Volume 44 issue 9

THE VOICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA

November 6, 2017 Volume 44, Issue 9 themedium.ca

Back to bargaining table

Let’s talk about assault again

Cory Doran and spelling bees

Dennis Edney shares his story

Importance of communication

News, page 2

Opinion, page 4

Arts, page 5

Features, page 8

Sports, page 11

AGM fails to remove executive positions UTSU members rejected combining VP external and VP university Affairs into VP advocacy position ALICIA BOATTO NEWS EDITOR

The removal of vice-president external and vice-president university affairs was rejected at the University of Toronto Students’ Union’s Annual General Meeting in a vote of 196 students against the bylaw amendment.

REMOVING UTSU EXECUTIVE POSITIONS UTSU president Mathias Memmel sought to eradicate the two vicepresident positions and combine their duties into a new executive role, VP advocacy, to reduce union spending as each executive receives a yearly salary.

According to Memmel, the UTSU is currently running a deficit and needs to reduce its spending. He emphasized that if the UTSU has a consistent deficit for seven years, the university administration can reclaim occupation of the student commons building.

The UTSU whether you believe it or not is in financial crisis,” said current VP Internal Daman Singh.

Memmel and Singh emphasized the need to cut UTSU spending.

One student argued that the UTSU spends a large quantity on “self-serving expenses” and that the removal of executive positions would not create financial relief.

“Do not talk about a culture of self-servitude and then get up here

and talk about keeping that we should keep a number of executive positions that we don’t need and that a number of other schools don’t have,” Singh said.

Several students spoke out in opposition to the altering of the execu-

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

tive team including UTSU’s current VP external Anne Boucher and UTMSU’s president Salma Fakhry.

“Over this past year, all I feel UTSU is doing is cutting and cutting and cutting. But are you really growing as a union? Are you including

these students in your decisions?”

Fakhry questioned UTSU. The opposition’s main argument concerned the division of work for the new VP position. Boucher argued that her current position requires her to work over 45 hoursa-week, resulting in the completion of only half her workload. Boucher claimed that a VP advocacy would not be able to accomplish the necessary tasks of both VP external and university affairs.

Students argued that the cutting of the two VP positions would not effectively reduce spending and would ultimately put students at a disadvantage by removing their representation to the administration and outside organizations.

Daman Singh, UTSU’s current VP internal, argued that the union currently has the lowest salaries given to a student union but the most executive positions in the country. Singh also accused that opponents of the amendment wanted to keep the two executive positions to run in the 2018 UTSU elections.

AGM continued on page 2

Science building recommendation passed UTM plans for a new science building by 2021 in order to increase research opportunities on campus SHARMEEN ABEDI STAFF WRITER

The Campus Affairs Committee meeting last week approved the recommendation for a new science building at UTM to be built behind the current William G. Davis Building. It is expected to be completed by the year 2021.

UTM principal Ulrich Krull discussed that the creation of a science building has been a goal for about twenty years, and that plans had been drawn up in 2001, 2006, and 2009. Now in 2017, the recommendation of the project has been approved and is moving forward.

“There is a tremendous amount of work that has already been done in terms of planning and discussion,” he stated. According to Krull, design, cost, and the necessity of the building have all been considered.

The building is funded by UTM Capital Reserves, long-term borrowing, and donations or funds.

DANIELLE ROLFE/THE MEDIUM

The building is to be located in the space near the William G. Davis Building.

It will be designed according to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a green building certification program. LEED

is, although costly, more environmentally friendly which would help reduce UTM’s ecological footprint.

Several of UTM’s current buildings

have followed LEED design, including the Instructional Building, Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre, the Health Sciences

Complex, Innovation Complex, and Deerfield Hall.

“This is a historical moment in terms of UTM’s positioning because this building is a research building,” said Krull. He emphasised that this building will be primarily used for research purposes as opposed to traditional teaching facilities and lecture halls.

There are currently only conceptual drawings of the building, which are designed to give an idea about the scale and the size of it. No architectural images are available yet.

Krull stated that any new faculty for the building will not be hired until the building is complete. The hiring process will go simultaneously with the construction.

After being approved for recommendation, the proposal for the new science building will move through governance levels until approved officially by the Governing Council at the St. George campus.

Building continued on page 2

2

«NEWS

THE MEDIUM 11.06.2017

$65 million spent on student aid

October 26th, 2017 Theft A student reported to Campus Police that their bike was stolen from the bike racks at the main entrance of the RAWC. October 27th, 2017 Police Information While on patrol in the RAWC, Campus Police were notified of a student who attempted to enter the RAWC using a TCard that didn’t belong to them.

