500 turkeys on the weekend.
Users of the food bank depend on how the individual lives because everybody has their own problems, someone could make a lot of money, but their situation could put them in a precarious position.
“When they are talking about the amount of salaries (of users, it) depends on the individual what they are paying for rent, what they have left in order to buy food, but you don’t just go and blame the rentals, salaries and stuff like this,” Wixson said.
He said it depends on how the individual lives because everybody has their own problems, and you could make a lot of money, but your situation could be very different.
“We had somebody who was making about $6,000 a month, but the time they had their take-home pay, it was down to $4,000, but at the time they were paying out $5,000 per month for cancer treatment,” Wixson said.
He said political figures want to use food banks to say everybody using them is starving to death, which is not true.
“I don’t blame the politicians, I blame the world, so to me, they use the politicians as an excuse,” Wixson said.
Wixson said he sees pic-
Josie Fedele, who has been a volunteer with Vaughan Food Bank for several years now, said every volunteer at the food bank is very compassionate to everybody’s needs when they walk in the door.
“Some of us take it to a more emotional level, and some don’t, we’re all different, but we are all here to give back to the community and to hopefully make it a better place for everyone to live in,” Fedele said.
She said she’s one of the people who has had some ups and downs in her life, and the food bank restored her respect and dignity.
“I am here five days a week, sometimes six or seven right now with the holiday season approaching, it’s been seven days a week,” Fedele said. “The days have been long.”
She said Wixson’s hands are full, so she tends to help him out wherever she can.
Fedele said there is not a lack of volunteers at the Vaughan Food Bank, and their mailbox gets overwhelmed with the number of requests they get from people offering to volunteer.
She said it is the holiday season, and there are bigger volumes of volunteers that come around during this time of the year.
“But here in the Vaughan community, it’s like that every day, our community is what keeps us going, they’re there for us all the time,” Fedele said.
She said there are different age groups of people that walk through the door every single day, and they all come from different walks of life.
“You may have an individual standing there who has a family of five, you may have the next individual who is single, and the next one after that is a couple, it varies,” Fedele said.
She said there is not a certain demographic that the Vaughan Food Bank can pinpoint to say that the usage has increased.
“Our doors are open to everybody. We’re here to serve those in need in our community with compassion, dignity and respect. If they need us, we’re here for them,” Fedele said.
connected to communities, but Vaughan and Mississauga Food Banks as well as many others help those less fortunate get through this time of year. All photos courtesy of Food Banks Mississauga. one goes hungry, spreading support and hope to families that are in need or are facing hardships.
Youth should be hopeful for affordable houses
With Canada’s housing affordability in a semi-catastrophic state that seems to be worsening as time goes on, it can seem easy to let go of plans of owning a house to call home.
The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) released an estimate predicting a 4.4 per cent average annual price increase in the residential market for 2025, up by 3.5 per cent from 2024.
Predictions aside, CREA’s nationwide price map shows the actual average cost of a Canadian home in October 2024 at almost $40,000 more expensive than it was a year prior.
These numbers are daunting.
And because of the continuous rise in the price of homes, many Canadians who do not already own a home have come to think of it as an impossible feat.
Last September, Canadian real estate company Royal LePage released results from a survey of 2,280 adult Canadians, with data sourced by Hill & Knowlton.
Results showed that among those who do not own a primary residence of their own, 74 per cent say it is a priority. Of those, only 54 per cent believe it is a goal that can be realized.
However, young Canadians should not give up hope so easily. After all, this is not the nation’s first housing crisis.
Although it was generations in the past, Canada was host to a serious housing crisis following the return of troops and the arrival of displaced people after the Second World War.
The Canadian government currently has a plan to take inspiration from the past recovery in the market and follow the example in a modern format.
The government explains on
TALES FROM HUMBER
its web page that the plan is dedicated to the concept that no Canadian should be without affordable housing, nor should more than 30 per cent of their income be dedicated to their shelter costs.
The first step outlined within this plan is the need to build more homes at a faster pace. A large aspect of this will be working with municipalities to improve their zoning and permit process to ensure the required infrastructure for construction and building code updates is in place.
The second step is to make it
easier to rent or buy homes. Plans to make this a reality include new legislation to protect tenants, as well as extending mortgages to 30 years for first-time buyers.
This concept rolled out at the beginning of August 2024 and is helping first-time buyers secure lower monthly payments, albeit at a longer mortgage commitment.
The final step is to help Canadians who can’t afford to buy.
A significant part of this goal is launching new versions of the Rapid Housing Initiative and Co-operative Housing Develop-
ment Program.
This final requirement of ensuring non-profit homes stay affordable is backed by the Housing Supply Mix Strategy on non-market housing report released in March by Toronto Metropolitan University and the University of Toronto.
This strategy highlights the affordability crisis’ relation to the fall of non-market housing, decreasing from 25 per cent of all Canadian construction in the 1970s to less than six per cent today.
There is a necessity for a private housing sector. However, the current almost entirely for-profit system does not yield the number of affordable homes Canada needs. This is by design, as every neoliberalist market requires an outlier which cannot afford to enter it.
