Humber Et Cetera Vol.55, No.12

Three time Grammy winning drummer Larnell Lewis talks his lifelong passion for music on pg 8 FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2017

HUMBERETC.COM

VOLUME 55, ISSUE 12

PATRICK KENNEDY

Leukemia and lymphoma run honours student who battled hard Patrick Kennedy NEWS REPORTER

Hundreds of Humber College students donned shorts and sneakers last week to help wage a war.

Their role in the conflict was to run in the 12th Annual Humber 5K Run for Leukemia and Lymphoma at the Arboretum to generate support for cancer research.

The event acts as a fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada, which is a voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancers. The run was hosted by Debra Basch, a Fitness and Health program coordinator at Humber, and also included student speaker Brad Johnson.

Johnson gave a rousing speech on his troubles with lymphoma and how he felt when he finally beat it.

He said he knew it was going to be a fight, but he was prepared and nothing was going to stop him.

However, this year’s run was dedicated to Kyle Hoseman, a 24-year-

old Humber Health and Fitness student. He died of leukemia in January 2016 at Trillium Health Centre after an inspiring battle against the cancer.

Hoseman is remembered as a great person in the course, and was known to help those in need.

Debbie Bernier, Hoseman’s mother, led the event, carrying a lantern to show her support for her son alongside his aunt and uncle, Bettie and Kim Hoseman.

“He absolutely loved Humber,” Bernier said. “He always loved to do fitness but he just loved the whole place. It’s such a friendly place. Everybody helps everybody. He helped out some international students.

“He didn’t let the cancer get him down. Every day while in the hospital, he’d exercise in his room,” said Hoseman.

Basch always said Hoseman was a wonderful student and his desire to help other students led him to meet his girlfriend, said Bettie.

The largest group participating

in the run consisted of students from Humber, including Health and Fitness student Jacob Gublinski. Dressed up in Toronto Maple Leafs gear, shorts, and shades, Gublinski said he was running “to end cancer overall. It felt great donating $5, even though it’s a small amount.”

Gublinski said he was also receiving an extra two per cent on his course mark for running.

Connor Harrison, a first-year student in the Health and Fitness program, said, “I was running for two reasons.

To compete and see how fast I can run five kilometers. The second reason was to fight for those who went through it like me, and countless others.“I was diagnosed with spinal cancer at nine,” said Harrison, “so I understand what cancer can do to not only to the victim, but to those around them. So, I felt it was my duty and the duty of my fellow classmates to try and rise funds and run, just to try and beat cancer anyway we could.”

PATRICK KENNEDY

Bettie Hoseman and Kim Hoseman joined Kyle’s mother Debbie Bernier who carried a lantern though the 5k course in honour of the Fitness student

Humber Et Cetera

2 – News

April 21, 2017

Sunshine List sheds light on Humber’s growing reliance on contract workers Alesiha Legair NEWS REPORTER

HAYLEY MICHAUD

Final/Fourth year Bachelor of Interior Design students Emilia Majerus and Lisan van Alst going over final details for graduate’s Thesis Show.

Interior Design hosts separate thesis shows for industry, public Hayley Michaud NEWS REPORTER

Humber’s Bachelor of Interior Design graduating class is doing things a little differently this year. For the first time in the program’s 50-year history, students are putting on not one but two of their annual Student Thesis shows.

The first is a more restricted version of previous showcases. It is now an industry-only event taking place today at the Steelcase showroom on King Street.

“This is an opportunity for students to network with industry members and, potentially, secure employment.

The event allows students to showcase and discuss their work with industry members,” said Zaiba Mian, thesis professor for the program.

The second showcase will take place May 2 in the Learning Resource Commons on North campus, and will be an opportunity for the student to display “what exactly we’ve been talking about during four years of stressed phone calls,” said Emilia Majerus, one of the students planning the show.

The decision to split the showcase into two came after issues with overcrowding at last year’s event.

“The venue became so crowded it was difficult for industry to view students’ work and to have meaningful design discussions,” Mian said. “The fourth-year students this year proposed a separate friends and family show which is a celebration of the students’ accomplishments.”

Lisan van Alst, one of the other students helping to plan the second show also feels making an event specifically with friends and family in mind is something special.

“You have your supporting friends and your family that know

you’ve been struggling for the whole year, they know the challenges you’ve faced and how hard you’ve worked. It’s more exciting to share that with the people that have been there the whole time,” said van Alst.

Majerus and van Alst were two of the students who helped coordinate the event, and somehow managed to find the time between their work schedule and doing their own thesis projects to qualify for the industry show. While everyone is encouraged to participate in the friends and family show, students had to get above 70 per cent to participate in today’s display at Steelcase.

“When we started our thesis, they encouraged us to pick a topic that would reflect well in the community and help a community grow,” said van Alst, who designed a facility dedicated to helping individuals and their families who are dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

“Through my research I learned that there is no actual facility in Canada, let alone the GTA for people with PTSD, there’s stuff for mental health but not PTSD specifically.

So my focus was mainly on treatment and education. It’s not limited to veterans, it’s open to anybody who feels like they need assistance or kind of wants to learn more about PTSD,” said van Alst.

Majerus’ created a recreation centre for children with disabilities.

“The facility has a gymnasium, a dance studio, art therapy rooms, mostly it’s just centered towards creating a positive space for these children, giving them a social space for them to grow and build self-confidence,” she said.

The Interior Design Thesis Show will be held May 2 on the first floor of the LRC from 2 p.m. Food will be served around 5 p.m.

Humber College has the highest paid employee among all provincial colleges, according to the Ontario 2016 Sunshine List.

Humber’s President and CEO Christopher Whitaker is the highest paid college boss in Ontario with an annual salary of $493,786, the list released on March 31 showed.

A close second is Sheridan College’s president Jeff Zabudsky, who earned $460,261 after a 25.9 per cent pay increase, while Seneca College’s David Agnew earned $412,738 with no increase that year, the list showed.

The Sunshine List also highlights eight other Humber College employees that received annual incomes of over $200,000, and 491 others earning more than $100,000 in 2016. The list released annually cites all provincial employees earning more than $100,000, a figure which has not changed in the 20 years the list has been available although inflation would put the current number at about $147,000.

Whitaker became president and CEO of Humber in July 2012. Prior to the appointment, he was a college professor and administrator for nearly 25 years at St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ont., and president there for five years.

Whitaker holds a PhD from the University of Toronto, a master’s degree from York University and a bach-

elor’s degree from Queen’s University.

But along with having the highest paid president in the province, Humber may also have the highest number of part-time faculty as well.

Janet Porter, chief steward of OPSEU Local 562, said Humber College currently has 888 part-time faculty and 650 full-timers.

Of the part-timers, 700 are part of the union receiving some benefits, while the other 188 receive none, she said.

“Some of the small colleges don’t even have contract faculty, but they would be up north,” Porter said.

“So in the GTA, Humber’s probably the highest percentage of contract faculty. It runs anywhere between 50 and 70 per cent contract faculty,” she said.

Humber’s use of more part-time or contract faculty than full-timers is based on a business model used by all colleges in the GTA to save costs, Porter said.

“That is the business model that the colleges have adopted, to have very high percentage of contract faculty so that they don’t have to give a lot of benefits and take on full-timers,” she said.

“The part-timers have no benefits. They are part of the pension plan but they do not have any extended health benefits or anything along those lines so dental, vision, drug, they don’t have any of that.

“The partial loads are unionized so they have more health bene-

fits, but still not equal to what the full-timers have,” she said.

Some feel the business model is a way to ensure that full-time salaries are earned, while the president’s high salary is also deserved.

Pina Leo, a part-time faculty member in the Health and Sciences department, feels Whitaker’s salary is “absolutely” fitting, mainly due to the fact that Humber is the biggest college in Ontario with a total of four campuses to govern.

“We have Orangeville campus, Lakeshore campus. We have Carrier campus, plus we have this (North) campus,” Leo said. “Nobody else has as many campuses as we do in Ontario.”

Leo feels the college supports its part-time staff well although the union is working to improve the salaries and benefits of part-timers.

“I think they support part-time people the best way possible and I know that because I’ve been here for 21 years,” she said.

“If (improvement for part-timers) happens great, if it doesn’t we still continue fighting. There’s nothing we can do but just support (the union) the best way we can,” Leo said.

Kevin Carnez, a student in the Bachelor of Nursing program, said he feels more information is needed before jumping to conclusions about what is fair when it comes to wages.

President Whitaker’s salary “sounds like a lot but it could very well be what he’s worth if he does that amount of work,” Carnez said.

PR’s Alcohol Awareness event urges knowing one’s limits Kateryna Horina NEWS REPORTER

It doesn’t take much to lose one’s head.

A bit of wisdom about knowing limits while drinking was offered last Tuesday by Humber post-graduate Public Relations students at their biannual Alcohol Awareness event.

“Don’t Lose Your Head,” was themed with Alice in the Wonderland characters at K-Cottage on Lakeshore campus. Playing cards, flowers and a picture of the Cheshire Cat peppered the locale as organizers greeted students and vendors at the entry dressed as characters from the Lewis Carroll classic.

The objective was to inform students about learning their limits in alcohol drinking and drug use.

Twelve exhibiters at Lakeshore campus offered students tips about safe alcohol consumption, in part by engaging them with games and raffle prizes.

