Volume 44 issue 7

Future students tour UTM

Don’t kill the cinema

Take Care at Blackwood

Authors scribe their advice

UTM loses hockey game

News, page 2

Opinion, page 4

Arts, page 5

Features, page 8

Sports, page 11

U of T given C grade on assault policies Student group Our Turn gave U of T a 66 per cent grade for inconsistencies in sexual assault policies ALI TAHA The University of Toronto Students’ Union issued a press release last week regarding their plans to address sexual assault on campus after receiving a grade of 66 per cent for their current sexual violence policy from student group Our Turn.

The press release came after Our Turn released their Action Plan—a 42-page document grading the University of Toronto, as well as multiple other universities, on their sexual assault policies and outlining steps they could take to fix their policies.

The press release stated that “The scores, published in the Our Turn National Action Plan, show the lack of consistency amongst policies.”

U of T’s sexual assault policy received a C, scoring just above McGill University which received a grade of 61 per cent, while Ryerson University received the highest grade with an A-minus.

“Our Turn is a national student movement to address sexual violence on campus,” stated Caitlin Salvino,

SSMU.CA/PHOTO

U of T’s sexual violence policy received 66% from the student group Our Turn. chairperson of Our Turn, in an interview with The Medium.

“It was started by students and it is essentially saying that we think there is much that can be done on

campuses to prevent sexual violence, to support survivors, and to advocate for changes to the policy.”

Salvino referenced the lack of student consultation in the creation of

sexual assault policies as troubling.

“Universities claim that they consulted students, but when you actually ask people on the ground, they really don’t feel like they were con-

sulted.”

There were multiple criteria that U of T’s sexual assault policy did not meet on the Action Plan checklist.

The U of T sexual assault policy lost marks for suspending complaints if the respondent transferred schools or dropped out, in addition to the lack of an external third party independent member on the review committee. They do not mandate sexual violence sensitivity training, they have lack of clearly defined timelines for the complaint process, they do not highlight prevention programs on campus, and they do not mention rape culture.

“A number of students have come up to us and complained about the sexual violence policy, even just its implementation. The consultations that the university did leading up to the policy, a lot of students felt were inadequate, inaccessible, barely promoted, and barely advertised,” stated Chimwemwe Alao, UTSU’s VP equity, in an interview with The Medium.

Assault continued on page 3

Khadr’s lawyer tells Guantanamo story Dennis Edney discussed his motivation for taking Omar Khadr’s case and how the case impacted his life MENNA ELNAKA MANAGING EDITOR Dennis Edney, the defence lawyer for Canadian detainee Omar Khadr who was locked in Guantanamo Bay, presented a talk hosted by the Hart House Debates and Dialogue Committee. Held at Isabel Bader Theatre at the University of Toronto downtown campus last Wednesday, the event was almost full, with over 400 people in attendance from a total of 497 seats available.

Edney was named among the top 25 most influential lawyers in Canada in 2015 by the Canadian Lawyer Magazine. He has received several awards, including the National Pro Bono Award in 2008 and a human rights medal in 2009, for fighting Khadr’s case without personal gain—a case that lasted for 15 years.

Charged with murdering U.S. Army Sergeant Christopher Speer in 2002, Khadr was captured by American forces and incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay at the age of 15 for ten years. Following his re-

RYERSON.CA/PHOTO

Last week, Dennis Edney presented a talk about Omar Khadr’s case at the Isabel Bader Theatre. turn to Canada in 2013 to serve the rest of his sentence, the Alberta Court of Appeals granted him bail in 2015, awaiting his appeal results in the U.S. In July 2017. The Liberal

government issued a $10.5 million settlement with Khadr, for violating his civil rights.

Citing his 15-year journey defending Khadr, Edney stated that it

began when he saw the photos of the Guantanamo Bay detainees back in 2002.

“When I saw the media images of Guantanamo detainees on CNN,

[…] cuffed while kneeling on their knees at the feet of U.S. soldiers, I was outraged. And particularly outraged when I learned that a 15-yearold Canadian boy was amongst them,” he said. Explaining that he tried to reach the Liberal government at the time and did not receive a response, he added, “But when you have the drive, the desire, and it’s something you think is really important and right, you’ll find your way.”

According to Edney, he first saw Khadr when he was chained to the floor in a cell that was freezing cold as a way to prevent the detainees from resting and sleeping.

“I walked into this building that was deadly quiet, deadly quiet. And shackled to the floor on a cold concrete windowless cell was a tragic figure of a young boy, blind in one eye, [had shrapnel] in his remaining good eye, partially paralyzed on his right side. And his whole body suffering from extensive injuries,” said the defence lawyer.

Khadr continued on page 2

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THE MEDIUM 10.23.2017

Controversy on Liberal response

October 14th, 2017 Theft A student reported to Campus Police that her Macbook was stolen from the library. The Macbook was left unattended and upon return to the desk, the student noticed it missing.

October 16th, 2017 Property Damage A parent of UTM students reported to Campus Police that in the spring of this year the license plates had been stolen off a car belonging to her. She also reported minor scrapes and damage to both vehicles that are usually parked on campus in P9. The vehicles are now parked in P8 and no issues have been noticed since.

October 17th, 2017 Police Information RAWC staff reported to Campus Police that two students attempted to gain entry into the RAWC. One student claimed he had lost his TCard, and obtained a day pass. The noncommunity member then used that student’s TCard to gain entry. Both males left prior to Campus Police arrival. The students accounts were suspended and no access into the RAWC would be permitted. The students were emailed that should they wish to return to the gym facilities, they would need to contact RAWC management staff.

October 14th, 2017 Trespass to Property Act Campus Police were called to attend the RAWC for two non-community members using other students TCards to gain access to the gym facilities. All parties involved were cautioned and advised to contact RAWC management staff should they wish to use the facilities.

October 17th, 2017 Theft A male approached a female student and asked to see her U-Pass for a moment. The female obliged and the male grabbed the document pouch from her and took off running. Officers searched the area with negative results. CCTV coverage was reviewed and the incident was caught on camera.

October 18th, 2017 Mischief Campus Police attended the upper lot P4 parking deck for a report of mischief. A UTM student reported that his car had been keyed or scratched with a sharp object. The entire vehicle was covered with deep scratches with majority of damage to the hood and driver side front door. The word “smile” was carved into the hood of the car with the abbreviation “lol”.

Campus Police also advised the student to report the incident to Peel 11 division.

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 8477.

NATHAN DENETTE/THE CANADIAN PRESS

Edney stated that he was “appalled” over the Liberal government’s payment to Khadr.

Khadr continued from cover “I remember when I walked into that cell that it stunned me. I had a difficult time controlling my own emotions. I didn’t know whether to shout, to scream, to cry, I didn’t know what to do. I was not prepared and I’m a serious criminal lawyer of all kinds of cases—I was not prepared for what I was witnessing.”

The Canadian government’s settlement in Khadr’s case brought a wave of controversy from the opposition in the country. The leader of the Conservative Party, Andrew Scheer, tweeted a video of himself in July saying that Canadians were shocked at the government’s decision. He referred to the $10.5 million settlement as a “secret payout to the terrorist who killed U.S. army sergeant Christopher Speer in Afghanistan.”

“This payout is a slap in the face of the men and women in uniform who face incredible danger every day to keep us safe,” said Scheer at

the time. “[Justin] Trudeau promised transparency from his government and he had multiple opportunities to explain his choice in this matter, but he’s refused. This sends a terrible message to Canada’s men and women in uniform, and allies around the world.”

On the other hand, Edney commented during the Wednesday talk on the Liberal government’s decision, saying he was appalled at their justification of the $10.5 million issued to Khadr. “They didn’t talk about the horror they created, assisted in. What they talked about was ‘We know the Supreme Court ruled so we had to do something.’ It was half an apology,” he said.

Following Edney’s speech, the floor was open for a Q&A session.

A question posed by an audience member asked about the main things Edney had learned from his journey throughout those 15 years.

“I think I became more human. I didn’t become angry, bitter. I under-

stood that we stand up for our rights, or lose our humanity or cease to lose our humanity with […] fear. Fear can make you do anything. Governments put fear into us for the wrong particular endeavours,” he said.

According to the chair of the Hart House Debate and Dialogue Committee, Aceel Hawa, in an interview with The Medium, this was Hart House’s highest turnout.

“I think this has been the event with the highest turnout at Hart House ever, so I’m extremely proud to have such a hard working committee,” she added, “I couldn’t have done it without them. This is by no means organized by myself alone, so I’m really appreciative and thankful.”

Edney will be coming on November 2nd to the University of Toronto Mississauga for an event hosted collaboratively between the UTMSU, the Muslim Students’ Association, and the UTM Political Science and Pre-Law Association.