The full plan is intended to be rolled out at separate intervals in the coming years. The full breakdown of the conceptualized plan, which has started to see the light of day, can be read on Canada’s Housing Plan page on the Government of Canada’s site.
Although we’ve seen prices skyrocket in the past few years, there may yet be hope for the future.
How I overcame obstacles in learning English
When I first arrived in Canada in January 2020 with my family after living in Venezuela and Colombia, the last thing we expected was a pandemic to hit the globe.
My sister Erika and I didn’t know any English – Spanish is our first language -- and after a month in high school, everything shut down. It was the time for online classes.
Going through this without contact with people outside my family was a big challenge for both of us. Our physical and mental health were severely affected during COVID-19,
and my English didn’t improve much.
Google translator was our biggest and best help, especially for me and while we knew it wasn’t a complete solution, there was nothing else we could do.
I developed regrets about being in Canada, but there wasn’t much I could do to change it at the time.
My English wasn’t the only thing affected during this period. My mental health was at its lowest level, something that I’d never experienced before.
According to a Queen’s University research group, the language barrier was the second most common challenge among newcomers during the pandemic.
While this was mostly focused on how newcomers got their information about COVID-19, in my case, it was mostly focused on my English learning.
It was a year and a half of struggling to make any progress at all, but there was my sister and parents to support me.
We were a year apart in class-
room grades our entire lives but after being put in the same grade since we came to Canada, our relationship greatly grew. This new chapter felt like a blessing for me.
In September 2021, schools fully reopened again, this time with most students choosing to go to school without being divided into cohorts as they were during the entire pandemic.
This is when everything started to change, meeting new students from all over the world and finally starting to practice English.
It was at this time when I really felt that I started learning, almost two years after coming to Canada.
My high school friends and teachers helped me to improve and supported me in many situations when I was afraid to talk.
I started to think about my future, on what I wanted to study after school, and while I always had a plan since I was little, it had to change at the end.
That change meant leaving my first choice, meteorology, behind
to start focusing on my second one, journalism, specifically, sports journalism.
It was a huge challenge to choose a career so dependent on English after all the struggles I faced while learning the language, but I was ready and determined to do great.
During the first year of the program, I used to think that the English I knew wasn’t enough to be successful and that I wasn’t going to have a chance at all in this career.
Ghosts from the pandemic reap-
peared, but I didn’t allow them to overcome me this time.
Now, in my second year, while still learning and improving, the confidence is there, along with everyone’s support.
Sometimes when looking back to when I first got here, instead of regretting it, I feel grateful for how my progress has been and how this experience shaped me for the best.
SamuelD.BritoSalas,he/him,is a Humber ETC reporter covering sports.
Samuel D. Brito Salas
HUMBER ETC/SAMUEL D. BRITO SALAS
The two siblings found learning English challenging during the pandemic.
Canadians, especially of a younger generation, find themselves priced out of a ballooning housing market.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/RICHARD BUCHAN
Cleanliness is not only import for quality of life, but also for a
Campus cleanliness needs deliberate action
While students on campus are busy focusing on their studies or deciding what to eat for their next meal of the day, another important factor that is a part of their daily life is keeping clean and healthy.
With this in mind, students will sometimes expect the campus they enrolled in to have a consistently clean environment.
According to a July Ecolab report, nine in 10 students consider themselves healthy. However, half of these students think their campus is not meeting the standard, barely making health or cleanliness a priority.
The report also showed 27 per cent of students base their post-secondary selection more on the school’s campus instead of the programs it offers.
Furthermore, 90 per cent of students think the lack of cleanliness on the campus they enrolled in poses a distraction to their daily education.
Whether students take cleanliness seriously or not, another major concern arises when students’ health begins to be impacted by the unhealthy atmosphere.
Vanguard Cleaning Systems reported in Aug. 2022 that several types of harmful bacteria were found on campus grounds. They said this includes Gram-negative Rods, a bacteria that is a major factor in meningitis and pneumonia, as well as Gram-positive Cocci, which can cause strep and staph infection, meningitis, cholecystitis, and scarlet fever, and Bacillus which raises the risk of contracting anthrax and
Queer rights are not up for legislative debate
Ifood poisoning.
These different types of bacteria can severely affect a student on campus with their illnesses, possibly resulting in them skipping classes and falling back on their studies.
However, sometimes it’s not always the campus’s fault and students need to take more responsibility for keeping a clean atmosphere.
The main cause of this lack of cleanliness from students is possibly stress from the workload in their program.
The Archive Concierge said in an article in September 2021 that stress can make even the most routine proper hygiene tasks feel nearly impossible to start, keeping up with proper hygiene as a struggle simply becomes an afterthought.
While these struggles for students are understandable, it should not excuse this kind of habit at a post-secondary level and campuses should do more to help tackle this issue.
Let’s use Humber’s Learning Skills Workshop as a good example. Currently, the Learning Skills Workshop focuses on improving students’ academic standings such as performing better on tests or trying to remember important notes.
Workshop sessions similar to this that revolve around proper cleanliness should be considered.
They could teach students the most important steps to staying clean, why staying clean is important, what benefits they will gain from this and how they can continue to contribute towards helping the campus stay clean. This can encourage students and their classmates to stay healthy and be successful.
