Volume 46 Issue 1

Page 1

September 9, 2019

THE MEDIUM The Voice of The Unviersity of Toronto Mississauga | themedium.ca

Vol. 46, No. 1

The fight against the SCI

Apathy saves student groups

Trauma bursts forth in IT 2

Amazon forest on fire

Hall of famer, golden eagle

News, page 2

Comment, page 6

Arts, page 9

Features, page 11

Sports, page 14


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09.09.2019

Editor | Melissa Barrientos

The fight against Student Choice Initiative The Canadian Federation of Students Ontario and UTMSU fight the implementation of SCI MELISSA BARRIENTOS NEWS EDITOR The Student Choice Initiative (SCI) is finally live after the Ontario government announced it back in January, along with a 10 per cent tuition cut for all domestic students. The SCI gives post-secondary students the choice to opt-out of certain incidental fees through an online application. UTM’s online opt-out application is live on ACORN until September 18. Students can opt-out of services provided by the university and student societies such as UTMSU’s membership fees, Family Care Centre, and UTM’s Women’s Centre. According to the Ontario government, under the SCI policy, these services are deemed “non-essential.” Mandatory incidental fees include athletics and recreation, career services, student buildings, and academic support. On May 23, the Canadian Federation of Students Ontario (CFS-O) and the York Federation of Students filed a joint legal challenge against the Ontario government in regard to the Student Choice Initiative. The court challenge states that the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities did not have the authority to implement the SCI policy and acted unlawfully by imposing the policy on top of the memorandum made between students’ unions and university authorities. “We are filing this legal challenge on behalf of all students, students’ unions and student organizations, including campus media and student clubs,” said Kayla Weiler, the Canadian Federation of Students’ Ontario representative. “Despite its claim, the Ford government is not for the people and it is certainly not for the students. Students’ unions have been democratically voted in place by students and should remain free of government interference.” The court challenge also refers to Premier Doug Ford’s fundraising email sent by his Progressive Conservative party on February 11, 2019, where he labels students’ unions as having nonsensical “Marxist ideologies.” “Student were forced into unions and forced to pay for those unions,” says Doug Ford in the email. “I think we all know what kind of crazy Marxist nonsense student unions get up to. So, we fixed that.” According to a survey administered by Ipsos, a global market research and consulting firm, on behalf of the CFS-O, 95 per cent of respondents think public consultation is essential when the govern-

ment reviews the Ontario tuition fee framework. Almost 90 per cent of respondents also believe that post-secondary students are the most important stakeholders in the review process and should be consulted. Former UTMSU president and current Chairperson of the CFS-O Felipe Nagata gave his thoughts on the survey results in a statement. “Ontarians understand that students are the primary stakeholders in the post-secondary system. However, this government has consistently failed to engage students in any form of consultations ahead of major decisions affecting the sector. Students contribute billions of dollars a year into post-secondary institutions and deserve to be involved in consultations about the future of our campuses.” At UTM, the students’ union worked over the summer to alleviate the negative impact the SCI would have on them financially. “We are figuring out how to deal with [the SCI], the repercussions and the budget cuts, and how to still provide those quality services and advocacy work with those budget cuts,” said UTMSU president Atif Abdullah in an interview with The Medium. “I think that the biggest initiative this year is ‘how do we prove our membership is worth it to our students?’ because we’ve spent decades doing amazing work between the student union and the students.” The UTMSU has started a “Maintain your Membership” campaign where they stress the importance of incidental fees and the services student societies provide to the UTM community, in hopes that students will choose to opt-in to their services. The Maintain your Membership campaign also pushes for the transparency of UTMSU activities, so students can see the advocacy work the UTMSU provides on behalf of the student body. “There is a lot of work that happens in the office, but how do we make sure that the work goes out to students and that they are aware of what we are doing in that office,” says Abdullah. “So, that’s one of the biggest takeaways for us from last year to this year, especially with the Student Choice Initiative. How do we take all the work that we’ve done and put it out there?” The UTMSU will continue to work with the CFS-O to advocate against the imposed Student Choice Initiative.

NAAÏRAH PAUROBALLY/THE MEDIUM

The Student Choice Initiative is bringing some financial control to students.

A dino-mite frosh week UTMSU’s frosh had a beach party, a boat cruise, and Sean Paul TANISHA KUMAR ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR The University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) welcomed over 1,450 new students last week with an array of orientation activities. UTMSU’s orientation, Kingdom ’19, aimed to help students transition into university student life by providing an engaging environment where students could make friends and have fun while doing it. The UTMSU split students into groups based on certain dinosaur species. Alternative programing was made available for students who wished to opt-out of certain activities. Students received a frosh kit that included t-shirts, newsletters, and free swag. On the first day, Sunday, the UTMSU hosted a mini-carnival for students where inflatables lined the sidewalks and booths bran-

dished food and informative pamphlets. On Monday, students were put into their respective groups and had a chance to socialize with their leaders and group members. Later that night, students bussed to Harbourfront where a boat cruise around the CN Tower awaited them. Students were also given an alternative event, a paint night, if they did not wish to attend the boat cruise. Tuesday saw students attend a magic show, and then rally behind their dino-teams at the cheer-off. At night, students gathered to face the foam machines and paint at the foam/ paint party. For those students who didn’t want paint-streaked hair and foam-soaked clothes, an escape room was set up on campus. On Wednesday, students bussed downtown to join the Tri-Campus

Parade. Later that day students headed to the shore for the Beach Party, where live music and entertaining activities awaited them. Thursday was a chill meet-andgreet day for Kingdom ’19 attendees. The UTMSU booked Square One’s Rec Room for a night of arcade games, live music, and karaoke. The last day of Frosh week wrapped up with a live concert by Sean Paul at the much-anticipated Pub Night event. Karan Parajia, a first-year student from Singapore, told The Medium, “Frosh activities were very well-planned and the team leaders were very fun to be around.” He felt that being a part of Frosh gave him a chance to step outside of his comfort zone and make friends he wouldn’t have otherwise.


MASTHEAD EDITORS Editor-in-Chief Ali Taha editor@themedium.ca Managing Editor Paula Cho managing@themedium.ca News Melissa Barrientos news@themedium.ca A&E Srijan Sahu arts@themedium.ca Features Fatima Adil editor@themedium.ca Sports Sarah-May Edwardo-Oldfield sports@themedium.ca

09.09.2019 THE MEDIUM NEWS

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Cannabis in Mississauga and UTM Cannabis retail store banned at Mississauga by Crombie, UTM remains smoke-free

Photo Julia Healy photos@themedium.ca Design Tegwen McKenzie design@themedium.ca Illustrations Tala Alkhaldi illustrations@themedium.ca Copy Jessica Cabral copy@themedium.ca Online Yasmeen Alkoka online@themedium.ca ASSOCIATES News Tanisha Kumar Harris Watkins Saleha Faruque Kayvan Aflaki A&E TBA Features TBA Sports Noorbir Bhatia Photo TBA Copy TBA GENERAL STAFF Webmaster William Pau web@themedium.ca Distribution Manager Mduduzi Mhlanga distribution@themedium.ca Ads Manager Amina Safdar ads@themedium.ca COPYRIGHTS All content printed in The Medium is the sole property of its creators, and cannot be used without written consent. DISCLAMER Opinions expressed in the pages of The Medium are exclusively of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Medium. Additionally, the opinions expressed in advertisements appearing in The Medium are those of advertisers and not of The Medium. All articles published in print are also posted on our website themedium.ca LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor will be edited for spelling, grammar, style and coherence. Letters will not exceed 700 words in print. Letters that incite hatred or violence and letters that are racist, homophobic, sexist, or libelous will not be published. Anonymous letters will not be published. MEDIUM II PUBLICATIONS 3359 Mississauaga Road, Room 200, Student Centre, Mississauaga, ON, L5L 1C6

TO CONTRIBUTE, EMAIL EDITOR@THEMEDIUM.CA

SHARON MCCUTCHEON/UNSPLASH.COM

After the legalization of marijuana, universities and municipal governments are left with the task of enforcing restrictions.

SALEHA FARUQUE ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR UTM students can expect renewed cannabis awareness campaigns with the start of the new academic year, as U of T’s universal smoke-free policy continues to ban the smoking of tobacco and cannabis on campus. Since the legalization of cannabis on October 17, 2018, Canadian universities have been hard at work educating students on the effects of cannabis use. UTM continues to run information campaigns to inform students, staff, and faculty on health and safety issues surrounding cannabis. UTM has also equipped student life professionals at the Health & Wellness Centre with information to answer questions about the drug. Students in Ontario can obtain cannabis from 24 legal retailers across Ontario, excluding Mississauga. On December 2018, the Mississauga City Council voted 10-2 to opt-out of the city’s retail cannabis motion. Brampton was the only city in the Peel Region to opt-in and allow cannabis retail stores to open in their city this year.

Students seeking to obtain cannabis must be of legal age, 19, or older. International students enrolling before the age of 19 must be aware of the age restrictions affecting consumption and possession. International students must also be aware of international travel and its legal implications regarding cannabis possession. Provincial law further limits public possession to 30 grams of dried cannabis (or its equivalent). However, cannabis consumption is still prohibited in all university buildings, libraries, and athletic facilities, including indoor public or public areas altogether. Students residing on campus can review residence policies for official smoking rules and regulations. Kelly Hannah-Moffat, Vice-President of Human Resources and Equity, said in an interview with UTM News that U of T remains committed to ensuring safe and healthy workplaces for staff. For students, she recommends that they “visit their campus Health & Wellness Centre to discuss their questions. If cannabis use is interfering with their academic or dayto-day lives, that’s a sign they may need to talk to someone about their

limits.” Cannabis trends have recently become prevalent in local news too. In August, Peel Police reported a decrease of 533 criminal drug charges from their 2017 report, approximately a 20 per cent reduction, which they attribute to the cannabis legalization in 2018. Offences reported less often were related to possession, trafficking, production and/or distribution of illegal drugs. By December, Peel Police’s 2019 annual report will include a full year overview of drug offences without cannabis. The positive statistic arrives in the wake of Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie’s concerns over retail cannabis stores in Mississauga. Provincial legislation currently dictates all regulations around retail cannabis stores, including that stores must remain at least 150 metres away from public and private schools. However, Mayor Crombie said to Mississauga News that Mississauga will hold-off from bringing cannabis stores to Mississauga unless municipalities are allowed to impose greater location restrictions. After meeting with Finance Min-

ister Rod Phillips to discuss the issue, Mayor Crombie tweeted that she asked “that cities be given greater control over where cannabis stores are located. Mississauga may decide to opt-in in the future, but we need more of a say in how these businesses operate in our city.” Despite UTM students not being allowed to smoke cannabis on campus, cannabis courses have sprung up in colleges and universities across the country. The Cannabis Council of Canada estimates that 12 post-secondary schools have launched programs relating to marijuana, which cover topics such as product research, cannabis laws, and common business practices. Ryerson University’s Chang School of Continuing Education has launched an introductory business course on cannabis. The course, CZEN 420: The Business of Cannabis, will “introduce students to relevant entrepreneurship principles such as opportunity recognition and evaluation, cannabis legislation at the provincial and federal levels” and “financing for cannabis businesses.”

The opt-out process and purpose “Non-essential” fees make up six per cent of all incidental fees at UTM TANISHA KUMAR ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR The opt-out application is currently live on ACORN and we did the math to see if opting out is right for you. On January 17, Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative government announced the introduction of the Student Choice Initiative (SCI) and cuts to OSAP funding. The SCI gives students the option to opt out of certain incidental fees, including fees for student clubs, societies, and the students’ union. The University of Toronto Mis-

sissauga identifies athletics and recreation, career services, student buildings, the HCC (Health and Counselling Centre), academic support, Student ID cards, transcriptions, convocation, financial aid offices, and walk-safe programs as “essential” fees. Students do not have the option to opt-out of the existing MiWay transit U-Pass fee of $250.26 per year ($125.13 per semester), however they can opt-out of health and dental coverage, which amounts to $374.86 per year ($187.43 per semester), if they already have existing, comparable coverage.

