November 29, 2012 by The Newspaper

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VOL XXXV Issue 13 • November 29, 2012

MAJ MAJOR

The University of Toronto’s Independent Weekly

Online voting becomes hot topic after failed AGM Calls for reform, confusion prompt January redo

Yukon Damov Since last Thursday’s University of Toronto Students’ Union Annual General Meeting (AGM), which reached a quick conclusion when the agenda failed to pass an approval vote, the topic of online voting in UTSU elections has lent itself to much discussion in Simcoe Hall and online. UTSU has announced that another AGM will be held in late January, but the exact date is to be determined. The process of amending the previous agenda was one of the reasons Sam Greene, co-head of Trinity College Meeting, gave

for not voting in favour of the agenda. “The process by which this agenda was arrived at was unfair, un-transparent, and undemocratic,” said Greene on Thursday night, in a speech that triggered the crucial vote. Greene’s proposals for the previous agenda were left out, partly due to confusion about the deadline for submission. UTSU has announced January 8 as the deadline for the next meeting. On Wednesday, UTSU President Shaun Shepherd returned from Ottawa where the UTSU Executives were attending the Canadian Federation of Students Annual General Meeting,

to discuss online voting with Vice Provost-Students Jill Matus. The content of the meeting, Shepherd told the newspaper, was to discuss the merits of online voting and learn how the University system works. Prof. Matus was unavailable for comment as of press time. In 2011, Matus sent a letter, now publicly accessible on The Varsity website, to then-UTSU President Danielle Sandhu, suggesting, “UTSU should give serious consideration to using the University’s online voting system.” Her reasoning was that online voting, along with proper promotion, could increase voter turnout; would be less sus-

ceptible to vote tampering; and, altogether, would increase the perception of a legitimate election. Shepherd seems unconvinced that online voting is the best method of electoral reform. “The union is not in opposition to it; we haven’t even made a stance yet. What’s interesting is that ... the reason the union doesn’t use online voting is that our policies and bylaws--our governing documents, essentially--don’t allow us to. That being said, students have been calling for electoral reform, and we are working on that.” Shepherd stressed that other options are available to make

voting more accessible. His examples were increasing the number of polls across campus, mail-in voting, and electronic voting. Shepherd went on to say that online voting will be one topic discussed by the UTSU Elections and Referenda Committee, which was struck at the November 15. The committee consists of Vice President-Internal, Corey Scott, and board members Virginia Lomax (University College), Ella Henry (Law), and Michael Buttrey (Theology). They have yet to schedule a meeting. During the AGM, as Shep-

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Access denied on copyright agreement Dylan Hornby Although copyright law can be convoluted and incomprehensible at times, it is a critical issue for university students. On Tuesday, November 27, University of Western Ontario law professor and copyright expert Samuel Trosow visited U of T to help clarify some of the language, and plead his case against the newest copyright agree-

ment in Canadian universities. According to Trosow, Canadian universities have yet to catch up to federal law, leaving students to pay the price. Trosow began by discussing the new “fair dealing” rights in Canada. Fair dealing refers to the ability of someone to use copyrighted content for their own personal use. With the changes adopted in June, copyright restrictions are no longer appli-

cable for anyone who uses the work for “educational, parody or satirical purposes.” This means that any university student can now refer to any work in an essay, without having to seek permission from the work’s owner. Since 2010, Access Copyright, a group representing and collecting revenues for owners of copyrighted material, has been trying to approve a tariff that

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NICK RAGETLI

Canadian universities have yet to catch up when it comes to copyright laws in Canada, says Western U prof

THE NEWS

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from “access copyright”

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Editor-in-Chief Cara Sabatini

Copy Editor Sydney Gautreau

Managing Editor Helene Goderis

Design Editor Samantha Chiusolo

News Editor Yukon Damov

Web Editor Joe Howell

Associate News Editors Sebastian Greenholtz Emerson Vandenberg

Comment Editor Dylan Hornby

Photo Editor Bodi Bold Illustrations Editor Nick Ragetli

Contributors Suzanna Balabuch, Jonas Becker, Bodi Bold, Yukon Damov, Jon Dundas, Mike Fergusson, Sebastian Greenholtz, Sydney Gautreau, Jack Grobe, Dylan Hornby, Odessa Kelebay, Natalie Morcos, Nick Ragetli, Kelsey Stasiak, David Stokes, Emerson Vandenberg

the newspaper 1 Spadina Crescent Suite 245 Toronto, ON M5S 1A1

well as the owner’s rights. “We do need copyright, but we need a balanced copyright regime,” he said. The current contract lasts until the end of 2013. However, Trosow urges the University of Toronto to opt out of the agreement with Access Copyright while they still can, as it will convince other universities to leave the agreement as well. “They have led the race to the bottom, now they must lead the way out.”

from “online voting” herd began his address, dozens of students held up signs reading “Online Voting Now.” There is now a Facebook group, run anonymously, bearing that title. The initiative cites three reasons to adopt online voting: first, it’s accessible and could increase voter turnout; second, “It’s easy” and U of T has “established, secure and tested” online voting system; and third, “It’s fair.”

