Volume 44 issue 17

THE VOICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA

January 29, 2018 Volume 44, Issue 17 themedium.ca

Residence fees to go up

Let’s talk about Gal Gadot

The Crucible’s themes

What’s new about NAFTA?

A basketball pre-game ritual

News, page 2

Opinion, page 5

Arts, page 9

Features, page 12

Sports, page 15

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01.29.2018

Increases to UTM housing rates passed The 2018-2019 ancillary budget will see increases in residence fees and renovations are expected to begin ALICIA BOATTO NEWS EDITOR

The University of Toronto Mississauga’s Campus Council approved the ancillary budget for the 20182019 year, which includes raising residence fees and meal plans, on Wednesday January 24th.

The rates for residences are expected to increase incrementally over the next ten years, in order to pay for phased renovations and updates to the various townhouse complexes located on campus.

The updates are slated to begin next year, with the Putnam Place residences being taken “offline” or out of service while the renovations are taking place. Members of the council stated that the temporary loss of Putnam Place would not impact the number of available beds UTM offers to students, as the apartments units in Erindale Hall will be returned to student use. The rooms on the upper floors of Erindale Hall had been converted to faculty office space for the last two years while the North Building was under construction.

One student, objecting to the

JEANLOUIS REBELLO/THE MEDIUM

The next 10 years will have incremental increases in residence rates. raises, stated that the funding packages graduate students receive to stay on campus that encompass rent don’t reflect the raises being implemented, leaving students in debt to pay their residence fees. The student also stated that increases have been occurring for years without any

renovations being completed in the homes.

When asked if the increase in fees would stop after the renovations were completed in ten years, Chad Nuttal, the director of student housing and residence life denied the possibility that increases would stop.

“I don’t see a future where we’d not increase rates,” Nuttal stated.

The university is currently focused on updating the current structure of residence buildings as part of their 10-year plan. Nuttal did not rule out a newly constructed residence building in the future.

Rises in meal plans are also expected to occur starting next year as a result of the Ontario minimum wage increase, according to UTM’s interim chief administrative officer Susan Senese.

Senese stated that the rise will be under four per cent, although a specified number was not disclosed.

The committee also discussed a university-wide plan to reaffirm the school’s stance on freedom of speech and hate speech. UTM’s principal Ulrich Krull said that the upcoming plan is due to multiple instances where white supremacist posters have been hung across the three campuses.

U of T will be establishing a website to highlight the university’s stance on supremacist groups, and actions that can be taken if such paraphernalia is found on campus.

The website is also intended to help direct students to report such posts and incidents.

Krull’s report also included an update on funding from the City of Mississauga. During the construction of the Innovation Centre, the city pledged $10 million in funding.

Housing continued on page 3

Scarborough’s CRO quits after protest Mahir Zuber alleges he was assaulted after students stormed the SCSU’s 2018 All-Candidates Meeting ALICIA BOATTO NEWS EDITOR Mahir Zuber, the chief returning officer for the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union spring elections has resigned, claiming an unsafe work environment following a protest at the All-Candidates Meeting of the elections.

“I regret to inform you that I will be resigning from my position as CRO. During the All-Candidates meeting, I was grabbed by students, thrown onto a table and punched in the face,” Zuber’s statement read, “Because of these events, I do not wish to continue as CRO for fear of my own safety.”

The protest took place on January 22nd, when a group of students stormed the meeting protesting the disqualifications of several candidates and claimed there was collusion concerning the CRO within the proceedings.

The Election Referendum Com-

SCSU.CA/PHOTO

The SCSU’s chief returning officer for the spring elections has resigned. mittee also released a statement through the SCSU’s Facebook page defending the CRO’s decision to disqualify the unnamed candidates. Ac-

cording to their statement, candidate Deena Hassan was disqualified after “wearing a sweater indicating their position and/or status while collect-

ing nominations which is a violation of the EPC.” Hassan received a total of 40 demerit points that accumulated in disqualification.

Comments responding to the statement alleged that Hassan was wearing a SCSU sweater.

The demerit points were assigned to Hassan due to alleged violation of the EPC in section C under Fair Play.

Hassan received 15 demerit points for “Abuse of power and position.”

The Election Procedural Code lists the amount of demerit points allotted to a certain offence, but does not detail what the offence entails. No criteria is given to define “abuse of power”.

Candidates have the ability to appeal any demerit points assigned during the election period. An appeal meeting was held on January 22nd to review Hassan’s case.

The ERC’s statement maintained its stance that Hassan would remain disqualified despite the student protest.

“The Elections and Appeals Committee’s decision is final and not open to be appealed again.”

CRO continued on page 4

01.29.2018 THE MEDIUM NEWS

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UTM strengthens IT security

January 18th, 2018 Police Assistance Campus Police attended lot 6 for a parking complaint. The vehicle was towed due to excessive tickets.

January 19th, 2018 Police Assistance Campus Police attended the TFC for female feeling unwell. ECSpeRT attended and provided medical assistance to the female. She began to feel better no further treatment was required.

January 22, 2018 Trespass to Property Act Library security advised Campus Police of a non-community member vaping in the library. Campus Police attended and the male was trespassed.

January 18th, 2018 Police Assistance Campus Police attended a residence unit for a male requiring medical attention. EMS also attended and the male was transported to hospital.

January 19th, 2018 Theft A student had left his laptop unattended on the third floor of the library. Upon returning, the laptop was gone. Campus Police attended and canvassed the area. Investigation is ongoing.

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

In December, over 1,500 U of T students accounts were hacked and their data breached.

January 20th, 2018 Police Assistance Campus Police, ECSpeRT, EMS, and MFD attended a residence unit for a male feeling unwell. The male refused transport to hospital but was advised to see a physician.

January 22, 2018 Theft A student reported to Campus Police that his belongings were taken from an unlocked locker in the RAWC semi-private family changing room.

January 23, 2018 Theft A student returned to her vehicle parked in lot 8. Upon returning, she noticed the spare tire for her Jeep Wrangler was missing. Campus Police attended and canvassed the area.

Housing continued from page 2 Krull explained that the funding was designed to be given at the rate of $1 million per year and can be given annually after a vote from the city.

While the funds for this year were approved by Mississauga, Krull stated that the future of the funding may be in question in light of an upcoming municipal election.

“We will be doing the best we can to promote our cause,” stated Krull.

The committee also discussed updating the university’s IT security. In

a presentation given by Luke Barber, the acting director of Infrastructure, Solutions and Security at UTM, Barber explained that the campus will be adding two additional firewalls to block any hackers looking to steal students’ account information.

Barber stated that approximately 50,000 to 600,000 viruses are filtered through U of T emails each day, and there were 1,500 university accounts breached last December.

There are currently two data centres on the UTM campus. A third data centre is looking to be added in the

new science building that will focus solely on preserving and protecting research data, according to Barber.

Krull also provided an update regarding the new science building.

Currently, the school is trying to determine which architectural company will be designing the new building.

Over 20 companies are currently competing to be selected.

The new science building is expected to draw in more graduate students and create more research opportunities at UTM.

UTMSU hosts multicultural week This is the third year UTMSU hosted events and shows

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

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

Graffiti in all-gendered bathrooms investigated YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

This year’s festivities featured expanded events and cultural showcases.

FATIMA WASIF ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR An on-going investigation is being conducted by the University of Toronto Mississauga’s Campus Police after homophobic comments were discovered on January 4th in the CCT building’s all-gendered bathrooms.

The comments stated “1 man + 1 woman.” They are believed to have been made in the week prior to their finding, according to Rob Messacar, the manager of the campus police services. Another comment included a complaint concerning no change tables in the bathrooms for infants.

As of press time, there is no knowledge of who made the comments in question.

“UTM remains a safe community.

Incidents involving vandalism of this type remain uncommon, however we should all remain vigilant and immediately report any suspicious activ-

ity occurring on our campus,” stated Messacar in an email to The Medium.

According to Messacar, the comments were not directed at any specific individual and an investigation is still ongoing.

A comment reading “1 man + 1 woman” was found scrawled inside CC’s all gendered bathrooms promoting a campus police investigation.

An additional complaint regarding unsuitable posters around Davis was also made. The posters were advertisements for a commercial gun range. No prior approval was given for the posters to be put up, and they were promptly removed on the 17th of January by the campus police.

KAYVAN AFLAKI

The University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union hosted its third annual Multicultural Week last week, celebrating the cultural and ethnic traditions of UTM’s student population which included a cultural carnival, cultural show, and food festival.

Running from Monday to Wednesday, the three days of festivities began with a Cultural Carnival hosted in the Student Centre, showcasing diverse cultures comprising UTM’s student population. Among the presenters were student clubs and school organizations, including the Canadian Asian Student Society and UTM’s Middle Eastern Student Association, who tabled with traditional food and flags from around the world.

“We always do try to make every

year bigger than the last and I think we have achieved that this year as a number of different countries and cultures were represented by their respective club,” stated Salma Fakhry in an email to The Medium.

Among several other events throughout Multicultural Week, a UTM snowball fight announced by UTM was also hosted on Monday.

A Food Fair, focused exclusively on sharing cuisine from cultures around the world, also took place on Tuesday at the Student Centre.

“I think it’s great to see so many different sides of students at the school,” said Nicholas Prevedel, a third-year biology student and attendee at the Cultural Showcase, “The free events and free food make it an awesome experience. I can’t wait to come back again next year.”

