Vol 35 issue 9 by The Medium

Monday, November 3, 2008

12 www.mediumonline.ca

Volume 35, Issue 9

One wild, memorable night PATRICK NAVAL

Halloween pub is perhaps one of the most popular and well-celebrated social events at UTM, and this year’s Halloween pub on October 30 certainly lived up to expectations with some of the wildest and most outrageous costumes. Inside the venue, pub-goers were screened by “gangster Ernie” and welcomed by the wild abandon of UTM style drinking and dancing. As soon as the bartenders broke a sweat and inhibitions started falling to the floor, Halloween at UTM had officially begun. With the DJ playing tracks like “Calabria 2008” by Enur featuring Natasja and Mims, “Dangerous” by Akon, “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga and “Put Your Hands up for Detroit” by Fedde Le Grand, even Pac-Man with his bulky and confining costume couldn’t help but bust a move or two. The variety on the dance floor was a strong factor as well, with Betty Boop rocking out with a not-so-holy Angel, and Austin Powers jamming with three girls dressed as Crayons. “Obama dancing with Hilary was pretty jokes,” laughed Jacky Leung, who dressed up as a guitar hero. The celebration’s main event was

of course, the Best Costume Contest. And in the end, it was a showdown between Pac-Man, the Austin Powers twins and senator Barack Obama. Based on the loudness of the crowd’s cheer, Pac-man proved victorious. There were several “Honorable Mentions” as well, which included The Joker in a nurse outfit, the Super Mario brothers, and Mickey and Minnie Mouse. “The costumes were amazing. Very provocative, which is a must for a costume party,” claimed Viktoria Iksanova, who dressed up as a Crayon. “The turnout was great. This is probably one of the best pubs I’ve seen. Everyone really tried with their costumes and there was a great vibe,” said Gary Li UTMSU VP associate. Tickets were sold-out at a record time, crowd volume was strong up until the final hours of the event and safety was well preserved. “Definitely the best Pub I’ve been to, everyone was getting along and I got to dance with this great girl,” said Scott Weinger. Despite the high expectations, Halloween Pub Nights continues to outdo itself year after year. Successful every year, it’s a type of celebration incomparable with any other university events.

photo/Matthew Filipowich

For more photos of Halloween Pub, turn to page 6.

Pink Hijab Day on campus MEREDITH LILLY NEWS EDITOR

The UTM Muslim Student Association (MSA) brought the Global Pink Hijab Day for Breast Cancer Awareness to UTM on October 29. People of all faiths wore pink ribbons or donned a pink hijab to support those diagnosed with breast cancer and increase awareness of the disease. Canadian students joined activists from Malaysia, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Turkey, and the United States to raise funds for a variety of charities and to alleviate stereotypes associated with wearing a hijab. This year was the first that UTM’s MSA participated in the campaign. The initiative was very well received, with students volunteering to wear pink, sell homemade cupcakes, and hand

out ribbons. “The response from the students was phenomenal. We had previously advertised to tell people to wear something pink on Wednesday, whether it was a headscarf, a hat, a tie, or a shirt. It was a fun way to raise awareness and people really enjoyed participating in Pink Hijab Day,” said Zaynab Ahdab, MSA external relations. “The homemade pink ribbon cupcakes were also a sellout, and we had some very loyal customers coming on the hour for seconds, thirds, and even fourths. It was heartwarming to see the generosity of students and staff on campus as they slipped their loose change into the donation box, and very often gave much more than the cupcakes cost,” Ahdab continued. Men were also encouraged to participate in raising support to battle a disease that primarily affects women. “We were happy to see that along with many women, an equal amount

of men shared the same level of concern and support for the campaign, even taking the initiative to bring ribbons for their male friends. Men were seen wearing ribbons, pink sweaters, shirts, and vests, while the male MSA Execs sported pink cloth armbands and bandanas to match the hijabs,” said Ahdab. The hijabs brought a sense of unity among the student community as a symbol of solidarity with all people fighting breast cancer. “The Hijabs were for anyone who wanted to try them on, take and keep them. There were a couple of nonMuslim girls who were enthused with the idea of hijab, and tried them on with the help of Ruqayyah Ahdab, MSA’s sisters events coordinator. Muslim girls could be seen all around campus in their eye-catching pink headscarves, subtly sending a message of support for the campaign,” said Adhab. The initiative at UTM raised a

total of $235. Adhab was thankful for all of the support, and was encouraged by the community's reception. “It was an honour for our MSA to organize this Pink Hijab Day, and we

are humbled by the beautiful response. We hope that our small donations aid in Breast Cancer research and help bring about better treatment.”

photo/Matthew Filipowich

Ruqayyah Ahdab (second from left) with other volunteers of Pink Hijab Day.

2 THE MEDIUM

Monday, November 3, 2008

NEWS

Deepa Mehta visits Hart House KAREN AKHTAR

Deepa Mehta, Toronto-based director and screenwriter, made her way to Hart House Circle October 29 to discuss her new film Heaven on Earth. Heaven on Earth is a 45-minute documentary that discusses violence against women. The film is based on the story of a Punjabi woman who gets married in India, migrates to Brampton, and finds herself abused by her family in an arranged marriage. It pays particular attention to the issues of isolation that immigrant women experience when faced with domestic violence. Professor Kay Armatage, associate professor at the University of Toronto, Cinema Studies, Innis College, and The Institute of Women's Studies and Gender Studies, welcomed Mehta along with Connie Guberman, professor of Women’s Studies at the University of Toronto at Scarborough and a Status of Women officer. The inspiration for the film was The Woman Who Walked into Doors, a novel by Roddy Doyle, about a victim of domestic violence in Ireland. Violence against women is an issue that

Campus Police reports October 24, 2008 to October 30th, 2008

Mehta cares deeply about, and has made many communities, are not primarily many efforts to educate people of all intended to be controversial. Their ages on the disastrous effects of abuse. incendiary effect bears witness of the During her discussion, Mehta, who importance of the topic and the timelimajored in philosophy before her inter- ness of the message. She admits that she est in filmmaking, talked about giving is not an academic, nor an intellectual; cameras to children to help them discuss that she is not here to change the world, only to increase understanding and conthe issue of violence with their mothers. The shooting of her 1996 film Fire tribute to the dialogue on issues she stirred much controversy in India, as it believes are important. touched on the topic of lesbianism. The set was sabotaged by Hindu fundamentalists. A similar situation occurred with her other film, Water (2005), where the set had to be moved from India to Sri Lanka to avoid harassment. Mehta insisted that she does not care about the criticisms directed at her; she simply cares about dealing with the topics important to her. She believes in cultivating a self-understanding of the issues she relates to, and the significance of addressing political controversy head-on. Her films, though they Deepa Mehta has been described as Canada's have provoked protest from most internationally renowned female filmmaker.

University of Toronto: Value for money? “So far I like it. The professors are good and tough, which prepares us for other challenges. There are always tutorials and lots of office hours, which I take advantage of whenever I can. I wish the tuition were lower, my program is deregulated, so I'll be out there fighting for lower fees.” - Magda Mcintosh 2nd year commerce

“Yes, I think I am spending my money the right way by investing in my education here.” - Yingzhe Wang 1st year forensic science

“I'm an international student, so I pay about $20,000 a year on tuition. I think that is pretty high.” - Zain Ali 3rd year CCIT

Wednesday, November 12 1 10 am - 12:30 pm 1 SE 3094 Attend this session to learn more about admission requirements, preparation, how to apply & more. Register through our online Events Calendar!

October 24, 2008, 10:23 p.m. Possession of property obtained by crime Two students were investigated by Campus Police and one was charged with having stolen property in their possession. The same males were also charged under the Liquor Licence Act for being intoxicated in a public place. October 24, 2008, 11:20 p.m. Mischief under $5000 Campus Police were contacted in regards to graffiti inside a washroom. Caretaking Services were alerted and removed the graffiti. October 25, 2008, 3:25 p.m. Medical Call Campus Police responded to the report of a female student that had collapsed inside the Oscar Peterson Hall cafeteria. The female was not located on scene. Witnesses advised the female was assisted out of the building by another student. October 26, 2008, 4:00 a.m. Medical Call Campus Police transported a female student from Erindale Hall to Credit Valley Hospital. The student had injured herself early descending a flight of stairs inside Erindale Hall.

Question: Do you feel that your education is worth the tuition you pay?

Law School Info Session

October 24, 2008, 4:30 p.m. Mischief under $5000 Campus Police investigated a complaint of graffiti inside a washroom located inside the CCT Building. Caretaking Services were alerted to remove the graffiti.