Students had an opportunity to learn about staying safe at the parties by knowing their limits and

KATERYNA HORINA

A MADD display at PR program’s biannual Alcohol Awareness event.

then getting home safe.

“It is important to spread general information and raise awareness for students to be more careful, especially before holidays,” said Courtney Sims, chair of event, which has been held twice annually since 2008 and is usually attended by between 300 to 400 students.

Jackie Bowie, vice-chair, said they were trying to engage more students by creating a cool and fun atmosphere, not just giving lectures.

Among the participants at the event were representatives from the provincial Ministry of Transportation, Toronto Public Health, To-

ronto Police, MADD Toronto, ConnexOntario, SmartServe Ontario, Arrive Alive, Molson-Coors, LCBO, Humber Public Safety, Student Wellness and Accessibility Centre and Consent is Sexy.

They all offered information sheets, promotional products and prizes.

Free sandwiches, cookies and tea were offered and students played games and shared information , including about the safest way to get home after a party.

Victoria Beales, the event’s media contact, said the show on alcohol safety was timed to share information just before summer vacation.

Humber Et Cetera

April 21, 2017

News – 3

Slumber College North campus lounge loses snooze-time couches in favour of more work-like armchairs with firm seating Adam Bernards and Brandon Choghri ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Humber College’s L2 lounge received a facelift recently, which came as a surprise to many students in the media studies department. When students began filtering into the lounge after the weekend, they were greeted by slick, modern armchairs rather than the familiar, old black couches.

Janice Boyd is the project coordinator from the College’s Capital Development and Facilities Management office who headed up the L2 upgrade. She says that the renovation was not simply a routine update, but an attempt to make campus more accessible for all students.

“We don’t have a lounge that is accessible, so this worked really well in this area,” said Boyd. “The whole idea is that a person in a wheelchair can sit wherever they like.”

Boyd told Et Cetera that this particular lounge had not been updated in a long time, but Facilities Management had some additional funding left in their budget.

“Normally it would be the responsibility of the department to upgrade the space, but because we ended up having the money that we could do this project for this year we went ahead with it.”

The change was also aimed at making the lounge a more conducive school environment for students. Boyd says that the space wasn’t being used efficiently before, especially with study space being at such a premium on campus.

The revamped L2 lounge consists of 14 armchairs, four electronically adjustable tables with built in power outlets, and 8 benches. Previously the area was furnished with eight couches and a long table lined with chairs.

Dan Fellicio says that although the change took some getting used to, the upgraded space is more effective for getting work done.

With the absence of the couches, students are now tasked with finding another place on campus to publicly display their affection or have a quick snooze between classes. Some students, like Lex Tan, say that although the new, upright chairs aren’t ideal for sleeping, there are few things that can stop students from catching some Zs this time of year.

Tan says that he was on campus for a particularly early radio shift just after the change was made, and the freshly installed furniture was no match for his fatigue. “After we all parted ways I had a seat here just waiting for someone to show up and had a pretty decent nap,” he says.

Despite Lex’s determined desire to doze, the campus’ security have noticed a change among most students in the lounge. A consistent concern for security on campus is students sleeping in public spaces, because it’s difficult to determine if they’re napping or unconscious and in need of assistance. Director of Public Safety at Humber College Rob Kilfoyle sees the new furniture in the lounge as a positive thing for him and his staff.

“I’ve connected with a few of our Security Officers and they have indicated that there have been fewer instances of people sleeping in that area since the change was made,” he says.

Glenn Hanna, Justice Studies professor at Guelph-Humber and 32-year RCMP veteran says that everyone from city planners to McDonald’s use environmental design to modify human behaviour. This practice can be used to stop customers from loitering, discourage extended visits, and of course, deter

BRANDON CHOGHRI

Campus security has to wake fewer people with new chairs, but some students just can’t keep their eyes open.

slumbering patrons.

Hanna says that security can continue to simply wake students up, but that requires constant policing – they’re missing the first step in law enforcement: prevention.

“Look at your environment,” he says. “Is there something there that’s leading people to think that it’s okay to sleep here? Well, it’s a big comfy couch. That’s an invitation to get comfortable.”

With exams underway and a busy end of the semester, students have taken kindly to the new study space.

It’s often seen full of study groups and last-minute crammers, with notes spread across the new tables. Students certainly seem to be getting the most out of the new L2 lounge.

You know what they say, all sleep and no work makes the lounge an inefficient use of scholastic real estate.

BRANDON CHOGHRI

L2 lounge new tables have adjustable height settings, providing access to people in wheelchairs or others who require customized dimensions.

Vaping can help kick tobacco habit but not yet proven harmless Matthew Hodder BIZ/TECH REPORTER

A study from the University of Victoria concluded in January that using e-cigarettes and vapour devices is better than smoking traditional cigarettes, but there is still concern that it may be too soon to close the book on e-cigarettes.

“Clearing the Air: A systematic review of the harms and benefits of e-cigarettes and vapour devices” concluded vapour devices can be just as effective as other nicotine replacements when someone is trying to kick their habit.

But Jack Moffat, a health coach, has concerns about using an e-cigarette to quit.

“When someone uses nicotine gum or the patch they are not only weaning themselves off of nico-

tine, but they are also eliminating the habit of holding a cigarette and breathing it in,” says Moffat.

“With e-cigarettes you continue to practice those habits. Some people stop smoking cigarettes but get hooked on e-cigarettes.”

Karina Tehrani, a student of Humber’s Food and Nutrition program, is a smoker and her boyfriend vapes. Tehrani says that her boyfriend “smoked for about two years, but he was able to quit using an e-cig.”

The study also found that second-hand exposure to vapour does not come with any significant exposure to carcinogens, unlike smoke.

However, second hand vapour does create a small exposure to nicotine.

The study says that “it is unclear whether low level nicotine exposure poses any risk to health.”

Gus Hansson, a student of Humber’s Business Management program, has been smoking for 14 years. Hansson has only thought about quitting, and has even looked into purchasing an e-cigarette. But he says his friends have not had total success quitting using e-cigarettes.

“A few of my friends tried to quit by smoking e-cigarettes, but they will still have a cigarette sometimes,” says Hansson.

Moffat remains worried about the long-term effects of e-cigarettes.

“It took us decades to figure out that tobacco was bad for us and that it was giving us lung cancer, and e-cigarettes have not been around for that long,” says Moffat. “We cannot know the long-term effects of e-cigarettes until we have had a long term with them.”

MATTHEW HODDER

There is conflicting information whether e-cigarettes are harmful but students still find them a useful smoking cessation aid.

Humber Et Cetera

4 – News

April 21, 2017

SUNNY BAINS

Left to right: Pukky Fambegbe, Navdeep Singh Arora, Divya Manivanan, Ryan Planche, Amanda Vil and Peter Reale

Humber launches first Enactus team to spur financial literacy

Sunny Bains NEWS REPORTER

He surprised everyone by becoming the first turbaned member of the student government of Humber College, IGNITE, on March 17.

On May 9, for the first time, Navdeep Singh, elected to the IGNITE Board of Directors, will also be one of the participants at Enactus Canada National Exposition representing Humber College, which is itself taking part in this competition for the first time.

Enactus brings together student, academic and industry leaders from across Canada to celebrate the achievements of Canada’s future leaders and entrepreneurs.

Thousands of students from different colleges and universities from across the country showcase how their community outreach projects and business ventures are enabling progress

through entrepreneurial action.

On their way to the nationals, the Humber Enactus team had a lot of hurdles to clear.

“We started in November 2015 and also had a faculty advisor back then, but he later got selected as a coordinator for the business school,” Singh said.

“Initially, it was three of us who wanted to do something,” he recalled. “We were not only left to work on our project alone, we also had to interview and hire our own faculty advisor,” Singh said.

After a few recruitment events and interviews, Enactus participants hired Ryan Planche as their part-time faculty advisor.

Planche said Enactus Canada is a separate program that tries to get students together to work on some entrepreneurial initiative.

“Most of the projects have their focus on sustainability, trying to

address an existing condition or a problem within the business community, he explained.

Planche joined the group at the end of February. He spent his time learning the process and understanding the project and also getting to know the team members.

Enactus Canada also hosts a World Cup competition annually, which a Canadian team from Memorial University of Newfoundland won last year.

Representing 69,000 university students from more than 1,700 post-secondary campuses worldwide, 33 national champion teams represented their countries at Enactus World Cup 2016 held in Toronto last September.

Humber’s project is called Project Funds. Participants saw a need to provide better financial literacy to students coming out of high schools, such as ability to handle credit cards,

student loans and manage debt.

“Right now the Toronto School Board relies on parents to address this issue who might not have enough information, time or resources,” said Pukky Fambegbe, future Enactus co-president.

“Actually, I was not here when they were creating this project but have been helping with the research and presentation ever since I joined,” Fambegbe said.

Through rounds of live, presentation-based competition, business leaders serving as judges determine which Enactus team and student entrepreneur will be named National Champions and represent Canada on the global stage.

Peter Reale, participant and project manager of Humber Enactus, is excited to compete at the highest possible national level of the competition. The World Cup will be held in London, England next year, but

Reale wants to focus on the process of competing now.

“As a start-up team it would be really nice to win, but we will be happy if we can compete at this level to the best of our abilities, he said.

Humber Enactus participants put together a program to increase financial literacy among high school students. They had to pitch the project to high schools and see if any of them agrees to make it a credit course for its curriculum.