The total cost of incidental fees, including the mandatory and optional fees, is $1,739.64 per year ($869.82 per semester). The total amount of “non-essential” fees that students can opt-out from adds up to $111.84 per year ($55.92 per semester). Nonessential fees make up approximately six per cent of all incidental fees. Atif Abdullah, the president of UTMSU, discussed the initiative behind SCI at UTMSU’s Board of Directors Meeting on April 1. “These changes seem to [be] becoming less about saving student money which is the prerogative that

they ran with, because the things deemed essential, i.e. the Student Pass, the Athletics, were the most expensive things,” says Abdullah. “What started off as a means to save student money quickly turned into an initiative to shut down student led and run organizations.” The SCI’s online application is currently active on the ACORN website. Students can find the “Incidental Fee” application under the “Financial Account” tab. The last date for UTM students to opt-out of any incidental fee is Thursday, September 19, 2019.


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THE MEDIUM 09.09.2019

U of T’s 2019 Demo Day Student startups join the entrepreneurship race and win big

August 30, 2019 Motor Vehicle Collision. Campus Police attended lot 9 for a motor vehicle accident. September 3, 2019 Police Assistance Campus Police attended a residence to assist in shutting down a large social gathering. September 3, 2019 Police Assitance Campus Police and ECSpeRT attended student centre for a student feeling unwell.

September 3, 2019 Police Assistance Campus Police and ECSpeRT attended lot 8 for a student feeling nauseous. Campus Police escorted the student to the health and counselling centre. September 3, 2019 Police Assitance. Campus Police attended the Student Centre for a student feeling unwell. The student was escorted to health and counselling centre by ECSpeRT.

These reports are those that have been released to The Medium from Campus Police 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-TIPS (8477).

THE ENTREPENEURSHIP HATCHERY/UOFT ENGINEERING

U of T’s Demo Day helps student start-ups win funding for their new product. KAYVAN AFLAKI ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

New North name “Maanjiwe nendamowian” over “North”

JULIA HEALY/THE MEDIUM

The North building has a new name after being open for one year. SANJEET SAINI CONTRIBUTOR On August 22, the Office of the VicePresident & Principal announced the official name of the North building. In collaboration with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN), the building was granted the name “Maanjiwe nendamowian.” The name translates to “Gathering of Minds” in Anishinaabemowin. The naming of the building began last year with an announcement from Interim Chief Administration Officer Susan Senese, who asked for suggestions from the UTM community. The name suggestions were then reviewed by the North 2 Naming Committee composed of students, staff, and faculty. “The Naming Committee unanimously recommended that an Indigenous name be considered for the new building,” said Saher Fazilat, Chief Administration Officer, in a past interview with The Medium. Maanjiwe nendamowian “captures, so perfectly, the spirit and purpose of our new building,” said Vice-Principal Amrita Daniere in the announcement. “The committee unanimously recommended that UTM pursue a name that reflects the land on which the campus operates and U of T’s ongoing response to the federal Truth

and Reconciliation Commission.” A variety of students have expressed their opinions regarding the Indigenous origin of the Maanjiwe nendamowian building’s name. Joseph Bargan, a third-year computer science student, says “it’s very inspiring and heart-warming to see UTM walk the talk of land acknowledgement.” First-year student, Daniella Gonsalves, agrees with Bargan saying that “such an acknowledgement exemplifies how UTM is grounded in recognizing and subsequently valuing its past.” Unsure of the desired outcome, third-year political science and philosophy student, Kyla Couture says, “If the university’s goal was to pay homage to the Indigenous tribes, I don’t know if this was necessarily the best way.” Six academic departments have moved into the Maanjiwe nendamowian building including the sociology, philosophy, language studies, historical studies, and English and drama departments. The Maanjiwe nendamowian building is 220,600 gross square feet and is a LEED Gold candidate. The six-story building also added over 500 new study spaces and a special event space.

Last Wednesday, 14 student-led startups from across Ontario were invited to participate as part of the University of Toronto Entrepreneurship Hatchery’s 2019 Demo Day. The event, held in the Myhal Centre for Engineering, Innovation and Entrepreneurship on the St. George campus, was judged by an interdisciplinary panel of over 10 U of T faculty and investors. Demo Day is the culmination of a four-month process which pairs student teams with experienced mentors—including executives, lawyers, and entrepreneurs—to develop their businesses and potential start-up ideas. Students receive detailed feedback on their business plans, explore their proposed market, learn about patents and marketing, and build prototypes using 3D printers and other fabrication resources. As part of the event, start-ups gave a brief pitch to the audience to advocate for their product’s potential social and market value. Audience members were then given the opportunity to vote if they would “invest” in the presenter’s product. The panel of judges then deliberated and reached a conclusion on which startup would be awarded a grand prize of $25, 000. A smaller prize, valued at $2,500 and nicknamed “The People’s Choice,” was given to the start-up with the most “yes” votes in the audience poll. Among the presenters at this year’s Demo Day were projects aimed at improving the access to electricity in developing nations, apps designed to improve wellness and physical activity, and public health technologies geared towards reducing the risk of health-acquired infections (HAIs). Fian Technologies, one of the 14 presenters, designed a wall-mounted sensor attached next to handwashing stations in hospitals and clinics. Their innovation intends to guide healthcare providers through proper hand-cleaning etiquette. “Our hand washing companion device takes the guesswork out of handwashing to combat HAIs at their source,” explained Parhal Chinikar, a

founder at Fian Technologies. “We use sensor technology and instant feedback to guide users through three simple stages of proper handwashing.” In an interview with The Medium following his presentation, Chinikar explained his team’s experience in devising Fian Technologies in greater depth. “We actually started out trying to make an automated handwashing station. Holistically, handwashing is outdated and hasn’t been modernized in a very long time. Turns out that it would be expensive and impractical to convince people to replace sinks with what we originally envisioned. At around the same time, my grandmother fell and broke her hip and had to go through surgery. She also developed an HAI and had to go through even more surgery to resolve the issue. We realized quickly that there was, even today, a big problem in the healthcare industry with sanitation. We shifted away from our original concept and reached what we have now—a device that walks you through the entire handwashing process and gives you hints on all the steps you need to take.” “We had the original concept last summer,” continued Chinikar. “We filed for a patent this March and finished our prototype just last month. We’re hoping to implement these as part of a trial over the next two months. From there, we hope to take it to the broader market.” Brainloop, another presenter, developed a diagnostic aid for reducing the incidence of misdiagnosing epilepsy. In partnership with physicians from Toronto Western Hospital, Brainloop’s project is scheduled to be piloted in their emergency rooms over the 2020-2021 year. Esteban Arelano, one of Brainloop’s founders, shared with The Medium his inspiration for developing their product. “Three years ago, we met Sheila. Sheila suffered a seizure and was diagnosed with epilepsy eight years ago. Only recently, her diagnosis with epilepsy was found to be a misdiagnosis. Sheila experiences non-epileptic seizures, which can be treated

without the use of medications and pharmaceuticals,” Arelano said. “Over those eight years, she subsequently developed a drug dependency. Sheila’s case is not unique. One in five people are misdiagnosed with a brain disease every year. That’s what led us to develop Brainloop, which harnesses machine learning and artificial intelligence to help a physician with his diagnostic abilities.” Brainloop received the $2,500 People’s Choice Award for their innovation. Toronto-based start-up Aeroflux received the grand prize of $25, 000 at the U of T Entrepreneurship Hatchery’s annual Demo Day. Aeroflux developed a working prototype of a contactless, wear-free, maintenancefree aircraft brake that never needs to be replaced. Aeroflux reports that “contactless brakes on a single Airbus A320 would save $7.2 million in operating costs.” In an interview with The Medium, Nikola Costic, the project manager and an Engineering student at the University of Toronto’s St. George campus, explained the magnitude of Aeroflux’s winnings. “It is a huge reward,” Costic said. “It’s something that validates our work over the whole summer. My team and I spent so many days in the workshop and in the prototyping space to make this a reality. To have had the support of the U of T Entrepreneurship community means so much.” Costic elaborated that in his opinion, the most important aspect for any start-up’s success is patience. “It’s one of those things where I would say I’ve had a lifelong interest in it. I just had the right inspiration at the right moment,” he said. “Don’t worry about artificially forcing that moment. Educate yourself in entrepreneurship. The right idea, the right skillset, the right people—it’ll all come together eventually. Stay positive. You can get there.” Demo Day 2020 is expected to take place in September of next year. Applications to join the U of T Hatchery are now open and available on their website.


09.09.2019 THE MEDIUM NEWS

The new Meeting Place Renovated food court: New food outlets and hang-out spots

HUMANS OF UTM

AIMEE PADILLO/THE MEDIUM

The Meeting Place in Davis is fresh, new, and ready to go after being under construction. SALEHA FARUQUE ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR Just in time for the start of the school year, UTM’s new food court brings a unique dining experience to the William G. Davis building. Students can look forward to an array of diverse food options, ethical sourcing, and waste reduction initiatives. The new food court’s services range from convenient coffee spots to fresh salad bars, a gluten-free food station, and vegetarian options. Morning power-up bars and pastry cravings can be found at the Fair Trade Corner. This specialty shop offers all things fair trade such as coffee, chocolate, and even sugar. Another breakfast favourite, Oooh La La, showcases wholesome bagels, eggs, and fresh fruit in its menu. Stocking up on lunch is easy at Bespoke, a Mongolian-inspired cuisine shop where meals can be customized vegetarian. Students craving Middle Eastern classics can also fill up on slow-cooked chicken shawarma at Rotisserie. Additional campus eateries in the expanding food court include Harvey’s, Thai Express, Pizza Pizza, The Salad Bar, and Fusion 8. In response to dietary accommodations, meat served on campus is mostly halal and outlets like Fusion 8 remain gluten-free and nut-free. Students with special requirements including nutritional, medical or religious needs are encouraged to speak with food service managers to ensure options are made available.

Students can now order from The Burger’s Priest, UTM Hospitality and Retail Services’ new off-campus partner, and have it delivered to their location on campus. The Burger’s Priest, located at 129 Lakeshore Road East, will authorize the purchase with Flex Dollars, funds from the UTM Meal Plan. Hospitality and Retail Services are also thinking of adding a second Starbucks outlet on campus. The new food court belongs to a multi-purpose construction project to revitalize the William G. Davis building. Seating fits 900 people, which is more than double the previous 400-person capacity. The food court was built on the original Meeting Place site, a favourite go-to spot for students. The construction plan presents a fluid seating system that provides a spacious environment for group hangouts. Senior Facilities Planner of UTM’s Facilities Management & Planning Department Greg Karavelis told The Medium that the project aimed to “reimagine the Meeting Place into a student-focused hub.” Construction will continue in the Temporary Food Court (TFC), where a new seating area and two standalone food kiosks will fill the area previously occupied by food stations. A new space for Student Services offices and all-gender washrooms will also be built. The William G. Davis renovation project is expected to be completed by this autumn. In addition to diverse meal options

and upcoming construction plans, changes to the Meeting Place also include innovative sustainability initiatives. UTM’s Hospitality & Retail Services aims to purchase 55 per cent of their food purchases locally for the non-branded food outlets at UTM, such as the Colman Commons Dining Hall at Oscar Peterson Hall. The food outlets directly under Hospitality & Retail management officially eliminated plastic straws in 2017, and a waste diversion program focused on cutting pre-consumer waste now trains Chartwells staff through the disposal station process and waste reduction practices. Hospitality & Retail Services will begin a Bring Your Own Container program later this year where reusable take-out containers will receive a $0.25 discount, and a discount of $0.10 will be applied at Tim Hortons and Starbucks. Hospitality & Retail Services will distribute 2,000 reusable take-out containers at the start of the program to encourage participation. In 2016, UTM became a designated fair trade campus and continues to put forth more fair trade choices and projects like the Vertical Farm. The indoor farm grows herbs and vegetables for campus food services, harvesting over 205 kg of produce since 2017. Through the UTM Bee Program, five beehives have produced 770 pounds of honey since 2017 for charitable donations and distribution to Community Kitchens on campus.

To me, getting a university degree is less about getting an education and more about gaining a community. I’m part of a lot of writing programs and writing groups and when you get to share something so personal, you gain friends—you gain people who are like-minded or interested in the same things as you. I think that’s more important than grades or GPAs or resume experience. I think it’s important to learn more about yourself. When you’re writing especially, it’s a very individual thing; it’s something that you do on your own. A lot of the times when I’m writing, I don’t write to have it heard by other people. But when you have kind of a community around you that’s into the same kind of things that you are, you get to share something so personal and have it be not only a connecting experience with that other person, but they can connect to what you’re write. And maybe something you thought was an individual experience is actually more universal and shared by other people that you never realized.”

