Vol 41 issue 7

THE VOICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA

Confusion over bylaw change UTSU president Bollo-Kamara reveals uncertainty over the union’s future MARIA IQBAL NEWS EDITOR LUKE SAWCZAK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Confusion arose last week on the subject of a motion to amend the U of T Student Union’s bylaws at its Annual General Meeting this Wednesday, October 29.

The amendments include a section on replacing college directors with “constituency” directors representing various minorities.

The UTM Students’ Union, whose members are also members of UTSU, took multiple avenues to disseminate information on the bylaw changes and to encourage voting for the motion, including emails to all UTM undergraduates and info sessions. UTMSU also alleged at an info session that The Medium had published “false” information in last week’s article “‘Stupid’ bylaw proposed downtown”.

The Medium has followed up on several of the questions raised. An appendix of answers to common questions is available on The Medium’s website.

October 27, 2014 Volume 41, Issue 7 themedium.ca

Halloween Haunt rides again MALEEHA IQBAL

UTSU would have until October 17, 2015 to propose another board structure, approve it at the board level, and vote on it at a general meeting, before submitting it to the government.

Grisly monsters, murky pathways, distant screams, and utter darkness met visitors to Wonderland’s Halloween Haunt this year. With 10 horrifying mazes, four creepy scare zones, four live shows, gut-wrenching rides, and creatures roaming the alleyways, Canada’s Wonderland was transformed into a playground of horror.

This year, Wonderland unleashed a new interactive dark ride: Zombies 4D. The thrill ride brings riders inside Wonder Mountain where zombies are on the loose. Riders have the chance to play against and alongside other riders in an attempt to escape the nightmare.

New to this year’s haunt is an attraction called Toxicity. The mutant acrobats showcase their skills through performances inside Wonderland Theatre in Medieval Faire.

AGM continued on page 2

Haunt continued on page 2

MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

UTSU has until October 17, 2015 to pass bylaws compliant with the CNC Act. CONSEQUENCES FOR UTSU IF BYLAWS ARE NOT APPROVED If members vote down the proposed amendments on Wednesday, the union will have a year to submit alternative bylaws that comply with changes to the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act.

A motion to reincorporate UTSU in Ontario, and thus avoid being under the jurisdiction of the federal act, was proposed over the summer but defeated by the board.

UTSU president Yolen Bollo-Kamara said that if the bylaw amendment motion fails at this week’s AGM,

Changes for international students IEC hosts information session about Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s policy changes CHRISTINE SHARMA Citizenship and Immigration Canada has passed a number of changes to the study and work permit system that will affect international students. The International Education Centre held an information session last Wednesday to announce the changes.

International student development officer Joanna Mackie and international student immigration advisor Cristina Puha hosted the session, presenting policy changes made by the CIC offices in June.

In order to apply for a study permit, international students will now be required to submit a letter of acceptance from their Designated Learning Institution, including their DLI’s number (U of T’s is O19332746152). Students may also be asked for their DLI number when applying for a visa.

In a new director direction ICCIT director’s five-year term is up and the search committee is being struck for the next one.

Medium News, page 3

Still not the whole story “We have to push it through now even if it’s not perfect” sounds like a game of ends and means.

Medium Opinion, page 4

Popcorn but not pop flix Do your Halloween scare marathon differently. Watch something that’s not classified as horror—but scarier.

Medium Arts, page 6 NABEELAH SHAIKH/THE MEDIUM

The International Education Centre hosted an information session on the new policy changes.

CIC will track “whether students are actually enrolled in and pursuing their program of study,” said Puha.

Students with study permits are required to remain enrolled in their degree program. They can take breaks

during their undergraduate career, but must prove that they intend to continue their studies towards a degree program. Study permits are only valid until 90 days after an international student graduates—that is,

when her last marks become available or when she receives a letter saying she has completed her studies.

Policy continued on page 3

My head on a platter Don’t pretend you don’t want to dress up, adulthood or no. Even if it’s silly. Even if it’s just you at home.

Medium Features, page 9

Twins take off The Marra brothers, key defensive players on the Blues, have played their final game at U of T. Medium Sports, page 11

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«NEWS

THE MEDIUM 10.27.2014

October 16, 4:39 p.m.

Theft under $5,000 Campus Police investigated the thefts of two laptops at the library.

Both computers were left unattended by their owners.

October 17, 8:00 p.m.

Driving Offence A resident at MaGrath Valley complained about a car that was being driven in a reckless manner.

The vehicle left before the arrival of Campus Police.

October 17, 8:00 p.m.

Mischief under $5,000 Campus Police investigated damage done to a vehicle that was parked at Lot 9. Blue ink was splashed on the vehicle’s hood.

October 19, 2:09 a.m.

Noise Complaint Campus Police attended a residence unit and shut down a social gathering as neighbours were complaining about the noise level.

October 19, 20, and 22 Mischief under $5,000

On three separate dates, Campus Police investigated damage done to three vehicles that were parked in Lot 4. Tires on the vehicles were punctured.

October 20, 6:59 p.m.

Personal Safety Concerns Campus Police investigated a complaint by a female who reported being pushed into a library men’s washroom. The woman was not harmed.

October 21, 3:55 p.m.

Trespass to Property Act Campus Police investigated a report by a student concerning two persons at the Instructional Centre that were soliciting for donations. The persons soliciting left before the arrival of Campus Police.

October 22, 5:15 p.m.

Personal Safety Concern Campus Police investigated a man in Lot 4 who was sitting in his vehicle for an extended period of time and determined he was there for a legitimate purpose.

These reports are those that have been released to The Medium and do not necessarily constitute an exhaustive list.

Students can contact the UTM Campus Police at 905 828 5200, Peel Regional Police at 905 453 3311, or Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222 8477.

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Alternative board structures possible AGM continued from Cover But Bollo-Kamara wasn’t sure of the exact consequences of failing to pass a compliant structure by next October.

“This is new legislation and hasn’t been tested yet, so no one knows for certain,” she said.

She noted the possibility that Industry Canada could impose new bylaws on UTSU, the union could face legal action, or it could dissolve.

“In any circumstance, we have a responsibility to pass compliant bylaws so that we can retain control of the UTSU and continue to exist and be structured according to the will of the membership. This isn’t a risk I’m comfortable taking,” said BolloKamara.

A major effect on UTM students, in the event that the motion is passed, would be that directors representing them would be voted on by St. George and Scarborough students as well, and UTM students would also be able to vote for all other directors.

OPTION TO RETAIN COLLEGE DIRECTORS In an interview with The Medium, Bollo-Kamara was asked whether UTSU could modify the current college and faculty director positions instead of removing them, such that all students could vote for all directors.

She confirmed that this was a possible way to comply with the act.

“That could have been an option proposed, but many of the smaller colleges and faculties in particular are opposed to having all students be able to vote for their representative directors,” she said.

She added that if this solution were proposed, the directors would be “elected by and accountable to the entire membership, while expected to represent a particular college or faculty”.

However, the new model is compliant because all the director positions allow all students to vote for all directors. That is, the minority directors, the UTM directors, and the faculty-at-large directors who remain can all be voted on by the entire membership.

Bollo-Kamara said students could request that the board structure be opened for further review even after the motion is passed.

COLLEGES WOULD LOSE RIGHT TO VOTE ON BOARD UTSU’s statement also said that the colleges and faculties would not lose representation under the new structure because they would be represented through “new committees” that would discuss their constituencies’ issues and put forward motions to the board.

Asked whether the new Arts and Science Committee and Professional Faculties Committee would have a vote on the board, Bollo-Kamara said that they would “appoint representatives as voting members to the other UTSU committees” and that “the college and faculty student societies also retain speaking rights at the board and the right to receive notice, an agenda, and an executive report for all meetings”.

UTMSU executive director Walied Khogali confirmed that these committees would not be able to vote on board decisions.

In the current model, the seven college directors and the 12 categories for directors representing the faculties have voting power on the board.

“I don’t think the majority of students are equipped to understand LGBTQ issues in depth enough to make a difference.”

THE POSSIBILITY OF A CLASS MODEL UTSU’s statement discussed another option, that of a “class” model, which would involve dividing members into 19 classes for each faculty and college, and allowing students to vote for only the representative in their own class but still comply with the act.

A proposal for a class model was put forward but was defeated by the board “on the strong recommendation from legal counsel”. According to the statement and to a Facebook comment by UTSU VP internal Cameron Wathey, two legal firms advised the union that classes would lead to “corporate paralysis”, since any single class could defeat a proposal even if it was passed by all the other classes.

UTSU’s VP university affairs Pierre Harfouche commented on the class model in a Facebook note encourag-

ing students to vote against the proposed constituency structure.

