Vol 35 issue 10 by The Medium

8 Monday, November 10, 2008

12 www.mediumonline.ca

Volume 35, Issue 10

Thousands descend on Queen’s Park

photo/Matthew Filipowich

In protest of higher tuition fees and deregulation: Nearly 6,000 post-secondary students from the GTA made their voices heard in front of the Ontario Legislature at Queen’s Park this past Wednesday.

ANDREW HAMILTON-SMITH FEATURES EDITOR

Last Thursday, approximately 1,000 students from UTM were part of a protest to send a message to the provincial Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty: “No new fees.” Over 6,000 students from universities and colleges across the GTA – including York, Ryerson and George Brown – marched on the Ontario Legislature at Queen’s Park. The march was simultaneous with other similar student protests going on in 13 other cities across Ontario. The action was in response to several new and ongoing developments with regards to post-secondary tuition fees. In 2006, Premier McGuinty cancelled a popular tuition fee freeze and replaced it with the “Reaching Higher” framework for tuition fee increases. The framework allowed fees to increase as high as eight per cent a year, or

36 per cent over four years. However, that framework is set to expire in 2009. As a result, the government has been meeting with stakeholders such as the universities themselves in order to hammer out a solution to the problem of post-secondary education funding, which is now essentially controlled entirely by the province. Some university leaders, such as University of Toronto President David Naylor, have called for greater deregulation of government-set tuition rates, allowing universities to set their own fee levels as high as they want. Although this is only one possible option out of many that the government is considering, student unions across Ontario have recognized the importance of the situation, and want to make sure that the government hears the voices of students themselves. The horde of students from UTM participated, and filled several buses as they brandished signs, beat on drums, and chanted anti-fee slogans. Other popular chants included references to Barack Obama, who was elected President of the United States the night before. As the parade began to pour out

onto Wellesley Street, students were stopped by a surprise attendee and speaker of the day, Jack Layton, leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP). Layton was in attendance along with Ontario NDP leadership candidate and MPP Peter Tabuns in order to express his party’s support for a tuition freeze and increased funding for post-secondary schooling from the provincial government. The parade proceeded towards Bay Street, where everyone stopped for several minutes – blocking traffic – in front of the Education Ministry offices, making as much noise as possible to get the attention of the bureaucrats and politicians who draft Ontario’s laws and policies. From there, the march continued along Bay down to College Street, where a sit-in was staged for at least twenty minutes in the middle of the intersection of University and College. Once assembled around the stage on the front lawn of Queen’s Park, the full size of the 6,000 people assembled became apparent.

continued on page 2

An APUS celebration ANDREW HAMILTON-SMITH FEATURES EDITOR

Last Thursday evening saw the Association of Part-time University Students (APUS) celebrate forty years of student representation here at UTM. Located at the Student Centre presentation room, the affair was attended by approximately 200 people, which comprised of a diverse range of students – local and international, part-time and fulltime. On offering throughout were free cotton candy and food, puppet shows, music and spoken word performances. “This is a celebration for us,” declared Oriel Varga, executive director of APUS. “It was a struggle for many years, with [our organization] often undermined,” said Varga, referring to the declining numbers of part-time classes and enrolment opportunities, weak or non-existent support services that are only available to full-time students (such as daycare), and the general feeling of “being forced out” by the University of Toronto administration. Last year’s merger of APUS’s subsidiary EPUS and the UTMSU had creat-

ed much tension between APUS and UTM’s Student Union. Varga suggested that the UTM administration tacitly supported the move as a way to “sideline part-time students, through an illegitimate raid on our membership,” and stated that the EPUS board of directors essentially broke communication with APUS prior to the referendum [to merge with UTMSU in February 2007], refusing to communicate with the parent body. “It was a few execs [with EPUS] alone who pushed forward with the referendum,” explained Varga. “It was an illegitimate referendum.” APUS took the matter to court last year, and the court upheld an application by APUS to retain its membership at UTM, finding that APUS was “sidelined” during the referendum and not given an opportunity to participate. This was all the more reason for APUS to put on a big show Thursday night. APUS executive secretary Helen Choi agreed that the evening was about “focus[ing] on positive energy and building bridges, one at a time.” continued on page 3

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Monday, November 10, 2008

NEWS

Obama’s election debated

“How do you feel about Barack Obama’s election as President of the United States?”

DANIEL ROSENTHAL

On Tuesday, November 4, the Political Science & Pre-Law Association (PSLA) held a speaker’s panel to discuss the current and historical trends in American politics. American political science professor Dr. Mark Lippincott joined American history professor Dr. Yonathan Eyal to discuss their own personal views on the current “Obama versus McCain” US Presidential election. After speaking, they took some time to answer questions from the audience. “Americans have never elected a President. They elect representatives,” said Dr. Eyal in respect to the Electoral College, a group of representatives from each state in the US totalling 538 members, who once voting stations are closed, elect one of the two candidates. “The US started out as a republic, but it is slowly turning into a democracy,” added Dr. Eyal. “The Electoral College is a form of a republic government”. “There are really three elephants in the room that the media continues to come close to but never really name: race, sex, and religion. There’s no doubt that Obama is where he is because of race,”

“It is a step forward towards erasing racism, which has been an issue for a long time. We can improve; we can advance; it is encouraging that a minority can be President” - Parnaoz Tsintsadze 2nd-year Economics

“I am not happy. Obama wants to renegotiate NAFTA, and from a Canadian perspective, we will lose manufacturing jobs”

photo source/www.obama.com

Professor Lippincott stated. He also pointed out that Obama’s policies are very similar to those of former Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. A few months ago, when Clinton was still in the race, different media outlets often cited how hard it has been for women to gain rights over the years and how much of a hurdle it would be for a woman to be elected President. The same happened with Obama, except this time it was a race question. “There’s a reason why McCain chose Sarah Palin as his vice-president,” mused Dr. Eyal, “and it’s not because of her opinions

on foreign policy.” When asked what their thoughts were on the idea that the American two-party system is turning into essentially a one-party system, both professors seemed to agree on certain points: “Yes, as a republic, it makes sense that parties will have America’s interests at hearts despite what they say during their electoral campaigns,” said Dr. Eyal. “However,” added Dr. Lippincott, “if you look at the extreme left of the Democratic Party, and you look at the extreme right of the Republican Party, you’ll see a clear difference between the two.”

- Aureo Villarico 4th-year Political Science

“His election has opened our eyes; to see that a black person can be President. We are feeling very good about what will happen now, but it’s hard to be worse than Bush!” - Hulola Nwenendah-Mpi 1st-year Social Science & Oblora Agbanusi 1st year Chem&Phys Science

APUS throws bash for students

UPASS defect leads to replacements

Continued from front page

“It was wonderful to hang out with our members here at UTM,” commented Jeff Peters, APUS’s vice-president of external affairs. “We saved the best for last,” he added, in reference to the UTM party as the third and final such event (after the St. George and Scarborough campuses). Peters, who grew up in and around Erin Mills, explained that the affair was part of a renewed effort by APUS to reach out to part-time student members here.

FIONA BUCHANAN

Part-time representation at UTM In terms of why part-time students need separate representation, Varga explained that they often tended to be individuals who have unique situations or time schedules, or even physical and mental disabilities. Many mature students go to school parttime, either because they have to work full-time or because they have children. Some of the most vulnerable segments of society – seniors, the lowincome, single-parents, the disabled – depend on part-time post-secondary courses to get ahead, yet they are offered far less support than full-time students by universities, not just at U of T, but across all universities in Ontario. “We are systematically excluded on all campuses,” explained Varga, who

photo/Alain Latour

Students check out the show at the APUS 40th Anniversary party held on Thursday November 6. claims that proof of which is found in U of T president David Naylor’s Towards 2030 agenda which calls for a greater focus on graduate studies and research at the expense of undergraduate and part-time studies. “There is no UTAPS Guarantee [that a student will not drop out due to financial reasons] for part-time students; no child-care available, little financial aid, and no housing is available to part-time students,” she added.

Alumni Career Night: Writing & Communications Networking Event Wednesday, November 12 2 5 pm - 7 pm Faculty Club, SE3140 This event will feature PWC alumni in a panel & networking format. Stay tuned for more details and guest speaker info - register using our online Events Calendar!

At the moment, it is not clear who part-time students are represented by at UTM. After Mubashir Ali’s resignation last month, the position for vice-president of Part-time Affairs has since been vacant. Meanwhile, the Ontario Superior Court has ruled that APUS is entitled to reclaim its membership. According to UTMSU President Wasah Malik, the union is currently looking towards hiring someone for the vacant post.

As of December 1, 2008, the UPass stickers will no longer be valid for use with Mississauga Transit. Due to a defect in the sticker, there will be new passes issued as separate cards. Anum Maqsood, UTMSU’s UPass coordinator, recently sent out an email informing all full-time students of the upcoming change to their transit passes. Many students had raised concerns over the stickers fading and eventually becoming unrecognizable. Max Wang, a UTM student living in Oscar Peterson Hall, said he felt fortunate that he has not had a problem from the bus drivers yet. “My sticker is blank right now. I’m afraid I’ll be refused [entry] by the bus drivers,” he said. “I had to put tape on top of my U-Pass to stop the colour from fading,” said Emma Livingston, a first year humanities student.