October 26, 2008, 12:20 a.m. Liquor Licence Infraction Campus Police attended a townhouse courtyard and charged a male student for public intoxication. October 26, 2008, 2:54 a.m. Liquor Licence Infraction Campus Police attended the Student Centre and charged a male not affiliated with the University with consuming liquor in a nonlicensed area. October 26, 2008, 2:50 a.m. Noise Complaint Campus Police attended Lot 5 in regards to the report of a group that was being loud. The group had left prior to the arrival of Campus Police. October 26, 2008, 11:20 p.m. Noise Complaint Campus Police were contacted in regards a noise complaint in the courtyard at Oscar Peterson Hall. The group that was being loud had dispersed prior to the arrival of Campus Police.

adjacent unit. Campus Police attended and the music was shut off. October 27, 2008, 1:43 a.m. Noise Complaint Campus Police attended a townhouse complex courtyard and requested that students return to their respective units after a noise complaint had been filed by another tenant living in residence. October 27, 2008, 11:20 p.m. Fire Alarm Mississauga Fire Department and Campus Police attended the CCT Building for a fire alarm. A helium balloon had interfered with fire alarm system sensors and caused a false alarm. The fire alarm was reset. October 27, 2008, 6:45 p.m. Personal Illness A student working out at the Recreational Athletics and Wellness Centre was feeling unwell. The student refused transportation to hospital. October 28, 2008, 11:09 a.m. Mischief under $5000 Two windows located in the South Building were damaged by unknown person(s). A glass company was contacted to repair the damaged windows. October 28, 2008, 4:15 p.m. Trespassing A male that was panhandling outside of the Hazel McCallion Academic Learning was charged with trespassing. October 28, 2008, 7:54 p.m. Transport to hospital A student inside the Recreational Athletics and Wellness Centre had injured his ankle while playing basketball. The male was transported to hospital by ambulance. October 28, 2008, 8:29 p.m. Transport to hospital A student playing soccer inside the Recreational Athletics and Wellness Centre had injured his eye after being struck by the ball. The student was transported to hospital by a friend. October 28, 2008, 9:50 p.m. Theft under $5000 Campus Police were contacted in regards to the theft of furniture from the Student Centre. The incident is currently being investigated. October 29, 2009, 9:10 a.m. Transport to hospital A student was transported to hospital by ambulance after suffering a seizure in the South Building.

October 27, 2008, 12:45 a.m. Noise Complaint A townhouse occupant reported a noise complaint emanating from an

Alumni Career Night: Writing & Communications Networking Event Wednesday, November 12 1 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!

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

UTM CAREER CENTRE

THE MEDIUM 3

Monday, November 3, 2008

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

EDITORIAL Bribery is quite an accusation. “Bald-faced bribery” to be exact, as according to John Moyer, an exec of the Erindale Gaming Organization (re: this week’s Letter to the Editor). Is he justified in his accusation? On one hand, it’s easy to agree with him – the award of $750 could be more democratically spent, i.e. divided equally toward the betterment of each club on campus, as opposed to simply awarding it to the club with the highest turnout, as per ratio of the club’s members, on November 5. Of the $750, there are two separate amounts of money to be awarded – a large amount for clubs with membership over fifty, and a smaller one for the smaller-sized clubs. The past week, I’ve heard the arguments of a few other club execs who share a similar view with John Moyer over the matter: “The SAA (South Asian Alliance) or the MSA (Muslim Students Association) is sure to win it. Their members and execs are always involved with UTMSU’s agenda. What about clubs like the Chess Club or the Book Club? We don’t have any interests in such political agendas, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need the money.” Touché, but isn’t the agenda of UTMSU to lobby for students’ rights and interests? It’s hardly arguable that students would benefit from higher fees. And if ninety-three per cent vote in favour of lower tuition fees, then aren’t UTMSU working toward the benefit of everyone? So what position should UTMSU take then? Moyer argues however, that “the opinions of the mass line do not legitimise an action that is legally questionable,” and “when offering money, a moral and ethical line is crossed. Firstly, is it legally questionable for UTMSU to offer money? There is no law being broken here. Secondly, isn’t a T-shirt also crossing a line? Moyer says no, but who draws “the line” and who enforces it? Some incentives are ok but others aren’t? – Moyer seems to be splitting hairs here. Ultimately, the questions this all comes down to are: What is the role of the Student Union when it comes to lobbying for student rights? And what means or incentives can they employ in doing so? The Protest on November 5 is one of the only chances that students in Ontario have to show a united front in opposing the tuition fee increase. Having a large turn-out is essential to the overall UTMSU goal – and the goal of many other university student unions across Ontario – of keeping tuition fees low. This goal is supported by a large majority of students. How else would Mr. Moyer suggest we choose our priorities if a 93 per cent majority is not enough to justify support? It’s a sticky argument. On the one hand, you can’t ignore the protests of the smaller, non-politically inclined clubs on campus as they demand that the money should go to everyone, regardless and independent of the Student Day of Action. After all, if it’s money allocated to clubs on campus, then a rally against tuition fee hikes should not come into the equation. But then, where does that leave that whole notion of student solidarity? Yours,

Ali Kasim

REMEMBRANCE DAY OBSERVANCE

At 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 11, members of UTM will again 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. Faculty and Department Heads are asked to allow staff and students time to attend in this remembrance ceremony.

THE

MEDIUM 3359 Mississauga Road, Room 200, Student Centre, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6 Phone: 905.828.5260 | Fax: 905.828.5402 | Advertising: 905.828.5379 E-mail editor@mediumonline.ca | Website: www.mediumonline.ca

Board of Directors Christine Capewell, Jane Ngobia, Isa Cunanan, Raji Aujla, Laura Gaspini, Umeimah Bastaki, Bhagyashri Bhandakkar, Julie Tyios

Letter to the Editor UTMSU under fire for incentive offering To the students of UTM, My name is John Moyer and I am the Social Director for the Erindale Gaming Organization. On October 15, there was a meeting between all club execs and UTMSU. During that meeting, the student union revealed their plan to get clubs involved with the Student Day of Action (Nov 5). We were told that clubs are encouraged to get members to attend the rally downtown. We were also told that the club, or clubs, that was able to mobilize the highest proportion of their membership was to be given a cash award, of around $750, in funding for the club. I have written this letter for three reasons. Firstly, to reveal that the student union is basically attempting to bribe club execs. Regardless of the motivation of the Union or the students that form it, in my opinion, offering clubs money in order to get students to support the political beliefs of the Student Union is baldfaced bribery. Second, after I asked, I was told that this was simply “motivation” to get the clubs to attend. As such, it was no different than T-shirts or food. That is sim-

ply untrue. The money being offered is significant; it will probably be more than my club will receive in funding for the year. Further, when offering money, a moral and ethical line is crossed. The political opinions of people should never be bought. To suggest, as UTMSU did, that 93 per cent of students support the idea of reduced tuition and that therefore this makes the “motivational incentive” alright is downright offensive and ignorant. The opinions of the mass line do not legitimise an action that is legally questionable. Finally, the money being offered to clubs is student money. When asked about that, we were told that it was “student money being given back to students.” That is a malicious distortion of the truth. Money is being arbitrarily awarded to clubs that support the political goals of UTMSU. This is not “money returning to the pockets of students,” this is the sponsorship scandal replicated at UTM. I fully acknowledge that I was only privy to part of the information, and that my memory is imperfect. To rectify this, I call upon UTMSU to address what I have written, and to answer these

questions: 1. Is what I said here true? If not, please publicly correct any misinformation for the sake of the student body. 2. If it is true, please defend your plan to us. 3. Finally, let us know if you intended to inform the whole student body of this plan. In my opinion, I believe that I heard rightly and that the Student Union intends to bribe students. Not only is bribery reprehensible, it is offensive to suggest that we club execs can be bought. We have our pride, we have our honour, but mostly, we have our duty as students to stand up for what we believe in.

Eagerly awaiting a response, John Moyer Social Director for EGO

EDITORIAL Please write to:editor@mediumonline.ca Letters to the editor will be edited for spelling, grammar, style, and coherence. Letters will not exceed 500 words in print. Letters that incite hatred, violence or letters that are racist, homophobic, sexist, or libelous will not be published. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters and and other editorial materials reflect opinions of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, staff, volunteers, or Board of Directors of The Medium. In other words, just because we print it doesn’t necessarily mean we agree with it. Submission does not guarantee publication. Submission of materials to The Medium presumes the writer has read, and agrees with, this policy.

Editor-in-Chief Ali Kasim

Composite Editor Matthew Filipowich

News Editor Meredith Lilly

Copy Editor Shelley Bahorie

Features Editor Andrew Hamilton-Smith

Distribution Manager Ali Kasim

Arts & Entertainment Editor Michael Di Leo

Business Manager Romano Bergic

Sports Editor Christopher Sa’d

Webmaster Varisha Khanam

Photography Editor Matthew Filipowich

Assistant Features Editor Alain Latour

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.