Toronto motorists’ most dreaded surprise commonplace on campus

12-11-05 11:20 AM

the newspaper is the University of Toronto’s independent weekly paper, published since 1978. VOL XXXV No. 13

Arts Editor Sinead Doherty-Grant

a digital copy” as a form of copying as well as prohibiting “the storage or indexing of copies of articles and other material.” This means that linking articles or putting academic works on a USB drive is an actual violation of the new copyright laws at U of T. Trosow joked, “What are they going to do? Stop me with my memory card at the gates?” Trosow further criticized the license for its impact on students. “The universities aren’t really paying for it, but rather the students are,” he said. The new agreement costs every student an additional $27 each year on top of tuition for rights to access copyrighted content that they already had. “If the students are going to pay licensing fees above their current tuition, there should be additional value from a consumer view.” Although critical of the license, Trosow asserted the importance of copyright laws to protect the authors of works as

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would govern the relationship between the group and Canada’s colleges and universities, while increasing fees for the latter. The threat of such a tariff has convinced U of T to sign a “model license” with Access Copyright in January, followed by Western and others. Under the model license, students pay for the same fair dealing rights that the government already guarantees. In addition, the license adds several surveillance and online restrictions that do not exist in the current federal law. According to Trosow, the problem with regulating online content is that “consent on the Internet is implied” and copyrighted material must face off against four deadly weapons: “cut, copy, paste and the worst, select all.” However, the model license tries to regulate some internet use. For example, the license lists “posting a link or hyperlink to

November 29, 2012

Editorial: 416-593-1552 thenewspaper@gmail.com www.thenewspaper.ca

the newspaper is published by Planet Publications Inc., a nonprofit corporation. All U of T community members, including students, staff and faculty, are encouraged to contribute to the newspaper.

Emmerson Vandenberg Parking woes abound at U of T campuses, which hold three of the top ten most-ticketed spots in Toronto. According to city data recently analyzed by the Toronto Star, students and staff who drive to school are inundated with the dreaded piece of yellow plastic. The Star looked up the 12.8 million tickets that were handed out between January 2008 and July 2012. The city’s most ticketed spot is Sunnybrook Hospital, where a whopping 48,379 tickets have been given out. U of T’s top spot is at the Scarborough campus, which

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totals 12,858 tickets. The two spots from St. George campus are St. Mary’s St. near Victoria College and Devonshire Pl. near Varsity Stadium. An element that certainly plays into the prevalence of campus ticketing is the license granted to U of T parking authority by the City of Toronto to hand out official city tickets. While other schools also have campus parking authority they often lack the right to hand out municipal tickets. Sunnybrook’s number one ranking can be attributed to the same reason. They operate a much smaller area than U of T but nonetheless have their

own parking officer who walks around ticketing vehicles, writing up an average of 29 per day according to the Star’s analysis. According to U of T parking services, they do not actively monitor either of the top two St. George campus spots mentioned in the Star report. Relatively speaking, only a small portion of campus is actually under their jurisdiction, while the remaining parts of the school are monitored by regular Toronto police parking officers. This means that both Devonshire Pl. and St. Mary’s St., unlike Sunnybrook Hospital, have earned their place in the top ten entirely through routine monitoring conducted by city officers. The analysis also compared ticketing on different days, finding that you are much more likely to get a ticket between Tuesday and Friday than on the weekend. The most ticketed time of day is between 12 and 1pm.

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THE NEWS

After an exciting Grey Cup game on Sunday, Torontonians woke up to find that another type of round pigskin had been punted from office. On Monday, November 26, Rob Ford was found guilty in a conflict of interest case and has been ordered to step down as mayor of Toronto. Although he was granted a 14 day extension and plans to appeal, many of Ford’s left-wing critics are jubilant about Monday’s news. While it is well known that most people who live downtown and on campus are not fans of Mr. Ford, I must take an unpopular stance and help defend our selfproclaimed “300-pounds of fun” mayor.