UTM hosts Fall Campus Day

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Fall Campus Day welcomed prospective students to the campus.

ALICIA BOATTO NEWS EDITOR

UTM hosted their annual Fall Campus Day on October 22 to welcome prospective students to the campus and introduce them to the various program opportunities and campus life offered.

Fall campus day took place from 11:30a.m. to 3:30p.m. and featured presentations from 13 academic departments, ranging from biology to visual studies. The forty-five minute presentations discussed program requirements an overview of the field of study as well as program opportunities and career choices after univer-

sity. The presentations featured guest speakers from specific fields within the departments, such as a speaker from the anthropology department during the social science presentations. Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions to the academic departments after the presentations.

Numerous tours were held over the campus providing the opportunity for potential students and their parents to see the science and research labs at UTM as well as tours of the Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre and the different lecture halls in each of the buildings.

Student representatives from the ICCIT council and the Digital Enterprise Management Association were

present to introduce students to their work and initiatives.

The campus also featured booths from different campus departments such as the Health and Counselling Centre and the Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre.

The Fall Campus Day advertised “Academic fairs with faculty and student representatives featuring the full range of our undergraduate programs [and] showcase our diverse student services and on-campus organizations” Principal Ulrich Krull and viceprincipal academic and dean Amrita Daniere, were present in the Innovation Complex to greet students and their families.

10.23.2017 THE MEDIUM NEWS

UTSU to consult its task force

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»WHAT SCARES YOU?

Malik Issa 1st year, Comp. Sci

Maheen Ferdusi 1st year, Comp. Sci

“Anything with more than six legs.”

“Deep water.”

Ryan Abela-Nijar 1st year, Comp Sci.

Gianna Giovia Canavesi 1st year, Linguistics

“Failure.”

“Clowns.”

LISA XING/CBC

UTSU VP equity Chimwemwe Alao was “not surprised” by the low grade.

Assualt continued from cover “The sessions weren’t enough. And then also a lot of students have said that the draft policy and final policy are almost one and of the same, very minimal changes. So I’m not surprised that it got such a low score, because even with its implementation students have not been happy with it and don’t feel like it’s done enough,” added Alao.

The Action Plan calls for university campuses to shift to a culture that promotes consent. Salvino explained that universities should be able to talk about sexual violence, consent, and affirmative consent openly.

“The Our Turn National Action Plan lays out a list of programs that student unions can implement to prevent sexual violence, support survivors, and advocate for change on their campuses,” read the UTSU

press release. “Each student union that signs on to the Action Plan will begin by striking their own Our Turn Taskforce made up of relevant stakeholders in their university community. The taskforce will decide how best to implement programming from the action plan by selecting and customizing options to suit the unique issues and needs on their campuses. The UTSU will strike its task force at the next regularly scheduled Board Meeting.”

Alao elaborated on how the UTSU planned to address the issue of rape culture by bringing it to the attention of the social justice and equity commission, as well as other commissions and groups that focus on combatting sexual assault. “We have our Women’s Sub-Commission; they plan to do a lot of action and work, specifically on the sexual violence policy. And as part of signing on with Our Turn,

we’re going to start an Our Turn task force, which will oversee the implementation of the Action Plan within U of T.” Alao acknowledged the necessity for a more nuanced approach when it comes to understanding and implementing sexual assault policies. “Often times what you’ll see with nationwide sexual violence campaigns is that they only push one solution. But Our Turn acknowledges that every university has their unique circumstances on their campus, and with their administration, and it allows that flexibility in order to adjust it to what we need.”

Our Turn has united 20 student unions from eight provinces across Canada with the goal of creating student task forces to deal with the issue of sexual violence and to create prevention, support, and advocacy programs.

Sheridan reading $22 million in cancer investment week to continue The money is going to Professor Gunning’s cancer research

CAREY HAO/THE MEDIUM

Labour unions across Ontario supported OPSE during a rally.

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Professor Patrick Gunning co-founded the oncology-focused start-up Janpix.

FATIMA WASIF ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR University of Toronto Mississauga professor, Patrick Gunning, received a $22 million investment from European venture fund firm Medicxi to support Gunning’s cancer research for his co-founded oncology-focused start-up Janpix.

The start-up, partnering with various pioneering academic labs, is working toward developing compounds to target various types of cancer. The focus of the research is on signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) proteins, a group of proteins that regulate certain genes that are linked to uncontrolled cell division.

Increased secretion of these proteins, which are important for con-

trolling the cell cycle in terms of cell production and death, has been found to be an aspect of many kinds of tumors and blood cancers.

With research from the Gunning Group Lab at UTM’s Centre for Medicinal Chemistry, the company is focusing on using small molecule inhibitors to target each protein individually and collectively. In addition to treatment of the tumour, the medicine being advanced may also have the potential to target the niche where it resides. The niche has been found to be heavily impacted by STAT3/ STAT5 proteins that are used to regulate cell proliferation and cell survival. Janpix hopes to be able to bring a drug to clinical trials within 18-24 months.

“Immunotherapy is one of the biggest advances in cancer therapy in

recent decades but it doesn’t work in a significant number of patients,” said Roman Fleck, Ph.D., founding CEO of Janpix and an advisor to Medicxi, in a press release about the investment. “By targeting the tumor directly along with its microenvironment we may be able to expand the universe of patients that can benefit from immunotherapies.”

The investment itself has been welcomed by Professor Ulrich Krull, UTM’s principal, for its support in translating academic principles to practical settings to aid patient health, and for bringing national attention to the research opportunities and work being done at UTM. The Medium reached out to Patrick Gunning for comment but did not receive a response, as of press time.

ALICIA BOATTO NEWS EDITOR All joint Sheridan programs with UTM, York, and Brock will not run during the break from October 23-27.

Sheridan college moves forward with reading week despite the ongoing faculty strike.

“Even if a strike ends quickly, Sheridan will not cancel the fall reading week, nor call students back into the classroom during this time period,” stated the online Sheridan strike page.

Students who are enrolled in a continuing education course whose classes are not cancelled will still be expected to complete any scheduled exams and assignments during this time.

While negotiations with the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSE) and the College Employer Council are ongoing, no consensus

has been announced.

Various labor unions have joined OPSE in solidarity during a rally at the Seneca college campus at York University on October 19th.

CUPE Ontario joins in the Seneca rally ahead of their own bargaining with U of T and CUPE 3902 in December Students marched with faculty members from OPSE across the campus chanting for “equal work, equal pay”.

Members of OPSE were joined by members of the Canadian Federation of Students, CUPE Ontario, the Toronto & York Region Labour Council, and the Canadian Association of University Teachers were also present.

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10.23.2017

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Cinema’s dying plea to you

Being a part of the theatre experience is crucial for the future of cinematic storytelling My brother recently sent me an article about the lack of revenue films have been making this year. Reading through a few articles, it came to my attention that it was not only the films that were poorly reviewed which experienced a lack of revenue.

This included films that were hailed as masterpieces of the year.

Films such as Battle of the Sexes and Blade Runner 2049 are a few examples.

As a result of the lack of revenue, films are being pulled out of the theater earlier than intended. This isn’t just at a few theaters here and there, these films are being pulled out of hundreds of theaters.

This is a big problem.

I understand that reading this may seem as if it isn’t an issue worth fighting for or worrying about. However, I beg to differ.

Film teams are producing and conjuring up tons of money to put into the marketing of a film and release it on the big screen. However, people are not willing to pay for it anymore. It seems that with pirating and streaming, having to get out of the house to buy a movie ticket to view a film on a big screen is not worth it anymore. Why? So that we can all hang out with our iPads and laptops and watch whatever we’d like, whenever we’d like.

We crunch in a few episodes here, half an episode there, 20 minutes of a movie now while working on a document, and then we pause the episode, pull out our phones, play the film while surfing social media on our

phones, all so that you can maximize mobility of your films while also being able to do 10 other things at the same time. With this mentality, the experience of watching movies becomes noise in the background or something to keep you distracted.

I’ve definitely done all of that before when I go onto Netflix. However, I am making the honest effort to go view a film in the theatre where it was meant to be seen.

You’re wasting your time if you watch a film in parts rather than sitting and focusing on it with no distractions. By doing other things while a film is playing on your laptop, you’re ruining the entire experience of being taken into another world where you go through the emotions and become a part of a story other than your own. My brother and I discuss this all the time; you can’t enjoy your favourite novel while simultaneously checking your Facebook, so why do the same with a movie?

Crews of hundreds to thousands of people have their career based around creating one film for you.

Years of planning, working, budgeting, producing, and marketing, are put into the creation of a film, yet many of us play the film in the background of our lives as if it was created to be forgotten about.