The lack of cleanliness campuses can sometimes have is not excusable whatsoever and is heavily affecting students. However, this crisis can be averted if both students and staff need to come together to help keep campuses clean to avoid this major concern to ensure students can study and teachers can teach.
Luca Furlano, he/him, is the newsletter editoratHumberETCcoveringtechnology andesports.
t was a warm summer day when in July 2005, Canada passed Bill C-38, the Civil Marriage Act making it so same-sex couples were now recognized as couples that can legally get married and receive the same legal benefits as their different-sex counterparts.
This marked the fourth country in the world to legalize same sex marriage, marking a monumental and historical moment for the gay community.
This was supposed to mark the moment when wringing hands over the issue was to end. Unfortunately, this was not the last time this conversation would be brought up. Growing up is always challenging for every kid. Figuring out where you belong, who you like, and for some which gender you like, can be scary when predominantly surrounded by straight people. The harder one tries to fit in, the less they feel connected to their peers.
Despite everyone calling and avoiding me in elementary school when I was labeled as the “gay kid” before I even knew what the word meant. Finding myself took years and the path wasn’t linear, but I finally found comfort in discovering liking both genders was a thing.
Finally, I felt like there was a community I could be a part of and accepted.
Thoughts of marriage rarely crossed my mind while in high school in Burlington, Ont. But now marriage comes and goes in my mind because the law says I can. Relationships between men and women are rarely highlighted in debates, so why is my relationship with another man a recurring topic of debate?
Bill C-389 was proposed in March 2010. Following its second reading in March 2011, a bill that sought to alter the Canadian Human Rights Act which forbids discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression was tabled in the House of Commons but would fall short and fail to pass the Senate and while the bill may not have been successful, there was one person who voted nay for both Bill C-38 and C-389.
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre.
Despite his adoptive father being gay who attempted to marry a man in 2005, Poilievre voted against the bill, stating marriage should be preserved as a union between one
man and one woman.
It left people puzzled. In a statement sent to CTV news in June of 2024, Poilievre stated he would uphold same sex marriage “full stop.”
“Canadians are free to love and marry who they choose. Same sex marriage is legal and it will remain legal when I am prime minister,” he said. While Poilievre claims he’s in support of gay marriage, his true motives become more questionable when in April 2023 welcomed himself into a trailer with a Diagolon symbol drawn on the front door.
Poilievre was also seen to have met and shaken hands with the group leader in 2022 posted on the Diagolon leaders’ public telegram channel, with images shared on a Global News article.
Many would be left scratching their heads after Poilievre claimed not to know of the group’s existence in a one-on-one with Sudbury.com despite acknowledging the group previously.
Podcaster Jeremy Mackenzie founded in 2020 the far-right Diagolon, a neo-Nazi adjacent Canadian group that targets communism, promotes violence and whose motto is “by gun or rope” describing how their enemies can choose to die.
The group has also made remarks and protested the LGBTQ+ community, more particularly transgender people.
These remarks have been echoed by Poilievre, saying trans folk have no space in women’s bathrooms, change rooms or sporting competitions among other places, saying “biological males” should be banned from these spaces according to Amnesty International Canada and CBC.
Transgender people have and continue to face the brunt of scrutiny from Conservatives. It seems as though if Poilievre was elected prime minister, we would see a regression of gender identity and expression.
Despite Bill C-389 not making it past the Senate, lawmakers kept pushing more legislation. This time in a positive direction. Bill C-279 was proposed in September 2011 to protect transgender persons from discrimination and hate crimes, by including gender identity as prohibited grounds of discrimination, and violence against transgender persons labeled as a hate crime under Canada’s Criminal Code.
While a poll tracker from the CBC displays a solid majority of Canadians leaning conservative for the next government, I fear Poilievre is the wrong candidate to run one of the world’s most progressive countries. The country is ninth on the LGBTQ+ Equality Index.
As prime minister, he could spell disaster for the entire LGBTQ+ community and a country that worked diligently to enact laws that benefited not just themselves, but everyone.
Ben Steeves, He/Him, is a Humber ETC reportercoveringsocialjusticeandpolitics.
UNSPLASH/JASON JARRACH
Luca Furlano
Ben Steeves
OPINION
International dog adoption should be reinstated
Agovernment ban prevents the rescue of overseas dogs from finding forever homes in Canada. It completely shut down international adoption from countries where stray dogs suffer the most.
Rabies is a major problem that should concern authorities, but I believe there should be ways in which countries can work together to overcome this ban.
An ex-faculty member from the Journalism program at Humber North, Salem Alaton, adopted a rescued dog from Cairo with the help of a “guy that turned out to be something fantastic.”
He said during COVID-19 in 2020, he had difficulty trying to adopt a dog locally. But he found a dog being offered for adoption online through a little non-profit adoption agency operated by a retired French school teacher.
Alaton reached out to Dominique Rousselle, who runs Dogs without Collars Rescue.
Rousselle is something special. He has a heart that’s too big for his body. He funds the rescue with his pension funds. Any extra money he gets through adoption fees goes back to the Toronto-based nonprofit.
And he’s thorough in his examination of people adopting his rescues. He checked out Alaton to see if the retired professor was worthy and if the yard was good enough by visiting his home on a bonechilling November day.