“All the problems that legal counsel told us about are not really that big a deal in my eyes,” said Harfouche. “Yes, we may need to host 19 different veto votes every time the structure of the UTSU changes—but only if the proposed change unfairly affects some classes over the others.”

For example, he said, a class for UTM students would have a veto if the rest of the union voted to kick UTM out.

Harfouche said he favoured the class model over the option of having all students vote for all directors.

“I don’t believe that all students should be able to vote, for example, for the international student issues director, because their issues are very particular,” he said. “Also, I don’t think the majority of students are equipped to understand LGBTQ issues in depth enough to make a difference. LGBTQ clubs should elect the LGBTQ director.”

UTMSU SAYS THE MEDIUM PRINTED FALSEHOODS In a meeting with Medium staff last week, and afterwards at UTMSU’s info session on the upcoming AGM, Khogali said that The Medium had published “false” and misleading statements in its coverage leading up to the AGM. At the info session last Thursday, Khogali made explicit reference to statements in last week’s article.

Speaking about the bylaw amendment for a new board structure, Khogali said, “Some of the criticism you’ll hear out there is that—and this is something that was reported in The Medium, which is false, not true—is that 45,000 people will be disfranchised.”

Referencing a National Post article criticizing the proposed structure, The Medium’s article stated that many students “wouldn’t have a category representing them”.

While the new model would add 13 director positions representing “constituencies” such as women, LGBTQ, racialized students, and commuters, it would also remove several positions. Many students, such as those who are male, upper-year, or nonracialized, would not have a director specifically tasked with representing the group they belong to.

AGM continued on page 3

Zombies, mazes, and rides Haunt continued from Cover Returning to the haunt this year is Mysterion the Mind Reader, a theatrical mentalist who seeks to read the minds of unsuspecting mortals.

Another popular attraction is a maze called the Asylum. The legend says that in 1923, a man named Miles Gravestone was admitted to the asylum after surviving Slaughter Mill.

The horrific experience from the

carnage drove Gravestone mad and ultimately angry that no one believed his story. So Miles led the inmates of the asylum in a gruesome revolt and released his rage on the doctors and nurses, who were eventually left as deranged and murderous as the patients.

Also new this year is that Fright Lane—a pass that allows front of the line access into the mazes—now includes a Skeleton Key. This promo-

tion allows buyers priority entrance to all 10 haunted mazes at once. The Skeleton Key, which is automatically included with the Fright Lane pass, reveals a secret room inside five of the Halloween Haunt mazes.

Wonderland’s Halloween Haunt is open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night in October, including Halloween night from 7 p.m. until midnight.

UTM launches search for next ICCIT director MENNA ELNAKA ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR UTM is forming a search committee to recommend a new director for the Institute of Culture, Communication, and Information Technology.

Chaired by VP academic and dean Amy Mullin, the search committee will consist of ICCIT teaching staff, a representative from the School of Graduate Studies, undergraduate students, and other staff members.

Professor Anthony Wensley, the current director whose term ends on June 30, spoke about his experience over his five-year term. “I couldn’t imagine doing a job I like more than the job I do, in sort of really every aspect, whether because of the interaction with students, whether it is in the planning we engage in, or

whether it’s just coming to work every day and working with the people I work with,” he said. “Those are the highlights of my life. I can’t imagine a job that is more satisfying and in a sense more difficult to leave.”

According to Wensley, there are currently “six and a half ” 10-year faculty in the ICCIT, the “half ” member being shared with another department.

By the end of his term next June, Wensley said that the ICCIT is hoping to add two faculty. He said they moved from zero to eight and a half faculty by the end of his term.

Wensley has expressed his interest in continuing in his position as ICCIT director. While he is not guaranteed the position, he would be considered among the other candidates.

Amy Mullin said that her plans for the ICCIT are to continue ex-

panding the faculty, introduce more diversity of courses, and build on “research strengths”, including human-computer interaction, mobile technologies, and information and communication policies.

Mullin added that the ICCIT is carrying out two additional searches this year, one for an assistant professor and another for an associate professor. She expects more appointments to follow in later years.

Mullin expects that a number of students in other programs would express interest in courses about how to design new media communications, effective social media campaigns, and ethical and information policy issues.

“As more faculty are hired, ICCIT might be able to expand its offerings of courses to students who are not enrolled in its programs,” added Mullin.

Limit on weekly work hours

10.27.2014 THE MEDIUM NEWS

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3

»WHAT WAS YOUR WORST HALLOWEEN COSTUME?

Nicole Dileonardo 2nd year, CCIT

Matthew Luwi 2nd year, CCIT

I was an Ace of Spades when I was 9. It was fluffy, big, and ugly.

A monk. You had to be naked underneath, so it was cold.

Joe Chan 1st year, business

Harbani Kaur 3rd year, DEM

This one. It’s too simple; I don’t even know what it’s supposed to be.

A clown. Never again—it was just bad.

International students can also apply for work after graduation by applying for a post-graduate work permit after completing their undergraduate education, their master’s, or their Ph.D. Students can only apply for post-grad permits once, within 90 days of graduation, and must be working within eight months of graduation. Special cases are under the discretion of the CIC. With the new work permit, in-

ternational students just need their passports to apply for a social insurance number, which is required to work in Canada. With the previous system, students also needed a letter from the registrar.

Finally, the university is now required to update the current registration status of all international students to the CIC offices. The offices will keep a record of students’ course loads, such as if they are fullor part-time, or not currently studying.

“The citizenship and immigration offices are really interested in having students come here to study,” stressed Puha. “Not for any other purposes.”

For more information on the changes that the CIC has made to policies concerning international students, students are encouraged to drop in to the IEC’s office hours. The office will be moved to the old MBiotech office (DV 2071) on October 31. Students can also look forward to an IEC bulletin board on the FiveMinute Walk and joint information sessions with the Career Centre.

Inquiries for the IEC can be sent to international.utm@utoronto.ca.

CBC fires host of Q as a result of an alleged smear campaign

31-year-old man faces life-threatening injuries after road rage

Wonderland stabbings leave one dead, another in hospital

White House warns states against forcing mandatory quarantines

Hawaiians warned of possible evacuation due to volcanic lava

CBC has fired its host Jian Ghomeshi after receiving “information” that the broadcaster says prevents continuing its relationship with Ghomeshi. In a Facebook post following his dismissal, Ghomeshi said that he was fired as a result of allegations from a “jilted ex-girlfriend” about their private love life.

A man is in hospital with serious injuries following an alleged instance of road rage on Sunday. Police say that a 31-year-old man had left his car and was attempting to confront the passengers of another stopped car when the driver of the other vehicle accelerated and allegedly hit him. Police are not sure whether the passengers of both vehicles knew each other.

Police are looking for answers after stabbings at Canada’s Wonderland left one man dead and another critically injured. The victim of the fatal stabbing was in his 20s. The stabbings occurred in the parking lot, and police say the attacks had no connection to the Halloween Haunt taking place inside the park.

The U.S. government has warned states that new rules forcing travelers from areas exposed to the Ebola virus to undergo quarantine could actually be counterproductive. One nurse who was placed under a three-week quarantine after returning to New Jersey from Sierra Leone is taking the matter to court. Medical experts say that the virus is very difficult to contract.

Hawaiian authorities say that lava flowing from an active volcano could result in an evacuation within the next few days. The lava is reported to be flowing northeast at a speed of 10 yards per hour. Authorities warned residents in about 50 homes of the lava’s movement. The lava’s speed is reported to have increased over the past few days.

Source: Toronto Star

Source: CBC News

Source: Toronto Star

Source: Reuters

Source: ABC7

CIC continued from Cover To work on or off campus, international students are not required to have a work permit. However, students must have a valid study permit as a full-time student in a degree program of six or more months.

International students cannot work off campus if they are part-time students. Their hours are limited to 20 per week during the term and fulltime during the summer and winter breaks.

If a degree requires a co-op or internship program and the position does not exceed 50% of the total degree requirements, an international student can apply for a work permit.

There is no fee for the permit; however, a letter from the student’s academic department head is required to say that the program is essential for the student to complete his or her studies. Students in experiential learning opportunities are advised to drop by the IEC office and consult with a student advisor about obtaining a work permit.

“The process has really been simplified,” Puha said. “Especially for international students who want to

work in Canada, since work permits are not required.”

Any international student who wants to work only needs a passport and the new study permit under the new system. With the previous system of permits, they also needed a letter from the Office of the Registrar.

“The CIC offices are really interested in having students come here to study [...] not for any other purposes.”

UTMSU alleges that reporting was false AGM continued from page 2 Of the 24 voting positions on the proposed board structure, 13 would be filled by the constituency directors, and 11 seats are for the arts and science at-large directors, the transitional year program, UTM directors, and professional faculties.