Information on the UTMSU website and in the email outlined the process for issuing the new U-Pass cards. The personalised passes will be mailed to students with local addresses or residence mailboxes as listed on ROSI. If local address information is not available through ROSI, passes will be available for pick-up at the Student Centre information desk. In order to ride Mississauga Transit, cards must be signed and presented with the University of Toronto student ID cards. If students lose the new U-Pass Card, the replacement process will remain the same as before. “They would have to get a new card, which would [come up to] the same forty dollar charge as last year,” said Maqsood. “Nothing has changed, except that now there is a card which must be used in conjunction with the Tcard in order to board the bus,” she added. The new U-Pass cards will be valid until April 2009.

Our Career Counsellors can help you make sense of your options and give you the skills to make decisions about your future. Book an initial 30-minute appointment to discuss next steps for your options related to graduate or professional school. Give us a call at 905-828-5451 or visit us in SE 3094 to get started!

TO REGISTER FOR EMPLOYER EVENTS, WORKSHOPS AND MORE, visit www.utm.utoronto.ca/careers

UTM CAREER CENTRE

Monday, November 10, 2008

Women on campus KAREN AKHTAR

Last Thursday, the Status of Women Office held a meeting to address concerns about women’s issues on campus. Cheryl Champagne, assistant Status of Women officer at the University of Toronto, started the meeting off by providing information about the duties of the Status of Women Office. Among those in attendance were Jane Ngobia, resource officer for diversity, equity, and leadership, Saaliha Malik, UTMSU vicepresident for equity, and Natalie Ellis, UTM Women’s Centre coordinator. One of the major issues raised at the meeting was the need for improved safety on campus, especially the need for better promotion of the “Walksafer” program, and the need for better lighting at the North Building. There was also a consensus over the need to prevent violence against women on campus, which led to a discussion about the pressures of gender roles for women. Several students voiced concerns over the extra family responsibilities that female students often face. They also voiced their concerns over the “expectations” for women to be passive when it comes to standing up for their needs. Another major issue that was raised at the meeting was the urgent need for more permanent, high-quality child care spaces at UTM. Malik mentioned that a new facility is currently being constructed on campus, and that an information session on the new child care centre will be held Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at 3 p.m. in the Council Chamber (South Building

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NEWS

3130). Also discussed were concerns regarding discrimination against women in employment, which results in many female students being limited to dead-end, low wage jobs in sectors such as retail. Students at the meeting also expressed dismay at the discrimination women face in education. For example, programs such as business and commerce tend to be male-dominated and receive more funding than women’s studies programs. In general, the meeting found that feminism tends to be associated with negative stereotypes, and that a surprisingly large number of people are indifferent or opposed to women being educated. The Status of Women Office was established in 1984, and will be celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary next year. To voice your concerns about women’s issues, please visit www.arewomenequalyet.blogspot.com

Correction notice In last week’s article, “Deepa Mehta visits Hart House," the films discussed by Ms. Mehta were Let’s Talk About It, a 45minute documentary and Heaven on Earth, a feature length film. It is for the former that Ms. Mehta “gave cameras to young women to discuss domestic violence with their mothers,” and not the latter. The Medium apologizes for this error.

Drop Fees protest Continued from front page

One of the first speakers was Shelley Melanson, chairperson of the Ontario wing of the Canadian Federation of Students, who pointed out that “since taking office, Premier McGuinty has caused Ontario's tuition fees to go from fourth to second highest in the country.” Melanson explained that students across Ontario are fed up with McGuinty simply paying lip service to accessibility. “Today we are demanding concrete action to drop fees.” Students from UTM had a wide range of motivations for attending this protest. David Fitzpatrick, a first-year political science and economics student at UTM, insists that he came “for the party.” “I agree with dropping fees, but I am not so much into the chants and stuff,” said Fitzpatrick. Second-year drama student Cam Laurie had a more serious agenda. “We need to show [the government] that we won’t be blindly taken advantage of,” said Laurie. “This protest is one way to send that message effectively.” Some students went further than just showing up, volunteering as well to be Parade Marshals. These marshals were in place to ensure that everyone was involved, organized, informed, safe, and under control. The march was followed and surrounded at all times by twenty-odd police officers, who were either in vans, on bikes, or riding horses. Students were advised to keep their

photo/Matthew Filipowich

distance from police as much as possible. There were no major occurrences or disruptions between protesters and police, although a few medical incidents - mostly dehydration - were reported. Commenting on how the protest went, UTMSU vice-president of external affairs Dhananjai (DJ) Kholi said he was incredibly happy with the turnout. “Every student who shows up is one voice more,” declared Kohli, who also made it clear that until the government lives up to its promise to freeze tuition fees and invest more money in universities, this will be an on-going struggle.

“The Drop Fees campaign does not end on the fifth of November, it has only just begun. This Day of Action was incredibly successful, but in isolation, accomplishes little. We need to keep the pressure up,” explained Kohli. Last month, students submitted more than 50,000 petition signatures calling for the government to drop fees and establish a new framework to increase Ontario's per student funding level to the national average. The UTMSU is planning to hold more events, such as a Second Day of Action, in the near future. For more information, please visit www.dropfees.ca or www.utmsu.ca.

Campus Crime Report October 31, 2008 12:25 a.m. Intoxicated Female Campus Police investigated an intoxicated female and assisted her while ensuring she was taken home safely. October 31, 2008 1:38 a.m. Intoxicated Male Campus Police investigated a male that was intoxicated. EMS provided the male with medical treatment. October 31, 2008 1:55 a.m. Physical Altercation Campus Police investigated an alleged physical altercation between two females. There were no charges laid as a result of the investigation. October 31, 2008 12:00 p.m. Suspicious Male Report of a suspicious male in the South Building. Campus Police investigated the incident and spoke with the male. October 31, 2008 7:03 p.m. Mischief Under $5000 – Graffiti Report of graffiti in the Men’s Washroom in the South Building. University Police investigated the incident and the graffiti was cleaned by Caretaking staff. November 1, 2008 1:50 a.m. Liquor Licence Act Campus Police received a report of a physical altercation in a residence. Campus Police arrived and investigated several males. Two males were subsequently charged under the Liquor Licence Act.

November 2, 2008 12:18 a.m. Liquor Licence Act Campus Police investigated a group of males in a parking lot and subsequently, one male was charged under the Liquor Licence Act. November 2, 2008 8:40 p.m. Theft Under $5000 Campus Police received a report regarding theft of a cash box. Campus Police are still investigating. November 4, 2008 11:04 a.m. Solicitation for outside business Report of an outside business soliciting on UTM Campus. Campus Police investigated the incident and advised the business to stop their soliciting and they complied. November 4, 2008 12:20 p.m. Smoking Infraction A concerned student reported a cigarette smoker outside of a building, close to the entrance of the building. Campus Police arrived on scene and the male was gone upon arrival. November 5, 2008 1:27 a.m. oise Complaint Report of a noise complaint in a residence. Campus Police arrived at the area and all persons were gone upon arrival. November 5, 2008 7:30 p.m. Theft Under $5000 A student reported that their knapsack and contents were stolen from the Kaneff Centre. Estimated value of stolen property is $1500.

photos/Matthew Filipowich

Scenes from the November 5 “Drop Fees” rally at Queen’s Park in downtown Toronto, which included a statement of support from federal NDP leader Jack Layton, among others.

Sex toy workshop with SEC SULMAZ GHORAISHI

On November 4, the UTM Sexual Education & Peer Counselling Centre (S.E.C.) hosted a sex toy workshop, which saw an attendance of more than 30 orgasm-enthusiasts. Traditionally, S.E.C. workshops have been clustered during “Sex & U” week, a week that aims to bring issues pertaining to sex and sexuality to the forefront. This year however, the coordinators decided to change things up. According to Ivian Tchakarova, a S.E.C. executive, students don’t come out to the workshops as much when they are all within the same time-frame. “It’s not because they aren’t interested in the

topic,” she insisted. The workshop was conducted by Tynan Bramberger, the owner of Toy Time with Tynan, a sex toy party company. Although these companies generally have a reputation for providing misinformation and being “all about the sales,” the coordinators attempted to side-step this problem by finding a company that emphasized toy education. After the workshop, guests were able to purchase any of the toys on demonstration. “In previous years, we had students approach us after our sex toy workshops asking where they could go to get some of the items that were demonstrated. A lot of the good sex toy stores require a lengthy commute and so we decided to give them the

option of purchasing supplies in the comfort of their own campus,” claims S.E.C. coordinator, Dawnalda Brennan. In addition to free samples of some of the products, guests were able to handle all of the toys. Many of the lotions and potions were passed around so that guests could try them out. One of the massage products was a mousse-like foam that felt like poprocks when it was lathered on the skin. “Now I can check this off my list of things to do in life,” exclaimed Noreen Raja in reference to the workshop. Anyone else who’s hoping to do the same is encouraged to attend the Sex Toys & Technology workshop next semester.