A few weeks later Rousselle brought together a group of dogs from Cairo and a group of expectant dog owners. They merged at the Egypt Air cargo area “and in one of the crates was this fellow who became our dog,”
Alaton said.
“There were nine families that morning receiving a dog,” he said.
He said it became apparent Fito had been mistreated, apparently at the hands of a suspect breeder in the two years before his rescue. His nails were long, likely as if they had never been cut and he was skinny, Alaton said.
“But it was clear, you would pick up a broom in the kitchen to do something and he would cower and leave the room.”
The dog had come from a shelter that at the time had 1,500 dogs.
“Today, that shelter has 3,000 dogs which is frightening almost to contemplate,” Alaton said.
RABIES FEAR
Fito was just one of the many stray animals suffering across the globe. He is now in good hands, made possible because of international adoption.
Rousselle used to bring 25 to 40 dogs to Canada after trips to countries including Thailand and Egypt and find them good fami-
lies and homes to spend the rest of their lives comfortably.
He brought back 200 dogs to Toronto Humane Society about 10 years ago before establishing his non-profit where they bring dogs from Albania, Bahrain, Egypt and Thailand.
Lisa Moser, an activist with Dogs without Collars Rescue, said the legislation restricts their ability to rescue dogs from Egypt because their rescue specializes in German Shepherds.
Moser said they used to load them up as cargo and were allowed to bring six to eight dogs, but now they can only bring them if someone brings them as their personal pet.
“To me, it would be very, very easy for the government just to implement a bit more stringent regulations on bringing a dog in,” she said.
The federal government restricts “all commercial dogs” from countries considered high-risk for canine rabies. The list is rather long, including Africa, war-torn countries, and Asia.
Moser said some tests can be done to determine if a dog has rabies before it leaves a country, and their rescue does them anyway.
She said their rescue is thorough with the vetting process where many rescues are not but there needs to be more regulation and not a complete ban.
Moser said they brought in about 40 dogs just two months before the ban.
Rousselle said there is a lot of abuse and torture of dogs in Egypt because they train them to be guard dogs which involves violence towards them to make them aggressive.
His rescued dog Pascal, who was also brought in from Egypt, was a victim of physical violence. Rousselle has a video where a person beats Pascal with a large stick.
Pascal is now in good health despite the trauma he experienced and that is the change that people like Rouselle bring about.
ReetArora,She/Her,isareporter ofHumberETCwhocoversnews.
Dominique Rousselle is the founder and heart behind Dogs without Collars Rescue. He rescued his dog, Pascal, from Cairo and funds the rescue with his pension.
HUMBERETC/REET ARORA
Reet Arora
Remembrance marked at Humber
Julia Vellucci Editor-in-Chief
Flags are half-mast at Humber campuses to mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women on Dec.6.
More than 30 years have passed since the murder of 14 young women at Polytechnique Montréal on December 6, 1989.
On this day, we mourn and remember the deaths of these young women: Geneviève
alie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie St-Arneault, Annie Turcotte and Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz.
The United Nations reported that almost one in three women aged 15 and older, about 736 million, have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both at least
The United Nations report on femicides in 2023 said although men and boys account for the majority of homicide victims, women and girls continue to be disproportionately affected by lethal violence in the private sphere.
It reported that an estimated 80 per cent of all homicide victims in 2023 were men while 20 per cent were women with lethal violence within the family taking a much higher toll on women than men.
who were intentionally killed in 2023 are victims of intimate partner/family member homicide.
The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women acts as a reminder to reflect and remember those who have experienced gender-based violence and those who have lost their lives because of it.
To honour these victims, students are encouraged to wear a white ribbon or attend a vigil in their community, which is held
died with the purpose of offering spiritual and religious relief during their death.
Students are also encouraged to add their voice to the conversation not only today but through the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence which began Nov. 25 and concludes on Dec. 10.
They can use the hashtag #16Days on social media as well as read different articles on this issue to educate themselves and raise awareness not just during this time
You’re goal oriented. You love to share ideas and information. Now get the professional mentorship and industry experience you need to influence the world. We show you how.
There is a story to be told here: mediaarts.humber.ca
Humber Polytechnic’s North campus had their flags at half mast to commemorate the 14 young women from Polytechnique Montreal who were murdered on Dec. 6, 1989.
HUMBERETC/LIAM OLIVER NEILSON
Fashion museum shares style stories
Fashion Arts and Business students displayed collections of like pieces for a fashion museum for their Fashion History and Terminology class.
Students curated exhibits, linking them together through similarities. They then showcased the pieces in the LRC Wednesday morning, styling the pieces with items from the Humber Boutique.
Attendees of the fashion museum could scan a QR code that brings them to a website where students curate pages to list their items showcased with an exhibit overview.
The collection displayed at
the entrance of the museum was the Passing Threads collection, where students showcased handme-down items from their family members.
Aleksa Ritchie showcased a Vashivanya shirt, a traditional Ukranian blouse. She styled the shirt with a long red beaded necklace which is typically styled with the blouse.
In the same exhibition, Mikaella Ageday showed off her favourite clothing item, her letterman jacket gifted to her by her mother.