“The other thing that was mentioned that created some confusion with some people is that professional faculties will not be represented.

That’s not true,” Khogali said.

The article stated that if the motion passes, “a number of positions” representing professional faculties would be dissolved. The AGM’s order of business shows that the existing 12

director categories for professional faculties would be cut down to three “faculty at-large” directors.

Following the information session, Khogali apologized to The Medium’s reporter for his comments.

Following the info session, Khogali apologized to The Medium’s reporter for his comments.

The Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act can be found at laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-7.75.

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10.27.2014

MASTHEAD EDITORS Editor-in-Chief Luke Sawczak editor@themedium.ca News Maria Iqbal news@themedium.ca A&E Maria Cruz arts@themedium.ca Features Madeleine Brown features@themedium.ca Sports Jason Coelho sports@themedium.ca — Photo Mahmoud Sarouji photos@themedium.ca Design Mubashir Baweja design@themedium.ca Copy Akshaya Sharma copy@themedium.ca Online & Blog Michelle Bonsu Safia Amin blog@themedium.ca online@themedium.ca ASSOCIATES News Nicole Danesi Menna Elnaka A&E Kathelene Cattell-Daniels Features TBA Sports Eric Hewitson Fergus Talbot Copy TBA Photo TBA To become an associate, begin writing and speak with your section editor!

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Not worth winning on half-truths Even as they cry wolf on alleged “false” stories, critics dissemble key points Déjà vu. Two years ago The Medium wrote about a referendum to expand the Student Centre, quoting and expanding on a couple of figures for fee increases. Despite confirming with us on record in our office that the article had no mistakes, top union folks told volunteers that we had printed “lies”, and this was repeated in lecture halls (“Not our bad blood”, Feb. 10, 2013).

If that was ever an isolated incident, it isn’t any longer. The executive director confirmed to us that last week’s cover story didn’t say anything false, but wasn’t, in his opinion, clear enough.

Then at public info sessions he misquoted the article to say that what we had reported was “false”. Was this to add clarity? Was it professional?

Similarly, the letter from president Hassan Havili on the facing page talks about our shoddy journalism, since they were never interviewed for the article. Actually, when our writer approached him, she told us, he asked if she was recording and told her not to quote him. There’s not much point arguing with logic like that.

For that reason, let me just get into the meat of the issue. It’s not by any means an easy topic to get one’s head around, so please do read this week’s lead story and the online appendix of questions and answers, in which we try to be very clear about the background. I’ll assume you have a basic familiarity with it as you read this.

Last week I wrote that it was not true (despite claims to the contrary) that college and faculty directors have to be removed from the downtown union’s board in order to comply with the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act. It’s been confirmed that they don’t have to be, and it would be untrue to say they do. Let’s clarify the matter.

The act, as we’ve been given to understand it, says you can’t have a director of the corporation whom only some members can vote for. That rules out members of one college or faculty or campus voting for someone to represent just them (barring a class model, discussed in our news story). This is a dubious new restriction by the federal government, but dubious or no, we’re stuck with it.

There are two solutions. You can either remove the directors, or you can keep them and lift the limits on who can vote for them. The first solution was picked for the college and faculty directors. The second one was picked for all the other directors (that’s how they’re on the board at all). So much for the argument that we couldn’t have college and faculty directors.

You ask: Why would we want these directors if the voting would have to be open to everyone? Does it make sense for UTM students to vote for Trinity directors, for Faculty of Music directors, and so on?

Answer: Like I said, this is the sad fact that has to be lived with now. All the directors will have that quality. No, it doesn’t make sense that St. George students will be able to vote for UTM directors, or that male students can vote for the best woman director to represent female students. But it’s the case. The point is that the college and faculty directors got different treatment, and official communication has not been upfront about it.

But there is a point to revisit. Here is the practical fact. The meeting on Wednesday has a motion to approve bylaw amendments to comply with the act. Some of these amendments are necessary. The one I mentioned is not. But you don’t have the choice of picking apart the good and the bad.

It’s all or nothing. So you should vote yes, right, to make sure we don’t lose what we do need to have?

Well, that’s the point that’s been put across again and again to me and in public. This is our one shot.

Except that’s not strictly true either.

We have another year to comply (and even if we missed the deadline, UTSU wouldn’t instantly go up in smoke).

True, there would have to be a process before then in which a new version is composed, approved, and voted on at a general meeting—a general meeting that might have to be held specifically for it since the annual one usually falls too late. That would be a pain.

The argument from the “just push it through” side is that the board will never come to a consensus in time for that. But the logic is circular. A major point of contention is the very one bundled up in that motion. In other words, the response to the conflict is, “We don’t have time to discuss it, so just do it this way.”

A generous caveat is given by those saying that we have to vote yes now.

Sure, the proposal is not perfect, but we have to comply with the act now; we can refine and fix it later.

Okay, but let’s spell out the ambiguous terms. Let’s first clear the board of college and faculty directors. The board can “refine” it later... after those directors can no longer vote on it. The point is just another smokescreen.

Personally, I don’t mind which way you vote. I just want you to hear both sides. Even if it were too late—and it isn’t—it’s good to know why.

YOURS, LUKE SAWCZAK

CORRECTION NOTICE Last week’s news article “‘Stupid’ bylaw proposed downtown” was credited to Menna Elnaka, but should have been credited to both Elnaka and Maria Iqbal. Also, all credits to photographer Caleb Sui should have read “Caleb Siv”.

10.27.2014 THE MEDIUM OPINION» 5

Helping you make an informed decision Dear Editor, The events of last week reminded me how much courage it takes to tell a story. It’s not always easy for a student to report on union politics because: a) they can be incredibly confusing, and b) there can be consequences of writing about something that casts a negative light on such a large entity.

In spite of the controversy over

our cover story from last week—and controversy can be a good thing if it creates discussion—I feel that it’s our job as the student newspaper to continue to report on these issues regardless of the challenges. Why? Because often there is so much more to the story than what students are being told. (I hope this week’s coverage helps make that clear.)

Interestingly, while attending one of UTMSU’s information sessions

last Thursday—to which all full-time students were invited—I was told by the executive director Walied Khogali not to report on the session. My question is, what could be wrong with reporting on a session that was open to all students? In fact, wouldn’t UTMSU want us to communicate that info to everyone who couldn’t attend? I hope the 10 or so students who were present at the time are also asking these questions.

Our coverage this week aims to address the confusion concerning this year’s AGM—and that means reporting on what was mentioned in the information session, but also what wasn’t, including the level of uncertainty over what will happen if UTSU doesn’t pass compliant bylaws by next October. Even UTSU president Yolen Bollo-Kamara wasn’t sure whether it would mean dissolution.

Regardless of how you vote on

the motion on Wednesday, I hope our reporting helps you make an informed decision. We do our best, though we recognize that there’s always room for improvement. And I hope you’ll approach us with your feedback on the coverage. We’ll be a better paper for it.

Sincerely, Maria Iqbal News Editor

Playing politics with union services & advocacy Dear fellow UTM students, I am writing this opinion piece to engage you all in a very important conversation that deserves honest discourse. I am disappointed by the coverage of our campus paper, which has not been forthcoming on the facts.

Last week’s editorial and article misconstrued the facts by referring to proposed bylaws as “stupid”. I was also disappointed by the personal attack made against UTMSU staff and the lack of professional courtesy being extended to the representatives of your students’ union at UTMSU and UTSU; we were not interviewed about an important process that will affect students in the years to come. UTM students deserve better.

Firstly, you should be aware that this coming Wednesday is a very important annual general meeting of the University of Toronto Students’ Union happening at the St. George Campus (OISE auditorium) from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. At this meeting, important resolutions will be considered, such as the approval of the audited financial statements, bylaw changes and issue-related motions such as support for international students. In the weeks leading up to the AGM, there has been quite a bit of discussion on campus about the proposed changes to the structure of our Board of Directors. Ms. Yolen Bollo-Kamara, the president of UTSU, has posted an articulate explanation of the proposed board structure that is in compliance with new federal legisla-

tion (called the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act, or CNCA for short) that oversees the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU), and can be a bit difficult to understand. Your student union has shared this information via social media and through mass email to avoid any confusion, so that all students have the correct information before the annual general meeting. What is at stake at this meeting? Plenty. I would like to start off by providing some context.

Your student union (UTSU) was established in 1901 and currently represents all 50,000 full-time undergraduate and professional faculty students at U of T’s St. George and Mississauga campuses. UTSU has a long history of advocating on behalf of all students. UTSU is an organization that is commitment to equity and advocacy, improvement to the quality of and access to education, enhancement of the student experience, and the provision of cost-saving services. UTSU works closely with UTMSU to fulfill that mandate at the UTM campus.