4 THE MEDIUM

Monday, November 3, 2008

Michael Di Leo, Editor | arts@mediumonline.ca

Interview with the king LUCAS DI MASCIO

Lance King, Heavy metal vocalist extraordinaire, music producer, and owner of ambitious record label Nightmare Records. This prominent figure in the metal underground is known for lending his distinct voice to many bands from around the world, and for his successful independent record label. He has recently found a home with Avian, a band formed in his hometown. Having just released their second album, I contacted this legend amongst the “Metal Gods” to gain any insight into what went on during the recording of his latest project and to discover more about his success in the music industry. The Medium: Avian just released a new album called Ashes & Madness. Did the recording process differ from the last album? Lance King: Oh absolutely. The last album was more of a demo that we ended up turning into an album, whereas this time we were kind of creating as we went. It was essentially started by Yan (guitarist) who had hired a drummer to come in and ‘demo up’ songs and then David (ex bassist) came in and laid down some tracks as we progressed. We thought it sounded pretty good and that we should put out a real album. We kind of had to work with what we had – the tones and such – and it required a lot on my part to mix this stuff. But it ended up coming around pretty well, other than the mastering. I wasn’t totally happy about that, so I ended

up re-mastering it here and we let out another edition which sounded a lot fuller. But yeah, I mean it wasn’t the ultimate situation for recording. It wasn’t recorded properly from start to finish - it was a hodge-podge of things trying to get two different drum kits to sound similarly and umpteengillion different recording sessions to add some cohesive sound to it which is really a challenge. M: You have Bill Hudson (Cellador) playing lead guitar in the recordings? LK: Yup, he does all the lead guitar tracks on the album and he’s playing live shows with us. Bill’s a young, hot guitar player from Brazil who’s living in the States these days. He used to play with Cellador and is now also in Powerquest and Circle II Circle. M: Did he contribute at all to the writing process?

LK: Well… no. It was completely written out when we brought Bill in and we just wanted him for his shred abilities. As far as Bill’s writing goes I’m not familiar with what he’s written in the past other than the Cellador stuff. We thought we’d still have Ron (ex-lead guitarist) to do another album, but he just said Avian wasn’t a project he saw worth pursuing and he started doing blues (laughs). Sort of a neo-classical shredder, it’s kind of interesting. M: Now both the albums Avian has released have been concept albums right?

LK: Yeah, they are kind of tied around the same concept. M: Who came up with the whole story? Was it you, or Yan? LK: That would be all Yan. I revised some areas to fix the lyrical flow. The first album Yan tried to pack ten pounds of poo into a song with his lyrics. He’s very wordy. On the last album there were some parts that were very hard to sing with everything overlapping live, so I tamed that down a little bit. It’s good to breathe when you play live (laughs). M: You guys just played a show with Kamelot and Edguy. How did it go?

LK: The show was very good. It was on a Monday at one of the clubs in town and we had a packed house, totally full. Both Edguy and Kamelot sounded great. It was fun. M: You played keyboards on the new album. What other instruments do you play? LK: I played all the keyboards on the new album but I’ve played guitar for about 25 years. I just haven’t done keys in a really long time because whenever I’ve been a part of bands there’s always been a keyboard player. There are a couple of Gemini albums where I played keys on but it’s not my strong point. I’m a better vocalist than I am a keyboard player or guitar player but I can hold my own (laughs). M: Now you’ve been in a ton of bands over the years. What is it like being in Avian compared to other bands you’ve been a part of in the past? LK: Well it’s a little different because this band started off as more of a recording project than a band. It was more of a ‘building process’ and now it has become a band. I’m not sure how Bill’s allegiance to the project is but we are certainly ‘gelling’ as a group and I think we’ve got some good sounds on the new album. I brought in the bassist I had on The King’s Machine, who is also a stellar backup vocalist, and he brought in a drummer who plays guitar and keys as well. We now have killer harmonies going on which is something missing in a lot of bands I’ve been in – Balance Of Power and Pyramaze just didn’t have that. M: Your label, ightmare Records – you own it and you founded it. What kinds of bands do you sign on?

photo/Lance King

Lance King sings lead as part of Avian. Their new album, Ashes & Madness, was just recently released.

LK: I sign from the market I service in: progressive metal, power metal, thrash metal. That’s the kind of stuff I do with the label and independent distribution. I’m working on hard rock labels all the way to melodic death metal stuff , pretty much anything that you can think of that’s metal and melodic. I’m all about it. When it gets more into the black metal stuff, I’m not so into that. I appreciate it when sparsely done; I like it tasteful, aggressive, but not all the time.

photo/www.metalreviews.com

Lance King rocking out with some killer burns. M: What made you want to get into metal and start Nightmare Records?

LK: My own music I guess. It started out basically being on a fictional label when we put a cool logo on the back of my music. I mean we were doing an independent release but we put it on there. I thought it was pretty cool and we had one song on the album that I was partial to and it summed up what I was most proud of so that’s what I called the label. From that point on it was just something that had just kind of found its feet. Gemini had gotten some success and was reviewed by Metal Edge. At the time Jerry Miller liked the band a lot and he pretty much opened up the world a little bit. I had gotten contacted from European distribution companies and we were selling. That got me thinking: “Hey, I could get some of the other local metal bands stuff, like my friends’ stuff, and get it distributed with this thing I have overseas.” So I pretty much told my buds I could sell their stuff. That thought kind of grew into the independent distribution I started in 1995 and it’s worked out real well; it’s become a real label. M: Yeah, I was going to say you have quite a few bands signed on. LK: Yeah, (sighs) we have a lot of bands. It’s gotten quite crazy actually, I guess from the reputation and with what we’re putting out there. M: Especially this year with your first festival, ightmarefest. Is this going to be an annual thing? LK: Yes it is. Primarily we showcase the labels artists but next time we’re going to be bringing in other bands that aren’t signed on the label. We’ll get some big headliners. You know, reaching out onto the spectrum, getting those bands that are hot in that area – we’ll make it a huge event because we’ll be moving it around. It’s definitely a great way to promote bands in different areas, and it helps the label. It helps heavy metal and it’s giving local talent the option and opportunity to play in these shows. M: Going back to Avian. Are you

ever going to tour around the GTA or anywhere in Canada? LK: Well our drummer doesn’t have a passport yet. We’re going to need to get him one anyways because we are going for some summer festivals in Europe, but we’re looking for opportunities right now. We’d love to play in Canada. I think Toronto would be a very good town for us to hit. M: What do you think of today’s metal scene? LK: Well it’s a challenge. But it is stronger than ever. People have a hard time realizing that because there are so many great metal bands. To put it in perspective there were about 81 heavy metal records released in 1981. Fast forward to 2006, there were about 4,246 metal records released that year. If you think about that, metal’s doing well. Individually the artists aren’t as well known because there are so many more others out there. There is so much division of the ‘metal pie.’ And now with the digital torrents there is downloading, and it can help promote individual bands, but it can also hurt them in sales. There isn’t as much cash these days because there are so many records out. Technology has gotten so great that if you know what you’re doing and you’ve got the gear you can make fantastic records at home and you can take you’re time. You don’t have to worry about the clock; you don’t have to rush it. You can get exactly what you want and you don’t have to release until you make it. Avian’s new album, Ashes & Madness, is now available for purchase at the Nightmare Records website – www.nightmarerecords.com.

TO WRITE FOR ARTS ABOUT ANYTHING YOU DESIRE, PLEASE CONTACT MIKE, THE A&E EDITOR AT ARTS@MEDIUMONLINE.CA

Monday, November 3, 2008

THE MEDIUM 5

ARTS

The style sartorialist: Mens fall/winter fashions CORBAN CONSALES

Hello to all you fashion fanatics at UTM. As you are well aware, the previous issues of the Style Sartorialist were dedicated to fall fashion trends. However with the passing of Halloween, and the recently bare trees and falling thermostat, we all know that autumn is drawing to a close. Whether you like it or not, the winter season is fast approaching. Therefore, my focus this week will shift to a more seasonally appropriate handling of upcoming style trends. Since the last two issues were dedicated to the ladies, it is only fair that this week’s advice be strictly tailored to the men of UTM. For men’s winter fashion, many of the top designers seem to be in accord for at least one major trend this season – one which I feel is deserving of the name of the classic James Bond film From Russia with Love. Designers from Dolce Gabbana to Tom Ford have all come out with pieces which look like they belong in the heart of Moscow, the playground for a new generation of Russia’s rich and famous. This post-Soviet generation of corporate heirs and heiresses were exactly what the Bolsheviks feared, and they know it. Their taste for extravagant furs, slick trench coats and designer boots blend fashion with staying warm – an imperative during the bitter cold Russian winters. Although the style of eastern European trust-funders may appear to be a bit too “extreme” for those with more subtle tastes, many of the most influential design houses have used it to inspire their collections for this season, making it a trend that every aspiring sartorialist must be informed about.