Ageday received the jacket when she turned 13 from her mom, who also got the jacket when she was 13.
“My mom got it when she was
13 for Christmas and It was very expensive back then in ‘89 ... and it stood the test of time,” she said.
“It’s very iconic to my look so it’s great to have it on display and to have, you know, other people see it,” she said.
Another collection that included items from family members was the evening bags with historical elegance exhibit. The collection showed purses given to the students by their friends and family.
Blaze Gordon displayed a bag she received from her grandma who was gifted the bag from her friend who died.
When Gordon opened the purse to examine it before she displayed it, she even found the
pamphlet from her friend’s wedding who gave her the bag.
“It’s so funny because I literally, I found a Presto (card), I found a little bus ticket in there, and I found the wedding pamphlet. So literally the last time she wore it was at her late friend’s wedding,” she said.
The fashion museum was the program’s first time throwing this event.
The museum allows students to apply their learning from this class to this final project, said Jennifer Reitano, the fashion arts and business program coordinator.
Students put together items given the knowledge they learned from class, a common theme
being the era of the clothing pieces.
Elizabet Nagy featured a pink Playboy tracksuit as a part of the Y2K Showcase. She chose to display this suit because she wants to be a 2000s designer post-grad.
“I just really like the 2000s fashion. I think it’s really nice and we should bring it back,” she said.
The students used items from the Humber Boutique to style their pieces in a way they felt matched the categories they chose.
The Humber Boutique also sold items at the entrance of the event where people could purchase clothing pieces as a popup.
Humber Fashion Arts and Business students curate exhibits for the first ever Fashion Museum as a part of their Fashion History and Terminology class where they display it in the LRC.
HUMBERETC/AISLINN
Aislinn Millettte HumberETC Culture
Mikaella Ageday displayed her most cherished clothing, her letterman jacket at the fashion museum.
HUMBERETC/AISLINN MILLETTE
Blaze Gordon, shows his grandmother’s purse at the fashion museum.
Humber’s Got Talent unites campus for a cause
Julia C. Sequeira and Valencia Amore
HumberETC Culture
In celebration of Giving Tuesday, a national day of giving, the Humber Gives initiative hosted its first-ever Humber’s Got Talent in support of the Student Food Security Fund.
In the LinX lounge, Humber staff showcased their talents while raising money for students who suffer from food insecurity on Dec. 3.
The goal was to raise $1,000, equivalent to about 200 days of meals for students assisted by the initiative.
A $5 cover was charged for staff with all proceeds going to the fund. Student entry was free.
There were numerous donations on top of the already booming ticket sales.
In the theme of food security,
a free soup/ bar was available at the event for anyone attending.
Food vouchers for $5 rokboxes were handed out at Villa Madina during the event.
Sponsors and hosts Derek Stockley and Jennifer O’Brien said at the end of the event that $3,600 had been raised after staff members made numerous large donations, roughly 720 days of meals.
Stockley importance of the Humber’s Got Talent event has grown.
“I was trying to find a way where I can raise money in a creative way,” Stockley said.
Food insecurity on campus, a problem that many Canadian post-secondary students struggle with, is being addressed in part thanks to the Student Food Security Fund.
Participants and audience members leave with an entirely
new feeling of connection and purpose as the performances come to an end.
“I feel amazing how the event came out,” Ellison said.
Staff and faculty members from the Lakeshore and North campuses were picked from those who participated in the Humbers Got Talent auditions in late October and early November.
The list of performers for the final performances was diverse, showcasing the different kinds of talents present in Humber.
Faculty performers included Shierel Caoagas, Oscar González, Lisa Pfau, Shristi Shrestha, Pooja Singh, Dave Smiderle and Peter Tan.
“I couldn’t stop cheering, and faculty and staff came together as one,” said Mashanda Ellison, a staff member in the audience.
The organizer, Jacqueline Morgan, said the event powerful
capacity created an environment ofcommunity with staff members and students.
“We call ourselves the Humber’s Got Talent community,” Morgan said.
Shristi Shrestha, donned a Nepalese saree with a traditional dance.
HUMBERETC/JULIA C. SEQUERIA
Maple Leafs have top-class development system
The Toronto Maple Leafs have one of the best development programs. Their AHL affiliate Marlies recently filled up about half of the forward roster because of injuries and the team had one of the best win-loss streaks in the league.
Indeed, they bounced the powerhouse Florida Panthers out of first place in the Atlantic, even if it was temporary.
Those injuries included last year’s Maurice Richard Trophy winner Auston Matthews, brick wall Matthew Knies, tough guy Max Domi and Bobby McMann.
The team amassed a 7-2 record without Matthews. Boston, Montreal, Detroit, Ottawa, Washington, Edmonton and Vegas fell to the Marlies.
The Leafs seem to be thriving by building from within, using their AHL team, the Toronto Marlies, as a pipeline for consistent success.
The Leafs seem to be developing the ability to balance winning now and sustaining future success through strategic development, showing how a strong system creates long-term competitiveness in a challenging league.
With a 10-2-2 record, the Marlies sit third in the North Division and sixth overall, proving their impor-
tance to the Leafs’ future.
Fraser Minten, Alex Nylander, and Nikita Grebenkin stand out this season as prime examples of the Marlies’ ability to develop NHLready talent.