People work their entire lives delivering these films and TV shows for your enjoyment. Creative minds work to deliver these narratives that we all love to discuss daily. Pirating the film instead of actually going to the theatre doesn’t do the film justice

either. Filmmakers not only don’t want you to pirate their films because they’ll lose money, but it also means that you won’t experience the film properly, the way it was intended to be seen. Pirating means you’ll get to see it easier and faster, but you may not see it at all if you don’t pay for the work being created.

Watching a film in a theatre is so important. You purchase tickets for a specific movie, and in turn, the revenue pays the companies who distribute the film, the production companies, the directors, the crew, the actors, and more. Your money is the reason why impactful films have the opportunity to be created and brought to you. If you are not paying to go see films on the big screen, how can you expect those who work in the industry to constantly create films that you would love? Sure, we can send everything to Blu-ray or streaming sites, but that’s a slap on the face of everyone who worked long hours to deliver a narrative to you and bring you into a new world.

Not enough revenue is made just from those sources to support the minds behind a film.

Going to see a film in a theatre is not an escape from your life. It is the opportunity for you, to gather with a bunch of strangers, experience the life of another narrative, on a large screen, and immerse yourself within the narrative. You’ll laugh, cry, be angered, scream in horror, and shocked with people you’ve never met before.

In that moment, it won’t matter that you’re all strangers. What matters is

that you’re there to be with each other and collectively be human together.

Viewing a film is meant to be something done with others. It is a collective experience where you can discuss and aim to understand the film with one another. Playing a movie on an iPad or phone by yourself leaves you stranded. The chances of your friends having seen the film as well is very slim. When you go and ask if they’ve seen it because of your eagerness to discuss it, and they don’t say anything about it, you’re left to say, “Oh well, just thought I’d tell you it was really good.” And you have no chance to talk about it again.

Don’t let the theatre die or go to waste. If you have the time, take some friends or family to go and watch a movie on a big screen. Pay for the entertainment you want; pay for the art that you don’t want to see disappear.

Films are crucial for us—we live everyday wanting to hear and see stories. It’s time for us to pay for those stories and see them in the cinema.

Immerse yourself with what’s on the big screen. Be a part of the storytelling experience and share it with those around you. Don’t let cinema die.

YOURS, MAHMOUD SAROUJI

CORRECTION NOTICE The Oct. 17 articles “College Strike impacts joint programs” and “Peterson speaks out against masculinity hate” were corrected.

Electoral reform should not be an issue

The proportional representation system is not an effective means of fixing political issues In Canada, a lot of attention has been given to the issue of electoral reform, when, really, I don’t really see where the issue lies. Objectors to our current first-past-the-post (FPTP) system have advanced proportional representation (PR) system as a means of remedying the inequities in Canadian politics.

Apparently, there are many virtues of PR systems that are supposed to be beneficial in the Canadian context.

However, not only do I think PR systems are an ineffective means of remedying issues in Canadian politics, but I also don’t think electoral reform should be an issue at all. As associate professor, Heather MacIvor, has put it succinctly: “Electoral reform is not a burning issue in Canada and everyone is probably wondering why we are running around trying to put out the fire when no one smells smoke.”

A reason why PR is extolled is because it is said to be more favorable for voter representations due to its encouragement of minority parties.

By giving parties legislative seats in proportion to their vote percentage, a voter’s choice of minority par-

ties—no matter how small—is able to thrive. In the 2008 Canadian federal election, due to “regional distortion,” one million voters cast their ballot for the Green Party which did not elect a single representative. PR in the Canadian context could mean that those who voted for small parties like the Greens are represented, given that regional disparity of votes does not affect a party’s seat count in PR. In response, Toronto lawyer and former Progressive Conservative candidate John Peppall notes that perhaps minority party representation is harmful in that “the purpose of Parliament is not to serve parties.” Instead, Pepall says it is the other way around.

Pepall suggests that small parties, like the Greens, would become indolent— they wouldn’t bother seeking a larger voter appeal given that their election is guaranteed under PR. So, in actuality, PR’s allowance of minority parties is not a good thing in the respect that it may stifle any motivation for a party to improve its standings and “seek broader support.”

Moreover, political commentator David Horowitz and Pepall question

whether FPTP’s exclusion of minority parties is necessarily a bad thing. Executive vice-president of Marquette University, Quentin Quade, notes that a closed-list PR system facilitated the rise of Nazi and communist parties during twentieth century Germany. The toleration of these extremist parties indicates PR’s susceptibility to “tyranny of the minority.” So, maybe it’s a good thing that FPTP doesn’t tolerate minority parties in the same way PR systems do.

A second reason for why PR is advanced is because it’s been assumed to be fairer. PR systems, in general, are extolled for enhancing legislative and voter representativeness. In terms of the voter preferences, Canadian parties with widespread and dispersed, but not regionally concentrated, support may not obtain legislative seats representative of their vote count.

In the 1993 Canadian election, the Conservatives garnered 16.1 percent of the vote, resulting in the election of two MPs. The Bloc Quebecois received 18.1 percent of the vote, yet this resulted in the comparably inordinate election of 54 MPs. It is argued

that this disparity between vote and seat count can be remedied by PR, which translates votes directly into a party’s number of seats.

In “Understanding Democratic Politics: An Introduction,” Michael Dyer objects by saying that PR proponents rely on the assumption that a high degree of voter representativeness is equated with fairness. Dyer states that this assumption is false since high voter representativeness may still result in unfairness. He cites the case of West Germany’s Liberal Party which, under MMP, enjoyed five per cent of the vote and seats, yet still exerted disproportionate influence through coalition governments.

While it may be true that PR better reflects voter representation, this does not mean PR is fairer.

If anything, the lesson to be taken away from this discussion is that Canadians must think twice before believing that an alternative electoral system is a solution to the perceived faults in the operation of Canadian democracy.

KASSANDRA HANGDAAN A&E EDITOR

10.23.2017

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Recognizing the value of care work The Blackwood Gallery hosts a roundtable discussion about the mistreatment of care workers PAULA CHO

The second circuit of the Blackwood Gallery’s exhibition series, entitled Take Care, confronts the systemic undervaluing of domestic employees in the workplace and in the public discourse. Societal emphasis on values such as independence leads to the marginalization of care work.

Last Wednesday, the gallery hosted an event as part of the circuit called “Carework as Choreography.”

The event began with a panel discussion regarding each speakers’ personal experiences and advocacy in terms of care work. It was then followed by an exhibition tour and dance rally.

In collaboration with the UTM women and gender studies department, a roundtable discussion was one event in a four-part series called Feminist Lunchtime Talks. One of the speakers on the panel, Cynthia Cranford, is an associate professor of sociology at UTM. I found Cranford’s examination of tensions and compromises in how care is delivered incredibly thought-provoking.

HENRY CHAN/PHOTO

Artist Marisa Morán Jahn lead local caregivers and UTM students in a dance rally.

Cranford’s research focuses specifically on home-based care, such as looking after the elderly or disabled.

Cranford finds issues of respect and loss of dignity on both sides of the caretaker and caregiver relationship.

She argues that the flexible nature of care work often establishes a deep insecurity or vulnerability in caregivers, to a point where their efforts and work is abused.

Pinky Paglingayen adds to the conversation of exploitation as a caregiver who has survived the brutal system. With courage, she shares her story of immigrating to Canada from the Philippines to work in child care only to be abandoned at the airport and unemployed before her care work started. Struggling as a non-status immigrant, Paglingayen faced the possibility of deportation.

She quickly found a job in elderly care where she first experiences the caregiver’s workplace.

“I was treated as a disposable worker. Caregivers were not valued back then and are still not today,” she said, holding back tears. Paglingayen asserts that she believes care work is anti-feminist because of her experiences. She was fired right away and told to terminate her pregnancy as

many other female caregivers did at the time. Now, as a doting single mother and permanent resident of Canada, Paglingayen is a settlement worker and public speaker, advocating for all caregivers and their basic human rights.

“Carework as Choreography,” currently displayed at the Blackwood Gallery, is both relevant and visually remarkable. I immediately noticed the collection of protest posters held up by bright orange and pink wooden sticks. The banners show a recurring figure, “Thunderbird Woman,” to symbolize standing on the frontlines of the protest against the installation of pipelines under indigenous lands. In combination with the birdlike silhouette, phrases such as “We are here to protect” were repeatedly written to visualize how they care for their environment and are showing up to protect it.

On the right wall of the gallery is a timeline dating back 150 years, illustrating the history of care work performed by Indigenous and racialized women in Canada.

Care continued on page 7

Ready, set, go find your hip-hop rhythm Rhythm Performing Arts leads a hip-hop workshop featuring the club’s executives and members KRISTIN LADAS

This past Monday on October 16, Rhythm Performing Arts hosted a hip-hop workshop in the student centre’s boardroom. The workshop was hosted by the group’s dance experts Anshita Khanna and Paul Rodriguez.

