November 15, 2012

the newspaper

Since 1978

VOL XXXV Issue 11 • November 15, 2012

FANG SU

The University of Toronto’s Independent Weekly

Trudeaumania 2.0 comes to campus

Says voting “isn’t cool,” but wants yours anyway Dylan Hornby On Tuesday, November 12, Justin Trudeau came to the University of Toronto for an interview and conversation with hundreds of interested participants.

Hosted by the U of T Young Liberals, the event offered students a unique opportunity to hear the Liberal leadership candidate discuss his own struggles in politics and question him on a whole host of issues.

Trudeau began by addressing his critics. Political opponents have criticized the supposed entitlement his last name gives him and that his previous job as a Vancouver teacher makes him unqualified. Trudeau fired back by saying, “The people who’ve said that, I’ve managed to defeat.” He later took a stab at Stephen Harper: “I don’t know if being a mail clerk and then the head of a right-wing lobby group gave him an awful lot of

experience”, which resulted in laughs and applause from the audience.

Trudeau said he got involved at a young age in politics because, “I had to make a strong statement that young people should and can make a difference in politics.” According to Trudeau, attempts to make voting flashy and cool to Canada’s youth are pursued in vain. “You can’t make voting cool, because it isn’t cool. ‘Cool’ is a level of

detachment; voting is a deeply committed, hopeful act.”

Later on, Trudeau accused the Conservatives and the NDP of using the “Politics of fear, division and wedge issues” to divide Canadians against each other.

He mentioned Prime Minister Harper “alienating Quebec to play to the western base” and Thomas Mulcair using ‘Dutch Disease’ against Alberta to shore up support in Quebec and Ontario.

Trudeau instead promised a Liberal alternative to polarized politics. “I will never play up one part of the country against another… I will say the same things to all Canadians in French and English.”

The first question from the audience came from a student who was upset about the overarching power of the Canadian Federation of Students. Trudeau

cont’d page 2

Labour negotiations continue at St. Michael’s College

Yukon Damov After over a year of negotiations, the first collective agreement for academic contract workers at St. Michael’s College will have to wait. Although the unionized workers had threatened to strike if a deal was not reached by midnight Wednesday, they agreed to continue negotiations Thursday morning. The union

will convene with its members Thursday at 5pm, with either a deal to be ratified or rejected, or a notice to pursue strike action.

A notice will be published on their website.

The union, CUPE 3902, Unit 4, comprises all persons employed

by St. Mike’s on sessional contracts and includes sessional lecturers and teaching assistants.

Should a strike happen, then

graduate theology courses, undergraduate classes, continuing education programs and help for students in writing labs will not be offered by Unit 4 members.

“The outstanding issue was job security,” said Shiraz Vally, Staff Representative for the Unit 4 bargaining committee. “What they were offering was less than

cont’d page 2

BODI BOLD

University will conduct ‘as normal operations as possible,’ in case of strike

2

THE NEWS

Opinion: Hart House debate on Syria misses some key points

NATO ambassador denounces war in practice but not in principle

Zach Morgenstern In the recent debate over NATO intervention in Syria, hosted by the Hart House Debates Committee, both sides missed some key points in determining this critical question.

The pro-intervention side argued that intervention in Syria could ensure secular democrats gaining power upon defeating Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The opposition countered by citing NATO’s unpopularity in Syria, the Syrian opposition’s association with Islamists, the country’s business elite, and the increased likelihood of Assad using chemical weapons if his country were invaded.

Former NATO ambassador David Wright spoke after, emphasizing the effect of NATO’s divisions. Some members support intervention but important players such as Germany are opposed, and powerful ones such as the United States do not

want to lead the attack. Wright concluded, only Turkey favors intervention in Syria.

While the speakers captured some of the nuances of the Syrian question, key issues were still ignored. The regional power struggle over Syria, involving reactionary monarchies (Saudi Arabia and Qatar), a former colonial power (Turkey), and an unpopular occupation (Israel) went almost unmentioned. A Syrian rebel victory could benefit these countries and erode Syrian sovereignty.

Another flaw was Wright’s complete denunciation of Assad’s regime. While Syria’s government isn’t democratic and has committed atrocities, Wright’s view ignores even some pro-western sources, such as The Globe and Mail and a Qatari poll cited in The Guardian, suggesting most Syrians see Assad as a “lesser evil” when choosing between his rule and continued fighting.

the newspaper is the University of Toronto’s independent weekly paper, published since 1978.