4 THE MEDIUM

Monday, November 10, 2008

Letter to the Editor Hello UTM Community,

Ali Kasim, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | editor@mediumonline.ca www.mediumonline.ca

EDITORIAL I spoke with UTMSU exec DJ Kohli last week while he was busy campaigning – approaching random students, handing out flyers – for the “Drop Fees” rally on November 5 and asked him what the ultimate purpose of the rally was. “The ultimate goal,” he said, is to convince the Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty and/or the minister of education for a sit-down to eventually sign a petition in agreement of not raising fees. “Good luck,” I told him, at the same time taking notice of his T-shirt which read, “Fuck Tuition Fees!” below an image of the middle finger raised up and towards me. These T-shirts, along with Guy Fawkes masks (the one made popular by the film V for Vendetta) were worn by all campaign executives and volunteers throughout last week. I wondered how much the whole attire would diminish the credibility and seriousness of the entire effort. The idea of course is that students/youth are pissed off in general – hence the apathy and lack of involvement – so the T-shirts are probably a symbolic gimmick to tap into that anger and rage. Like the masks, it is a newer form of marketing, geared towards attracting today’s “cynical and disillusioned youth,” who naturally block out more common forms of advertising. Right after the rally, I asked a friend who attended what he thought of the whole affair. “The turn-out was there. But I don’t think the students that showed up knew what they were there for. They would shout ‘drop fees,’ but when you asked them why, a lot of them just looked at you blankly.” I wasn’t surprised by this. Inform. Educate. Action. Three of the basic tenets you would expect from a student union. While the third was evident, the first two seemed to still be lacking. But is the UTMSU required to properly inform and educate students, to provide politically-oriented literature (pros and cons of rising fees), especially since they are supposed to represent all students regardless of point of view and thus cannot be biased? Or can it simply be argued that when you already have 93 per cent of the student body in support of a cause, it would be redundant to educate that portion of students on that very cause? There are certainly two ways of looking at it. Maybe all that matters is that the rally proved to be successful. On the part of student unions across Ontario, a 6,000 student turnout sounds admirable, especially considering the age of apathy we now reside in – gone are the days of the 70s and 80s when tens of thousands of students marched Queen’s Park in protest. As far as our UTMSU is concerned, DJ and co. did everything they could, even resorting to supposed “bribery.” More importantly, it’s been reported that the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities called for and held a meeting with various educational representatives to discuss future plans for students and the issue of rising fees. As well, education critics from both the NDP and Conservative parties have signed a petition to drop tuition fees. Mission accomplished so far. The next step? Let’s see how long student unions, like UTMSU, can keep the government’s attention on this issue, for the long-term. Yours,

Ali Kasim

REMEMBRANCE DAY OBSERVANCE

This letter is in response to an allegation made in last week’s issue of The Medium that accused the Student Union of bribery. Accusations were made and questions were asked. Here are my answers to some of the questions: Q: Is what I said [in the letter] true? If not, please publicly correct any misinformation for the sake of the student body. Yes, there was a competition for clubs. Whichever club (whose membership exceeds 25 members) brought out the largest proportion of its membership to the rally on the fifth of November would receive $750. Q: Let us know if you intended to inform the whole student body of this plan. In terms of UTMSU advertising the decision via posters, no, there was no plan for that. However, I will point out that the decision was made at an open meeting, and was voted on by 40-odd students, of which 3 hold a position in the union,while the rest were general students who were interested in the cause. One of those general students was a club executive. To get to the main section of the letter, allow me to first quote Mr. Moyer in saying “offering clubs money in order to get students to support the political beliefs of the Student Union is bald-faced bribery.” First of all, the money being offered was not clubs money. For those unaware, clubs receive a certain amount of money from UTMSU. This money comes from a certain levy that students pay for clubs. This money cannot be

used for other purposes. The money being offered for this competition did not come from clubs money. Hence, this prize money is not money that some other club could have accessed. This is separate money that is being pumped into clubs, for the purpose of this competition. Secondly, I'm not sure about the Erindale Gaming Organization, of which Mr. Moyer is an executive, but UTMSU runs in a bottom-up structure. This campaign to reduce tuition fees was not dreamt up by one of the executives. It is a campaign that UTMSU has been instructed to run by the student body. In a plebiscite held, 98.8 per cent of the student body was against higher tuition fees. So let’s be clear here. The Drop Fees campaign is not the “political belief of the Student Union”. This is what students want – this is their collective political stance. Mr. Moyer goes on to question the legality of this competition. A competition is a competition. Whether you offer money, or a prize worth the exact same amount, it’s the same. If one were to offer a gift certificate, how would that be perceived? The only reason that the incentive for our competition is in the form of money is because the reward is going to a club, rather than an individual. Some form of non-monetary prize for a club would be redundant. Finally, Mr. Moyer talks of student money. Again, to quote him,” Money is being arbitrarily awarded to clubs that support the political goals of UTMSU”. I believe I've already talked about how this campaign is not some sort of “political goal” as if the student union alone will get some sort of secret benefit from

a successful campaign. Also, I believe this is a competition, so the question of money being arbitrarily awarded seems strange to me. Mr. Moyer, I believe I have addressed your letter. In return, I would recommend that you please do not speak on behalf of all club executives, as you have taken the liberty of doing (re: “it is offensive to suggest that we Club Execs can be bought”). I am a former club executive. After you raised your concerns at the meeting, I consulted with as many club executives as I could, and heard no negative feedback from them. With the exception of the competition, everything mentioned in your letter is your opinion. If you felt that UTMSU was trying to buy you, that’s your opinion, that was not the intention of UTMSU, and I have not heard anybody else who was in that room interpret the competition in that way. UTMSU holds commission meetings every 2 weeks, on Thursdays at 5 p.m. in the UTMSU office. All decisions made in terms of campaigns and money are made at these meetings. Commission meetings are open to everybody, and everybody has an equal vote. I would highly recommend that members of the UTM community come out to these meetings if they want to get more involved in the decision making process for your student union.

In solidarity,

Dhananjai “DJ” Kohli

Notice of by-elections The Medium is holding by-elections for the following positions of:

News Editor Features Editor Interested students must pick up an application package at The Medium office, room 200, Student Centre, and return it no later than December 1 2008,at 5pm. The Medium is also hiring an assistant copy editor for the upcoming winter semester. Interested students must send a resume and cover letter to Ali at editor@mediumonline.ca no later than December 12, 2008.

At 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 11, members of UTM will observe Remembrance Day at the flagstaff in front of the South Building. The ceremony will begin at 10:50 a.m. with remarks by Vice-President and Principal, Ian Orchard followed by the reading of “In Flanders Fields” by UTMSU President, Wasah Malik and the traditional two minutes of silence in commemoration of those who died in past wars. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held in the Meeting Place, South Building.

THE

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Editor-in-Chief Ali Kasim

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The Medium is looking for assistant editors for all four sections - News, Features, Arts, Sports. If you have been writing for us the past year or so, and want to be part of the team, let us know. Email your section editors or the editor-in-chief with your cover letter, resume, and some writing samples.

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Monday, November 10, 2008

Michael Di Leo, Editor | arts@mediumonline.ca

Prince Shadrach On approaching his own crown, “rural rhyming,” and the state of Canadian rap ANDREA GRASSI

The best way to describe Shad a.k.a. Shad K a.k.a. Shadrach Kabango is “multi.” Multi-talented – plays guitar, produces, writes, raps, and multitasking – part-time graduate student at Simon Frasier, reads Dostoyevsky, and, oh yeah, just recently finished up a tour with Common. “Are you in the middle of something? You sound busy?” I ask Shad, who’s at home in London Ontario, through my scratchy cellular connection. Hunched in a Second Cup at 5:30 p.m., I flip my (faux) fur-lined hood over my head to block out some of the High School Musical-esque gossip that is generated from the couches to my right and the rest of the crowded café’s whirr and buzz. I am in-between work and the GO train, and trying to scrawl Shad wordfor-word with my English Breakfast going cold. However bad this sounds, Shad’s conversation re-warms my tea and makes me burst out into laughter – “I’m eating a sandwich,” explains the humble Shad. “I’m at Subway right now.” Born in Kenya to Rwandan parents, Shad’s family settled in London when he was still very young. Later in high school Shad would pick up a guitar, and in university – Waterloo’s Wilfred Laurier – he would go on to win a radio contest. Both of these musical happenings would merge into the facilitation of his first album, and acclaimed effort, When this is Over (2005). Financed with the $17,500 he won from 91.5 The Beat’s “rhythm of the future” contest, Shad ploughed into the scene self-styled. Known for being a minimalist showman, it may seem out of context for Shad to have dropped into the limelight through commercial radio.