“We wanted to do something more than just our regular dance classes,” said Khanna, the group’s co-president and a fifth-year anthropology and biology student, “We wanted a bigger crowd and to give students the opportunity to dance and to those who want to learn. We thought it would be great to start a workshop in the UTM community where we introduce different dance styles [to make it more] affordable for students.”

The focus of the workshops is to bring students with all levels of dance knowledge together in a fun and open learning environment. Students are encouraged to embrace new genres of dance, understand the history behind different dance styles, and learn new movements.

Rodriguez, co-president and

SHIFA SIDDIQUI/THE MEDIUM

Co-presidents Anshita Khanna and Paul Rodriguez instructed the hip-hop workshop. fourth-year philosophy and political science student, said: “Dance to me is the expression of your inner emotions. […] It’s like learning a different language and also learning to appreciate different types of music and learning different types of dance genres.”

As an attendee of the workshop myself, I highly enjoyed this experience. As an avid dancer, I love learn-

ing new styles of dance. In the past, I have been exposed to different styles of dance taught by many different industry experts and instructors. I thought that the level of teaching by Khanna and Rodriguez was comparable to the excellence delivered by professionals. I felt comfortable with the pace and the dance moves they taught.

In the beginning of the class, Rodriguez spoke about the origin of hiphop and how it grew from different dance genres.

“Dancing is innate, despite some people saying that they can’t dance. I actually think it’s something that you just need to be exposed to properly and hopefully enjoy…it’s a full expression of your innermost feelings,”

said Rodriguez.

Both instructors reviewed movements and always ensured everyone was understanding the instructions.

The instructors helped the participant “find their rhythm,” as Rodriguez said. After learning a variety of moves, there was a short choreography piece for everyone to learn.

“I went to the first [workshop], the salsa one, and it was actually fun. My friend pushed me into it and I figured, hey, why not try something new and get out of my comfort zone? [The instructors] were great, nice and helpful so I decided to come back and really enjoyed it. I have no background in dance at all. It’s something good to know, it might come in handy,” said Zak Jamal, a second-year criminology and political science student.

The group hopes to hold future workshops on ballet, ballroom, and Bollywood styles of dance. The workshops will run bi-weekly on Mondays and will continue throughout the school year. The next workshop is a Halloween special being held on October 30.

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HMLT’s rumble in the 6 Call me daddy

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Corey and Taylor Wong cause a ruckus with a new EP shedding light on the Asian experience.

KASSANDRA HANGDAAN A&E EDITOR

Brothers Corey and Taylor Wong share the same passion of creating music. The pair has been creating music together for most of their lives, and have formed a musical act under the title HMLT. Now, more than two years since the release of their first EP, HMLT has recently released their third album Rumble in the 6ix. This EP draws attention to the plight of racialized groups in Toronto—particularly, the Asian community.

The Medium (TM): What’s Rumble in the 6ix about?

Corey Wong (CW): Rumble in the 6ix challenges the concept of the Asian model minority with hopes of empowering other Asians to make an impact on North American art and culture. We’re just a couple of Chinese boys from Toronto who grew up watching Jackie Chan and came to love hip-hop. Now we’re out here trying to break the myth of the model minority. The name obviously came from Jackie Chan’s movie Rumble in the Bronx. This movie in particular was iconic for us because it was Jackie’s first break into the North

American mainstream. For my generation, this was also one of the first times I got to see an Asian face on the big screen—this was the moment Asians became cool. In hindsight, the EP could have easily been named Rush Hour because of the collaboration between Asian and black culture as well. However, the name Rumble in the 6ix alludes to Asians making a ruckus in Toronto.

TM: What was the inspiration for “Roses & Cigarettes”?

CW: We wanted to do a cover song for a show called “The Spot” at Poetry Jazz Club. We tried a few things out but we enjoyed a gospellike version of “Roses” by Outkast.

As we were playing it, Taylor started singing “Cocoa Butter Kisses” and it worked perfectly. We decided to actually put it on the EP because we liked it so much. I even used a live phone recording at that particular show as the intro of the song off the EP. TM: What can fans expect with your upcoming performance at Night Owl for The Community Creative’s three-year anniversary of “The Spot”?

CW: They can expect the songs off the EP as well as a bunch of new

ones. We’ll also be bringing an artist onstage named Joyia to perform with us. “The Spot” is such an amazing event—they host non-profit events that showcase spoken word, poetry, and live music.

TM: What’s the musical relationship between you and Taylor like?

What roles do you each take on respectively when it comes to creating music?

CW: Taylor and I have a symbiotic relationship when it comes to music.

We’ve been playing music together our whole lives and now it’s just something we do naturally. We actually first learned to jam with each other at church while growing up.

I’ve always played keys while Taylor was blessed with the vocal cords. He also learned to play drums before he started singing as well. I usually do the production while Taylor writes melodies and lyrics.

When creating a song it can start as easily as a beat that I’ve created and he enjoys. It could also start with a few chords I hear him play on guitar and we make a beat from there.

There are so many ways a song can begin that we try not to think about it too much and just go with the flow.

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Odd yet alluring, Peach Pit calls their fans “daddy.”

JANINA MALAPITAN

On Thursday, The Rivoli was one stop in Vancouver band Peach Pit’s Canadian tour. The evening was packed with good music and company.

Peach Pit consists of a quartet who recently gained a small cult following online, specifically on their bandcamp website. The adjective “weird” is an accurate way to describe the band.

Like cartoon characters, they wear the exact same outfit at every show.

They call their fans “daddy.” They unabashedly bust into “dad-like” dance moves in public. But that’s the charm of Peach Pit. With this band, you’re guaranteed a fun, raucous show.

What a riot their set was. Peach Pit opened with a reverberating rock rendition of their lo-fi song “Drop the Guillotine.” From the first strum of that opening chord, the crowd was hooked. People were moshing in the centre of the packed room, and others closer to the stage were shouting every word.

Then, barely three songs in, Christopher Vanderkooy (the red-turtlenecked guitarist), Neil Smith (yellowand-purple clad frontman), and Peter Wilton (bassist in orange overalls)

put their instruments down in unison and stage-dived into the crowd.

The drummer, Mikey Pascuzzi, kept the beat going as the crowd lifted the other musicians overhead, then back onto the stage as they picked up where they left off.

In between, Smith threw in anecdotes, like “a new snack recipe for salted nuts called Daddy Spicy Nut.” Smith also prefaced songs with their back stories, like how he went backpacking in Indonesia and met a guy who offered him crystal meth off his knuckles.

Exhausting their material from the 2016 release, Sweet FA, and recent full-length album Being So Normal, the four returned for a one-song encore to the tune of Pixies’ “Hey,” a classic that the crowd joined into until the very last second of the band’s set.

Peach Pit and their three stellar openers made it feel like a warm summer evening inside The Rivoli.

Throats raw from cheering and legs wobbly from four straight hours of fun, it must have been jarring for fans to step outside the venue to a chilly October night. But the music lives on, and so does summer with Peach Pit.

Workplace abuse in Mi Piace Lavorare UTM’s 50th Anniversary Film Festival continues with the screening of Nicoletta Braschi’s Italian drama DELANEY ROMBOUGH On Monday October 16th, approximately 150 people gathered in CC 1080 for the viewing of Mi Piace Lavorare (Mobbing), a 2004 Italian drama, starring and produced by U of T alumna, Nicoletta Braschi. It is the second of four films that will be screened as part of UTM’s 50th Anniversary Film Festival.

The movie follows a single mother, Anna (Nicoletta Braschi), who works for a large corporation and struggles to raise her daughter, Morgana (Camille Dugay Comencini), on €1, 500 per month. When the corporation merges with another, Anna realizes that money is not the only struggle.

Her new boss continues to demote and humiliate her by making her do meaningless work until she finally takes her complaints to a worker’s union.

This movie was screened in Italian with English subtitles. This got me thinking about how we, as Canadians, miss out on interesting inter-

DELANEY ROMBOUGH/THE MEDIUM

Mi Piace Lavorare sheds insight into a complicated mother-daughter relationship. national films. The last international film I watched was Caché (2004). As Canadians, we tend to only watch movies that are on Netflix or playing at the movie theatres, most of which are Hollywood blockbusters. Most of us never consider watching anything outside of those genres. I enjoyed the film being screened in Italian as it

gave the audience the ability to view the film the way the filmmaker intended it to be.

Mobbing focused on the issue of abuse in the workplace, specifically in Italy. It explores mental abuse in addition to physical abuse. In the movie, upper management constantly forces Anna to do humiliating and degrad-

ing work. Anna gets ill from stress so she takes time off from work. Based on real-life events, this is the sad reality of what many Europeans go through daily.