VOL XXXV No. 11 Editor-in-Chief Cara Sabatini

Design Editor Samantha Chiusolo

Managing Editor Helene Goderis

Web Editor Joe Howell

News Editor Yukon Damov

Comment Editor Dylan Hornby

Associate News Editors Sebastian Greenholtz Emerson Vandenberg

Contributors

Photo Editor Bodi Bold Illustrations Editor Nick Ragetli

Suzanna Balabuch, Bodi Bold, Samantha Del Frate, Sebastian Greenholtz, Sydney Gautreau, Dylan Hornby, Sofia Luu, Natalie Morcos, Zach Morgenstern, Nick Ragetli, Kelsey Stasiak, Fang Su, Emerson Vandenberg, Rhiannon White

Copy Editor Sydney Gautreau the newspaper 1 Spadina Crescent Suite 245 Toronto, ON M5S 1A1

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.

November 15, 2012 from “St. Mike’s”

from “Trudeau”

what exists anywhere at U of T.” “What our proposal has been is [that] once you’ve taught a course, you have a right to teach it again unless, of course, they use the appropriate progressive discipline procedure which is in the contract,” said Dr. Daniel Bader, Chair of the Unit 4 bargaining committee.

“What they offered was not anything remotely acceptable. At 11:55[pm], they gave us something we could talk about.”

A notice was published Wednesday on St. Mike’s website regarding possible strike action: “Should mediation not be successful, and should the Union decide to strike, the University will remain open and provide as normal operations as possible, including the continuation of classes.

“Faculty and staff who are not members of CUPE 3902, Unit 4 are expected to come to work.

Students should assume that classes will continue during job action, and are expected to attend scheduled classes, unless otherwise notified.”

was careful not to call out CFS: “We’re a democracy. If the organization that represents you doesn’t do a good job, you organize against them.”

There were also many questions revolving around the future of the Liberal Party with Trudeau as its presumptive leader. He downplayed such a scenario: “There is no such thing in politics or anywhere as a foregone conclusion.”

He was also critical of his own party. “I don’t want to talk about re-building. Let’s remove the word ‘re’. We have to create a new Liberal Party.” Trudeau sees classic Liberal phrases such as calling the Liberals “the natural governing party of Canada” troubling, concluding that “the more we’re focused on Canadians and the less we’re focused on Liberals the better.”

Instead of using attack strategies, Trudeau suggested “a way of doing politics that doesn’t divide people against each other.”

He referred to his election in the Montreal riding of Papineau as the kind of politics he would try and replicate nationally. “I managed to run without ever saying anything negative about my opponents,” he claimed. Trudeau urged the Liberal Party to follow suit. “I have no time for the divisive style of politics that got us in this position.”

Wright also ignored that Assad’s Ba’ath party governs as part of a coalition of left-leaning parties, known as the National Progressive Front (NPF). Some NPF members have championed reforms, such as amendments to the Syrian constitution enforcing presidential term limits and political pluralism.

Youssuf Farha of the Syrian Unified Communist Party argued that the reforms address the demands of Syria’s peaceful protesters better than the atrocities committed by the pro-intervention opposition.

While ideally Syria would have a different governing structure, the West’s ulterior motives make so-called humanitarian intervention unthinkable. It is not fair to rain bombs on Syrians and then force them to adopt neoliberal reforms, friendlier relations with their reactionary the newspaper is pursuing neighbors, and a rightist and/or further comment from St. theocratic replacement for the Michael’s College.

NPF, as the NATO model of intervention suggests. “Humanitarian intervention” destroyed Libya - we can’t make the same mistake again.

Licence to kill . . . cancer cells?

U of T researchers find anti-biotic slows cancer growth; research licensed to Canadian development firm Emmerson Vandenberg The University Health Network (UNH) and development firm Stem Cell Therapeutics (SCT) successfully negotiated terms for a licensing agreement in regards to a breakthrough in cancer research made last year at Princess Margaret Hospital. Dr. Aaron Schimmer, clinician-scientist and Associate Professor of Medicine at U of T, determined that the drug Tigecycline, developed to cope with resistant skin infections, also slows leukemia cell growth in cancer patients.