“My sister submitted the demo for me as a birthday present,” explains Shad. “I’m not really into the whole contest thing.” We both agree it was the best birthday present he’s gotten yet. Garnering much attention with his first effort, he was later signed to Blackbox Recordings in 2007 to release his now acclaimed sophomore, The Old Prince. “I had no clue,” says Shad of recording and producing his first record. “Now I’m a little better-minded, and comfortable with doing takes in the vocal booth, capturing lyrics and the computer programs. The idea is to try a larger network of ideas.” Earlier this year, Shad’s album was short-listed for the Polaris Prize. I asked Shad what he thought of the $20,000 check going to Caribou. “Great. I was really pulling for him,” admits Shad. Was there anyone else he thought would win? “No. He was my prediction. And for that I looked smart. Hey if you can’t win $20,000, at least you can look smart.” Ever humble, Shad doesn’t need to prove his smarts to anyone. His lyrics are potent without being too overly saturated in politics. Songs like “I Just Don’t Understand” off of his debut, comment on the Rwandan genocide and familial roots. “Brother (Watching)” talks of growing up as a black youth in a Canadian town, while other light-hearted tunes like “The Prince Still Lives At Home” (nominated for Best Rap Recording at this year’s Junos) showcases his raw talent with clever quips and acapella rhyming. I flip the page of my notebook and continue to scrawl more Shad. I am excited because I am approaching the question I’ve been waiting for: So, who is that Lance Guy? (The Will “Fresh Prince” Smith persona in his video for “The Prince Still Lives At

Home”) Shad laughs and replies with “Lance Armstrong.” When I borrow my folks' wheels / (But you can't drive) / Whatever our van died (Get a good bike) / Who I look like, that Lance guy? / I ain't pushin no banana seat. The idea of an “old prince” became a humorous image and an overlying metaphor for the record. “I kind of dealt with the phrase ‘old prince’ because when you think of a prince, they are not old, they should be on their way to becoming kings,” explains Shad. Prince Charles? Accepting Charles to be “weird,” Shad chuckles and continues his reasoning, “Aside from Prince Charles, I feel like that phrase is about growth. I think everyone has a purpose and is special, but we don’t always recognize that. We can kind of grow into that position. The phrase created funny images for me and just created a bigger and bigger, more elaborate idea in my head. It wasn’t really a

concept in that I thought it through; it just formed.” The Canadian hip-hop world is a lot like Shad – on the rise from the underground, with stars like K-Os and Kardinal finally representing Toronto on the international spotlight. However, the industry still remains buzzing from under the floorboards of the rap show. Through this diversity and our country’s bulging bank of hidden or unreleased talent, Canadian rap and hip-hop is identified. I ask Shad of any identifiers he attributes to the Canadian genre, and who of his fellow rappers, is the most underrated. “To be a Canadian rapper is to be underrated,” replies Shad. “It is true that Canadian rap is largely underground, which is also true in Europe and most places, but what we dig musically is a wide range [the often cited Deborah Fleck upbringing]. Overall though, music in this country is still pretty young. We have a big country geographically, so there is a lot left to diversify.” He adds that I should check out Sean Booth.

Indie music in Canada is largely kept rural because of a lack of infrastructure. Rock is finally getting a foray, and indie isn’t so classically independent anymore. However, rap has yet to take the mainstage in the non-commercial Canadian scene, set apart from the American material-saturated and “bling blang” market which has “no temptation” for Shad. “I think there needs to be a scene,” offers Shad as a possible solution for Canadian rap standings. “[A scene] where the talent can be appreciated city to city…a community of people to play for in every town.” Was there a scene in London growing up? “A few artists were doing their thing. When I went to Waterloo for school, there were kids putting on shows. Again, largely underground. I would play at the Embassy. Really grimy place with hip-hop shows.” Although he hasn’t become a king yet in the Canadian rap world, he attributes his growing success to luck: “I have had a lot of good people helping me out. Everything in life is a combination of that.”

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photo/media.harbourfrontcentre.com

Shad was shortlisted for the coveted Polaris Music Prize this year, the only rap artist to make the cut.

Composed of a series of weekly newscasts, Medium 2.0 represents the future of information sharing.

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6 THE MEDIUM

Monday, November 10, 2008

ARTS

Mississauga Restaurant Guide SHELLEY BAHORIE

with Michael Di Leo

As I peer through my office window into the Student Centre below, I notice that though it’s a Sunday evening, there are still people playing foosball. Now while I love the sport, these aren’t the kinds of people I generally associate myself with. They are wiggers. Dressed in oversized football jerseys an d t o ut i n g t h e r a p p i n g prowes s o f 5 0 C e n t a n d L l o y d Banks, these select few are representative of much of the “hip-hop” culture at UTM. Many of us share the experience of sitting next to a wigger in our tutorials, and it is obvious how this subset has become integrated within our community. Let me make this clear: I have no problem with wiggers, in fact I like them, albeit in an ironic sort of way. What interests me is the notion that hip-hop, a predominant black cultural identity, is being obsessively consumed by the very people it set out to confront – ignorant white folk. It is, in a sense, an old story. The artistic expression of black struggle has always allured white viewers, ever s i n ce p l a n t at i o n s l a v e s expressed their anguish in the form of music. This, coupled with the inclination of suburban kids to use foreign, aggressive music as a channel for their own dissatisfactions and fantasies, is the driving force behind hip-hop’s popularity with the average white listener. But in spite of the many resemblances, hip-hop is a truly unique trend. Rock music, initially a black form of expression, did not gain popularity until Elvis gave it a white face. Hip-hop on the other hand, has remained fiercely black for more than three decades. One of hip-hop’s trademarks is its exaggeration. If you had never seen Black culture before and listened to a rap song, you would think that African Americans were the wealthiest and most virile beings on the planet, while Caucasians are all pencil-pushing squares. This same exaggeration gives credibility to those who otherwise wouldn’t be hip-hop. Young, beduragged suburbanites who think a bad time is when mom forgets to buy the PopTarts clearly do not fit the bill, but their fashion and music choices would contradict that. This leads us to another important postulate of hip-hop – keeping it real. Generally speaking, many of these wiggers have never set foot near anything rooted in hip-hop (i.e. reminiscent of the early days in places l i ke Q u e e n s b r i d g e a n d Watts.) Instead, they are comfortable being drive-by fans and surrounding themselves with what their general impression of the culture is. Bandanas which were used to signify gang involvement have been perverted to denote one’s street credibility within the movement. One could argue that black rappers use this to their advantage as well, but the fact remains that they do not have to prove their realness unlike their fellow white spectators. I’m reminded of a scene from Office Space where the character of Michael Bolton, a very geeky, white programmer, listens to a song by the rapper Scarface during his morning commute. He has the music turned

up loud and is feverishly rapping along to the song’s hardcore lyrics until he notices a black man selling flowers down the side of the road. He proceeds to lock his doors, turn down the music, and stop rapping until the man passes. For many white hip-hop fans this incident rings true. Their attempts to connect with blackness are usually undone by their own irrational anxieties. To many, hip-hop is essentially a way to prove themselves. In the case of Michael from Office Space, he is not necessarily afraid of the black man, but by the fact that he r ec ogn i z e s h o w, even w ith the music, he still cannot compare to the realness of the passerby. This simple predicament can be expanded upon to include all forms of white hip-hop gangsterism. For

many, they take their projected “blackness” as a joke, a way to illustrate and romanticize the otherwise insipid feelings they may have. Others have taken this trend to a much higher extent, accepting it as their own situation. As Dr. Dre once said, “anybody can be a Muthaf*#$%@ N#@@*.”

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If you’re tired of eating in and around campus, or if you’re just looking for a new place to go, here are a few different options you should check out. From steakhouses to wine bars, these low profile restaurants offer a variety of exciting cuisine. Don’t want to travel too far from school? The Apricot Tree Cafe and Rosewood Bistro and Wine Bar are two blocks away from UTM on Dundas, in Sherwood Forest Village. The Apricot Tree is a cozy and casual Mediterranean styled cafe. Their menu ranges from an assortment of soups, sandwiches, and wraps to warm entrees which include pasta, fish, crepes, and wiener schnitzel. They also offer a large selection of desserts. Entrees range from $10.50 $21.95. For the special occasions, make a reservation at Rosewood Bistro. This restaurant, with its bright and elegant interior, offers a fine dining experience to go along with their delicious appetizers. Their extensive drink menu presents a selection of 40 different wines by the glass (to compliment their wine library bar), 20 types

photos&captions/wiggaz.com

Left: After asking mom how to work the timer on the sony digital camera, this wigger is mad representin’ with the lunch money he saved. After he's done cleaning out the fireplace, dad might let him go to the local putt putt golf. Right: Armed with a fist full of tokens, this young wigger promises to kick your ass. At Tekken.

photo/flyingsheep.org

If Fatso were real, he would spend his time at one of Mississauga’s finest eateries instead of picking on Casper.

