Vol 42 issue 11

UTMSU absent from UTSU SGM After Skype plans failed, UTMSU missed the meeting where UTSU’s board structure was passed NICOLE DANESI NEWS EDITOR MARIA IQBAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF UTMSU was noticeably absent from UTSU’s special general meeting held Wednesday where a board structure was officially passed following over a year of consultation and rejected proposals.

The meeting was called to order at 7:11 p.m., over an hour late.

Partway through the proceedings, The Medium confirmed that UTMSU did not Skype into the meeting, held at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

In a statement released to The Medium on Sunday, UTMSU said that it is considering “lobbying and legal action to prevent the implementation of the changes” and next steps will be determined at the UTMSU board of directors meeting, scheduled to be held on November 30.

UTSU president Ben Coleman said at the meeting that UTMSU

The meeting was called to order at 7:11 p.m., over an hour late. made an official request to UTSU on Monday to participate in the meeting via Skype. According to Coleman, UTSU responded to the

request on Tuesday to confirm that UTMSU could Skype in.

According to UTMSU’s statement, “Staff of UTSU officially

MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

responded to the request on Wednesday, November 18 at 2:03 p.m., less than three hours before the registration of the Special

General Meeting.”

However, UTMSU president Ebi Agbeyegbe told The Medium shortly after noon on Wednesday that “[UTMSU was] able to get folks to allow us to Skype in and we will be participating that way”. At the time, Agbeyegbe was unsure of where UTMSU would Skype from.

Agbeyegbe did not respond to follow up requests for comment.

Last Monday, Agbeyegbe sent an email to UTMSU members asking students to contact him in the event that they were interested in attending the meeting via Skype.

According to the email, UTMSU requested that UTSU reschedule Wednesday’s meeting for six reasons, which included “a severe lack of accommodation for students with disabilities at the last AGM” and issues related to the scheduling of the meeting so close to UTMSU’s own annual general meeting the Thursday prior.

UTSU continued on page 2

UTMSU claims refuted by admin UTM admin deny price changes at OPH following the opening of The Duck Stop Technical difficulties

ADELAIDE ATTARD WITH NOTES FROM NICOLE DANESI NEWS EDITOR Claims from UTMSU that OPH lowered its prices following the opening of the union’s convenience store are being disputed by university administration.

At the UTMSU annual general meeting on November 12, Francesco Otello-DeLuca, UTMSU VP internal and services, said that OPH lowered its prices following the opening of The Duck Stop, the UTMSU convenience store.

“OPH actually lowered their prices because of us opening up a convenience store, because our prices were so much lower,” said Otello-DeLuca at the meeting in response to a student’s comment

UTM is opening a new IT service desk in December which will also help with TCard and shuttle service.

Medium News, page 2

Leading by example In the wake of the Paris attacks and subsequent incidents in Canada, it’s important to stand up for our values.

Medium Opinion, page 4

DisOrienting artwork UTMSU hosts Freedom Through Art during DisOrientation Week for students to express themselves.

Medium Arts, page 5

An activist’s journey ANDREEA MIHAI/THE MEDIUM

UTMSU claims that OPH lowered its prices following the opening of The Duck Stop. that The Duck Stop did not actually have cheaper prices than some other locations on campus.

Otello-DeLuca added that UTMSU had gone to various locations

on campus to compare prices to the Duck Stop.

According to Vicky Jezierski, UTM’s director of hospitality and retail services, OPH has not low-

ered prices since The Duck Stop opened its doors in early November.

Store continued on page 3

Craig Kielburger returns to UTM to talk about Free the Children, an initiative 20 years in the making.

Medium Features, page 8

Calisthenics and control The Medium talks to Nigel Moir about bodyweight training and developing control over the body.

Medium Sports, page 11

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«NEWS

THE MEDIUM 11.23.2015

New IT service desk to open in CCT in December November 12, 9:30 a.m.

Disruptive Behaviour Campus Police attended the shuttle bus stop at the Instructional Building after receiving reports of two students who had cut the lineup to board the bus.

cility through a sanctioned event.

The males were attempting to gain access into Gym C to play basketball. They were not U of T students, nor did they pay the daily pass to enter the gym. The males were trespassed from UTM.

November 12, 12:00 p.m.

Theft under $5,000 Campus Police investigated a theft occurrence involving a meal plan card. A student found another student’s meal plan card and used it to purchase food.

November 17, 1:20 a.m.

Personal Safety Concern Campus Police investigated reports of a suspicious male in the CCT building.

November 13, 2:30 p.m.

Trespass to Property Act Three males entered the gym fa-

November 18, 11:45 a.m.

Parking A vehicle was towed off campus due to excessive unpaid parking fines.

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

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

UTM debates Russian intervention in Syria

MENNA ELNAKA ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR Updates to UTM food service, information and instructional technology services, and budget priorities were the main topics of discussion at last Monday’s meeting of the UTM Campus Affairs Committee.

CAMPUS FOOD SERVICE According to a presentation by the hospitality and retail operations director Vicky Jezierski, the contract with Chartwells that was signed on June 1 will last for five years. The university has negotiated a 30-percent catering discount for student groups for non-branded food services on campus.

According to Jezierski, the portion of the contract related to catering was “publicly tendered in September in order to source three to five new providers in addition to the Chartwells Food Services”.

Jezierski explained that this means that UTM members will be able to choose from several approved suppliers when catering, rather than just Chartwells.

“To be recognized as one of the approved catering suppliers, they need to meet all requirements, including but not limited to the inspection of the production facility and copies of health inspections from the city in good standing,” she said, adding that the university is reviewing the pro-

posal and will update the community once the process is completed.

According to Jezierski, during the process of deciding on the contract, student input was sought through an online food services survey, through which the university received 2,557 responses. Also, there were four open houses with a total of 997 responses, and four focus groups: UTM staff, UTMSU executives, Residence Council, and Faculty Club members.

Since 2010, the “managed volume”—the size of food operations at UTM—went from $6.5M to $11M.

The student to faculty ratios in 2013 were the highest at UTM compared to U of T’s other campuses.

As well, the sponsorship of the Hospitality and Retail Department for community events rose from $6,000 to $30,000/year.

“I think we are in a much better place now than five to seven years ago,” said Jezierski.

Further plans include construction on North 2, which is to open in September 2018, and a new food court.

NEW IT SERVICE DESK The Information and Instructional Technology Services is expected to have a new service desk in CCT,

which is to open on December 1.

According to Susane Senese, I&ITS Director, they want students to only have to come to one place with their TCard, instead of going to the third floor of CCT for the IT Desk and then being asked to go somewhere else.

The new desk will also offer shuttle bus services.

Also, in an attempt to improve their customer service, Senese said that a ticket system will be used.

As for campus Wi-Fi, Senese said that UTM’s capacity for Wi-Fi since 2013 had been 1,150 wireless access points and 9,000 simultaneous connections. According to Senese, UTM plans to double this capacity.

STUDENT-FACULTY RATIO UTM’s budget was also discussed.

According to Amy Mullin, VP academic and dean, the gross revenue of 2015/16 is $240.5M, and the net revenue is 75 percent of that—$184.3M. Among the budget priorities for 2016/17 are enrolment growth, space expansion, experiential learning, faculty and staff searches, a lower student-faculty ratio, and the student experience.

The student to faculty ratios in 2013 were the highest at UTM compared to U of T’s other campuses, with UTM at a ratio of 35.8, and projecting 35.9 for the fall of 2015. The long-term goal is to arrive at a ratio of 30.

The next Campus Affairs meeting will take place on January 7.

Board structure passes following request to postpone meeting

VOX.COM/PHOTO

UTM Debating Club won over York University’s Debating Society.

SIMRAN PATEL

UTM’s debate team were victorious over York University’s Debating Society in a debate discussing the United States and their denouncement of Russia’s actions in Syria.

The motion, “The U.S. denouncing Russia’s recent intervention in Syria is uncalled for” was debated on Wednesday evening as the UTM Debating Club hosted its first interschool debate of the year.

Arguing for the motion, UTM put forward key points, such as America’s past foreign interventions not being successful and Russia’s priority not being the current government but instead ISIS. The team also suggested a possible solution of having the United States join Russia instead of criticizing their interventions.

Representing UTM was Siddharth Sengupta, the VP of the UTM Debating Club and Siddharth Singh, a club member.

Arguing against the motion, the York Debating Society suggested that reasons for Russia’s involvement are largely economical, seeing as they have oil stakes as well as a bay port that is critical for them. The team argued that Russia has been inconsistent in showing its support in Syria and Russia does not have a legitimate reason to be there.

When asked by The Medium why the motion was chosen to debate, Ahmed Aftab Qureshi, the chancellor of the UTM Debating Club, said a meeting was held with the executive team and they decided that the topic should be relevant and a current issue.

UTM won the majority vote favouring the motion.