The new deal was signed through UNH’s commercialization agent MaRS Innovation, and granted a world-wide license to the stem-cell technology developing company. David Allan, Executive Chairman of SCT, suggests on MaRS’ website that “repositioning a safe and well-tolerated antibiotic as a cancer therapeutic is an attractive business proposition.”

Schimmer’s research aims to

increase the amount of viable leukemia treatments. In an interview with the newspaper, Schimmer stated that although “chemotherapy is the mainstay of current treatments, 65 per cent will die within 2 years.”

Compared to other cancer mortality rates, Schimmer concluded that this outcome is not satisfactory.

Tigecycline, which was developed in 2005 to treat resistant strains of E.coli and Staph infections, has shown promise in selectively targeting leukemia cell growth. This was demonstrated when Schimmer and his team tested hundreds of different antiobiotics against leukemia in test tubes. They observed that Tigecycline inhibited the cell’s ability to create energy, and the leukemia cells were starved into submission. Schimmer hopes “other cancers may be uniquely sensitive” to the drug as well.

A second trial involving actual patients is currently ongo-

ing at Princess Margaret; Schimmer hopes the results will reveal both the appropriate dosage of Tygecycline and the possible side effects. Building on the conclusions from the patient trials, SCT hopes to conduct more tests and eventually develop Tigecycline as a potential cancer treatment.

In negotiating deals like this, MaRS Innovation is fulfilling its mandate as the UNH’s commercialization agent. Developed as a marketing body, MaRS’ role is to pair research discoveries with private firms to help turn breakthroughs into marketable products.

The federal government similarly recognizes the importance of pairing new research with partners in the private sector.

The 2012 Canadian budget allotted an additional $110m to the National Research Council of Canada, which helps business coordinate research strategies and develop new technologies.

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3

THE NEWS

Diplomats in Iranian hostage crisis discuss Argo Yukon Damov Wednesday night’s conversation between former diplomats Robert Anders and Michael Shenstone, hosted by the U.S. Consulate and the University of Toronto International Relations Society, was an exercise in displaying Hollywood’s manipulation of historical reality.

Argo tells the story of six American diplomats trapped in the middle of Iran’s 1979 revolution. While Iranian demonstrators stormed the American embassy demanding the return of the exiled Shah from the U.S., six diplomats managed to escape the compound.

One of these diplomats was Robert Anders. Michael Shenstone was Director-General of Foreign Affairs for Africa and the Middle East. He co-ordinated with the U.S. to arrange the diplomats’ eventual exit from Iran.

The diplomats holed up in the residence of Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor. The CIA’s outlandish scenario for getting them out of the country was to mount a fake movie called “Argo.” A CIA operative entered the country under the pretense of searching for film locations and left with his team of six fellow movie-types--the diplomats.

Such is the basic plot of Argo, which is based mostly in reality.

Some elements of the movie are fictionalized, others are exaggerated. Cinema is, after all, an art of deception.

Argo’s dramatic tension relies on the diplomats’ escape from Iran becoming most tenuous at the airport. If their cover was blown, not only would they likely be killed, but the U.S. and Canada would face extreme embarrassment, the security of the hostages would be jeopardized, and Canada’s Embassy would come under threat.

The six diplomats were privy to the screenplay. One scene at the airport has the diplomats pulled aside for questioning and the outcome looks bleak.

BODI BOLD

Spoiler alert: Hollywood fudged the facts

Former diplomats in Iranian hostage crisis Michael Shenstone (left) and Robert Anders (right) discuss Argo at Trinity College Joe Stafford, a diplomat whose prominence was exaggerated by Anders’ account, saves the crew by convincingly explaining Argo’s storyboards in Farsi. When the diplomats asked about this fictionalized scene, the producers replied, “We have to set up conflict.”

“It was much more difficult coming up here through Washington,” quipped Anders on Wednesday.

Thus there was no last-min-

ute call to the White House to confirm the plane tickets, as shown in the movie. An Iranian official’s phone call to Studio 6, Argo’s Hollywood production unit, during the crisis, happened at some point, and went smoothly. But the chase scene?

“Pure Hollywood,” said Anders.

Anders appeared unperturbed by the movie’s take on the story, said he enjoyed the film, and reminded the audience that Argo is not a documentary.

U of T sports model under review

Revamp proposed for increasingly uncompetitive varsity program Natalie Morcos On November 5, proposed reforms to to the University of Toronto’s Intercollegiate Program appeared online for consultation. Three distinct models have been proposed, all sharing the goal of increasing competitiveness and success, and all organizing the existing Varsity teams into a multitiered system across which resources are no longer distributed evenly.