The Toronto Central Academy was interested. Two members of the Enactus team tutored its students one hour a week. The academy added it as a curriculum credit in a Financial Literacy course.

“We had a few big projects in mind but given the logistics and resources we had, this was the best thing,” Singh said. The faculty advisor Planche agreed with him and called their project, “the need of the hour.”

International students face acute change of culture Paul Schubert NEWS REPORTER

Culture shock and finances are not the only concerns for international students at Humber College, according to a student adviser.

Laurie Bradford, who has worked as a student adviser for the international students since 2004, said adjustment problems are not limited to domestic students.

“Every new college student has their own struggles,” Bradford said.

“International students have to deal with a change of culture, a change of lifestyle and in food.”

Matthew Keefe, another international student adviser at Humber College, agrees, saying a change of culture can put more pressure on students from other countries.

“When they first arrive” they must get accustomed to school in a different country, Keefe said. And then they face “dealing with the ins and outs (of things) they don’t have here,

like family and financial matters.”

Hospitality student Joyce Chiu, an exchange student from Taiwan, said she enjoys life in another country, but speaking English properly is still a barrier for her.

“It’s a very different language for us,” said Chiu. “We have some very different lifestyles and communications.”

She said she had the opportunity to come to Humber when some faculty visited the culinary institution in Taiwan where she was studying.

Chiu, who returns to Taiwan later this year, said she also chose Humber due to the quality of the professors. The professors do a good job taking care of the international students, she said.

Chiu, who chose hospitality because she likes to help people, said teachers don’t scold students as easily as they do in Taiwan.

Accounting student Jitendra Singh, an international student from India in the advanced diploma program at Humber, said language

barriers and adjusting socially are a bit of a problem.

“Sometimes, it is difficult for us to mingle with people,” Singh said.

“We come from a totally different atmosphere,” he said. “So, we have a very different cultural understanding about things.”

Singh said Humber is a great post-secondary institution for international students like himself because the professors would help the students in their learning.

Still, the proficiency of the English language used by the professors make it more of a challenge for students like Singh.

“Sometimes, the language that the professors use make it difficult for us to understand,” he said.

Both Chiu and Singh each agree Humber gives them better opportunities to further their education abroad.

While each are on separate career paths for different reasons, they agree Humber gives them the experience they need to do their jobs well.

PAUL SCHUBERT

International student, Jitendra Singh says language barriers and adjusting socially have been a bit of problem.

Humber Et Cetera

April 21, 2017

News – 5

Students decry Islamophobia in wake of Trump initiatives Kelvin Tran NEWS REPORTER

Islamophobia appears to have grown stronger with the election of Donald Trump as U.S. President last November.

The American National Election Survey released recent data on the election showing Republican presidential voters were more likely to vote based on racial attitudes towards non-white people.

There have also been a number of incidents of Islamophobia in Canada, with the most severe being the mosque shooting in Quebec City where six people were killed by a man on Jan. 30. Students at Humber College say while they have not experienced discrimination for the most part, they do have many things to say about Trump and his policies on Muslims.

“He’s the president, he can allow a few refugees in. He shouldn’t say anything that goes against a group of people,” said 27-year-old Hafiz Umar, an accounting student.

Umar said he has a concern with the word Islamophobia.

It’s not a disease, so how can you call it a phobia?” he asked. “It’s not the religion that is the terrorists, it’s

the people who are terrorists.”

Trump signed two Executive Orders in January banning refugees and even visitors from seven Muslim majority countries.

Several federal judges from New York, Alexandria, Va., Brooklyn, Massachusetts, and Seattle blocked the first order. When the new revised second Executive order came out, a judge in Hawaii blocked it, too.

The day after the first Executive Order came into effect, Trudeau tweeted a message welcoming all refugees to Canada.

“To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength,” Trudeau tweeted.

Muslim students are in opposition to the Executive Orders.

“I’m against it, my country is one of those Trump banned,” said Nimo Hussein, a York University student.

“I wish he wouldn’t do that and actually encourage refugees to come in, it would help and not cause a negative effect.” said 18-year-old Ruba Alrefai, a Humber interior design student.

“People should be educated about Islam,” said Abidi Ali, a student in academic upgrading.

SARAH WATSON

Partitions wanted at men’s urinals on campus as some students cite privacy, space concerns Keith Tiu

NEWS REPORTER

In men’s bathrooms, it’s okay to separate the men from the men.

Some Humber College students at North campus say they feel male washrooms need dividers between urinals because, well, privacy.

“Every men’s bathroom should have dividers between urinals for privacy reasons” Darnell Thibault, a Humber first year engineering student said.

He said the privacy would offer him some comfort knowing there’s isn’t the possibility of being looked at.

“More privacy is always better than less,” Thibault said. “I would feel more comfortable using the

washroom knowing someone is not watching me.”

A Univeristy of Guelph-Humber student who uses Humber North campus washrooms said urinals should require dividers due to the compact space between male urinals.

“Dividers are pretty key,” Dazhiell Belford, a third year Media Studies student, said. “The urinals are pretty close to each other so dividers would give people space when they’re using the urinals.”

“When someone’s using the urinal, I see people go to the toilet instead of the second urinal,” Belford said.

Another student said the dividers should stretch from the floor up.

“I don’t think there is enough pri-

vacy,” said Justin Bortolin, who is a Humber first year Pharmacy Technician student.

He said there’s personal discomfort using urinals because some people ”can’t keep their eyes on what they’re doing.” The maintenance and operations faculty are listening to the complaints.

“As we work on new projects and renovations we will take into consideration the feedback (regarding) partitions between the urinals in the men’s washrooms,” John Schroder, the Humber manager of maintenance and operations, said.

But he said the top priority at the moment is to make the washrooms accessible to everyone.

JESSE BONELLO

Space between urinals is a concern for some at Humber.

Despite low wages, opportunities for career entry strong for Child Youth Workers Leyla Cordova NEWS REPORTER

Rosa Blanco is passionate about helping make a difference in a child’s life, despite the low salary a child youth worker makes in Toronto.

The average wage for a Child Youth Worker in Canada is $17.14 per hour, according to payscale. com.

Nevertheless, Blanco, a second-year student in the Child and Youth Care degree program at Humber College at Lakeshore campus, isn’t deterred.

There are multiple job offers upon graduation and strong opportuni-

ties to gain work experience while in school during the four year program, said Katherine Sloss, program coordinator.

“An internship is offered in the third year and consists of over 700 hours. A placement field is 150 hours, which is divided throughout the first, second, and third year in the program,” Sloss said.

All jobs are a competition, she added, and the more educated students are, depending on the sector of choice, the easier it will be to land a job.

“We have a lot of students that are now graduating and they are already employed or they’re getting

employed, they have lots of interviews,” she said.

Other students opt for graduate school after Humber, and there is a range of different pathways, Sloss explained.

Diverse experience is a key strength of the program. Students get the opportunity to work with young offenders, children with mental health issues, in family support programs, group homes, schools, foster care, private counseling and to work with educators from a post-secondary school, Blanco said.

“The majority of the students are confident to find a job after the pro-

gram, however most of them pursue their masters degree and land a huge career,” she said.

Blanco said understanding, caring, flexibility and good listening skills are some of the qualities needed to succeed in this career.

“One thing to keep in mind in this field is that it’s important for students to be socially active as every youth and child will have different experiences, so it’s essential to meet them where they are at,” she said.

Applying everything learned in class and bringing those talents to the table is how a student learns to understand families, youths and

children, she said.

“Humber offers students job placements but students can choose their own as long as it aligns with the program,” Blanco said.

“Students like working in all sectors of the program, but most prefer working with youths and families,” she said.

Working with families and youths is Blanco’s area of interest.

“Going into this program you have to have a passion for what you do, you have to genuinely care, (have) patience and flexibility in order to make a difference in a youth and child’s life,” she said.

Humber Et Cetera

6 – Life

April 21, 2017

Food Truck trains culinary students, satisfies visitors Reid Goodison

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER

Campus restaurants and food services faced a convoy of competition yesterday afternoon.

A group of seven food trucks was stationed outside the Learning Resource Commons at the North campus. Each vendor offered a selection of its signature dishes and $1 from every meal sale was slated for scholarships for students in need for the Humber Gives campaign.

The Humber Food Truck first hit the road in 2015, and is used for culinary student education and catering. Students can develop their cooking skills and gain experience in food trucking, which Humber’s School of Hospitality, Recreation, and Tourism calls “an ever-growing trend.”

A food truck can be a more accessible avenue for culinary entrepreneurs.

“It’s still an expensive operation,” said Humber chef and alum Robb Kerr. “But it’s less than say, running your own restaurant.” Kerr has over 25 years of experience in the culinary industry, having worked at restau-

REID GOODISON

Robb Kerr (left) and Nyoka Taite (right) cook inside Humber’s Food Truck.

rants, hotels, golf courses, banquet halls, and convention centres.

For Kerr, the food truck is a different experience. At 20-feet long, the Humber Food Truck can only allow for three cooking staff on duty at a time. But for Kerr, it’s not fellow

staff that make working a food truck so different.

“It’s definitely interactive,” he said. “So often when you work in a kitchen, you’re stuck behind a wall, and you don’t see the guests.” Being face-to-face with the guests at the

food truck window takes some separation away from the cook and the diner. Kerr said he appreciates the “chance to get positive or negative feedback from them.”