Veteran Matt Murray also helps by mentoring younger players, ensuring a consistent competitive edge while maintaining the Marlies’ success and relevance in the Leafs’ pipeline.
The seamless integration of the Marlies’ systems with the Leafs’ NHL
strategies allows players to transition effortlessly, minimizing the growing pains typically seen in young talent.
Beyond victories, the Marlies’ development emphasizes leadership, confidence, and adaptability, preparing players to contribute to the Leafs’ Stanley Cup aspirations.
The Leafs’ goaltending tandem of Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll is among the top five in the NHL, providing unmatched stability and reliability.
Woll’s rise from prospect to starter highlights the Leafs’ strong investment in goaltending development, building a sustainable strategy for future success.
Stolarz complements Woll perfectly with his consistent play, offering both mentorship and experience, forming a reliable duo under pressure.
This tandem allows the Leafs to avoid overspending on high-profile free-agent goaltenders while showing the value of internal development in maintaining long-term competitiveness.
The Marlies continue to groom future goaltenders, such as Keith Petruzzelli, ensuring a pipeline that guarantees future stability between
the pipes.
Toronto’s focus on player development sets them apart from teams like Montreal, who rely heavily on trades and free agents, often struggling with roster consistency.
By investing in the Marlies and AHL growth, the Leafs avoid the temptation to overspend on highrisk free agents, allowing them financial flexibility for sustainable team-building.
Consistent production of NHLready talent from the Marlies eliminates the need for costly signings, ensuring Toronto’s roster is always deep and aligned with long-term goals.
Matthew R. Ziniuk, he/him, is a reporter at HumberETC who mainlycoverssports.
ToreadmoreabouttheLeafs’ developmentsystem,scantheQR code
Time for the NHL to move on from All-Star Game
The top stars of the Four Nations Face-Off face off on Feb. 12, delivering a sense of excitement fans have been missing out on for a few years now.
Official rosters for the tournament were revealed on Dec. 4, bringing stars from across the league to the national stage.
Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner, who made the roster for Team Canada, said he’s looking forward to being a part of the tournament.
“You always wanna wear your colours, it’s always a great honour when you get to represent your country. Super excited for it, super honoured,” Marner said.
This mid-season tournament
replaces the NHL All-Star game, which has been registering low on the fan passion meter for years.
The All-Star game will make a return in 2026 for the 69th edition of the game, but I don’t think this is the right move. The NHL should continue a Four Nations Face-Off style competition moving forward.
The All-Star game has run its course since its introduction in 1934 as a fundraiser for Leafs player Ace Bailey, who was knocked out of playing hockey during a game against the Bruins. It became an annual event in 1947 where the league’s best played against the Stanley Cup winner until 1968 to a format we see now.
As a fan of hockey, I rather watch these “NHL All-Stars” represent their countries and show emotion for the game they love instead of a skills competition and three-onthree tournament where they are not exerting any sort of effort.
Fans, some players and coaches have openly criticized the weekend’s festivities.
Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella said he doesn’t pay much attention to it after being
asked about one of his top players being snubbed from the event in 2023.
“The whole team, the whole weekend, I don’t even watch it. I think it’s turned into a, well, I’ll just leave it at that. I really don’t care,” Tortorella said.
Over the years the All-Star skills competition and three-on-three tournament has gotten very boring and I am sure many others wouldn’t lose any sleep over it not continuing in the future.
Injury risk could be a factor in why players might not give a full effort in a useless competition, but fans pay good money to watch these players show off their best skills.
Some NHL stars have even declined the invitation to attend, such as Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin, who had skipped out on back-to-back AllStar games in 2019 and 2020 for reasons such as rest for the second half of the season.
I think instead of moving for-
ward with the NHL All-Star game, the NHL should look to continue a yearly competition such as the Four Nations Face-Off or a style close to it that would represent a small tournament during the season.
Players have always shown a desire and willingness to play for their countries so giving them something more meaningful during the season will possibly reignite their passion for something more than themselves.
Sam McCaig, an editor at The Hockey News, said looking to make a switch away from tradition could be fascinating.
“It probably does trump the Allstar game and I think going in that direction down for the future, that’s really interesting, I do think there’s something to that,” McCaig said.
As a fan of watching tournaments such as the World Juniors, watching NHL stars suit up and play with passion for their country’s colours is more entertaining than wasting a whole weekend in February watching the NHL All-Star game.
LucaTersigni,he/him,isasports editor for HumberETC, covering sportsonandoffcampus.
Nick Robertson is a player who has benefitted from time in the AHL.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/LARRY MACDOUGAL
Matthew R. Ziniuk
Luca Tersigni
Mitch Marner tries a between the legs shot against Thatcher Demko.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/FRANK GUNN
Hawks Esports focus on mental wellness
Ryan Terao said his “origin story” as a psychologist began after seeing the compassion and love his mom conveyed to him and his sister as a school counsellor.
After completing a doctorate and master’s degree in clinical psychology along with a bachelor’s in psychology and neuroscience from Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, Calif., Terao was welcomed to the world of esports psychology during his time at the University of Southern California (USC) with its student success office.