Originating in a review of the University’s Sport Model commissioned by Ira Jacobs, Dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Health and Education, in late 2011, the reforms hope to address the University’s continually decreasing national athletic standings.

Despite being the only Ontario University Athletics (OUA) institution to field a team in every sport at both the provincial and national levels, the U of T intercollegiate program has been mediocre in recent years. The report reads that of all member schools, “The University of Toronto has seen the biggest decrease in OUA championships won,” citing a paltry 80 titles awarded out of a possible 516 since 2000. The trend continues nationally: U of T has only claimed three national titles in

the last ten years.

“Currently, the model we have is not sustainable,” states Beth Ali, Director of U of T Intercollegiate and High-Performance Sport. Motivated by the report findings that “the University of Toronto CIS [Canadian Interuniversity Sport] sports do not have the same number of full time coaches, assistant coaches, athletic financial awards, and team/ athlete resources as other comparable Canadian universities who have demonstrated competitive success,” the proposed reforms call for the prioritization of CIS-governed leagues in terms of resource allocation, recruitment support and access to facilities. These sports include: football, ice hockey, field hockey, basketball, volleyball, track and field, cross country, soccer, and swimming. This reorganization aims to produce optimal competitiveness and marketability.

In the proposed models the university’s other teams would receive either Varsity Club status or Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE) club status. These designations come with limited access to human and financial resources, training facilities, and sports medicine, among other things.

Though the University’s focus does seem to be shifted to CIS level sports, it is not being

distributed evenly. Rugby and wrestling, both CIS-governed, are among the programs to be struck with serious cutbacks.

In all three proposed models rugby is incorporated into the intramural program and wrestling either ceases to be supported entirely or is slated for “further review.”

Some players seem to be on board with the reform’s goals but unsure of the method. La-

crosse, though not a CIS sport, is another nationally-recognized team facing cutbacks.

“One of the models was demoting us to KPE club because our league isn’t OUA or CIS, but rather Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association,” commented. Patrick Belisle, a third year Lacrosse player.

“I think it is important to improve success in sports, but it’s important that each athlete

Varsity sports may be a thing of the past.

Photo from the newspaper archives, November 7, 1990.

that has come to play for U of T in the first place gets to keep playing.”

For the administration’s part, Ali said that “This is truly a consultation process,” and feedback the department is receiving from stakeholder sessions will be incorporated into any next steps. Consultations close November 23rd and, as of yet, no final model has been developed.

4

THE DEBATE

November 15, 2012

There’s something about Mary Jane

Cases for the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana On November 6, the same day that two states in the U.S. voted to legalize marijuana for recreational use, Canada cracked down on the drug. As part of the federal government’s Safe Streets and Communities Act, which passed last spring, the new law is now in effect and mandates six months jail time for growing as few as six marijuana plants. According to the Toronto Star, a spokesperson for Canadian Justice Minister Rob Nicholson said in an email, “Our government does not support the decriminalization or the legalization of marijuana.”

RHIANNON WHITE

On election night last week, the “mile-high city” of Denver, Colorado took on a whole new meaning.

With the legalization of marijuana in the states of Colorado and Washington, prospects of legalizing marijuana across the border are beginning to bud.

Although illegal, marijuana possession and usage in Canada is among the highest in the industrial world, and is broadly tolerated by many Canadians.

The illegal marijuana industry in British Columbia (which directly borders Washington) is alone worth more than the forestry industry, at over 7 billion dollars a year.

With the most recent poll showing nearly two thirds of Canadi-

ans supporting legalization or decimalization, it seems that the question is now which path would be the best?

Simply put, legalization is the best way to solve the problem of drug use. If the goal of prohibition was to reduce drug use through criminal penalty, there are

obvious failures. Marijuana use is so widespread in Canada that the benefits will always outweigh the cost. Prohibition has created a black market, where drug dealers can make obscene profits (off a plant that literally grows like a weed) by selling to anyone regardless of their age.

Legalization combats this by creating a regulated system that

both taxes and prevents youth from buying marijuana in the first place. Much like how the LCBO works today with alcohol.

When I went to high school, it was always easier to buy a few grams of weed off a friend than to get a 19-year old to buy a bottle of vodka (so I was told).