The board structure passed with a final vote of 2,076 in favour.

UTSU continued from Cover Agbeyegbe said in the email, “It will be difficult for UTM commuters to come out again” to the UTSU meeting held six days following the UTMSU AGM. “There is no need to pass any bylaw amendments as the UTSU already passed bylaw changes to be compliant with the CNCA,” said Agbeyegbe in the email.

“Postponing the general meeting

to January 28th will have no impact on the organization.”

The email also indicated “a need to have a fresh start to the consultations regarding a new board structure”, calling on the union “to do more consultation and come back with a better board structure for the union”.

Also mentioned by Agbeyegbe was a petition organized by U of T Afghan Students Association president Madina Siddiqui, which called upon UTSU to postpone

MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

the meeting until January 28, the date of the union’s special general meeting scheduled to address items put forth by UTSU members at the union’s original October 7 AGM agenda.

The board structure passed at the meeting on Wednesday was an amended version of the Zhuk/ Singh proposal elected at UTSU’s AGM in October. The structure received a final vote of 2,076 in favour, 44 opposed, and 1 abstention.

11.23.2015 THE MEDIUM NEWS

Trans issues discussed at DisOrientation Week

CHRSITY TAM/THE MEDIUM

DisOrientation Week will conclude on Thursday with an open mic at the Blind Duck.

ALICIA BOATTO Last week, UTMSU hosted workshops and conversations about social issues through the annual DisOrientation Week, which featured discussions on topics ranging from colonialism to allyship.

The concept of perpetuating safe spaces on campus was prevalent throughout the week and all DisOrientation Week events emphasized the creation of spaces where marginalized groups are able to come together and voice their thoughts.

“I really want these discussions to happen in safe spaces that are healthy and genuine, where you can agree to disagree because we don’t want hostility,” said Genny Lawen, one of the event organizers and former UTMSU VP university affairs and academics. “We want to talk about all the social injustices happening in the world.”

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Equity discussed the topic of antisexual violence focusing on bisexual women of colour and trans women. The event covered topics of consent, survivorship, and the stigma around individuals embrac-

ing their sexuality.

“There isn’t much engagement and support on campus when it comes to talking about people who’ve experienced the most marginalization and severe sexual violence,” said Jasbina Sekhon, UTMSU’s LGBTQ coordinator. “I want more conversations like this to happen.”

When questioned further about spaces available at UTM for the LGBTQ community, Sekhon called for more resources for members of the trans community.

“When you are being an ally, don’t take up space. Don’t take up all the attention.

Be the silent hero”.

— Hashim Yussuf “A lot of the things the trans community is fighting for are our own spaces and separate funding,” said Sekhon. “There needs to be more funding. There needs to be more people.”

Last Monday features an event discussing the tragedies faced by

Aboriginal and Palestinian communities in relation to colonialism and the importance of coexistence.

On Tuesday, UTMSU presented Real Talks: How to Be a Good Ally, the first of a series of talks to be organized throughout the year.

Students discussed the concept of allyship and how to help marginalized communities respectfully.

The concept of unlearning set behaviors and ideologies was also explored as well as the term “ally” as a status symbol.

“When you are being an ally, don’t take up space. Don’t take up all the attention. Be the silent hero,” said Hashim Yussuf, a second-year criminology student and director on UTMSU’s board. “I learned that being an ally is a lot more than just being there for someone.”

Thursday’s events included selfexpression through art and a selfcare workshop that advertised to help students discover what self-care means to them and what works best to care for themselves.

DisOrientation Week will conclude with an open mic night on Thursday at the Blind Duck, open to performances by singers, dancers, and other artists.

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»HAVE YOU BEEN TO

THE DUCK STOP YET?

Natalie Bany 4th year, psychology

Marwa Salih 4th year, psychology

No, I have not been to The Duck Stop but I’m excited that we have a store.

I’ve been there. I would rather go to the convenience store than TFC.

Khaled Kudsi 3rd year, life sciences

Siraj Hamza 5th year, stats and physics

I’ve walked past it but I have not gone inside.

I have been to The Duck Stop. It’s not bad, but it’s still overpriced.

Non-branded food to see zero price increase “I am afraid you have been misinformed,” said Jezierski when The Medium asked about the alleged price change at OPH. “We have had no change in price structure since September. Each year, we get the price proposal from Chartwells in July/August. We try not to make [price] changes during the school year to make it easier for students on a budget,” she said.

The Medium has not independently verified either party’s claim.

Otello-DeLuca did not respond to The Medium’s request for comment regarding his statements from the

AGM. According to Jezierski, prices are adjusted when branded outlets such as Starbucks or Tim Hortons change the cost of menu items.

“We did negotiate zero-percent price increase in our new contract for the next school year for all the non-branded outlets, but we did not change anything for OPH,” she said.

UTMSU officially announced plans to open a convenience store in a vlog published on August 24; the union originally announced possible plans to open a dentist office or convenience store in a vlog published on the union’s YouTube channel on May 18.

Store continued from Cover

U of T Scarborough instates Bruce Kidd as principal and U of T VP

Facebook faces criticism following Paris attack features

Cultural appropriation cited as reason for yoga class cancellation

Mississauga Legend’s Row inducts six new members

Multiple attacks reported in Ontario following Paris attacks

Bruce Kidd has been instated as UTSC’s 10th principal and VP of U of T. Officially instated into office on Friday at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, Kidd is a member of the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame and was the dean of the university’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education.

Facebook has faced criticism following the implementation of their Safety Check feature, allowing those in Paris to mark themselves as safe following the attacks that took place on November 13. Critics took issue with Facebook’s initiation of the feature while other attacks took place on the same day.

Students at the University of Ottawa have cancelled yoga classes due to concerns that the practice is a form of cultural appropriation. The cancellation prevents 60 students from taking part in the yoga sessions.

The Mississauga Legend’s Row has inducted six new people. Among the new inductees is developer Ignat Kaneff and the late Living Arts Centre CEO and former publisher of The Mississauga News Ron Lenyk.

At least six attacks have been reported against Muslims in Ontario following the Paris attacks that occured on November 13. Among the attacks reported, a Muslim student was allegedly spat on outside U of T’s Robarts Library.

Source: University of Toronto News

Source: CBC News

Source: National Post

Source: The Mississauga News

Source: CBC News

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11.23.2015

MASTHEAD EDITORS Editor-in-Chief Maria Iqbal editor@themedium.ca Managing Editor Maria Cruz managing@themedium.ca News Nicole Danesi news@themedium.ca A&E Kate Cattell-Daniels arts@themedium.ca Features Farah Qaiser features@themedium.ca Sports Eric Hewitson sports@themedium.ca — Photo Mahmoud Sarouji photos@themedium.ca Design Sarah Yassine design@themedium.ca Copy Akshaya Sharma copy@themedium.ca Online & Blog Corey Belford Kimberly Johnson blog@themedium.ca online@themedium.ca ASSOCIATES News Menna Elnaka A&E Hailey Mason Features Mahnoor Ayub Sports Daniel Bilyk Photo Christy Tam Copy Farah Khan Maleeha Iqbal GENERAL STAFF Webmaster Luke Sawczak web@themedium.ca Distribution Manager Alex Ciesielczuk distribution@themedium.ca Ads Manager Mayank Sharma ads@themedium.ca BOARD OF DIRECTORS Maryam Faisal, Jeremy Wu, Leo Jiang, Natalia Ramnarine, Rebecca Xu, Saima Khan (ex-officio), Christine Capewell (ex-officio) COPYRIGHTS All content printed in The Medium is the sole property of its creators, and cannot be used without written consent.

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How to be a good citizen Craig Kielburger’s recent talk at UTM teaches us that leaders are made, not born One of the things that bothers me about our education system is that while it promotes a great deal of learning, it doesn’t do enough to develop good character. It’s embarrassing, but by the time the end of term rolls around, I’m admittedly more concerned about getting my assignments done than taking care of my own health or that of those around me.

Our system is such that we’ll sacrifice spending time with our own family and loved ones because we’re too busy meeting more pressing deadlines. And in all honesty, it can be way too easy to become shut up in our own lives— or literally, our own rooms—and not realize how many relationships we’re neglecting.

In the Countdown to Success with Craig Kielburger last week, he offered great insight into what it takes to be a person of strong character: “A leader isn’t the person who crosses the finish line first. The definition of the successful leader is someone who em-

powers someone else,” he said.

Empowering someone else.

That’s quite different from the general focus on completing our degrees and getting the heck out of here.

But character is also about having the courage to stand up for one’s values, and for one another.

Hearing about the Paris attacks and other incidents makes it easy believe that our society is losing all sense of humanity.

When Paris was attacked earlier this month, leaders across the globe condemned the attacks, and countries stood united against the brutality and terrorism.