October 27th, 2017 Motor Vehicle Collision Mississauga parking enforcement contacted Campus Police to report that they observed a vehicle roll backwards into another vehicle.

October 27th, 2017 Mischief A contractor reported graffiti in his work area to Campus Police. The contractor had two cans of spray paint on the lift he was using. He left the area and when he came back there was an eight-foot by three-foot spray paint marking. CCTV cameras were reviewed and four males are seen walking down the CCT link. Two of the males are observed picking up the spray paint and painting the partition.

November 1st, 2017 Theft A student reported to Campus Police the theft of her wallet.

October 26th, 2017 Theft A student reported the theft of their bike from the bike racks by the Innovation Centre.

October 27th, 2017 Trespass to Property Act Campus Police were called to attend the RAWC for two non-UTM students that used TCards to gain access to the gym facilities. Both parties were trespassed from UTM. The owners of the tcards were advised not to attend RAWC facilities until speaking with RAWC management.

October 27th, 2017 Suspicious Person Campus Police were called to attend the CCT building in regards to a female soliciting donations as part of a charity scam.

October 29th, 2017 Mischief A student overheard three males daring each other to do something but couldn’t identify what the dare was. A male then pulled one of the fire pull station alarms at the main Erindale Hall entrance doors. The males then ran out of the building. CCTV coverage reveals three males at the main entrance of Erindale Hall covering their faces.

NATALIE NG/THE MEDIUM

U of T has the most extensive library in North America following Harvard, Yale, and Princeton.

Building continued from cover The Campus Affairs Committee also discussed the operating budget for the current year.

The operating budget for UTM is based on a five-year timeline and is informed by the tuition of the global and Canadian markets. The funding that the campus receives is based on metrics. Each year, it has a balanced budget at the institutional level, of which tuition fees make up 61 per cent. The operating grants make up 27 per cent, but they do

not go up on a yearly basis. University operations take up 27 per cent of the budget while libraries take up 25 per cent.

U of T spends more on its libraries than any other university in North America, after Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. Vice-president of university operations, professor Scott Mabury, mentioned that the university is not required to spend a large sum of money on the campus’ libraries. He stated that those costs could easily be directed towards other expenses, yet U of T consid-

AGM passes autonomy motion

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

UTSU’s AGM adjourned after three hours of discussion.

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.

AGM continued from cover

Strike bargaining begins ALICIA BOATTO NEWS EDITOR The Ontario Public Service Employees Union and the College Employer Council resumed bargaining on November 2nd for the first time since the strike began on October 16th.

College classes across Ontario have been on hiatus for several weeks, leaving students uncertain about their classes and fees.

According to the College Employer Council’s website, last updated on November 1st, “Ontario colleges have asked the provincially appointed mediator to bring the colleges and OPSEU Academic back to the table to resume bargaining.”

The website also lists what faculty members are requesting versus what the College Employer Council has presented. “One of the biggest hurdles to a negotiated settlement is the cost of the union’s demands.

The demands would add more than $1 billion, which is $400 million annually, in costs over a three-year

contract made up of: wage increases, staff ratios, and workload reductions.”

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union released a statement saying, “The union bargaining team for Ontario public college faculty is interested in what the College Employer Council has to say and ready to bargain when contract talks resume.”

The strike has affected UTM students who are currently in a joint program with Sheridan college, including students enrolled in ICCIT, DEM and Art and Art History.

On November 3rd, Sheridan sent an email to students and the rest of the school community. “Optimally, we are working to deliver the fall term by the end of 2017 to avoid an impact on subsequent terms. At this moment in time, we are not looking at any scenarios in which the fall term is lost or restarted. Our number one priority is to maintain our exceedingly high standards for program quality; this will ensure students meet the learning outcomes associated with their courses and

ers libraries crucial to superior academic learning and sees them as an essential resource for its students.

According to Mabury’s presentation, universities are required to spend $35.5 million on student support such as bursaries and grants, while UTM spends about $65 million. Mabury remarked that UTM privileges the classroom and student learning experience over shared spaces.

The next campus affairs meeting will be held on January 9th of 2018.

“Do not get up here and agree with the staffing restructure and then dismiss this restricting because you want to run for the position that is being eliminated,” Singh stated.

Singh received backlash from the crowd with one speaker calling his speech a “personal attack” against unspecified members of the audience.