My favourite part of the movie was the relationship between Anna and her daughter, Morgana. They had a typical mother-daughter relation-

ship—arguing but ultimately reconciling.

I also liked the overall style of the film. European films are different than North American films; the action is slower, the plots are simpler, and there’s less camera angles overall.

For me, this was refreshing. Although I did keep waiting for some big climax that never really came.

Following the movie, there was a short Q&A with Braschi. She reiterated the fact that this movie was based on real-life events and that this kind of thing happens every day.

In the film, Anna politely and respectfully expressed her concerns to her boss—she was never rude. Yet, her boss continued to demote her even though she did not do anything wrong. The biggest lesson I learned from this movie is that if you’re not getting what you want, and you’re being respectful and honest, it might be time to put yourself first and get out of that bad situation. Putting your career over your well-being is just not worth it.

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REWIND VICTORIA DANESI

The Apartment (1960), directed by Billy Wilder, follows the lovable yet lonesome C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) who works at a bustling New York insurance company hoping to climb the corporate ladder. Baxter is coerced by a group of upper managers to lend out his apartment for extramarital affairs in return for a glowing recommendation to personnel manager, Jeff Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray).

Gossip surrounding this mysterious apartment reaches Sheldrake, who offers Baxter a promotion in return for access to his apartment. Baxter agrees but is dismayed as he realizes that the elevator operator he is in love with, Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine), is having the affair with Sheldrake. Sheldrake’s poor treatment of Kubelik and Baxter’s fondness for her results in dramatic actions taken by Kubelik and Baxter.

The mixture of cynicism and comedy is what I think makes this film so noteworthy. Fran’s weary outlook on life is in stark contrast with Baxter’s comedic outlook. After a particularly harrowing ordeal where Kubelik questions her will to continue living, Baxter attempts to break the tension.

He sings overdramatic opera while preparing dinner for her and strains spaghetti with a tennis racket to lighten the mood. The constant shift of serious moments with lighthearted scenes makes The Apartment an adventure worth watching.

The chemistry between Kubelik and Baxter is my favourite aspect of

the film. At their first encounter, Baxter awkwardly attempts to flirt with Kubelik in the elevator. MacLaine’s ability to play off Lemmon’s advances so swiftly is an ingenious performance. A majority of the film is set in Baxter’s apartment with just these two characters. It’s gripping to watch their admiration for each other unfold, even if it’s just them playing an endless card game.

Winning the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1960, The Apartment is a heartwarming and dramatic story.

The production design of the film is also what makes it so captivating.

There are long shots of Baxter’s office building with infinite rows of employees typing away on their identical typewriters. This is later transformed for the wild holiday office party where people dance on their desks and let loose from their monotonous life.

Baxter’s small apartment is also on full display as a lived-in home. When he is running around his apartment, every aspect of it is shown and the audience gets a great sense of the layout and Baxter’s personality. The culture and design of the emerging 1960s is apparent and interesting for audiences to absorb decades later.

Winning the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1960, The Apartment is a heartwarming and dramatic story about breaking through the perils of mundane life and finding happiness.

Be ready for O’Connell

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O’Connell encourages budding writers to understand the procedural approach of writing.

KASSANDRA HANGDAAN A&E EDITOR WITH NOTES FROM KEENA AL-WAHAIDI ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR Toronto-based writer Grace O’Connell will be presenting her recent work, Be Ready for the Lightning, at the International Festival of Authors. O’Connell, who also teaches creative writing courses at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, has previously written Magnified World in 2012.

O’Connell has been employed at the continuing studies department for five years. Elaborating on her teaching work at U of T, O’Connell described how her personal experience as a “craft-focused” writer has influenced her teaching style. When teaching, O’Connell admits that though her method of teaching writing is informed by academic elements, she primarily sticks to a “workman” approach. This teaching style, according to O’Connell, has been received well by students.

“That’s how I write and that’s how I teach writing. It’s about doing the work on the page, and I try to communicate that to my students,” O’Connell reiterated.

O’Connell further explained that writing, for most students, is an intuitive or instinctive process. However, O’Connell’s teaching method aims to inform and explain the technicalities of writing—such as why certain sentences may or may not work.

O’Connell said, “You can’t just say, ‘This sentence doesn’t work.’ You have to explain why it doesn’t work and what could be done to make it work.”

Since the publication of Magnified World, O’Connell has been focusing on tweaking the storytelling and authentic aspects of her writing style. In regards to storytelling, she has paid particular attention to the “mechanics of structure and pacing,” and, consequently, she admitted to consistently rewriting her outlines. The outcome has been a “more organized” and systematic way of writing Be Ready for the Lightning.

In terms of authenticity, O’Connell has worked to shape the voice of her characters to be “more direct” within a first-person narrative. Specifically, the voice of the main character of Be Ready for Lightning, Veda, has dynamic and authentic tone that has evolved throughout the novel.

“With each subsequent draft, Veda became more direct and open and flawed and real. It’s vulnerable and

weird to go through that process with a character—no matter how different they are from you, it feels like you’re putting yourself out there in a very raw way. But I think it is necessary for a strong book, and I’m proud of Veda’s voice,” O’Connell explained.

The two main characters themselves bespeak O’Connell’s attempt to portray flawed and real characters. Siblings Veda and Conrad have a problematic relationship. Connor is violent, and Veda tries to accommodate her brother’s volatility. However, underlying this problematic relationship, is a “deep love for one another,” so much so that it stymies their personal growth. O’Connell wanted to convey how acts performed out of love can result in damaging, rather than healthy, consequences.

“Veda and Conrad aren’t bad people, and they’re trying to be good to each other, but the violence that permeates their lives, both large and small, is complex and difficult,” O’Connell explained.

Currently, O’Connell is preparing for her appearances at series of writing festivals. She will be in Toronto at the International Festival of Authors from October 27 to October 30.

Disclaimer: This article has been shortened for print.

Hamlet meets Haider M. It’s time to care Shakespeare gets modernized through Bollywood’s Haider SHARMEEN ABEDI

Last Wednesday, Bollywood director Vishal Bhardwaj visited UTM for a screening of his film, Haider (2014), one of the four movies that is part of UTM’s 50th anniversary Film Festival.

Haider is set in 1990s Kashmir, and is a modern-day adaptation of William Shakespeare’s highly celebrated play Hamlet. Haider (Shahid Kapoor) is a young student who returns home to Kashmir, amid severe political unrest, to find that his father Dr. Hilal Meer (Narendra Jha) is missing, and his mother Ghazala (Tabu) may be having an affair with his uncle Khurram (Kay Kay Menon). What follows is a clash of personal and political conflicts which culminates in a bloodbath.

The film begins with the same image of political instability that we see in Hamlet set in the disputed territory of Kashmir. Historically, this area has been the centre of conflict between India and Pakistan for

decades. What’s interesting about Haider is that it is one of the very few Bollywood films that depicts Kashmir realistically rather than a dramatization of it.

Being a student who studies Shakespeare, as w ell as someone from a South Asian background, I was eager to watch Haider and was pleasantly surprised by how the film borrowed from Shakespeare while incorporating novel elements. The film was riveting in its plot and had me on edge the whole time. I don’t think there was a single “down” moment. The conversational scenes kept you in the same amount of suspense as the action scenes did.

The comedic scenes provided the relief that we needed from the plot conflict—it came from two characters played by Sumit Kaul and Rajat Bhagat, who were based on Hamlet’s friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. An amusing scene was when Haider suddenly takes off, and the two characters look at each other, before hilariously exclaiming one after another, “To go?” “Or not to go?” Needless to

say, this had the whole audience laughing.

After the screening, there was a Q&A session with the Bhardwaj.

Bhardwaj told the audience how his inspiration for a Shakespearean film was not planned, but rather, it first occurred to him when he thought of merging the Mumbai underworld with Macbeth, resulting in his first Shakespeare adaptation. Bhardwaj mentioned that he loved making adaptations of Shakespeare, and he has taken a lot of liberty with the plots in these adaptations adding in his own changes.

Professor Holger Syme, who teaches the course ENG220 titled “Shakespeare,” offered his comments on why this particular movie was chosen.

“It brought together a lot of strengths on campus,” said Syme.

He remarked that this was viewed because it not only reflects the cultural diversity of the campus, but also because it brought together various departments, including English, South Asian studies, as well as visual studies.

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A timeline depicts the history of care work by racialized women.

Care continued from page 5 Kwentong Bayan Collective, the artist of the piece, emphasizes how caregivers have made invaluable contributions to Canada’s history, yet the structure of their work continues to create systemic oppression.