The week was concluded with the Cultural Showcase, a campus-wide

and community exhibition of UTM’s cultural composition. Student participants and cultural clubs donned traditional attire and performed music and dances in the presentation room of the Student Centre. UTM students and members of the community were in attendance throughout the fourhour cultural celebration.

“As a first year, I was pretty nervous to get involved in clubs in the first semester of school,” said Soman Talash, first-year student and participant in Wednesday night’s Cultural Showcase to The Medium, “I think Multi-Cultural Week was a good chance to make new friends and participate on campus.”

Talash stated that events like Wednesday’s Cultural Carnival and Multicultural Week at large promote inclusion and a sense of community on campus.

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THE MEDIUM 01.29.2018

»WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE

CUPE sets strike deadline

ASPECT OF YOUR CULTURE?

Aureld Benavidez 2nd year, DEM

Shahmir Akhter 1st year, Comp Sci.

Nicaragua; “How friendly the people are.”

Pakistan; “The sense of community, the sense of closeness, and belonging.”

MAHMOUD SAROUJI/THE MEDIUM

February 26th is the final day for negotiating before a strike occurs.

Nisa Hassan 3rd year, DEM

Carl Kersey 3rd year, English

Pakistan; “The food and cooking with my mom.”

French-Canadian; “The tightness of your family as a community.”

AYESHA TAK COPY EDITOR

negotiations that the union plans to discuss with the university.

Unit 1 of CUPE3902 has set a strike deadline on February 26th for the University of Toronto’s administration.

CUPE 3902 Unit 1 had a meeting on January 22 to discuss a strike deadline in the Convocation Hall at the St. George campus. According to an update posted on the CUPE 3902 website, the union adopted a strike deadline of February 26, with the last day of conciliation being February 7th .

On January 30, the Unit 1 Bargaining team plan to host a virtual townhall to update a wider audience on the

February 26th marks the final date that CUPE Unit 1 and the U of T administraion have to reach a new agreement before the TA’s go on strike.

At the beginning of January, CUPE filed to enter into a conciliation period with the university. The conciliation period signified that a third party appointed by the Ministry of Labour would assist in facilitating negotia-

tions.

A rally has also been planned on February 7. The rally is held by CUPE 3902 to mobilize student support on the union’s last day of conciliation.

This past December, the union held a strike mandate vote in which 89.4 per cent were in support of a strike mandate.

In March of 2015, approximately 6,000 teaching assistants and course instructors from Unit 1 went on strike across the three U of T campuses for several weeks before reaching a tentative agreement with the university.

CUPE 3902 Unit 1 represents all teaching assistants and sessional lecturers at U of T.

The EPC does not Nour Alideeb reelected to CFS define violations Former UTMSU president will serve as chairperson for second term

MAISHA ISLAM/THE VARSITY

Zuber’s claims of assault have been called “untrue.”

CRO continued from page 2 Both posts regarding the CRO’s resignation and the statement by the ERC received backlash on social media, calling the CRO’s allegations of being “thrown” and “punched” untrue.

A video footage from the protest showed one of the disqualified candidates standing on the main table of the meetings, and alleging that her disqualification was “unjust.”

Another commenter identified himself as a candidate who was disqualified for not achieving the correct number of nomination signatures, alleging that the CRO claimed his 100th signature came from a nonstudent and was not valid.

The Medium reached out to SCSU’s president, Sitharsana Srithas, for comment on the protest but did not receive a reply as of press time.

“I was grabbed, thrown onto a table and punched in the face,” Zuber alleged in his resignation statement.

With the CRO’s resignation, it is currently unclear if the timeline of the student elections will be affected or if the elections will be postponed until later in the semester.

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Alideeb will be serving her second term as chairperson for the CFS. ALICIA BOATTO NEWS EDITOR

Former UTMSU president Nour Alideeb has been re-elected to serve as the chairperson for the Canadian Federation of Students in Ontario.

The chairperson is responsible for overseeing campaigns, representing the Federation at a provincial level, and working alongside government officials.

“The upcoming year will be very exciting as both provincial and municipal elections will be taking place,” stated Alideeb in an email to The Medium. “I hope to prioritize our newest campaign of the federation called ‘Fairness For Students’

which focuses on 12 different student priorities that impact the way students access post-secondary education.”

Nour Alideeb previously served as UTMSU’s president for the 20162017 academic year, and lobbied for free tuition for students.

“Each of the 12 topics has a section outlining specific demands which were developed in conjunction with our coalition partners,” she added. “I love this campaign

because it brings many of our currently existing campaigns and ties it into one beautiful package.”

Alideeb stated that the campaign will begin on February 1st and progress after the municipal elections.

CFS represents 29 post-secondary student unions in Ontario and over 80 student unions across Canada. All three U of T campuses currently maintain a membership with the CFS and require a fee to be paid through tuition.

The St. George student union, along with a local group called You Decide U of T, has advocated that U of T students should have the right to choose what organizations they wish to pledge a membership.

01.29.2018

MASTHEAD EDITORS Editor-in-Chief Mahmoud Sarouji editor@themedium.ca Managing Editor Menna Elnaka managing@themedium.ca News Alicia Boatto news@themedium.ca A&E Kassandra Hangdaan arts@themedium.ca Features Mahnoor Ayub features@themedium.ca Sports Vanessa Cesario sports@themedium.ca — Photo Olivia Adamczyk photos@themedium.ca Design Mirabelle Eze design@themedium.ca Copy Ayesha Tak copy@themedium.ca Online Meg Sharpley online@themedium.ca ASSOCIATES News Fatima Wasif A&E Keena Al-Wahaidi Features Jessica Cabral Marium Faisal Sports Amrish Wagle Photo Chen Gong Yasmeen Alkoka Copy TBA GENERAL STAFF Webmaster Florence Cao web@themedium.ca Distribution Manager Alison Ross distribution@themedium.ca Ads Manager Mayank Sharma ads@themedium.ca Cartoonist Anthony Labonté 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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Gal Gadot isn’t a Wonder Woman for all Gal Gadot is not the Wonder Woman we all love on screen as she is off screen Seven months after the release of Wonder Woman, I find myself at odds with the actress behind the woman, Gal Gadot.

I absolutely loved the film. I believe that it was a step forward in the superhero genre that is a predominantly a male lead world; A film with not only a female lead actress, but also a female director, Patty Jenkins.

The film itself was well shot, beautifully directed, and honestly just a great film overall. The film came at a time where there were doubts about the success of DC universe’s film adaptations. Wonder Woman came to end the streak of poorly done DC universe films (Suicide Squad and Batman v. Superman to name a few).

If you haven’t heard the backlash against Gadot, I’ll summarize it here for you. Prior to her fame as Wonder Woman, she served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for two years.

After her service, she won the Miss Israel beauty pageant in 2004 and then entered the Miss Universe pageant the same year. Afterwards she went on to study law, and eventually became an actress in other films such as Fast & Furious.

What sparked the problem behind Gadot being cast as Wonder Woman was a Facebook post she made in 2014 which said the following: “I am sending my love and prayers to my fellow Israeli citizens. Especially to all the boys and girls who are risking their lives protecting my country against the horrific acts conducted by Hamas, who are hiding like cowards behind women and children...We shall overcome!!! Shabbat Shalom! #weareright#freegazafromhamas #stopterror#coexistance #loveidf ” Her post came at the time that Operation Protective Edge was being executed along the Gaza Strip which, according to BBC, resulted in 2,104 Palestinian deaths, including 1,462 civilians, of which included 495 children and 253 women, along with 66 Israeli soldiers, and 7 remaining civilians in Israel. Now, whether Gadot

was making her post about this attack is unclear. However it can be understood as a reaction to it nonetheless.

This is troubling. From a personal standpoint, I have not been an activist nor have I been an outspoken individual about the conflict. Unless people ask me about it, then I explain it. When I read about it, I get just as frustrated and upset as anyone else who understands the conflict would. However, there is a big issue with Gadot’s support for this mission that I don’t think is being discussed enough.

The issue about Gadot making this post supporting her military is that without having to explicitly say it, she’s supporting the slaughtering of innocent Palestinians. Though the mission was deemed to be an operation to fight the evils of Hamas within the Gaza Strip, the death toll speaks for itself.

Think about it, 1,462 civilians. Civilians like you and me, who walk the street, whose lives were taken away in an instant. Just gone.

Gadot’s support for her military during this operation is troubling because she also is playing a character whose prime objective in the universe is to protect life, fight against the murder of innocent people, and to be a symbol and role model for women around the world. She’s playing a character meant to empower women from everywhere. Wonder Woman suddenly became an inspiration and an embodiment of the strength women have on this world.

How can the character of Wonder Woman be played by an actress who has openly supported the murder of innocent Palestinians? The very same Wonder Woman who fights Nazi Soldiers in Germany to protect innocent children from the regime.

I do find it to be hypocritical. As a comic book fanatic and film geek, I’m disappointed because there are young girls who are currently looking up to Gadot as an idol. She’s someone who has changed the lives of so

many young girls, and they want to emulate everything she is both and off the set. Though, she’s forgotten about the Palestinian girls that were brutally murdered by the military she supports.