Other students claimed that the removal of the two VP positions would ultimately limit the amount of advocacy activity on campus.

“It’s objectively more important to keep the organization solvent than to do advocacy work to the point the organization doesn’t exists,” argued Memmel.

The motion to remove VP external and VP university affairs and create the role of VP advocacy ultimately failed, leaving the UTSU’s executive team untouched.

REMOVAL OF BOARD OF DIRECTOR MEMBERS UTSU members also put forward a motion to amend Bylaw X section 2 (c), titled “Abandonment of Office,” that detailed the removal of a board of director if they failed to send regrets after missing three consecutive meetings.

The motion for this amendment was externalized when Victoria Col-

lege Director Jayde Jones motioned to ammend section 2 (c) could be altered to read that a director may miss “any two meetings of a committee they sit on” without sending regrets prior to removal.

Students in favour of keeping the amendment as missing three meetings argued that it was difficult for members of the board to attend every meeting while still fulfilling classroom and other extra-curricular commitments.

Students argued changing the amendment to two meetings before removal, held directors accountable to their attendance and responsibilities as a director on the board.

The motion was passed to keep the amendment unchanged.

MOTION ON AUTONOMY Item eight on the agenda concerned the autonomy of the UTSU. It stated the intent to give UTSU the ability to reject joining any organization that they could not withdraw from through a simple vote from the board of directors.

Memmel explicitly listed the Canadian Federation of Students as an organization that the UTSU wished to leave.

“This is the members making a very clear distinction about its position within external organizations,” Memmel stated.

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Part four of Item eight stated that a three-quarters majority vote from the board of directors, when at least 10 per cent of the members were present, was required to leave any organization.

Students moved a motion to have the 10 per cent attendance threshold to be removed, citing unfair representation. The floor voted to have the 10 per cent threshold removed and the motion failed.

Item eight on the AGM agenda, “Motion on Autonomy,” carried.

CHANGES TO THE EQUITY COLLECTIVE The floor also discussed the removal of seven general equity director (GED) positions in the amendments for the Equity Collective.

“The GED positions are not working as we intended. As someone who created the structure we’re using right now, it’s not working,” Singh stated.

Students argued that the removal of these positions would limit the voice of marginalized students on campus.

Time was extended twice to further discuss the Equity Collective amendment. The floor approved the amendments to the Equity Collective, resulting in the removal of the seven positions.

UTSU’s AGM adjourned after almost three-hours-and-a-half, at 10:02 p.m. on Monday October 30th.

11.06.2017 THE MEDIUM NEWS

UTMSU talks fighting oppression

FATIMA WASIF ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR

Last week the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union’s hosted their annual eXpression Against Oppression week, a sequence of talks and workshops focusing on themes that confront oppression in the various forms it takes.

“This week will be filled with workshop and discussions aimed to educate folks on the lived experiences that individuals go through and how we can all work together in combating the oppressions that individuals face on a daily basis,” the UTMSU advertised on their Faceboook page.

The first event of the series, “Surviving Together,” was a self-advocacy workshop for students with disabilities and student advocates. It featured a talk by Nadia Kanani, advocacy and volunteer coordinator at the Students for Barrier-Free Access (SBA).

Kanani highlighted the advocacy work being done by the SBA, which operates out of the St. George campus, centers itself on fighting for disability justice, and providing fully accessible office spaces and computer labs to students with disabilities downtown.

Her talk emphasised informing students of their rights on campus, both in academic and extracurricular areas.

The event concentrated on the university’s duty to accommodate a student’s right to meaningfully access education, interim accommodations while permanent ones are made, information regarding the bursary for students with disabilities, and access external legal resources, such as the ARCH Disability Law Centre. The presentation sought to provide tips on how students with disabilities can advocate for themselves and how to deal with both disability councillors, non-compliant student unions, and unsupportive professors.

3

»THOUGHTS ON

Workshops discussed student rights and institutional racism

Some of the events included channeling art as a form of resistance.

»

POP-UP FLU CLINIC?

Zak Jamal 2nd year, Criminology

Fateh Hayer 1st year, Political Science

“Vaccines are important but I’d rather go to my doctor.”

“It’s a good idea for busy students and students on residence.”

Alina Farooq 1st year, Commerce

Elli Manzelli 3rd year, Political Science

“I like it becasue you can bring friends for support.”

“It’s good because you can’t afford to be sick in university.”

YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

Concluding the “Resist-Art” took place at the Blind Duck Pub at UTM. The event showcased the importance of art as a form of resistance used by marginalized groups to voice their experiences with oppression. Students could view work made by several artists in different mediums, with artists Melissa Crosby and Jason Brar displaying multiple pieces. The art show encompassed expressions of discrimination experiences.

The show also featured live painting, followed by spoken-word performances, song covers, and original songs by Ruchi and Michelle Hopkins.

The week’s events also included a screening of the film Moonlight, followed by a facilitated discussion regarding the impact of systemic racism and gender identity. XAO also featured a talk by Omar Khadr’s defense lawyer Dennis Edney who previously spoke at Hart House on October 18th.

HCC hosts flu clinic The clinic administered over 100 shots

JULIA HEALY/THE MEDIUM

The HCC plans to host more clinics in the coming months.

SHVETA BHASKER

The UTM Health and Counselling Centre, partnered with UTM Wellness Ambassdors and the UTM International Education Centre hosted their second flu clinic last Thursday, November 2nd. The event was open to all staff, students, and faculty, and administered over 100 flu vaccinations over its first and second clinics.

The pop-up clinic is an initiative by the HCC that makes it easier for UTM staff, students, and faculty to get their flu shot each year.

“The flu shot is the best way to protect oneself against the flu, so we highly encourage members of our community to get their shot, especially since exams are also just around the corner,” stated Ravi Gab-

ble, UTM health education coordinator.

Preparation for this event was done by the HCC’s staff and student volunteers. As students, staff, and faculty came to the event, a student volunteer gave forms for people to complete.

“While we are hoping to plan another flu clinic shortly, in the interim, members of the UTM community can visit the Health & Counselling Centre to receive their free flu shot,” said Gabble.

According to Gabble, the HCC is planning to host more flu clinics throughout the school year and into the Spring.

The flu shots ran from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and were administered at no fee, with only a TCard that had to be presented.

4

«

11.06.2017

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 TBA 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.

DISCLAIMER Opinions expressed in the pages of The Medium are exclusively of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Medium. Additionally, the opinions expressed in advertisements appearing in The Medium are those of advertisers and not of The Medium.

All articles published in print are also posted on our website themedium.ca LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor will be edited for spelling, grammar, style and coherence. Letters will not exceed 700 words in print. Letters that incite hatred or violence and letters that are racist, homophobic, sexist, or libelous will not be published.

Anonymous letters will not be published.

MEDIUM II PUBLICATIONS 3359 Mississauga Road, Room 200, Student Centre, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6 themedium.ca

To contribute, email editor@themedium.ca

Toppling the House of Cards Innapropriate sexual behaviour has no place in our society and we shouldn’t let it I’ll keep this one short and to-thepoint.

If you haven’t been keeping up with the news lately, here are a few names that have been circulating: Kevin Spacey, Harvey Weinstein, Dustin Hoffman, and so many more.

It’s sickening. It’s disheartening.

Kevin Spacey has been such a public figure and embedded in many people’s entertainment lives, including mine. From his role in The Usual Suspects to House of Cards, I loved them all.

As these allegations continue to come out about him and all of these other famous individuals, I find myself motivated to continue to speak out against their behaviour.

Thought it may seem so far away in Hollywood is an issue closer to you than you may think. It is an enormous problem that too many people have faced.

I’m sure many more stories and allegations are going to come out in the following weeks about famous

individuals we all love—I want this to end. Sexual harassment, abuse, assault, and other related innapropriate behaviour should be unacceptable.

When will enough be enough?

How many times do people have to scream for people to hear and understand?

What baffles me is that we still need to preface a lot of what we say with “well, in today’s society” or “in this day and age” or something similar to serve a warning or understanding that you need to be careful with what you say or do around people.

That bothers me. No matter what day, age, or society we live in, the excuse of something being “socially acceptable”—and I use that term loosely in the context of making lewd sexual comments or sexually harassing someone—doesn’t mean we now suddenly have to be careful speaking about these behaviours. It’s not about being careful, it’s about understanding what it means to respect one another. At the root of the fight against

transgressors of inappropriate sexual behaviour is the hope that we can understand what it means to be respectful, understanding, and helpful to one another.

Learn and understand the kind of behaviour that is inappropriate— don’t be okay with it. Be kind, be courteous, be respectful.

It takes a lot of courage to come out in front of the Hollywood machine about being a victim. For those who came out against Kevin Spacey and other Hollywood moguls, people hear you and support you. To those who have chosen to keep it to themselves, I respect that and I know that someone will listen to you if or when you believe the time is right for you to speak about it.