Decimalization may take marijuana out of the Criminal Code, saving the government hundreds of millions in legal fees, but it does not hold actual criminals accountable. The criminals are not the users of marijuana, but rather the dealers who sell to

children and the violent gangs who grow and ship it around the globe. Decriminalization will only maintain this vicious cycle. Legalization makes their actions unprofitable and lets the public profit instead through tax revenue.

Ironically on the same day marijuana was legalized in two states, our government toughened the existing laws. Let’s be honest- if the Americans are being more progressive than us, we’re clearly thinking backwards. As long as the Harper government refuses to listen to popular opinion and research, prohibition will only continue to create problems.

According to Parent Action on Drugs, legalization removes legal penalties against drug use and possession, while decriminalization keeps possession or use illegal, but doesn’t press criminal charges because of it.

In the United States especially either action is a major improvement to the

found that of those entering treatment for marijuana dependence, about half are under 25, and a disproportionate number have unaddressed mental health problems.This is all under the framework of illegality, however these cases will only increase if pot was legalized.

Legalization implies that there is no problem associated with a substance. Decriminalization says that it’s still a problem, but not one worth pressing charges for. Legalization means that no one would get punished at all, whereas decriminalization would impose a fine for possession of a certain amount.

Imagine if we legalized other fined infractions, such as parking in front of fire hydrants! The fear of a fine keeps people from doing what they’re not supposed to; if there was no punishment people would obscure the pumps all the time. By the same token, if there were no fine for pot possession, kids would be lighting up every day.

Decriminalization is a fair solution. Those who can responsibly use it can do so without worrying about being thrown in jail, and those who might use irresponsibly have a deterrent against frequent or heavy use.

No matter what action is taken, the key thing to remember is that marijuana has an effect on the body and mind, and kids need to be properly monitored and educated about its impacts.

Just as education about alcohol forms a key part of health, so too must kids learn how to stay safe if they do choose to use pot.

^^

^^

Dylan Hornby

DECRIMINALIZE Sebastian Greenholtz

While potheads around North America are celebrating the legalization of marijuana in Washington and Colorado in the US, those of us with negative experiences with pot have a different view of the legislation and its implications.

highly draconian laws that keep millions in jail for marijuana possession, however the choice to legalize instead of decriminalize poses problems worth examining.

People use pot for many reasons, some positive, such as medication or casual recreation, and some negative, such as social pressures or to mask a serious problem. I have known people to form strong social, if not chemical, addictions to pot, which has led to a deterioration of their motivation and negatively impacted their school work. Researchers Alan Budney, Roger Roffman, Robert Stephens, and Denise Walker

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5

THE INSIDE

Photo exhibit presents memorial of Cambodian Genocide Portraits under the Khmer Rouge at the ROM open discussions about how and why humanity’s darkest moments are displayed

On November 10, the Royal Ontario Museum hosted a symposium dedicated to discussing the deeper themes present in the photographic exhibit Observance and Memorial: Photographs from S-21, Cambodia. The exhibit, curated

by Dr. Carla Rose Shapiro currently at the Asian Institute at the Munk School of Global Affairs, is on display at the Roloff Beny Gallery at the ROM until March 10, 2013.

The collection of 105 portraits were sent to Dr. Shapiro by the Photo Archive Group, a non- profit organization founded in 1993 whose mission was to to clean, catalogue and print the neglected photo negatives found in the Tuol Sleng Museum archive. These restored photographs line the walls of the ROM and serve as documents of crime, imprisonment, torture, and execution.

The photographs show no discretion in who was deemed

‘traitor’ or ‘enemy’ under the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1979 and tell the heart wrenching story of over 14 000 victims that were unjustly incarcerated at the Tuol Sleng S-21 prison.

Upon entering the exhibit the viewer gleans a basic history of the Khmer Rouge regime via text panels. Among these text panels was a single portrait photograph of a young female with the number 24 attached to her clothing and labeled “Prisoner Photographed Upon Arrival at S-21, Date of Photo and Date of Death Unknown (1976-1978).” The girl in the photo doesn’t appear to be more than 9 years old and there is something very haunting about her gaze directly into the camera.

In an interview with the newspaper, Shapiro revealed that choosing the opening portrait was not easy. “One does not want to privilege one victim over the others...It was the victim’s powerful gaze into the

camera that seemed to me an appropriate image to include on this wall, as the text panel suggests that the encounter with the portraits meant to encourage a kind of witnessing”.