Since 2019, Terao said he began working with a large variety of clients ranging from well-known franchise teams such as 100 Thieves to collegiate teams such as USC.
Team Lead for Humber Esports, Lina Shim, eventually met Terao during her time as a team manager with a League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) Game Changers team. The tournament took place from July 2023 to September 2023.
Shim said she was thinking of ways to use Humber Esport’s budget to help coach players more when the idea of health and wellness came to her. She said the coach she worked with for the LCS
team highly recommended Terao.
“So, we talked to him, we got an agreement for our program, and he came in and helped us,”
Shim said. “We didn’t have a lot of money to pay for him because we had a small budget. But Dr. Ryan is a person who is not about the money.”
Shim and Terao did a trial run with one session for both the varsity teams and the coaches. Shim said many people were asking when they would do it again, which encouraged her to continue implementing mental wellness into the curriculum.
The duo worked together since last October to develop a four-session program for the varsity team players and their coaches.
The programs for players consisted of sessions that focused on team cooperation and personal expectations/behaviours, while for coaches, they consisted of sessions that focused on how to work with their players and create positive team cultures.
Both Shim and Terao said they believe mental and physical wellness is important for the overall well-being of esports gamers.
Shim said a common stereotype of gamers is people who are toxic and don’t get along with people because of that toxicity.
Even though that is not an issue the teams have, Shim said it shows that having these types of support for gamers is important.
“Just like any sports competition, so much of it is mental. I was telling my team [about] qualities that are great to have but hard to train, [such as] resilience and attitude. Not having to feel down or discouraged about something being over when it’s not even over,” Shim said.
Terao said people are aliens in their own bodies, and until it’s revealed to them, only then can people focus on their inner selves. He does this by making an analogy to the movie Men in Black.
“Your body is bound to your spaceship. You are an alien in Men in Black, eyes on the ship, and you are operating it. How your spaceship is and the quality of your spaceship dictates the ability for you to explore your environment safely, effectively, and efficiently,” Terao said.
Alongside mental wellness, physical well-being is still something Humber Esports sees as important.
Lanvy Nguyen, the current president of Humber Gaming, was previously the Health and Wellness coach for the varsity teams last year. Within her time
as a coach, the kinesiology student developed a “blueprint guide” with a McMaster co-op student.
The guide laid out the basic needs, nutrition, sleep-time management, stress management, and mental well-being guidelines for varsity players.
Although Nguyen stepped away from the coach position, she hopes the guide will be passed down and updated over the years. She said this type of guide is new, and most online resources lack this information.
Shim said that although they took a step back from the portfolio this semester, she hopes to find ways to implement it again next year, with the team lead hoping to find another health and wellness coach for the winter semester.
Shim said, for now, players are assigned online modules that emphasize these ideas and practices through things such as wrist exercises or stretching in between periods while sitting at their desks.
Many players had a positive response to the implementation of mental wellness within the varsity team curricula. Shim said the work Terao has been doing with their teams has been highly effective.
“Last year, a couple of teams were in that position where they
would regularly practice and see each other, but they wouldn’t call each other close friends. Dr. Ryan was a great resource to get them to open up and not fight or keep to themselves,” Shim said.
One player for the Valorant varsity team, Arthur Gaudio, said the program’s mental and physical wellness implementations saved his well-being in and out of games.
“People don’t really know how important it is, and I’d love to see it get a little more visibility and support. It helped me, and still helps me, a lot, and it’s really going to help the rest of the team,” Gaudio said.
Both Shim and Terao plan to keep working together to continue implementing more strategies and plans in the new year to help players out during the competitive season.
Terao said for people who wish to go into competitive gaming, it needs to be something that they genuinely love to do.
“What do you want to use gaming for? Do you want to learn something? Do you want to progress with this? I don’t want gaming to be something that distracts you and slips into something you’re just doing,” he said. “I want you to understand where it’s going to take you.”
The Humber Esports Valorant team veterans, from left, Mohid Ali, Shyam Sivachandran and Arthur Gaudio have been clients of Ryan Terao (inset), a therapist that works with esports teams.
HUMBERETC/GABRIEL NODA AND JULIA-MARIE ILANO
Julia-Marie Ilano HumberETC Esports
Hawks star key part in team’s early success
Matthew R. Ziniuk HumberETC Sports
Malik Grant, a six-foot-six, fourthyear power forward, is a key player for the Humber Hawks, driving their success both on and off the court.
Grant’s accolades this season include the 2024 Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) provincial championship, a Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) bronze medal, being named as a CCAA second-team allstar and an OCAA second-team allstar, winner of the Doug Fox Award of Distinction, and a Humber Athlete of the Week.
The Brampton native started playing basketball when he was three but it became his true passion at six, playing club basketball and developing his skills and love for the game.
“I’ve stayed consistent in the gym and kept healthy,” Grant said. “Our team succeeds because we trust and believe in each other.”
Head coach Omar Miles described Grant as a cornerstone player, commending his leadership and ability to inspire teammates through his work ethic and dedication.
“Malik changes the dynamic of
every game he plays,” Miles said. “His potential is limitless, and I’m confident he’ll succeed professionally.”
Playing for Humber has opened doors for Grant, providing opportunities and connections that he believes will help him achieve his long-term professional basketball goals.