These stories serve as lessons to all of us. There is so much more to be done to end this behaviour. There is a lot to teach older generations and younger ones. All of us, myself included, have so much to learn about what we can do to help and teach one

another. Transgressors of the past need to take these horrific stories and learn about what not to do when engaging with another individual.

Inappropriate sexual behaviour of any kind is one major problem that can be ended. All it takes to start the road to solving it is listening to one another so we can learn from these mistakes and becoming a safer society.

I humbly ask that we take the time to help those who need to be heard and be continuous activists against such behaviour.

We can become better people. We can do better together.

YOURS, MAHMOUD SAROUJI

CORRECTION NOTICE The Oct. 31 articles “Are students right to want to write?” and “The search for a parking space for lease” have been corrected.

Electoral reform still shouldn’t be an issue In my previous op-ed, commenters argued that I failed to acknowledge that FPTP results in “unrepresentative” governments, or governments that won by a plurality—rather than with a majority—of votes. I think this is fair criticism of FPTP, but I should clarify what I mean when I say that electoral reform shouldn’t be an issue. What I emphasize is that FPTP’s demerits, upon closer examination, seem not to be remedied by proportional representation (PR) and may actually be replicated by PR systems.

In light of the fact that PR systems may also be subject to the same shortcomings FPTP faces, I think Canadians should question whether or not PR will really solve the problems in cited in Canadian democracy.

So, what does it mean to have an unrepresentative government? Opposition to FPTP claim that it results in something called “wasted votes.”

In other words, these contenders claim that votes excessive of the winning candidate and votes for the losing candidate are merely dismissed without further consideration. For example, The Liberal Party was elected in 2015 with 39 per cent of the vote. Though other parties such as the Conservatives (31.9 percent) and NDP (19.7 percent) garnered sizeable support, under the plurality system, Liberals were entitled to legislative domination and gained 184 seats; a stark contrast to the 99 and 44 seats awarded to the Conservatives and NDP. All in all, Denis Pilon, an associate professor at York University, estimates that from 1980 to 2006, an average of 49 per cent of Canadian votes were wasted in federal elections.

Hence, the “wasted vote” argument is that plurality, in providing the win-

ning party with legislative overrepresentation, ignores the opinions of what may be a majority of voters who did not vote for the winning party.

The claim that an alternative electoral system, like PR, will avoid the problem of wasted votes is questionable. First, Craig M. Scott, a former law professor at Osgoode Hall Law School explains that since Canada pales in comparison to a higher voter turnout in PR countries, PR proponents understand a higher voter turnout to PR’s ability of “making each vote count.” However, other factors besides Canada’s electoral system may better explain Canada’s low voter turnout. Statistics on Canada’s low voter turnout compiled by Brian Tanguay, a political science professor at Wilfrid Laurier University, show that turnout has only declined among Canadians born after 1970.

On the other hand, Canadian voter turnout for those born before 1970 average “middle-to-high 70 per cent.”

Tanguay therefore attributes Canadian lower voter turnout, not to the electoral system, but to a decline in political education seen among progressing generations.

Second, it can be argued that single transferable vote (STV) and PR systems are susceptible to the problem of wasted votes. In STV, it may be true voters can rank candidates by preference, but it does not mean that each voter’s preference is directly represented by electoral results. It still may be the case that a majority of voters’ first preference is not elected if less preferred candidates amass sizeable secondary and tertiary vote support. Toronto lawyer and former Progressive Conservative John Pepall illustrates this in his book Against

Reform. Among three candidates presented to ten voters, Candidate A, who is the first preference of seven voters, may lose to Candidate C who is only the first preference of three voters. This is because Candidate C may have accrued more second preference votes (7), as opposed to Candidate A (3), which, in conjunction with Candidate C’s first preference votes, add up to a higher score than Candidate A. Guy Lardeyret, president of Institut pour la Democratic, suggests that if the assessment of whether a vote is wasted is its effect on the government decision-making, then PR also wastes votes. Pepall notes that in the 1970s, under PR, the Communist Party of Italy (PCI) obtained roughly 30 per cent of the vote in federal elections, yet was unable to form government and lacked any substantial exercise of leverage at the federal level. Thus, votes cast for the PCI were “wasted” because PCI lacked the political influence to reflect their voters’ interest at the federal level. Therefore, both STV and PR systems may still result in wasted votes, depending on how one interprets what constitutes a wasted vote.