Following the attacks in France, a series of local incidents also took place in Canada, including an assault on a hijab-wearing woman

picking up her children from school and an arson attack on a mosque in Peterborough.

The fact that these incidents took place on our own soil shows that we have a long way to go when it comes to, well, education on the difference between Muslims and ISIS, but also respecting the differences of our neighbours even when we don’t always understand them.

Hearing about all the negativity makes it easy to lose hope that our society is doing anything but losing all sense of the meaning of humanity.

But in fact, there is a lot of hope if we take into account many of the citizens’ responses to the incidents, which show that in spite of the work we have ahead of us, there are many Canadians who do have a lot of character.

For example, beyond condemnations of the various attacks on our soil, various faith groups offered the congregants of the Peterborough mosque alternative

places to worship. And citizens also came together to raise money to help repair the damage done to the mosque.

We didn’t need to be Craig Kielburger to do any of those things.

And perhaps he’s right to point out that part of the problem is when we think, “I’m only one person; what difference can I make?”

Well, whether the difference involves donating $1 for GivingTuesday or reaching out to a friend or neighbour in need, building character doesn’t have to be as hard as it sometimes seems.

This end of term, let’s do more than work on assignments and study for exams. Take some time to reflect on how we can better take care of each other and just watch how change materializes right before our eyes.

YOURS, MARIA IQBAL

11.23.2015

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Which direction does your paint flow?

If DisOrientation Week left you feeling lost and confused, Freedom Through Art is here to help HAILEY MASON ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR UTMSU hosted Freedom Through Art last Thursday as part of UTM’s DisOrientation Week, a yearly tradition that occurs near the end of first semester and celebrates the LGBTQ community at UTM. The event was held in the Presentation Room of the Student Centre where students came to participate in the canvas painting activity. Paint supplies were assembled at the front of the room, music blared through the speakers, and cake, brownies, and juice were laid out for guests.

DisOrientation Week involves a lineup of events that tackle issues of social injustice through means of community-based discussions, workshops, and activities. This year’s lineup included discussions on colonialism tragedies, allyship, and antisexual violence, along with a self-care workshop, Freedom Through Art, and an open mic night scheduled for this Thursday. The events intend to educate students on relevant social issues in safe and reliable spaces while also providing a platform for students

CHRISTY TAM/THE MEDIUM

Freedom Through Art encourages self-expression through painting. to discuss or express their emotions regarding event topics.

Freedom Through Art offered students an opportunity to express themselves through painting. The

event supported self-expression and artistic identity. UTMSU offered canvases and a wide variety of paints and brushes for guests to choose from.

Students sat at tables and chatted

as they worked on their canvases.

Other students gathered and talked throughout the room, using the event as a social tool more than an expressive one.

After promising a variety of artistic activities, I was somewhat disappointed to find that Freedom Through Art only offered painting. It would have been nice to see several different forms of art at this event. If there had been more diversity, students would have had the option to choose whichever artistic medium suited their personality best, considering not everyone is a talented painter—myself included. I ended up painting a childish flower and struggling to cover it as people walked past my spot at the table. Nonetheless, there were many talented artists that made the most of this singular activity.

After asking several students what they enjoyed about Freedom Through Art, the general consensus was that it was a fun spot to socialize with friends, snack on free food, and forget about final assignments and exams.

Whether students came for the free food, the social atmosphere, the painting, or to unwind from the stress of finals, Freedom Through Art was overall quite well received, proving to be a popular get-together for UTM students.

He does it all: Ogude shows his colours UTM student Tobi Ogude talks about his talents from modelling to poetry to a future in acting ADELAIDE ATTARD A second-year UTM student, Tobi Ogude is far from limited to academics. Some may recognize him from EDSS and UTMDC’s “Slam and Chill” poetry slam event, where he performed three of his works.

Ogude defines himself through different mediums of art. You can find him in the Student Centre giving people hugs or in Dr. Brent Wood’s office after hours, sharing his poetic works with his fellow poets.

The Medium: What is your major?

Tobi Ogude: I was in commerce last year, but I switched because it wasn’t for me. I am trying to get into Digital Enterprise Management, but if that doesn’t work out, I will go into CCIT. I’m just trying things out for now, seeing where life takes me.

TM: What do you want to do with your degree?

TO: I want to save some money so I can go into acting. DEM is really just media studies and management mixed together into one program. My major will help me manage things in film, graphic design, and directing. I am interested in photography, film, and acting. A lot of my friends say that they see a director in me, but I don’t know if I have the ability to do that. Regardless, I think

KONRAD WOJTASIK/PHOTO

Ogude read some of his work at last week’s Slam and Chill event.

DEM will help me manage my hobbies so I can eventually turn them into a career.

TM: Is being a writer or performer in your long-range plans?

TO: Oh yes, absolutely. Acting is something I definitely want to pursue, whether it’s theatre or film. I’m leaning more towards film, but starting off in theatre would be a good lead for me.

TM: Where does your inspiration come from?

TO: People. I believe I can read people’s characteristics—what makes them tick, why they do certain things. Just by looking at someone, I can understand a bit of their backstory. I don’t judge people; I observe them. That is what drives my poetry.

This process starts with myself. I try to [see] myself in the person I am looking at or interacting with. I try to put myself in their situation so I gain a better understanding of who I am and bring that forth in my poetry.

TM: Do you have any idols or artists that you look up to?

TO: People certainly inspire me. I also get a lot of my inspiration from a spoken word artist named Jason Petty, also known as Propaganda.

His pieces derive from his Christian faith, which shapes the way he looks at things. I’ve been listening to him for years. The way I act, the way I articulate myself, and the way I present myself on stage are all inspired by him. From this, I was able to find

who I am as a performer and as an artist. He is definitely my inspiration for spoken word.

As for music, I have a favourite rapper, named Lacrae. I wouldn’t consider him an idol, but he is someone who really shaped the way I look at life, and the lens in which I view things. I first discovered Lacrae in 2005. My whole childhood consisted of me listening to his music. Lacrae is also the front man of a group called the 116 Clique. I look up to the 116 Clique because they have a saying: “You should never be ashamed of who you are”, and I try to live by that.

In terms of people I look up to, my parents obviously. They have shaped who I am and I am grateful for them every day.

TM: What are your other passions?

TO: Besides music, poetry, and film, I love photography. I am also trying to do some modeling. I’m at that point in my modeling career where I have to pay to get my photos taken. I like it though because I am investing in myself. I also love fashion. It is my way of showing the world who I am on the outside. It’s really just another way in which I can express myself.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

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THE MEDIUM 11.23.2015

Getting colder A good cause for music NBC takes on Shakespeare with ballet KATE CATTELL-DANIELS A&E EDITOR I first discovered The Winter’s Tale when I saw it at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Prior to seeing the play, I didn’t know the story at all, which is special because there’s a trick ending in The Winter’s Tale like no other.

When I heard that the National Ballet of Canada was putting on The Winter’s Tale in its North American premiere, I was (understandably) excited. Though I don’t keep up with dance news, I was interested in how a classical play adapts to classical dance.

Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon works absolute magic in the production. The best word I have to describe it is, quite simply, beautiful. Telling a story with movement is easier than one might expect, and in my opinion, just as easy as using words. Some complexities in the plot are lost, but only if you’re deliberately comparing the play to the ballet. As a stand-alone piece, it’s complete.

Being the thrifty theatregoer that I am, I had a seat that was located all the way up in the peanut gallery of the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. And I’ve found, overall, that the “best seats” are not the ones in the front rows, especially when watching dance.

Dance is about shape, about understanding from a macro point of view. Dance is not a shoulders-up

activity, but one that engages the whole body. You really don’t need to be that close.

The Winter’s Tale contains one of the most famous stage directions in all of Shakespeare: “Exit, pursued by a bear”. I have seen several versions of the bear. One was an actor in a bear costume, another was a more abstract puppet version. But NBC’s version is by far the most effective. A huge bear was painted on a piece of translucent fabric that was fluttered to at first look like waves. Pulled up, though, it was clear that the bear stood on its hind legs. Folded in the opposite direction, it was on all fours and running towards its prey.

In the play, the character of Perdita (Elena Lobsanova) is not particularly strong. She is an essential part of the plot, but doesn’t have much personality. She’s just a sweet young girl who falls in love with a prince without knowing that she herself is a princess. But somehow, dance gives her another dimension, a layer of subtlety that gets lost in Shakespeare’s flowery text.

The Winter’s Tale is a strange story—neither comedy nor tragedy, and it’s usually labelled as a “romance”. Some parts are almost supernatural and dreamlike, such as the fantastic forest with golden trees where Act II takes place. This genre, more than anything, is what translates to dance. It’s not realistic—and was never meant to be that way.

MESA and UTMMC collaborate for a fun fundraising event

JEANLOUIS REBELLO/THE MEDIUM

Rise to Raise delivers performances and funds for a Palestinian orphange.