of beer, and numerous scotch, ports, and cocktails. The must-try entrees are the grilled lamb chops, the calf’s liver, and the chicken cordon bleu. Entrees range from $13.00 - $34.00. If you travel a little further down Dundas, just off the 427, visit The Open Cork Eatery & Lounge where you can make it formal by enjoying a meal in their executive style booths and chairs, or informal by taking in a game on their big screen at the bar while you enjoy their “Cal-Ital” menu. Specialty items are veal marsala, risotto, and involtini pollo. Entrees range from $13.95 - $23.95. In the Square One area? For those of you with a bigger budget or in the mood for a good steak, try Ruth’s Chris Steak House. The sophisticated atmosphere is warm and inviting. While this restaurant is widely known all over the States, it has only two locations in Ontario. Other than their signature steaks, other notable dishes are the stuffed chicken breast, fresh lobster, and ahi-tuna stack. Steak entrees, from filets to porterhouse for two, range from $39.95 - $99.95. For a more relaxed experience, visit On the Curve Hot Stove and Wine Bar. This hip and stylish lounge is perfect for an intimate dinner, catching up with friends, and even dancing. While you’re there, try the goat cheese and chicken spinach supreme, the prime rib beef burger, or the baby back ribs. The innovative drink menu is a sure crowd pleaser. Entrees range from $15.91 - $34.21. Romantic evening in Port Credit? Ten Restaurant and Wine Bar, located on Hurontario and Lakeshore, combines urban and amorous style to achieve the perfect ambiance. After dinner and live music, take a moonlit stroll by the waterfront. A few of the more popular dishes at this chic hotspot are the tenderloin medallion, the homemade wellington burger, and of course their signature schnitzel. Entrees range from $13.91 - $34.91 Bon Appétit!

photo + collaborate photo + collaborate is a new weekly section curated byThe Medium’s Photography Editor Matthew Filipowich. An assemblage of weekly photographs, photo + collaborate is your take on weekly life, seen through your eyes. comments: photos@mediumonline.ca submissions: www.mediumonline.ca/photopop

Monday, November 10, 2008

THE MEDIUM 7

ARTS

CFRE Reviews UTM’s radio station gives us the lowdown on what’s new in the music world

Dark, Dark, Dark The Snow Magic

Danielson Trying Hartz

The Army avy The Army avy

Kings of Leon Only By The ight

TV On The Radio Dear Science

4.5/5

2.1/5

3.8/5

3.9/5

4.4/5

SHELLEY WILLIAMS

TINA CHU The first sampling of Dark Dark Dark’s new release, The Snow Magic, had me rather dumbstruck. At first, I wasn’t sure how I was to describe an album that sounds like the bastard child of an European cabaret à la Edith Piaf and Elliott Brood’s brand of death country, all laced with lyrics loaded with enough imagery for a film noir boxset. But after searching the depths of my soul, I found the words: Bloody brilliant. It was like watching a Guy Maddin masterpiece with my ears. Fave Track: “Junk Bones”

If The Castanets made a strange gospel children’s album about two cartoon mice on a psychedelic journey it would sound like Trying Hartz. This is a Danielson retrospective, a collection of songs spanning from 1994 to 2004. If it wasn’t for the darknessesque falsettos I’d be sold and Danielson would then be comparable to the intricacy of Caribou/Manitoba. But I recognize that its artists like Danielson that open doors for other musicians by offering an alternative (in the literal sense) musical construction and perspective. I wouldn’t recommend it for average consumption, but if you want to see the boundaries of music warped then coated in an eerie candy coated shell this sampler may be for you. Fave Track: “Animal In Every Corner”

SHELLEY WILLIAMS

If The Cure and General Public mated, then time-travelled to the mid90s and added ten per cent of Wheatus you would get something like Army Navy. Upbeat and catchy, Army Navy sounds pleasant and wholesomely youthful. Overall they are safe–palatable, but safe. This safety probably derives from the vague familiarity of the songs – the entire CD plays like a series of covers (not as bad as say Hilary and Haylie Duff covering The Go-Gos, but not as good and inventive as say Johnny Cash singing “Hurt”). The addition of “Get Right Back” as the bonus track, which was originally sung by Maxine ightingale (eponymous to the entire genre of romantic comedy) doesn’t ease this overall familiarity, but it happens to be one of the highlights of the record. “Get Right Back” accurately portrays the giddy exuberance of remembering a first love, but accuracy is not originality. Fave Track: “My Thin Sides”

Oasis Dig Out Your Soul

JUSTIN ANTIDORMI

Fave Track: “Sex On Fire”

Fave Track: “DLZ”

Kings of Leon drummer, athan Followill once referred to the group’s first album Youth and Young Manhood as whiskey, and their sophomore effort Aha Shake Heartbreak as wine. Their fourth and fantastic installment Only By The ight has a mature, mysterious, and sophisticated sound to it – like fine champagne if you will. Their long hair, bluesy guitars, and southern grit have been replaced with black Gucci, refined appeal and crisp nostalgia. Only By The ight is an honest, catchy, bold, and polished recording that speaks differently than its predecessors. Utilizing fresh sounds such as delay effects - subtle piano, slower off beats - the record serves as the band’s most dexterous and innovative work to date. While the first few tracks are hook-filled, punchy and upbeat, the second half is more sentimental, ballad-like, and cold. Although Only By The ight’s sound is the most commercial of the band’s catalogue, it is likely to be the most engaging with young and energetic new fans.

Spin Magazine declared TV on the Radio’s Return to Cookie Mountain the best record of 2006. The heavily experimental work is a Brooklyn masterpiece. Fittingly, the five artists in TVOTR decided that the appropriate follow up to their heavily acclaimed Cookie Mountain would be their most radical shift yet. Dear Science, the band’s fourth LP is a bold, blue, dance-funk modern classic. The eleven tracks are much more guitar driven, yet less ambitious. Dear Science finds Tunde, Kyp, David, Gerrard and Jaleel harnessing and mastering a truly distinct and authentic identity. TVOTR have always been recognized and admired for their unique ability to incorporate so many diverse elements into their music. They have touched everything from electro to doo-wop, to free jazz to shoegaze. On Dear Science, “Red Dress” jitters and grooves infectiously, whereas “Family Tree” revels in its dramatic atmosphere and emotion. While their previous efforts are heavy experiments in sound and manipulation, Dear Science is confident, diversified, and brilliant.

3.4/5 KIMBERLY HACUMAN It’s any wonder if Oasis will ever recapture their (What’s the Story) Morning Glory days; so when I received Oasis’ new album, Dig Out Your Soul, I wasn’t sure what to expect. All their tunes seemed like a mash-up of generic songs compiled together with minor tweaks here and there. The sound was nothing new or innovative and their lyrics were neither deep nor special. But one song stood out immediately, “I’m Outta Time,” which reminded me of the band in their hey-day and lustre years. The piano keys along with the guitar strings at the beginning gave me haunting chills. If you listen carefully, you can hear an excerpt from an interview with John Lennon, which was a nice touch. This song gave me hope that the Gallagher brothers could still deliver, so I gave the album a few more spins in my CD player. I noticed the album radiates a Beatle-esque vibe, especially in “Bag it Up”. It’s also more up-beat than their previous album – a pleasant change. After playing Oasis’s Dig Out Your Soul on repeat I realized I was diluting myself, forcing to find more good than was really there. Not to say I didn’t enjoy the album, it was just not riveting. Aside from one amazing track (its biggest redeeming quality) and a few hit and miss songs, Dig Out Your Soul was a mediocre listen. Fave Track: “Junk Bones”

that makes your toe tap and your head bop. “Tragic Flaw” contains a hard hitting guitar hook and an unforgettable chorus melody. Named after a mall in downtown Hamilton, Jackson Square is solid Canadian rock at its finest. It is raw, simple, and pure. It gets right to the point – no bullshit.

Squarepusher Just a Souvenir 3.5/5 JUSTIN ANTIDORMI If robots played jazz, the music would sound like Just a Souvenir, the eleventh LP from Squarepusher. Appearing on the shelf as colourful minimalist artwork, the record is a complex synthesis of musical elements: the electro acoustics of Air’s 10,000 Hz Legend, the robotic voice box of Daft Punk’s Human After All, the jittery beats of Aphex Twin, and the slapping bass of 70’s funk. Despite a complicated mixture of styles and effects, the record still manages to carry out a reoccurring theme – this unique robotic tone that creates a futuristic atmosphere. “Star Time 2” opens the record with a funky jazz organ and clapping snare beat. The track then introduces harpsichord effects and what some would call cheesy 80’s synth. Most of Just a Souvenir’s tracks unfold in this manner, layer upon layer, instrument upon instrument. Sometimes the layers sound too complex, but the record’s groove still sticks. Fave Track: “Star Time 2”

Bloc Party Intimacy 3.9/5 SHELLEY WILLIAMS

This is no Silent Alarm. Bloc Party’s Intimacy evokes a Prodigy/Chemical Brothers fusion that teeters precariously into Linkin Park territory. “Ares” and “Mercury” share this ravenous blaring dissonance set against hard beats and could totally be played at the Phoenix next to “Hey Boy Hey Girl”. This sound is fairly adventurous territory in comparison to “One Month Off” which plays as “Banquet” remixed. “Mercury” references Peter Gabriel’s “Shock the Monkey”, and at various points in the album (particularly during “Letters to My Son”, “Your Visits are Getting Shorter”, and “Flux”), Bloc Party reveals their new wave backbone. But don’t freak out upon first listen, the bravery of this album is striking and probably requires a few rotations. That being said, this form of Intimacy may not be for everyone. Fave Track: “Signs”

Arkells Jackson Square

Fave Track: “Oh, The Boss is Coming!”