First of all, when we look at this “conflict of interest” case, Rob Ford’s sentence seems quite exaggerated. Typically, politicians are forced to leave office for sensational scandals, such as extramarital affairs or a gross misuse of taxpayer funds. What was Rob Ford’s crime? Using a city letterhead to raise money for disadvantaged kids to play football. Yes, this was technically illegal but should such a “crime,” especially one that clearly benefitted the community, warrant such a harsh sentence? On top of this, Ford raised only about $3000 for this football team. It seems strange that a case over such a small amount of money led to such a dramatic conclusion. For over a decade,

Ford has chastised other city councillors for recklessly spending public money on expenses easily covered by their salaries. Many politicians have done far more questionable things and have gotten off scott free. For instance, in 2010 former city councillor Kyle Rae threw a $12 000 retirement party at a private supper club funded entirely with our taxpayer money. Was he charged with anything? Of course not. Yet, when Rob Ford spends four times less on something that actually helped people, he gets the boot? Clearly our laws must be lacking common sense. Ultimately, the consequences of the ruling are undemocratic. He may be a gaffe machine, but Rob Ford´s widespread support

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Dylan Hornby

NATHAN DENETTE -The Canadian Press

Opinion: Rob Ford shot himself in the foot, but Toronto should have bitten the bullet

Mayor Rob Ford at his best (before he opens his mouth) in the suburbs gave him a landslide victory two years ago, valid until 2014. To force him out of office without any public input is simply embarrassing for our democracy. If Toronto´s left wing is so desperate to remove Ford from office they should nominate a candidate who can beat him. Although Rob Ford had a strong case to remain the city’s mayor, he has become his own

worst enemy. He had numerous chances to fess up and pay back the money, but did nothing. In this case, Ford acted as if he was above the law and for that there is no excuse. It wasn’t the “gravy train,” the left-wing media, or the cyclists, it was Rob Ford´s own arrogance that did away with him in the end.

Munk debate on Iranian nuclear ambitions No one wants a bomb, but the question is, what do we do? From left to right: Vali Nast, Fareed Zakaria, Amos Yadlin, Charles Krauthammer Photos courtesy of Sherry Naylor at the Munk Centre

David Stokes To bomb or not to bomb? That was the question Monday night, November 26, as a crowd of more than 3000 crowded in Roy Thompson Hall to watch four international political luminaries debate what should be done about Iran’s nuclear program. The event was tenth in a biannual debate series sponsored by billionaire philanthropist Peter Munk. Billed as “Canada’s premier international debate series,” the Munk debates offer star-wattage intellectual jousting, while the audience enjoys popcorn and a free drink. Previous participants include Paul Krugman, Tony Blair, and Henry Kissinger. Scalpers even lurk outside looking for spare tickets. Inside, FOX News pundit Charles Krauthammer and Israeli Major General Amos Yadlin argued the resolution that the world cannot tolerate a nuclear

Iran, while CNN host Fareed Zakaria and US State Department advisor Vali Nasr argued that Iran’s bomb program need not lead to attack. Yadlin was one of the F-16 pilots who destroyed the Iranian Osirak reactor in 1981 and he spoke vociferously of the threat to Israel by Iranian nukes. “Israel is ‘a one-bomb country’ says the Iranian president,” he stated, and argued that Iran’s theocratic leaders are Holocaust deniers who want to eliminate Israel. In contrast, Nasr argued that Iran is motivated by aims of “regime survival and national interest. A regime that has been around for thirty years is not really suicidal or reckless.” Zakaria buttressed this point by arguing that Iran’s anti-Israel statements are simply to win over Arab popular consciousness. Undaunted, Yadlin contended that an Iranian nuke would skyrocket oil prices, thus hurting more than just Israel. Krau-

thammer agreed, warning that an Iranian bomb would trigger an “instant nuclear arms race” in the Middle East. Other states will want nuclear capabilities to avoid Iranian bullying, causing “hyperproliferation” and making the Middle East extremely dangerous. In comparison, the US-Soviet strategy was like “nuclear checkers,” but Iran with a nuke is “3D chess.” Nasr and Zakaria replied that Israel was the first atomic state in the Middle East, which didn’t cause regional hyperproliferation. Plus, they argued, Israel’s submarines give it second strike capacity, which Iran wouldn’t possess and thus would remain strategically weaker. Krauthammer and Yadlin conclude that sanctions and diplomacy must continue, but if necessary the West should strike first. Yadlin stated, “I’m a General. No one hates war more than me. But we need to stop Iran before it’s too late.”