“Humber has transformed my life,” Grant said. “It’s given me opportunities I never imagined and a platform to represent the school with pride.”
Grant is focused on the team’s immediate goals, particularly maintaining their winning streak and leading Humber to another championship to cap off his collegiate career.
“My short-term priority is winning for Humber,” Grant said. “It’s about working together, staying consistent, and giving our all every single game.”
Grant also expressed how important it is to be a leader for his teammates and fans.
“I personally do see myself as a team leader. I make sure to lead by example both on the court and in the locker room,” Grant said. “It’s about motivating everyone, and making sure we get the job done.”
While dedicated to his current season, Grant envisions a future playing professional basketball overseas and eventually climbing the ranks in international or NBA leagues.
“If I reach the NBA, amazing,” he said. “If not, I’ll work hard in overseas leagues to reach my full potential as a professional.”
Miles emphasized Grant’s influence beyond his athleticism,
praising his commitment to mentoring younger players and building a culture of hard work and teamwork at Humber.
“Malik’s a team-first player,” Miles said. “He’s not just about his success; he wants everyone around him to improve and thrive, which is rare.”
Grant’s leadership, focus, and passion continue to inspire teammates, coaches, and fans, leaving a
lasting impact on Humber’s basketball program and its community.
“Basketball at Humber has been a life-changing experience,” Grant said. “I’m grateful for everything this program has offered me and proud to wear this jersey.”
With the season in full swing, Grant remains committed to excellence, determined to lead his team to victory while preparing for a bright future in basketball.
Grant was able to drop 11 points and 9 rebounds in a 78-71 win over the Lambton Lions on Dec. 1, 2024.
HUMBER ATHLETICS/DIEGO
St. Clair Saints march into Hawks Nest halted
Scott A. Blain HumberETC Sports
The Humber Hawks men’s basketball squad maintained its perfect record of 10-0 when it wrapped up the first half of its regular season, which included a statement victory over the St. Clair Saints on Saturday.
The team beat the Saints on Nov. 30 and scored another win
on Dec. 1 against Lambton.
The meeting with the Saints was a highly anticipated match between the two top teams in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA), with the Hawks ranked fifth in the nation and the Saints ranked first coming into Saturday’s match-up.
The subtext heading into the
game between the two powerhouses was which team would prevail in the battle between St. Clair’s effective offence and Humber’s stubborn defence.
In the end, it was the Hawks’ reliably steady defence that would prevail by the slimmest of margins, winning the game 89-88, despite a rocky first quarter against the Saints.
“[St. Clair] started the game pretty hot,” said guard Kwabena Antwi, who earned player of the game honours against St. Clair, scoring a season-high 17 points.
“But second quarter we shut them down, found their shooters, that was about it. Once we turned up on defence, the offence got to us,” Antwi said.
Post-game against the Saints, Hawks head coach Omar Miles praised Antwi’s offensive improvement which culminated in his performance on Saturday.
“[Antwi]’s been working on his game and his shooting, and we’re trying to throw our enthusiasm behind his confidence,” Miles said, “and I think today he showed that he can knock those things down.”
Antwi’s season-high 17 points on Saturday highlighted the Hawks’ continuously improving offensive game, with shooting being a highlight of those improvements.
Coming into the game against St. Clair on Saturday, the Hawks ranked 16th in three-point shot percentage in the OCAA, sitting at 26.9 per cent.
And much like the rest of their offensive game, Humber rose to the occasion, shooting 38.5 per cent from beyond the arch.
“A lot of times it’s where you’re shooting the basketball from, how open you are, and I think guys are just shooting the ball with more rhythm now and finding the right spots to shoot,” said Miles, “I think as we play better defence, I hope we could play better offence as well.”
Antwi, who was responsible for two of Humber’s 10 threepointers, emphasized the team’s ability to shoot efficiently from anywhere on the floor.
“We score a lot in the paint, we probably lead the league in points scored in the paint,” Antwi said, “once you get those up in the paint, everything will
open up for the three, and once you hit the three, it’s going to be a long day for the other team.”
With the offence now catching up after a slow start, the Hawks now look as balanced as ever, along with depth on their bench, which Miles says is the key to their team’s success so far.
“Balance, I think, is being able to go to 12 guys in big games, and if guys pick up fouls, we have a guy that can come in and replace, and we don’t lose much,” Miles said.
“When our guys go out, we have other guys to step up, and that’s what we did today, so that’s our balance, our depth.”
With back-to-back wins over St. Clair and Lambton over the weekend, the Hawks now head into the holiday break as the second-best team in the country, and the best team in the OCAA, boasting an undefeated 10-0 record.
The Hawks will look to continue their momentum, as the team will be back in action on Jan. 12 against Lambton in Sarnia, Ont., followed by another meeting with St. Clair in Windsor, Ont., on Jan. 13.
A heavyweight battle between Humber and St. Clair at the North campus gym was a huge 89-88 win for the Hawks, leaving them as the last undefeated team in the OCAA’s western conference.
HUMBERETC/SCOTT
Hawks point guard Kwabena Antwi was able to put up 17 points vs St. Clair. HUMBERETC/SCOTT
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