CALL FOR HELP

4.2/5 JUSTIN ANTIDORMI Avoiding the frequent and common comparisons with Toronto’s Constantines, Arkells fiery debut Jackson Square is hands down one of the best debuts of 2008. Hamilton natives Max, Dan, Mike, Tim, and Nick deliver an LP from Dine Alone Records that is sure to make noise. From “Pullin Punches” to “Blueprint”, the eleven tracks flow together seamlessly to create a catchy, rugged, and straightforward ripple in rock music. The five members of the Arkells have this specific chemistry that is full of energy and a desire to make loud and honest rock ‘n roll. Citing influences such as Bruce Springsteen and The ational, the band’s sound is difficult to ignore. “Ballad of Hugo Chavez” is bouncy, fun, and contagious – the kind of track

“I BEG OF YOU. PLEASE WRITE FOR ARTS. THIS JOB IS KILLING ME AND I HAVE NO VOLUNTEERS TO HELP ME OUT.

I WILL GIVE YOU FREE CDS AND TICKETS TO MOVIES AND CONCERTS.

JUST HELP. PLEASE.”

-MICHAEL DI LEO A&E EDITOR

8 THE MEDIUM

Monday, November 10, 2008

Andrew Hamilton-Smith, Editor | features@mediumonline.ca

Eliminating tuition fees: not such a great idea ALAIN LATOUR ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR

The topic of reducing tuition fees seems to enjoy almost universal support among UTM students. Fuelled by a constant supply of selected data from the student union, which dutifully informs us that at a yearly eight per cent increase, tuition fees in Ontario are now the second highest in Canada, students have backed a number of initiatives, he latest of which, the November 5 Day of Action to Protest Fees, saw thousands of students gather in Toronto. It is an understandable reaction. After all, today’s average student will graduate with a debt of close to $28,000. That’s a princely sum by most standards, and repayment could take up to more than a few years if the upcoming recession gets any worse. But the reaction is one thing. What’s not as understandable however, is the students’ often-superficial knowledge of the issues in question. Surely even the most economically naïve freshman realizes that the professors, staff, and equipment required by a university command high expenses. And hopefully, the same freshman also understands that governments do not make money – they merely redistribute it. So if tuition fees were inspired by jeff lush

reduced, how would these costs be covered? So far, no student I have posed this question to has been able to offer an astute solution; other than the often heard “increase taxes” idea. Neither has the student union suggested any specific measures that would offset the loss of revenue caused by a reduction in tuition fees.

What’s not as understandable is the students’ often-superficial knowledge of the issues in question. Some might argue that it is not the students’ job to figure the solution out, but that of politicians and economists. One of the most common complaints of the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) is that no politician has shown the slightest willingness to sit down and negotiate. But can it be argued that continuing to protest without proposing viable alternatives is more likely to reduce the chances of such negotiations than of increasing them? Another disturbing trend is that the CFS is not just pushing for a reduction of fees, but advocating their elimination. In doing so, it often quotes the examples

of Ireland, parts of Germany, Spain and Cuba as countries with either low or non-existent tuition fees. I went to university in Cuba, and also lived in Spain for a number of years. During which time I met many Spaniards with university degrees and can attest to the numerous dangers of this seemingly generous system. The first has to do with the excess of graduates that a free higher education can produce. Many Canadian tourists return from Cuba with tales of doormen and housemaids holding university degrees. This situation is not drawn as a result of a communist society, rather, it is the inevitable consequence of having universities spurt out endless successions of graduates every year – there are simply not enough jobs for all of them. To fix this issue of “excess graduates,” university enrolments in Cuba are now controlled by exceptionally difficult admission tests with vaguely defined qualifying marks and criteria. For example, when I enrolled in a BA program in German Language and Literature in the University of Havana, only two slots were available for the hundreds of candidates that year. Spain paints a similar story: I once met an MBA graduate who worked as a supermarket security guard, and not just as a stop-gap measure. His situation is not uncommon, and its roots are grounded in an effort to that which began in 1960 to increase university

photo/Matthew Filipowich

enrolments. Young Spaniards who previously never thought of going to university, suddenly grabbed their pencils and ran to the classroom. Much like in Cuba, university for many became a social status symbol, for how could the neighbor’s kids go to school and not your own? And so it went that with new admissions soaring from 70,000 to more than 200,000, the government was forced to reintroduce ridiculously difficult university entrance exams as a means of restricting access to higher education (previously, all high school graduates were guaranteed access to university). It still wasn’t enough: universities continued to enroll large numbers of students, the majority of which chose traditional faculties such as law, medicine, and philosophy. As these professions became saturated and overcrowded, countless university graduates found that they were unable to find jobs in their desired fields, which further compounded Spain’s already high rate of unemployment. Despite corresponding increases in public funding for higher education, Spain to this day has many jobless university graduates –and continues to lag behind other countries in terms of public expenditure on higher education. This is not to suggest that universal access to higher education is entirely a bad thing. There must be, however, a way of filtering students who don’t really want to study, or don’t know what to study yet, or are not willing to undergo any sort of sacrifice in the pursuit of higher learning, from those who wish to comply with one of these requisites. Among the different filtering systems employed by various countries, I maintain that tuition fees work best. A less than middle-income student who desires to go to university, can, after all, work hard in high school so as

to earn a scholarship, or utilize loans provided by OSAP, or perhaps even school part-time while working fulltime. The problem with low or no tuition fee systems is that they end up not being free after all. Most citizens of European countries with free or inexpensive higher education pay more taxes than Canadians do. This system is unfair to those who don’t go to university, as it forces them to indirectly pay for the education of those who do go. Going back to Cuba, university graduates must work for a full two years wherever they are told, making only a little over $10 a month, even if their employer is a foreign company paying a more generous wage – in which case the government pockets the difference. In Canada, Spain and Cuba, university is still a personal choice – one that carries large potential benefits which motivate most students. If the government’s task is to adequately distribute education funds, shouldn’t it perhaps ensure that kindergarten, junior high school and high school students benefit from the best schools; the safest ones, with the best teachers available, all over the country, rather than stretch the budget to include universities where students would have to pay zero dollars? The answer to that question is easy for me: I will be as happy to pay for my University of Toronto education as I will be to know that my kids will one day go to a proper school. And should they choose to go to university one day, they’d better save up.

Want to write for Features? Contact Alain at features@ mediumonline.ca

Monday, November 10, 2008

THE MEDIUM 9

FEATURES

War in Afghanistan: no liberation for women KAREN AKHTAR

In an article published by Radio Netherlands last month, reporters Dave McGuire and Naheed Mustafa quoted an Afghan woman as saying, “By force, I am saying to my children to go make carpets to make some money. The government is saying the people have become a little bit rich, but they are lying. I am an Afghan and I am so poor, and if the girls do not make carpets they will have no money for food, or school." Their article highlights one aspect of the current war in Afghanistan that very few people pay attention to – Afghan women’s continued oppression. Much of the media coverage has focused mainly on the killing of soldiers from North America and Europe, although events such as the recent U.S. airstrike and clashes with Taliban militants which killed 37 civilians and 26 insurgents in southern Afghanistan are forcing people to question the benefits of the war in Afghanistan. There is a wealth of evidence to illustrate that Afghan women’s oppression is worsening, under the current occupation. In northern Afghanistan, girls as young as four years old continue to be raped by Taliban and Mujahideen warlords. In Kabul, women are still forced to wear the burqa. In the Farah province, a school was burnt down by the Taliban after girls began receiving an education. And according to a report published by the Revolutionary Association of Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) on

August 18, 2008, Afghan female rape victims are considered the culprits – not the victims, and are imprisoned for having “illicit” sexual relations. They are sentenced to jails such as the one at Lashkar Gah, where prisoners receive two servings of bread a day and lack drinking water, electricity, bathrooms, or medical care. None of this seems to matter to the Afghan government, which holds being raped and having unlawful relationships as the same thing, and thus equally dishonourable. Colonel Ghulam Ali, a powerful regional security official, recently defended the imprisonment of these rape victims, claiming that being raped is “against Islam.”