This is a clear example of why inclusion not only matters on the screen, but off screen as well. I’m not asking for Gadot’s career to suffer over this but I’m asking for a discussion—for her to be aware of the issue at hand. Her support for the turmoil, destruction, and the acts of genocide by the military she supports has destroyed the lives of young Palestinian girls who want to be Wonder Woman. Gadot’s support for the military’s actions is contradictory to everything she aims to represent with Wonder Woman.

The issue of Gadot supporting the IDF for their actions toward the Palestinian people and her role as Wonder Woman has been brushed under the rug. It’s upsetting because while we—including myself—complain and fight back against about a racist, sexually aggressive man holding one of the strongest political offices in the world, we forget that it isn’t just those in office who we need to be criticizing.

Wonder Woman is a character that I deeply love and I hope she continues to be an inspiration for young girls from all over the world. Her message is to give women the inspiration to show their strength against a world dominated by men. She’s a symbol of hope and of inclusion with aims to bring all of the wonder women out from the fog of a male-dominated society. These are just a few things that Wonder Woman stands for.

However, Gadot has proved through her continuous support for the IDF that she is against that. You don’t get to pick and choose which group of women deserve to be empowered in the world. You want to empower women, Gadot? Then empower all of them including the murdered girls and women laying in their

graves in Palestine that your beloved military put there. Realize that there is a massive problem when the death toll of innocent civilians in a raid to “eliminate” Hamas is more than half of the overall death toll.

Wonder Woman was a powerful film that was well done by all those who had a hand in making it. This op-ed isn’t a discussion of Gadot’s character or her personality. This was a piece to make those who are blind to the disgusting, immoral, and downright terrible events happening all over our world more aware.

Gadot’s Facebook post about the IDF was a poignant example of her using her status and power as a celebrity to create even more of divide between our world. So, I say to you Gadot, if you really want us to #Stopterror and #freegazafromHamas, then wake up and realize that your beloved military is the very thing stopping Gaza from being free and allowing terror to exist.

If you really want us to #Coexist, learn to do so with the Palestinians that are being slaughtered every day in Israel’s backyard. If we really want to start talking about inclusion of women in film and television, start including women who empower both on and off the screen. Give us a Wonder Woman who includes all women, not someone who wants to be a symbol for women’s empowerment in front of a camera, whilst supportting the murder of innocent people through social media or behind a uniform—whether it’s of the military or of Wonder Woman.

YOURS, MAHMOUD SAROUJI

CORRECTION NOTICE The Jan. 22 article Rewind Column, “O Canada! Here’s to our native land”, and “international Ph.D. fees lessened” has been corrected.

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Everyone in Salem is watching you Secrecy is brewing in Salem and Hart House Theatre’s third production is here to unravel the lies KASSANDRA HANGDAAN A&E EDITOR In Massachusetts lies a town called Salem, well-known in pop culture for the infamous 17th century witch trials. The Crucible’s premier on January 19 marks Arthur Miller’s tale of witchcraft as Hart House Theatre’s third production of the season. Under the direction of Michael Rubinstein, the play’s undercurrent themes of secrecy, lies, and mystery were brought to the forefront.

“The Crucible is a tale of caution that warns of the deadly consequences when a society allows fear, suspicion, and superstitious gossip to rule over facts and reason,” reads Hart House’s broad online description of the play.

Published in 1953, Miller’s semifictionalized tale is set in a Puritan town. When Reverend Samuel Parris (Anthony Botelho) discovers his daughter Betty (Abigail Craven), his niece Abigail Williams (Courtney Lamanna), and other town girls dancing in a forest, he immediately suspects witchcraft. Upon discovery, Betty fades in and out of consciousness throughout act one of the play.

Upon returning with news of pos-

SCOTT GORMAN/PHOTO

The minimalistic set was fitting for the sombre mood of the play. sible witchcraft, Parris unsettles the rest of Salem with the foreboding revelations. Amidst the uproar, Abigail finds herself alone with John Proctor (Jon Berrie)—the man with whom she develops an affair, while employed as a servant in his household.

Abigail assures John that she did not commit witchcraft. What follows is an explosive series of events that involve

Elizabeth Proctor’s (Melissa Taylor) tumultuous relationship with her husband, Reverend Hale’s (Nicholas Koy Santillo) intervention in the trials, and Mary Warren’s (Nina Rose Taylor) imprisonment. All these events, coupled with accusations of witchcraft weighing heavily on Abigail and the rest of the girls, cultivate an atmosphere of distrust among the

residents of Salem.

Taylor’s portrayal of Elizabeth’s growing tension with her husband was moving. When John confesses in order to placate the town’s need for scapegoats, Elizabeth shares an emotionally-charged moment with her husband. In this scene, Taylor’s expression is one of melancholy— suggesting that, perhaps, this inter-

pretation of Elizabeth showcases a different side of the character, particularly one that expresses a softer side to Elizabeth. Taylor’s softer interpretation stands in stark contrast to cold-hearted, iron lady portrayals of Elizabeth.

Lamanna, as well, brought a refreshing performance of Abigail on stage. In the play, Abigail is supposed to be 17 years old. Yet, Lamanna’s rich voice, which carries throughout the theatre as she speaks her lines, adds an air of maturity to what could have been easily been a more childish portrayal of Abigail. When Lamanna reads her lines, she reads with authority—enunciating each syllable with confidence. On stage, Abigail seemed mature well beyond her age suggested. This added a kind of Lolita stylization of Abigail throughout the performance.

What was particularly noteworthy of the Hart House’s showing of the play was the set. The set design

by Chris Penna featured a circular wooden platform, inside the proscenium, serving as the stage for the actors.

Crucible continued on page 11

Deconstructing our sleeping patterns The Art Museum at U of T brings together professionals for a 12-hour night of sleep exploration MEGAN ATHAIDE

The Art Museum at the U of T worked in collaboration with the Cultural Service of the French Embassy in Canada to bring artists, historians, writers, and other professionals for a night of deconstructing the action of sleep.

Notable persons at the event include French ambassador Kareen Rispal, Princeton University professor Beatriz Colomina, and warden of Hart House John Monahan.

The event, entitled Night of Ideas: To Sleep or not to Sleep is an exhibition featuring works of art centred around the concept of sleep. A discussion was held to raise awareness of sleep politics. General inquiries regarding sleep were also answered.

Sometimes we remember them and sometimes they scare us; dreams are interesting thoughts to be analyzed and depicted by professors in differing fields. Wilfred Laurier English professor Ian MacRae discussed psychoanalysis of dreams, with a focus on the works of sociologist and philosopher Theodor Adorno.

ARTMUSEUM.UTORONTO.CA/PHOTO

Professionals from academia and the medical field probed into society’s influence on sleep.

Dr. MacRae shared Adorno’s methods of recording dreams and later finding meaning within them.

Through his description of Adorno, Dr. MacRae highlighted the concept of censorship within dreams

and posed the question of control in dreams for the audience to reflect upon. Jill Carter, an assistant professor of Drama and Indigenous Studies at U of T, explored dreams from the perspective of the indig-

enous community. Dr. Carter spoke of dreams as a gift from the creator that must not go unappreciated, as they go hand-in-hand with the gifts of understanding truth and justice.

The conclusion of this discussion was

that indigenous people must awaken from their dreams to pursue truth and justice within a oppressive colonialist society.

Next, U of T professor of comparative literature and philosophy, Rebecca Comay, gave her own interpretation of Sigmund Freud’s couch—a prop that Freud used while he was practicing hypnosis—as a place of understanding dreams. Dr. Comay then described the couch as a means to trigger speech from patients, since lying on the couch creates a familiar sleeping atmosphere for the patient.

The main message, I think, that Dr. Comay was trying to convey is the obscurity of dreaming. Perhaps, dreams will always be a black hole for us, open to interpretation.

In the discussion of sleep, the views of cognitive and physiological effects of different amounts of sleep cycles were discussed. The majority of the panelists came to the unanimous conclusion that we need to sleep. Panelists also agreed that sleep deprivation ultimately has serious consequences.

Sleep continued on page 10

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Catching some Zs: Figures of Sleep What does sleep mean to you? Figures of Sleep conveys messages about sleep through artistry KEENA AL-WAHAIDI ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR The opening reception of the Art Museum at U of T’s newest exhibit, Figures of Sleep, took place on January 25 at University College. The exhibit aimed to explore concepts of what we do when we fall asleep, how we do it, and why. It did, in fact, leave me in the dark for a little bit—literally and figuratively.

The exhibition’s statement describes the collection works in “consider[ing] the cultural anxieties manifest in the popular and critical imagination around the collapsing biological function of sleep under economic, social, and technological transformation.”

Figures of Sleep explores the ways in which sleep is altered under a social and political standpoint. It directs our attention to how sleep offers remedies to our problems, and how sleep in itself can often just be a temporary solution to these notions.

My peers and I enter the exhibit with little knowledge of how this idea works—however, we are excited to find out. One work that helped us grasp it was Rebecca Belmore’s “Dream Catcher”—a site for indigenous struggle. The work depicts a woman with a long blanket draped over her. She sleeps on a faded grey sidewalk lined with crusted leaves

TONI HAFKENSCHEID/PHOTO

The exhibit explores the act of sleeping and the reasons for doing so. and a loose white feather hovering above the image. A vibrant, furcoat-wearing Italian woman stands next to us and revels within the image. It’s a carpet of some sort, a hanging piece of material with the image sown right onto it.

“I wonder,” an art-goer, whose name I did not catch, asked, “Why the artist chose to depict a lion and an elephant on her blanket. Why not other animals?”