Working in a kitchen of this scale also gives students an idea of how to prepare food in a smaller environment with more limited means.

Yesterday’s festival also provided an opportunity for culinary students to get experience working in this unique kitchen environment.

For Nyoka Taite, this was particularly valuable. Enrolled in the culinary management program at Humber, Taite’s entrepreneurial goals are more easily realized from the food truck experience.

“I enjoy being able to build different dishes - the creativity,” she said.

“Being able to build my own [business],” Taite says is her main goal.

“First, start off small, probably do a few cruises, then go into my own.”

Though Taite enjoys preparing Jamaican dishes at home the most, her favourite menu item at the Humber Food Truck is the ‘Dirty Fries’ sweet potato fries with pulled beef, fried eggs, and smothered with cheese.

Quality clothing a better buy, advise fashion graduates Natalie Fraser LIFE REPORTER

Fashion is many things, including art and self-expression. Students enrolled in the Humber College Fashion Management program are encouraged to make a statement.

Fashion program coordinator Bruce Sinclair explains how students target individualism.

“There is definite room for self-expression and to present a point of view. The students (create) build-up displays or mini-stores in Visual Merchandising, capsule collections they create for Product Development, or the businesses they create in their capstone project.”

The expense of fashion is a headache for some. Clothes can be hard to buy depending on the store or quality of clothing.

“Quality versus quantity is important,” said Humber graduate of Fashion Arts Morris Watson.

“Buying fewer, high quality items is much more sustainable, plus higher quality clothing lasts longer.”

Watching the hallways of Humber, there are the students that dress based on program requirements, the athletes of the school, fashionistas, and the casual and the more laid back.

Students in programs like paramedics, nursing, culinary, business, or fitness programs tend to be dressed in clothing suited for their studies.

“My style is a combination of cultural and professional,” said second year Business Administration student Shanelle Facey. “I practice my religion while dressing as though I am in an office.”

She explains for many of her

NATALIE FRASER

Haute HVAC Window Installation made by students from Fashion Arts program at the North campus.

presentations, she’s expected to be dressed in professional attire such as a buttoned shirt or blouse underneath a suit jacket or cardigan. Her teachers set the expectation for personal appearance high to prepare for the workplace, she says.

Program coordinator Sinclair says there is plenty of available help with clothing choice.

“There are sites such as Fashion Revolution and various apps available to help you research. Also, think long term…look for high

quality, well designed basic pieces for your wardrobe. Pay a little more, buy them less often, then have fun experimenting with trends from your fast fashion stores at a lower price point.”

Sugary Starbucks Unicorn drink hits social media Esther Klein LIFE REPORTER

After a long, tedious night of studying, students rush over to grab their morning cup of coffee.

Humber students can be found through the halls holding a Tim Hortons, Starbucks, Gourmet Express hot cup running to make their class on time.

However, within recent weeks, student social media accounts have been flooded with Starbucks advertisements announcing the chain’s newest Unicorn drink, promised to give sweet and sour taste buds a roller-coaster ride.

Starbucks has claimed rapid sales of the beverage based purely on social media advertisement.

When scrolling through Facebook, Instagram, and even Google, the bright blue and pink colours of that Unicorn drink catch the eye immediately.

The unique experience the drink promises has enticed people so much that they avoid the fact that it contains a whopping 35 grams of sugar, comparable to three Snickers bars.

“I know how unhealthy the drink must be,” said Shulamit Jourard, a fourth-year Social Work student at University of Guelph-Humber, “but I know I am still going to get it. With all the hype that has been going on with it and continues to, it just is one of those must haves.”

The Unicorn drink is available in three sizes and the sugar intakes increases with each size. It has a burst of mango flavouring, with an intensely sour, tangy twist which could leave purchasers either running to the bathroom or craving more.

“I could only have one sip,” says Rebecca Kogon, a second year Masters of Teaching at University of Toronto student. “It was way too sweet for me. I am happy I tried it because it has been all over my feed, but it could not have any more than a sip.”

Students and other customers who are normally conscious of their food and sugar intake seem to be putting that to the side for this special and limited time edition drink. A unique promise of flavouring that has never been brought to the market before and is only around for a set amount of time is a familiar Starbucks tactic.

And it appears to be working for the Unicorn.

“I liked it. I had to share it with my nephew but I still thoroughly enjoyed it,” says Sarah Kohanzedah, third year Linguistics student at McMaster University in Hamilton. “I am happy I finally am able to say I tried it.”

Humber Et Cetera

April 21, 2017

Arts– 7

Film and Media students showcase short works Bhakti Parikh NEWS REPORTER

Final year Humber students of the Film and Media Production bachelor program screened eight of their short films at the Hot Doc Ted Rogers Cinema yesterday.

The evening was filled with drama, romance, humor, action and documentaries as the students featured various genres through their films.

“It’s a great range of films, they range from very personal stories to very absurd and broad comedy to really nice character studies,” said Jeffrey Berman, Film and Media Production professor at Humber.

The graduating students showcased their independent projects with their friends, family and college faculty while the third-year students volunteered at the event.

“I really wanted to see all the hard work that the fourth years have done, they have been working on the thesis for an entire year” said Andrew Nguyen, a second-year student working the event.

He also mentioned the importance of the event for other film and media students.

“It’s a great way to make connections, screenings, help us to meet people from the industry. It’s about recognizing the passion that goes into all the films,” said Nguyen.

BHAKTI PARIKH

Short film screening showcased 8 short films from four-year Film and Media production program at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema last night.

The films have been in the works since last year, when each student submitted a script for an independent project.

“In third year we pitched ideas and then only six films are chosen to be made, then we spend our last year

shooting those films,” said Daniella Emanuele, a final year student and part of the organizing team.

“After the whole process of selecting which movies are to be made, and the making of the films, for me, it’s extremely exciting to see the final

product,” said Berman.

Everything is handled and operated by the students, from directors, technicians to camera operators, but when it comes to acting in the films, the students use help from professionals.

“We have an agreement with the

ACTRA union and a website called Casting Workbook, they help us find actors and they work in our films for free. This gives the films a professional touch,” said Emanuele

Unusual mallard ducks fascinate Arboretum staff Sarah Watson LIFE REPORTER

A pair of ducks has taken up residence in the pond next to the Centre for Urban Ecology in the Humber Arboretum a few weeks ago have been named Waddlesworth and Quackmire.

Humber Arboretum held a vote on its social media for people to vote on potential names.

Both water fowl have an unusual appearance, and it is still a bit of a mystery just what kind of ducks have moved in. Marilyn Campbell, the communications assistant for the North campus Centre for Urban Ecology, has been avidly watching the pair since they arrived at the end of March. She suspects they are Bibbed mallards, a domesticated breed, or potentially a hybrid.

“What would be unusual though is for two similar looking hybrids to find each other and form a couple,” said Campbell.

Chris Wedeles, a wildlife biologist at ArborVitae Environmental Services, took a look at some photos of the ducks, and agreed that the pair are unusual.

“I believe they are mallard hybrids probably hybridized with barnyard ducks,” said Wedeles.

But even the odd duck relationships aren’t without their problems.

“The male had been vigorously

SARAH WATSON

This pair of ducks attracted keen interest from Centre for Urban Ecology staff at North campus Arboretum.

defending the pond, chasing out any other ducks that landed in it,” said Campbell. “He’s smaller than a regular mallard, so it was impressive to watch.”

Then, last Saturday, a wild male mallard persisted in trying to get near the female at the pond.

“There was a lot of quacking and wing-flapping as the two males

would actually fight in short bursts,” said Campbell.

When Campbell got back to campus on Monday, she feared the ducks had separated for good. She saw the female alone, who soon disappeared. Later the small mallard was back in the pond by himself, periodically calling out a sad quack.

But by Tuesday afternoon, the

pair had reconciled, and were seen together, swimming in the pond.

“Frankly, it’s still quite possible that the larger, wild male mallard was able to mate with her but didn’t actually break up the pair,” said Campbell. “It seems like they’re planning on nesting in the pond, so we’ll have to wait and see if they successfully hatch chicks, just what

those chicks end up looking like.”

These ducks aren’t the only wildlife that Humber staff and students have been privy to in the Arboretum.

Jimmy Vincent, the coordinator for education, camps and community outreach at the nature conservancy, said last year he filmed a beaver dislodging a stuck tree from just ten feet away.

“He was pulling on a stick, it got stuck, went back and forth, back and forth, then he finally found the branch that got stuck, chewed the branch off, and pulled the tree away,” Vincent said. He added he felt like he was working for National Geographic.

Others have seen sunbathing turtles, grazing deer or waddling skunks while certain animals, like the ducks, make themselves more well known.

“One of the joys of spending a lot of time in one outdoor location is that you have the chance to get to know the wildlife as individuals,” said Campbell. “These two make it easy because they look so distinct.”

Campbell said that as much as they feel like they get to know the ducks, and enjoy having them around, it’s important to remember that they are still wild animals who could leave at any time.

“But we’ll enjoy their company while we have it and we hope Arboretum visitors get the chance to enjoy them as well,” said Campbell.