Colonel Ghulam Ali, a powerful regional security official, recently defended the imprisonment of these rape victims, claiming that being raped is “against Islam.” When such a high government official openly supports the imprisonment of rape victims, and outside forces do nothing to change these attitudes, can the position that the current war in Afghanistan is to help liberate Afghan women be defended? The few Afghan women who hold government positions have no guarantees of a better life either. Female MP Malalai Joya is currently under suspension from the Afghan parliament

for simply noting the continued oppression of Afghan women. The human rights atrocities that have been committed against Afghan women are so ubiquitous that many Afghan women have turned to selfimmolation, or burning oneself to death, in order to escape their misery. According to a report published by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 184 cases of self-immolation have been reported in 2007 from the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission – up from 106 in 2006. The report also recounts harrowing stories like those of Sarah, a 20-yearold woman who tried to burn herself to death after being married to an abusive drug addict for four years in the Sheendand District in western Afghanistan. Her family put out the fire when they found her, and rushed her to the hospital. Forty per cent of her body was severely burnt, and doctors said it would take months for her to fully recover. Sarah recounts the sadness she felt when she woke up and found out that she was still alive: “I wanted to die and never come back to this life,” she told reporters from her hospital bed in Herat city. The crackdown on the smallest forms of dissent are so over-reaching that almost anybody is considered a “criminal” in the eyes of the twisted Afghan law. According to a news report updated by CBC News last month, Parwez Kambakhsh, a 24-yearold university journalism student, has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for distributing “blasphemous” material against Islam. The material

photo/Desmond Boylan, Reuters

questioned the notion of men being able to have up to four wives while women are forbidden from having several husbands. The material also suggested that the Qu’ran is open to interpretation, and that Muslim fundamentalists manipulate the meanings of the Qu’ran to enforce the notion that women are inferior to men. During the trial, Kambakhsh was forbidden to speak in his own defence. There are no easy solutions for the oppression of women of Afghanistan. However, one thing is clear: war is not one of them, and it helps in no way

toward women’s liberation. The killing of innocent civilians will do nothing to bolster support for democracy – in fact, many Afghans resent the fact that their country is being invaded to create “democracy.” The volatile mix of this resentment, continuing destruction of the country, emphasis on unbridled military strength, and the apathy towards violence against Afghan women will only further encourage terrorism and extremism, which completely clash against the entire notion of a wellfunctioning democracy.

10 THE MEDIUM

Monday, November 10, 2008

FEATURES

Creative Corner Sleepwalking in Virtual Reality JEFFREY SAAH

Wandering in a starlit void, a nonlocal electron entangled in a web of potential is caught underneath the view of the internal scope â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and with some self reflection, these are some of the observations that it wrote: Planes crash into building that detonate bombs of greed, corruption and classified treason â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that quickly hijacks that motives and reason of the unexpected citizen â&#x20AC;&#x201C; causing: Unauthorized, unjustly wars with no purpose that fill the air, while malevolent scientists splice viruses starting biological warfare and genocide that wages, many bodies but no grave â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this hitman dressed in black, holding a scythe, is the virus with the abbreviated name Missiles drop on objects that appear to be ants â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and not just physically If you look east youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see furious flamethrowers extinguishing moths, orange spraying over the terrain â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and not just strategically Appearances of pesky insects become reality and innocent enemies emerge, while certain districts grinningly cease the opportunity to be judge, jury, and executioner Blood stained bandanas tell stories of unnecessary violence and drafted destruction occurs, while overpow-

ered authorities attack illegal substances because the monopolized, dangerous, legal ones are economically preferred. A â&#x20AC;&#x153;cleaner, safer energyâ&#x20AC;? is produced, its undisposable waste accumulates â&#x20AC;&#x201C; free energy has been present for about a century, and congressmen are constantly lobbied â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ensuring the eventual downfall of the state The beings of the electron were malleable and they were gullible Intrinsic truth was always posed as unattainable â&#x20AC;&#x201C; so information shaped them, while ignorance kept them stable They categorize their differences like body parts, not realizing that they are one, and the diversity of their geography divides them, not quite noticing that their world orbits one sun The truth paralyzes, astounds them, electrifies and then grounds them Phantom pain keeps them awake â&#x20AC;&#x201C; forcing them to wince at the reality that does not appear to break While inner delusion and degradation depresses and diminishes because they rapidly recite and rehearse thoughts of despair

Decades pass and the real truth is overshadowed by propaganda that confiscate their will And realities are changed by the brain that releases frequencies to induce a delta like peace â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that can be so frail Senses distort reality to give appearances of truth, but even those realities are shattered by information projected from subjective proof, causing utopias to be created through segregation, and beliefs stemming from desperation Standard protocol becomes obsolete when a glimpse of the bigger picture is seen, and the purpose of life becomes more hazy like a vague memory inside of a forgotten dream â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that creates converging crevices that forcibly unite them to realize, break loose, spread the word, only to be ignored The reality is that there is no appearance; the appearance is that there is no reality Existence, matter, nonexistence and energy intertwined Waves and particles suspended Objects and subjects perceived Truth and lies believed

Signs are ignored and rewritten like ineffective prescriptions masking a symptom that corrupt pharmaceuticals quickly prepare

All of this happening in a lucid dream, an illusion in where a blue sphere orbits a brilliant light, being magnified only to be a pixel in a picture â&#x20AC;&#x201C; reflecting on the observations that it wrote â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an electron around a nucleus emitting possible rays of hopeâ&#x20AC;Ś

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Travelingâ&#x20AC;Śchangingâ&#x20AC;Ś realizeâ&#x20AC;Ścommunicating Constant flux, moving clouds, blowing dreams forward by the word of mouth Focus flowing, mind altering, carried to a destination but not knowing Memories captured, connections made â&#x20AC;&#x201C; nocturnal style so sleep in the day Peaceful music, interesting text â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with internal eyes, you can see the rest Positive, negative, you pick your favorite â&#x20AC;&#x201C; subjective, objective, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all in your craving Reform, change, the essence is in you, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allow mainstream to tell you what to do Wish as you want, express what you wish â&#x20AC;&#x201C; limited potential is like a hidden Temple Everything is possible â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more than a quote You can create your own life, so start rowing your boat

I've been messing around with this guy who I thought I liked. It lasted for quite awhile but when things started to get serious I began to realize that I was only doing it to get over this other guy. The guy that I was messing around with recently told me that he loves me. I was honest enough to tell him that I had feelings for someone else and now heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stopped talking to me. I want to stay friends with him but he is ignoring me and going out of his way to avoid me. Should I continue to try and stay friends with him? Or, should I just leave him alone? Ouch! He told you that he loved you and you told him that you wanted someone else? I know that you probably thought that you were doing the right thing but expecting him to take it well seems like a little bit too much to ask. 1) Put yourself in his shoes, if someone said that to you, how would you feel? How would you react? You would probably want some time and space after that. He is most likely hurt and feeling a little bit foolish, and seeing and talking to you might intensify anything that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s feeling right now. Give him some time to decide what he wants to do and respect the decision that he makes. Rejection is really hard to get over and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible that he might not ever get over it. 2) Kudos for being honest, but expecting him to respect your honesty right away seems unrealistic. You did the right thing by telling him how you feel because it would have been worse if you led him on. But it seems like you arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really respecting his decision to choose whether or not he wants to continue your friendship. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s understandable that you want to remain friends with him because there is obviously a reason that you two became close to begin with and why he ended up feeling so strongly about you, but things have changed and that might permanently affect your friendship. Keep in mind that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impossible to be friends with someone who is actively avoiding you. I think you should let him know the reasons you value your friendship with him and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want it to end, but ultimately the decision to stay friends with you is up to him. I have been in a relationship for almost a year now. I really love my partner and we have great sexual chemistry, but the only time I can climax is when I masturbate to porn. He used to think it was kind of hot but now itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s starting to offend him. I have to fake it with him sometimes because I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what else to do. If he knew I could never orgasm while having sex with him I think he would break up with me. Is there something I could try? Do I tell him? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not sure what to do. Well, I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say I blame you. Sometimes fantasies are better than the real thing. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re so popular. However, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really blame your partner for being

offended. Being able to pleasure someone else is a big turn on and if your partner feels like youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re getting more pleasure from something else it can eventually start to affect your sexual chemistry. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also possible that your partner feels threatened by your interest in porn because you seem to show more interest in it than him. While you can experience pleasure without requiring too much emotional involvement, achieving orgasm relies largely on psychological processes. Some element of the porn that you watch must be appealing; hence, you rely on it. While it is great that you are able to achieve an orgasm in some way, you could probably figure out what it is about porn that is so much more appealing. No promises, but here are some things you might want to consider: 1) If you are always alone when you masturbate, it is possible that comfort is the issue. Achieving orgasms when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re alone is easier because you arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as self-conscious. The reason that you need porn might just be because you have a hard time using your imagination to become aroused. If comfort is the reason, problem-solve solutions with your partner. Maybe you could try masturbating while heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in the room and work your way up from there. 2) It could depend on the type of porn that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re interested in. Is it different from the type of sexual behaviour that you engage in? If so, *ding, ding, ding* we might have found the source of the problem. Talk to your partner about exploring your other sexual interests and perhaps that will lead to additional arousal during sexual activity with him. 3) Lastly, because achieving orgasm is so psychological, it is possible that you are psyching yourself out because of previous failures. Try not to think about the actual orgasm because that will take some of the pressure off. Instead try to relax and enjoy your time with your partner. I think you should spend some time figuring out if you are able to be turned on in different ways. And itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to be honest with your partner about what turns you on because youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to need his help. Unlike masturbation, this isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t someth ing you can do alone. It wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be easy but practice makes perfect. And this is something that is definitely worth perfecting, wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you say?