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09.09.2019

Ali Taha

Editorial: Student The basic economics of the SCI In a competitive market, businesses must adapt to succeed apathy saves student groups On January 17, 2019, the Ontario government introduced the Student Choice Initiative (SCI), a program that would make some previously mandatory fees optional. Most of these fees related to student groups on campus, and the announcement threw student leaders into a panic: after years of a steady source of income, student groups would now have to create a financial plan… and budget. Student group executives feared that students would opt-out in droves, exercising their new-found freedom to choose. What student leaders forgot to account for, especially at UTM, was the spectre of apathy that has haunted our campus for years. Students have become so indifferent that they don’t bother attending events, meetings, or even parties on campus. They have become so indifferent that they aren’t even concerned with opting out of their fees. And since they have to opt-out and not in, they are less likely to go through the trouble of doing so. This is a general behavioural economic tendency: Spain’s national organ donor rate is the highest in the world, at 48 donors per million population (pmp). Spain has an opt-out donor system, meaning that people are presumed to consent to organ donation even if they have never registered as a donor. Compare this to Canada’s average (21.8 pmp), which uses the opt-in donor systems. Compounding this sense of apathy is the “commuter campus” status UTM has created for itself over the years. Not many students live on campus, making it more difficult to build a sense of school spirit, or a “homey” atmosphere. Worse still, what student is comfortable partying, getting drunk, and then returning home inebriated to face their parents? UTM’s demography also hinders its ability to create an engaged, enthusiastic student body. Many of the students that go to UTM are from traditional households and Eastern families. They are more sheltered, reserved, and withdrawn. Just last week, the UTMSU’s Orientation was quite underwhelming to witness. On their Instagram story, the UTMSU posted a video of the Orientation leaders cheering and hyping each other up in the RAWC’s gym while first year students just sat on the bleachers, staring blankly ahead. Adding to all this is the fact that the University of Toronto Mississauga is known to have a generally tense atmosphere, where students are chroni-

cally stressed. But why should students care about the SCI in the first place? It wasn’t meant for the regular student. The Conservative government advertised the SCI as something that would give college and university students the freedom to choose what they pay for as autonomous adults, but Doug Ford’s target audience was Conservatives that disliked left-leaning students’ unions. He even said so himself in the now-infamous fundraising email in which he accused students’ unions of getting up to “crazy Marxist nonsense.” The email came on the tail of the SCI announcement as Ford tried to highlight his government’s decision to make some fees paid by Ontario college and university students optional instead of mandatory. “Students were forced into unions and forced to pay for those unions,” Ford said in the email. “I think we all know what kind of crazy Marxist nonsense student unions get up to.” If you have spent any time with Conservative students at UTM, you’ll find out very quickly how much they dislike the UTMSU, and why wouldn’t they? The UTMSU has a history of supporting Liberal causes like the “Fight for Fifteen” and Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaigns. UTMSU executives have gone on to work in the Canadian Federation of Students, an organization known to produce NDP candidates and bureaucrats. The SCI was an easy way for Ford to build a rapport with his base, especially among young Conservatives. If the Ontario government truly cared about student choice, then they would have worked to dismantle the bloated bureaucracy of the university. Students never got the choice to pay the $203.84 Recreation, Athletics & Wellness fee, or $81.73 for “Career Services.” The costliest fees are mandatory, while the fees of $0.50 are optional. The money students are saving is peanuts compared to the mandatory fees they are obligated to pay. If the SCI offered to save students more money, they would become much more invested in opting out because they would have the financial incentive to do so. No one cares about having a choice if the outcome is insignificant. If you want students to have a choice—if you really want them to be autonomous adults—then make all fees optional, not just the ones you dislike.

MATTHEW T RADER/UNSPLASH.COM

It might be time for the UTMSU to prove its worth to students. MDUDUZI MHLANGA DISTRIBUTION MANAGER After reading Thomas Sowell’s Basic Economics this summer, I found a reason to feel confident that the Student Choice Initiative (SCI) poses some benefits despite its shortcomings. I am no economics major; however, the incentives the SCI creates for students’ unions might serve to be a major benefit. I argue that the SCI offers the University of Toronto Mississauga’s Students’ Union (UTMSU) an opportunity to develop its efficacy and its relationship with students, important community members, and influential off-campus actors. This is not a political argument but simply a way to take this legislation as is and examine the incentives it creates that might benefit the UTM community. This is not to suggest that the SCI itself is not flawed—this is simply taking reality as it is and seeing the potential benefits. Furthermore, this article is specific to the UTM campus alone as I cannot speak beyond our campus. However, the underlying logic of this article can theoretically be applied across different campuses. Historically, the UTMSU’s funds have been compulsory, meaning that students paid the UTMSU their fees as a mandatory part of tuition (alongside other compulsory fees such as the gym membership fee). This has essentially meant that the UTMSU has not needed to earn these payments, but instead they were always guaranteed. Now, with the SCI, students can choose whether to give these payments to the UTMSU. The UTMSU uses these fees for service-provision. These include, but are not limited to, free breakfast Wednesdays and their food bank. These services are certainly vital to some students, arguably those in need of financial assistance.

Sowell writes in his book, “In a competitive market […] proposals must convince those particular people whose own money is at stake and who therefore have every incentive to marshal the best available expertise to assess the future before proceeding.” If the UTMSU has to campaign and advocate for students to provide them with these fees, they must prove to students that their services are indispensable, and this means showing forethought and results for every initiative. Moreover, if economic actors are forced to earn their money, they are provided incentives to innovate and increase efficiency, fiscal responsibility, and accountability to their consumers. If the UTMSU has to consistently demonstrate their efficiency and productivity with these funds, they have to show results, and this makes accountability to and communication with students an obligation. This means better communication not only with students in terms of informing and advocating, but also for The Medium as well. As the campus media, The Medium is tasked with keeping the students informed on campus and off-campus activities. This means that the UTMSU will have to better its relationship with The Medium. Late last year, towards the end of the winter semester, The Medium and the UTMSU seemed to be spatting over questions of accountability, responsibility, and transparency. With the SCI, both organizations have to prove their worth. This further entails employing cost-cutting and efficiency measures to provide these services, and they might have to reach out to local actors to help fund these services. The same can be said for local community members. If the UTMSU is strapped for cash, as it understandably might be due to the freedom the

SCI provides students, it might have to reach out to the local community for assistance. This means the UTMSU has incentives to build connections with local NGOs, private businesses, and fellow students’ unions. This means that the UTMSU has the opportunity and incentive to build sustainable iterations with the community beyond just the campus and fellow students’ unions. Again, the UTMSU must prove that they do good work to the community beyond our campus. And when you look at the relationship the UTMSU has built with our local government, we see that this positive iteration has not been built. The UTMSU, and I would argue many students’ unions, have performed poor politically, and so of course when budgets get tight and politicians have to put their books in order, students’ unions like the UTMSU are inevitably going to face cuts. If the UTMSU has to find money wherever it can, a good relationship with the mayor’s office and provincial members of parliament’s offices can be advantageous. And not only for financial reasons but for enhancing the relationship the campus has with the Mississauga and GTA community overall. Starting this year, the UTMSU and other campus service-providers across the GTA and Ontario have to start proving their worth. Every dollar counts when many students already struggle to pay tuition. Competing for scarce resources (read: student fees) incentivizes the UTMSU to innovate and improve its efficiency, relationships, and communication with students, campus media, and off-campus private and public actors. Overall, these are the potential gains that might accrue from the implementation of the Student Choice Initiative.


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Standardized testing is not the key to success Solving the crisis of student achievement begins by focusing on what it really means to be successful TOMASZ GLOD CONTRIBUTOR Recently, the Ontario government announced that they would be spending $200 million dollars on a revamped math strategy—one that focuses on a more “back-to-basics approach.” Money spent on education is money well spent. However, the motivations behind such proposals need to be examined. Minister of Education Stephen Lecce placed quite the emphasis on the underwhelming performance of students—specifically their Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) marks—as an indicator that the “discovery math” approach the province took under the previous regime requires changing. Although there lies an importance in identifying which teaching strategy is superior, for now I’d like to leave that to the politicians to quarrel about. Instead, I would like to focus on something of much greater importance: why do students, teachers, parents, and governments bestow such an importance on the marks achieved from standardized tests? One answer is that it allows for students and parents to create a simple indicator of who is ‘smart.’ But unfortunately, these hierarchyenabling tests are a terrible way of measuring student success.

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Standardized testing is not a good indicator of intelligence, and it’s time to fund something else. We need to recognize that success is not something that can be quantified. If stakeholders are so invested in seeing children succeed, it is critical to show them from an early age that simply obtaining a lower grade does not mean that you can’t be successful. Now, please don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t want students at any level to begin receiving a squirrel instead of a 90, or a sad walrus instead of a 60. All that I’m trying to say is that if a student doesn’t perform well on a standardized test, perhaps there might be

something wrong with the structure of the test. You wouldn’t want a mechanic to know how to change your tire, you’d want them to be able to do it. According to the EQAO, currently in Ontario many “students’ basic knowledge of fundamental math skills is stronger than their ability to apply those skills to a problem or think critically to determine an answer.” What this means is that students are capable of memorizing information and facts because we’ve created tests that cater to those abilities, but they are unable to

apply that information. Being able to memorize something and regurgitate it on a piece of paper doesn’t sound like success to me. The importance of creating a baseline to easily evaluate the state of students is not beyond me, but since we place such an emphasis on enhancing our performance, why not place an effort on improving the system that tries to quantify it? Rectifying this issue begins on an individual level. Provide students the ability to express themselves in ways

that feel natural for them. Encourage them to discover and explore different learning styles and allow them to make mistakes. None of these qualities are easily established and developed without a dedicated and concentrated effort from teachers. This can be difficult for teachers to accomplish when they cannot provide sufficient time to each student or when their resources are stretched too thin. The importance of another factor is paramount as well—that of joy. There must exist an eagerness and enthusiasm within each student to learn, and within each educator to teach. Standardized tests breed the reverse sentiment which is reflected in what many Ontario students have dubbed EQAO tests: Evil Questions Attacking Ontario. Within the rigidness of standardized tests, students are directly discouraged from exploring alternative ways of solving problems or arriving at productive conclusions, virtues that are essential to life. Standardized tests should be constructed not so that educators, school boards, and governments can pat themselves on the back for a job well done, but to identify where individual students require additional assistance. At that point however, if we are identifying the needs of different students, how standard can these tests really be?

North’s new name ignores reality Big butt, thin thighs The new building’s unpronounceable name fails at reconciliation Why this body trend is unhealthy for women SONIA ROMERO JOHNSON CONTRIBUTOR It might be perceived as feminine to have developed glutes coupled with thin legs, but it is not a sustainable lifestyle. Every time I see a post online that reads “how to get a big butt without growing your thighs,” I imagine all the women who will age into their 50s with torn cartilage in the knee, in pain, popping Percocet. Here’s why: The muscle group in our thighs, called quadriceps, are designed to first protect your femur, and second carry the weight of your body. Weak and underdeveloped quadriceps put all of your bodyweight onto your delicate knees, breaking down cartilage over time. Worn cartilage in the joint of the knee leads to osteoarthritis. According to Arthritis Canada, 60 per cent of people with arthritis in this country are women. As bipedal animals, osteoarthritis is inevitable due to what doctors call “wear and tear,” but strong quads prolong cartilage health. Strong glutes are important—glutes also take weight off your knees—and I’m happy to see women exercising and getting stronger. But your glutes are heavy, and they need your thighs for support. In fact, glutes, quads, and hamstrings are designed to work to-

gether for hip mobility and knee extension. Glutes help you extend your legs behind your body, but that’s pretty much it. Quads, however, help you run, jump, land, and safely pick up things without hurting your back. Without strong quads, glutes are overworked and become tight causing soreness, lower-back pain, tight hamstrings, knee pain, and tight hip flexors. An imbalanced lower body not only leads to chronic pain and injuries, but is simply not functional. The exercises shared in videos of women with big butts and skinny thighs are all glute isolation exercises. Glute isolation is great as a warm up to better perform leg exercises such as squats and lunges, but they are not practical exercises to practice in your everyday life. As women age past their 50s, movements such as using the toilet, going in and out of the shower, and getting out of the car become more challenging. Strong quads are essential to these movements and support a better quality of life. This butt-obsessed trend on Instagram is just that, a trend. Instagram fitness trends can and will change, so it’s not worth sacrificing your physical health for temporary aesthetics. To read the rest of this opinion, visit www.themedium.ca.