By contrast, Nasr and Zakaria posited that the Iranian nuclear weapons program might not even exist; it could be a ploy, like Saddam’s nuclear program in Iraq, and similar war-mongering led to the Iraq invasion. Bombing Iran would only radicalize the nation further. Zakaria recommended policy maneuvers ensuring that “if you’re a third rate country that gets nuclear weapons you stay a third rate country with nuclear weapons.” A satirical Zakaria asked, “You hope that the country you bomb will become a moderate democracy?” Nasr added, “People don’t side with the nation who bombs them.” Krauthammer countered, “But what about Libya? We bombed and the people applauded. Iran has a hated regime.” Audience opinion towards the resolution “The world cannot tolerate a nuclear Iran” changed during the debate. It began with

60 per cent in favour, 24 per cent opposed, and 16 per cent undecided. By the end undecided voters leaned con, for a final result of 58 per cent in favour versus 42 per cent opposed, making Zakaria and Nasr the winners of the debate by moving opinion most. With Israel’s recent incursion into Gaza and Hamas’ Iranianmade rockets falling on Tel Aviv, tensions in the region remain high. After US elections and elections in January and July for Israel and Iran respectively, all three countries will plan for the future, with war on everyone’s minds. What was exchanged in words here in Toronto will become, half-way across the world, much more than intellectual jousting. Video of this debate is streaming free on the Munk Debates website for a limited time. CBC radio will re-broadcast it later.

THE DEBATE

November 29, 2012

Waging war in Gaza Motion: Israel was justified in its recent attack in Gaza In November, Israel led an airstrike campaign known as Operation Pillar of Defense in the Gaza Strip following escalated rocket attacks from Hamas. Up until last week, Israel targeted over 1500 Hamas’ military sites and leaders a in the densely populated region. The UN estimates that over 100 Palestinians have died from the campaign, and four Israelis from Hamas rocket fire. Given the reality of civilian casualties, was Israel warranted in its actions? DISCLAIMER: The following opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper staff. Please visit thenewspaper.ca to continue a civil and intelligent discussion on the issues addressed. Jonas Becker As the most recent conflict in the Gaza strip winds down, thanks largely to an Egyptian mediated ceasefire, debate has once again polarized the world over which side is ultimately to blame. Israel claims that its actions during Operation Pillar of Cloud were wholly justified and necessary to its national defense, while Hamas has cited its duty to fight back against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. While self defense is the unquestionable right of every nation, one must look at the root causes of a conflict that has been smoldering, largely uninterrupted, for the past 65 years. Unlike the Israelis, the Palestinian citizens have no real homeland, living in a perpetual state of fear and hopelessness. With its infrastructure shattered by years of warfare, unemployment rates in the Gaza strip are nearly 40%. Israel frequently launched raids into the West Bank and Gaza and holds approximately 5604 Palestinians as political prisoners. For the conflict to have any hope of a permanent treaty, living conditions need t o

Jack Grobe “No government would tolerate a situation where nearly a fifth of its people live under a constant barrage of rockets and missile fire.” This declaration made by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on November 15 underpins the national position on Hamas attacks. If, in one year, the United States had fired hundreds of missiles into Canada, would Stephen Harper sit

rise and the sovereignty of a Palestinian nation has to be respected. Furthermore, Israelis have largely ignored the borders established in 1979 and have continued to push illegal settlements deeper into the West Bank, violently displacing the Palestinians who live there. According to Americans For Peace Now’s mapping project, Over 236 illegal settlements have been constructed since 2000, resulting in over half a million Israeli settlers and the estimated destruction of over 24,500 Palestinian homes. This is in direct violation of the Oslo Accords in 1993 and is a constant reminder to Palestinians of the lack of control they hold over even the most basic of human rights, such as shelter. It is true that a constant bar-

back and allow more attacks the following year? Israel’s most recent actions in the Gaza Strip, known as Operation Pillar Of Defense, were completely justified and legal under international law. Israel’s goal during the conflict was to stop rocket attacks and to compromise Hamas’ ability to wage war on Israel. According to the Israel Defense Forces, Hamas has fired nearly 12 000 rockets into Israel since 2000, including 764 in 2012 before Operation Pillar Of Defense began.