Humber Et Cetera

8 – Art

April 21, 2017

Grammy winner Lewis talks passion for percussion Brandon Choghri

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER

Larnell Lewis is a big man – his large frame might look a little out of place behind a drum kit at first, but the only thing surprising when he gets rolling is his breakneck speed and ridiculous accuracy.

There’s a reason the Humber alum is widely regarded as one of the best drummers in the world.

Some people say it’s not what the best musicians play that makes them so impressive, but often what they don’t play – Lewis is no exception to that. He controls his dynamics with incredible precision, and knows exactly when to leave room for his bandmates in the Mike Downes Quartet to solo. But what he does play is usually enough to make head spin and leave your jaw on the floor.

Those skills were on full display when he played an intimate show with the band at Gallery 345 earlier this month. Fresh off winning his third Grammy with American jazz jammers Snarky Puppy, Lewis went straight back into the studio – working on sessions, and playing with the Mike Downes Quartet.

Lewis says music has been in his family for four generations, and that had quite an influence on him and his brother as they were growing up. His brother currently drums for Toronto pop-crooner The Weeknd.

Lewis has been drumming since he was two years old, and says the early start really affected his approach to music.

“When you start young you become accustomed to making music,” he says. “You understand the effects of it, you understand how to manipulate it in certain ways and it becomes second nature.”

Music has certainly become a second nature to Lewis, his kit almost seems like an extension of him when he plays – but he also took over bass duties from Mike Downes for a tune during the quartet’s set.

He says the theory knowledge he refined during his time as a student at

BRANDON CHOGHRI

Larnell Lewis performing at release party for Mike Downes Quartet at Gallery 345 in Toronto. The celebrated drummer is a part-time music teacher at Humber College as well as playing with Downes and jazz ensemble Snarky Puppy while frequently traveling for gigs.

Humber College has not only helped him as a multi-instrumentalist and composer, but as a drummer too.

“To understand theory is to know chord movements – not only by ear but by reading a chart,” Lewis says.

“You can understand what the composer was going for colour-wise so you can decide based on dynamic contour and the chord progression how to shape things.”

His ability to compose and interpret music also allows him to maximize his contributions in Snarky Puppy. With 20 members in the ensemble, it can be tough to carve out a sonic territory in the seemingly endless array of tones and frequencies, but Lewis says his experience allows him to find his own space, and even offer input melodically.

“When you have three drummers and three percussionists playing on an album you want to use everyone’s brain power to make the most of the music,” he says.

Lewis admits that there’s a big difference between playing in Snarky Puppy and groups like the Mike Downes Quartet, saying that there’s certainly more space to play in the smaller bands, but you have to be able to hold your own lane musically in either situation.

Lewis says he’s been playing with Mike Downes since he was a student at Humber, and has really enjoyed coming full circle to play with the quartet after joining the faculty as a part time professor.

On top of his teaching duties at Humber, Lewis plays in several

bands, teaches at clinics, and spends hours in the studio recording sessions for other artists. He calls himself a “weekend warrior” – teaching during the week before leaving town, or the country, for a couple days at a time to drum in his various projects.

The Associate Dean of the department, Dr. Andrew Scott, acknowledges Lewis’ hectic schedule, and how difficult it can be to maintain it.

He says “Humber is extremely fortunate to have such talented faculty like Larnell, who reliably balances being a great educator with world class musicianship.”

Lewis is enjoying the new role as an educator, and says that his young students inspire him to continue to innovate and experiment.

“There’s something about inter-

acting with students and younger people that keeps your mind open and fresh and aware of what’s happening,” he says. “You don’t get stuck in an era or a particular mindset.”

As both a department head at Humber College and now a bandmate in several ensembles, Mike Downes has watched Lewis develop from a student into a world-renowned musician. He doesn’t just praise Lewis’ musical prowess, but his personality as well.

“Larnell is not only one of the greatest drummers in the world, but he’s a super great guy. It’s incredibly easy to play with him,” Downes says.

“He’s super musical, his dynamics are fantastic, and he’s a great guy – what else could you want?”

Spadina’s legendary Silver Dollar Room and Richmond St Black community hub Harlem.

These closures have forced artists to take up their own venues, DIYs are venues not necessarily designed for formal events, but are alternative spaces that host a range of groups and artists.

“We don’t want a business, were not running a business we want to build and have some crazy events, some good gig parties, that’s all we want to do,” said Jason Wydra in the CBC Doc “Where’d the night go.”

Wydra is Co-founder of Soybomb a former DIY event space in Toronto.

As Toronto’s real estate continues to soar, Adams says that venues are also charging too much to watch

artists perform.

“I would honestly go and perform for free. But, as a musician it’s very upsetting because there are only that many places that one can perform at. It also sucks as an audience to have to pay $20 to go see a band,” she says, stressing that the high prices attract fewer people to watch bands live.

The diminishing number of Toronto music venues appeared to receive a saving call in November 2016 when city councilors Josh Cole and John Fillion filed a motion asking encouragement to open more live venues and preserve the ones that exist. However, not much has been done yet.

In an interview with the Globe

and Mail, Mike Tanner, the city’s music sector development officer, said rising rents are causing venues to shut down all across North America. While the city cannot control who landlords lease out spaces to, they however, plan to find a way to allow venues to develop in areas they are currently restricted in due to zoning bylaws.

Music venues are under similar stress across the globe. The Guardian in September 2015 reported that of the 430 venues in London, between 2007 and 2015, only 245 remained open.

Mumbai, India – popularly called maximum city because of its lack of space and overpopulation – has a handful of live-music venues and

some others are facing a shut-down due to cost and resident complaints.

Old mills that are in ruins are being used as alternate pop-up spaces in India, but that hasn’t always worked out as there are usually no restaurants or bars nearby for concert-goers to go to after the gig.

So from Torino to Toronto, artists continue to scramble for venues to showcase their talents.

“Jess and I have applied to a lot of festivals for the summer, who need musicians to perform. Some pay and some don’t, but that’s the way we’re going,” says Adams.

Other musicians are using platforms like YouTube to reach out to audiences.

Toronto struggles to keep music venues open amid soaring rents Junisha Dama

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER

Toronto live music venues are dwindling in the face of spiraling rents – and the artists are feeling it.

“It’s upsetting how so many places are shutting down,” says Taylor Adams, a student in Humber College’s Bachelor of Music program and one part of the country music duo Jess and Tay. Toronto has lost seven venues so far in 2017; King St dance club the Hoxton, Queen West rock bar the Hideout, Dundas West folk institution Hugh’s Room, Bathurst St DIY event space Soybomb HQ, Annex all-ages venue the Central, Bloor West queer-friendly café Holy Oak,

Humber Et Cetera

April 21, 2017

Arts – 9

Arboretum violin concert showcases Bach Adam Bernards and Leigha Vegh ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER

The sound of Bach’s D minor Solo Violin Partita filled the Humber Arboretum last week as Liberal Studies Professor Mark Whale played for an enthusiastic audience at the North campus Centre for Urban Ecology.

Playing one day shy of Good Friday, the time of year reminded the professor of Bach, he explained in his introduction speech.

“Writing in the 1700s [Bach] essentially was writing music for the glory of God”, he said.

The piece was written in five movements, each devoted to a different idea. Some were meant for dancing, while others were intended as a tribute to God. It was the third time the Liberal Arts and Sciences professor performed at the North campus nature conservancy.

“Bach is not just about keeping to the beat. It actually requires you to listen to what’s going on between the beats,” Whale said.

Whale ended his address with a prophetic message on sustainability, and the need for sustainable building practices like the ones employed by the Centre for Urban Ecology, which has received international recognition.

He spoke to the building itself, and how the space really lends itself to performances like his.

“It’s a really beautiful space, because of the view, and the first time I came in here it didn’t have anything in it, and I felt that, I wanted to play the violin in it,” said Whale.

In the audience was Humber College humanities professor Nathan Radke, a colleague and friend of Whale’s who was moved by the performance.

“The combination of hearing Mark’s exquisite violin playing with the backdrop of the Arboretum at springtime [is] a really good combination”, Radke said.

When Whale isn’t playing in the genre he trained in, he accompanies

LEIGH A VEGH

Liberal Studies professor Mark Whale performs Bach’s D minor Solo Violin Partita at North campus Centre for Urban Ecology last week.

an experimental punk band called Semi-Colon Powell, he said. The name of the band is a political inside joke for people who remember the first Gulf War (1990-91), Radke said, adding that the name is an homage to United States army fourstar general Colin Powell.

Whale first learned to play the violin in England. He performed for a number of years before making a move to Toronto back in 2004, where he would receive his doctor-

Theatre production brings us a blast from ‘90s past Anna O’Brien

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER

Audience members at Humber Theatre’s production of Life Underground earlier this month found themselves back in the 90’s. The original era of chokers, boy bands and tacky flavoured lip gloss, Life Underground is a fun and whimsical who-done-it play with a killer soundtrack and an even better cast (think Zoom meets Fresh Prince).

The show was devised and developed at Humber College by the graduating Performance and Production classes of 2017 under the guidance of mentors Clare Preuss, Richard Lee and Laid Macdonald.

At first, you didn’t really know what to expect with this show.

Among the wide variety of characters, there’s an Amish couple, a scientist, a “lost boy” on a sugar rush, a fairy named Bunny, and a goat—all stuck together in a bunker. After the goat suspiciously dies, the play begins to unravel the mystery behind the killing of the goat. Who did it?

And why?