Jason Han, a fourth-year music student, replied, “Elephants are known for their memories. Maybe she wants to depict that indigenous people will always remember what they’ve been subjected to.”

Staring longer at the piece, I have to agree. In contrast, the image of

the lioness portrays what the woman needs to be in a society that forces her to react like the elephant— strong-willed and ready to defend herself when needed.

We got some more information from an attendant working at the exhibit. She answered all of my questions with one question of her own: “What is sleeping, to you?” I wasn’t sure what to make of it because it’s nothing that I’ve taken time to explore. “That’s basically what this is. An exploration of sleep,” she said.

Sitting there in the middle of the gallery, I spot a thick, bold stump with a sleeping bag on its side. Perhaps symbolizing homeless culture, it’s a giant statement to that idea in

itself.

Besides the works of art, I had to take into consideration the kind of lighting that was overhead. The entire exhibit, I realized before leaving, was dimly lit, but there was enough light to see what we needed to see.

The lighting of the gallery was important to how each work was supposed to be manifested. In the dark, we don’t see very much, so we might not understand sleep on its own. When given a little light, perhaps there’s a leeway into noticing what sleep does to us on a regular basis.

The other part of the Figures of Sleep exhibit was held in Hart House, where the works were lim-

ited, but had the same exhilarating affect as the former. The gallery was dark this time, with two works on display.

The first room we approached was pitch black, with phrases, words, and sentences projected onto the four white walls. They were in different languages—some in German, some in English, and some in Spanish. The work was by two artists named Peter Fischli and David Weiss, called “Question Projections.” They had been collecting various sources for their work since the 80s.

It seemed that these writings on the walls were thoughts that came to people consciously and unconsciously when they are asleep. Some phrases, in English, included: “How much is 43 x 87?” or “Does a secret tunnel lead directly to the kitchen?”

Another in German read: “Soll ich mich selest befriedigen?”

Figures of Sleep left me with a different acceptation of sleeping, in a sense. The exhibit was keen on showing the direct visualization of it, and how sleep delves outside of the idea of just closing one’s eyes and resting.

The idea here is that sleep must act as a way to notice societal issues and how sleep ultimately helps us understand life’s burdens.

Figures of Sleep runs until March 3 at the Art Museum.

A paintbrush skirmish It’s snooze time

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OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Art battles are spaces for amature and professional artists alike to battle it out.

BRIANNA LEGERE STAFF WRITER

Art Battle International hosted Art Battle Mississauga this past Wednesday, featuring twelve artists—ranging from professional and amateur in skill level. The event was an evening of live competitive painting.

In each round, artists are given 20 minutes to paint their best piece of work using only acrylic paint and non-mechanical tools, such as brushes, rollers, and pallet knives. At the end of the first and second round, guests place their vote on their favourite pieces of work, and the top two artists move on to the third and final round. The top artist of the third round is the winner of the battle and has the opportunity to move on to the regional competition and possibly the national competition.

The four finalists, in no particular order, were Michael Huggins, Khaula Mazhar, Jia Cao, and Bhaivari Jathar.

Huggins is a professional painter,

Art Battle expert, and past finalist.

Huggins was a pleasure to watch; creating dark, graphic portraits at incredible speed. It was amazing to walk around all the easels and then return to see what he had added to his work in just a minute or two. Huggins piece from the first round, a dark portrait blended with reds, greens, and purple, was one of my favourites of the night.

Mazhar, a realist painter and Art Battle veteran, created two unique and beautiful paintings throughout the night. Her first-round painting started with a totally black canvas, before she delicately painted a falling wine glass that held a goldfish. In the final round, Mazhar switched gears and painted a roaring wave, rushing in front of a beautifully blended sunset.

Jathar is a graphic designer who showcased her skill and unique techniques in her first ever Art Battle.

Jathar swayed to the music as she used a paint roller to begin both her pieces. In her final-round piece she blended oranges, blues, and greens

with her roller to create an abstract background; in this piece, she added a rainy city scape in black and grey.

This piece was my favourite for the final round, as it came together so beautifully and with so many interesting techniques.

Finally, Cao is an amateur painter and Art Battle first-timer. Her firstround piece was a gorgeous traditional autumn landscape with added abstract elements. She switched tone entirely for the final round, painting a watercolour vase of flowers using on blue and white. Cao finished her final-round piece with eight minutes to spare, but she seemed confident that her work was complete. This confidence paid off as Cao ultimately took home the win. Upon accepting, she stated that her art inspiration was to “simply paint natural things that make me happy,” which she showcased in both of her creations.

The Living Arts Centre will be hosting two more battles in the near future, with a youth event on March 10. A second adult art battle will be held on May 16.

Sleep deprivation was a topic of discussion for the night.

Sleep continued from page 9 Kenton Krocker from York University put sleep politics in the spotlight. Dr. Krocker gave a historical recount of encephalitis lethargica, a disease suffered by young children during the 1920s that lead to the disruption of sleep. This disease made children act out negatively. Dr. Krocker came to the conclusion that sleep is necessary for cognitive functioning.

Sometimes we remember them, and sometimes they scare us; dreams are interesting thoughts.

Another topic discussed in sleep topics was how society affects the amount of sleep people get. This was spoken about mainly in the context of shift work. U of T professor Richard Horner stated that the World

Health Organization has classified shift work as a possible carcinogen due to its effects of stress on our circadian rhythm. Recognizing sleep deprivation as harmful is crucial in moving towards a society that places more value on sleep. Christelle Peyron, from Centre de Research en Neurosciences de Lyon, informed listeners about quality versus quantity of sleep. Peyron explained that the more activity during the day results in deeper sleep and can, therefore, help one reach an optimal cognitive, physiological, and psychological state of functioning. While many distinguished and successful leaders claim to require less sleep, the panelists agreed that it is not a fact, and is meant for portraying themselves as higher functioning and mechanical in their way of achieving their goals. Everyone has different needs for sleep and it is necessary to obtain the right amount for your health.

The Night of Ideas ran from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. of the following day on January 25.

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ARTS THE MEDIUM 01.29.2018

Life after The Medium Nives Hajdin, a former A&E editor, gives a career overview VICTORIA DANESI STAFF WRITER

The Cine-Files is a weekly podcast hosted by Steve Morris and John Rocha. Morris is a filmmaker and directing instructor. Rocha is a voiceover artist and host on Collider Video.

In the podcast, both hosts choose a film and discuss its production history, themes, and legacy in the industry. There is a myriad of reasoning behind the selection, such as important anniversaries of film history. For example, In the Heat of the Night (1967), the fiftieth anniversary of the film’s release was a subject of focus. Morris and Rocha would then proceed to converse about a film, particularly in terms of the plot and interjecting facts about the production, or how it shaped the film industry. In an episode on The Shining (1980), Stanley Kubrick’s directing techniques are discussed, along with his obsession of making the actors retake many scenes.

The highlight of the podcast is the conversational chemistry between Morris and Rocha. Morris provides a more technical voice to the podcast.

He provides information regarding filmmaking techniques, while Rocha delves more into the emotional significance of the film. This blend of perspectives, with an underlying laid-

back approach, provides an enjoyable and informative discussion for the listener.

Recently, the hosts dedicated four episodes to a film that has been considered the greatest film ever made: Citizen Kane (1941) by Orson Welles. Having watched Citizen Kane for the first time recently, I was not as impressed by it as I expected to be. However, listening to Morris’ explanation about the revolutionary techniques Welles used, my outlook on the film has changed. The podcast acts as a film school for listeners wanting to expand their appreciation of a particular film.

In certain episodes, guests are included who have a special connection to the film. In their discussion of Blade Runner (1982), Access Hollywood’s Scott Mantz provides insight on the mystery of the film’s plot and its unique development from box office bomb to sci-fi cult classic. Additionally, Joe Mantegna, star of the television show Criminal Minds, is also a guest sharing his love for The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).

Charlie Chaplin’s silent film Modern Times (1936) and Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo (1961) have been highlighted in the podcast. With a focus more on classic film, The Cine-Files provides an opportunity for listeners to study important films in history they may never have been aware of.

REWIND KEENA AL-WAHAIDI ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR The first time I saw Titanic, I was 17 years old and decided it was time to give in to all the hype. Always one to treasure latest crazes and fads, it was admittedly strange that I hadn’t watched the movie up until this point.

When the movie was re-released in 2012—this time in 3D—I decided to spend a night watching this emotionally-charged film.

Titanic was originally released in 1997 and grossed a massive $3.4 billion at the box office, in DVD sales, and rentals. It tells the story of Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet), a young aristocrat boarding the infamous ship Titanic, with her mother and fiancé Cal, to get to Philadelphia. On the way, she meets rugged Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio), whose sweetness contrasts with her fiancé’s obtuseness. When the Titanic hits an iceberg, puncturing a hole in the ship, Rose and Jack’s budding romance is analogous to the ship’s inevitable demise.

In a nutshell, the film is thrillingly painful—the sorrow you feel as you watch the star-crossed lovers’ romance unfold is sure to keep you re-watching the tragic tale. It’s like listening to sad music when you feel down.

Jack’s character is like a lost little boy who knows where he’s going. He’s

the starving artist type and is swoonworthy, especially when he knows how to get a girl, like Rose, out of the dumps.