ZARA RIZWAN The weather may be chilly and assignments may pile up, but the power of pub nights never fails to attract and unify students. On Thursday evening, the Blind Duck boomed with music and energy from the Middle Eastern Students Association’s Rise to Raise pub night.

MESA collaborated with the Association of Palestinian Students and the UTM Music Club to bring a night of music, dance, and other performances.

The event marks MESA’s first charity pub night of the year. All proceeds from ticket sales will go towards assisting Dar al Aytam, an orphanage in Palestine.

Redwin Kelly kicked off the night,

earning numerous cheers with their alternative rock cover of Drake’s “Hotline Bling”. The bandmates performed with expertise as their lead singer carried smooth vocals throughout.

Spoken word poet Haneen Abou followed, expressing her sentiments for countries across the Middle East.

She commented on the media’s emphasis on the Paris terrorist attacks and consequent ignoring of the results of bombing in Beirut.

“The media’s portrayal is beyond delusional,” she said. “Before you associate the Middle East with destruction, allow yourself a proper introduction.”

Singer Aseel Aoun performed an Arabic song acapella. There’s something particularly beautiful about

songs in another language—the beauty of the music able to surpass language barriers, and that the listener cannot be distracted by the lyrics. Though the singer stuttered due to her nerves, the pub cheered her on and applauded their encouragement.

The executives planned Pictionary to take place during intermission, resulting in excited screams every few minutes from a person who won a round. Soon, though, the audience refocused their attention on the performances by singers and dancers. At the end of the event, everyone joined together for dabke, a form of Arabic folk dance.

I guess even the looming presence of exams and never-ending essays can’t keep UTM from rocking out.

Everyone goes a little nuts sometimes The Nut Case explores complex relationships in a new student-written and produced production KASSANDRA HANGDAAN STAFF WRITER I never really knew how much effort went into the creation of studentproduced plays until I attended one.

The Nut Case was performed over two evenings, and as I sat under the dim houselights of the MiST theatre, I observed the meticulous care and commitment exhibited by the members of UTM’s Drama Club. Cast members ran back and forth carrying tables, shoes, and gift bags onstage— props that would be used during the performance.

Written and directed by Hannah Gilbert, a third-year student, The Nut Case follows the tale of Thomas Dunne (Michael Ruhs), who is devastated when his fiancée Cheryl (Gillian Lonergan), abandons him at the altar. As Cheryl reveals when she later visits the despondent Thomas at his apartment, their relationship had been strained by Thomas’s obsessivecompulsive disorder.

Thomas is an erratic character with some very odd mannerisms that successfully drew laughter from the audience. For example, he has a tendency to tinker with the light switch each time a guest visits his house—a habit that is later described as a “demonic ritual” by Cheryl’s sister Margaux (Mo Zeighami), the woman

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

UTM students worked together to bring The Nut Case to life. with whom Thomas is having an affair.

But despite each character’s complicated personality, what impressed me the most was the excellent performances delivered by all the cast members. Ruhs portrays Thomas’ eccentricity well­—constantly fidgeting and delivering evident sarcasm through his dialogue. Cheryl, who

arrives later in the play, is made out to be an unlikeable character from the start, with Thomas constantly demeaning her early on in the play.

However, when Lonergan steps onto the stage, her sweet voice transforms Cheryl into a conflicted woman whom I instantly sympathized with.

Her love for her fiancé is marred only by her fear of his disorder, and the

overly sentimental part of me yearns to justify her abandonment of Thomas at the altar.

However, it is Mack Burton who steals the show with his hilarious yet dark portrayal of Neil Dunne— Thomas’ seemingly uncouth and lazy brother, who (spoiler alert) murders Cheryl in a fit of rage.

The range of emotion in the script

was enormous; I laughed when Neil quipped about how he didn’t really “lose” his job, since he “knows where it is”, and I cringed as Neil smothered Cheryl with a pillow after she mocked his subpar parenting abilities.

The play was written in a witty and humorous style that masks the darker film noir elements of the plot. I thought it was especially well written because of its ability to naturally incorporate comic relief amidst scenes of high tension, such as the confrontation between Thomas and Cheryl.

Despite the high stakes, I found myself chortling along with the other audience members each time Neil or Thomas dropped a joke.

Moreover, Cheryl’s murder added a grim twist to what at first seemed like a lighthearted play. Her murder, and the consequent interrogation of Thomas, provoked a strong reaction.

Of course, knowing that Thomas was innocent of the murder, I felt frustration and sorrow brew inside me as I watched Thomas suffer through the injustice of his interrogation.

As the play concluded and the cast members took their bow, I applauded with fervent energy for their outstanding performances. The Nut Case was a truly engaging play, and though it was handled by students from beginning to end, it was without a doubt a play worth seeing.

11.23.2015 THE MEDIUM ARTS» 7

REWIND ANDREW PLUMMER STAFF WRITER In 1940, John Ford would add The Grapes of Wrath to his filmography. The film is an adaptation of the John Steinbeck novel in which a farming family, the Joads, pursues a fictitious utopia in California after having been forced off their land by the government. They lose everything, and anything that can be salvaged gets packed into a makeshift truck and hauled across the country. I’ve watched this movie twice already, and in my mind I somehow cannot separate the plot of The Grapes of Wrath from the Jews’ exodus from Egypt, back in the time of Moses.

With the movie taking place during the Great Depression, the socioeconomic situation is rough.

This serves as a symbol of the realities of the American Dream. The utopia of California is only as real as the fiction that surrounds it allows. Although the Joads discover this as soon as they arrive in California, they are reluctant to leave, as there is no better state that they could go to in order to pursue a successful life. And they most certainly can’t go back home.

Through Ma (Jane Darwell), we see a woman who tries to manage the family in the absence of her husband, who is with them physically, but not mentally. And although I won’t say here how

KASSANDRA HANGDAAN STAFF WRITER Tyler Durden is not exactly the kind of person I’d ever want to meet. If I were given the opportunity to meet a real-life manifestation of this fictional character from the book Fight Club, I’d probably avoid him like the plague.

My reasons for this are simple.

Besides being the ringleader of Fight Club—a secret society of men who find some sort of catharsis in beating each other up—he is also (spoiler alert) the mischievous alter ego of the nameless, insomniac narrator, whose condition causes him to conjure up Tyler’s existence.

Fight Club is a book that I never expected to pick up simply because I don’t like violence. If I even see a drop of blood, I avert my gaze; I close my eyes during graphic movie scenes, or I skip over paragraphs when encountering a particularly gruesome scene in a book.

But Fight Club is more than just senseless descriptions of blood and gore. The characters exemplify aspects of the human condition

successful she was, I will say that there was something in her fortitude that moved me—not quite to tears, but to the sweating of my eyes.

Henry Fonda, who plays Tom Joad, would later say that The Grapes of Wrath was one of his favourite movies to be a part of.

Sure, I’m not an American, but I can still connect with the idea of having a dream, and that dream being ruined through some fac-

I can still connect with the idea of having a dream, and that dream being ruined through some factor outside of my control. tor outside of my control. This is maybe the most devastating part of The Grapes of Wrath. Everything is beyond the Joads’ control.

There is no work, pathetic fallacy abounds, and people come and go and live and die. All the family ever did was climb into their truck and turn towards California. Perhaps it’s a feeling that all people understand, which explains why The Grapes of Wrath would be included in my “Top 10 Movies of All Time” list, if I were to ever make one.

MMMM

through their suffering. Take the narrator, for instance—his insomnia and dissatisfaction with his nine-to-five job cause him to attend various support groups (a notable example is the testicular cancer support group) that he has no affiliation with.

The narrator isn’t truly sick like the members of the support groups.

He attends simply because he wants to connect with people. He wants to feel something besides the numbness induced by his insomnia.

It is this numbness that drives us to find meaning in the world, and that is why Fight Club was established—it tries to give its members a purpose to live. As once said by the narrator: “At the time, my life just seemed too complete, and maybe we have to break everything to make something better out of ourselves.”

If you’ve ever wanted to get into transgressive fiction, I encourage you to start with Fight Club. Its raw characters, unreliable narrator, and dark plot are gripping. Moreover, the choppy writing style employed by author Chuck Palahniuk drew me further into the mystifying story.

Working on a better rap

MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

Reactions to YYZ depend on taste.

KATE CATTELL-DANIELS A&E EDITOR Here’s the truth: I don’t listen to rap.

Ever. I usually find it exhausting to listen to and very hard to follow. To my ears, there is little variety from one song to another, and the problem of wanting to hear all the lyrics, which can, at the best of times, be challenging. But having said that, I feel like if you did like rap music, YYZ by Don Meeno and Tizzy Wayans is maybe not a bad place to start.

I’m laughing a little because this album came in the mail with Super Class’s album High Ends a while ago, and the contrast is hilarious. It sounds like a bad joke: an indie-rock album and a rap album end up in an envelope together…

Some songs, like “She Don’t”, are, in my opinion, just plain offensive.