Students working together through UTSU have won many victories, for example, reforming the policy on flat fees that saves students $2,300 a year.

For a list of other victories, please visit utsu.ca/victories.

Your student union at UTM (UTMSU) and UTSU have a symbiotic relationship. This relationship started formally in 2008 and continues today.

Students have benefited from the collaboration and co-operation of student

unions across Ontario and Canada.

This collaboration and co-operation has lead to many victories and new services such as the U-Pass program at the UTM campus. It is relevant to note that UTSU is incorporated federally (Canada) while UTMSU is incorporated provincially (Ontario).

Currently, members of UTSU that are full-time students enrolled at the St. George and Mississauga campus are being requested to approve bylaw changes that comply with the federal law through the CNCA. The first thing to understand is that the CNCA does not permit our Board of Directors to exist as it currently does. The law does not allow for a restriction of your voting rights to elect just a director from a college, campus, or faculty of registration. The current UTSU bylaws include positions for students elected solely by students within each faculty, and the colleges affiliated with the Faculty of Arts and Science. This is no longer possible. In anticipation of the requirements of the new law, students at last year’s AGM commissioned an investigation, report, and recommendation of a new structure, which was recommended unanimously by the 2013/14 Board of Directors. The recommendations were to shift towards at-large representation for this reason.

The students studied the structure and drafted a report and a set of recommendations after thorough consultation and were guided by not only the law, but also the mandate of UTSU. For more information on the board

structure, please visit utsu.ca/boardstructure.

The process to approve bylaw changes is outlined in the governance documents of UTSU, which dictate that the proposed bylaws be approved by the policies and procedures committee and ratified by two-thirds of the Board of Directors before the proposed changes are considered by the membership at an annual general meeting. We have heard from some that they have concerns with the proposed structure. After much discussion with UTM representatives on the UTSU Board of Directors, we are of the opinion that due to the toxic discourse, consensus on a new structure is unlikely. Hence the possibility of any other bylaws to be approved through the process outlined above in time to meet the deadline to be compliant with the law is slim if any. We have encouraged all students, affiliated with the UTM campus or not, to approve all the bylaw amendments vetted by UTSU’s legal counsel to be necessary for compliance. That is the responsible thing to do. If the bylaws are not approved and we do not have consensus on a new set of bylaws, UTSU will not be compliant with the Canada Notfor-profit Corporations Act. This will have real and serious consequences on members of UTSU, the levy groups of UTSU such as the Sexual Education Centre and the Women’s Centre, and, most importantly, UTM students. As mentioned above, UTSU and UTMSU have a symbiotic relationship, one that

is also financial in nature. If UTSU ceases to exist as an incorporated entity and loses its ability to collect and remit fees, UTMSU services and campaigns will be directly affected.

Finally, I am disappointed that our campus paper, which collects fees from all UTM students, has failed to report accurately on the process and the consequences of failure to comply with the law. We hope that the reporting of our campus paper will be balanced and fair. The use of repetitive quotes from a right-wing blogger of the National Post is not credible and does not serve to inform but only confuse and misinform. We hope that the editorial staff will be diligent by investing in a process of checking for facts before publication. For more information about the UTSU AGM, please visit utsu.ca/annual-generalmeeting.

My fellow friends and students; please remember to be in attendance at the UTSU Annual General Meeting this Wednesday, October 29 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. We will do our best to accommodate you in your arrival to the OISE auditorium.

We have plenty of challenges ahead of us such as rising tuition fees and student debt. We can reverse this trend.

UTM, always remember that we are stronger when we work together.

In student solidarity, Hassan Havili President of UTMSU

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

OMBUDSPERSON Products or human beings?

Confidential advice and assistance with complaints unresolved through regular university channels is available to U of T students, faculty and administrative staff.

The services of the office are available at all three U of T campuses.

To make an appointment with our office, telephone 416-946-3485 or email ombuds.person@utoronto.ca For additional information visit www.ombudsperson.utoronto.ca

Dear Editor, I am sure everyone is already aware of this issue, but I have found the subject of Jennifer Lawrence’s leaked nude photos to be extremely disturbing. There are two main issues I’d like to address. First of all, the hackers who exploited her pictures from her cellphone have indeed committed a crime, and choose not to view it as such just because she is a celebrity.

They have profited from her pictures by carrying out their actions, thinking that they are clear of consequences, when in reality she is a human being and has a right to protect her privacy just as any “normal” person does.

The second issue that I find even more repulsive is the public’s response to these leaked pictures. As I was surfing Facebook and came across an article titled “Jennifer Lawrence Calls

Photo Hacking a Sex Crime”, I was very touched by her willingness to stand up for herself, identify the offence, and explain how this warped world needs to change: “Just because I’m a public figure, just because I’m an actress, does not mean that I asked for this. It does not mean that it comes with the territory. It’s my body, and it should be my choice, and the fact that it is not my choice is absolutely disgusting. I can’t believe that we even live in that kind of world.”

I was so moved by her speech that I decided to look at the comments to see if this resonated with other “Facebookers” as well. What I read was the utmost cruelty and shamelessness.

People blamed her, called her a slut, and some even said that if she’s naked on screen, then there is no difference from these images.

I think these people have been so

enraptured with the fact that celebrities are merely there for our entertainment, they have belittled them to mere products for consumers. Maybe she is also ridiculed because she is a woman.

Think about it. Women’s bodies have always been targeted and made a bigger deal of compared to any scrutiny directed towards men. These commenters have basically excused this injustice and taken her right to ownership of her body away from her. Imagine the frustrations celebrities must go through and when you add sexism to the mix, they face humiliation, invasion of privacy, and objectification.

I personally haven’t gone on the website that displays Lawrence’s leaked photos and don’t plan to do so; otherwise, I am participating in the demoralization of society.

Hadil Amin

6

«

10.27.2014

Our own Halloween cult classics This Halloween season we’re indulging in an entirely different kind of horror movie Watching a disgusting man punch a pregnant woman, thereby ending the life of her unborn child, has the potential to make you sick. If that’s not bad enough, the final scene of this film comes with a literal 30-second warning before it’s played so audiences can leave while they still have the chance.

MARIA CRUZ A&E EDITOR I’m not going to pretend that on Halloween I don’t ditch every party (not that I necessarily get invited but that’s besides the point), buy those huge boxes of candy, and curl up to watch AMC’s Fear Fest. But this Halloween I decided to do something a little different: watch some great pieces of film that are scary but aren’t classified as “horror films”.

So if you’re wondering what you should watch this Halloween and you’ve grown a little tired of the constant Friday the 13th marathons, check out this list for a different kind of scare.

REQUIEM FOR A DREAM I know that many people have heard of this movie, but surprisingly many still haven’t seen it. The movie follows the lives of four different characters: Harry (Jared Leto), Sara (Ellen Burstyn), Marion (Jennifer Connelly), and Tyrone (Marlon Wayans), as they struggle with addiction. As the movie progresses, you’re exposed to the terrifying world of drugs and how difficult the lives of addicts are. Shock therapy, infected veins, and a disturbing sex scene are all present in this film. Despite the horrors, this movie is exceptional.

THELESSEROFTWOEQUALS.WORDPRESS.COM/PHOTO

A toast to all those who can handle this list (not that The Medium endorses the Korova Milk Bar).

HAPPINESS Don’t let this title fool you—this movie is full of hard-to-stomach scenes. Beginning with a psychologist (Dylan Baker) who rapes two of his young son’s classmates, the movie goes on to show some pretty gruesome scenes of suburbia gone wrong. What makes this movie super-creepy, though, is the context: the film is set up like a ’50s sitcom with chipper music and “wholesome” families. I’m not going to lie, it’s pretty messed up to watch a father and

his 11-year-old son discuss penis size like it’s normal. The film is disturbing but so good.

PRISONERS After Keller Dover’s (Hugh Jackman) daughter is kidnapped, he goes on a hunt for the man he believes had something to do with it. After kidnapping Alex (Paul Dano), his suspect, Dover tries to find his daughter through any means necessary. It’s a great film about how far we might go

to save our families, even if we never thought we had it in us. I don’t think I would ever torture someone nearly to death, but hey, who’s to say? And that’s the point of the movie.

I STAND ALONE Following the life of a rude, racist butcher (Philippe Nahon) who harbours a hideously inappropriate romantic love for his young daughter, this movie has totally stained my memory, and not in a good way.