Another argument advanced against FPTP is that voters who are aware of their party’s unpopularity vote disingenuously through strategic voting. After all, the argument goes that if a voter’s preferred party has no chance of winning, then the voter might cast his or her ballot for a party that they do not wholly endorse. BC voter Cassandra Effe explains her 2015 strategic vote to prime minister Justin Trudeau by stating, “I did not vote for you. I voted against the alternative.” Understanding that her

preferred, yet unpopular, party had no chance of winning, Effe acknowledges that “millions of Canadians” follow suit in casting their ballot disingenuously.

In rebuttal, proponents of electoral reform suggest that PR and STV do not sway voters towards strategic voting. Abramson et al., 2009, suggest that the “winner-takes-all” mentality of plurality systems is not present in PR. Therefore, voters may cast genuine ballots since their preferred, albeit unpopular, party is still ensured representation. However, other scholars refute the idea that PR systems are devoid of the strategic voting problem. For mixed member proportional systems in Germany, when a voter’s original party has already met its seat limit under PR, voters may opt to vote for a party who is, according to Pepall, “most likely to ally itself with [the voter’s] real party choice.”

Pepall says these parties are known as “decoy parties.” In Germany, the Free Democrats functioned as a decoy party for the Christian Democrat— with critics noting little ideological differences between the two. As such, PR systems also suffer from the problem of strategic voting.

So, I should emphasize again that Canadians should be wary of jumping onto the electoral reform bandwagon and endorsing PR as the solution to all the perceived faults in our political system. PR is attractive at face value, but I’ve tried to show that obtaining real change is more than skin-deep.

Our problems can’t be remedied solely by focusing on electoral reform.

KASSANDRA HANGDAAN A&E EDITOR

11.06.2017

»

5

The buzz around annual spelling bees Hart House Theatre’s upcoming production invites audience members to an on-stage contest KASSANDRA HANGDAAN A&E EDITOR

Cory Doran will be directing Hart House Theatre’s upcoming musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Doran, who is a trained voice actor, is also a graduate of UTM’s theatre and drama studies program and has previously performed at Hart House Theatre.

Doran has directed past Hart House productions such as Boeing Boeing, a French farce about mistaken identities, along with The Importance of Being Earnest.

When asked about how his directing style may have possibly changed during the production of these two plays, Doran admitted that his style did not remain static. After directing The Importance of Being Earnest in 2015, Doran stated that he learned to motivate his cast in different ways, such as by giving out “proper notes.”

Additionally, he has found ways to establish characters earlier in the rehearsal process.

“Your style grows as an artist. You, hopefully, become more refined in what you put forward and how you want to tell the story. Whether you’re

PHOTO COURTESY OF HART HOUSE THEATRE

Doran reveals that the musical comedy will make political and pop cultural references. an actor, director, or painter, anything you do, you only get better through practice. So the time put in to actually producing and directing the show, you learn a lot,” Doran said.

Besides a natural growth in his style, Doran has taken workshops wherein he has learned from more experienced directors.

Currently, Doran is working on a one-act version of Spelling Bee. Doran, who has seen several productions of this play, pitched the idea to Doug Floyd, the artistic producer of

Hart House, who liked the idea. The play will feature elements of improvisation as well as audience participation. Four audience members will be selected on a volunteer basis by the actors to grace the stage. The cast members have also received training in improv to prepare for their roles.

“We bring people up to be guest spellers in the spelling bee and that’s how it’s written,” said Doran.

Due to the liberal interpretation of the script, Hart House has chosen to present a contemporary rendition of

the play. The play will be sprinkled with political and popular culture references.

“We touch base on the American government situation, so to speak,” Doran revealed, “Trump is brought up a few times.”

Spelling Bee, for Doran, is likeable given its special nature as a musical.

“There’s something about a musical that can really disarm someone,” Doran said.

He further explained that Spelling Bee will involve adult actors playing

children characters. Doran described the effect as being “a kind of theatre of the absurd.” At first glance, the idea of adults playing kids, for Doran, is where the absurdity lies.

“Because you’re disarmed watching these adults playing these kids, you get to a point where you say, ‘They’re singing about stuff that really matter,’” Doran said.

Doran notes there are two types of productions of the play, wherein the director has either taken a “superficial” or “disarming” interpretation of the script. However, Doran’s approach is to emphasize a Broadway-like performance of the musical numbers.

Doran explained that the musical numbers will be larger in context and that additional props will be used onstage to accompany performances.