HAUTE COUTURE This season, many of the major design houses incorporated certain elements of this Russian influenced style into their fall/winter collections. In the eyes of their designers, this trend did indeed come “From Russia with Love” as it served as a wealth of ideas to inspire very chic yet masculine designs. After years of trying to avoid animal products in many parts of the western design world, enveloping models in thick furs and rich

hides was a way that designers could make a very bold (and perhaps provocative, even inflammatory) statement. On that note, Dolce Gabbana’s collection is a prime example. In their usual edgy and extreme manner, they have used this eastern European influence throughout their collection, incorporating everything from elegant shearling jackets to oversized and cumbersome fur coats and hats. Another major design house providing their own take on this trend is Gucci. Going in a slightly different direction than D&G, Gucci has taken a deconstructive approach to using furs, creating an eclectic look which conjures images of pre-Soviet Russia. However these weren’t the type of clothes worn by peasants, but more along the lines of what may have been found in the closet of Tsar Alexander III, making it clear that their intentions are in line with all of the other top designers this season. Other designers have also attempted to work elements of Russian style into their designs, however to a slightly lesser degree. Tom Ford and Burberry Porsum have made use of it in their outwear collections with lavish shearling coats and trench coats made with exotic leathers, such as snake skin, respectively. John Galliano and Roberto Cavalli have also made use of lavish furs for the fall/winter 2008 season.

THE LOOK The interesting nature of this trend is that it has the potential to be very applicable for dressing during our cold Canadian winters. However, in order for it to be truly effective, the right choices must be made. Shirts: To be brutally honest, shirts are not a very important aspect of this trend. Try to stick with darker earth tones that are generally available during the winter months. Sweaters, however, require a little bit more thought. Thick and heavy knits may at first appear to work well with this trend, however tread carefully when making your choice. Too thick is definitely not chic, especially for you bigger guys because it leads to unnecessary visual bulk. It also doesn’t work very well in a practical sense because it makes it very hard to layer on those cold winter days. A better choice would be a sweater vest with a braided pattern or even a thin cardigan. Pants: As with the shirts, you can go in many different directions when choosing pants. A dark skinny or straight leg trouser, preferably black, would be a good choice for everyday wear. For dressier occasions, go with a light grey or brown dress pant with a looser cut in the lower leg region.

Yes, believe it or not, I am suggesting a baggier cut for more formal attire. Outerwear: Jackets and coats are very important aspects of this trend. Outerwear definitely fits into the “key pieces” category and will involve a bit of an investment. However, before you cringe at the thought of investing in clothing tailored to a specific style trend, it must be clarified that if chosen properly, certain pieces can be truly timeless. The trench coat is a key feature of this style. However it can also be used with a whole variety of looks, and over the years, the actual shape of the jacket has changed very little. A leather jacket can also be very effective and with the right cut it can be another classic piece. For younger guys a bomber jacket is perfect and because of its versatility, it will provide years of use. Shoes: Footwear is another key component of the modern Russian heir’s wardrobe, and in Canada it should be a part of yours too. For the winter months the choices include boots, boots, and boots. For casual occasions, wear a heavier lace-up boot with a good tread but that is still trim and lined with good insulative materials. For days where a higher level of dress is required, a pointed leather dress boot with a patent sheen is perfect.

STYLE TIPS After this discussion of lavish furs and expensive hides, many of you reading this article may be starting to think that I, the UofT Style Sartorialist, am finally starting to lose my handle on reality. Although I will admit that many aspects of this trend, which I have jokingly dubbed From Russia with Love, will definitely not be loved by students with thin wallets, here are ways that certain elements from this trend can find its way into your wardrobe. As many of those who are sartorially savvy know, having a wardrobe that is up do date does not require buying the latest from your local high end retailer, but by pairing certain key timeless pieces with relatively inexpensive and replaceable clothing. This is exactly how you can make this Russian-influenced style trend a key component of your winter wardrobe.

photos/men.style.com

Left: A model wears a new Tom Ford coat. Shearling is a key style in the upcoming season. Right: A Roberto Cavalli model shows off his leopard-skin trenchcoat along with baggier fitting dress pants.

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

Accessories: A bit of flash is actually required but you don’t necessarily have to have 15 pieces - inside joke for those who have watched Office Space. One or two silver rings can work very well. If rings aren’t your thing, a thin silver necklace or rosary can be worn. Scarves are also important accessories with this trend, so go with something that is longer and has some colour to help brighten up your look.

A Gucci model displays some of the fashion house’s newest offerings, inspired by the cold Russian winters.

6 THE MEDIUM

ARTS

Monday, November 3, 2008

with Michael Di Leo

I have a running bet with my father on who will win the general election in the states this Tuesday. Will it be Obama or McCain? I personally expect an Obama victory, while my dad is anticipating a come-frombehind win from McCain. There is $100 on the line, and with my minimal wage from this writing gig as my only source of income, I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afford to lose. But Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not worried. Why? I figure that you can tell the strength of a candidate by the quality and quantity of musical acts supporting the respective sides. On one hand, you have the Republican nomination, supported by the likes of John Rich, Ted ugent, Johnny Ramone, Kid Rock, and Ricky Scaggs. On the other hand, the Democratic nomination is supported by Bruce Springsteen, eil Young, The Dixie Chicks, Black Eyed Peas, Death Cab for Cutie, and Rage Against the Machine. If you were voting from a musical standpoint, who would you mark on the ballot? As you might notice, four of the examples I just mentioned in support of the Democratic Party are arguably some of the greatest acts in the history of recorded music. Springsteen is considered one of the most recognizable figures in rock â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;n roll along with Neil Young. Meanwhile, The Dixie Chicks owned the Grammies not too long ago, and Rage once epitomized hip-hop-rock fusion. All four are also wildly outspoken on politics. John Rich, while being the top-selling country artist of this year, lacks the lasting star appeal of any of the Democratic artists. We all know Ted Nugent as a gun-toting anti-feminist American supremacist who is far past

his days of musical relevance, and, to be fair, Johnny Ramone is dead. None of their endorsements contribute in any major way to the campaign. But what does this have to do with election results? Simply put â&#x20AC;&#x201C; nothing. You could argue that the Kerry nomination had similar star endorsements, albeit in the form of P. Diddy, and still managed to lose. But these approvals give way to a much larger perspective: the voters themselves. The southland hates Neil Young, but loves the Nuge and his views on firearms. They also support McCain. Rage Against the Machine is a favourite in the democratic stronghold of California, while Big & Richâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s album has sold rather poorly in music-savvy cities like San Francisco. In all fairness, the Democratic nomination has the winning hand in this contest. On top of that, when you take a closer look at the musical endorsements, it becomes evident how plain the music at the McCain camp is. All musicians mentioned earlier are old white guys, whose music is rooted primarily in rock. Kid Rock is the exception in all that, but even he seems cookie-cutter nowadays. This is a stark difference from the Obama ticket, where the artists range from the old white rocker guy, to the younger serious folk woman, to the middle-aged Hispanic/Black rapper. This diversity, I believe, shows great promise in Obamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s campaign. While these distinctions in no way determine the outcome of any election, they do provide us with valuable information on the voters of this election. Fortunately, that means nothing.

photo/primerib8.blogspot.com

Seminal rock band Wilco meet with Barack Obama, one of their biggest fans.

! ! " #

photos/matthew filipowich

THE MEDIUM 7

Monday, November 3, 2008

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

Club profile: Community on Campus ANDREW HAMILTON-SMITH FEATURES EDITOR

When meeting with April McDougall, support worker and coordinator for Community on Campus, I am reminded of the words of God to Bender in Futurama: “If you do things right, people won’t be sure that you’ve done anything at all”. Her office, which is a unique collaboration between UTM and a group called Community Living, provides around a dozen “participants” from the student body with normal everyday activities. For these participants, all of whom have Intellectual Disabilities (ID) like Downs or autism, a normal day – at least what most of us might consider “normal” – is hard to come by. According to McDougall, there are also over forty volunteers who meet with the participants in the program, all of whom are students at UTM. Community on Campus has been at UTM since 1996, and it is the local branch of a much larger organization, Community Living Mississauga (CLM), which helps over 1,700 individuals and employs almost 800 staff and volunteers. Since 1955, Community Living has been providing support to people with an intellectual disability, mostly by trying to work with each individual in order to improve their quality of life directly. This approach recognizes that the problems associated with an intellectual disability often stem from the reaction of the general public to that person, and this reaction may vary from avoidance to indifference to ridicule. Volunteers with Community on Campus work to bridge the divide between their friends with intellectual disabilities and the rest of the world. Even a simple thing like having coffee can be meaningful in that it builds social skills and comfort levels for the participants, while at the same time resulting in a treasured friendship with their volunteers. Each participant creates and follows their own goal-based program through Community on Campus, which can vary from person to person, and may depend upon the nature of the disability. Some participants also face physical disabilities in addition to intellectual, though Community on Campus does require a certain degree of mobility from their participants, for practical reasons. “We try to use the campus as much as possible,” says McDougall, explaining that some participants have work-out goals in their program, some want to build specific skills, and there is even the opportunity for participants to use the greenhouse on top of the South Building. “Building social capital is one of our main goals, building relationships with those around us,” explains Brett Paveling, manager of communications for CLM, “and we try to make it a rewarding experience for everyone involved”. Community on Campus currently has partnership or is cooperating in some way with the campus radio station (CFRE), the Student Centre, The