THE GIRL NEXT DOOR This movie is based on the true story of Sylvia Marie Likens’s murder and follows her life as she is locked in the basement by her psychotic caregiver, Gertrude. Called “the most terrible crime ever committed in the state of Indiana”, everything that Likens went through at the hands of Gertrude, her awful children, and the terrible neighbourhood kids is shown to the audience. This film doesn’t skimp on the gory details of Likens’s torture and it’s terrifying to watch.

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE I can’t even begin to tell you how incredible this Kubrick classic is. Set in a futuristic Britain, Alex DeLarge (Malcom McDowell) and his troop of “droogs” go on a crime spree ranging from beating a homeless man to crippling a husband as they rape his wife while singing “Singin’ in the Rain”. I know it’s bad to say the scene is classic, but it really is, and if you can stomach all the violence and disturbing content, this film is one of the best I’ve seen.

A different take on Romeo and Juliet Theatre Erindale returns for 23rd season with the comedic The Capulets and the Montagues AYESHA TIRMZI The hilarious The Capulets and the Montagues opened Theatre Erindale’s 23rd season this year. Written in the Spanish Golden Age by Lope de Vega and translated into English

by Dakin Matthews, this play was brought to life by director Mimi Mekler and took great liberty in altering the well-known tragic tale of Romeo and Juliet into a tragicomedy (emphasis on comedy).

Men in tights and curls, swordfights (over cushions), and women who swoon and faint when gazing at their lover’s smiles—mix this in with lines in rhyme and metre, and you’ve entered an era long forgotten. It was a childish evening on which you knew where the plot was heading and the jokes were, honestly, quite cheesy, but the play turned you back into a child so you could appreciate the silliness of everything. Do people really marry after just seeing each other for one night?

Not really... but if you’re Romeo and

Lively performances by the actors captivated the audience.

Juliet, you’re on a whole different level from us normal people when it comes to romance.

In a play focused on comedy, it was Romeo’s servant, the loud jester, who stole the show and left the audience roaring with laughter

as he fumbled his way around the stage. Marine (fourth-year student Jaime Lujan), Romeo’s foolish servant, always managed to snack on a carrot or apple while Romeo rambled on about his undying, obsessive love for Juliet (which obviously

JIM SMAGATA/PHOTO

no one actually listened to). At one point, he even offered raisins to the audience while he gave advice on how we should all be cowards like him—that way we would be able to live easier. Wise words from one so funny. If anyone in the play even

tried to apply them, we wouldn’t have had to wait two hours for Juliet to come back from the “dead” (hibernation) and finally get her man.

The play was filled with great slapstick comedy: fake tresses slapping an actor’s face during a swordfight, a servant groping corpses in the dark, and the “robust farmgirl” role played by a male actor—it doesn’t get much funnier. Except, of course, an unexpected happy ending, where not a single lover unwittingly dies for the other, but instead we get three ridiculously happy couples ending it all with smiles, kisses, and bows as they say goodbye to us for their happily ever after.

The Capulets and the Montagues runs until November 2. Theatre Erindale will be hosting more plays this season about eras and areas they haven’t ventured into before, so if you happened to miss out on this play, you’ve got a whole lot of other surprises to look forward to this year.

10.27.2014 THE MEDIUM ARTS» 7

Using the past to write the present Jamal remembers the expulsion of 80,000 South Africans from Uganda in debut novel KATE CATTELL-DANIELS ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR I read Tasneem Jamal’s Where the Air Is Sweet in the span of two days over the summer. In her blog, Jamal describes the novel: “In 1972, dictator Idi Amin expelled 80,000 South Asians from Uganda. Though many had lived in East Africa for generations, they were forced to flee in 90 days as their country descended into a surreal vortex of chaos and murder.

Spanning the years between 1921 and 1975, Where the Air Is Sweet tells the story of Raju, a young Indian man drawn to Africa by the human impulse to seek a better life […]

Where the Air Is Sweet is a story of family, their loves, their griefs, and finally their sudden expulsion at the hands of one of the world’s most terrifying tyrants.”

Jamal has written fiction and nonfiction for several publications such the Toronto Review of Contemporary Writing Abroad, the National Post and The Globe and Mail, where she worked for 10 years as an editor and journalist.

I spoke to Jamal about her first novel and her family’s experience moving from Uganda to Canada during the expulsion organized by Idi Amin in 1972.

I did nothing in my spare time this summer but read, and I was so drawn into the lives of the characters and their stories that emerging from

TASNEEMJAMAL.WORDPRESS.COM/PHOTO

Where the Air Is Sweet tells the tale of Raju, a young man looking for a better life in Africa. that world at the close of the novel was a slightly jarring experience. The characters continued to live with me for quite a while afterwards, and Where the Air Is Sweet is definitely among the books I will read again.

The Medium: How much personal experience did you draw on to write Where the Air Is Sweet?

Tasneem Jamal: I couldn’t draw on much personal experience because the majority of the novel takes place before I was born. But I do use my family’s experiences to paint the broad strokes of the story. My grand-

father left the Indian state of Gujarat in the 1920s and began to build a life in Uganda, as Raju does. He settled in Mbarara and ran a tin mine and an automobile business, as Raju does.

As well, my family, like the family in the novel, was expelled from Uganda in 1972 and eventually settled in Kitchener. Though the character of Raju is inspired by my grandfather, no characters in the book are real or representative of anyone in particular, despite similarities.

TM: Do you get sick of people asking you that question?

TJ: It’s a reasonable question considering the fact that the novel is based on historical events. What I find somewhat frustrating about the question is that its premise is disputable. Whether I’m relating events that really happened or whether I’m making something up purely from my imagination, I can speak only to my perceptions. In other words, I’m not convinced there is an objective reality. My perception of a person or event is my story of the person or events. Another person would have his or her own story of those seem-

ingly same events. As you can see, this answer can become philosophical very quickly. The point is fiction and reality are not mutually exclusive, in my view.

TM: What do you think are the most important themes in this novel?

TJ: Migration and the notion of home are the primary themes. Why do we move? What compels us to leave what we know for what we cannot imagine? And what constitutes home? When does a place become our home, if it ever does?

TM: Which of these themes did you deliberately include? Were there any that occurred unintentionally?

TJ: I included the themes of migration and home deliberately. These are issues I’ve grappled with most of my life, as an immigrant and as a person who was part of an ethnic cleansing. Some other themes that emerged as I wrote include questions about compulsion: What is the cost of resisting forces in our lives? Why is it so difficult to let go of what we are and what we know, even when letting go offers safety? For example, how does a racially stratified society affect relationships both among one’s racial group and with people outside one’s racial group? Or in a strongly patriarchal culture, is it possible for a man and woman to relate in loving and meaningful ways?

Jamal continued on page 8

Keaton proves he’s still a hero 25 years later, Keaton shines yet again as superhero Birdman

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Thomson (Keaton) walks alongside his younger self (Benjamin Kanes).

LAUNCH YOUR CAREER AS AN EVENT COORDINATOR, SPECIAL EVENTS ORGANIZER, ACCOUNT

CHRISTOPHER ANTILOPE Nananananananana… Birdman? But wait, that’s Batman in a bird costume.

For the first time in 25 years, Michael Keaton dons the suit of a superhero once more.

Also titled The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance, this “superhero film” (directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu) revolves around Riggan Thomson (Keaton), a has-been actor famous for playing a vigilante, the titular Birdman. However, the times of saving the world—on camera— have long since passed, and Riggan belongs to the “Whatever happened to...?” category of celebrities. Rather than saving citizens, Keaton’s charac-

ter tries to rescue his own life by attempting to make a career comeback onstage that will not only bring light to his acting persona, but also to his estranged daughter (Emma Stone), and, most importantly, to his inner psyche. True, you can find glimpses of these moments in superhero films like Iron Man 2 or Man of Steel, but nothing gets as gritty and true as Birdman.

Of course, Birdman is as much a comic book film as A Cinderella Story is a film about an actual princess. But however you categorize this film, it will most definitely stick out in your collection because it’s so different.

Wildly acted and profound, Michael Keaton and Emma Stone’s perfor-

mances fly high, just like the titular character of the movie does.

It’s not The Avengers with epic explosions and a plethora of special effects, nor is it The Amazing SpiderMan with a cheesy love story subplot.

Rather, Birdman tells a very realistic story situated in a world very much like our own. As a viewer, you will be placed in a war not between two parties, but between a man and himself.

This is a film with a moral element to it that enlightens our own lives where the villains we encounter aren’t (always) cape-wearing, evil-laughing, world-dominating maniacs, but the little voices inside our heads that tell us to do what we know is wrong.