rage of rockets against Israel does little for the Palestinian cause, alienating the population in the eyes of the world and giving Israel an excuse to launch further incursions into Gaza. But I would argue that these are the actions of frustrated, desperate people who have been neglected by the global community. The harsh fact is that the best way to draw attention to their cause is through violence, no

matter the cost to themselves. And the cost has been horrific. Since 2000 alone, 6568 Palestinians have been killed and over 60,000 wounded. Neither side is completely blameless for the problems plaguing the region, but since Israel is the unquestionable powerhouse in the conflict, it needs to make the first step. With its vast, modern military, $3 billion in annual aid from the US, and

the sympathetic support of the global community, Israel should take the initiative and make the first move, lifting the economic blockade on Gaza and halting all further illegal settlements. The key to peace, however, will revolve around funding and rebuilding Gaza, thus restoring dignity and self-sufficiency to the Palestinian people.

Theref o r e , in accordance with UN Charter Article 51, this escalation prompted Israel to kill the leader of the military wing of Hamas, Ahmed Jabari. Jabari

is a man recognized by foreign governments and international NGOs as a terrorist. His death led Hamas to increase its attacks on Israel by firing 880 rockets in the last two weeks. These attacks included long-range missiles that struck Tel Aviv for the first time since 1991 and Jerusalem for the first time since 1970. Israel attacked Hamas from clearly defined military sites, particularly targeting rocket sites in Gaza. Israel attempted to minimize civilian casualties and apologized for the accidental death of civilians that did occur. Hamas, meanwhile, strategically fired from among its own civilians, often placing their rocket launchers on the

roofs of apartment buildings. In addition, Hamas did not aim for Israeli military sites; they shot at random and consequently killed Israeli civilians. The reason so many Palestinian civilians died was because Israel could not destroy any rocket sites without killing innocents as well. Hamas placing their own citizens in the line of fire is a violation of international law. In the end, Israel accidentally killed civilians as they attempted to end Hamas’s campaign of terrorism. By contrast, Hamas killed civilians on purpose in an attempt to destroy Israel as a nation.

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THE INSIDE

Public health, peace, and conflict resolution First in lecture series aims to change notions of global health Sabastian Greenholtz On Monday, November 26, over one hundred people representing three generations gathered in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health auditorium to give peace a chance -- by giving health a chance. Professor Emerita Ursula Franklin gave a lecture titled “Ask: How are you? NOT Who are you?” as the first in what will become an annual lecture series in memory of physician and Holocaust survivor, Dr. Zofia Paukla. Paukla’s son Andrew stated in the lecture’s program that he founded the lecture series “in [an] effort to keep alive the legacy of his mother.” Franklin, who came to Canada from Germany in 1949, is known both for her research in metallurgy and technology, and her community organizing for peace and justice. Her lecture focused on the latter. Franklin illustrated her overarching message when she explained her lecture’s title. She referred to the need to “care for each other’s well being, even if it is for the most selfish of reasons,

that we cannot be well when others are sick...there’s a collective notion of well-being that is real practice…and that is physical, mental, political.” According to Franklin, this collective notion of health dates back to the World Wars. While reflecting on Paukla’s generation she stated, “Women across the world, across the country, said, if our children are going to grow up healthy and safe, all children have to grow up healthy and safe.” Still, public health concerns continue to plague North American society since WWII. Franklin attributed this to economic causes, lamenting, “What has happened is privatization and globalization; what has happened is that the communality is the communality of the stock market; what happened is that we have lost, not our humanity, but we have lost our collectivity.” Furthermore, the identification of national enemies -- historically the Soviet Union, currently terrorism -- prevented Canada and the US from making

needed reforms. Franklin concluded, “It is essential to realize that peace, and the dividends of having peace, will come when we refuse to recognize others as enemies.” Franklin proposed two solutions. First, people must be involved in government decisions and that “one has to know why decisions are made.” Second, Franklin called for greater communication between people. She informed the audience, “Women have always been able, however disadvantaged, to share knowledge. The operative concept is to give yourself time with each other... Get together physically, take time, and be open with each other.” U of T Professor Paul Hamel similarly touches on these ideas in his class, Global Health and Human Rights. Hamel explained in an interview with the newspaper, “It’s kind of a way of crossing some frontiers in which we try to find what are the determinants of health, mixed in with moral, ethical ideas.”