I’d be a hypocrite if I said it was the swearing that bothered me­ —that’s not it. It’s the use of some of those words in relation to women, and a

man’s treatment of a woman, that raises my arm hairs. I’m not trying to say that everyone has to be a die-hard romantic, and I don’t think censorship solves anything, but I also don’t think that any woman, no matter what, deserves to be sung about like that.

However, musically, I like YYZ. Fundamentally, it’s poetry; it’s language as rhythm. The first song on the album, “Wyts”, is one I particularly enjoyed. I’ll admit it induced head bopping, and even though I couldn’t understand most of the words, I did catch wind of a solid rhyme scheme.

Also, Meeno and Wayans are by no means limited to using lyrics to tell their story, particularly in the last two songs on the album, “Shittin’ ” and “So Professional”. They make use of the whole range of non-verbal noises that humans can make, which I think are underrepresented in music.

I am also intrigued by YYZ being a two-person setup. In my mind, I as-

sumed that most rap artists worked solo, so it’s neat to see a duo working together. One song, “Speechless”, is performed solo by Meeno, but the rest of the songs are all collaborative.

And on the back of the album sleeve, I can see that Meeno and Wayans’s names do not always appear in the same order. Sometime Meeno is first, sometimes Wayans, I assume depending on who contributed the most to each song. Aside from W5vy Davis, who contributed to the first song, Meeno and Wayans tackled this project together.

I haven’t been converted; I still don’t like rap. But maybe I’m a little closer to understanding a type of music I wouldn’t have otherwise been exposed to. I talk a good game about my demand for risky art that makes people uncomfortable, and I’d be lying if I said YYZ didn’t qualify.

I did feel a little uncomfortable at times and so, by my own logic, YYZ did its job regardless of my subjective taste in music.

8

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11.23.2015

Matching your passion with causes Kielburger spoke about the need to “support and engage with a cause that already exists” AMANDA BORTHWICK At 12 years old, I pleaded with my parents to let me have a cell phone. It was imperative that I owned one—as a matter of “safety”, I argued, and not because everyone in class already had one, of course.

When Craig Kielburger was 12, he begged his parents, both of whom were schoolteachers, to let him travel to Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Nepal. “Don’t worry, you won’t miss any school. I’ll go alone,” he assured them.

Kielburger was on his way to change the world. And I thought I was pitching big.

At 15, Kielburger was playing outside his home in Thornhill, Ontario when he got a very important phone call. It was an invitation to attend a week-long conference in Sweden, where he and other attendees would help answer the question: “What is the single greatest challenge facing the world today?” Kielburger made the trip. I mean, how could you say no when it’s his holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama, on the other end of the line?

Endeavours such as these marked where Kielburger’s journey as a child rights activist began. He insisted on witnessing firsthand the exploitation of kids his age in the slums and sweatshops of Asia, and sought to challenge

ANDREEA MIHAI/THE MEDIUM

Last Thursday, Kielburger spoke at IMI’s annual Countdown to Success event. and draw attention to these issues.

With the help of a few friends in his garage, he started a charity unlike any other: one where children helped children.

Twenty years later, Free the Children and Me to We, an innovative social initiative he helped build, have helped over 40 countries build more than 650 schools and provide education to 55,000 children every day.

It continues to deliver a holistic and sustainable development model that

provides clean water, healthcare, food security, and alternative income programs in eight developing countries.

Last Thursday, the U of T alumnus visited UTM to address more than 300 students, alumni, and professionals. He spoke at the Institute for Management and Innovation’s Countdown to Success—an annual event where students are given an opportunity to learn, engage, and network with fellow students and community members.

Narrating the story of how his social enterprise, Me to We, grew to what it is today, Kielburger spoke about the importance of his mentorship from Oprah Winfrey, Nelson Mandela, and the Dalai Lama, especially when the organization’s prospects were grim.

“The truth is, it might have seemed like an overnight success, but this was years in the making,” he says.

It was over these many years that Kielburger and his team learned the

importance of leadership. “A leader isn’t the person who crosses the finish line first. The definition of the successful leader is someone who empowers someone else,” says Kielburger.

Similar sentiments were shared by Aly Madhavji, an alumnus who attended the event. “The biggest message I got out of this was the importance of leading and inspiring others to help them get to where they want to be and find their own path,” says the 2012 UTM commerce graduate.

“You need to be behind them and support them.”

Infusing the workplace with purpose was another key message that Kielburger’s experience with Me to We and the world of non-profit had taught him.

“We partnered with KPMG,” he recalls of the company, which provides crucial services to public, private, and not-for-profit organizations in Canada. “They saw us as an HR engagement strategy, where we could create meaningful intergenerational experiences between KPMG employees and their kids.”

This connection, on a deeper level, goes beyond fulfilling the company’s “bottom line”. It provides employees with a sense of purpose where they feel part of a shared enterprise.

Activism continued on page 10

What do you get when MississaugaGives?

MississaugaGives­—a student-led communications campaign—aims to increase philanthropy FARAH QAISER FEATURES EDITOR Move over, Black Friday and Cyber Monday—GivingTuesday is almost here.

Launched in the U.S. in 2012, GivingTuesday is a relatively new but growing annual global movement that aims to encourage individuals to give back and support local charities on December 1. The day is dedicated to charitable giving and volunteering and was first celebrated in Canada in 2013.

After the shopping frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, individuals have the chance to take part in a day dedicated to charitable giving and volunteering within the community.

MISSISSAUGAGIVES While GivingTuesday is a global movement, MississaugaGives is a local adaptation of the movement—specifically, it is a commu-

MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

GivingTuesday encourages individuals to support local charities on December 1. nications campaign that focuses on Mississauga. The campaign was inspired by GuelphGives, which was launched last year.

“We’re promoting GivingTuesday mostly by social media,” says Lauren Walsh, the vice-chair of the campaign and a recent UTM gradu-

ate who majored in CCIT and professional writing.

“MississaugaGives does not touch a penny of the money. We’re not a

registered charity—we’re more of a communications campaign that is getting awareness out there to Mississauga residents about the charities where they can donate money, actual physical clothing,” she says.

Currently, MississaugaGives has partnered with 35 Canadian charities, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peel, the Canadian Cancer Society, and United Way Peel.

According to Nicole Danesi, the founder of MississaugaGives and a fifth-year CCIT and environmental management major, the movement has “approximately 15 businesses participating and at least three schools”.

“The charities that we work with have to be in the City of Mississauga region and they have to be directly benefiting the city of Mississauga,” explains Walsh. “Essentially, we are trying to spread awareness of all these charities.”

Giving continued on page 10

11.23.2015 THE MEDIUM FEATURES» 9

Final countdown to fossil fuel divestment Desrochers and current MScSM students weigh the pros and cons of fossil fuel divestment CHRISTINA ZHA In March 2014, U of T president Meric Gertler received a petition from Toronto350 (a student group) requesting that U of T fully divest from fossil fuel companies within the next five years and immediately stop investing new money in the industry. After approximately a year and eight months, the debate will finally be coming to an end this December.

Gertler created a Presidential Advisory Committee on Divestment from Fossil Fuels, which consists of 10 faculty members, alumni, and staff representatives from environmental engineering, finance, law, political science, economics, philosophy, administration, and earth sciences. The committee is responsible for reviewing the petition and its accompanying brief, and will also recommend an appropriate response to the call for divestment and consider U of T’s potential responses to the challenges posed by climate change.

Once the committee presents its recommendation by December, it will be up to Gertler to make the final decision on divestment.

Additionally, from June to September 2015, Gertler welcomed submissions from the U of T community, asking for reasoning behind supporting or opposing the petition, in whole or in part. Gertler also encouraged the community to generate ideas and proposals for actions U of T may con-

JEANLOUIS REBELLO/THE MEDIUM

Gertler will soon be making a final decision on whether to divest from fossil fuel companies or not. sider in response to the challenges of climate change.

To understand the business and sustainability ethics behind fossil fuel divestment, The Medium spoke to professor Pierre Desrochers from the Department of Geography and current graduate students from the Master of Science in Sustainability Management program. The MScSM program integrates knowledge from management, and social and natural sciences to address sustainability issues and pursue management careers in sustainability-related divisions and organizations.

While the class of seven graduate students wholeheartedly agree that fossil fuels bring about negative social and environmental impact, and that the world needs to control global warming as soon as possible, Desrochers split the class into two opposing teams to debate the issue and to develop the most time- and cost-effective way to respond to the growing problem.

Anureet Kaur, Arielle Navarra, Shaniece Mitchell, and Fatima Fasih argued that U of T’s divestment would be an effective wake-up call for companies by threatening them into

recognizing social and political consequences of fossil fuels investment and forcing them into thinking of innovative energy options.