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8

«ARTS

THE MEDIUM 10.27.2014

Players pour hearts out on open mic night UMC’s first night of the year offered audiences another great night of UTM’s talent NABEELAH SHAIKH The UTM Music Club’s open mic nights are a way to experience the campus’s greatest musical talents under one roof. The year’s first such event took place in the MiST theatre, where the dimmed lighting, minimal decorations, vibrating chatter, and excitable atmosphere transformed a boring lecture hall into an old-school jazz club.

The evening began with the lively MCs Jason, Katherine, and comically late Moe. Their enthusiasm set the mood for the show. The crowd was small, probably due to the lack of advertising for the show, but loud and loyal. Chairs and microphones sat on the stage, ready for the performers, as well as a keyboard, drum set, and acoustic guitar that dwarfed the accompanying podium.

The most memorable part of the night was undoubtedly the audience’s responses to the performers. It was as if UMC and the crowd were actually a big group of friends, interacting without a trace of awkwardness.

The disorganization of the show was evident but at least contained, as the MCs and the audience interacted while volunteers handled technical difficulties on the side. The musicians then immersed themselves in their performances, complemented by tapping feet, cheerful encouragements, video recording, and the occasional “I love you!” from the audience.

First to perform was Arvin Huang on the violin. He asked the audi-

MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

A small crowd gathered in the MiST to watch UTM’s performers. ence to throw songs at him and he performed them all with skill and confidence. Among the songs suggested were “Let It Go” from Disney’s Frozen (which many sang along to) and the theme songs of Sherlock, Game of Thrones, Lord of The Rings, Harry Potter (which brought many nostalgic “aww”s), and Super Mario Brothers. He then surprised the audience by playing a complicated piece

by Bach to perfection. Then, almost ironically, he performed Britney Spears’s hit pop single Toxic and left the small crowd laughing and excited for more.

Next up was Alice Li, who sang a

Lady Gaga medley songs in her powerful voice and accompanied herself at the keyboard.

After Li came Karl Go, a nervous singer with a guitar. He embraced the friendliness of the audience and started up a conversation about his week and everyone’s midterms to calm himself down and prepare for his performance. Go’s voice shook but it complemented his song choice.

He serenaded the audience with a low, melodic, sensual cover of Toxic

by Britney Spears. Go’s performance was my favourite of the night, as his relatable aura and his sweet rendition of the pop song made it seem like he

was singing solely to you.

Amina Abdel Wahab was next, and she claimed the stage with her original song “Seven Cigarettes”, a song Wahab said was about her father. Her emotional lyrics told a powerful story and the passion in her performance left us wondering about the content.

An impromptu performance by Barten followed Wahab with his original acoustic guitar solo “The Road”, a song dedicated to his friend who was going through a tough time. He explained that the instrumental song came in three parts: the first signified frustration, completed with harsh strums and banging on the body

of his guitar. The second was about opportunity, where he repeated a knocking pattern while strumming, and the final part consisted of sweeter and lighter strums that told a story of friendship.

The audience’s excitement continued as Rabee Bakriyah came on next with a classic Arabic instrument, the oud and following him was Mohammad Mansour and his younger brother, Li’l Moe, followed, where they sang a Nirvana song with an accompanying electric guitar backing played by Li’l Moe. Next was an impromptu performance from Vinh Nguyen on the piano performing an original piece named “Cold Fronts” about this autumn season.

Next was Victoria Trotman, who sang an original a capella with another distinctive voice and a big smile on her face, accompanied by thrilled friends in the audience.

Nearing the end of the show, Nader’s band, “The Lizards”, came to perform. The performers rocked out on stage and, despite some distracting technical drumming difficulties, got the crowd moving.

The night finished off with an impromptu singing performance by Victor, and a bonus performance that consisted of all of the performers coming together and singing a medley while the audience exited. Loud cheering and clapping marked the end of a successful night and the conversation as the audience left seemed hopeful for more such nights.

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TASNEEM JAMAL/PHOTO

Jamal is a Globe and Mail editor and journalist turned novelist.

Jamal continued from page 6 TM: Which books have changed the way you write, in terms of either style or content?

TJ: I was and continue to be inspired by Charlotte Brontë, particularly in her depiction of isolation and in how she conveys—and she does this subtly and powerfully—the darkness in her characters. J.M. Coetzee, especially in Disgrace and Foe, and Ernest Hemingway, in his entire oeuvre, write tight, powerful sentences, which is something I strive to do.

Jhumpa Lahiri in all of her fiction has a style to which I aspire and that I think of as unadorned. I consciously write in a manner in which my words do not get in the way of the story. I like to imagine that the reader forgets

she is reading when she is immersed in my novel.

TM: Which character do you identify the most with and why? Do you have a favourite character?

TJ: There are aspects of each of the characters that I identify with, but overall I would say I identify most with Mumtaz: as a woman who feels comfortable with her intellect, a mother of young children, someone who is insecure in her sense of home and place in the world, and as someone who comes slowly to the awareness of her power and agency. I can’t say that I have a favourite character.

They are all important to the telling of the story and I value them equally.

TM: What were the challenges of writing from several different perspectives? What were the rewards?

TJ: One of the greatest gifts writing fiction gives me is the freedom to explore many parts of my personality.

I have always had a vast internal life brought on by a somewhat difficult early childhood. Writing in different perspectives allows me to explore the various parts of myself that have not had the opportunity for free expression.

TM: Was it difficult to write from a male perspective?

TJ: I found it remarkably easy to write from a male perspective. I grew up with brothers and was a tomboy, so I enjoyed this particular perspective. Nevertheless, I asked my husband to check over some sections in early drafts to see if they rang true to him. They did.

10

«FEATURES

THE MEDIUM 10.27.2014

Hit the trail, not the books Each week, The Medium chats with a

recipe for vegan mac and cheese with

UTM professor or professional staff

chard and, even more surprising, it tast-

about one of their favourite recipes.

ed like mac and cheese,” Dianne says.

I’m not a vegan or a vegetarian; I con-

Who could have guessed that chard (the

sider myself a perfectly content omni-

friendly cousin of kale) would make a

vore. But, to be honest, I find that vegan

tasty replacement for cheese?

and vegetarian recipes are the most cre-

While I turn to vegan food blog—and

ative, particularly when it comes to clas-

now published book—Oh She Glows by

sic comfort food. Dianne Robertson, un-

Oakville native Angela Liddon for reci-

dergraduate advisor for the English and

pes, Robertson has her own favourite

drama and philosophy departments,

source. “We have tasted many a recipe

similarly has a keen interest in such reci-

thanks to 1,000 Vegan Recipes by Robin

pes. “On my daughter’s request—she

Robertson,” she says. Forget eating

is the true vegan and lover of macaroni

meatless once a week—why not try be-

and cheese—I was amazed to find a

ing cheeseless?

Mac and Chard (adapted from Robin Robertson’s 1,000 Vegan Recipes) SERVES 4 TO 6 NICOLE RAQUINIO/THE MEDIUM

Beware: it’s a long way down to Erindale Park from the UTM Nature Trail’s cliff edge.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 oz (340 g) elbow macaroni • 1 medium bunch rainbow chard,

JELIN PHILIP As someone with a slight case of claustrophobia and a sincere love of the great outdoors, I was delighted to discover the UTM Nature Trail. With my good friend Saaranga Balagengatharadilak, a fourth-year student pursuing an English specialist and a political science minor, we set out along Principal’s Road by the North Building parking lot.

The trail has a long history. It’s recorded in an old copy of The Erindalian (the former student newspaper before The Medium) that the UTM Nature Trail was around back when the Davis Building was brand new in 1973.

Saaranga and I are completely at ease in the heavily forested area. “This trail reminds me of the forest hiking route up in Hamilton by Webster’s Falls,” Saaranga observes.

Hearing the quiet stream of running water below us, we look down and are overcome by the lovely view of the Credit River far below. Though the nature trail is up on a very steep hill without any fencing, I’m overtaken by a sense of calm. It’s been a really hectic week with schedules becoming more chaotic, but on the trail we’re surrounded by birds chirping and tall trunks with a canopy of green leaves above our heads. It’s breezy in the forest and the sun is peeking through the trees.

Saaranga and I climb over fallen tree trunks and branches, while being careful not to trip over tree roots coming out of the ground. The further down the nature trail we go the more relaxed we become with the immense amount of greenery around us.

It feels so good to be away from the crowded Tim Hortons lines and slow students in the hallway on their way

to the library.

Saaranga and I come to the end of the trail at the former Argonauts training field and parking lot. We continue to the river in Erindale Park and spot a middle-aged man and a young boy fishing by the riverside. The man asks Saaranga and me if we have ever seen the Credit River before. I reply, “I have, but not from this area. I’ve been to Eldorado Park in Brampton, where the river flows on by.”

Saaranga asks him if he caught anything yet. The man smiles and answers, “Yeah, but I never keep them.