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Unfortunately, giving the North building a new name is a nice gesture, and a waste of time. MICHAEL LO GIUDICE CONTRIBUTOR As we start the 2019-2020 academic year, our newest campus building, previously called New North, finally has a name—or does it? Two years ago, UTM launched a “suggestion box” to help the school decide on a name. Seeing an opportunity, the Campus Conservatives and I took action and led a campaign to name the school after former Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Of course, we expected it to fail. The whole project actually began as a fun email chain among our members. Its success and notoriety was as much of a shock to us as I’m sure it was to the UTM administration. I have no doubt that the campaign was a success, in part because we were the only organized name-campaign. There is no chance another name had more suggestions. According to our internal numbers, we had over 100 students suggest “Stephen Harper Building” as the name. That being said, I’m not upset the school went another direction. Nam-

ing the building with reconciliation in mind is quite admirable. Especially in Mississauga, where our campus resides on the land of the Mississaugas of the New Credit. But was “Maanjiwe Nendamowinan” really the right choice? It’s supposed meaning aside; the vast majority of our student body are unable to pronounce the name. How will “Maanjiwe Nendamowinan” honour natives if no one can say it? Students have already started calling it “MN,” or have continued to use the temporary name. To reiterate, the school made an admirable choice to honour our First Nations neighbours, but with this name they won’t be honouring anyone. The name will simply not be used. As much as they wish to be virtuous in their choice of name, the UTM administration has undermined the entire purpose of reconciliation. There are dozens of name choices that could have been pronounceable and still represented the First Nations people. The “LaForme Building” would have easily been a better choice. Harry Smith LaForme being a Canadian appellate court judge who

was the one time head of the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission and a member of the Mississaugas. Surely a building baring his pronounceable name would honor the First Nations community and highlight the importance of the Reconciliation Commission. Those of you who disagree with me would surely say my presumptions about whether students can pronounce the name is based on my hetero-European heritage. Surely my skin colour makes me a part of the oppressor class and thus my whole opinion is wrong. To which I say: we can go about this your way and have the building referred to as everything but “Maanjiwe Nendamowinan,” or we can go about it practically and have the First Nations honoured with a different name that people will actually use. The general student body cannot pronounce this name. We can either ignore that reality or embrace it and work to find a name that will be used and still honours the Indigenous people of Canada.


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09.09.2019

SATIRE The food court that could Dis-orientation I finally understand why my tuition is so high, and I welcome it UTM finally lives up to its party-school status

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The new campus food court is spectacular and almost exactly what we were promised.

AMINA SAFDAR ADVERTISING MANAGER What was before a mousy, mildmannered strip mall food hub, the renovated Davis food court now boasts the illusion of something grander—an Erin Mills Town Centre let’s say. Here is my personal, first-person account of the new food court: Last I heard, phase two of the Davis renovation promised to introduce ten new food vendors. Before me, there lie nine. A promise, broken. I console myself for one more time too many that week. It’s okay. I admire the artisan display of soft drinks. It takes a certain kind of stoic groundedness to take in these sights without effectively losing all semblance of “it.” After all, there are

breakfast, salad, and yogurt bars, local produce, and cornball café chalkboards present in every corner. A closer inspection of the vendor selection nearly transports me to cosmopolitan heights. Yes, to globalization (see Pizza Pizza)! Salutations to food sensitivities and allergies! I feel seen, heard, almost acknowledged. The vendors include: Rotisserie & Shawarma, Thai Express, Fusion 8 (Gluten Free), Pizza Pizza, Bespoke (Mongolian Grill), Ooo la-la (you’ll have to ask; there are some questions even I’m not equipped to answer), Fair Trade Corner, and Bento. Oh—we have a Harveys now, too. I can barely contain myself. For a moment, I lose myself in the grandness of it all. I am not at the measly Mississauga satellite cam-

pus of the University of Toronto. I am in downtown Toronto, at the St. George campus, among the most progressive, diverse students in the entire country. We eat our dairyfree, vegan-drenched, lactose-free, gluten-free, pescatarian, wholegrain, grass-fed food while frolicking on the green field in front of University College. I click my Fila Disrupters/CDG Converses/Adidas Superstars twice: am I still in Mississauga? Alas, it’s a sin to lie. Yes, I am still in Mississauga. The MiWay will pick me up within the hour. I have to remember to call my mom back. She wants to know when I’ll be home to do the dishes.

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UTM can finally call itself a university because it has cool parties.

ISABELLA E. ROBINSON CONTRIBUTOR First-year orientation was a can’tmiss event! Presented to students by our favourite enabler, the UTMSU, and proudly sponsored by Popeyes, students were invited to a fun-filled week of on and off-campus debauchery. With not a sober person in sight, orientation is an event designed to prepare and excite first-year students for future cirrhosis of the liver. For a whole week, freshmen are taken on a guided tour of all the dens of iniquity that the UTM campus has to offer. On Thursday, the UTM Health Centre handed out free condoms and beer bottle openers, and water bottles were handed out to pre-mix drinks in. Students checked out the Rec Room,

got wrecked, and drank so much they got blind drunk at the Blind Duck. And after hours, students carried on the party in Erindale Hall with their new-found best friends for life (or at least until reading week). Many students singed their lungs for the first time with legal marijuana and enjoyed the kind of edibles that NEVER came with their high school Lunchables. For an upcharge, students were invited to an exclusive yacht party. The “booze cruise” gave many first-timeaway-from-home students the opportunity to finally get away from ma and pa and puke in the lake. The true leaders of our future are the ones who not only got there by themselves but made it home safe as well.

SOS, Amazon is on fire! Call in the drones, start a GoFundMe page, and save Amazon ISABELLA E. ROBINSON CONTRIBUTOR A large Amazon warehouse in Coquitlam, British Columbia was destroyed in a fire over the weekend. After Amazon drones unsuccessfully doused the flames, firefighters were called to the scene late Saturday night to put out the blaze. The Coquitlam Fire Department battled the inferno for over ten hours before the fire was finally extinguished. The colossal warehouse was levelled. No injuries were reported, and staff were relieved to learn that they would not

be docked wages for fleeing for their “$19-an-hour” lives before finishing their 18-hour shifts. The Amazon distribution centre employed almost 1,000 people and serviced the Metro Vancouver area; a population of almost 2.5 million. The total economic losses are estimated in the tens of millions and the mayor of Coquitlam is seeking aid from the province of British Columbia. Outcry and support from the public has been significant. The “Bucks 4 Bezos” GoFundMe page was set up for Amazon’s CEO and reptilian overlord Jeff Bezos’ multi-billion-dollar corpo-

ration. The page has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in less than a day. Good Samaritans in neighbouring cities and towns are opening their doors to strangers affected by the disaster. Bezos was spotted in Surrey. Although the cause of the blaze has yet to be determined, many question if the activities at the rare earth mine in the Buntzen Bay, 20 minutes north of Coquitlam, has played any significant role. Graduate students in environmental science at the University of British Columbia have proposed research into the anthropogenic factors that may have contributed to the fire.

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Look at all them chickens.


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Editor | Srijan Sahu

Trauma horrifically bursts forth in IT sequel The Losers’ Club returns to Derry 27 years later to confront Pennywise the Clown... and their worst fears ALI TAHA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

“Swear. If it isn’t dead, if it ever comes back, we’ll come back too.” Guilt, fear, trauma, regret. These are the real horrors of IT: Chapter 2, the long-awaited conclusion to IT, based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. This R-rated sequel is more horrific and violent than its predecessor which, besides a gruesome death at the beginning of the movie, never really lived up to its own R-rating. It seems like director Andy Muschietti was saving all the goriness and savagery until the final installment, and boy did he deliver. The story begins twenty-seven years after the events of the first movie. Mike (Isaiah Mustafa), who stayed in the small town of Derry, calls the now-adult members of the Losers’ Club home. At the end of the first film, the gang vowed to return if Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) ever returned. Now, they must make good on their promise. The adult versions of the Losers’

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The iconic clown character returns to terrorize the town of Derry and the Losers’ Club. Club, made up of Richie (Bill Hader), Bill (James McAvoy), Ben (Jay Ryan), and Bev (Jessica Chastain), capture the energy and humor of their younger counterparts while lending a much needed maturity to their individual characters. Chapter 2 retreads familiar story beats as each Loser faces Pennywise once again, coming to grips with their respective pasts and the trauma that continues to inform their present. Skarsgård’s iconic clown villain

returns and, although quite terrifying, turns into a broken record by the end of the film. Enough with the jump scares! Give us more terrifying images, like when Beverly returns to her father’s home and is confronted by a deformed, naked lady twice her height. Or the dreadful hallucinations the group faces at the beginning of the movie (picture a baby’s head attached to a cockroach’s body). The movie relies too heavily on Pennywise’s lazy eye, which goes from creepy to hilarious

in a matter of seconds. What IT represents In his book Notes from Underground, Fyodor Dostoevsky writes, “In every man’s memory there are things he won’t reveal to others, except, perhaps, to friends. And there are things he won’t reveal even to friends, only, perhaps, to himself, and then, too, in secret. And finally, there are things he is afraid to reveal even to himself…” Each character’s struggle to be

honest with themselves and one another drives the story forward as they revisit familiar locations in Derry, uncovering forgotten memories along the way. Their internal anguish bubbles to the surface: Bill faces his regret and guilt for leaving Georgie alone to play on the day of his death. Bev deals with the trauma of her sexually and physically abusive father, whose presence still haunts her (she marries an abusive man). Ben struggles with his feelings of loneliness and isolation. Eddie’s hypochondria follows him into adulthood where he must come to terms with his Oedipal love for his mother and the immobilizing fear he carries with him everywhere. Richie grapples with his sexuality and his love for Eddie. In the second chapter of IT, dormant childhood trauma bursts forth into adulthood, wreaking havoc on the Losers’ Club literally, and emotionally. This second iteration of Pennywise is a terrifying example of how, if you let something fester under the surface for too long, it will return, stronger than ever.

Frosh ‘19: A rite of passage The UTMSU welcomed first-year students with annual five-day ceremony DAHLIA HUSRIEH CONTRIBUTOR Last Wednesday, the streets of downtown Toronto were filled with cheers, music, and pandemonium as U of T students welcomed the new firstyears from all three campuses during their annual parade. The parade was easy to spot from miles away as hundreds of students filled the sidewalk in brightly colored t-shirts and flamboyant body paint. Frosh is a rite of passage, a fiveday ceremony, that has been a UTM Students’ Union tradition for over 30 years. Every year, the campus fills with eager first-years who are ready to get their first real taste of university life. They meet frosh leaders and peers from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds, and if they’re lucky enough, make friendships that last a lifetime. Frosh stands for so many important things. In its simplest forms, it’s a celebration of a new beginning. It aims to give new students a sense of

belonging, have upper-year students welcome them to their new home, and ensure that they know they’re not alone. It fires them up for the new year with excitement and positivity. Behind the scenes, a lot of hard work goes into planning and executing this event as the UTMSU goes above and beyond to make the new students feel at home. Even the simplest parts of the event, such as mealtimes, take a lot of planning as coordinators, frosh leaders, and volunteers put great effort into every single portion of the event. They do so with so much spirit and enthusiasm as they cheer, sing, and dance throughout the day. There are a lot of different reasons the frosh leaders and volunteers sign up. Some link it to their own experience in first-year and try to pay it forward, some want to make an impact on someone else’s life even in the smallest way possible, and others live for that kind of thrill and excitement.

This year, the houses were divided into four kingdoms (North, South, East, and West) and each had two genera of dinosaurs under it. This theme was inspired by the Toronto Raptors’ win, and aimed to highlight the mass extinction phenomena as the extinction of many animals is happening ten thousand times faster than normal. The theme aims to show that people must work together to try and save our wildlife. The activities of the week included carnivals, a boat cruise, an academic workshop, a foam party, an Escape Room trip, a Rec Room outing, a beach day, a pub night, and of course, cheer-offs. All in all, the event was full of laughter, smiles, and thrilling experiences. May the memories of this week fuel their excitement and give the first-years the motivation they need to live out the next few years here at UTM in the best way they can. Here’s to new experiences and lasting memories.