What causes tension for Rose and Jack is Rose’s courtship to Cal. Her courtship is economically and socially sensible. At 17 years old, her mother Ruth pushed her to marry Cal. Cal’s family maintains good finances and a steady lifestyle. Since Rose’s father lost everything due to gambling, Rose explored a practical and convenient option for her case—she married for money.

The film is based on the actual ship, hence the name Titanic, but, in reality, the focus is on Rose and Jack’s love story. We have to be swept into Jack’s fleeting sense of adventure and the way it rejuvenates Rose for the movie to make any decent sense. There’s no room for other characters, other beings, or even emotional investment into the Titanic itself.

One scene that struck out was when Rose and Jack are in the middle of the North Atlantic. Rose survives because Jack lets her rest on a wooden float of what used to be a door on the ship. All the while, Jack is submerged in the water and slowly lets hypothermia weaken his body. However, what puzzles me is that even though he tells Rose to never let go, I wonder why he did not hang up there with her all along.

KASSANDRA HANGDAAN A&E EDITOR Writing for TIFF, for some, is a journalistic milestone. For Nives Hajdin, this milestone is a reality. Hajdin currently works as TIFF’s editorial coordinator, and admits that her career journey so far has not been without hardships. Her career beginnings were humble. In fact, Hajdin, a UTM alumna of the class 2012, also worked at The Medium and served as the A&E editor from 2010-2012. What followed since her graduation from UTM and The Medium was a slew of stints in the art industry and journalism.

While at UTM, Hajdin studied art history and English. During her years as an undergraduate at UTM, Hajdin wrote for The Medium and had the opportunity to cover the TIFF as an accredited journalist. Commenting on this particular experience, Hajdin described it as amazing.

“It was very empowering to be 2021 years old and be taken seriously by such a prominent presence in the film industry. I gained so much confidence from that,” Hajdin added.

In terms of her general experience of working at The Medium, Hajdin expressed gratitude for the opportunity of combining her artistic passion with journalism. She described her writing specialty at the campus newspaper as profiling gallery exhibitions. On the side, Hajdin also worked as a gallery attendant at UTM’s Blackwood Gallery. Eventually, Hajdin pursued graduate studies in criticism and curatorial practice at OCAD University.

“Working at The Medium has been one of the best experiences of my life.

It didn’t just open doors for me down the road in my professional career, but it also gave me a sense of purpose and community in university early on,” Hajdin said.

When asked about how her education in the arts has influenced her career progression, Hajdsin said that the arts field is a “tough field” to find work. But, her work experience in the field proved to be advantageous.

“On top of that, my interests converged into something very specific,”

Hajdin stated, “That said, doing lots of internships while I was still in school was the best decision I could have made, because everyone just wants to see that you have real-world experience. Your first ‘career job’ is always the toughest to get because all you might have is a degree and that’s not always enough.”

Art history, for Hajdin, opened her sights to the subject of curatorial practice—something she later pursued in graduate school. While at graduate school, Hajdin met people who offered her future work and that, in turn, attracted the attention of Hajdin’s current employer at TIFF. “It’s all intertwined,” she said.

Her career break came via Young Canada Works programme. Hajdin was 20, and had just left her first retail job at Chapters. She found a posting for a job as a publication coordinator at the Art Metropole for a book. The job responsibilities entailed bringing together texts and images from artists centering around the theme of commerce.

“The book’s editor, Luis Jacob, had been working on the project for nearly 10 years and needed help finishing it,” Hajdin explained.

A particular reason for why Hajdin thinks she got the role as the publication coordinator was due to her previous occupational role at the Blackwood Gallery.

Hajdin said, “I’m forever grateful because it made me realize how much I love working on publications and managing projects. This was also another reason why I think I had an edge for the TIFF job.”

After this career break was a series of short employments—internships with Sotheby’s, the Canadian Art Foundation, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and Art in Transit. For these roles, Hajdin was exposed to catalogue essays, online reviews, and exhibition didactics. Upon receiving her graduate degree, Hajdin began writing curatorial texts and criticisms for the team projects in partnership with AGO First Thursdays, and interviewing artists for C Magazine. Now, working as the editorial coordinator at TIFF, Hajdin credits the connec-

tions she made while at OCAD University for the majority of her employment opportunities thus far.

“A lot of people think it’s impossible to get into big organizations like TIFF unless you know somebody on the inside, but that’s not always the case. I didn’t know anyone in the organization before I started. It certainly didn’t hurt that they saw I had previously volunteered at the Festival for two years, and no doubt my The Medium coverage was on file somewhere,” Hajdin said.

Her daily role at TIFF includes copyediting and fact-checking TIFF’s newsletters, press release, or film synopsis that is available to the public.

A notable project that Hajdin favorably anticipates is the annual Festival Programme Book. During the book’s two-week production period, work for Hajdin gets hectic.

Hajdin explained, “[Our team] quite literally runs around the building asking programmers for their final approvals, circulate page proofs to various departments, and make corrections on the fly in order to meet that day’s print deadline. There is no two-week period in the year that is more insane or more fun.”

In terms of writing advice for budding journalists, Hajdin encourages writers to continue writing, even if the process is not paid for. However, Hajdin cautions young journalists away from writing pretentiously. For Hajdin, the best kind of writing is writing that feels natural.

“I think it’s really important to not succumb to the overwhelming pressure of ‘sounding smart’ in your writing. A lot of writing, art criticism in particular, is very hard to parse through to the point that you don’t even know what the argument or end point is,” Hajdin continued, “I’ve spent a lot of time in academia and within these circles. It’s common practice to reference critical theory in your writing, but I think you can be just as successful by writing like you speak. Throwing around lingo like ‘object-oriented phenomenology’ in writing is kind of terrifying to me.

Just write how you feel.”

Salem holds no secrets Crucible continued from page 9

What was particularly noteworthy of the Hart House’s showing of the play was the set. The set design by Chris Penna featured a circular wooden platform, inside the proscenium, serving as the stage for the actors.

Two wooden pillars served as a makeshift entrance, or doorway, through which actors entered.

Throughout the play, the props were notably sparse. A bed on which Betty lay on was soon replaced with a wooden dining desk as the scene transitioned into the Proctor household. In a way, I think the scarcity of props employed for this play forced one to focus on the actors’ storytelling. The minimalistic wooden style of furniture, I also thought, was fitting

for the solemn mood of the play. In fact, I think it added more severity to the play’s mood.

Interesting to note is Hart House Theatre’s reasoning for selecting The Crucible for the season. When writing The Crucible, Miller intended to parallel the plot of the Salem Witch trials of 1692 with the politics of America in the 1950s. During Miller’s era, McCarthyism—or the practice of making unfounded accusations toward suspected communists—was prevalent.

Consequently, the play itself holds most relevance when reproduced in response to a politically unstable climate wherein accusations are widespread. “As Miller has noted, productions of the play seem to precede and follow revolutions,” wrote Christo-

pher Bigsby in an introduction chapter to Miller’s play.

In a media release, a possible response by Rubinstein highlights the timeless relevancy of the play itself. In reply to Hart House Theatre’s selection of the play, Rubinstein explained that the play serves as an allegory to the political climate of today.

Rubinstein said, “Why now? Because it might be more relevant than when it premiered more than 50 years ago. It’s a play filled with modern and contemporary issues, struggles, and human experience both individually, and as a whole from politics, to relationships, friendships, sex, power, love, religion, knowledge, and coming of age.”

The Crucible shows until February 3 at Hart House Theatre.

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Tweeting towards collective action The Medium explores the contribution of social media platforms towards initiating mobilization DELANEY ROMBOUGH

Last weekend, thousands of people around the United States and the world paraded through the streets for the 2018 Women’s March. When the first Women’s March occurred last year, expressing outrage against the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, many of us wondered if this was a momentary event that would eventually fizzle out. With the fizzle-fanning mobilization across the world, The Medium analyzes how protests have gained momentum through the past year.

Following Trump’s election, social media feeds were filled with expressions of resentment and disbelief.

According to a 2018 article by Farhad Manjoo from The New York Times titled “Social media’s globe shaking power,” social media has empowered people “to express their grievances and to follow people they see as echoing their grievances.” Some analysts also believe that Trump’s presence on social media influenced the 2016 election results.

Viewing the movement from a historical lens, in a 2012 paper by UTM

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Albeit the beginning of the year, January has seen protests for multiple causes all over the world. political science professor Dr. Spyridon Kotsovilis, titled “Six Degrees of Revolution: Political Networks, Diffusion Mechanisms and Mobilization in Collective Action Against Competitive Authoritarian Regimes,” the

professor explains how irrespective of whether the collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe and Soviet Union constitutes a third or a fourth wave of democracy, “The political events that marked the end of

the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century were nothing short of seismic.” From that perspective, the collective action and resulting democratizing revolutions have had similar organizational, relational features,

such as a collective leadership and domestic and transnational links that can be detected in the operations of the civil resistance group. Although western politics between 2017 and 2018 has not seen civil resistance, as analysts for The New York Times argue, it is perhaps not a coincidence that the 2018 Women’s Marches occurred on the one-year anniversary of Trump’s inauguration.

Social media and messaging applications have also emerged to be a key source of information for protesting groups to coordinate. As Manjoo argues in his New York Times argues, everyone has a smartphone and everyone is connected to at least one social network. People tweet and post Instagram photos and take videos of events as they are happening. This age of citizen journalism, as Manjoo explains, focuses on presenting reality, making sure the issues are shared with their networks, and are not brushed under the carpet by specific media sources.