Medium, and even the university administration. Since the ultimate objective is to help people with intellectual disabilities assimilate and blend into the general student population, working with partners and the community is a vital part of the process. Helping people with intellectual disabilities to assimilate into a normal lifestyle may seem like an unusual way to provide support, but it is essential to improving the quality of life that these people experience. Disability or not, what person does not want to feel included and part of something bigger? Getting practise with volunteers, interacting and engaging in activities with them, will help someone with autism or Down’s syndrome to build the social

skills required to make their interpersonal relationships succeed. “This program really is about making friends,” points out McDougall, and Paveling expands on that pointing out that hopefully most people “won’t know and won’t care” if the person they are talking to has an intellectual disability or not. Paveling is extremely clear on who may be a participant in the program: only people born with at least one intellectual disability, which does not include physical or mental disabilities such as Cerebral Palsy or Tourette’s syndrome. I suspect the reason for these strict guidelines limiting participation may have something to do with the funding arrangement that allows

CLM to do its excellent work. As such, approximately ninety per cent of CLM’s funding comes from the provincial Ministry of Social Services, and the rest comes from private donations. It is unfortunate that this excellent model for integrating people with disabilities into society is not utilized more widely. Community on Campus is always looking for new volunteers, and no experience is necessary. The process begins with an interview, where potential volunteers are asked what they would do in hypothetical situations, and formal training is provided by a trainer from CLM who comes to the campus office. Please visit www.clmiss.ca to learn more about this program.

photo source/April McDougall

Community on Campus focuses on building relationships.

The Association of Part-Time Undergraduate Students Come visit us at our table South Bldg, Meeting Place Oct 23, Oct 30, 4-8pm & Nov 6th, 12-5 pm Join us at our APUS event Nov 6, 5-8 pm

416-978-3993 1998 - Successfully negotiated the only parttime student funding at UofT, the Noah Meltz Ànancial aid program available across three campuses. 2003 - Began offering one of the only dental (and health) plans in Canada for part-time students. 2006 - Successfully advocated for a part-time student conference at UTM on part-time student issues (through CFS).

info.apus@utoronto.ca Part-time students are often mature, working fulltime, have families, are living with disabilities and balance multiple priorities. Part-time student unions understand these unique issues best. APUS offers individual advocacy and lobbies the UofT Governing Council / Government for full inclusion of part-time students in OSAP and UTAPS, (the Ànancial aid guarantee of the university).

www.apus.utoronto.ca APUS Celebrates 40 years representing part-time students at UofT. For many years APUS transferred funds to EPUS to ensure support for the 30yr old part-time college organization at UTM. APUS set a court precedent which upholds the right to representation for student unions. We successfully fought off attempts to raid our UTM part-time members and hand them over to the full-time union.

Nov 6, 2008 from 5pm to 8pm APUS Fall Gathering at Student Centre Presentation Room Great fun for the whole family!

8 THE MEDIUM

Monday, November 3, 2008

FEATURES

Creative Corner Her ame

This short story appeared in the previous issue of The Medium, but due to editing problems in the publishing process, it contained omissions and miscontructions. The Medium regrets the errors and apologizes to the author. ALAIN LATOUR ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR

A chilly wind blew against me. I shivered, hands deep in my jacket’s pockets as I treaded back home. A red neon sign on a drugstore flashed the time: 4 a.m. My parched throat hurt from secondhand smoke exposure. My head hurt from dehydration. It had rained a while ago and the rain had cleansed the air of the cigarette smoke and alcohol and urine. The roar of that night’s marcha had all but died - distant laughter and the shattering of cider bottles on the pavement still echoed every few minutes. Gijón, a mid-sized city in northern Spain, prided itself on having the world’s largest proportion of bars, nightclubs, and discotheques. Nights were seldom boring, although they stunk often. An okay place to live, but a year of it had been enough. I’d have to go bigger. Further away. A man and woman stood facing each other under a lamplight in a park not two blocks from my apartment. A tight, short dark dress accentuated her figure. She was slapping away at his torso and shouting words that I couldn’t discern. I didn’t have to. Her spiteful and angry tone was enough for me to form an idea. The man stood motionless, hands hanging at the sides, chin on his chest, oblivious to her blows. He wore glasses that shone under the lamplight. He had long, curly hair, still wet from the rain. They both seemed to in their mid twenties at most. I was closer now. I kept my hands

in my pockets and tried to appear indifferent. But I didn’t have to bother. They didn’t acknowledge me, even though they must have heard my footsteps. Like a ghost, I thought. I’m a ghost in the night, walking by without people paying attention. As I walked past them, she turned her back on him and marched away. I caught a slow-motion glimpse of her glistening dark Spanish eyes, her curly black hair, like velvet, her thick red lips, and then she was out of my field of vision. She smelled like rain and smeared makeup. She was so beautiful she could have been that night’s dream, that night’s mirage. The young man, his voice cracking with desperation, called out to her –Ana was her name. But Ana didn’t stop. I kept on walking. I crossed the narrow street beside the park, stepping on the shiny wet stones and breathing in the fresh air. Then I heard it. It came from under that lamplight, maybe twenty meters away by now, but the sound traveled perfectly in the silence of the night. The sound was a heavy thud, and it made me look back in apprehension. The young man lay sprawled on the pavement. I scanned around for the girl. She stood, motionless, a few steps from him. Then she ran towards his body. “Pablo, Pablo, what’s wrong?” She knelt beside him and cradled his head. “Are you OK? Talk to me!” I hesitated. Normally I would have run towards them, but tonight I hesitated. Nothing happened for what seemed like a long time. Then I heard laughter. At first I thought it

came from a nearby window. But it was the young man. He laughed hysterically as he supported himself on his hands and looked up at the girl with a merry grin. She rose slowly, staring down at him with what I imagined must have been disbelief. Shaking my head, I turned my back and walked on. A chilly wind blew against me. I shivered, hands deep in my jacket’s pockets as I treaded back home.

Aya

Aya, destroyer of bliss’ Clyde Otherwise known as Mr. Telegenic Fabricator of twist bars With an ayamel centre Intentional lioness likeness It delights more than it frightens It dxxxxxxs mxxe txxn it fxxxxxxxs Aya, the mystifier Her flame is her name A mane At first sight Aya, of verse since birth You are our adored addiction You are our craft.

- TREVOR ABES

If you have any submissions for the Creative Corner, please send them to features@mediumonline.ca inspired by jeff lush

I’ve been with my boyfriend for a year or so now, and at the beginning of our relationship I lied to him about sex. I don’t even know why. I guess I wanted him to think I was more experienced than I actually was. Recently, he’s been asking to do some “kinkier” things, especially anal sex. I told him that I had tried it a few times before even though I actually hadn’t. I don’t want him to know that I lied and I don’t think I would mind trying it. I just think that it would be obvious that I wasn’t as experienced if we did it. I know this sounds terrible but how do I keep him from finding out? I heard that there was this numbing cream that you could use that would make it less painful. What do you recommend? You lied about sex? Nobody ever lies about sex. Okay, so that’s a lie, but this lie seems to have gotten you into a bit of a mess. If I help you out with this problem will you promise not to do it again? Okay, deal. There are a few things that you need to know about anal sex: 1) DO NOT USE PRODUCTS THAT REDUCE YOUR ABILITY TO FEEL PAIN. Numbing creams and ointments, more specifically the ones that are advertised as reducing pain during anal sex, are dangerous to use. The ability to feel pain is really important, especially during sex. You want to be able know when it hurts because it could mean that something is tearing or being inserted the wrong way. Also, keeping the lie you told in mind, using a numbing cream is an indicator of inexperience. 2) Anal sex is tricky because it’s a little bit more psychological. Your body isn’t used to having something inserted in the anus and so it tenses up when you try. To get your body more comfortable, you want to make sure you spend a lot of time stimulating the area around the anus before sticking anything in there (10–15 minutes at least. Seriously…time it.) Also start with something small, like a finger, before you go all out. 3) Make sure that you use A LOT of lubrication. My personal motto when it comes to lubrication is “the more the merrier.” When it comes to anal sex, lube is very important because there isn’t as much natural lubrication. So that’s the 411 on anal sex. But I’m not going to let you get away with the other stuff so easily. Honesty is really important in relationships. You should consider getting to the root of why you feel you needed to lie when it comes to sex. Everyone is inexperienced with sex in the beginning, and I think your boyfriend would have understood that. I have been with my boyfriend for two years now. In the beginning I really liked him and I thought that our relationship could go somewhere, but recently we’ve been encountering problems. Without going into too many specifics, we’re basically from two different worlds; he is very religious and I