Despite initial confusion, the opening song and matched choreography came with the energy of a Broadway musical, rather surprisingly, since the Humber Theatre program does not demand singing capability. With the audience laughing and singing along, visitors to the Theatre Centre BMO Incubator for Live Arts were clearly having a good time.

“Everybody took their characters and kind of made them their own,”

ate in music in 2009.

Meanwhile, whether it gets brought out to play Bach or experimental punk, his violin itself comes with a very interesting story.

It was made in England, around 1800, which he notes is interesting from a sustainability standpoint, because it was made with pre-industrial revolution wood, and is still being used today.

But it was the purchase of the instrument that gives it its intrigue. says Ryan Breton, the student actor playing Josh Crombie in the show.

“We didn’t have much time to put everything together. We liked the idea of the 90’s and we didn’t actually originally plan it to be a musical. It just kind of happened with the Backstreet Boy song and went from there.”

The Backstreet Boy moment is perhaps the most memorable of the show. In the midst of the classic girl-likes-boy-who-doesn’t-know-it storyline, boy crazy Destiny played

by Jessica Bowmer begins to daydream a romance with her beloved Casey Malone. Immediately after the spotlight turns on and the audience hears those classic lyrics “You are my fire.” The boy-band choreography was reminiscent of old music videos, and spot on.

“It was a collaborative effort with all the Humber Theatre Performance and Production students,” says producer Jon Cunningham. “It’s a fun show and it really came together in

Looking for a new instrument, Whale went to a violin maker in the town in England where he lived. He found one he liked, and agreed to arrange a trade in with his older violin. Mick Johnson, the violin maker, agreed to sell this violin to Whale for his old violin, plus £5,000. Whale wanted to take some time to think about the deal, and in that time, Johnson went on vacation in Greece.

Johnson never came back.

“He went away to Greece, and the

next thing I heard, he’d died, in a mountain biking accident. Literally I saw him on the Tuesday, and the Thursday, he was dead.” he said.

Several months later, Whale went back to the shop, now being watched over by Johnson’s daughters, and finalized the purchase of the violin.

“It has this special place, because it reminds me of Mick Johnson,” said Whale.

WITH FILES FROM KETTELIA WRIGHT

LIFE UNDERGROUND

Promotion for Humber Theatre production that ran earlier in April.

the end. We had so much help from our mentors, I think we all learned a lot from this experience.”

There were notable performances from the entire cast, as it was apparent each student really put their all into their characters. Julia Vande Burgt had a particularly memorable performance as Charley Foyle, a character with both sight and speech problems. Elliott Ritter as Ike Lighting also gave a lasting im-

pression on the crowd as he would interact with the audience throughout the play and break the fourth wall. Each character was connected through various storylines, and for an original play by students, Life Underground was outstanding.

“That was so much fun,” says audience member and Humber student Aleks Cobbs. “I thought it was really funny and each character kind of had their own struggles and personal

Humber Et Cetera

10 - Commentary

April 21, 2017

EDITORIAL

Memories from norovirus to an election It is our last edition, and what a ride it has been.

There were a few incidents that happened involving Humber that reflected negatively for the school this semester, like the norovirus outbreak that left more than 200 students sick, as this publication reported. Every major news outlet in Toronto picked up the story, making the topic one of the most talked-about on-campus events in recent memory. This was going on

at the same time as the infamous Humber cockroach incident, in which a bug was filmed scurrying out of the North campus cafeteria, scarring some students from eating on campus ever again.

This year’s IGNITE elections, despite the perennially low turnout rate, was one of the more interesting events to follow. Presidential winner Maja Jocson, the Vice President of Student Affairs at University of Guelph-Humber, and Lance Constantine, Vice President

of Student Affairs at North, showed some animosity to each other during the debate at North campus, giving the election a dynamic storyline.

A low point for the semester was when Greg Dennis, a Humber journalism contract teacher, was arrested in March on charges of possessing child pornography. Many of us on the Et Cetera team had Dennis as an instructor previously, making the story one of the more difficult news items we had to cover.

Overall, this semester has been a great learning experience for the Et Cetera team. Even as we all go our separate ways in life, the experiences we have attained from this paper will stick with us forever.

We would like to thank all our readers who took time from their busy lives to read our work. It’s greatly appreciated, and we wish you all the best.

Have a great summer vacation everyone.

Police don’t get why their uniforms disturb Pride

Corey Martinez

HUMBER NEWS REPORTER

I

t’s been a busy month. We have had Pepsi, United and Adidas make some pretty surprising PR blunders, but in this week’s episode of corporations being tone deaf I look at the Toronto’s LGBTQ Police Union and their recent strong armed attempt at getting Pride funding cut.

One doesn’t need to fall under the LGBTQ umbrella to see that the Toronto Police Union is over-reacting to Pride’s decision to “dis-invite” its officers from participating in future parades.

In a letter sent out to Mayor John Tory, the Toronto Police Associations’ LGBTQ internal support network urged the Mayor to pull hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding from Pride- $260,000 to be exact.

“We the undersigned represent the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Interracial Support Network Executive Committee for the Toronto Police Service. It is our understanding that the City of Toronto will be considering continued funding in 2017 for Pride Toronto in the approximate amount of $260,000. At our request, we would like the Association to consider sharing with the mayor and city councilors that we, as city employees, would feel completely de-valued and unsupported by our employer should they fund this event at this time. How can we possibly feel appreciated by our employer while they sponsor an event that its own employees have been disinvited from participating in as full, equal, and active participants in their role

as city employees. We can think of no examples in Canada where either a public or private employer has been a lead sponsor for an event their employees were asked to participate in. We wish Pride Toronto all the best success in their events in 2017, and we look forward to a time when a relationship exists again that cultivates a more respectful police-community partnership in Pride. However, when any city employee, regardless of their job function, is disinvited from an event hosted in the City of Toronto, we feel it is simply a conflict of interest, and unacceptable, that the City of Toronto remain a sponsor.”

There was an ominous undertone to it and gave me visions of a can of worms being popped open. So, let’s have a deeper look since we are dealing with masters of PR. Okay, did you make it through?

Sounds pretty good, right? If we can’t participate then nobody should be able to has been sound logic for centuries now. What the letter forgets to mention is that the $260,000 that the TPS wants removed is paid by taxpayers and goes toward police, security and transportation for the parade.

The issue isn’t that there wouldn’t be police presence at all -- there would still be police at the parade, they would just be working security, which is their job. Because Pride doesn’t want uniformed officers in their march, the police believe they don’t deserve any security at all.

Objections could include, “But the police got their float banned and can’t wear their uniforms in the parade, therefore they are excluded entirely! Think of the children!” I take a moment from swigging SJW tweets out of my chalice made of Fake News and ask: “Why the uniforms?”

I ask this question because the police wonder how they can possibly feel appreciated by their employer who sponsors an event that its own employees have been disinvited from participating in as “full, equal, and active participants in their role as city employees.”

If one really wanted to experience Pride, they would remove their uni-

form. This makes the most sense, as it re-affirms one’s humanity. When an officer dons a vest, and badge they become their brotherhood’s identity -- a brotherhood that contributed to Operation Soap in 1981.

On Feb. 5, 1981, 286 men were arrested on charges of prostitution and indecency when uniformed and plainclothes officers raided four of Toronto’s largest gay bathhouses. This was the largest mass arrest in Canada since the October FLQ crisis in Quebec and is Canada’s version of Stonewall.

Many of the cases were dropped, but the police had outed a majority of the men, ruining their lives.

The next day on Feb. 6, some 3,000 demonstrators took to the streets to protest the arrests and police harassment. These offences caused Toronto’s LGBTQ community to fight back and band together.

And Pride has subsequently evolved from a somber reminder of the existence of “morality” police to a celebration of itself.

The importance of the uniform to the officer’s identity overcomes the importance of a given officer’s LGBTQ identity. When one wears a uniform, they break from their community and join a separate entity.

An entity that doesn’t get harassed or arrested for public drinking or disorderly behavior and one that is still protected by the blue shield of police brotherhood.

To people who aren’t fighting the daily struggle, Pride is just another day to get drunk and rowdy -- the police know this and are still able to do their job on the sideline.

Why can’t people understand that it’s uncomfortable for people who some parts of society barely view as human to dance alongside people whose job sometimes seem to them to de-humanize.

The uniformed officers dance and revel around the half-naked crowd, their tactical sunglasses and hats shielding their identities. Their silver handcuffs glistening in the sun, jangling on their side. Reminding those around them that if they step out of line- they will be regulated and reminding their brothers in blue on the sideline -- don’t harass

me I’m on your side.

Reminding those celebrating that, “Hey, not all of us are like the other guys. You know, the ones not participating, but wearing this uniform. The uniform that finds your lifestyle indecent and helps silence your plight. I’m cool, though.”

Being a police officer or even being hired as a city employee changes a person’s status and privilege.

They now have access to help and resources that average citizens don’t have. The fact that police would rather the festival participants be put in danger rather than simply remove their uniforms is alarming and worrisome.

This leads me to the part of this letter that worries me the most. The decision to ban the police float and uniformed officers was voted upon. This was a community decision and yet the police want to seize taxpayer (community) money from the parade.

This is a slippery slope if we ask what happens to other organizations which have the audacity to question the Toronto Police. A police force that has had at least 12 officers who were suspended with criminal offences make the 2017 Sunshine List of Ontario provincial employees earning $100,000 or more annually.