Navarra argued that divestment would push companies into developing innovative energy resources. “[U of T] is a leading factor in pushing climate change research, and we think it’s hypocritical for them to invest so much money [in fossil fuels] in order for the university to thrive,” she says.

“If that money was divested into not just clean technology, but into research to improve and if [U of T] is the first in Canada to do this, they

would set a precedent for the rest of Canadian universities to make that change, as well as put pressure on the industry and government.”

Fasih reasoned, “In terms of the financial implementations, one of the things the university has to do for its shareholder is to maximize profit but also think of the long-term. Because oil prices have been so unstable and volatile, they should think of divesting into something that’s more stable.”

In forming their argument, the pro-divestment grad students turned to academic journals and publications. “In [one study], the return of investment in fossil fuels is just 0.5 percent higher […] so we think the margin is not significant,” said Kaur, arguing that divestment won’t affect the university’s finances. Additionally, she emphasized that U of T only retains 7 percent of its funding from industries, making this form of financial income insignificant in the greater picture.

The pro-divestment grads believe that the university could direct the money invested in fossil fuels towards controlling climate change, such as the energy-efficient retrofits found in old buildings downtown (which also have a return in investment).

Additionally, Kaur pointed out that “if the university makes the decision to support [the Syrian] refugees, it’s contradictory when they are investing [in fossil fuels]”.

Fuels continued on page 10

Bringing student clubs together with COEN Student Life launches COEN initiative, aims to increase networking and collaboration between clubs MAHNOOR AYUB ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR Have you ever thought about starting a club, but found yourself demotivated when you realize you might not have the training required to approach community partners? Alternatively, you may feel overwhelmed by the number of students signing up and may find yourself trying to find opportunities to practice your leadership skills.

However, if you happen to be a student at U of T’s St. George campus, you would not be struggling and asking these questions, thanks to the previously established Centre for Community Partnerships program.

The CCP program is involved in research on community-engaged learning and also provides training for responding to community-identified needs. Inspired by CCP’s success and following the same model, UTM’s Student Life has recently introduced a similar program for UTM student organizations, the Community Outreach and Engagement Network, this fall 2015.

The primary purpose of COEN, according to Marlo Young-Sponga, a community engagement activity assistant for Student Life, is “to create a network for student organizations involved in community engagement, to offer them training to help them do

CHRISTY TAM/THE MEDIUM

Last Wednesday, COEN held their second meeting and focused on COEN Week preparations. what they do better”.

The sessions are largely focused on skill building, with an emphasis on improving interclub relationships.

While the first session focused on using community engagement to create an impact in your organization, the second session focused on effective communication and conflict resolution.

Although the COEN program is geared towards developing beneficial strategies for the expansion and effec-

tiveness of clubs, Young-Sponga also believes that a predominant benefit of the club will be through an exchange of ideas.

“COEN is a place to share and improve ideas; learn new approaches to leadership, communication, and planning; and recognize the great initiatives that student organizations are running on our campus,” says YoungSponga.

COEN will run throughout the year to serve as a space for discussion

on logistical problem solving and effective marketing for events. While CCR notation (upon attending three out of four sessions) is an additional incentive for club members to participate, the program also helps to provide connections to relevant community partners if they are required by a club.

“I think COEN is a good opportunity for individuals from different student organizations to meet up and share ideas and resources,” says Peggy

Cao, a third-year computer science and professional writing and communications double major. She describes her experience at the first COEN session as an opportunity for people passionate about contributing to different areas of the community to help one another achieve their goals.

Cao adds, “Personally, I’ve been able to network with student organizations [that] I’d otherwise never have had an opportunity to meet, learn about what they do, and find ways to collaborate in order to impact our local community.”

With leadership development and communication skills as the initial component of the program, it will also focus on showcasing student initiatives in an effort to get more students involved. This component has been designated as COEN Week, taking place in February 2016.

“We hope to have one or two active events each day, and one event ongoing throughout the week,” says Young-Sponga. The theme for COEN Week will be youth engagement. The events planned aim to engage youth both within and outside the UTM community.

COEN aims to have an umbrella effect—only when effective networks exist within existing initiatives will they propagate onto the larger community.

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THE MEDIUM 11.23.2015

“Start a cause” says Kielburger This week, Marlo Young-Sponga, a fourth-

tend to have ingredients with less fat and

year double major in anthropology and

lower calories, making that one bite much

professional writing, has volunteered one

less sinful. For example, Young-Sponga’s

of her favourites, No Fail Brownies, for the

recipe avoids the use of icing, fudge, and

Blackboard Special.

chocolate.

I’m a huge fan of “No Fail” recipes—

However, she recommends topping the

there’s no way an average university stu-

brownies with “copious amounts of Nutella”

dent (I’m looking at myself here) can mess

for the best taste. While I’d suggest avoid-

them up. What makes this recipe even

ing going overboard with the Nutella (we’re

better is that it does have a few surpris-

trying to opt for the healthy route here,

ing health benefits. I know what you’re

folks), I completely agree—you can’t go

thinking—brownies certainly don’t give off

wrong with a little extra chocolate in your

healthy vibes. But pushing aside the exces-

life.

sive use of butter and sugar, quick recipes No Fail Brownies (Adapted from The Kitchens of Forestwood: Girl Guides of Canada / Guide du Canada Forestwood District) SERVES 8–12

INGREDIENTS • ½ cup of butter • 2 eggs

ANDREEA MIHAI/THE MEDIUM

The U of T alumnus spoke to more than 300 students, alumni, and professionals at the event.

“The simple equation of finding a cause you care about and matching it with a unique passion equals a better world, and I hope you discover this through the halls of U of T,” said Kielburger in a comment to The Medium after the event.

“He’s right. Use the passions you have to connect with a cause. Because it really hits you, once you graduate. You’ll start to connect with his vision for needing to do something that’s bigger than yourself,” expressed Rahhman El Borai, a recent UTM graduate.

However, the idea of getting involved in the non-profit sector wasn’t a foreign concept to the event attendees, such as a 2013 graduate, Aastha Sahni. With a Bachelor’s of Science and a Master of Education under her belt, she’s using her education to engage in an issue she feels strongly about.

“I’ve been thinking about mental health in the school system and incorporating mindfulness training at the middle and high school lev-

els. I’m really passionate about this,” says Sahni.

We live in a world where almost 50,000 charities are generated every year, with 7,000 in Canada alone.

And to the countless individuals who approach him every year, announcing their desire to start a “charity”, Kielburger responds with, “Can we rephrase that? Start a cause.

Or better yet, support and engage with a cause that already exists. I believe the world doesn’t need more charities, but more effective charities.”

In fact, he stressed the importance of getting an education in something you feel passionate towards to help a cause—whether it’s logistics, accounting, finance, marketing, or computer science.

“Our company needs more innovation, drive, and creativity. We need what each individual in this room can bring to the non-profit sector,” Kielburger said.

“The problem is that we are raising a generation of passive bystanders. First, we assume that someone else will solve the problem. Second,

we think, ‘I’m only one person; what difference can I make?’ ” he added.

This is where “We Day” comes in. Today, Me to We continues to thrive as a leader in the non-profit world with its new vision for philanthropy, which connects business passion to social purpose. Through a series of inspirational stadium-sized events, over 160,000 students from over 4,000 schools actively empower youth to take action on local and global issues.

The take-home message? There’s an unprecedented power this generation holds when each of us truly believes that we can make a difference.

As the event concluded, a Free the Children volunteer, Falak Somani, asked Kielburger, “What are you most passionate about?”

“What excites me and gets me to love the things I do is inspiring people like you to find your own passion. In fact, you’re the very answer to my question. Can I ask what’s written on your T-shirt?” he asked.

“Be the change,” Somani replied.

“And how old are you?”

“I’m 11.”

Divestment may not be the answer Fuels continued from page 9 The opposing team (Saif Kamil, Cristian Altobelli, and Bipin Tiwari) argued that divestment is not an effective way of forcing companies into thinking of innovative energy options. Instead, they believed that collaboration between the university and companies is the key.

Tiwari argued that divestment would add on extra costs that would take a toll on U of T’s operational expenses, including limiting its intake of more students and campus expansion, which are both high long-term costs.

Additionally, Altobelli said that “Cornell, Harvard, and Dalhousie [opted] to engage with companies to develop alternatives to fossil fuels rather than just pulling out and hoping for change to occur. They emphasize innovation and investing in students for building a sustainable future”.

In their research, the anti-divestment grads encountered one pos-

sible solution, which was to push for more and stricter government action. They believed that nothing is guaranteed with divestment, but pushing for government action would force companies to obey or be subject to fines.

In terms of politics, Tiwari

Divestment is purely a symbolic gesture, since U of T doesn’t have enough stocks to make a real difference. asked, what would university divestment do to stop privatelyowned oil companies in the Middle East? How would those companies be stopped so that they are part of the effort in controlling climate change?