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Another year of exciting events and games at Frosh passes by.


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THE MEDIUM 09.09.2019

TIFF 2019: What to watch One writer highlights two must-sees this year at the iconic film festival

REWIND SHALOMI RANASINGHE CONTRIBUTOR

TALA ALKHALDI/THE MEDIUM

Celebrities hit the streets of Toronto to support their movies playing at the annual film festival.

MAYA SUPER CONTRIBUTOR As we reach September, not only do we return to university, but the crowds of A-list celebrities and Oscar contenders arrive in Toronto for TIFF. This year, TIFF is hosting a huge number of movies, with directors such as Taika Waiti (JoJo Rabbit), Martin Scorsese (The Last Waltz), and many actors, including the likes of Joaquin Phoenix (Joker), Meryl Streep (honorary gala member and starring in The Laundromat with Gary Oldman) and Lucy in the Sky (Natalie Portman, Jon Hamm) Furthermore, TIFF 2019 will be the first year that awards are

given to actors who have changed the world of acting or had notable performances. Joaquin Phoenix and Meryl Streep are among those being honored at the gala event. TIFF will have a long roster of film showings this year and it is very difficult to get tickets for events. TIFF has many promising Oscar movies, two of which include JoJo Rabbit and Joker. The former is a satirical play dealing with themes from World War II and Nazism. The film follows a young German boy, whose only ally is his imaginary friend Hitler, finding a Jewish girl who his mother has been sheltering. Featuring two Jewish leads (Taita Waiti and Scarlett Johansson), this film looks to stun audiences in a

time where neo-Nazis are continuing to spread hateful rhetoric and committing crimes against marginalized groups. Todd Phillips re-imagines the Joker in this stand-alone DC universe. The film examines what caused the Joker to become the character he is. In an age of incels and mass shootings, this movie will be more than just an average villain story. It looks to be a haunting thriller. Rotten Tomatoes has already rated it at 89 per cent. TIFF 2019 is going to be a thrilling event. With many stars attending the red carpets, it will surely make the first two weeks at university more bearable. I cannot wait to attend.

Family, money, and rivalry; the three ingredients to making a tension-filled movie. Starring Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, and Anthony Hopkins, Howards End (1992) is a romantic drama based on E.M Forster’s novel of the same name. Following the lives of three families, the Schlegel’s, the Wilcox’s, and the Bast’s, Howards End focuses on different types of relationships in Britain during the twentieth century. The relations of friendship, family, and intimate love is seen between various characters. Ruth Wilcox (Vanessa Redgrave) and Margaret Schlegel (Emma Thompson) build a friendship as neighbours. As Ruth is on her death bed, she bequeaths her beloved country home, Howards End, to Margaret, having heard Margaret’s lease is set to expire. Ruth’s widower, Henry Wilcox (Anthony Hopkins), and their children are in disbelief when they come to understand Ruth’s decision to bestow her home to someone outside of the family. Not accepting Ruth’s wish, her family burns the piece of paper, destroying the evidence of Margaret’s inheritance. Meanwhile, Helen Schlegel (Helena Bonham Carter) accidentally carries home the wrong umbrella from the theatre. The umbrella owner, Leonard Bast (Samuel West), chases Helen all the way home. This simple mistake leads to a friendship which develops into intimate feelings. Years later, Henry and Margaret get married while Leonard falls into poverty. Henry shares with Helen and Margaret, while the company Leonard works for will be going bankrupt. Leonard decides to

quit and work for a lower paying job, which ultimately falls through. As Leonard struggles to live, Helen carries the burden of his unemployment. Helen brings Leonard and his partner Jacky (Nicola Duffett) to Henry’s daughter’s wedding where Helen urges Henry to help Leonard and Jacky, as he is the reason Leonard left his well-paying job. Surrounded with food, Henry finds it difficult to spare a meal for Leonard and Jacky. Meanwhile, Margaret lectures Helen for bringing uninvited guests to the wedding. Both Henry and Margaret are ignorant to the Bast’s situation, as their only concern is for hosting a wedding. The ignorance of the rich is seen again when Helen is pregnant with Leonard’s baby, and needs a place to sleep. She asks Margaret if she can stay at Howards End for one night. Margaret begs Henry to allow Helen the night. However, selfish Henry decides Helen cannot sleep in his empty house. The irony of this scene shows Henry upholding power of Howards End when in actuality, Ruth bestowed the ownership to Margaret. The movie concludes with the Wilcox’s and Schlegel’s gathering at Howards End. Henry announces that Margaret will inherit Howards End after his death. Also, Margaret finally learns the truth that Ruth bequeathed the home to her. Howards End showcases the theme of selfish wealth. As Leonard and Helen are in need, Henry chooses to retain his wealth for greedy reasons. If you are looking for a movie that explores the wealthy British class, tension, and tangled relationships, Howards End will keep you on your toes.

Concert review: Jonas Brothers’ Only Human After a six-year hiatus, the Jonas Brothers return to the music scene for their “Only Human” tour MAYA SUPER CONTRIBUTOR On August 23, 2019, The Jonas Brothers (comprised of Joe, Nick, and Kevin) returned to Toronto as a part of their reunion tour “Only Human” for the first of two summer shows. I, being a huge fan of their work (Camp Rock, multiple hit CD’s, Disney drama for my 12-year old soul), decided to go down a path of nostalgia and see them. I was joined by thousands of women my age and older. The anticipation was high in the air. Jordan McGraw opened with a mediocre set whilst Bebe Rehxa managed to show everyone that she has a stage presence. At 9:20 p.m., assisted by a brilliant band, Kevin, Joe, and Nick emerged on stage. The boys wore brightly colored suits and greeted a very tipsy

audience. They opened with a greeting and then jumped into the nostalgia. There were one or two songs from their new album which failed to spur a strong audience response. In our defense, we wanted to hear “S.O.S”, “Year 3000,” and “Burnin’ Up.” Once the concert went into full swing, a bunch of young adults were pumping their arms in the air, singing along to “S.O.S,” living deep in nostalgia. Whilst the acoustics in Scotiabank Arena were not great, the three brothers made the most of it. Kevin shocked me by playing brilliantly on the guitar (I could easily have watched a solo performance of him), Nick surprised me with his singing voice (Spotify does not do him justice), but Joe had the real stage personality that made the concert more enjoyable. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and the first night of their

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The beloved brother boy band has returned to music, and have delighted fans of all ages. performance was cut short by a technical difficulty, leaving a rather disgruntled audience as we did not hear “Burnin’ Up” or “Sucker.” We

also received no apology or goodbye. Minus that little hiccup, I am very glad that I saw their concert and they surpassed my expecta-

tions. Overall, the concert was a solid 9 out of 10 and was worth the excursion.


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Editor | Fatima Adil

Brazil’s Amazon rainforest on fire UTM professor Monika Havelka discusses the political and environmental aspects of the Amazon fires FATIMA ADIL FEATURES EDITOR WITH NOTES FROM MAI MEGHAWRY This year, there were approximately 40,000 fires burning in the Amazon—the world’s largest tropical rainforest. To discuss the causes, predicted effects, and potential solutions of these deadly fires, The Medium sat down with Monika Havelka, an associate professor in UTM’s geography department. To begin, Havelka confirms that there has been a drastic increase in the number of forest fires in the Brazilian Amazon, about “80 per cent more than last summer.” She explains that while “forest fires in temperate areas like California and British Columbia are usually caused by accidents but are accelerated and magnified by climate change,” the fires burning the Amazon “have been deliberately set.” Cattle ranchers have incurred the most damage as “80 per cent of the deforestation of the Amazon” can be attributed to land being cleared for raising cattle. There is a political component to this tragedy as well. Havelka describes how “the fires have increased dramatically since January of this year, when Jair Bolsonaro, a farright populist, took power.” Bolsonaro “campaigned on a ‘pro-business’

platform that promised to weaken the Amazon’s environmental protections—protections that have been effective at reducing deforestation over the last few decades—and open up the Amazon for development.” Leaked documents also suggest that Bolsonaro’s “government intends to strategically block conservation projects in the Amazon.” The detrimental effects of these fires are high in magnitude and vary. Since “tropical forests are not naturally adapted to fire,” the fires can alter the Amazon rainforest’s “composition, structure, and recovery potential.” Havelka stresses how important the Amazon is to the entire planet: it “produces about six per cent of the world’s oxygen, stores a massive amount of carbon, and acts as a ‘biotic pump’ that moves air and atmospheric water around the globe.” The destruction humans inflict through “deforestation and burning releases these carbon stocks, impairs the ability to store future emissions, and disrupts the function of the forest in the global climate system.” The consequences are not limited to the climate. Havelka describes how “the Amazon is a source of tremendous biodiversity capital” which is threatened by the fires. The Indigenous residents of the Amazon will furthermore “be displaced and lose their way of life.”

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There were 40,000 fires burning in the world’s largest rainforest this year. When asked about what is being done to combat the damage, Havelka paints a grim picture. She states that the “protections that were in place are being rapidly dismantled—giant steps are being taken backwards, not forwards.” For example, just recently, “the Brazilian ambassador announced that Brazil would reject a donation of $22.2 million to fight the fires because it perceived the donation as political ‘interference’” at the G7 meeting in France. Havelka remarks that while Brazil’s current government is at fault, “other countries are quietly abetting these policies” as well. She explains that although “most of the cattle ranching in Brazil is for the domestic market, increases in exports are

what’s driving the current boom in deforestation.” Havelka also states that “investment by U.S. and European finance companies is critical in supporting Brazilian agribusiness [and] these banks and investment companies bear a big responsibility for what is happening in the Amazon.” Amazon Watch, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the Amazon rainforest, “reports that American investors own about $1 billion in stock in Brazil’s largest meatpacker—and the stock price has roughly tripled since January.” Students can help in many ways including making smart consumer choices, spreading awareness, and voting. Havelka acknowledges that since “Canada is a pretty minor

buyer [of beef sourced from Brazil], we don’t really need to worry if the burger we buy in Mississauga was raised on destroyed rainforest.” However, reducing meat consumption does have “positive effects for the environment.” One of the most effective strategies according to Havelka is to “be informed, talk about the issues—with your friends, on social media, through advocacy groups—and vote.” By “let[ting] politicians, leaders, Google algorithms know that climate change and other environmental issues matter to you, that these issues affect what you buy, where you invest your money, and how you vote,” you can play a role in protecting one of our planet’s most important assets.