I just like to do this for fun. I throw the little fishies back in the water right away.”

We head back through the trail to the Instructional Building. Few things are as beautiful and stress-relieving as being in a quiet forest with the reds, yellows, and oranges of fall all around you.

chopped

the oven to 350 F (180 C).

3. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tbsp of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and potato. Season with

• 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil

salt and pepper to taste and cover

• ½ cup (125 g) chopped yellow onion

and cook the vegetables until soft-

• 1 garlic clove chopped

ened, about 10 minutes. Add 1 cup

• 1 medium potato, cut into ½” slices

of the broth, the turmeric, and ½ tsp

• salt and pepper

of the paprika and continue cooking,

• 2 cups (500 ml) vegetable broth

uncovered, until the vegetables are

• ½ tsp (2½ ml) turmeric

very soft. Remove from the heat and

• ¾ tsp (3 ml) paprika • ½ cup (125 g) cashews, unsalted and roasted

set aside.

4. Grind the cashews in a blender or food processor until ground to a

• 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice

fine powder. Add the onion and po-

• 1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard

tato mixture, the remaining broth,

• ½ cup (125 g) bread crumbs

lemon juice, mustard, and more salt

METHOD

and pepper to taste, and blend until

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil; cook

smooth.

the macaroni over medium-high heat

5. Combine the sauce with the cooked

until al dente (just cooked), about 8

macaroni and steamed chard and

minutes. Drain and set aside.

transfer to the baking dish. Sprinkle

2. Steam the chard until tender, about

with the bread crumbs and remaining

5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Once

¼ tsp paprika and drizzle with the re-

cooled, squeeze any remaining liquid

maining 1 tbsp of oil. Bake until hot

from the chard. Lightly oil a 9” x 13”

and golden brown on top, about 30

baking dish and set aside. Preheat

minutes.

Buddha to watch over your car Chinese continued from page 9 In the food court, there’s a Filipino food booth that displays roasted duck, chicken, and pork in its window, a Chinese noodle booth, and a booth for sushi and Korean food.

I got the tempura from the Korean booth and Chinese noodles to go.

The portion of noodles was certainly generous considering the price: $5.99 plus tax. The tempura was shrimp,

sweet potato, and pumpkin fried in crunchy batter.

Inside the Soo Chow Garden, there is the “Pavilion of Friendship”, a gift from the Jiangsu Provincial Government, as well as a pond, a bridge, and white statues of the goddess and Buddha, in the middle of the parking lot at the end of the courtyard. There are various businesses in the centre including a hair salon, dentist, HSBC bank, video store, leather goods store,

and clothing stores. Diane Zetter, a third-year CTEP student, says she got her hair cut once at the centre.

As a commuter student who lives outside Mississauga, the centre was easily accessible by bus. The 101 E express from UTM took 25 minutes.

All in all, my day trip to China was a unique shopping experience with beautiful architecture and a quiet atmosphere that should appeal to students looking for an easy daycation.

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Halloween costumes? Child’s play Dress up continued from page 9 REMEMBER SPIRIT DAYS? Am I the only one whose elementary and high schools held “spirit days” each year? For a week, students and staff were invited to dress according to that week’s chosen themes: PJ Day, Crazy Hat Day, Backwards Day… you get my drift? It was all the rage in elementary school, although admittedly their popularity dropped in high school. Whether you participated or not, they can certainly be a source of inspiration. Throw on your favourite pyjama bottoms and call it a day.

Or sport your mop bucket as a hat.

If kids think these get-ups are cool, then you’ve got to be on to something, right? I mean Halloween is their national holiday: eating a ton of

candy, wearing whatever they want, and staying up past their eight o’clock bedtime. They know their costumes.

GET THE GANG TOGETHER If you don’t want to struggle at it alone, your final option is to round up a team of friends and tough it out together. That way, even if you each put in a minimal effort, it’ll be just as impressive as a single amazing costume because you managed to organize a whole group of people. As with any costume, as long as you have a solid explanation, you’ll win over any tough critics. Choose your favourite set of characters from a television or book series. Friends? Round up three gals and three guys, and each grab a pair of faded denim jeans and a trusty white T-shirt. Harry Potter? You can

go as hardcore as you want, but bare minimum requirements are a girl and two boys with a few twigs and some garbage bag capes. Fairy tales are welcome too, including popular combos like the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf, the Three Blind Mice, or Little Red Riding Hood and her hopeless grandmother. Just make sure that wherever you spend your Halloween, you go as a group—it’s sort of the whole point of the costume.

As you build your costume-making muscles you’ll develop the ability to create more elaborate ideas. Whatever you do, never forget the real meaning of Halloween: rushing out on November 1 and buying as many discounted boxes of candy as humanly possible.

10.27.2014

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11

Marra brothers leave Varsity Blues UTM defensive line twins say goodbye to varsity football after five years playing for U of T JASON COELHO SPORTS EDITOR WITH NOTES FROM ERIC HEWITSON ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR The Varsity Blues football team walked off the field with a 61-13 victory over the University of Waterloo.

The game marked the eighth and final contest that U of T would play in their 2014 season. Finishing with a 2-6 record, one that was less than satisfactory after last year’s return to the .500 mark, the Blues missed out on playoff action once again.

But as the team enters the offseason with hopes of staying in shape and finding a way to revamp the program before the start of next season, they’ll have to do it without two familiar faces that have manned the defensive line for the past five years.

UTM’s Jordan and Justin Marra will be leaving the Blues, graduating and moving on to greener pastures at the end of the school year. The brothers have been a cornerstone of the Blues program, gaining an iconic status as the only twins on the U of T team.

The brothers leave at a time when the program is still reshuffling. The Varsity Blues have been out of the playoffs since 2003, and the goal that was established when the Marra

Jordan and Justin Marra will be leaving UTM to attend teacher’s college. brothers entered the program still has not been attained. “When we came to U of T we wanted to be a part of the group to return the Blues to the playoffs,” says Justin. “In that regard, we are disappointed.”

But the brothers are happy with the experience that being a part of the football team gave them. “We can say that the team has become more of a family and more competitive than

when we first came in,” Justin recalls.

The brothers agree that the hardest part of leaving the program will be leaving the people. “We will remember the relationships that were built through hard work and sacrifice,” says Justin. Justin and Jordan are two players who belong to the “freaksquad”, the playful name given to a group of Varsity Blues football players that are UTM students. Be-

MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

ing a part of the freaksquad was a brotherhood within a brotherhood for the Marras. “The freaksquad is defined by adversity, overcoming hours of commuting every day to play football, putting in extra hours in the weight room, and holding the members of the squad together as a unit,” says Justin.

With the departure of the brothers, the Blues lose two of the team’s most

respected leaders, but the brothers aren’t concerned with their roles being filled on the field and in the locker room. “There is already a young core of developed leaders at UTM,” says Justin, who was quick to mention players like Lukas Gavac.

The brothers wanted to thank all the coaches they’ve had throughout their careers from their time in Burlington Minor Football Association through high school and to U of T, where they were able to work with coach Greg Gary and athletic director Beth Ali. In their final game against the Waterloo Warriors, the Varsity Blues celebrated the brothers’ career by giving them commemorative plaques with their pictures on them. After being involved in the game for 15 years and taking part in 23 seasons of football, the Marras are proud of all their successes over the years, and look forward to taking a break from football to attend teachers college.

With the days of wearing the Varsity Blues sweater behind them, the Marras plan to move to the sidelines as future football coaches.

And even though they won’t get to play the game they love the same way, the satisfaction of having football in their lives is the greatest gift they could ask for.

Kicking off to the Varsity comes to UTM Blues women’s bball plays exhibition game at the RAWC Varsity playoffs FERGUS TALBOT ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR U of T’s Varsity Blues women’s soccer team comfortably won their first eliminatory round playoff match 2-0 against the Laurentian Voyageurs courtesy of goals by Kristian Kletke and Nicki Parkes.

The game began with a few chances

by Claudia Piazza, the team’s current top scorer, and the Blues squad.

Laurentian suffered an early blow after a serious elbow injury to Amy Fitzgerald forced her to leave the game.

At the 26-minute mark, Piazza delivered a corner kick straight to an unmarked Kristian Kletke, who wasted no time in sending a header into the back of the net. Laurentian goalie Michele Greenwood did not have the slightest chance of parrying the ball away.

Alyssa Golin made a darting run down the right wing in the 33rd minute and quickly passed the ball to Piazza, who took one touch and fired a quick shot, only to be denied by some good goalkeeping from Greenwood.

Laurentian’s Alexandra Ross made a rash challenge on Piazza before the break to go straight into the referee’s book.