Once through the introduction of the exhibit, the observer reaches the nucleus of the exhibit - the 105 silver gelatin victim photographs taken by Nhem En, head photographer at S-21 prison, and 5 assistant photographers. En’s photos were originally passport size, attached to each victim’s “confession” file, and meant to act as a bureaucratic record of humans condemned to death.

The photographs that line the ROM today, are much larger, accompanied by the names restored of four of the victims and a biography of their lives.

In this way, En’s portraits serve a very different purpose today, as they restore the individuality of the victims, “something which the Khmer Rouge sought to strip away” explained Shapiro.

Amidst these portraits are a few that are particularly disturbing. One portrait of a mother and child shows a young male baby lying naked on the concrete ground behind his mother. Another, again of a mother and child, shows only the hand and arm of the child visible in the bottom of the photo gripping onto the sleeve of their mother’s clothing.

The story of a woman named Haut Bophana stood out to Shapiro. Bophana’s portrait was not originally part of the 105 photos, but the woman’s unique biography compelled Shapiro to include it in the exhibit. “Bophana is a kind of Anne Frank figure - an iconic figure of the Cambodian genocide. Bohphana was arrested by the Khmer Rouge after the discovery of love letters that she wrote to her husband. Her written expression of love, and even the fact of her literacy, made her an enemy of the people.” Further, once imprisoned in S-21, Bophana’s “confession”

file read over 1000 pages long, the longest of any S21 prisoner. As a side note, Shapiro credits the work of journalist Elizabeth Becker for having made Bophana’s story known.

The exhibit concludes with a room dedicated to the projection of Khmer Rouge campaign slogans and S-21 prison rules projected on the gallery walls. Slogans reading “To destroy you is no loss, to preserve you is no gain” and “He who protests is an enemy. He who opposes is a corpse” display one of humanity’s darkest moments in Cambodian history.

When asked “how and why do we display humanity’s darkest moments?” Shapiro stated “it reminds of us of humanity’s capacity for malevolence against which we must always remain vigilant...We cannot change the path of the past to which the S-21 portraits lead, but we are active agents in constructing our future.”

BODI BOLD

Sam Del Frate

Nhem En’s portraits as curated by Dr. Carla Rose Shapiro are on display at the ROM until March, 10, 2013.

6

THE ARTS

November 15, 2012

Local businesses get crafty for digital marketplace Sofia Luu Toronto’s retail landscape can be described as crowded and competitive. As big name retailers such as Target prepare to move into Toronto, it will be extremely difficult for independent retailers to compete with their mass-produced goods at often hard to beat prices. Luckily, the Internet has made it possible for local businesses to sell without having to commit to the traditional business model.

The popularity of e-commerce is growing. Digital shopping website, Etsy, reports a rise in active sellers from 150 000 in 2009 to 800 000 in 2011.

Self-described as “the world’s handmade marketplace,” Etsy is a popular option for independent creative businesses looking to sell their goods online.

Etsy Canada’s community manager, Nada Alic, believes “Etsy is an affordable option for those who find traditional shops to be huge investments.”

Physical stores are not only expensive; they also demand one’s full-time commitment to the venture.

Options like wholesale and consignment are viable alternatives to storefronts, but they come with a price. For instance, Jihan Victoria of Hedj, an accessories business, says consignment takes a 50 per cent

cut out of her sales. It is a steep price to pay for Hedj, which is a part-time project in addition to Victoria’s full-time studies at the University of Toronto. In addition to the high costs associated with traditional stores, this also geographically limits potential clients.

Big box stores often carry mass made products that can be sold cheaply, which appeals greatly to shoppers who value quantity over quality. Sites such as Etsy cater to those “who are looking for items that tell a story” says Alic. Blogger and business owner of Fieldguided Anabela Carneiro adds that Etsy helps users get used to “the idea that they could buy unique, handmade items online.” With over 20 million users on Etsy, one would never run into the problem of generic products.

With such a large user base, new sellers may have trouble competing with the more established and experienced sellers on Etsy. Sellers have to price their items strategically in order to stay competitive.