Tensions running high in Kashmir siege Indian government imposes month-long military lockdown and communication blackout on Kashmir BISMAH RIZVI CONTRIBUTOR Kashmir, a state bordering India, Pakistan, and China, has been victim to dispute over who should govern it since 1947 when India and Pakistan gained independence from Britain. Pakistan reasons that since Kashmir is a Muslim majority state (its population is more than 68 per cent Muslim), it should belong to a Muslim majority nation. However, Kashmir’s local ruler Maharaja Hari Singh— who was Hindu—decided to join India in October 1947 in exchange for India’s help in fighting against an invasion by Pakistani tribesmen. Cur-

rently, Kashmir is separated into three regions: Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan-administered Azad-Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, and China-controlled Aksai Chin. Amnesty International reports how this conflict has led to the deaths of thousands of civilians, violation of countless human rights—especially towards women—torture, diminished freedoms, and numerous forms of abuse by the police and military. Year after year, tensions continue to escalate between the two nuclear powers. Article 370 of the Indian Constitution was created in the 1950’s and served to provide the state of Jammu and Kashmir with more autonomy

by granting them governance of provincial issues excluding defense, foreign affairs, and communications. Later on, India added Article 35-A, defending the employment, education, and property ownership rights of permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir. Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, decided to repeal articles 370 and 35-A of the Indian Constitution on August 5, 2019. By repealing these articles, the state of Jammu and Kashmir is now essentially controlled by India with little to no autonomy and the residents no longer have their rights protected. Sadanand Dhume, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, re-

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Protests arose after Kashmir was locked down and taken over by the Indian military.

ports the aftermath of this decision in the The Atlantic. Following Modi’s decision, over 800 people have been preemptively arrested, past chief ministers placed on house arrest, schools and offices shut down, protests met with violence, media suspended, phone and internet services disabled, and much more, among which none are new to the state or people of Kashmir. Shivaji Mukherjee, an assistant professor in the political science department at UTM, discusses the recent tensions in an article for The Toronto Star. He describes the potential implications of certain laws being repealed and voices his concern of how these acts of oppression “may lead to a resurgence of insurgency by aggrieved youth.” Additionally, the threat of nuclear attack continues to exist between India and Pakistan, which would be catastrophic globally. With the countless negative consequences of Modi’s seemingly sudden decision, we must ask why he chose to revoke the articles in the first place. A BBC report, “Article 370: What happened with Kashmir and why it matters,” outlines the logics of the decision. Modhi leads the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a right wing

Hindu nationalist party. The BJP has opposed the articles from when they were first introduced to constitution in the 1950’s. During Modi’s re-election this May, he included revoking the articles in his election manifesto. Modi and the BJP justify their decision by claiming that it will help integrate Kashmir with the rest of India, promote development, and reduce insurgency. In reality, the changes to the constitution force Kashmir to adopt Indian law without input from the Kashmiri government. Furthermore, Kashmiris fear that the BJP’s ulterior motive involves rendering it a Hindu majority state instead of Muslim because nonKashmiris can now own land in the region. With the BJP’s political ideology and history of dissent with decisions regarding Kashmir, these fears may be reflective of the BJP’s true motive. Additionally, although the United Nations and several other groups or nations have spoken out against the human rights violations and oppression in Kashmir, direct intervention and pressure is needed to preserve the rights of civilians, especially Indigenous groups now that the constitution of India no longer protects them.


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UTM alumna provides virtual perspective Lianne Tokey, creator of viral Instagram filters, provides insight on art, social media, and society ELISA NGUYEN CONTRIBUTOR

Unlock your phone, open Instagram, and swipe right. You’ll now see a clear and highly attractive image of your double-chin. Don’t be alarmed. Your front-view camera is only doing its job. Now click on the white ‘happy face,’ right there at the bottom right. You’ll find a wide selection of catears, googly-eyes, dog-tongues, fall leaves, shooting stars, and floating hearts. Choose one, and give your smartphone a wide grin. Nod your head to try on different sunglasses. And remember—there’s nothing better than a fluffy, whisker-loving, double-chinned kitty cat. ----------------------On her personal website, UTM alumna Lianne Tokey, graphic designer and web developer, shares that she received her Fine Art degree from the University of Toronto in 1998 and has since then worked “for numerous Fortune 500 companies.” Her work has been published in magazines such as Wedding Bells Magazine, Modern Luxury Media (DC Magazine), and Uppercase Magazine. Her creations have been used by millions of people within the first few months of launching. One of her most popular effects, “Dollface,” was featured in Cosmopolitan (Spain) Magazine as “the new essential filter for all your selfies.” Her personal Instagram page @liannetokey features a myriad of vibrant, digital creations. One post catches my eye as I scroll through her feed. “Champion” in delicate cursive flashes at me in bright, neon magenta. The word is surrounded in swirls and bubbles of turquoise, indigo, and mustard yellow. A black and white stripped ribbon twists and curls under and around the word. Her caption reads: “We are the Champions!!! OMG Raptors, what a strong finish! Thanks for giving us something to cheer on ... we are beyond proud of

you guys!” Several hashtags that follow include #wethenorthforever and #congratsraptors. How do you create art that is both true to yourself, and relevant to the people? As an Instagram effects creator, but also wife and mother of two, Tokey joins The Medium for an insider interview on her perspective of art, society, social media, and positivity. ----------------------Like most young children born in North America, Tokey’s early days were filled with crayons, markers, and paint brushes. “Dragons and rain-

through which she won a full ski set as a prize. This encouraged her to continue pursuing the arts. When she went to post-secondary school at Erindale College, naturally, she entered the joint Art and Art History program. “The program gave me the opportunity to try so many different approaches to creating art and in that, I was able to find what really resonated with me,” Tokey stated in a former U of T interview. “I focused on those things that were bringing me a lot of joy and helping me to build on my creativity.”

As she creates digital art for millions of consumers in the fast-paced society of today, Tokey experiences the connection between society’s culture and the art she creates daily. The filters and Facebook frames that she creates and the posts she shares follow trends that go “viral.” Her viral “Dollface” effect, featured in Cosmopolitan, was originally created in response to Youtuber and makeup star, James Charles, when he challenged his millions of viewers to recreate the ‘Bratz face.’ In other cases, such as with her “Bell Let’s Talk” speech bubble filter, the digital art follows

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UTM alumna has made a name for herself in the world of graphic design and Instagram filters. bows and horses, and things like that. Things that I could take from my environment and try to replicate or try to put my own type of twist on. And so, I always knew I would be doing something creative,” she shares. But only a few young artists grow up continuing to develop their craft. Whereas her classmates might have ditched the pencil crayons early on, Tokey dove deeper by entering art contests. She met entry deadlines and won art contests while her fellow classmates were joining sports teams. Tokey recalls submitting a winter scene when she was nine years old

School wasn’t the only factor which inspired her. On a trip with her mother to Vatican City, she recalls standing under the famous painting The Last Judgement by Michelangelo. Tokey remarks that when “[she] was able to see these works in real life,” she realized that “art doesn’t exist on its own. It’s actually usually a conversation about what’s happening in the culture at the time. And that was something [she] hadn’t even thought about as an artist.” This opened up a whole new perspective to young Tokey. -----------------------

important topics within society such as mental health. Do artists always create in response to society? Perhaps the answer can be found more so in how they respond. “The art we make is sometimes different than what is accepted socially,” says Tokey. She shares the example of how even though digital artists like to create complex filters with different shades of color and geometric designs, the most popular filters usually end up being the ones that involve simple hearts floating around the head. This could be demonstrated by

the Snapchat Dog Filter released in February 2016, which blew up to the point where Vice published an interview titled, “We Asked a Psychiatrist Why We’re so Obsessed with the Dog Filter” on May 13, 2016. Women’s magazine Allure followed with an article on May 18 titled, “There’s a Reason Why You Love the Dog Filter on Snapchat.” The filter itself is an effect that places a dog’s nose, ears, and tongue over the user’s face while they take a selfie. Like Tokey says, sometimes “simpler is better.” No matter what Tokey creates, she maintains that it is important to be a positive force. With a fourteen-yearold daughter, Tokey is especially aware of the negative impacts of social media. She expresses that there is nothing wrong with sharing exciting moments or a selfie, but challenges users to think about “[whether] there is a purpose [and] what the message is behind [the post].” Tokey provides practical advice to maintain selfawareness when using social media. “Take time to share a part of your message. Question yourself, try to see if you can share a part of your story along with the picture,” she advises. While working with Instagram, Tokey currently spends about three days a week speaking and educating other artists within her industry alongside monitoring trends. Amidst the busyness, she shares that her secret to staying clear-headed, creative, and positive, begins early in the morning. “Stay physically active. I love to go on runs. And do something creative each day, such as trying something new while cooking,” she recommends. Her advice to students is to “be curious and work for what you want to achieve. Don’t be discouraged if you’re not where you want to be. If you see something that catches your interest, ask ‘how do I do that?’ And if you don’t know, Google it.”

Max’s Big Ride returns for fifth year Initiative has raised over $190,000 towards research and awareness of fatal disease DMD FATIMA ADIL FEATURES EDITOR

This summer was the fifth successful year of an inspiring initiative that has fundraised over $190,000 towards

the research and raising awareness of a fatal disease. The Medium sat down with Andrew Sedmihradsky, global mobility coordinator at UTM’s International Education Centre, father to bright eight-year old Max who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and

president of Max’s Big Ride, to discuss the initiative. Sedmihradsky explains that Duchenne muscular dystrophy, or DMD for short, is a “degenerative disease that affects mainly boys. [The disease] can be hereditary or, like in [Sedmi-

PHOTO/MAXSBIGRIDE.COM

Max’s Big Ride gets tons of supporters and spectators as it passes through Canadian cities.

hradsky’s family’s] case, be a result of a spontaneous mutation that occurs in the womb.” The disease is fatal and weakens the muscles. As Sedmihradsky states, it is a “pretty grim and prolonged situation” and causes loss of mobility and respiratory system issues among other health issues. Max’s Big Ride was inspired by how Sedmihradsky and his family used to ride bikes in Australia. Sedmihradsky is also a passionate Tour de France fan and enjoyed riding his bike as a child. The main event itself ran from June 3 to June 10 this year and involved three activities. There was the Big Ride in which Sedmihradsky biked with his son from Hamilton, where Sedmihradsky’s family lives, to Ottawa which is symbolic to Sedmihradsky because of the “decisions that can be made there in terms of healthcare.” Another fun activity was the Icecream and Donut Ride which was

inspired by how Sedmihradsky used to tell his son that they would be biking from ice-cream shop to ice-cream shop when Max was younger. The Ice-cream Ride has “evolved over the years and this year, riders got a donut from Donut Monster”—a widely popular donut shop in Hamilton. Riders were also awarded at the finish line with a dessert from the well-known Eva’s Original Chimneys. Sedmihradsky states that this year’s ride “had a great turnout.” His coworkers and students came out to support the ride along with Olympic athlete Sue Palmer-Komar, a Pan American Games competitor, and elite cyclists from a Toronto cycling club. Cyclists looking for a challenge were invited to participate in the third activity which was Max’s Big Climb. This activity involved a gruelling onekilometre ride uphill. Max continued on page 13


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Vanier Scholar’s take on sex and intimacy Nathan Leonhardt, a Ph.D. candidate at UTM, recently won a prestigious Vanier scholarship LATISHA LOBBAN ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR Nathan Leonhardt, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Toronto, was recently awarded a Vanier Canada Graduate scholarship. The scholarship is valued at $50,000 per year for three years and is awarded to highly qualified doctoral students who demonstrate academic excellence, research potential, and leadership. Leonhardt is researching the role sex plays in healthy relationships and employs a holistic view in his research. Leonhardt’s post-secondary academic journey started with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Family Life, following which he completed a Master of Science in Marriage, Family, and Human Development, both from Brigham Young University. He is a decorated student with numerous academic awards, honours, and scholarships. Leonhardt graduated magna cum laude from his undergraduate degree and was also selected as valedictorian. A 2011 missionary trip to Bulgaria with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one factor that inspired Leonhardt’s research interests, which he describes as “focusing on the intersection of sexuality and relationships, [specifically] how couples can flourish in a sexual relationship.” Leonhardt shares an anecdote of working with “one couple in particular where the husband was unfaith-

ful to his wife. Seeing the emotional ramifications first-hand and the pain that it caused for the wife in their marriage” inspired him to continue his research. Leonhardt’s approach to gauging intimacy differs from the typical survey methods used in which participants rate their satisfaction. He notes that “satisfaction is a useful way to gauge how strong a relationship is, but it’s not complete.” His holistic view of intimacy integrates feelings of “belonging, growth, meaning, and engagement” and he emphasizes the importance of “developing a deep mutual respect and admiration in the sexual relationship.” “Personal faith performs a unique role in informing the way I see things. I actively search for different perspectives to develop a clearer understanding of my faith and how my faith can inform research. [Faith and research] are not mutually exclusive,” he says. “In my experience, any inconsistencies I have found between my faith and my experiences in research tend to be reconciled over time. Any seeming irreconciliations come from an incomplete knowledge of one or the other.” A second trip to Bulgaria in 2014 with One Heart Bulgaria, an organization that works with Bulgarian children, provided an opportunity for Leonhardt to work with child survivors of sexual abuse. Commenting on his experience, Leonhardt states that

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A Ph.D. candidate at U of T was awarded a scholarship for work on the role of sex in relationships. he “think[s] understanding the contrast between dark and light makes it easier to recognize the light.” Upon returning from his second trip to Bulgaria, Leonhardt’s main interest was helping people. He considered pursuing a career as a therapist, “but started to feel that the emotional drain wouldn’t be the best thing for [his] future family.” Furthermore, “though [he] recognizes the value in therapy, [he] was also interested in getting on the preventive side of things rather than the reparative

side.” He continued his journey in academia by enrolling in psychology and family studies courses. While pursuing his Master’s degree, he “saw good examples of a balance between family life and helping others.” Leonhardt “became close with several professors [who] seemed like they had great lives and were helping people.” Through his research, Leonhardt aims to “establish a vision of what a high-quality sexual relationship can be. Once [his lab and himself] have

a clear understanding of that ideal, that vision, then hopefully [they] can intervene and educate people about that in programs.” He hopes that “understanding the ideal can inspire others to pursue it in their relationships.” For now, he says that he is “grateful for the opportunities [he has] here [at the University of Toronto].” He acknowledges his “incredible advisor, lab, and the great training [he has received] over the years” and plans to further his career in academia by later becoming a professor.