am not. This causes problems in a lot of ways. I still haven’t met his parents because he is worried they won’t accept me because I am not of the same religion as them. And when it comes to sex, I think I am ready but he wants to wait until he’s married. We have spoken on and off about breaking up but I still really love him and I know he loves me too. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. This is a tough situation. It’s also a hard question to answer because every relationship is unique and depends largely on the individuals involved. I do need to make an important differentiation here though: love and commitment are two separate things. In your question, you mentioned “love” a couple of times, but what seems to be missing is the commitment, and unfortunately that is what makes a relationship last. Being a relationship optimist, I’m going to have to make a big assumption – that you both see a future with one another and that you are both willing to work to make it happen. That being said, here are a few points to consider: 1) In situations like this, where two people in a relationship come from different places, someone, preferably both, has to change for compromise. This relationship is going to need major compromise if it’s going to last. 2) Assuming you’re both students, students exist in a kind of limbo that is different from children and adults because while they are able to make their own decisions, they sometimes have to abide by their parents’ rules. The situation could be entirely different in a few years when both of you are more independent. It depends on whether or not you want to wait that long. 3) Religion is a bit tricky. If religion is really important to your boyfriend, it’s possible that he won’t be willing to consider anything long-term with you because you don’t practice the same religion as him. These might be things that the both of you have discussed already, but if not, you should bring up the topic. Ask him if he sees this relationship lasting the full course and what his expectations of you are for the future. Also, while I hate to do it, I should toss in some of the more pessimistic points: religion is a hard issue to navigate in a relationship. People who practice religion are usually very involved in their communities and want to be in relationships with partners that they can integrate in their community. There’s probably a reason why the topic of breaking up has come up more than once. Make sure that you speak to your boyfriend about his commitment to you and your relationship because it’s possible that he sees the situation differently.

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

Monday, November 3, 2008

THE MEDIUM 9

FEATURES

Immigrants and Canadians ALAIN LATOUR ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR

I moved to this country four years ago at age 26. I was born in Havana, where I grew up under a blinding sun rather than in bone-chilling cold. I played baseball instead of hockey. I ate fried pork and rice and beans.The first words out of my mouth were Spanish. I suspect many would not agree that I am Canadian yet I became a Canadian citizen last summer. Does this make me Canadian now? The answer depends not just on figures, but also on how we define Canadians. The parents of over four million Canadians were not born in Canada and almost half of Torontonians were themselves born outside of Canada. Are they Canadian? The definition of a Canadian can thus become hazy and hard to define. After all, unlike in nations with a longer history or ethnic roots, todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Canadians are often yesterdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s immigrants. Perhaps it is reasonable to suggest that as long as immigrants learn the language, respect the culture, and adopt the citizenship; the number of new Canadians â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in this sense â&#x20AC;&#x201C; will continue to increase alongside the number of immigrants. Canada received more than 13.4 million immigrants during the past century. According to a 2001 Statistics Canada census, 18.4 per cent of the population was born outside of the country. In the 2006 census, only 10.1 million people, or 32.2 per cent of the total population, reported Canadian as their only ethnic origin or in combination with other origins. This is down from the 11.7 million individuals reporting Canadian as their ethnic ancestry in five years before, and this influx of new cultures may be having a diluting effect on Canadian society. What about those immigrants who fail to integrate to Canadian norms? Many barriers can prevent them from doing so, such as trouble finding meaningful work or housing. A 2006 Statistic Canada study found that 52 per cent of recent immigrants with a university degree had worked in a job requiring only high school education â&#x20AC;&#x201C; almost twice the proportion as their Canadian-born counterparts. Moreover, foreign-educated immigrants earn much less than the equivalent number of native-born Canadians with comparable skills. Whether these major discrepancies are due to deliberate discrimination, or simply caused by bureaucratic backlogs, or both, makes little difference to Bangladeshi medical surgeons who are driving a taxi, or to Mexican engineers working as maids. Such immigrants are not likely to be proud of living in Canada, nor make any attempt to become â&#x20AC;&#x153;Canadianâ&#x20AC;?. On the other hand, some immigrants who do succeed financially, and enjoy the political and religious freedom they lacked in their country of origin, still refuse to call Canada home. Yann Martel, the Canadian novelist, famously said that some immigrants treat Canada like a hotel. This phenomenon was exposed in 2007 as the first of Canada's new Permanent Resident (PR) cards reached their expiry, promoting a flurry of reapplications by immigrants whose relatives in Canada had benefited for years from their permanent resident status even as the family heads made a living elsewhere. The fact that these immigrants choose to live and work abroad after

attaining PR status is not necessarily an awful thing, and for the skilled ones who find that their certifications are not properly acknowledged in the Canadian labour market, it may well be the only logical choice. Nevertheless, it underlines the divide between immigrants who learn English, integrate, become citizens, and vote, and those who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. Inspiration to write this partly came after reading a piece in which a Calgary ESL teacher claimed that many of her immigrant students find Canadians too polite, to the point of coming across as dishonest. Kate Franks went on to say that she had seen â&#x20AC;&#x153;websites run by recent immigrants to Canada listing bad experiences here,â&#x20AC;? and making comments that â&#x20AC;&#x153;discourage others from choosing Canada as a place to relocate.â&#x20AC;? One immigrant from Zimbabwe, who had lived in Oklahoma before moving to Toronto, noted that he preferred how â&#x20AC;&#x153;honestâ&#x20AC;? Americans were with their racism â&#x20AC;&#x201C; he actually preferred to be called the N-word over politeness â&#x20AC;&#x201C; because he always suspected that Canadians were just as racist as Americans, but are too cowardly or dishonest to express it.

On the other hand, some immigrants who do succeed financially, and enjoy the political and religious freedom they lacked in their country of origin, still refuse to call Canada home. There is one website, notincanada.com, that matches Franksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; description. It was sad to read of immigrants misrepresenting the very quality that makes Canada such a welcoming place for all people. Perhaps the ones who complain have never been told by a cab driver, like I was in Spain, to get out of his country and to stop stealing his peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s jobs. Either way, it is precisely this Canadian willingness to shrug off cultural differences and to accept immigrants of all backgrounds that makes this country a great place to live. Unfortunately, this feature is not so prevalent in other cultures. In Cuba, for example, even if just one of your parents comes from another country, say the former Soviet Union, you are likely to be referred to as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the Russianâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C;no matter if your parent actually comes from Ukraine. And Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never forget how, shortly after 9/11, some in my university began jokingly referring to our Syrian exchange students as â&#x20AC;&#x153;terroristsâ&#x20AC;?. Still, Cuba has no immigration problem. Rather, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the opposite. The same cannot be said for Western Europe. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t end there: even after granting me residence, the Spanish government refused for a long time to provide me with a work permit. Neither was I allowed to go to university, unless I first finished high school â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d already done in my country, in addition to two years of university. I eventually thought about moving elsewhere in Europe, but two close French friends of mine advised me not to settle in their country. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You speak the language,â&#x20AC;? they said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;you have a French name and you look French. But thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not enough for you to move up. To get to the top, you have to be French.â&#x20AC;? Alas, in a country with such a long history, the definition of French is not as flexible as it is in North America. Contrast this with my situation in

artwork/Matthew Filipowich

Canada, where it took me a week to find a job, less than a year to be admitted into UTM, and where most of my immigrant friends are doing very well. Still I find that many complain often about Canada. In many circles in Toronto, whenever immigrants gather, jokes are often told at the expense of Canadians. Canadians donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know international geography. Canadian guys canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t dance. Canadian girls are stuck up when sober and easy when drunk (though I suspect those who complain about this would prefer Canadians girls were easy 24/7). Canadian guys are not gentlemanly. And the list goes on and on. A good friend of mine, an immigrant from India and UTM student, acknowledges that Canadians are an easy target. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You can get away with white jokes but not, for example, with brown jokes,â&#x20AC;? he explained. He then added that there was nothing wrong with this because Canadians

are still the majority and hence less likely to feel isolated by criticisms or jokes.

Canadians are an easy target: â&#x20AC;&#x153;You can get away with white jokes but not, for example, brown jokes,â&#x20AC;? he explained...there was nothing wrong with this because Canadians are still the majority and hence, less likely to feel isolated by criticisms or jokes. But as I pointed out to my friend, when our group hangs out together at UTM â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a place where I notice many international students and immigrants tend to hang out within their own community â&#x20AC;&#x201C; only one of us was born and raised in Canada. Is he really rep-

resenting a majority? Every single Canadian-born person I spoke to before writing this article does not think of immigration as a problem. In fact, all of them were proud of Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s multi-cultural and multi-ethnic heritage. They did acknowledge, however, that they would like more immigrants to learn English, and complained that they sometimes find it difficult to mix with some cultural groups. Perhaps the reason for their difficulty lies in a question Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m often asked by fellow immigrants. It usually revolves around whether I have many Cuban friends, or whether I know of a good Cuban restaurant or good Cuban salsa club, and is always met by the same answer: I am in Canada now. I still love my roots, but it is now my duty to get to know Canadians and their culture. It is the least we can do for our generous hosts.