Additionally, Canadian sellers must also deal with high taxes and costly domestic and international shipping fees. Despite some of these challenges, sites like Etsy help individual artists turn their crafts into profitable businesses. New Etsy users will gain immediate access to a large network of local

and global support. Tools such as the Etsy Success newsletter and the Etsy Seller Handbook are designed to hone in on the challenges sellers have and help make the selling process easier.

The overall essence of Etsy is designed to appeal to a certain demographic, therefore not all e-commerce aspirants will find Etsy to be the ideal platform for online selling. Those who are keen on developing a strong brand identity through their online store might find it difficult to work with Etsy, where every shop looks essentially the same.

Alternatives to Etsy do exist. Those who want to stray away from the whole marketplace concept that defines Etsy might want to consider Bigcartel. It works for businesses who are looking to carve their own niche online and would prefer not to adhere to the DIY movement with which Etsy aligns itself. Furthermore, Carniero suggests, “Etsy is a tool, not an active part in building a business.” This stands true for any online selling forum. Whether it be Etsy or Bigcartel, these sites should be used as merely the building blocks of a business — not the foundation.

Visit hedjcanada.tumblr.com to see more handmade Hedj products.

KELSEY STASIAK

E-commerce retail offers competitive alternative for small sellers

Hedj owner Jihan Victoria at the newspaper headquarters

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7

THE ARTS

Painting the true Soviet motherland U of T prof’s collection of Eastern Bloc art goes beyond the expected

Scenes from the complex and contradictory Soviet Union decorate the walls of Leonardo Galleries for the exhibition “Impressions and Abstractions - Art in the Eastern Block.” Running until November 17 at Leonardo Galleries in Yorkville, this exhibition of mixed style paintings from the private collection of U of T psychology professor Jordan Peterson tells a story of the socialist state that is both breathtakingly beautiful and deeply troubling.

In contrast to the size of the Soviet Union, the gallery is a fairly small space, holding twenty people snugly, however its walls display the ideals that made a lasting impact on such a huge territory and time in history. Varied sized paintings, mostly oil on canvas, covered two walls with one canvas on an easel in the window.

Director and owner of Leonardo Galleries Zoya Balija took a break from framing to show me around the exhibition.

One of only two portraits in the exhibition shows a man in a traditional worker’s uniform.

The dark shadows and grit with which the artist painted the worker’s face show hard work, exhaustion and even pain, not the triumph of the proletariat as propagated in state-sanctioned art. The captivating gaze of the worker tells the first part of the story, that workers’ state or no labour in the factories of the Soviet Union was still difficult.

Leaning against a wall waiting to be framed was a painting of a factory, with a spray of purple flowers in the corner.

The soft palate of blues, greens and purples contrast the gritty nature of a factory, with

smoke blowing into the sky.

The scene reflects the complicated relationship between industry and the populace, as industrialization tore up the countryside but left some of the traditions intact. Furthermore, the painting reflects mixed reactions of the people to industrialization, both celebrated for the improvements it brought to peoples lives and the destruction of a way of life in Siberia.

Balija handed provided a catalog of the full collection, containing a striking number of paintings of Vladimir Lenin. Balija mentioned that the Soviet State commissioned artists to work for six months on wall-sized portraits of the great leader. Some of the paintings are exclusive to the collection and cannot be found on the internet, such as a Lenin speaking with peasant representatives and proclaiming victory of the October Revolution. The prevalence of Lenin in the collection mirrors the importance of the leader to the cult of personality constructed

by Joseph Stalin to legitimize his rule. No collection of Soviet art could be representative without Lenin.

For anyone with greater knowledge of the Soviet Union this exhibition will stir up great emotion for its sensitivity to a complex subject.

As Peterson is quoted saying on the gallery webpage, “[W] e have been left with a unique portrait of a deeply troubled utopia.” Juxtaposed images of working people and busy factories, and green and gold fields of wheat and grass suggest the complex landscape, physical and human, that the Soviet Union offers.

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THE FILM What? Warren Sonbert Retrospective Where? AGO JACKMAN HALL | 317 Dundas St W When? Thu Nov 15 - Sat Nov 17 at 6:30, 8PM $$ Screenings $5; All-access pass $30 What? European Union Film Festival 2012 Where? THE ROYAL | 608 College Ave When? Wed Nov 14 - Tue Nov 27 $$ FREE Visit www.eutorontofilmfest.ca for film schedule

THE EXHIBIT What? Rodo-Vankeulen *Art using the medium of photography with digital manipulations exploring vernacular and popular photographic subjects Where? O’BORN CONTEMPORARY GALLERY| 131 Ossington Ave When? Fri Nov 16 at 6-9PM | Runs until Dec. 22nd KELSEY STASIAK

Sabastian Greenholtz

WTF TO DO

“Impressions and Abstractions - Art in the Eastern Bloc” features pieces collected by U of T Psychology Professor Jordan Peterson (below). The exhibit runs until November 24 at Leonardo Galleries on 112 Scollard St. in Yorkville.