“I go and lecture there in the second year course and they’re so incredibly hungry for a critique of how it is that we even need to think about poor people.” He continued, “They’re really fascinated and interested in learning about these systems that give rise to the reasons we want to do charitable work.” However, Hamel chastised students for not getting more involved because he believes they have more time to do so than most working people. “My observation is that students do have a lot of time on their hands when they could be thinking about other things, and I think they would do so if they were encouraged in an environment in the class to think about those things so they take it out of the class and do it there … It takes a change in the mindset of teaching here at this university and also the students who come here.” Hopefully the continuation of the Dr. Zofia Pakula lectures in years to come will encourage this kind of change.

Sport film shows women fighting for change Hart House screens boxing doc, celebrates 40 years of women’s participation

Odessa Kelebay

ODESSA KELEBAY

On Wednesday, November 28, The Boxing Girls of Kabul screened in the Hart House library. Directed by Ariel Nasr, the film was shown in celebration of 40 years of women participating at Hart House and was the last instalment of this fall’s Con-

scious Activism Documentary Series. Following the film, special guests Jonathon Power, Dr. Cathy van Ingen and Dr. Subha Ramanathan spoke on a panel mediated by Michelle Brownrigg about issues presented in the film. Nasr’s documentary tells the heart-wrenching story of a

Suash playaer Jonathan Power, middle; Dr. Cathy van Ingen, right; Dr. Subha Ramanathan

group of young Afghan women who are fighting to become boxers. Instead of paying specific attention to the oppressive sociopolitical environment they live in, the film focuses on personal stories. Power, a 36 tour title winning squash champion, believes these kinds of initiatives are needed to help “move the social dial […] in the right direction.” He admitted that the film struck a chord with him in light of his personal ties to the involvement of women in sports. Power currently coaches Maria Toor Pakay, who is originally from South Waziristan, which Power claimed is one of the most dangerous places in the world due to the Taliban’s presence. Growing up, she had to disguise herself as a boy, just so that she could participate in sports. Today, Pakay is Pakistan’s number one ranked female squash player. All three panelists asserted

sport and physical activity are positive ways to motivate social change. Van Ingen is a professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Brock University and a founder of Shape Your Life, a boxing program dedicated to helping women and trans victims of violence. On working with the participants, van Ingen stated “there is something really powerful about [...] discovering how strong they [her students] already are.” She believes the gym is a “space that they can work out their anger,” helping these individuals become stronger people who can go on to make a difference in their own lives and in the world. Ramanathan, a post-doctoral fellow at U of T, explained that while many issues may be censored in Afghanistan, sport ends up in the news. Ramanathan sees sport as an opportunity to instigate social change as it

Women on campus, in history

1884 - First female stu-

dents admitted to UofT; UC161 becomes first lecture hall where women attend class; there were no women’s washrooms on campus

1885

- 5 students are the first women to graduate from UofT

1906

- First women admitted to Faculty of Medicine (Catharine Whiteside appointed first female dean in 2005)

1921 - First women’s

hockey team at UofT faces off against McGill

1971 - UofT offers first

courses on women including HIS 348, “The History of Women”

1972 -

Hart House lifts ban on female participation in the gym

1985

- Professor Ursula Franklin of the Department of Metallurgy and Material Sciences becomes first female professor

1986

- Women’s Centre opens on campus; in 2006 it became the Centre for Women and Trans People

2006 - Professor Cristina Amon is appointed first female dean of Faculty of Engineering

2011

- Status of Women Office launches virtual map marking women’s achievements at UofT - Sourced from Putting Women on the Map by the Status of Women Office

garners media attention and “evokes a reaction in people.” Brownrigg, the Director of Physical Activity and Equity at the University of Toronto, explained that sport is a positive way to build self-esteem and that this claim is supported through quantifiable results. According to Brownrigg, the notion “I worked on this and therefore I achieved it” translates into other aspects of people’s lives. Not only does sport foster good work ethic but also, “sport can create a place where you can learn how to lose” because it’s a “safe space to fail.” If it’s okay to fail, it’s okay to try. According to the Faculty of Physical Education and Kinesiology, in 1919, administrators said that women participating in physical activity in Hart House would be “unseemly.” While many battles have been won on campus, the fight around the world is far from over.