The 1992 mark on the timeline stood out to me. It read “Live-in Caregiver Program: domestic workers can apply for permanent residence after 2 years of working in Canada. They must live with their employer until then.” As a caregiver, whose work is to solely provide aid to someone in need of it, living with their employer makes them uniquely vulnerable to abuse such as working overtime without compensation.

The event concludes on an inspiring, lively note with activist Marisa

Morán Jahn leading a dance workshop. The routine she taught incorporated common actions of domestic work, such as sweeping and ironing. I think dance is an amazing medium to address care as it’s aestheticizing these overlooked rituals of care work into a visual and collective experience. Caregivers are often working and dealing with hardship alone, so rallying together through dance creates an undeniable sense of power and unity. By bringing a visual to care work, Jahn is making the invisible visible.

“As an artist, I try to create social change with my work,” she said.

The next event in the care work circuit is “Care, Automated” will be held on October 21 at the McLuhan Centre for Culture and Technology.

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Are students right to want to write?

The third annual UTM Scribes Writer’s Panel explores challenges in establishing a writing career CAMERON ALLAN

Writing is difficult. It starts with the mind and a page, both blank and empty. Hosting a new set of visitors, eager to impart their wisdom on perked student ears, the Third Annual Writer’s Panel organized by the UTM Scribes society inspired all those in attendance to do just that, eat. The panelists did stress that the journey starts with learning your table manners—the ways of the craft.

It can occur individually, or through educational environments, like the professional writing and communication (PWC) program. Creativity, they urge, cannot be learned, but the tools for expressing a stroke of it must be, if successful writers are to be reared.

It’s easy to wonder what, with each blank page conquered and each thin line brought to its final resting place, comes next for the writer. Impassioned by their work but confined by an ever-compressing job market, writers, such as myself, often find themselves submitting to the regret and self-doubt that comes with their chosen path.

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The panel hosted writers with skills in poetry, editing, journalism, and literary writing.

As experience informs most writers, however, this regret stems from a self-induced illusion. Because for all those misguided starving artists, visitors to the literary community at the University of Toronto Missis-

sauga (UTM) have but one thing to say: Go eat.

“Talent is not enough, it’s an art and a craft,” says panelist Bänoo Zan, an Iranian immigrant and changed poet, translator, and editor.

“You have to have knowledge of the genre you are working in, and you have to know the history; the classics and the contemporaries.”

Learning literary technique isn’t bound to the classroom, it is just

streamlined there with lucid tools and fervent guidance. Other panelists present at the event were Carianne Leung, a self-described Chinese library geek-made-fiction writer, academic and educator, Lesley Livingston, a Canadian thespian turned novelist, and Angela Misri, an Indian raised into medicine as a manifest journalist and author.

They shared their stories and perspectives on transcending the classroom to gain that much desired career recognition as writers.

“Learn to say yes and learn to say no,” said Livingston, “Learn to say yes to things that can tangentially get you into the sphere of someone you admire or who you can learn from. Go to conferences, conventions, workshops, come to things like this. Write what you want to write and just believe it will happen.”

With foundations established in the attainment of graduate level educations in topics ranging from sociology to English, all of them developed a dedication to the craft of making culture through art.

Write continued on page 10

A taste of South Asian culture at UTM The International Education Centre, with the Hindu Student Council, distributed samosas and barfi MAHNOOR AYUB FEATURES EDITOR The afternoon of October 20 brought with it a brisk fall breeze and the smell of marinated potatoes cooked in pastry dough. These spiced and wrapped potatoes, or samosas, accompanied by a cashew dessert, kaju barfi, were distributed by the International Education Centre outside the Student Centre. First of a monthly Taste of Home series that hopes to explore the culinary diversity of UTM’s student community, last week’s event focused on the taste of South Asia.

“Every month we hope to showcase a different culture, and this month because of Diwali, we decided to host the Taste of South Asia, in collaboration with the Hindu Student Council,” says Raqshanda Khan, events assistant at the IEC. Along with free food, the event also gave students the opportunity to get free henna tattoos, learn how to write their name in a South Asian language, and play carrom. “The carrom board game is a very typical South Asian family kind of game,

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The Taste of South Asia event distributed samosas and kaju barfi to students. and a lot of people were actually really excited about it. I didn’t expect that […], so it was a really nice community building atmosphere,” says Khan.

Running for a second year, the Taste of Home series, as the events assistant describes, aims to introduce different cultures by allowing students to try new foods and learn

new activities.“We want to present something interesting about different cultures, and it could be through anything like describing a country’s history or talking to people who speak those languages. So having an educational component to express your background and heritage to others, who may not be familiar with it as much.”

Tahiha Mahmood, a peer ambassador at the IEC, explains to The Medium: “We don’t only want to focus on international students. I feel people get the idea that because this is the International Education Centre, we only cater to them, and we want to change that idea […] because UTM is really diverse. The IEC is trying to focus on giving students

an opportunity to get to know other cultures and bring the community closer.”

Inspiring a sense of community promotes connections on campus, in the face of what IEC peer ambassador Zeahaa Rehman believes, can be an isolating university experience.

“It’s nice to have people recognize your culture and interact with it,” said Rehman.

Mahmood explains how learning about different cultures has allowed her to see similarities in their differences, “I’m an international student, and although earlier I felt as if I have so many things to learn [...], I have seen that we are similar in so many ways.”

This year, the IEC hopes to embed a larger educational component inspired partly by the experiences of the students involved in event organization.

“I myself am a third culture kid […], so I feel like there’s a lot to express on how different cultures interact and how student communities are developed,” explains Khan.

Taste continued on page 10

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The evolution of romance in literature Professor Adriana Grimaldi discusses the past lives of contemporary romance in classical works NICOLE SCIULLI

When people study renaissance and medieval literature, many feel quite removed from the text because they cannot relate to that time period.

Students slowly learn the interesting part—philosophers of the renaissance had similar notions of love that have, influenced our representation of love in the present day.

ITA219, a new course offered by the Italian department at the University of Toronto Mississauga, explores the philosophy of love and sex, and is taught by professor Adriana Grimaldi. Grimaldi has done her specialist in Italian at the University of Toronto and has completed her graduate work and teaching at UTM. This course was designed by herself and colleagues from the Italian department, professor Teresa Lobalsamo, and professor Michael Lettieri.

“The main goal of the course is to infuse learning about the renaissance with celebrated Italian works, including Dante’s Commedia, and how their interpretations of love can be found in present day,” says Grimaldi. The course also explores the history behind current views on love, sex, gender roles, and family life.

Other famous Italian authors that the course focuses on are Boccacio, and Petrarca, who, along with Dante, are considered the founding fathers of Italian literature. This course discusses the concept that their work has transcended time and can be easily

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Many popular contemporary romantic movies carry undertones of ancient romance stories. connected to popular culture. “These works and notions of love are pervasive,” says Grimaldi. “This idea of love entering through the eyes, changing the heart and having a transformative experience. A person who falls in love is not who they were before. I think this can be seen in a lot of young adult novels and literature. The idea of having this power to transform a person and change their circumstances by themselves.” Grimaldi describes how many popular romantic movies carry this trope, including Jerry Maguire, The Princess Bride, and other classics.

She explains how these characters are

all remakes of one another that can be traced back to ancient times.

Other common tropes, like love at first sight, carry medieval and renaissance nuances. For example, one of the lectures in the course focuses on how the concept of love is an instinct experienced through the visual and other senses. It comes from Plato’s Symposium in Diotima’s speech that breaks down the different levels of love. “We don’t have to reach too far back to link us and love, and philosophy is a great bridge to study the past,” says Grimaldi.

This course starts in the present

and then moves into the recognition of big ideas, where students then work to find the origins of those ideas. “ Some key ideas of the course are to understand concepts of love and philosophy, and to dispel myths about how people of the renaissance viewed these ideas.”

Grimaldi describes how students from other disciplines can benefit from this course by learning about different fields they have not been exposed to: “Like history and politics that provide insight on the realities of past societies and how we have learned from them. It is a literary

course but all opportunities to interact with other factors that make up a society.”

While many classical literature pieces may not be on bestseller’s lists anymore, Grimaldi explains, the works focused on in class were popular in their time and have become part of the fabric of Italian culture: “We talk about why were these works popular and with whom. They can reveal key societal norms and conventions. Because of their popularity, they establish or reinforce them. A book or piece of art can do this. It sets the standard for anything that comes after that.”

Grimaldi explains how a present “gold standard” equivalent work that reveals today’s societal norms is the show Friends. “The show revolves around 20-something-year-olds trying to establish their careers, find love, and make it on their own, but these tropes can still be applied 20 years later,” says Grimaldi. Simlarly, works like Nuovo Vita, Decarmaeron, and Divina Commedia all invite the reader to not only experience the past, but to find relatable messages throughout the texts.