Part of the power of social media, Manjoo argues, lies in its ability to reach a large audience.

Protest continued on page 14

A student’s guide to the NAFTA impasse The trade agreement, Trump, and what a dissolution could mean for Canada: The Medium investigates MARYAM FAISAL ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR The North American Free Trade Agreement may have crossed your glance when browsing through headlines or while watching the news. After President Donald Trump’s campaign promise to withdraw the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, many of us wait to see if the administration would abide by its promise of tearing up NAFTA. This treaty between Canada, Mexico, and the U.S., has agreed to remove trade barriers between the three countries. After its implementation in 1994, the gross domestic product for the three countries collectively reached over $20 trillion, making NAFTA the world’s largest free trade agreement. While the pros and cons of NAFTA are still heavily debated, according to an article first published on January 24th in 2017 by The Globe and Mail, titled, “NAFTA, Trump and Canada: A guide to the trade file and what it could mean for you,” output from the agreement’s trade allowances remains greater than the

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Under NAFTA, tariff taxes on trade between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico can be eliminated. economic output of the 28 countries in the entire European Union.

With the NAFTA implemented, tariffs on imports and exports between the three countries can be eliminated. Tariffs are taxes used to make foreign goods more expensive.

The detailed 2000-page of the agreement document specifically regulates trade in farm products, automobiles, and clothing.

Chapter 52 within the document also protects businesses from unfair practices. By doing so, any disputes

are resolved swiftly which helps all parties avoid hefty lawsuits. Other agreements within NAFTA include allowing business travelers easy access throughout Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. The agreement has thereafter been updated to include

two amendments: one to enforce environmental laws through occupation (North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation) and the other protects working conditions (North American Agreement on Labour Cooperation).

The question is then, what does Donald Trump want NAFTA to look like and what does it mean for Canada, being the world’s largest purchaser of U.S. goods? Firstly, according to the Peter Armstrong’s analysis in the November 11, 2017 publication of The Globe and Mail, the U.S. relies less on NAFTA than Canada does.

During his campaign and then at his inauguration, Trump guaranteed an “America First” administration —introducing a climate of competitive taxes and relaxed regulations approach to trade, immigration, and foreign affairs. The Trump administration has agreed to wait until the end of March 2018 for a final deal where progress is being made through the January 2018 NAFTA talks in Montreal.

Trade continued on page 14

01.29.2018 THE MEDIUM FEATURES» 13

The highs and lows of the wage debate UTM professor Kristin Plys from the sociology department discusses perspectives on minimum wage AYESHA TAK COPY EDITOR

On January 1, 2018, the provincial government of Ontario, headed by the Liberal Party of Canada, increased the minimum wage by 21 per cent; going from $11.60 to a staggering $14 per hour. Shortly after, Tim Hortons franchisee owners announced they will be rolling back benefits for all their employees, because of the wage rise. This prompted boycotts and protests across the country, including chants like “Hold the sugar, hold the cream, Tim Horton’s don’t be mean.”

According to an article by The Globe and Mail published on the same day as the announcement of the minimum-wage increase, small business owners voiced their concerns about how this will impact their operating costs. One of the business owners interviewed explained that they will have no choice but to pass down the cost to the consumer, as the new minimum wage will increase their labour costs, and thus, reducing their net profit.

However, workers and protestors argue that this wage increase is long overdue, as described in an article

by Jacqueline Hansen for the CBC news. “Even still, campaigns for a

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According to Living Wage Canada, a wage increase was overdue. living wage say $15 falls short in many Canadian cities. According to Living Wage Canada, a living hourly wage in Toronto would be $18.52.”

Much rhetoric focuses solely on the economic impact and burden of the minimum wage increase, but seldom on the social implications.

The Medium sat down with sociology professor Kristin Plys, whose research specialization encompass

political economy and labour movements, to investigate the purpose and motivations of minimum wage.

Professor Plys currently teaches second-year globalization and a fourth year sociology seminar on race, class, and gender.

“The minimum wage dates back to struggles that happened in the 19th and early 20th centuries,” Plys said, “Workers formed labour

unions in order to restrict not only the amount of work that can be done in a day. Some factories had workers working up to 20 hours a day at a time. We owe the 9-to-5 and five-day work week to the history of labour struggle across the globe.”

The sociology professor expanded on the purpose of the minimum wage in an economic and historical context: “I think you can trace

a lot of the current issues with the minimum wage to what happened in the 1970s. What happened was that there was a stagflation crisis where there was stagnant economic growth in the global north, along with inflation. What a lot of elected officials did to overcome this stagnant period of economic growth is to raise inflation, which made people’s salaries and wages worth a lot less.”

According to Plys, it is important to note the different sides of this debate: the workers and the business owners. “To be really frank, there is sort of a cruelty to say well, you’ve been waiting four decades for an increase in the minimum wage commensurate to inflation, wait longer,” she said, “If we think about this in the shorter term, it might seem like a big jump. The increases we’ve seen in the recent years are quite the drop in the bucket in the longer run decline of wages over time.”

According to The Globe and Mail, critics of the wage rise, mainly small business owners, explain that a smaller incremental rise in the minimum wage would have been a better choice. In the article, a smallbusiness owner states he cannot afford to pay all his workers the 20.7 per cent raise in wages all at once.

Wages continued on page 14

Writing to publishing: the next chapter?

Wondrous Woo author Carrianne Leung shares her experiences with navigating the publishing industry AMBER MITCHELL

The UTM Scribes organized a publishing event last Wednesday, hosting author Carrianne Leung—best known for the 2014 Toronto Book Awards Finalist Wondrous Woo. Leung, who is also the Student Success Coordinator, Academic Initiatives, for the Office of Student Transition at UTM, spoke to students about publishing, understanding how agents work, writing query letters, and her journey as a writer.

Leung said she has always been a writer and has been writing since she was a child. She, however, did not decide to write her first novel until after she earned her Ph.D. “It’s such a big journey,” she said regarding the process of starting to write and learning about the publishing industry.

Leung discussed her difficulty getting published with an agent saying that her “first book sat for three years.” According to the Wondrous Woo author, there is a higher likelihood of writers publishing independently than to have an agent, as 80 per cent of Canadian writers do not have agents. Leung assured students that they do not need to go through an agent to become published as there are always the options of self-

NATALIE NG/THE MEDIUM

Leung’s upcoming novel has been named on CBC’s list of fiction to read in 2018. publishing and publishing through smaller houses.

Although getting an agent can be tedious, it has benefits, such as providing representation on your behalf to publishers, negotiating contracts, and attaining international rights. In contrast, independent publishers take more chances on new and upcoming authors, and there are many opportunities for independent publishing in

Canada.

Querying is another important aspect of becoming a published author, according to Leung. The student success coordinator explainsed that a query is essentially your “elevator pitch” and should be very short and to-the-point. Important elements of a successful query letter would include details about what makes your book different from others, elements of

genre, and word count.

Leung boasted the importance of connecting to other writers and joining a group. “It’s important to have a community of writers, to go and listen to readings, and to get to know people.” There are many opportunities, as Leung described, to become acquainted with other fellow writers such as through literary festivals, writing clubs, and writing in literary

journals or magazines. “Meet as many people as you can,” she emphasized.

Students were interested in learning about Leung’s journey and personal writing process. She ultimately feels that she writes for herself, “If I don’t love it, then there’s no point for me to do it. I think if I were to write with an audience in mind, it would freak me out.”

All writers are unique, as Leung noted, and have different methods of becoming successful in their craft.

According to her, she needs time to write and she encourages that practice makes perfect. “I need to block time off to write. I’ve stayed in hotel rooms over the weekend to write.” As a writer who also has a full-time career and family, Leung urges the importance of finding the time to write, “Writing is not something that gets valued a lot—time to write is really precious”. The author also encouraged students by saying, “If you feel compelled to write, that’s the gift you get to share with the world”.

Leung is anticipating the release of her next book titled “That Time I Loved You,” which is set to be released in March 2018 by Harper Collins Canada, and has recently been added to CBC’s list of fiction to read in 2018.

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THE MEDIUM 01.29.2018

Putting a price on the art of the deal Trade continued from page 12 An updated version of The Globe and Mail article published on January 24, 2018 reports that the talks are presently continuing arguments over auto manufacturing and content sourcing in the NAFTA zone.

Contentious issues at the core of the disagreement threaten to destabilize the Canadian automotive industry, as Armstrong argues. The Trump administration is demanding half of the content of all North American-built autos to be produced in the United States. The government of Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reportedly propositioned measures to boost North American production in cars and trucks, in hopes that this will get the Americans to drop their initial demand. Canadian data say putting up barriers in the automotive sector will have consequences for all three countries.

Meanwhile, Canada is also looking for other sources of trade revenue. Canadians could see a steep increase in tax-free online shopping.

As Armstrong explains, however,

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Uncertainty around NAFTA’s future may already have effects on Canada’s economy. uncertainty over NAFTA’s future has already had extensive effects on the Canadian economy, from the dollar to the energy sector.

Trump centered much of his campaign around losing U.S.’s manufac-

turing jobs to Mexico. This sentiment, as well as plans of building a wall along the border, have seeped into the NAFTA re-negotiations.