Desrochers himself submitted a memo to the university’s consultation voicing his opinion that di-

vestment is not a good idea.

“They completely ignore the benefits of carbon fuels. They are not perfect but they have contributed a lot of good things, for which there are currently no substitutes,” said Desrochers. “And I believe that if the divestment movement is serious in their claim that there are substitutes, they wouldn’t call for divestment but for boycotting.”

He argued that divestment is purely a symbolic gesture, since U of T doesn’t have enough stocks to make a real difference in the market. According to Desrochers, U of T’s fossil fuel stocks are not as significant as other universities, such as Harvard. Desrochers added, “The way I view things is that the job of the university is to create new knowledge and create people to come up with alternatives, and this is what we should be focusing on, [rather] than making a meaningless gesture that will impact the university’s endowment.”

well mixed.

2.Pour the mixture into a buttered 8” x 8”

• ½ tsp vanilla

pan. (Young-Sponga recommends lining

• 1 cup of white sugar

the pan with aluminium foil or parchment

• ¼ tsp salt

paper to make it easier to remove the

• ½ cup of cocoa powder • ½ cup of flour

Activism continued from page 8

cocoa, flour, salt, and vanilla. Beat until

brownies later.)

3.Bake for 25 minutes at 350 F. 4.Serve immediately.

METHOD 1.Cream butter with sugar; add eggs,

Dec. 1st will be GivingTuesday Giving continued from page 8 Before joining MississaugaGives, Walsh was not aware of the fact that there were around 200 charities present in the city. “There’s so much work—charitable work—that’s done in the city that people just don’t know about,” she says. “[People] know about the big ones, but they don’t know about all of them. That’s where we come in. By designating this one day, we’re able to really spread awareness, and have charities be in a spotlight for a day so people get awareness about what’s out there.”

Mississauga residents can head to the team’s website to read up on the causes and charities and find one that they identify with. “[They can] donate however little or much they want. It’s not a certain amount,” says Walsh. “If they don’t want to donate money […] they can donate time and go sign up for one of these charities, or donate old clothing to one of the clothing drives. There’s more than one option—it’s not cash only.”

THE TEAM Danesi started the initiative after hearing about GuelphGives.

Walsh had no idea about what Danesi was planning—she first learned about the campaign during her CCIT Community and Practice course during the winter 2015 semester.

“We had to come up with a campaign related to social movement and that was a final project that we had to do in the class. So Nicole approached me because I knew her from first year,” Walsh said.

Danesi continued recruiting students or recent graduates in Mississauga to join the team. In fact, the entire MississaugaGives campaign is headed by a team of 14, where nine members are currently attending, or

have recently graduated, from U of T. Walsh adds that “quite a few” members of the team are currently, or were in the past, part of the CCIT program.

“The reason that’s significant is because we have used our skills that we have learned through that program […] to promote and essentially run this campaign,” she says.

MISSISSAUGAGIVES’ GOAL “Ideally, we would love to be able to have each and every Mississauga resident donate $1 on GivingTuesday,” says Danesi. “That would equal to more than $757,000! We are also hoping to collect hair donations, food donations, clothing donations, toy donations, etc.”

It’s not just money [...]

It’s any form of giving that we’re promoting.”

—Lauren Walsh For Walsh, the most rewarding aspect of being involved with the campaign is being able to make a difference. “I feel like there’s so much talk about how we’re the entitled generation and all this crap, and I think that it’s really nice that since young people feel like they don’t have much power, being able to use the skills that they’ve learned to do something good in their spare time,” says Walsh. “I think especially with social media and the power of social media […] that for us to be able to use it for a good cause—that’s a really rewarding aspect of what we’re doing and why we’re doing this.

“It’s not just money,” says Walsh.

“It’s any form of giving that we’re promoting.”

Disclosure: Nicole Danesi is The Medium’s news editor.

11.23.2015

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11

Inspired by calisthenics specimen Nigel Moir is a physically stronger and more disciplined athlete because of his bodyweight training ERIC HEWITSON SPORTS EDITOR Nigel Moir stands out when he works out in the UTM athletic weight room.

The second-year CCIT student from Jackson’s Point, ON works out for an hour and a half a day, seven and a half hours per week without touching a single weight. With an aesthetic build like his, you’ll wonder how he does it.

Moir follows a form of exercise called calisthenics, which he has fully committed to since September of this year. The exercises consist of a variety of gross motor movements—mostly, he trains with his body weight and nothing else. This form of exercise is not only one of the safest ways to work out, but it can also be the most physically and mentally demanding.

Moir has maintained a healthy, active lifestyle even before he was a competitive rugby player in high school, never backing down from a challenge. Scrolling through YouTube videos of Frank Medrano “own” a pull-up bar and hearing the latest advancements in the calisthenics world, Moir decided since that his

CHRISTY TAM/THE MEDIUM

Nigel Moir performs a body weight exercise named the “flagpole”. next challenge is to mold his body into the most functional, aesthetically pleasing body without following the stereotypical bodybuilder exercises.

“I don’t have a particular role model; the whole calisthenics society has motivated me,” he says.

Moir says the exercises are convenient.

“You never have a problem waiting for equipment,” he says, but the real reason he does it is because it feels great inside and out.

“I have total control of my body, and the aspect of physical freedom

was most appealing,” he says. “A lot of guys want to get enormous so quickly, but once you get past that mindset, you’ll find more value in what you can do with your body that bodybuilders don’t.”

Even though you may not get big as quickly as you’d like, you can still

put chunks of healthy muscle onto your physique while eliminating the unwanted fat. “You can still get massive with calisthenics, and when you do get big, you can do some insane moves,” says Moir.

For him, it’s working towards that physical freedom that inspires him to keep going. “Moving my body in a way that I want it to run is much more challenging and fulfilling to me,” he says.

The one thing you’ll notice before you see the size is the control you have over your body.

“You see people swaying when they do pull-ups, but now I can do pull-ups entirely centre. It’s taken me a couple of months to get where I am, but I’m satisfied,” Moir says, adding that his biggest achievement thus far has been his improvement with the 360-degree push-ups. “I’ve just discovered that I can do 360 pushups—it’s a process. First, when I tried I’d hurt myself falling on my shoulder, but now I can push off and land quickly.”

Body continued on page 12

Creatin’ a better body or dependence?

It may not be worth taking pre-workout supplements; opt for natural options instead KARINA COTRAN STAFF WRITER There may be days when you feel tired or run down, but you want to stay committed to your workout regimen, or build muscle faster, or maybe try the newest fad in fitness.

That is what pre-workout supplements are for.

The substance—made up of 200– 500 mg of caffeine, 5 g of branchedchain amino acids, 5 g of beta-alanine and 5 g of creatine monohydrate—is said to help build strength, stamina, and increase the potential for muscle building and fat loss.

There are many different preworkout supplements out there.

Sean Menezes, a personal trainer at the RAWC, said, “I don’t like taking supplements (except whey protein isolate on tough resistance training days) because I don’t like dependence.”

“I like being able to wake up in the morning, put on my gym clothes, grab some water, and have the mental capacity to push myself without stimulants,” he added.

Fourth-year anthropology student Jasmine Javed uses pre-workout supplements to enhance her overall workout. She uses a creatine-free supplement called Cardio Cuts. “I believe there’s a significant differ-

BODYBUILDERSCIENCE.COM/PHOTO

Pre-workouts claim to support cognitive function and enhance mood, among other things. ence between using pre-workout as opposed to not using it,” she said.

“When I don’t use Cardio Cuts, I don’t feel as energized or as motivated to work out. However, when I do take my pre-workout supplement, I feel that the overall quality of my workout performance is improved.

I can undergo a longer workout session without feeling overworked.

Also, I feel that my energy has been increased by a certain amount of time.”

However, while there are good effects of using pre-workout supple-

ments, such as muscle development, she highlights the adverse side effects. “The most noticeable side effect is the increased heart rate; it does take some time for your heart rate to return to its normal pace. This can trigger feelings of anxiety, dehydration, and restlessness,” said Javed.

Third-year chemistry major and avid weightlifter Mohammed Musleh uses a high dose of creatine to help supply the muscles. “I take C4 because it doesn’t agitate my stomach, and it’s a good pre-workout to start with,” he says.

Musleh expands on the effects of the pre-workout, saying, “I noticed that when I started, I was more energetic and more motivated to work out. But now I’m off it, and while I still work as hard as I did before, I tire out much faster.”

For those who are interested in muscle-building, he says, “The positive part of C4 is that you can lift at longer intervals, and you have more energy.”

Musleh says that while there are good things that happen when you use the pre-workout, there are also

some elements you need to be aware of. “There is a dip in energy and even a bit in strength once you cycle off the supplement. You should make sure not to use the pre-workout supplement for too long, because supplementing all those nutrients for more than two months is not good for you.”