ITA219 also reveals how our society functions today as compared to the past, and how popular culture has been influenced by classical philosophical work. As Grimaldi explains: “We talk about this time period [...] by making observations on our current culture and [...] much does culture reflect who we are.”

Travelling for vacation, school, or both?

The UTM Abroad program allows students to travel and experience parts of UTM courses abroad AYESHA HASSAN

As we prepare for the second-half of the semester, plans for travelling to new cities and exploring new cultures seem to be stories of a summer gone by. Although travelling and school appear to be ever-conflicting, students signing up for the UTM Abroad programme are planning to bring them together.

“UTM Abroad was developed for students who have a passion for travelling but are unable to do so, due to their studies and their inability to commit to a year/semester-long program,” says Veronica Vasquez, the UTM Abroad co-ordinator at the International Education Centre. The program allows students to travel abroad and experience living in a different country and attending a new institution, along with learning about local cultures and practises.

“The program is geared towards students who would like to learn from experience and are interested in applying their knowledge in the

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UTM Abroad offers a trip to Peru to learn about traditional health care, among other trips. field, along with enthusiastic faculty members wanting to internationalize their curriculum,” Vasquez adds.

Due to its success in the past three years, the program has grown from

its original destination in Guatemala, to include seven new locations.

The program offers trips to Belize for culture and ecology, Peru for learning about traditional

health care, Guatemala for fair trade and Thailand for voluntourism. Vasquez explains the program is further split into two categories: UTM Abroad courses and UTM

Abroad co-curricular experiences.

UTM Abroad courses are UTM courses that have an added international learning experience as part of the curriculum. Students, accompanied by a faculty member, travel to a country that corresponds to the theme of their course. SOC485H5F: Cambodian Society and Politics in Cambodia, ANT335H5F: Anthropology of Gender in Tanzania, and ITA235H5F: Italian History in Italy are examples of courses that include an optional course section to be completed abroad.

“UTM Abroad Co-Curricular courses are non-academic opportunities, where students travel during their study breaks to learn about a particularly globally relevant theme, and are accompanied by a UTM faculty member and partner organizations—Operations Groundwell, for instance,” says Vasquez. The costs of the programs vary depending on the country, the duration of the program, and the experience.

Travel continued on page 10

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THE MEDIUM 10.23.2017

Making the most of your opportunities Write continued from page 8 “A naïve persistence and a humble acknowledgement of luck, as they explained, would eventually go hand in hand in getting their work published in houses like Harper Collins and Penguin Random House.

“There’s this idea that you need some sort of golden key,” said Livingston. “I sent out over 300 query letters for my first book [The Wondrous Strange], and got everything from yes, send us sample chapters, to, we have taken on a restraining order, stop contacting us. It’s luck meets preparation.”

A constant practice in perseverance remained true for all those seated on the panel. For each of them as they describe, getting to a place where they could sustain themselves from their work and then staying there, was and still is, a constant challenge.

“It was a fight, I felt very alone and very scared a lot of the time,” said Misri. “If I was wrong, if I wasn’t a writer, if I wasn’t an artist, then what the hell was I? You’ve gotta be willing to do whatever it takes to get this art

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The panelists all attested to constant perseverance to keep going in their work. out of you and to get it [to] give you the time, the money, and the energy to do it. The fear is a lot, but you can find your tribe.”

Although these panelists share their experiences on finding success gradually, slightly uplifted skeptics might

claim it’s easy for them to spout inspiration from the spigot of success.

UTM Scribes however pushes student writers to utilize the opportunities at their disposal.

“I think a lot of students don’t realize their avenues to get published,”

says Sasha Nanua, a fourth-year student in PWC, self-published author and vice-president of UTM Scribes.

“Having [Scribes], this diverse magazine for people to submit to for free, is opening doors for so many students. We want students to come to

these panels every year to see that they can do this too.”

In addition, the annually published and student-run PWC journals, Mindwaves and Compass, welcome student submissions. The journals hire a new wave of student associate editors and editors-in-chief, then accept and consider student submitted work to release in an anthology each year. PWC courses, such as Making a Book, provide students with the opportunity to publish collections of creative non-fiction written throughout their academic careers.

As a writer, I find myself compelled to search for and capitalize on the opportunity to write wherever it emerges, even if at first glance, the floor to do so looks bare. Instead of questioning the mockery that comes from the blank page, writers should consider multiple avenues for filling them, even if they ask to be filled over and over again with no foreseeable gain. As the panelists explain, only on the other side will you find a fulfilling and fitting reward, be it a career or a sense of pride in one’s own work.

Learning from mistakes Classes abroad

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Taste continued from page 8 Mahmood initially got involved with the project to meet other international students, but “it was completely different […], I used to be very reserved, but getting involved has helped me learn how to start conversations and meet new people.”

Rehman also discusses how events like these can help international students transition into what may be a very unfamiliar North American culture. “It helps you come out of your shell, and that is what I have seen for myself as well […] getting involved motivates you to participate more.”

Speaking in the context of the apparent divisive global climate, Rehman says, “I think a lot of people are scared what’s different, and when

those differences aren’t explained to them really well, they become even more fearful.”

“I think having these events at university in a very safe environment give students the freedom to make mistakes.”

-Raqshanda Khan Rehman references their experience with serving people samosas and kaju barfi saying, “I was surprised, but a lot of people hadn’t encountered these before, and by asking about them, they were able to learn about the cultural background, as well […]. So events like these help people learn about new things in a

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UTM Abroad began with offering a trip to Guatemala.

Students were given the opportunity to play the game of carrom. non-hostile environment.”

Khan explains how, along with allowing other students to learn, “Telling them also makes me more aware of my own background […]. In the process, it helps you to develop a stronger sense of identity.” Khan also emphasizes the importance of conveying accurate information.

“Sometimes when the wrong ideas are reinforced, students can become averse from certain cultures and certain people […], so I think having these events at university in a very safe environment give students the freedom to make mistakes and learn from them, while breaking down assumptions.”

Rehman adds “We live in a time when cultural appropriation is rampant and you need to have dialogue to [...] appreciate other cultures.”

Travel continued from page 8 Trip costs are inclusive of the flight, transportation in the host country, activities, accommodation, and meals. They range between $2,500 and $3,800. Vasquez also mentions bursaries that are available for students to help reduce these costs.

“Gaining a learning experience in a different country or place can allow students to gain more exposure and enhance their skills,” says Vasquez. She also reveals that students who took part in this experience have often described how travelling has played an important role in shaping their personal, professional, and academic skills.

Apart from meeting new people and interacting with the environment and people abroad, Vasquez explains that students have also

commented on the exposure they gained through learning outside the classroom as an integral part

“The program is geared towards students who [...] are interested in applying their knowledge in the field.”

-Vibhor Rohatgi of their experience: “In an increasingly globalized world, developing intercultural awareness, becoming a global citizen, and understanding the interconnectedness of the world we live in are key aspects that students need and travel can help develop.”

10.23.2017

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11

UTM hockey loses first game of season UTSC defends their winning title against UTM at the East-West Classic game last Wednesday night VANESSA CESARIO SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR

The UTM men’s hockey team played UTSC in the East-West Classic game last Wednesday, October 18 at Varsity Arena. This was UTM’s first game of the season but was also a match where both teams battled for the champion classic title. The game was filled with aggression, determination, and celebrations. There were roughly eight penalties given throughout the game, with at least six penalties given in a very heated third period.

The first period was an even match with both teams getting chances to score. Only about 1:30 into the game, UTSC gets a two-minute penalty for slashing. While on the power play, UTM struggled to keep the puck out of their end. UTSC got an opportunity to score and buried this chance in the back of the net. A UTSC player shot the puck and his teammate was there to get the rebound. The period ended 1-0 for UTSC. Once again, UTSC got a penalty less than two minutes into the second

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UTM lost 3-1 against UTSC with Sam Abdunabi scoring their only goal in the game. period for having too many men on the ice. This allowed UTM their second power play of the game where they applied more pressure and had better opportunities to score. Un-

fortunately, they were unable to put one in the back of the net and the power play ended still 1-0 for UTSC. A scramble in front of the UTM net allowed a second unlucky goal by

UTSC. The UTSC player shot the puck, and just when fans were relieved it hit the backboard, the puck came flying back and hit the goalies skate and into the net—due to all

the commotion in front of the net, it was unclear if the UTSC player had placed it into the net or if it only hit the goalies skate and in. Regardless, this meant that UTSC led the game by two points. With less than three minutes left in the second period, UTSC gets their third and final goal of the game. The UTM player pinched too far and misread the play.

He thought he could get the puck but the UTSC player was too quick and skated around him, allowing his team another goal.