In the last minute of the half, Claudia Piazza made a terrific run down the right wing and managed to get an early cross to Nicki Parkes, whose volley hit the underside of the crossbar.

At halftime, U of T was up 1-0 and retained most of the possession. Their defence had barely been tested thanks to wide midfield domination. They did, however, lack sharpness in front of goal.

If the first half provided the crowd with some entertaining attacking soccer, the second was dreary by comparison.

Parkes started the second half with what looked like a hamstring injury, but was deemed fit to play.

Laurentian seemed to be a more solid side in the second half. They managed to create a few set pieces, none of which could threaten the Blues’ goal.

Playoffs continued on page 12

NICOLE RAQUINIO/THE MEDIUM

The Blues took on the Laurentian Voyageurs in preseason action.

SIHAN ZHENG U of T’s Varsity Blues went up against the Laurentian Voyageurs in the women’s basketball exhibition game at UTM. The Blues were looking to pick up their first win before the start of the OUA season after dropping their last four games. The Voyageurs, coming off a hot streak of three wins in their last four games, were looking

to build up some momentum for the start of the season.

Laurentian opened up the scoring and took an early lead. The Voyageurs came out of the gate very strong with some great defence, but the Blues had trouble getting into position and never looked threatening early in the first quarter.

U of T caught up at 13-13 with some great shooting with two min-

utes left in the first quarter. But a missed shot and a foul meant that Laurentian took the lead again 30 seconds later despite the best efforts of the U of T women. They never took the lead in the first quarter, and it ended at 18-20 in favour of Laurentian.

Blues continued on page 12

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«SPORTS

THE MEDIUM 10.27.2014

Blues lose exhibition Blues continued from page 11 Both sides increased the pace of the game and defensive pressure in the third quarter. Only 20 points were scored in total in the third frame, compared to 38 in the first and 29 in the second. U of T’s defence proved very capable of limiting shots by the Laurentian players, but Laurentian’s defence did the same for the Blues.

The Blues’ field goal percentage dropped from 33% in the first half to only 19% in the second half. Despite being outscored 11-9, the Blues held on to a slim 44-43 lead.

In the fourth quarter, Laurentian pulled ahead with some great shooting and fantastic defence. U of T struggled to get good shots, and Laurentian capitalized effectively on U of T’s mistakes. Laurentian held onto a slim 4-point lead with two minutes left. A great shot and a few mistakes

by the Voyageurs meant that the Blues were able to pull within two points with one minute left. Unfortunately, a few critical misses meant that the Blues were unable to grab the lead.

Final score: Laurentian Voyageurs 54, University of Toronto Varsity Blues 50.

When asked about the loss, Coach Michele Belanger said, “It was mostly due to poor shooting and missing layups and easy two-pointers.” The Blues were poor in their shot selection, with the Voyageurs’ defence forcing them to shoot from poor angles.

Despite the loss, the fan support and atmosphere were fantastic. The fans were loud and supportive all game; some fans even stood up on the bleachers to chant towards the end.

The mascots and cheerleaders were also fantastic, and UTM’s dance team put on a great show between quarters.

An ode to ice hockey UTM player Phil Power shares his love of Canada’s game

Varsity women shine

UTM faces off against UTSC in the East-West Classic.

Playoffs continued from page11

PHIL POWER

“We got a deserved win today in which we absolutely dominated the first half,” said Coach Stuart Neely.

“We played some fantastic football, grabbed a goal, but I was disappointed that we weren’t up by more than one by halftime. [Laurentian] readjusted in the second half and were much more solid defensively, but Nicki grabbed her opportunity and we only needed one more to make sure we had the game under our belt.”

PLAYER OF THE MATCH KRISTIAN KLETKE (BLUES) A constant threat to the Laurentian defence from her position in the Varsity Blues’ front four, Kletke eventually got her name on the score sheet and put in a solid performance throughout the rest of the encounter.

“The team came ready,” said Kletke.

“Our next game is coming up fast and will be more competitive, but we have the day off tomorrow and will physically recuperate and prepare ourselves mentally.”

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I like to think that everyone has their own ideas, goals, and dreams. Everyone is shaped by their own experiences. The thing is, though, that a lot of people share the same experiences, and this in turn makes them more similar than they are different. This is one experience from one guy, an experience that a lot of young Canadians have shared: playing ice hockey.

Before I write about what it’s like to play an actual game of hockey, I think some context is needed for the large number of people who didn’t grow up in the same atmosphere. If you haven’t noticed, hockey is big in Canada. That really does not do it justice. Hockey, for us, is the passion that unites us all.

On the day I’m writing this, it’s a crisp Saturday in October and I am preparing for the upcoming night in a way that has become so familiar it is now a ritual.

It’s Hockey Night in Canada, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are playing their Original 6 rivals: the Boston Bruins. I will go back to my hometown for the night. There my dad and I are going to sit down, drink some beers, and watch the game. This happens every Saturday night during the hockey season. I only recently started to partake in the drinking aspect, but we have been doing this together before I could walk. The Leafs made the Eastern Conference finals in 1999 (I was four years old); I still remember it and I remember decorating our Dodge Caravan in erasable marker showing our support for the Blue and White. My grandfather died before I was born, but he played hockey and was huge fan of Bobby Hull, a superstar in his day.

It isn’t just a game or a sport to me or the millions of other Canadians who have their own rituals for Saturday nights; it’s a national identity. If hockey ceased to exist, Canada would cease to exist (no discredit to other parts of our identity). And this is important for what it means to actually play hockey, because the moment you step out on the ice, everything else goes to the wayside. Everything that makes you Canadian is really the lead up to the first stride.

And that’s how every game begins—with the first step onto the ice.

A few minutes before that moment, you and your buddies were joking around about each other’s questionable taste in pretty much everything.

Their choice of equipment, the woman they spend time with, their music, or anything you can think of. Right before the game, however, things get more serious, because you realize you really want to skate this other team into the ice. Presumably because their team’s playful banter is as good as yours and that’s totally unacceptable.

I will say this to the day I die: I would rather skate than walk, all the time, permanently. Nothing else comes close.

When you set foot on the ice, things get serious pretty quickly. You want your first few strides to be powerful and long so you can really get your muscles loose. You’ll take in the arena.

Some are old barns that have rafters and banners from a bygone era, others are modern with metal and flashy lights and advertisements for your local Tim Hortons. I prefer the old beatup things—I think they have more character. You also notice the ice.

Contrary to popular belief, not all ice is created equal. Some rinks are really soft and others really hard. This affects the way you can dig out for strides and how the puck bounces and glides.

Soon after that, the referee is at centre ice for the puck drop. All eyes are on the two centres taking the draw.

First-line centres tend to be prominent players, both in terms of point production and leadership. Also, everyone wants to have a good first shift that gets them into the game. A lot of players’ first move is to go hammer some guy into the boards, and the hit wakes you up and reminds you that you are in the game now. The other team will strip you of the puck, hit you onto the ice, and more or less just try and get in your face.

You know your teammates were making fun of each other in the dress-

ing room? Yeah, you all start saying ridiculous things to the other team out there too, but this time you don’t want them to take it on the chin like a champ, but rather have it deeply affect their soul so they can’t focus on the game. Sometimes things get said that cross lines, but at the end of the day it’s all a part of the game. I’m pretty sure some of the conversations I’ve had on the ice would count as war crimes in other parts of the world.

What else happens in hockey? Oh yeah—actually skating with a puck. I will say this to the day I die: I would rather skate than walk, all the time, permanently. Nothing else comes close. Skating with the puck is like someone giving you the best present in the world, because the puck is yours and it is a weapon. You are in control of the situation, you determine whether to pass it to your teammate who’s posted up high in the slot, whether to dangle it in front of the big defencemen in your way of better scoring chance, or to take your chances and try to beat the goaltender. No amount of control you get as a young adult comes close to the amount you get being in control of that small black rubber puck.

Scoring is like Christmas morning on steroids. You have accomplished your goal (pardon the pun) and what it means to be Canadian. You’ve done something great on ice. Every goal you score is met with the same enthusiasm as Sidney Crosby when he scored the golden goal. Your “cele” (short for celebration) is really up to you. I personally prefer a stoic arm raise à la Bobby Orr (when he isn’t flying through the air). Others like to do the Selänee Shotgun, Gretzky’s Running Man, or riding the stick like Tiger Williams.

But the point is that when you play hockey, you are doing it for a lot of reasons. The crest on your jersey represents the community you are from.

Your best friends are on the bench, your family is in the stands, and generations of former players are looking out for you. Undoubtedly, you also do it for yourself. You want to win, you want glory, and you want the spoils of war. But at the end of the day you have the nation at your back, and you do it because you are Canadian.