Inspiring initiative fundraises for DMD Max continued from page 12 The hill was renamed Clara’s Climb in 2013 in honour of Olympic cyclist and speed skater Clara Hughes who used to train on the steep hill for seven years. An administrative meeting held by Principal Ulrich Krull prompted a partnership between Sedmihradsky and Patrick Gunning, a professor in UTM’s chemistry department. As Sedmihradsky recounts, “[Gunning and himself] talked and [Gunning] said he would ask one of his Ph.D. students to look in to Duchenne. About two weeks later, [Gunning] seemed pretty excited and said that they had discovered a few molecules [which] could have an impact on Duchenne muscular dystrophy.” When Gunning expressed his interest in investigating DMD further, Max’s Big Fellowship was formed. The fellowship raises money to place a Ph.D. student who will work on trying to find a cure for DMD in Dr. Gunning’s lab. Sedmihradsky feels that this collaboration “speaks to the type of community that UTM is. The idea that [he] works in the same building as Dr. Gunning’s lab and where the cure for DMD may be discovered is pretty amazing.” One of the most memorable moments for Sedmihradsky was when he and his family met Prime Minister Trudeau. As he relates, “MP Karina Gould arranged for Trudeau to deliver a speech in the House of

Commons to Max about Max’s Big Ride.” However, Parliament broke up early that year so the speech did not happen. In 2018, Sedmihradsky and his family met Trudeau for a

Big Ride rolls into town.” Another proud moment for Sedmihradsky was when Grain and Grit, a local brewing company, agreed to make a fundraising beer

opportunity to add Fuzzy Peaches— a gummy candy—into the vat. Max’s Big Beer was one of the most popular beers sold by Grain and Grit and was the second-biggest seller ever at

PHOTO/MAXSBIGRIDE.COM

A fellowship has been set up to place a Ph.D. student in the UTM lab searching for a cure. quick photo, and this year in 2019, “[they] were lucky enough to go into his office and have a conversation with [PM Trudeau].” Sedmihradsky says that PM Trudeau remarked that “[he] always knows that it is the beginning of summer when Max’s

named Max’s Big Beer and donate proceeds to DMD research. The brewery consulted Sedmihradsky regarding Max’s favorite flavours and created a vanilla peach milkshake India pale ale. Max was involved in this process as he got the

the brewery. According to Sedmihradsky, the beer also aids in “raising awareness as people who haven’t heard about Max’s Big Ride or DMD can pick up a can of beer and find out about DMD.” Sedmihradsky is highly appre-

ciative of all the support he has received from several individuals including UTM students. Through the Centre of Student Engagement’s Social Innovation projects, students have been helping out with Max’s Big Ride for the past three years. This year, students played an important role as they encouraged him to pursue his idea of distributing merchandise with the logo ‘FCK DMD.’ The logo is based on rap group RunD.M.C.’s logo and stands for Fundraising, Care, and Knowledge of DMD. The logo ties in with slogan “In the fight against DMD, the only thing that is missing is ‘U’.” Students in Max’s Big Ride’s Social Innovation project helped Sedmihradsky make over a thousand buttons and a social media campaign. Other merchandise included bracelets and tshirts and were shipped all over the world. Through this venture alone, Sedmihradsky and his team were able to raise $600. Sedmihradsky thinks that “it is really cool to see student involvement on campus” and encourages students to participate in Social Innovation projects. Max’s Big Ride will be one of the projects this semester and will entail working on a documentary about empowering individuals to take action. If students are interested in participating, they can go online to the Centre of Student Engagement website and register for the project.


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Editor | Sarah-May Edwardo Oldfield

Humble star is a role model for many Humber Hall of Famer Sonia Carreiro is one of the crucial Golden Eagles working behind the scenes at UTM SARAH-MAY OLDFIELD S&H EDITOR One of UTM’s Golden Eagles, leaders, and mentors isn’t a student and isn’t an athlete. She doesn’t sink buckets on the basketball court or serve volleyball aces. She’s a humble presence in the UTM Athletics Program Office, a role-model for athletes and her co-workers, and is an incredibly important piece to UTM’s Athletic program’s growth and continued success. She is Varsity and Intramural Sport Coordinator for UTM Athletics, Sonia Carreiro. Carreiro was born in Brampton, but moved to Mississauga when she was very young. She grew up in an athletic family, her mom and dad played tennis and soccer, respectively. Her parents enrolled Carreiro in a variety of sports when she was a child, including soccer, basketball, karate, and gymnastics. They wanted her to be involved. Carreiro’s older brother was someone she always looked up to. When he picked up soccer from their father, Carreiro wanted to follow his lead. It was always about soccer in Carreiro’s house while growing up. Most weekends, Carreiro and her family spent Sunday mornings watching Premier League and Portuguese league

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One of UTM’s shining stars on the Athletics Staff is now a Humber College Hall-of-Famer. soccer matches. It became a family tradition, made all the more special by a little family rivalry between her and her father. His favourite team was Porto, hers, Benfica. She grew up a fan of Manchester United, and considers their coach

at the time, Sir Alex, one of the best coaches in the game and a key component to the club’s success. David Beckham was a player she liked to watch too. Carreiro grew attached to the team and its history. Most notably, the plane crash in the 70s which lead

to the loss of players. “But they came back years later to build the team into one of the strongest in the premier league. An incredible feat after an accident like that,” said Carreiro. When Carreiro realized she wanted to become more competitive in soccer,

she dropped all her other activities. As a youth soccer athlete, she competed in many different soccer clubs in both Mississauga and Oakville. She played for Erin Mills, North Mississauga, Dixie, and Oakville. Carreiro fell in love with the competitive atmosphere. She realized that not only did she love to compete, but that she thrived in the competitive atmosphere as well. She always wanted to be a better player. Her family was just as invested in helping her develop her talent, and enrolled her in skill training programs. When her dad came home from work, they’d kick a ball around in their backyard. Although her mom wasn’t great with her feet, she’d practice with Carreiro as well, wanting to help her daughter further her competitive ambitions. Carreiro’s involvement in different clubs in Mississauga and Oakville lead to a couple of scholarship opportunities in the U.S., but she opted to stay close to home instead. But like most young women her age, Carreiro wasn’t looking to pursue soccer during her post-secondary education. Carreiro was a walk-on at Humber College, after a friend of hers playing rugby for the college encouraged her to try it out. She played there for five years, from 2008 to 2013. Staff continued on page 15

Is vaping really an alternative to cigarettes? E-cigarettes considered safer than cigarettes, linked to recent reports of respiratory illness and hospitalization TOMASZ GLOD CONTRIBUTOR

As of August 2019, more than 200 people in the United States have reported suffering from respiratory illnesses relating to e-cigarettes, reports the Centre for Disease Control (CDC). In July, one individual in Oregon died after being hospitalized following the reported use of e-cigarette products. This incident, occurring two months ago, was just recently linked with the hundreds of cases of respiratory illnesses occurring across the United States. Health officials in Oregon say that the deceased individual used a vaping device that contained cannabis purchased from a cannabis dispensary. The CDC stresses that although many of the cases appear similar in nature, with many patients reporting the use of vaping products containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the task of identifying the root cause of their issues has proven difficult. In light of this, many have begun to question whether vaping

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Once thought an alternative to smoking, vaping could be just as dangerous. should continue to be considered as a healthier alternative to smoking tobacco, or if they both share dangerous qualities unfit for human consumption. According to the Government of Canada, if you are a smoker, “vaping is a less harmful

option than smoking.” Should individuals be looking to quit smoking, Government websites encourage the use of vaping products as a substitute for cigarettes. Although some of the chemicals that might be found within these products may negatively af-

fect a person’s health, the amount of chemicals in vapour is “normally at much lower levels than in cigarette smoke.” Some researchers have advocated for the banning of vapes until further research can be conducted in order

to determine the full extent of their effects. Currently, some evidence indicates that vaping can cause gene alternations, but researchers and organizations alike continue to find it difficult to identify the magnitude of the effects of vaping. The short term effects of vaping are currently understood to be less damaging than traditional cigarettes, but there is much to be learned about its long term effects. According to a recent study released in Addictive Behaviours, as youth spend an extended amount of time on their electronic devices, they are more prone to using vaping products. Therefore, the need to understand the true short-term and long-term effects of vaping is vital so that users are aware of the issues that they may be presented with later in life. The long-term effects of e-cigarettes are still being discovered. Should anyone be experiencing any respiratory illnesses following the use of e-cigarettes, they are encouraged to seek medical assistance immediately.


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Hard work and a positive attitude pays off Staff continued from page 14

It was an adjustment at 18 years old. Like most people her age, she needed to figure out what to do with her life. Being a student-athlete was a challenging experience, with practices and condensed schedules. But it was a rewarding experience as well. “A lot of young people, especially young women, tend to quit after they leave the youth league at age 18,” said Carreiro. “They just quit when they get to post-secondary. They don’t want anything to do with the sport. But [playing at the post-secondary level] is more rewarding than just playing the sport. You create friendships that last lifetimes. I’ve seen some of my soccer friends get married and have children, and we still keep in contact. I built relationships through sport that strengthened and carried on well beyond the soccer pitch.” “It’s not just a sport for me. It’s become something I can turn to when I just need a break from life. You can just go out and kick a ball or watch a game.” Carreiro and her husband now have season tickets to the Toronto Football Club (TFC). “We love the game and the overall atmosphere— how a sport can bring people together no matter their ethnicity, religion, or anything else that may be different between us.” In the summer in-between seasons with the Humber Hawks, Carreiro played in the GS United Scarborough Women’s league. Her Senior Women’s group won the Ontario Cup, an accolade she never achieved as a young athlete. Like most athletes, one of the hardest obstacles Carreiro ever had to overcome was an injury. During her Hall of Fame competitive career she suffered broken fingers, dislocated shoulders, and a broken collar bone. In her third year as a Humber Hawk she suffered her greatest challenge and worst injury to date: a torn MCL. “It not only impacted my ability to play—I couldn’t […] It changed how I physically moved and operated. I couldn’t walk. I had to change my work. I had to adjust my entire life around this one injury.” The adjustments she had to make to her life were unlike any she’d ever made before. Unfortunately, the one thing she used to relieve stress, soccer, was off limits. “You get in your head a little bit. You start doubting yourself, doubting if you want to keep playing,

What’s going on at the RAWC?

doubting if you want to come back from this.” Her solution was to stay involved with the sport. In those five years, her teams (outdoor and indoor soccer) won 10 OCAA medals, eight of which were gold. In 2018, Carreiro was recognized for her competitive drive, humbleness, and valuable contributions she made to her teams during her time at Humber. Carreiro felt she grew a lot as a person during her time with the Humber Hawks. They helped her develop and accumulate the skills and experiences she uses today in her career with UTM Athletics. “If something doesn’t work out the first time, you just get back up. Ask yourself what you can do to make it better for the next time, and then move forward. There’s no point in dwelling on it. Try to do better the next time around.” Carreiro worked a number of different roles before coming to UTM. She worked full-time at the Woodbridge Soccer club as an administrative assistant, scheduling and running camps. She worked with nearly 5,000 youth females, from U4 to U18, ran a Women’s league on Sundays, and coached there part-time. She also worked part-time with the city of Brampton. “It was hard to get jobs in that field right away—you really had to work from the bottom to the top… and stick to it.” Carreiro remained positive. “You have to stick to it. Things will come your way, and it may not be right now. But you have to keep looking at the long-term goal. That mentality led me to the position I have today.” Carreiro has been credited for her never-say-die attitude and is no stranger to hard work and perseverance. She started at UTM working part-time in caretaking at the student centre. She eventually got a job at the control desk as a facility assistant at the RAWC, which gave her more insight into what goes on behind the scenes in the sport atmosphere. Carreiro went to Humber for Recreation and Leisure and Sport Management. Today, she assists the Varsity Supervisor with the logistics and behind-the-scenes legwork of running a successful athletics program. Carreiro’s biggest task is UTM Intramurals, the campuses recreational sports league. To her, it feels like she has a hand in everything, but most of the time it doesn’t feel like a job. Yes, there are tight deadlines and