On the composition of the cast, Doran said that the casting process has been very selective. Actors have been prepared and informed in the audition process that their roles will require certain accents. One of the actors in the cast has a natural lisp, and this will be used in their role.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will be premiering on November 10 at Hart House Theatre.

The tragedy of loving Vincent Van Gogh In Loving Vincent, part of the TIFF series, the darker sides of Van Gogh’s life are painted to life VICTORIA DANESI

The life of esteemed artist Vincent Van Gogh was shrouded in mystery.

He was a conflicted painter who infamously cut off his ear and had struggles with success. In Loving Vincent, directed by Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman, Van Gogh’s life is chronicled one year after his death when Armand Roulin (Douglas Booth) is tasked with delivering Van Gogh’s last letter to his brother Theo.

Van Gogh was a Dutch painter who struggled throughout his life as an unsuccessful artist with many considering him talentless and manic. It was only after his suicide at the age of 37 that he garnered acclaim. Now, he is considered as one of the most influential modern artists. Loving Vincent presents his life through flashbacks as Roulin encounters villagers who share their stories of the artist.

The animation style is an achievement. It is the first film in the world that presents a storyline fully through paintings. Over 100 oil painters painted 65,000 frames of the film with Van Gogh’s signature style. Each character is also inspired by portraits that Van Gogh created—it looks as if his

OKCMOA.COMPHOTO

Van Gogh’s suicide is a topic of suspicion, with some regarding it as a homicide. artwork has come to life.

At the beginning of the film, one of Van Gogh’s most famous pieces, “The Starry Night,” swirls around and it is visually stunning seeing this unique form of storytelling. The aspect ratio is also the same dimensions as an art canvas which enhances the style and the feeling that each frame belongs in a gallery.

I thought that Roulin’s journey of delivering Van Gogh’s letter is compelling as he confides in different villagers who knew different sides of the

artist. The flashbacks of Van Gogh’s life are presented in black and white— this shift in colour brings down the tone as he battles with mental illness and self-worth.

As someone who was only familiar with the major events in Van Gogh’s life, I was never aware of the obscure controversy surrounding his death.

His suicide is suspicious as his mental health was improving with treatment from Dr. Gachet (Jerome Flynn), who was known to be jealous of Van Gogh’s talent. Furthermore, his sui-

cide is made more suspicious when it became known that other villagers had malicious intentions towards Van Gogh. What has been reported is that Van Gogh shot himself in the lower stomach and died days later, but Roulin also uncovers that the position the bullet entered is an odd and ineffective place to be ruled as an act of suicide.

Although the mystery and style of the film is captivating, the plot is lacking depth and can be conventional at times. As Roulin speaks to each vil-

lager, they refer him to another person to speak with—this cycle became tedious because of the heavy dialogue.

It would have been more interesting to include more flashbacks showing Van Gogh’s life rather than each character just speaking to Roulin.

The lack of cemented facts surrounding Van Gogh’s final days makes it hard at times to follow because each character has their own theory, but is quickly discredited by a later character Roulin encounters.

As Roulin uncovers more about Van Gogh, who would go to great extremes to express his creativity, it takes a toll on him. Van Gogh’s attempts to overcome the adversity of lacking proper art tools or being the victim of local children’s taunts is harrowing to watch. It is difficult not to feel sympathy since Van Gogh is considered a world-renowned artist today. The fact that he died without seeing any success demonstrates the lengths that one may go through to share their talent with the world.

Loving Vincent is an engaging look at the life of Vincent van Gogh as his unique style and subjects share the story of the quintessential struggling artist.

6

«ARTS

THE MEDIUM 11.06.2017

JANINA MALAPITAN

One thing that always seems to thrive in political and social chaos is comedy—the sting of reality seems more bearable with a laugh track. Every day, it seems like there’s new earth-shaking headlines in the news, whether another Twitter tirade by the president of our neighbours down south, or another attempt by the American senate to repeal and replace Obamacare.

This comedic relief on bleak political news is exactly what the podcast Lovett or Leave It offers its listeners every week—a chance to relax while staying informed. As a former speechwriter for Obama, Jon Lovett hosts the eponymous comedy podcast that tackles the week’s news, with a heavy focus on American politics from a left-wing perspective. Every week, the host invites a panel of three guests that can include comedians, activists, sitting senators, or state governors.

These guests then proceed to tackle the week’s top headlines through the format of a game show.

Lovett or Leave It succeeds in its aim to be simultaneously informative and engaging because of the casual nature of discussion. The show, which is usually held at the Improv Comedy Club in Los Angeles before a live audience, begins with Lovett going through the week’s highlights in a segment called “What a Week.”