Another area of contention between Canada and the U.S. is the

Chapter 19 debate. Chapter 19 in the NAFTA document is for trade feuds between governments. If, for example, the U.S. enforces trade duties on Canada, Canada can easily appeal to an independent panel rather

than seek out reparation in the U.S.’s courts. If independent panels are scrapped, the Trudeau government has threatened to walk away from NAFTA talks.

The Royal Bank of Canada Economics Research released a report in November 2017, entitled “Life after NAFTA?” suggesting that “Roughly four per cent across-the-board increase in tariffs between Canada and the U.S. would reduce Canadian GDP growth by about one per cent over five to 10 years.” Although the report focuses on NAFTA, a 2018 report presented by the International Monetary Fund raises outlook for Canadian economy and upgrades global economic projections.

According to the report, Canada’s economy is projected to grow 2.3 per cent this year, up from an estimate of 2.1 per cent in October 2017.

According to 2017 figures from Global Affairs Canada, “NAFTA has led to a three-fold increase in the amount of trade between Canada, the U.S., and Mexico.” The total trade now surpasses $1 trillion every year.

Beyond daily headlines Is $14 really

enough?

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According to Farahd Manjoo, mass protests reflect underlying ideological issues.

Protest continued from page 12

That too, in a short period of time.

This helps fuel these marches and allows people to mobilize and organize protests in dozens of locations. The Women’s March of 2017 took place in New York City, Toronto, Ottawa, London, and Paris, to name a few. In October 2017, #MeToo went viral in response to the allegations against Harvey Weinstein to demonstrate the scale of sexual harassment and assault in the workplace. In January 2018, the formation of Time’s Up was announced on New Years day, and again, went viral on social media.

While these social media movements were at the core of the 2018 Women’s March, the action against the detain-

ment of Palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi, and the Justice for Soli campaign closer to home here in Toronto, these movements, as Manjoo argues in his New York Times 2017 article titled “The Alt-Majority: How Social Networks Empowered Mass Protests Against Trump,” go beyond meanings of only sexual assault or detainment, and hope to incite support for women’s rights, immigration rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and rights of many more marginalized groups.

But what happens after the march?

What happens after you post the photo on Instagram? According to UTM sociology professor David Pettinicchio, about the effectiveness of protests, “For mobilization to be successful, it requires thinking about long-term and short-term goals and

objectives.” It’s important to consider what these marches are actually about and what people expect to happen as a result. Pettinicchio also suggests that in order for a protest to be truly successful, we have to remain involved and engaged in the issues that these movements focus on, as well as the political process; which as he states, is not just a oneday event.

In a world where what’s news one minute fizzles out thirty minutes later when a new story breaks and goes viral, the consistency of these protests reminds us that it is important to continue our focus on these issues and not forget about things that happened a week ago if we want to see positive results that last.

AIMEN ALI/THE MEDIUM

Tim Hortons has recently faced backlash for rolling back benefits.

Wages continued from page 13

Upon questioning if the recent minimum wage raise could have been implemented better, such as through a gradual incremental increase, Plys replied: “Part of the way in which a lot of service-sector businesses and industrial work has been able to get a marginal amount of profit […] is by squeezing labour and keeping wages low. So, from the business perspective, certainly, a gradual incremental increase in wages would be ideal if one were to raise wages. But for people who are reliant on minimum wage income, this kind of social compact is decades in the making.”

Since Tim Horton’s has announced

it will be rolling back on benefits offered to its employees, the corporation received a backlash from protestors for not caring about its workers, only their bottom line. “It’s not like Tim Horton’s is at a risk of going out of business if its giving workers a living wage with benefits, it’s more about [how] Tim Horton’s wants a certain high level of profit.”

The sociology professor concluded the interview by posing a poignant economic dilemma at the heart of the minimum wage debate: “We have to determine, as a society, how much do the benefits of economic activity go to labour and how much should go to the owners and businesses?”

01.29.2018

» 15

Zamam Khan: heart, grit, nothing to lose Varsity basketball player Zamam Khan admits that eating a peanut butter sandwich is a pre-game ritual ETHAN RYCKMAN

Like many dedicated athletes, UTM Eagle, Zamam Khan, has a unique pregame ritual. He doesn’t toss chalk dust in the air, take an ice-cold shower, or listen to slow R&B like some of his professional predecessors. Instead he takes a moment and enjoys a peanut butter sandwich. “It’s been my thing since high school,” jokes Khan.

The end of a good game is celebrated with a Gatorade and, given his status as UTM’s highest scoring men’s Varsity player, now is clearly the time to invest in that particular sports drink.

Hailing from Ottawa, even at a young age, Khan knew that basketball was the sport for him: “I always wanted to play Varsity.” He began playing with his brother at age four and was delighted that they got the opportunity to play for UTM at the same time.

In his first year at UTM, they played together before his brother graduated the following year. Currently in third year at UTM, Khan briefly attended the Sheridan Police Foundations program where, unfortunately for Sheridan, he was not given the opportunity

Khan is the highest scoring player on the UTM men’s basketball team. to play basketball. As number three scorer in Canadian Varsity basketball, Sheridan’s loss of Khan is clearly UTM’s gain. Khan’s success extends to him, being the fourth best rebounder in Canadian Varsity basketball.

Khan is a skilled player with an ad-

mitted chip on his shoulder. He noted that there are not many Pakistani basketball players, a fact that he plans to remedy. Going pro would make him the first Pakistani basketball player in the NBA. Eager to engage more fans, Khan

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

aims to bring sports to life. He also aspires to playing a 50-point game and to become a professional basketball player. Even though he is currently studying a joint major of political science and religion, basketball has always been the future for Khan. When

asked whether or not this was the career for him, he responded simply, “Oh yeah. One hundred per cent.”

While dedication and hard work have provided a strong foundation for his success, he credits his mentality as the real thing that sets him apart.

“I’ve always been an underdog,” Khan states. Drawing inspiration from the never give up attitude of his personal idol, Kobe Bryant, Khan sets a high standard of achievement for himself. Khan also praised the leadership skills of coach Nkosi Adams, a recent addition to the Eagles franchise. He knows that the path to victory is not necessarily walked by the biggest team or by the strongest team, but by the team that in his own words, “plays tough with heart, grit, and nothing to lose.”

Those traits noted by Khan as the fundamentals for a great team are, in fact, best exemplified in Khan himself: a player who truly goes into every game with heart, grit, and nothing to lose.

He has many goals, and given his track record, their attainment seems less a question of if and more a question of when.

Crohn’s versus colitis: an unavoidable pain Colitis and Crohn’s are both diseases that affect the digestive system and can cause discomfort to people AMRISH WAGLE S&H ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease compose the two main constituents of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

Individuals with IBD require lifelong treatment, and although the severity of this condition may vary between individuals, there is no known cure.

These diseases are found in the digestive system of the body where food is digested and solid waste is expelled. The digestive system consists of the stomach, mouth, esophagus, intestines, as well as the rectum and anus. IBD involves inflammation and damage to the inner lining of the gastrointestinal tract, Crohn’s disease involves inflammation anywhere from the mouth to anus, and colitis is restricted to the inflammation of the colon or large intestine. Although both of these conditions are similar to a considerable extent, there are some key differences that distinguish each in terms of effects and treatment.

Crohn’s disease affects specific areas along the inner lining of the digestive tract and can even invade deep into the layers of its tissue. Although the cause of this disease is not yet known, there are certain signals to indicate individuals at risk. These include in-

JULIA HEALY/THE MEDIUM

The digestive system is affected by ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. herited genes, where people retain a higher risk if close relatives are known to have been infected. As well, the immune system may malfunction when certain viruses or bacterium may cause white blood cells to enter into and attack the digestive tract.

Smoking is also correlated with a high risk of Crohn’s disease. Some alarming signals for having contracted this

disease include abdominal pain, continuous vomiting, and severe lack of energy. In terms of treatment, Crohn’s disease can be effectively managed and limited through medication. The typical symptoms include abdominal swelling, diarrhea, fever, loss of appetite, stomach cramps, obstruction, anal fissures, and rectal bleeding. In fact, many individuals are unable to

work for at least a year after being diagnosed. Crohn’s disease may also cause occasional flare-ups of symptoms, followed by remissions.

Colitis, on the other hand, is only restricted to the colon and affects a single continuous layer of the inner lining. The symptoms and signs are similar to Crohn’s disease, but also include skin, joints, eye swelling, de-

hydration, and fatigue. Along with medication, individuals with colitis can also benefit with a change in diet.

In fact, some types of food can aggravate the disease, whereas others can restore lost nutrients and promote healing. However, when debilitating enough, surgery can also be applied to remove the colon and cure this disease to a considerable extent. Similar to Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis is caused by heredity and immune system malfunctions.

Diagnosing both diseases constitutes several different options. The most common are x-ray scans, where a picture of internal body structures is taken using electromagnetic radiation. These scans can be used to gauge the visual condition of digestive organs. As well, endoscopy can be an especially critical technique for diagnosis, where a scope is inserted into the body and used to explore the gastrointestinal tract. Lastly, leukocyte scintigraphy, or a white blood scan, can also be applied to diagnose these diseases through white blood cells. These cells are in fact attracted to the patches of inflammation. Using radioactive white blood cells, a special camera can be used to track them to the affected areas to calculate the intensity and degree of inflammation.