What? Flash Forward 2012 Book Launch and Art Exhibition *Exhibition and book shows up and coming talent from photographers in Canada, USA and UK Where? REGENT PARK ARTS AND CULTURAL CENTRE | 585 Dundas St E When? Wed Nov 14 , at 126PM (closed Sun) | Runs until Nov 22 THE LECTURE What? Hot Or Not: How To Know If Your Business Idea Will Fly Or Fail *Talk by Dragons’ Den coach/author Sean Wise.

Where? NORTH YORK CENTRAL LIBRARY | 5120 Yonge, 416-395-561 When? Tues Nov 20 at 6:30PM What? Eggs, Nests And Baby Dinosaurs: New Discoveries From South Africa Where? DANFORTH/COXWELL LIBRARY | 1675 Danforth, 416-393-7783 When? Wed Nov 21 at 7PM $$ Free THE EVENT What? Cavalcade of Lights *46th annual lighting of the Christmas Tree, live music performances, fireworks, outdoor DJ dance party Where? NATHAN PHILLIPS SQUARE When? Sat Nov 17 at 7PM $$ Free

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November 15, 2012

the campus comment

the newspaper asked: Should Canada legalize or decriminalize marijuana?

2

SARAH Biological Anthropology, 3rd year “I think there’s a big enough market that it should be legalized, though it seems like the restrictions on drugs are getting stronger and it won’t happen.”

Haeyaing Dentistry, 3rd year “Shouldn’t be legalized but considering how big the market is it might be decriminalized. But from the health point of view it shouldn’t.”

Sai Kiran Electrical Engineer “Should be legalized to reduce the crime but should be enforced with regulations, will decrease crime.”

DANG “No, it should not be legalized since it has bad side effects on the human nervous system and can cause addiction which is quite harmful.”

HAO Pharmacy, 1st year “Yes, only for medical purposes and if it is beneficial to the patients.”

LOU DOYON

MAJ MAJOR

ALLIE History & Cinema Studies, 2nd year “Decriminalize it for sure, but it might take until Harper’s gone. BS is coting to decriminalize it, so hopefully soon?”

Dear Suzie

Boy-haviour: What to do when you just can’t read him Dear Suzie, I met a cute guy in my class this semester and we have been flirting everyday since September. I could have sworn he was into me. He even walked me home from our late night classes a few times and took the initiative to ask for my number. But lately I’m starting to second guess the signals because we have yet to meet outside of class in 3 months.

I’m a traditional believer in that if a guy is interested he will make it clear, but now I’m just not so sure. Should I abandon this potential love interest? Or continue flirting while secretly hoping he’ll make the first move?

DOWNTOWN MOTOWN

Signed, Confused Classmate

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

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

live motown performance by

THE MIDNIGHT SOCIETY

november 30 th 2012 MAY CAFE 876 DUNDAS WEST doors at 10pm , concert at 11pm $5 cover

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

If I know one thing for sure about boys, it’s that when they want something, they will go get it. Of course, shy guys are sometimes the exception to this rule, but sadly for you, this guy doesn’t sound like the timid type. He has shown initiative in walking you home and getting your number, but his failure to actually give you a call already signals to me that he’s not that serious about making you his, and is simply enjoying the attention.

So here’s what I would do, dear Classmate. Slow your roll with the flirting for a while. Don’t ignore him, but don’t flip your hair and laugh at everything he says either. Keep conversation on lecture notes and readings as much as you can, focus on the prof and stop sneaking those cutesy shy smiles of yours (oldest trick in the book, I am a repeat offender myself). Make an excuse so he can’t walk you home after class. In short, keep your wits about you and stop paying him so much damn attention.

If none of this changes anything, then I’m sorry to say that he’s just not that into you, and more into getting attention in general. If this is the case, keep your chin up and remember that boys are like streetcars: there’s always another one coming along.

Sincerely, Suzie