The third period showed plenty of emotion and it was obvious that UTM was hungry for a goal. Just like the first two periods, UTSC was first to receive a penalty less than two minutes into the third for crosschecking.

However, shortly after, UTM received their first penalty of the game

by Curtis Marusiak for slashing. After this, the game really started to heat up after a UTSC player got ejected from the game for a reckless hit on UTM’s, Sam Abdunabi.

Hockey continued on page 12

Warming up, cooling down, and stretching Warming up, cooling down, and stretching before and after exercises can help aid in injury prevention HALEY WEST

Whether you are playing a friendly game against your friends, a competitive game against another team in a league, or entering into a solo exercise regimen, warming up before physical activities and cooling down afterwards is an important part of a healthy workout. While it may be tempting to skip the warm-up and go directly to the main event, it is important to take the time to warm-up and stretch your muscles.

According to Kara Mayer Robinson, warm-ups increase your blood flow and prepare your body for the physical exertion included in exercise. Working out gives your muscles, heart, and even your brain extra work. Warming up gives your body a chance to realize that extra work is coming. Just like in your academic studies, you like to know when the tests, assignments, and exams are due so you can prepare yourself. Your body can increase oxygen and nutrients going to your muscles, decrease the risk of having a rapid increase in blood pressure, and prepare the pathways between your nerves and muscles for the physical activity to come.

One of the best warm-up methods

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Doing dynamic stretches before and after exercising plays a key role in not pulling a muscle. is an easy cardio activity that affects multiple muscles at once and increases the blood flow. Alternatively, if you are doing targeted weight training, you should focus on large muscle groups before moving on to exercises specific to the muscle groups you will be working that day.

Even after warming up, it is important not to start your activities at full intensity; gradually work up to your full physical potential. Overall,

warming up can increase your coordination, stamina, and quality of the workout, but it can also help to mentally prepare you for the workout ahead; getting into the right frame of mind or getting “pumped up”.

Cooling down is equally as important. While you have just finished exerting yourself and want to rest, it is important to start your cool-down routine. Stopping immediately after physical activity, especially strenu-

ous activity, can cause you to feel lightheaded or dizzy. Cool-downs work to let your body gradually decrease your bodily functions, including heart rate and blood pressure.

According to Robinson, 10 minutes of easy cardio activity is usually effective. This could include cycling, either outside or on a stationary bike, walking, or even running if the pace and intensity is lessened. Followed by stretching, your cool-down will allow

your muscles to work at a decreased rate.

Stretching is beneficial at both the beginning and end of physical activity. Stretching should occur slowly and gently, when muscles are warm.

Avoid bouncing as you’re stretching and focus on ensuring your stretch is executed smoothly. Stretches should be held for fifteen to thirty seconds.

If there is pain or resistance, don’t push through it. Ease the stretch to a point where the pain stops or try a less strenuous stretch that targets the same muscle groups and ease into it.

If there is still pain, it is important to consult with a physical therapist, trainer, or other expert who can advise you on your individual situation.

You can also consult a professional if you are concerned about the proper way to stretch.

Stretching is an easy and quick method of increasing flexibility, range of motion, and also helps to decrease risk of some injuries. However, it is not a guarantee of an injury-free workout. While stretching is an important part of warming up and cooling down, it should only be a part of your routine and should be used in conjunction with more active warm-up and cool-down exercises.

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THE MEDIUM 10.23.2017

Improve self-esteem by belief in self Many factors can affect our self-confidence, most often by external setbacks in our lives AMRISH WAGLE

In 1931, Francis “Two-Gun” Crowley was trapped in an apartment and surrounded by a plethora of policemen.

During his hour of demise, Crowley wrote a single letter, where he stated, “Under my coat is a weary hear, but a kind one”. This was, at the time, one of America’s most notorious gangsters.

And yet, until the end, he believed he was a good person. Everyone craves praise and dreads condemnation. In fact, this theme of self-affirmation can also be noticed in others such as Muhammad Ali, who repeated to himself “I am the greatest” in his most fearful of times.

Self-confidence in all of us is frequently under siege by external setbacks, such as bad grades that threaten our intelligence or if others constantly remind us of past mistakes. However, the most potent attacks on self-confidence are internal. It’s easy to have your motivation crushed when self-doubt enters the mind. Hence, self-affirmation is a common recommendation to support your self-confidence. The method requires constant reciting to yourself to be fearless, as well as repetition of the target skill in terms of the 10,000hour rule. The rule, as formulated

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The road to achieving full self-confidence is difficult but can be done by practising fearlessness.

by Malcolm Gladwell, contains that 10,000 hours of practice is required to be world-class in any skill. Essentially, the more practice you get, the more your confidence is established in that specific skill. Self-affirmation on the other hand acts as a constant reminder of what is truly important and, therefore, keeps the negative energy and self-doubt out of your mind.

This suggestion is supported by science, particularly by influential psychologist B.F. Skinner. He discusses a theory called operant conditioning. Skinner explains how this theory works in two different ways. On one hand, punishment and reinforcement are crucial to achieving a goal and the more you reward someone for a certain behaviour, the more it’s

reinforced. However, in other cases, punishment or any negative stimulus weakens the associated response in the individual’s psychology. Overall, repetition in terms of self-affirmation and practice is widely believed to be one of the significant pillars of selfconfidence.

To understand the psychology of self-confidence, it is important to ob-

serve its effects on the mind. Some of its most common symptoms are depression, anxiety, and a withdrawal from novel activities or challenges.

However, science may point to an even deeper and pervading effect of low self-esteem. Psychology states that by having a pessimistic perspective, we mostly tend to notice negative or discouraging events. For instance, a pessimist that wins silver in a marathon would still be unhappy for not achieving gold. Therefore, even in the most rewarding of times, pessimists find some reason to be discouraged.

Not to mention that having low selfconfidence is contagious—you can turn into an energy vampire and suck motivation out of the people around you.

Dr. Ivan Joseph from Ryerson University states that when he first asked his wife on a date, she shot him down by saying she wouldn’t date him even if he were the last man on earth. Even if there was a little chance of saving mankind by dating him, she would not do it. Dr. Joseph’s response to this was “So you’re saying there’s still a chance?” In fact, as a renowned athletics coach, this is the type of mindset Dr. Joseph recommends to everyone to sustain your self-esteem and to never give up on yourself.

UTM defeated Support at UTM for Tin at classic game

Gary provides insight into being a student and athlete at UTM

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UTM fought hard in their first game of the season against UTSC. Hockey continued from page 11 UTSC also received a five-minute penalty for cross-checking to accompany the ejection. With five minutes left in the game, Abdunabi received a penalty for roughing. Not too long after this, UTM received another penalty against Filip De Braga for cross-checking. Just when fans thought the game couldn’t get died down, a UTSC player received a two-minute penalty for body contact.

With 1:30 left in the game, the UTM coach, Michael Keaveney, decided to pull the UTM goalie to give UTM the advantage of having an extra player on the attack. With eight seconds

left in the game, Abdunabi buries a goal in the top left corner of the net, assisted by teammate, Peter Christopoulius. The final score of the game was 3-1 for UTSC, allowing them to take the champion title.

With eight seconds left in the game, Abdunabi buries a goal in the top left corner of the net, assisted by Christopoulius.

UTM plays their second game of the season against UTSG on Wednesday, October 25 at Varsity Arena.

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Gary Kwok Chun Tin (right) is the captain of UTM’s badminton team.

LABINA KHALID

Gary Kwok Chun Tin is a third-year graduate student and is working with Dr. Patrick Gunning on making molecules for treating cancer. Due to hardships during his undergraduate studies, Gary was not able to play badminton for university as a freshman. He used to play badminton in high school and joined the university team in later years of his undergraduate studies.

Gary sheds light on the fact that UTM’s badminton team is fairly new, and has only been established for about three years—making this year its fourth year. After years of struggle,

the team made it to regionals last year.

It was a big victory for the badminton team and definitely an encouragement for all the players.

Gary’s parents have always been supportive and encouraging but even they did not encourage him to play badminton in university. They felt it would have been too much pressure on him and difficult to balance school work and being on a team. The team has mostly undergraduate players, so Gary is surrounded by people he can relate to and talk about how difficult it can be to balance matches, practices, and studies. Gary plays in doubles but he admits that he is more of a net player.

This is Gary’s second year as the

team captain—having the support and encouragement of both parents and coaches is much needed under such pressure. He has to ensure that they are not discouraged or afraid of playing and he strives to motivate his team to always improve on their skills. The team practices twice a week and has already played their first tournament of the season. Despite the negative feedback from other teams, the team continues to improve.

Gary thanks his coaches for their support and efforts. He also appreciates his team’s hard work and encourages them to keep it up. He hopes that fellow students come out to watch and support the team at UTM’s next game.