16

«SPORTS

THE MEDIUM 01.29.2018

UTM basketball wins back-to-back games UTM men’s and women’s basketball teams successfully walked away with 6 points this weekend VANESSA CESARIO SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR

This past Sunday, January 28, the UTM men’s and women’s varsity basketball teams played back-to-back games in Gym A/B. UTM teamed up with Bell, as the theme of the games were centred on the #BellLetsTalk initiative. When fans walked into the gym, they were able to write a message in a bubble that was posted on the entrance wall. Above the wall it read, “#StartTheConversation.” There was a white board where fans were allowed to write a response to the question, “What does mental health mean to you?” In addition, there was an opportunity to take home a blue #BellLetsTalk hat and a set of noise makers that fans could clap together during the game.

This was a back-to-back weekend for both UTM teams, as they played the Sault College Cougars the day before. The women played first, and from the start of the game, they came out hungry for a win. UTM won against Sault College the previous day and were looking to make it a 6-point weekend.

About a minute into the game, the Cougars scored a 2-pointer, making their mark on the scoreboard first.

UTM’s Jade Addai, was getting many opportunities to score for her team but could not seem to find the basket. Addai and teammate, Adesola Adesina, countered the Cougar defense, which resulted in them evening out the score at 2-2. Following this was the first of many 3-pointers from UTM’s, Victoria Silva. UTM continued to play well, but was still running into the same issue of not being able to sink baskets. Fortunately, their defense was playing exceptionally well as they prevented many Cougar baskets from going in. The Cougars’ star player, Mercedes Ryan, made a great play by dribbling across the court and ending off with a basket. Soon after this, UTM began breaking down and gave up another two points to the Cougars. UTM was down for the first time in the game, with the score at 6-5.

With four minutes left in the quarter, UTM’s Jiana Alnajjar scored a layup and put her team back on top.

This was followed by a classic Silva 3-pointer, putting UTM now ahead by four. The Eagles had great movement throughout all ends of the court, resulting in them leading 14-9 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter started off slow. For the first three minutes, no baskets were sunk despite the ample amount of opportunities from both sides. Sault College’s Alexandra Cooper was first to break the streak with a 2-pointer. Adesina was quick to put an end to this by allowing UTM to lead by five once again. There were several baskets sunk by both teams, but it was UTM who widened the points gap. UTM’s Priyanka Mehla scored a 3-pointer which was then followed by two more successful 3-pointers from

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Both UTM teams had a successful weekend in support of the #BellLetsTalk initiative.

Silva. With six seconds left, the Cougars scored a basket, ending the half at 28-17 for UTM. UTM came out hard in the third quarter and were working well as a unit in both the attacking and defensive ends. UTM was rigorous at covering Ryan, while also successfully stealing the ball from their opponents.

UTM got their first foul of the game when Alnajjar stepped up to the line.

She sunk her second basket, making the score a 14-point difference at 3319. Shortly after this, UTM fouled the Cougars once again, where they sunk both baskets, giving them two more points. UTM kept their composure and stayed solid throughout the half.

The Cougars began pressuring UTM in the defensive end, which ultimately lead to UTM fouling with about two minutes to go in the half. Fortunately for UTM, the Cougars player missed both free throws. UTM quickly countered after this and Adesina scored a much-needed basket, making it 3928 for UTM. With the score gap closing, UTM worked hard to keep their lead. They succeeded, and the quarter ended 42-32.

In the final quarter of the game, UTM was looking to keep their lead and successfully take three points from the game. About a minute-anda-half into the quarter, a Cougars player knocked down Addai as she was taking a 3-point shot. Of course, Addai successfully made her 3-pointer and was also awarded a free throw shot. The score now rested at 50-34 for UTM. The women maintained their lead, allowing minimal successful baskets for the Cougars, while also scoring their own. Six minutes remained in the game, and Addai was said to have intentionally knocked down Ryan, resulting in Sault College being awarded two free throws. Ryan luckily only scored one, and UTM was quick to counter this, scoring another 2-pointer. The score remained 52-37. An unfortunate play lead star player, Ryan, to leave the game with an injury to her back.

Silva gets yet another 3-pointer, marking this her fifth of the game.

Only three and a half minutes remained in the game and the Eagles were leading by a whopping eighteen points. There was a lot of back and forth play between the Eagles and Cougars for about a minute and a half, but neither team could sink a basket. With thirty seconds left, Cougars’, Cassidy Sabourn, scored a layup.

UTM still triumphed as the score ended at 55-41.

Following the women’s game was the UTM men’s basketball game where they also played the Sault College Cougars. Sault College came out strong and clearly wanted revenge on UTM for beating them the day before.

UTM was quick to match this and followed closely behind at 5-4 only two minutes into the game. UTM’s lead scorer, Zamam Khan, was doing well to maintain his title while also creating opportunities for his teammates.

UTM pulled ahead by one about four and half minutes into the game but the Cougars were quick to counter putting them ahead at 9-8. Following this Cougars player, Modou Ceesay, stole the ball and scored a slam dunk.

The UTM men needed to step up their game if they wanted to successfully match Sault College.

Halfway through the quarter, the score was already 14-11 for the Cougars. UTM was doing well to catch any rebounds from missed baskets, but could not seem to find the net.

The score now remained 16-13 for the Cougars, until a foul allowed UTM two free throw shots. UTM’s John Filaber stepped up to the line and successfully made both baskets. Seeing as the score was now only a one-point difference, UTM used this as motivation to keep pressing. Unfortunately, the Cougars did well to maintain their lead and were relentless in the offensive end. With a minute-anda-half left, Sault College lead by five points with the score 22-17. Khan scored the next four points, putting his team back in the game. Unfortunately, the Cougars were too solid of a team and UTM fell 27-21 at the end of the first quarter.

It was a no-point quarter for the

first minute-and-a-half of the second quarter. UTM’s Brent Carey was allotted two free throws, where he sunk both with ease. A UTM 4-on1 resulted in UTM player Jonathan Kasongo scoring a layup and narrowing the score 27-25. UTM came into this quarter with a hunger to take the lead. Just over three minutes into the quarter, Sault College gets their first basket. UTM was now behind by four but was quick to score back-to-back layups, and evened out the score at 29-29. It was any man’s game now.

UTM’s Nicholas Al-Rehany put UTM ahead for the first time in the game but the Cougars were quick to even it up. Filaber was getting several opportunities to sink layups but was incredibly unlucky with his shots.

With five minutes left to go, the score lay at 31-31. Kasongo was awarded two free throws once again, where he sunk one basket. This still put UTM ahead by one. Following this, UTM player Nicholas Kwantwi was given two free throws where he successfully scored both. UTM was now on fire and scored another four points barely five seconds apart. The score now 38-31. The Eagles exploited this by maintaining their lead and scoring another three points, making the score now 41-31. The Cougars managed to get a two-pointer, but the score was quickly brought back to a 10-point difference after Al-Rehany’s two successful free throws. Sault College began closing up the score by making it 43-40. The half ended 4540, with UTM leading by five points.

During the halftime break, UTM Athletics organized a fan photo holding the #BellLetsTalk banner. The banner was signed by several UTM students and athletes, and the photo only reinforced UTM’s support in raising awareness for mental health.

Both teams came out strong in the third quarter but the Cougars were first to put their name on the scoreboard, with two free throw shots that were both successful. Khan was playing an outstanding game where he got four points to put UTM ahead by seven. The score was now 49-42

for UTM. There was a lot of back and forth play between both teams, with opportunities being missed by both sides. A beautiful play by AlRehany and Khan resulted in an extra two points for UTM. The two teammates attacked the Cougars defense with speed and did a series of three passes before Al-Rehany found the basket. Following this was another two points given to UTM’s Nicholas Kwantwi after he scored both his free throws. UTM was leading by 11 and was not showing any sign of backing down.

With two minutes left in the quarter, UTM lead 60-48. This score has already surpassed the final score of the women’s game. With both teams scoring baskets, the final score of the quarter was 62-53.

The final quarter of the game was filled with angst from both fans and players. The Eagles were leading by a substantial amount, but due to the nature of sports, anything can happen.

UTM was fighting hard to take away three points, but the Cougars were fighting just a little harder as they narrowed the difference to be only three points. However, both Khan and Al-Rehany put an end to this as they racked up a total of five points very quickly. The score read 67-59 for UTM. Seven minutes into the game, both Kasongo and Khan got four points for their team.

Roughly halfway through the quarter, the Cougars began pressing and countering UTM. Despite this rise in pressure, UTM kept their composure and did not allow themselves to be broken down. With only four minutes left to go, it was crucial that UTM maintain their style of play. Sault College’s Nate Kwofie was awarded two free throws where he sunk both. An honourable mention should be made to Kwofie as he posed a real threat to UTM. Only three minutes remained in the game and Al-Rehany scored yet another basket, putting his team ahead 78-67. Immediately after this, Khan stepped up to the free throw line to score another two baskets.

UTM was doing well to defend the strong Sault College attackers. With 20 seconds left in the game, an amazing play by Khan and Carey resulted in UTM making it to 90 points. The game ended 91-75 for UTM, marking this as the Eagles’ second win of the season.

It is difficult to point towards any one player on UTM that stood out, as they all played outstanding. However, Khan and Al-Rehany played exceptionally well and were key players in UTM, winning their second game of the season.

Both the UTM men’s and women’s basketball teams had a successful weekend as each team took away six points. There is clear talent and great chemistry among both teams.

These games were centred around the #BellLetsTalk initiative where UTM clearly displayed their support in mental health awareness.