HUMBER VARSITY/FACEBOOK

As a member of the Athletics Staff, Sonia wants anyone willing to play a sport to enjoy themselves. complications, but she genuinely enjoys helping teams get where they need to be. It’s also been a reward seeing the people she helps run the program for happy. As well as being the Varsity and Intramural Sports Coordinator, Carreiro has held the position of Assistant coach to UTM’s Varsity Women’s Soccer Team. One of the reasons she became a coach was to remain involved with the sport. “I knew I couldn’t play anymore. I had a lot of coaches that made me want to quit, but I also had a lot of coaches who made the sport extremely positive. So I knew I wanted to be that positive influence for young women in sport. I think on the youth side you need to have someone as a role model. A young girl needs to have someone she can see herself in. Even now there aren’t many female soccer coaches. I feel like I can give a lot back to the sport through coaching. I want to help our younger generation to not only be better adults, but better people on and off the soccer field.” UTM’s Women’s Varsity Soccer program is in its fifth season. Carreiro is in her fourth term with the team. It was challenging for her because she had to learn how to be a voice for her athletes without being on the field. She’s also had to adjust to how she gives instructions, given how different people respond and receive feedback. She’s glad to have had the chance to see a lot of these young ladies grow. “One of the most rewarding aspects is watching a lot of these girls graduate from university. U of T is not one of the easiest degrees to come by, so to see them thrive has been rewarding in

itself. They had a goal, and they got their degree.” One moment sticks out the most for Carreiro when she reflects back on her time as assistant coach: when an athlete on her team scored their first goal after being with the UTM women’s soccer team for a couple of years. Carreiro remembered the girl’s first goal vividly. “I saw it over her right shoulder. She dribbled through two people and shot it low corner, because we tell our girls to pick their corners, and she scored. I was always on one of my athletes because she had a phenomenal left foot, but she never wanted to use her right. I would tell her, ‘you need to cut with your right, and shoot with your left. You’ll be successful. Just trust me and do it.’ She never did it for the longest time. She did it once, came to me at half-time, and said, ‘look I finally listened to you.’ That’s when I knew I was doing something right as a coach. I could see the expression on their faces when they were successful. That to me is what’s made being a coach so rewarding.” Carreiro is both a humble sports coordinator and athlete, and isn’t looking to cement her own legacy at UTM. Her focus lies in what she wants others to experience and take away when they come to UTM and participate in athletics. She wants to continue building the sense of community and belonging that many athletes feel UTM’s athletic program provides—a feeling that UTM will create even after she’s left. Fourth-year varsity soccer athlete, Referee of the Year, and soccer MVP Noor Aldoori has had experience with Carreiro as a coach, and as a boss. “She treats everyone with the

Varsity Eagles Tryouts

UTM Tri-Campus Tryouts

Badminton : Tues. | Sept. 10 | 7-9 p.m. | Gym A Thurs.| Sept. 12 | 7-9 p.m. | Gym C

Women’s Soccer : Mon. | Sept. 9 | 5-7 p.m.| North Field Wed. |Sept. 11|5-7 p.m.| South Field

Women’s Flag Football : Tues.| Sept. 10| 6-7 p.m.|North Field Thurs.|Sept 12|6-7 p.m.|North Field

Women’s Basketball : Tues. | Sept. 10 | 7-9 p.m. | Gym B Thurs.| Sept. 12 | 6-8 p.m. | Gym AB

Men’s Soccer : Mon. | Sept. 9 | 7-9 p.m. |South Field Wed. |Sept 11|7-9 p.m. | South Field

Ultimate Frisbee (Coed) : Tues.| Sept. 10| 5-6 p.m.|North Field Thurs.|Sept 12|5-6 p.m.|North Field

Men’s Basketball : Tues. | Sept. 10 | 7-9 p.m. | Gym C Thurs.| Sept. 12 | 8-10 p.m. |Gym AB

Men’s Flag Football : Tues.| Sept. 10| 7-8 p.m.|North Field Thurs.|Sept 12|7-8 p.m.|North Field

Men’s Hockey : Sun. |Sept. 15|8:45-9:45 p.m.| Huron Park Community Center

most respect,” said Aldoori. “It’s clear she truly cares about each player. She is always open to hearing opinions, criticism, and often asks for feedback. All her experience and the way she expresses herself makes each player trust her and want to make her proud.” UTM Alumni, OCAA Soccer AllStar, and UTM Athletics Female Athlete of the Year Jayde Forde has not only looked up to Carreiro as a player, but now as a coach, as she too begins her own coaching career. “Sonia is a great mentor, coach and overall person. She’s always ready to help you out, both on and off the soccer pitch. She’s an amazing soccer player.” “I came from a school that gives so much back to their athletes,” said Carreiro. She hopes to share that same experience and create that sort of atmosphere for UTM’s athletes. Not just for varsity athletes, but for anyone who’s willing to go out and do something different or try something new. “I want people to be engaged, and enjoy the sports and activities UTM Athletics has to offer. I just want people to find happiness, and meeting new people because they stepped out of their comfort zone. It’s not just about playing, about shooting hoops, or kicking a ball, or volleying and getting that perfect spike. It’s more than that. It’s friendship-building and it’s team-building. It’s learning how to work with people who may not completely understand your way of doing things. You learn life lessons that endure beyond the playing field, and into your everyday life. Sports can give those opportunities to everybody.”

Varsity Games & Tournaments Women’s Varsity Soccer : Sat. | Sept. 14 | 1 p.m. | South Field vs St. Clair Saints Sun.| Sept. 15 | 1 p.m. | South Field vs Lambton Lions Men’s Varsity Soccer : Sat. | Sept. 14 | 3 p.m. | South Field vs St. Clair Saints Sun.| Sept. 15 | 3p.m. | South Field vs Lambton Lions


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THE MEDIUM 09.09.2019

Plant-based meat alternatives: A summer hit Plant-based meat alternatives are the new craze in the food scene, but are they really healthy for you? NOOR BHATIA CONTRIBUTOR

The effect of the paradigm shift from meat to plant-based meat-alternative foods has been so powerful that red meat consumption has declined steadily and significantly over the past few decades, as reported by Dr. Charles Godfray, from the University of Oxford, and his colleagues in a 2018 report. This is partly due to the rising concern of health-related issues caused by meat-based foods. These issues include obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. In a 2015 study by the World Health Organization (WHO), it was found that processed foods such as hot dogs, bacon, and sausages are carcinogenic to humans, leading to colorectal cancer. Unprocessed red meats are also found to be carcinogenic. While there are risks and disadvantages associated with meat-based foods (processed and unprocessed), there are benefits associated with plant-based protein sources such as lentils, whole grains, soy, nuts, legumes, and other foods that make up plant-based protein diets. Dr. Marta Guasch-Ferré and her team of researchers have revealed that replacing animal-based diets with plant-based ones reduces levels of total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. In a 2019 study conducted by Dr. Yan Zheng and his colleagues, the shift from animalbased to plant-based foods has been

JULIA HEALY/THE MEDIUM

Plant-based meat alternatives are becoming very popular as their health benefits are researched. associated with lower level risks of chronic diseases and mortality. It is important to note the difference between the natural plantbased foods and plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) that are artificially produced. PBMAs are artificially designed products derived from plant sources that are used to mimic the taste of the real meat. In a 2019 report, Dr. Frank and his colleagues found that PBMAs can reduce the risk of obesity and other diseases because they have zero cholesterol and lower saturated fat compared to meat. However, they have higher fat than pure

plant-based foods. PBMAs have lowered the risk of obesity and other diseases but one question has yet to be answered: Can PBMAs completely replace meat-based foods given their nutritional benefits over meat? There is still a lot of research that has to be done on this topic. According to Frank and his colleagues, there is no evidence yet that PBMAs can provide a significant health benefit over meat-based foods based on just the nutritional differences. This is a concern because PBMAs such as burger patties are consumed in most fast food places

where other unhealthy foods like French fries and sugary drinks are also consumed at the same time. There are other concerns as well. Some of these products have high amounts of heme, an iron-containing compound that is believed to be what makes meat taste like meat, which increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes. While considering the importance of human health, the environment is an equally important factor to consider when talking about PBMAs. Meat-based foods are responsible for contaminating natural resources including rivers, streams,

and drinking water. According to Frank, the raising of livestock can lead to the depletion of forests and increase greenhouse gas emissions. PBMAs have played a much better role here because they have contributed significantly in maintaining natural resources and sustaining the environment. Beyond Meat (a company that produces beyond meat burgers with patties that are PBMA) conducted a recent assessment by er And Keolein which shows that their burger generates 90 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions and requires 46 per cent less energy, 93 per cent less land-use, and 99 per cent less water to produce the burger as compared to industrial meat production. While this shows that the PBMA burger has fewer harmful environmental effects, the validity of these results still needs to be verified. Nevertheless, these burgers are already being served by fast food chains such as A&W and Tim Hortons. Beyond Meat’s burger is even served in some grocery stores across Canada and the U.S. Overall, PBMAs have been found to play some role in improving human health and environmental sustainability. However, there is still no evidence that shows these foods can totally substitute plant-based foods. Moreover, changes in the nutritional value of these foods due to rapid technology innovations and ongoing research in laboratories has posed a new challenge.

A Canadian-dominated summer in sports Canadian teams and their athletes prove Canada is a force to reckon with, and we’re not sorry about it SARAH-MAY OLDFIELD S&H EDITOR It’s been more than fun and games for Canada and its athletes. This summer saw what could be the most red and white pride the country has seen since Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. Over the past few months, Canada and some of its Canadian athletes have either made history, or come very close. Leafs Fall Short in another playoffs, miss shot at Stanley Cup Toronto Maple Leaf fans were on the edge of their seats for what would become yet another heartbreaking season conclusion. The Leafs made the playoffs this past season, and in a long first round series they became Canada’s last hope at a Stanley Cup victory and a possible end to a 26-year-old drought. The Leafs took the Boston Bruins to a 7-game series, losing by their largest goal deferential of the series: 1-5. The Bruins would go on to win the Stanley Cup. Bid Launched to bring WNBA team to Toronto The Toronto Raptors and the Van-

couver Grizzles were the only existing Canadian NBA teams when the NBA expanded into Canada in 1995. The Grizzles relocated to Memphis, leaving the Raptors as the only franchise to represent the country. The excitement of the Raptors in the 2019 NBA playoffs put a spotlight on Canadian basketball, and had many interested in a WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) expansion into Canada as well. The WNBA, though much smaller and of a lower profile than the NBA, has garnered increased attention with the spotlight being put on female professional athletes. The WNBA, which was established in 1996, consists of 12 teams in comparison to the NBA’s 30, all of which are in the U.S. While the WNBA has expressed it has no plans of expanding into Canada, there are talk of plans to submit a bid for expansion in the near future. Mississauga’s R.J. Barrett drafted 3rd overall in 2019 NBA Draft Following the excitement of the 2019 NBA playoffs came the highly anticipated 2019 NBA drafts. Top draft prospect and number one draft

PHOTO/THESTAR.COM

The Toronto Raptors were the talk of the world in their jourmey to the NBA Finals, which they won. pick Zion Williamson was the focus of the media outlets, but his Duke University teammate, Canadian R.J. Barrett would finish not too far behind. The Mississauga native would go on to be drafted third overall. He was one of six Canadians drafted in this year’s draft, setting an NBA record for most by a country other than

the U.S. Toronto Raptors Make History For the first time in their 24 year tenure in the NBA, the Toronto Raptors won the NBA Championship. The team had the entire country behind them as they made it through each playoff series to reach their first NBA Finals, another franchise re-

cord, to face the defending champions, the Golden State Warriors. It was a drama-filled series, from key player injuries to excessive fan behaviour. Amidst all the noise, and with the odds stacked against them, the Raptors beat the Warriors after six games.


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