In April 2016, it was found that almost 80 per cent of the Toronto Police force are on the Sunshine List. Yet they try to preach equality and tolerance to those who are struggling to pay their bills or even find a bathroom to let them piss in.

Nobody is saying that LGBTQ police can’t participate in pride. It’s just that people don’t want the visual representation of abuse, corruption and intimidation that the TPS uniform conveys in their parade.

The Toronto Police LGBTQ internal support network’s response shows that police will always put officers before civilians. From the inability to take off their uniforms and hang out with the normies (fear of being vulnerable) to the tone deafness of how their fellow non-police LGBTQ members feel.

Before we go, let’s see how Halifax police chief reacted to their community’s concerns to really set our force’s privilege in stone.

Humber Et Cetera serves to inform the Humber community and give its readers well rounded coverage on the things that matter to them.

Editorial Team Chris Besik Jesse Bonello Hunter Crowther Ruth Escarlan Neha Lobana David Tuchman Javon Walker

Faculty Adviser Salem Alaton

Creative Adviser Marlee Greig © 2017 All rights reserved Humber Et Cetera is a publication of the School of Media Studies & Information Technology at Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning 205 Humber College Blvd., Etobicoke, ON, M9W 5L7

Email:

etc.humber@gmail.com

Twitter:

@humberetc

“We recognize that as a result of what we’ve seen elsewhere in the country, specifically in Toronto, as well as what we’ve heard here locally, that there were some concerns about police presence in the parade.”

The Halifax police decided to bow out of Halifax’s 2017 Pride parade. That’s how it’s done. Maybe the police should look into making collaboration t-shirts for their officers.

“We are not your enemies” would be a good start.

Humber Et Cetera

April 21, 2017

Commentary – 11

Political showmanship does nothing for dwindling middle class

Hunter Crowther

ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

W

hat is ‘middle class’ and how does the government define it?

One of the often repeated phrases I hear from the politicians of Queen’s Park and Ottawa is middle class, and what to do with said middle class.

‘How to strengthen it,’ ‘how to grow it,’ doing whatever-adjective-fits-today to the middle class was, and still is, what resonates with voters the most. ‘Improving the middle class’ is a reverberation of the populistic undertones which

overtook the global political landscape: and we still don’t know what the hell it means.

In a March 22 column, CBC’s Neil Macdonald wrote how he once asked several government officials and experts what Canada’s middle class means. He narrowed the responses into four answers: • Any household with a family income of less than $150,000 • Any household with a family income between $27,000 and $118,000 • Anyone making more than the bottom 20 per cent of the population or less than the top 20 per cent • The government doesn’t like to define it.

Let’s look at #2. Does that mean the middle class includes a single-mother renting a one-room walk-up who can only work parttime and relies on childcare, as well a married couple living in the suburbs with two cars and can afford to put their kids in organized sports?

A painfully condescending and particularly ignorant quote regarding the middle class came from fed-

eral Finance Minister Bill Morneau, just a week after the Trudeau government was elected and introduced legislature aimed at, of course, supporting the middle class.

“When middle class Canadians – and those working hard to join the middle class – have money in their pockets to save, invest and grow the economy, everyone benefits,” Morneau said.

Et tu, Morneau? A week into the most anticipated Canadian government to take office in generations, and back to the well we go for oversaturated political jargon? How can we strive to join something we can’t define?

The rosey-red tinted sunglasses of Trudeaumania, a glimmer of the ‘Hope’ former U.S. President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign was built on, skewed the vision of Canada’s future and has continued the trend of chauvinistic showmanship wrapped around a lack of commitment to an alleged middle class.

Oh, and that middle class legislation? The feds cut the tax rate for individuals making just under $45,000 to under $90,000. At most,

It’s okay not to be okay -- and say it

Ruth Escarlan

A

COURTESY RUTH ESCARLAN

It can be uncomfortable saying that everything isn’t fine and it’s not going so well, but letting someone know instead of bottling it all in helps because despite the cliché, the first step is acknowledging the problem and letting someone know.

“IT’S OKAY NOT TO BE OK” says a sidewalk stamp in pink from The Sad Collective, a Toronto mental health group.

Getting past that first step and accepting that being sad or upset is okay is important. Allowing yourself to just feel is also important because according to an article published in the Scientific American, it’s “vital to our mental health.”

Having negative thoughts or being negative is okay because just like positive ones, the expression of frustration or sadness can be beneficial to mental health.

A 2012 study from Eric L. Garland, a psychotherapist, from Florida State University, found that people who restrained their thinking had higher levels of stress than those who didn’t always bury their stress.

The moral of story is to accept the full range of emotions and not rush through the negative feelings. Feeling happy and content is great, but the experience of being sad or mad is good, too.

Moreover, there shouldn’t be a timeline as to how long people can be feeling the way they feel. Prescriptions are given out for anti-depressants and anxiety, but are not always the best option. Taking a pill isn’t going to solve the problem of having these negative feelings. Feeling a full range of emotions is important.

We don’t always have to be happy.

It’s great to have a positive outlook on life, but the burden of having to always feel content becomes a problem. We’re allowed to feel sad, mad, anxious – just as we’re allowed to feel happy and excited – because how else are we supposed to live our lives?

The cliché “ignorance is bliss” isn’t always right because not knowing how anger or sadness feels is like missing out on what life has to offer.

in the northern territories gave a unique answer.

“It varies significantly, depending on province,” she wrote in her response. “I wouldn’t necessarily put an exact number on it. Socially, it’s when people can own a vehicle, are flexible enough to have vacation, health benefits from their full time job, an undergrad or at least training in a trade.”

She hit the nail on the head. The middle class isn’t an exact number, it’s a feeling. It’s knowing the bill comes at the end of the month and it will be paid. It’s comfort knowing your children are fed and provided for. The idea of the middle class was created after the Second World War, when industry thrived and someone could have a 30-year career with benefits, pension and vacation waiting for them out of high school.

Today, none of that exists. All the middle class is a fallacious narrative played out on a political chessboard.

Elected officials exploit it for votes, and its evolving definition is bordering on extinction.

Toronto Maple Leafs doing great. And that’s the worry

David Tuchman

MANAGING EDITOR

s a common courtesy, asking someone how they’re doing is a form of greeting or a way to socialize. But how often do we ask people how they’re doing, and more often than not, they say they’re fine even if they’re not. If a person is not more than an acquaintance, the answer is seldom complete.

Conversation usually begins (and often ends) like this: “Hi. How are you doing?”

“Fine, how about you?”

“Fine.”

But what if an acquaintance says something else, how would you respond?

“Hi. How are you doing?”

“Not that great.”

Asking someone how they’re doing isn’t supposed to be blasé because it should show that we care about the person and how they are actually doing. Sure, there are factors that come into play that prevent a person from answering honestly such as the proper time and place.

But sometimes letting it all out alleviates the burden of having to keep it festering inside.

an individual could save $670 a year (!). It’s not nothing, but it’s barely anything.

The National Post mentioned in a September 2015 analysis of Trudeau’s campaign, a married couple who earn $40,000 each would not be considered middle class, but if one spouse earned $80,000 and the other had no income, they’d receive the tax cut.

This is the Liberal government’s definition of the middle class. At least, the closest we’ve gotten to a Liberal definition of the middle class.

Forget about politicians, what we define as middle class is hardly perfect. I surveyed fellow Humber Et Cetera staff and asked what they would consider the average income of a middle class family (for this example, the average family has two adults and 2.5 children).

The answers ranged from $55,000 to $115,000, each person shrugging their shoulders when they handed me their answers on ripped pieces of paper. “It’s an impossible answer.”

An email with the same question to a colleague currently reporting

OPINION EDITOR

T

he Toronto Maple Leafs are playing really well. Maybe too well.

In the past two games the Leafs continuously battled back from two goal deficits and gave the Washington Capitals, the best team in the league, to have fits. Heck, the Leafs even won one of those games.

The series is now tied at two games apiece, but it’s the Leafs who are looking the better team. Yet here’s the problem: They run the risk of waking up the sleeping giant.

To explain, there is no doubt in the world that Washington has a way better team. They have the best goal scorer in the league and one of the best goalies in the league. They have a coach who on many levels is on par with the Leaf ’s “God-tier” coach, Mike Babcock. I use quotations because Babcock hasn’t made it out of the first round since 2010, and yet he is still considered the best in league.

And here’s the thing: great teams always find a way to ratchet it up to the next gear when they are put into a corner. So yes, the Leafs are show-

ing the hockey world that they are nothing to mess with, but beware of becoming too elated because the inevitable failure is about to start.

Now, of course, this could be very, very wrong. And I would be the first person to admit it. But the thing is, we have seen this story before and every single time it ended up like this: the team that surprised everyone gets bounced and the winners, with their new-found mojo, go all the way to the Stanley Cup. For example, in 2013, Toronto was up three games to two on the Boston Bruins going into game six. Do I really need to remind everyone what happened in that series? Boston tied the series up and then, in game seven, with Toronto up four to one, Boston surged in the last 10 minutes of the last period and won the game in overtime.

Needless to say, Boston went all the way to Stanley Cup (they lost to Chicago) and the Leafs failed to even make the playoffs again until this season. This exact same story can play out again for the Leafs.