6 THE ARTS

November 29, 2012

Tagged and liked

Jon Dundas Tagged & It’s Complicated, a musical comedy by Out of Reach Theatre Company, was quick yet perfectly enjoyable. The play is about the awkwardness of online dating, focusing on two characters, a guy and a girl in their late twenties both unlucky in love and lonely. As a result, they enter the world of online dating, breaking into humour-filled song to wax about their respective situations. The male lead “Tim,” played by Matty Burns, is unem-

THE FILM What? Free Screenings presented by TIFF + VtapeWhere? TIFF and LIFT | visit website for exact film locations When? Dec. 2nd and Dec. 3rd $$ FREE

MIKE FERGUSSON

Out of Reach Theatre Company presents fun take on internet dating

WTF TO DO

Tim (Matty Burns) and Katherine (Ruth Goodwin) look for love in the search bar ployed, lives with his parents, and was recently friend-zoned by the girl he was interested in. Conversely, “Katherine,” played by Ruth Goodwin, is 26, lives unhappily alone, and is hassled by her phone company who highlight the severe underuse of her cellphone. The two eventually decide to try out online dating, and hilarity ensues. Both performers had a very clean and clearly wellrehearsed choreography, with an excellent use of props highlighting the songs as they are performed. Each actor carried

a tune equally well, though (rarely) at times one seemed louder than the other. The Internet related phenomena that comes with the territory of the play’s premise necessarily invited awkwardness into the characters’ situations. But perhaps this was the director’s intended effect. Intentional or not, the jokes were sincerely funny. The addition of live music worked smoothly, though for such a small set they seemed to take up too much room, distracting from the rest of the performance. The play could

have benefited from a larger stage, allowing the performers’ tailored choreography more room to entertain. Overall, the experience was entertaining, though perhaps a fifteen dollar ticket for an hour is a little steep. Still, for a pleasant time, it’s worth a go. If your reservations toward online dating are mitigated by promises of comedic song, maybe you’ll even snag a date to bring to this performance. Tagged & It’s Complicated runs until December 1 at the Palmerston Library Theatre.

THE EXHIBIT What? Chroma *Exposes local artists and provides affordable artworkWhere? #HASHTAG GALLERY | 801 Dundas W (at Bathurst) When? Nov 29 at 7PM 11:30PM and runs until Dec 2 $$ FREE What? Jeff Thomas | Resistance Is NOT Futile Where? STEPHEN BULGER GALLERY | 1026 Queen St W When? Dec 1 at 2PM - 5PM | Gallery hours Tues - Sat 11AM - 6PM $$ FREE THE LECTURE What? Trampoline Hall | Sholem Krishtalka curates, Misha Clouberman hosts Where? THE GARRISON When? Mon Dec 3 at 8PM $$ Rush tickets sold at door for $5 from 6:30PM THE EVENT What? ROM Friday Night Live Where? THE ROM | 100 Queens Park When? Nov 30 at 7PM $$ $10; $9 students/seniors; ROM members free - Kelsey Stasiak

Open taps, open hearts, open mic

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Quality of Supermarket’s Sunday night “Freef’all” surprises and delights

Natalie Morcos While open mic nights typically garner skepticism, Freef’all Sundays, Supermarket’s weekly open mic night in Kensington Market was all quality. The welcoming crowd and talented line-up paired with permeating vibes of love, and built-in “Kensington cool”

coalesced into an overwhelmingly positive experience. Upon arrival at 9:30, the first thing to stand out was the closeness of the community. The crowd was engaged but respectful. A cackle of laughing ladies were clustered tightly together by the stage, but comments, cheers, and catcalls

came from all directions. It was a room full of mostlies – mostly full tables, mostly empty beer bottles, mostly grown in facial hair, and mostly smiling faces. The black curtained walls and ambient candle light contributed to the cozy mood as Christian Bridges, the floralshirt wearing act of the moment, signed off with “Much love, one love” after a flawless falsetto performance. Despite the 60s hippiecum-2012 hipster vibe, the musical styles of the night varied greatly. Falling somewhere between electric jam sessions and acoustic campfire circles, the acts ranged from Kings of Leon-style group groveling to solo Alanis Morissette-esque ballads, to self-conscious Matt & Kim-reminiscent male keyboardist/vocalists, to an Irishinspired folk/punk group who implored the crowd, à la Dropkick Murphys, to “Come on and grab the whiskey.” All

were incredibly talented musicians, a rare find for an open mic night, and the crowd remained responsive and attentive. The quality of the event was perhaps due to its narrow focus. The organizers, Tony and Steve, were asked about getting up to dance on stage. Tony shook his head and leaned in, revealing a Soulfinger tee under his black vest. Finishing his beer and pushing his dreads back over his shoulders he explained: “It’s an open mic, but it’s a music open mic. No comedy, no spoken word, nothing else. It’s got to be music.” Tony also highlighted that the drum kit, keyboard, bass, acoustic guitar, and six mike setup are provided in-house courtesy of Long & McQuade. A brief conversation with Tony and Steve made the openness of the community apparent once more. A slew of onlookers came forward and