If you have questions that you want answered in our sex column, send them to sex.column@utmsec.ca. Please note that this column is intended for entertainment purposes.

THE MEDIUM 11

Monday, October 10, 2008

Christopher Sa’d, Editor | sports@mediumonline.ca

A second NHL team On a killing spree in Ontario? Good or bad business, it’s a performance-based industry SACHIN MOHAN

Recent rumours spewing out of the National Hockey League (NHL) suggest that several NHL governors are showing interest in placing another hockey team in the Toronto market. Such a venture would be encouraging for hockey fans from Southern Ontario, especially those at UTM. An additional team has the power to compete alongside the Leafs for GTA support and would thus, directly impact the so-called Toronto Maple Leafs monopoly. One of the many consequences of such competition would be greater availability and/or lower prices for Leafs tickets. Maybe everyone could afford to watch a game now? Currently, a ticket in the upper bowl of the Air Canada Centre will set an individual back at least $120, a lofty price especially for students with lower disposable incomes and high tuition expenses. If the move for a new Toronto team actually comes through, those prices could decrease by twenty-five per cent. The added presence of a second NHL team in Ontario will also add another dimension of rivalry between the Leafs, one similar to the subway matches between the New York Yankees and New York Mets. “I think it may make them [man-

agement of NHL teams] market the product better. Maybe pressure [them] to put a better team on the ice,” remarked former Leafs GM Gord Stellick. Following several losing seasons where the “Buds” have not made the playoffs since the NHL lockout, it would be a welcome sight for all Toronto fans to see quality hockey at a slightly lower price.

“I think it may make them [management of NHL teams] market the product better. Maybe pressure [them] to put a better team on the ice.” -Gord Stellick, former Leafs GM Unfortunately, even though Southern Ontario is considered by hockey experts as a viable region capable of successfully supporting two NHL franchises, it appears that any such ideas would encounter a resistance from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. It was Bettman who rejected Jim Balsillie’s $250 million offer to buy and relocate the Nashville Predators to Hamilton back in 2007. Instead, Bettman went for a lower offer of $187 million to keep the Predators

in Nashville. What’s more shocking is that before any finalized relocation plans, 10,000 seats have already been snatched up in the GTA in the form of deposits, in contrast to Nashville’s current 9,000 season ticket base. Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) would have to also provide permission for any team to establish or relocate anywhere within 80 kilometres of Toronto’s radius, based on NHL rules and guidelines. The likelihood of MLSE giving out permission is minuscule. “If you're a smart business man, I think you want to keep the monopoly,” remarked Leafs goalie Curtis Joseph. Richard Peddie, MLSE’s chief executive officer remained coy and sidestepped the issue: “I'd have to wait; I don't want to speculate. When and if the NHL brings to the board a recommendation, we'll have a point of view at that point and time.” With current economic difficulties throughout North America, many of the financially fringed NHL franchises are concerned about their sustainability in the league, thinking of ways to maintain all 30 of its teams. Nonetheless, Ontario may see another NHL franchise sooner than later, a venture that hockey fans, such as those at UTM, would welcome.

CHRISTOPHER SA’D SPORTS EDITOR

UTM men’s division one basketball team did it again this past Wednesday at the RAWC, and they didn’t just win this time – they dominated the court against the Rotmann’s Commerce team. The UTM Eagles laid the smack down on their fatigued and benchless opponents with a score line of 80-47, keeping the Commerce team at the bottom of the standings. The Eagles are still on top of the pile, but tied with UTSC Maroons with a 5-0 record. However, third-placed New A (4-0) has a game in hand. Much of The Eagles’ success is down coach Ammer Askary’s defensive system that has given the players a new way of approaching the game. This also allows for more players to clock a few more minutes on the floor every game. Point guard Jasvir Chahal finished the game with five steals, while Fedja Kuljanin finished off an impressive outing with four points and eight rebounds. “It was great to see him [Kuljanin] back on the court,” said Askary. “He might not have got a lot of points, but he definitely had a presence.”

The first half was actually a close affa ir with the Commerce team keeping the deficit to three points for long periods. Indeed, the Eagles endured a shaky start and found their coach pacing down the sidelines, constantly yelling at the team to stick to a man-on-man coverage. The second half saw the Eagles’ a little more disciplined, and once their motor kicked in, they blazed past their opponents with ease. “Our shots weren’t hitting, but it eventually came together. They worked with the quick passes, but sometimes a little too much,” said Askary. “We did fix a couple of things this game and I’m happy with the team. I was anticipating the surge.” The Eagles ended the game with a 0.67 free throw percentage, which hurt the Commerce team who forced the Eagles to the line on several occasions. But the real damage was done in the paint, where the Eagles dominated their opponents – most of their points came from inside the perimeter. Scoring was evenly spread across the board between players with David Stephens and Ambrish Patel scoring 13 points each and Harpreet Gill and Chalel both notching 10. The top scorer of the night was Tudor Lupen of Commerce, who was the only one to threaten the Eagles in the paint and above the arch, scoring 23 points. UTM’s next challenge is against SMC in St. George on Tuesday, November 11.

This week in UTM Ball Hockey Rec... The aniticpated Div 1 playoffs started last week with no surprises Ron Vogl Dream Team VS Free Agents Final Score 10-3 War Pigs VS Rookies Final Score 9-3

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Pllayoff Scoring Leaders Player

Team

A. Ramos K. Ross E. Vogl M. Aeillo M. Pizzi

R.V.D.T War Pigs R.V.D.T War Pigs War Pigs

Goals TP GP 6 4 1 3 1

7 6 5 5 4

1 1 1 1 1

Tuesday, November 11 at 11 a.m. in Gym C Ron Vogl Dream Team VS War Pigs photo/Matthew Filipowich

12 THE MEDIUM

SPORTS

Monday, November 10, 2008

Just one throw away With just one play away from a championship and perfect record, UTM’s flag football team falls short CHRISTOPHER SA’D SPORTS EDITOR

It’s the best thing about Sports, that last-minute, last gasp, final play of the game to make that winning touchdown, to dramatically change the team’s fate. And then after that game-winning play, the quarterback is on the shoulders of his teammates basked in both glory and Gatorade. Unfortunately for UTM’s flag football division one quarterback Prashant Sharma, none of that happened. On a cold and cloudy morning on Sunday, November 9, UTM played University College (UC) in the flag-football finals at Varsity Field. The final score read 14-7 to UC, a result which blew UTM’s chances of finishing the season undefeated. Coming into the game with a 5-0 record, UTM were odds-on favourites to win the game. Everything looked good for them during the first five minutes of play when UC gained zero yards from their first drive, keeping them on the 50-yard line. But soon after, UTM’s own offensive line malfunction kicked in. Sharma ended the first half completing only eight of twelve passes, with poor play from both him and his receivers. He was also sacked twice and lost eight yards in total.

After a scoreless first half, the second half saw both teams pick up the slack. Within two minutes, UC completed a 60-yard run to open the scoring with the extra-point conversion. And that seemed to set their wheels in motion. Soon after, UC intercepted a pass from Sharma and scored again. Before UTM could wake up from their half-time respite, it was already a 14-0 game.

“We have a talented team and this was an experience for us. I want to come back next year, and maybe next time we’ll win it.” - Prashant Sharma, UTM Quarterback UTM did eventually claw their way back into the game. Rafiq Hakim’s 46-yard run, which included a 15-yard holding foul, seemed to heat things up for team. Sharma then made a completion to Will Booth, putting UTM on the score sheet. With time running out, middle linebacker Matt Di Paolo intercepted the ball for a gain of three yards on UC’s 46-yard line. The perfect play from UTM would have tied the game. Sharma pulled back with the ball,

looking for an opening while UC focused on a man-on-man coverage. He threw it to the right front corner of the end zone only for UC to bat down the ball. And just like that, the undefeated season was over - another New England Patriot outcome. Sharma improved in the second half, completing 16 of 25 passes, and beating out UC in completions with fewer attempts. “We have a talented team and this was an experience for us,” said Sharma after the game. “I want to come back next year, and maybe next time we’ll win it.” The team ended with 93 points for and 20 points against, which made them the highest scoring team in the division. Too bad the offense didn’t commit to what they did through the season.

This is not a suggestion:

Write for Sports or Chuck Liddell won’t be the only one hitting the mat. Email Chris at sports@mediumonline.ca photo/Matthew Filipowich