In 2015, the same script happened in the Tampa Bay-Detroit series. Babcock, who was the Detroit Red Wings coach at the time, had his team leading the series going into game six.

And again, Tampa Bay stormed back to win the series and ultimately go all the way to the Stanley Cup final (where they also lost to Chicago).

I really don’t want to take anything away from Leaf’s. They have given Washington more than their money’s worth. It’s pretty clear that they have been the more energized team and that their effort level has been significantly higher than that of the Capitals.

But I just can’t shake the feeling that I’ve seen this story before.

Humber Et Cetera

12 - Sports

April 21, 2017

Looking ahead at Hawks men’s, women’s basketball Javon Walker

SPORTS & ONLINE EDITOR

After having a somewhat disappointing year by Hawk standards, Humber men’s and women’s varsity basketball teams are looking to prepare for the future, in two different circumstances.

The men’s team finished their season by winning Bronze in the OCAA championship tournament.

To make matters worse, they will have major roles to fill in their lineup as they look to replace fifth-year players Tyrone Dickson, Ancil Martin and Gibson Eduful.

“We have other people to take over those roles,” says head coach Patrick Au. “Obviously they can’t exactly replicate what the senior players that are leaving have accomplished, but...we have new players and new recruits.

“We have core players that have played on the team for a year or more, and they’re going to continue

on the traditions and the culture we have established.”

Martin was named to the OCAA West Division Second All-Star team for this season, while Dickson made the First team and was named the West Division Top Defensive Player.

The woman’s team had National championship aspirations, but fell short as they finished with Bronze in the National tournament.

Despite underachieving by Humber standards, the future looks brighter than ever.

Despite Chioma Oriuwa, Amber Bechard and Jill Semple playing their last games, two-time National Player of the Year award winner Ceejay Nofuente is coming back to Humber for another season, along with Second-Team All-Star Aleena Domingo.

Women’s head coach Ajay Sharma, who was named OCAA West Division Coach of the Year for the third time in four years, thinks next year’s team is going to be even better

ONTARIO COLLEGES ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

Humber’s Mens Varsity team posing after winning bronze at this year’s Provincial championships. They’re looking to clinch a national tournament berth next year.

than this year’s, despite just setting the OCAA single-season scoring record.

“One thing we’re always going to be is very tough-minded and play a very aggressive and physical kind of basketball,” says Sharma. “It’s our toughest that helped us get over the

Cricket captain Scaria brought skill, love of sport, from India Alan Sebastian

mental anguish of losing the first game at Nationals, and then propelled us to really dominate our competition throughout the tournament. These girls are really tough.”

Humber’s Varsity Coordinator James DePoe is excited for the

Athletes with mental illness concerns emerge from stigma Dylan Perego SPORTS REPORTER

SPORTS REPORTER

Captain of the Lakeshore Cricket Team and a Humber College Global Business Management student, Akhil Scaria, 22, has been bringing home trophies and has two awards under his sleeve.

Hailing from Kerala, India he caught Cricket fever when he was just a boy, and his father encouraged him to continue playing the sport to lose weight “My dad loved the sport and took me to Nehru Stadium in my hometown where a regular guy would coach kids,” says Scaria.

Being a pretty plump kid, Scaria was slow, and was told by his coach to lose weight if he wanted to stay on the team, which he did.

In 2014-15 while playing for Kerala’s South Zone team, Scaria suffered from injuries and his dream to play professionally was crushed.

“The doctor told me that I won’t be able to play professional cricket for two years. I was quite upset but that was followed by my move to Canada,” he says.

After enrolling in Humber he searched for a sport he could pursue, and Scaria came across trials for the indoor Lakeshore Cricket team. After speaking to the coach and performing well, he was readily selected. That same year he won the 2015 Rookie of the Year award at Humber’s annual athletic banquet.

The 2016 season saw him being crowned Captain of the Cricket team, and has had a string of impressive match wins ever since.

The Lakeshore team has won

ALAN SEBASTIAN

Humber Lakeshore’s Cricket Captain Akhil Scaria prepares to make a big play against an opponent this season.

eight out of the 12 matches they’ve played this year. Furthermore, Scaria’s captaincy helped the Hawks beat the undefeated Centennial Colts at Centennial College. “[Centennial] has never been defeated at a Champion’s Trophy (a competition among cricket teams across GTA colleges) and beating them is one of the highlights of my captaincy,” he says.

Scaria also has pride over beating Humber’s North campus cricket team because “it’s very intense with the North campus. Before ev-

ery match we’re told that it doesn’t matter if we get the trophy or not, as long as we beat the North team.”

Scaria has managed to win thrice against them.

Scaria’s achievements don’t stop there. In the 2016-17 Athletics Banquet, Scaria not only won the Most Valuable Player award for the team but also lifted the trophy for the most Sportsman-like Player of the Year.

“It’s very prestigious because this award is for a sportsman across all the sports teams at Humber. I am so glad to have won it,” he says.

future of both Varsity teams, and thinks that the casual fan should really keep an eye on them.

“There’s a great vibe and atmosphere from the student body,” says DePoe. “There’s special things happening at Humber athletically.”

Student athletes in college sports are often trained to deal with a level of pressure and time management that is well above the norm, and for those who suffer from mental illness, required tasks can be crippling in many different ways.

At Humber College, there are a number of options in place for athletes seeking help, and an athletic department that strives to be prepared to help students with any issues that may arise.

The athletic wing at Humber College’s North campus is home to the Varsity Athletic Center, where student athletes can do everything from getting their daily workout in to meeting with friends or working on homework and end of year assignments. They can also seek out counselling on any one of their possible needs as a student.

Asking for help related to mental illness can sometimes be one of these needs, and Varsity athletic coordinator Monique Haan has seen a steady increase in student athletes coming forward in recent years.

“I’ve been in my role for about five years full-time, and then previous to that about three or four years, and I feel like mental health awareness has definitely increased in terms of the last few years,” Haan said. “It’s not as much of a stigma to try and keep it under wraps.”

Because of the uptick in students coming forward with mental health issues, not just student

athletes alone, the college has taken measures to ensure that each student has available assistance should they desire or require it.

“We have initial conversations at the beginning of the semester where we do a one on one with all of our first-year athletes to kind of see how they’re settling into school, making sure they’re going to be academically successful,” Haan said. “In there, we ask a few probing questions, like whether or not they need to seek any additional support services, like the Health Centre or the test centre. It could be counselling or accessible learning.

“Sometimes, if athletes are willing, they may divulge (having problems) at that point in time, and from there we will go and refer them to either the Health Centre or Accessible Learning Centre.”

Haan said that she had gone through an experience with one athlete who was afraid of not being able to play because of a mental heath issue, but that was related to course completion and grades rather than exclusion from coaches and teammates.

“I actually don’t think it’s because of a fear of losing their spot…I think maybe it’s because they think they can deal with it on their own, and maybe that they don’t think it is as serious as it is.”

The use of available facilities at Humber has increased substantially, with students often needing to book appointments ahead of time in order to receive treatment.

Humber Et Cetera

April 21, 2017

QUOTED

Misc – 13

What was memorable for you this school year?

“I’m glad I’m graduating this spring, but the most memorable thing for me was buying my car.

I still can’t believe it, I own a car!”

“(My friend Sergio and I) entered this EA Sports FIFA tournament and competed against players from Lakeshore campus and Mohawk College. Somehow, we ended up winning the whole thing.”

“I was humbled the first time I was tipped for doing a waxing (at the North campus Spa Centre). It made me feel like I was in the industry.”

Karleigh Baird

Katherine Ross

SPA MANAGEMENT 2ND YEAR

George Alatis

SPA MANAGEMENT 2ND YEAR

HVAC 2ND YEAR

HOROSCOPES

TOTHENINES

JAN. 20 - FEB. 18

AQUARIUS

Netflix should have called the show “Making of an Aquarius.”

JUL.23- AUG. 22

CANCER

FEB. 19 - MAR. 20

PISCES

You have poor judgement and it’s getting you in trouble.

AUG.23 - SEP.22

You’re unsociable and you’ll die alone. Bye.

VIRGO

MAR.21 - APR.19

ARIES

Bag: Michael Kors Cardigan: Urban Planet Jumper: Dynamite Sneakers: Footlocker Belt: Suzy Shier

Veerpal Khosa Prehealth Program 1st year 20

“I like dressing colourful.”

You’re way too competitive and your significant other hates it. They’re going to call it off, watch out!

SEP.23 - OCT.22

LIBRA

APR.20 - MAY.20

TAURUS

You love cooking, but that does not mean that you’re good at it.

GEMINI

SCORPIO

LEO

You’re too paranoid. But then again, alien government officials could be watching YOU. NOV.22 - DEC.21

SAGITTARIUS

JUN.21 - JUL.22

You’re careless with other people’s feelings and belongings but overly protect your own. Be nice please.

You thought you could enjoy the summer. Think again, your rents going up and you need another job. :) OCT.23 - NOV.21

MAY.21 - JUN.20

You can’t be trusted. You act like you won’t tell your inner circle, but you always do.

Revaluate your character.

We’re all sick and tired of your feelings. Get a therapist or a friend who cares enough to put up with you.

You pride yourself in being self-made, but you’re tactless so you won’t make it.

DEC.22 - JAN.19

CAPRICORN

You and Virgo could probably be the best of friends.

Unfortunately, both of you are unsociable.