Menezes cautions people against using the pre-workout supplements, because “while there is no doubt that pre-workout will give you an extra edge or a boost to your workout, over time you might build a dependence on it”.

“Without it, you might not feel as strong, or willing enough to work out,” he said, adding that the dependence would also cost someone financially.

A pre-workout supplement does have its benefits, but before using any of them for any reason, one should research all the side effects and be careful about prolonged use. Overall, pre-workout supplements are not necessary for the healthy maintenance and growth of muscles. Fill your body with carbs and natural energy sources like vegetables and meat before, and your workouts will find consistency. You’ll feel great without the side effects—push away the bad habit.

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THE MEDIUM 11.23.2015

“Owning” the bar in athletic facilities

YOUTUBE.COM/PHOTO

Take a load off the bar if you aren’t feeling your strongest to eliminate the risk of getting injured.

ERIC HEWITSON SPORTS EDITOR

CHRISTY TAM/THE MEDIUM

Moir performs a controlled pull-up.

Body continued from page 11 The 360-degree push-up—an exercise where a person completes a push-up and spins the body 360 degrees in the air and does another push-up—is a good example of how calisthenics isn’t about looking good, but about being able to move creatively, testing to see what natural body movements we’re able to achieve as a species— monkeys hang from their trees all day laughing at us.

One of the most eye-opening moves in calisthenics is the “flagpole”, where you grip onto a vertical bar, holding yourself only by your arms until you’re parallel with the ground.

“There are people now that can do a flagpole with people standing on their oblique,” says Moir.

Calisthenics is an incredible challenge; you aren’t sitting there pushing weight, you’re using both body and mind to concentrate.

“I need to focus and eliminate distraction to stay balanced. When I do an awkward movement, I have to take my headphones out and concentrate. I don’t base my execution off of how pumped up I can get—I can hurt myself if I do that,” he says.

Currently, Moir is working on extending the duration of his movements, increasing the number of repetitions.

Because there’s such an array of movements in this type of exercise, there’s a lot more opportunity to build muscle in areas you wouldn’t necessarily form if you worked out another way. You’re going to build more core muscles by doing a hanging leg raise than you would by doing some crunches.

“In a bodybuilder competition, it’s whoever looks the best, and in a calisthenics competition, it’s whoever performs the best,” says Moir.

“Aesthetics is important to me; I’m happy with my body, but I’m always looking to make it better,” he says.

With calisthenics, you’re working the small stabilizer muscles in congruence with the large muscles.

Students who have inconsistent workout habits work the major muscles because they’re most noticeable, but with rhythmical body weight exercises you’ll look and feel like a mannequin—except real.

“When I try advanced moves, I make sure my body is prepared,” Moir says. “I have been injured trying advanced moves that I wasn’t prepared for. If I stretched more appropriately, I wouldn’t have injured myself.” Static movement stretches won’t prepare your body enough for these movements. Use a foam roller and a tennis ball to work the soft tissue as well.

As for Moir’s diet, he says he eats “a lot” of chicken and Greek yogurt.

He especially eats a large breakfast and stays away from carbohydrates after his workout.

Many times Moir is asked by students enthralled by his routine, “How do you get to do that?”

“It takes a marathon, not a sprint. There are different variations you can work out your chest, core, and arms before you start moving the way you want. Keep increasing your progression every week,” he says. “If you want to get somewhere with calisthenics, there are a lot of steps, and it takes time, but it’s worth it.”

THE MEDIUM WEEKLY SCOREBOARD Varsity Blues Men’s Hockey

Varsity Blues Men’s Volleyball

Toronto - 1

Toronto - 1

Carleton - 4

Waterloo - 3

Varsity Blues Women’s Hockey

Varsity Blues Women’s Volleyball

Toronto - 0

Toronto - 3

York - 1

Nipissing - 0

Varsity Blues Men’s Basketball

Varsity Blues Women’s Basketball

Toronto - 57 Toronto - 87

Toronto - 91 Toronto - 60

Western - 81 Windsor - 88

Western - 87 Windsor - 96

You prepared your healthy meals, washed your gym clothes, and made your way to the gym deciding that you’ll undoubtedly have your best workout of the year. You grab a mat to stretch, and then all of a sudden—to your surprise—you’re lying face down swiping through Buzzfeed videos and can’t get up. Here’s some knowledge that’ll make you feel better about yourself: everyone has bad days, lazy days, and just overall unproductive days at the gym. You went with too many expectations; not every gym session is meant to be “the best workout ever” or the day you beat your pull-up record. You’re allowed to be human and chillax.

I guarantee you that every single Varsity Blues athlete has gone to the gym at least once and said, “Screw it,” picked up their bag, and went home to watch Netflix with a box of Oreos.

If the weights aren’t moving the way you want them to—let’s blame everything on the weights—a recent Men’s Health article recommends one of two things: 1. Skip the workout al-

together, or 2. Modify the workout so you can do something physically productive while being lazy. If you’re serious about working out, I suggest the second option. Here’s some knowledge I gained from having a gander through “5 Workouts for When You Just Don’t Feel Like Working Out”.

REVIEW THE BASICS What happens when superstar athletes like Tiger Woods, Christiano Ronaldo, and Tom Brady aren’t as superstar-ish as they usually are?

They go back to the fundamentals.

Don’t think that push-ups and air squats don’t do anything. Going back to the fundamentals before a workout that demands precise and efficient movement means you’re into being the master of your domain. Don’t feel like lifting weights? Watch yourself do some air squats, a clean and controlled pull-up, or a proper lunge so when you do incorporate weights, the muscle memory will be there.

FOCUS ON RECOVERY The most underrated aspect of working out is recovery time—as in stretching and treating your body, not

napping during class. Mobility is the key to performing your exercises with the largest amount of strength, stamina, and confidence. Your chances of succumbing to an injury will decline dramatically. For example, there are many ways to stretch out your hips, statically and dynamically, that will improve your posture, core strength, and stress levels—check out hip mobility stretches. There is also the foam roller; it’s like a personal masseuse but you can just talk to yourself about your problems, and you don’t have to worry about letting out a little gas.

Check it out—it’s literally a cylindrical piece of foam and it’s honestly my best friend. Roll out your entire body and if there are spots that hurt, roll them out even more; it means you’re tight in that region.

DO SOMETHING FUN Don’t feel like lifting the heavy weights today? Do something good to yourself and shoot some hoops with some friends. Join a yoga class or go for a walk with your dog—you’ll feel good knowing you did something productive.

UTM women’s hockey falls in annual Humber tourney RACHELE MARCHAND The UTM women’s extramural hockey team played at the Humber North Extramural Ice Hockey Tournament this weekend.

The Eagles opened the tournament against Sault College, losing 2-0.

Goalie Alessandra Andreacchi kept the Eagles in the game with multiple breakaways and point-blank saves.

Sault was able to get one past Andreacchi off a scramble in front of the net with 52 seconds remaining in the first period. The Eagles almost responded when Joey Ness rang a shot off the post.

The Eagles continued to push hard in the third period, but a cross-checking penalty with five minutes remaining slowed their momentum. Andreacchi was pulled from her net with 48 seconds to play, but it didn’t help since Sault scored an empty-net goal.

The Eagles played Lakehead College in their second game. Coach Jasmine Sheehan encouraged her players

to battle every moment of the game without backing down. Khamoni Power scored in front of the net off a beautiful feed from Nicole Di Carlo.

The Eagles dominated the second period with Rachel Carvalho walking in for a fair chance, but missed the net trying to shoot the puck top corner. “[The third period] was the best period of hockey played by this team all year,” said Sheehan.

The Eagles extended their lead to 2-0 when defenceman Layla Barazi made a beautiful pass to Carvalho, who stood alone in front of the net, making no mistake burying the puck top shelf—where they keep the peanut butter.

Ness extended the lead to 3-0; starting from the Eagles blue line, she skated passed Lakehead players and the opposing goaltender, scoring another top-shelf goal. The Eagles’ win secured them a spot in the quarterfinals against Mohawk College.

The Eagles didn’t score in the first period and relied on Andreachhi to

keep the other team from scoring.

The Eagles outplayed Mohawk in the second, but couldn’t bury their chances.

Ness came off the bench, picked up the loose puck, split the defence, and shot the puck to the top right corner to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.

Mohawk capitalized on their power play by slapping a shot past a screened Andreacchi to tie the game.

The Eagles almost lost the game with 1:19 remaining, but a diving Andreacchi swept the puck off the goal line just before it crossed.

Tied 1-1 at the end of the third, both teams prepared for extra time.

The Eagles lost the shootout after seven rounds, though Andreacchi did a great job stopping five of seven shooters. This loss eliminated the Eagles from the tournament.

“All of those games were winnable.

We have the skill to win; we just need the effort and the confidence,” says Andreachhi.