introduced themselves, sharing anecdotes and pitching in their two cents. One in particular, Jay Pollock, addressed Steve as Sven Jorgen. “It’s my joke Scandinavian name,” Steve explained, as his blue eyes danced sheepishly. Before he excused himself, Pollock excellent summed up the crowd in the room: “This is the grassroots of Toronto in a musical sense. If you want to see what Toronto songwriters are like, you come here.” Though drink prices are slightly steep at $6 dollars a bottle and $6.50 a pint for local brews, the charming bar staff, inclusive atmosphere, and high quality musical offerings mostly make up for it. Freef ’all Sundays have no cover and start 8pm weekly at Supermarket, 268 Augusta avenue. Slot sign up becomes available at 5 pm day of via the ‘Freefall Sundays’ Pre-list’ Facebook page.

Roberto Alagna in Verdi’s Aida

THE ARTS

Dear Suzie

EXPERIENCE

Of rice and roommates: How to deal with awkward Dear Suzie, I’m a first year student. I’m sharing a dorm with a girl who I get along pretty well with. The other day, I saw her on campus wearing my sweater. We’re not that close, so I was taken aback when I saw her wearing something of mine. This is the first time it’s happened, and I don’t want to ruin our otherwise good dynamic by making a big deal. Still, it made me uncomfortable. What do I do?

DEC 1 LA CLEMENZA DI TITO Mozart DEC 8 UN BALLO IN MASCHERA Verdi DEC 15 AIDA Verdi

TM/®

TORONTO

Cineplex Entertainment LP or used under license. Photo: Nick Heavican/Metropolitan Opera

Rush Tickets available 15 minutes before every performance

Visit Cineplex.com/opera for tickets and participating theatres

“

-Nice Sweater Dear Nice Sweater, The very fact that you wrote to me lets me know that you probably hate confrontation. Guess what? Not all confrontation has to be the kind that you see on Real Housewives of New Jersey. There doesn’t have to be any table-flipping or swearing or even Botox-paralyzed cut-eye exchanged. Barring that your roommate has the exact same sweater, her borrowing your clothes without permission will most likely happen again. The next time it does, don’t be afraid to bring it up by neutrally stating that you noticed her wearing your clothes, and would she mind running it by you next time. Then dispel any possibilities of an awkward showdown and ask her if she wants to go get a smoothie. Confrontations are only as confrontational as you want them to be. Sincerely, Suzie

“

FOR ONLY $

Got a question for Suzie? Submit it anonymously at the newspaper.ca in the blue box

the campus comment

This Monday, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford was found guilty in a conflict of interest case and has been forced out of office as a result.

the newspaper asked: Do you find Rob Ford’s sentence acceptable?

ESAVEO 2nd year, Anthropology “I would prefer for him to lose an election. It seems like it would be more of a just way to remove him from office and it would represent more what the people want.”

KATHERINE 4th year, Psychology “I think that’s very acceptable considering all the crap that he’s done with the city, so I thought it was a good idea. I’m surprised that they didn’t take him out of the running for next year. Hopefully he doesn’t get reelected.”

BODI BOLD

CASSANDRA 2nd year, English and Environmental Studies STEPHANIE 2nd year, English “I think it’s acceptable, because he was using public funding for his own purposes.”

HILLARY 3rd year, Political Science MAXIMILIEN 2nd year, Human Geography “I think it is inappropriate what he did with public funds. It reflects poorly on the city of Toronto and embarrasses the integrity of the city and I think that it’s good that they kicked him out.”

ALEXIS 2nd year, Political Science and Philosophy DEBBIE 2nd year, Life Science JOEL 2nd year, Physics “Rob Ford was being ignorant of the law. Even though he is mayor he can’t get away with things like that. The judge made the right decision.”

ADAM 3rd year, History “I think it’s a bit of an overreaction given that he was funding a high school football team. But at the same time it’s really a matter of his attitude towards it all. It’s like he feels that he’s above the law. I’m glad to see him go but I feel like it would’ve been better if it would’ve been more legitimate.”

THE END

November 29, 2012

DOWNTOWN MOTOWN in as s ociation wit h L aid Ba re: Cur at ions a nd O t her Concerns

a fundraiser for THE NEWSPAPER, U of T's independent weekly

live motown performance by

THE MIDNIGHT SOCIETY

november 30

2012

MAY CAFE 876 DUNDAS WEST doors at 10pm , concert at 11pm $5 cover