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www.athabascau.ca/standout

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10 THE MEDIUM

Monday, November 3, 2008

FEATURES

Iran’s assault on women KAREN AKHTAR

Iran’s nuclear ambitions and threats towards Israel get regular news coverage – and dominates foreign affairs – but there is another aspect to Iran that receives much less attention: Iran’s assault on women. Iranian feminists have struggled for freedom from political repression for years, but their cause has been ignored not only by their own government, but by the international community as well, and sadly, their oppression continues to this day. For example, on October 15, 2008, an American student who was researching Iranian feminism and visiting her family there, Esha Momeni, was initially arrested for a traffic offence, but then was taken to Evin prison, which has become infamous for holding political dissents hostage. Esha Momeni is a member of Change for Equality, an Iranian feminist organization. Nobody from the Iranian legal system has informed Esha Momeni’s family of her whereabouts, according to Matthew Weaver, writing for The Guardian, a U.K. newspaper, on October 24, 2008. One must question the legitimacy of Iranian law when it imprisons a person without a fair trial. Unfortunately, human rights abuses such as these are quite common in Iran. On October 26, 2008, Sussan Tahmasebi, a leader of the One Million Signatures Campaign for Equality, was prevented from board-

ing an airplane and had her passport confiscated, without being charged with any crime. Iranian security officials have also seized her computer and are forcibly interrogating her around the clock. She has not been able to leave the country for the past two years, but has never received an explanation for her travel ban according to a news report published by Human Rights Watch on October 28, 2008. The fact that illegal detentions of citizens such as these are so common in Iran should make somebody wonder how much the Iranian government, or even the international community for that matter, really cares about human rights.

Iran’s official news agency reported that Kazemi had died of a stroke in hospital after being interrogated. But on July 16, 2003, Iranian vice-president, Mohammad Ali Abtahi, admitted that Kazemi was beaten to death. The crackdown on women’s rights by the Iranian government even includes applying diplomatic pressure on the governments of other countries. Shirin Ebadi, a Nobel Prize winner and human rights advocate, was originally invited to host a lecture on cultural diversity and Islam on November 3 at the University of Malaya in Malaysia, but had her invitation revoked,

allegedly because of student protest. Jalil Hamid, writing for Reuters UK, suggests that it was in fact the Iranian government that demanded the lecture be cancelled, according to a letter sent to Shirin Ebadi by the Malaysian Foreign Ministry. The fact that the Iranian government would use deception to justify its own policies of brutal sexism against Iranian women should illustrate very clearly to everyone that even the Iranian government acknowledges that what it is doing to its women is wrong. More well-known among Canadian news outlets, the case of Zahra Kazemi shows that the government of Iran will stop at nothing to hide its real intentions from the rest of the world. According to a CBC News story updated on November 27, 2007, Zahra Kazemi was an Iranian-Canadian photojournalist who died in an Iranian prison on July 11, 2003, almost three weeks after she was arrested for taking photos outside a prison during a student protest in Tehran. Iran’s official news agency reported that Kazemi had died of a stroke in hospital after being interrogated. But on July 16, 2003, Iranian vice-president, Mohammad Ali Abtahi, admitted that Kazemi was beaten to death. An Iranian security official was later charged with killing Kazemi, but then in July 2004, the charge was overturned, and the Iranian legal system concluded that Kazemi’s fatal head injuries were caused by an accident. Contradicting this conclusion, Shahram Azam, a former staff

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photo source/www.wwhr.org

physician in Iran’s Defence Ministry, found that Kazemi was so badly beaten that her injuries included the following: a broken nose, a crushed big toe, missing fingernails, two broken fingers, and a fractured skull. She also suffered swelling behind the head and bruising on her shoulder and abdomen. Her legs had been flogged and there were deep scratches on her neck as well. She had also been raped. Stephan Hachemi, Kazemi’s son, criticized Iran for not returning Kazemi’s body to Canada for burial and for trying to pay him $12,000 to stay quiet about his mother’s death. He also criticized Canada for not taking the case to the International Court of Justice, as many have demanded, and for being too lenient with the Iranian government. It is sadly ironic that Canada, a country that prides itself on democracy and human rights, would be complicit in the killing of Zahra Kazemi by simply accepting Iran’s behaviour.

Many people have started using the concept of relativism...that one must respect religion or culture before challenging human rights abuses. But this concept cannot be used to justify the current treatment of women in Iran There is even more evidence to suggest that violence against women in Iran is a national crisis within that country that the international community needs to take serious action to address. According to http://stopstoning.org, a website dedicated to the eradication of violence against women, lapidation (or stoning) is a method of persecution used by a religious community against those perceived as “deviants” in that society. In Iran, stoning is a legal form of punishment used against people accused of committing adultery, which is usually “proven” through the judge’s own sense of religious conviction. The requirements of stoning a person to death are quite specific as well: the rocks should not be pebbles, but should not be so large as to kill a person within one or two strikes either. Women are to be buried up to their chests, men up to their waists. Stoning has been a major issue in Iran for years, and it is Iranian women who suffer the most under the use of this barbaric practice. Iranian feminists have been struggling for years to have stoning outlawed.

Stop-stoning.org also notes other forms of discrimination against Iranian women such as the freedom of an Iranian man to have four wives at the same time and to engage in a temporary “marriage,” without any requirement to look after any children that may result from that relationship, for example. In contrast to this male-only privilege, Iranian woman cannot obtain a divorce without losing custody of her children, though women automatically lose custody of their children after they turn seven years old. With practices such as these being allowed in Iran, the intentions of the Iranian government are painfully clear: to repress Iranian women so much that they literally cannot be seen as citizens under the law. The issue of women’s rights in Iran is a complicated issue that needs to be dealt with by the international community. Many people have started using the concept of relativism, or the notion that one must respect religion or culture before challenging human rights abuses. But this concept cannot be used to justify the current treatment of women in Iran. For example, if the Iranian government is so concerned about creating a society based on morality, why isn’t the issue of adultery dealt with equally for both genders? Why does the Iranian legal system encourage adultery for men by allowing them to have four wives and engage in temporary marriages, and allow them to neglect children who are born from these relationships, which would in turn allow an entire generation of children to grow up without guidance, which goes against the whole notion of teaching morality to children? Why isn’t the issue of adultery dealt with based on actual evidence of a partner being taken advantage of rather than one judge’s sense of “morality?” This type of thinking puts Iranian feminists in a very difficult position, as it forces them to choose between Western-imposed pseudodemocracy or a society that is backward and unchanging. In order for Iranian feminism to work, it must be sensitive to the needs of Iranian women and their experience of history. If we truly believe in the notion of human rights, we must support Iranian feminists in the quest for equality and be receptive to different ideas about what a properly functioning society would look like in Iran. What works here in the West may not necessarily work for Iran. We should also not believe the notion that Iranian women want or “deserve” their current treatment, and challenge the Iranian government when it insists that all is well.

THE MEDIUM 11

Monday, November 3, 2008

Christopher Saâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d, Editor | sports@mediumonline.ca

UTM still undefeated CHRISTOPHER SAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;D SPORTS EDITOR

A massacre took place at the RAWC this past Wednesday when the UTM Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Division 1 team embarrassed the UTSC Raccoons in a battle of hoops. When the whistle blew at the end of the game, the crowd roared in approval of the 60-43 score line, which sent the Raccoons back home disappointed and concerned about their lackluster performance. After three weeks of competition so far, UTM is tied for first place with the UTSC Maroons and New A (a team from St. George) with a 4-0 win-loss record strangle-hold. At the end of the first half, UTM notched up a 31-29 lead over the Raccoons with each team committing seven fouls apiece.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;To be honest, I think we couldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve beaten them by more. We looked a little off and I expected more,â&#x20AC;? said Coach Ammer Ashkary after the game. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But it was a team game and a good one to find what holes we have to patch up.â&#x20AC;? UTM guard Andre Woodroffe sunk in 17 points in the first half with a stellar seven points just after the first five minutes of play. He finished the night with 24 points. UTMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Alan Carty finished closest player to Woodroffe in scoring, with nine baskets. Even though it was a 17-point margin of victory and Ashkary considered it a team effort, it seemed to be an individual performance by Woodroffe with no defensive rebounding in UTMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own paint. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were lacking defensive rebounds, so I think we are going to practice the defensive system this week before the next game,â&#x20AC;? noted Ashkary. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had a lot of steals and it was our offensive pressure that got us the lead.â&#x20AC;? UTM had trouble trying to grab defensive rebounds, giving the Raccoons much time in their zone to try and score. But the win was a timely one, espe-

Argos horror show

cially since UTM recently hosted their first pep rally for the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball team. The rally was held in the Blind Duck Pub just before the game. The rally wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t too well-attended however, with only UTMAC and supporting friends present. Thankfully, the crowd began to thicken at game time, and the final attendance at the game proved to be more than at any other sport or match on campus so far. Next week, UTM faces bottomdwellers Commerce on November 5 at the RAWC. Commerce has two losses and one draw from three games so far, and lost to Woodsworth College by a mammoth score of 90-55 last week. While the Commerce team shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be too much of a challenge to the improved UTM team, you fans should show up nonetheless and give your support. Ashkary is on the ball this season by trying to find a balance, well-oiled system, which can improve the defense in the paint and the already offensiveminded forwards. UTM is taking it to the top with their expected win this week. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s see how much of a spread UTM can lay on Commerce.

This week in UTM Rec...

Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ball Hockey Week 4:

- by: Jenn Chapman, League Commissioner

Div 1 Standings Teams

TP W L T

E. BLOCK SPARTANS BALLKICKERS1 INTERNATIONAL BUNDESLIGA UTM FC BA`ABOOS

13 12 11 10 10 6 4

Scoring Leaders Player Team P. Semenets Bundes. P. Zaffino E. Block B.Krampert E. Block

4 1 3 1 3 2 3 1 2 2 1 3 0 4

0 1 0 0 2 0 0

TP GP 12 5 11 4 9 4

If a Hollywood producer is looking for a sports horror film plot, he or she should look no further than Toronto. The setting: The Rogers Centre, late in the fourth quarter, the home team up by 21. Enter the killer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the visiting team, dressed in green. The music builds as the visiting team scores twice, slowly backing the victim into the corner. The victim, frightened, runs into a room with no windows or exit doors. The killer rides in and watches gleefully as a botched snap ricochets off a helmet. The slaying continues. As clichĂŠ as it may sound, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all true. At home last week the Argonauts played worse in the last 12 minutes of play than some of the acting you've seen in a B movie starring Stephen Dorff. In a game that had Kerry Joseph throw for five touchdowns, a career high, and had former Argo, Michael Bishop, return to his stomping grounds and throw four interceptions. It was supposed to be the turn of the tide â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the moment when the Argonauts would sail into the off-season with a W under their belt. No dice. The first half saw the double blue with renewed spirit, eager to end the

season with a win for themselves and the Argo faithful. The second half however, was the same old 0-8 squad. The last quarter, Saskwatchewan scored 28 points on the way to a 45-38 victory. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Deep down inside, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m boiling. I really don't understand. To lose the game the way we did, I feel sick. We played hard. We had nothing to play for but each other and we went out and fought against a good football team. To lose the way we lost, I just shake my head,â&#x20AC;? said Joseph. For the Argonauts it was Arland Bruce, Andre Talbot and Reggie McNeal finding the end zone. For the Roughriders of Saskwatchewan, Bryan Crawford gave them treats because of a bad trick on the eve of Halloween. A fake punt gone wrong hit Crawford on the helmet, and Saskatchewan recovered just inside the Argo 40 and put six on the board with 12 seconds left. Ending the season 4-14, one win better than the Hamilton Ticats, the Argos also end the season with a nine-game losing streak. In a game that had several storylines to it; Michael Bishop returning to Toronto, Matthews 0-7 as head coach with the Argos, and Kenny Wheaton openly stating that it could be his last game as an Argo, the biggest plot was the unscripted fourth quarter melt down.

Scoring Leaders

The Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Division 1 Ball hockey league began with the Free Agents playing the War Pigs. The Agents opened the scoring a minute into the game with an unassisted goal by Brett Geddes. The War Pigsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Mike Aiello answered with two goals early in the game, both assisted by Eric Carteciano. The Agentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Karan Desai got his first goal of the season and The Pigsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Kevin Ross shot two more past the Agentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; goalie, Amir Moazzami. The second-period scoring started just two minutes in when the Agentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Chris Maika scored from a pass by Geddes. The Pigs continued their domination with Carteciano scoring a hat trick and Aiello shooting in three more. The Agentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; frustration began to show when Maika and the Pigsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Jeff Capaldi received coincidental roughing minors. Ross, Aiello, and Mike Pizzi would go on to score three goals for the Pigs to keep the pressure up. In the end, The Pigs finished with a 13-6 victory.

Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Indoor Soccer Results

STEVE SINGH

Player

Team

Goals

A. Ramos E. Vogl J. Smits E.Carteciano M. Aiello

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

23 13 6 9 10

TP GP 33 19 16 15 15

Standings Teams

TP W L T

R.V. DREAM TEAM ROOKIES WAR PIGS FREE AGENTS

6 5 4 1

2 1 1 0

0 2 1 1

Div 2 Standings Teams

TP W L T

A. SAFARI EUROS FC FREE AGENTS BALLKICKERS2 BANGLADESH ZAMALEK OLYMPIAKOS BLUE BOMBERS

11 10 10 9 8 6 6 4

Scoring Leaders Player Team P. Czupiel F. Agents Y. Omarshah Bang. A. Jammeh Safari

3 3 3 2 2 1 1 0

0 1 1 1 2 3 3 4 TP 13 10 10

1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 GP 4 4 4

0 0 0 0

3 3 3 3 3

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12 THE MEDIUM

SPORTS

Monday, November 3, 2008

A few words from NHL’s Nish Shah CHRISTOPHER SA’D SPORTS EDITOR

It was great to see so many people come to the career marketing panel at UTM last Wednesday. Especially since sports fans had a chance to meet and greet Nish Shah, the Manager of Corporate Marketing and Sales for the National Hockey League (NHL) as he gave a talk on sports marketing at the faculty club. To pursue a career in sports business is a dream held by many. Guest speaker Shah directed students on how hard work and devotion can get you a great job in the marketing world. “There’s a lot more than you expect when dealing with sports,” said Shah. The NHL hired Shah in 2007, a couple of months before the launch of the Annual Winter Classic. “Actually, at the time I got there, all I could do was sit and watch. Everything was planned almost a year before,” explained Shah. “But it was an experience, and it taught me a lot about sports behind the scenes, working with corporate sponsorships and the medium in between it. It really [gave me] a perspective to see the involvement with sponsorships and the NHL.” Shah currently works with sponsors such as Honda and Bridgestone, the latter being the title sponsor for the Winter Classic event, with regards to advertising, logo adjustments, jersey alterations, centre ice advertising space, and merchandise. During the 2008 NHL Premiere in Stockholm and Prague, Shah organized

the heads of international sponsors EMA Telstar, IMG-Sweden (who recently split from the NHL), and Bridgestone. He dealt with delegations involved with international marketing guidelines and corporate licensing, and helped with a successful hockey venture into Europe, especially by managing partner relationships – hence the soldout crowds. “My job is always evolving, because the NHL is [constantly] growing. I have to make sure that these sponsorships are getting as much as possible out of the deals so they can bring out more products with the NHL crest on it,” said Shah. “When you have someone like Labatt and over twenty thousand cases of beer with our crest on it, it helps.” Growing up watching hockey, it was a dream of Shah’s to associate himself with the NHL. “For an ethnic kid, watching and playing hockey was a way to associate yourself with your culture,” said Shah. “My dad used to come home and watch hockey; it was his way of relating himself to his co-workers. So I sat with him and cheered on the Leafs on a regular basis.” During the marketing panel, Shah explained the steps toward finding a marketing job you want: Make a list of companies, arrange them in a particular order, research each company and then apply for the job. Along with the list, Shah made sure to point out the importance of inculcating the right skills for each job. Shah studied at York University’s Schulich School of Business and graduated with a specialization in Marketing

– a well-recognized degree at that particular school. He also took classes in finance and accounting. “I wanted to go to Queens [University] and thought my application wouldn’t be a problem. But I got declined and they didn’t even notify me until one day before the Schulich deadline,” said Shah. “It was a last minute application that I had to deliver overnight.” He started his volunteer work in finance and marketing and became a tutor for the Boys and Girls club, helping with revenue boost and other administrative work for the organization. After many complications with different jobs in the business world, he landed the NHL position based on his credibility award-winning marketing schemes and plans. Through three different interviews with his bosses and his own teammates, he finally succeeded in reaching the point he had previously set out for. “Sports business is extremely important to the world of sports. With all the intricate facets involved behind the curtain, you’ll [come to] realize how busy we are in the off-season,” said Shah. Shah’s involvement in the NHL explains further on just how much is involved in preparation for a daily game, or even a yearly event. There are other just as valuable positions as taking a face-off on centre ice; like the person who placed the red dot on the centre ice to begin with. Anyone can go to a game and cheer for a team, but the people behind the scenes are the ones keeping the sport alive.

photo/Matthew Filipowich

Nish Shah speaking infront of eager students at last week’s Career Marketing Panel.