In this segment, he lays out the situation for the panel. Often, panelists ask Lovett questions about topics on their minds, such as complex matters like policy and health care legislation.

My favourite segment is the one that usually follows the news roundup—”Okay, Stop.” A news clip is played and the host and panelists yell, “Okay, stop!” The clip is paused and a rant by the panelists ensue.

Surprisingly this segment translates well over the podcast, though the listener can’t see the clip. Instead, the listener can hear the audience’s reaction. Lovett then pulls an audience member to the stage to play the week’s quiz game. One beloved recurring game is “Too Stupid to be True,” where an audience member must distinguish from a series of Trump’s tweets and soundbites to figure out which outlandish statement is, in fact, not true.

The show ends with Lovett spinning the “Rant Wheel.” Whichever topic the wheel lands on, he and the guests rant about it. This is the segment where Lovett, in all his snark and sass, can be found in full form.

Topics he has ranted about for minutes at a time are Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, the new Blade Runner movie, and the four upcoming Avatar sequels that he vehemently commented that “no one asked for.”

Lovett or Leave It is a hilarious podcast for the casual politics listener.

Art in the retrospect

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Artist Libby Hague’s exhibit looks back to the past to understand the contemporary world.

KEENA AL-WAHAIDI ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR “The Past Is Never Over”—these are among the first words I associate with Canadian artist Libby Hague’s newest exhibition at the Art Gallery of Mississauga. Not only because this is the name of the exhibit, but because the past is so evidently constant and consistent within the works displayed this past Friday evening.

With printmaking and visual installations topping the height of her experimental capacity, Hague brings forth a collection of works that are creatively frightening in terms of their authenticity to her artistic beliefs.

Hague is not afraid to steer outside of what is normal, and challenge our views on how art should be presented.

One work of art that sparked interest in me was “Enchanted Forest.” It is an installation hanging in the backroom of the gallery. It hovered less than a meter above the ground, and it tells the story about how our environment works. The piece was authentic to its name: a forest of strings dangled off the ceiling, with what seemed to look like makeshift tiny people and little

Take a walk with CFC

green snowflakes hanging off on the side. The work is supposed to reflect the hardships of one’s journey and how nature plays a role in our everyday lives.

Attached to many artworks were strings of words and quotes that lined the sides of the installations. Stepping further into the gallery, I see Hague, herself, examining her own works. When she passed by me, I gave her a smile and complimented the immense effort that has gone into the production of her latest exhibit.

When we started talking logistics, Hague revealed important information about her works. According to her, the words on the wall not only accompany her pieces but they are crucial to how these works are supposed to stimulate their meanings, “I’m trying to slow people down with text and how people think about the range of possibilities in being human and what kind of human being they are.”

The text, it seems, makes as much as an artistic statement as the visual art itself. One work entitled “Leap of Faith” involved images of important historical figures like Van Gogh.

Underneath the piece, there is a strip

REWIND WILL KOZIEY-KRONAS

Alkoka and Surour led a one-hour walk on Principal’s Road.

KASSANDRA HANGDAAN A&E EDITOR

This past Monday, Creatives For a Change held an hour-long photo walk where students received instruction on the topic of nature photography.

Six participants gathered in front of Deerfield Hall and traversed through a nature trail along Principal’s Road.

The walk was led by Raghad Surour, a fourth-year student studying CCIT with a minor in cinema studies and professional writing; and Yasmeen Alkoka, a second-year CCIT and professional writing student.

Alkoka and Surour are both primarily self-taught photographers and videographers for the club. Surour disclosed that besides photography, she is equally interested in filmmaking. Alkoka is chiefly interested in photography.

CFC’s photowalk emphasized a more “hands-on” learning experience

for participants, wherein they received group and individual instructions regarding their photographical work during the walk. Participants were encouraged to bring any photographical device, such as a phone or camera, to the walk.

On the hands-on aspect of the event, Surour explained, “We didn’t want it to be another lecture.”

Surour focused on capturing natural landscapes. Time was spent on explaining unique angles and working through functions on a participant’s specific phone or camera. However, instruction on basic photographical skill sets were also introduced to participants.

“All the basics like ISO, F-stop, shutter speed, getting the right angle, and lighting were the centre of our discussion,” said Surour.

One participant on the walk, Celine Polidario, a second-year art and art history and CCIT student, described the walk as “relaxing,” and

CELINE POLIDARIO/PHOTO

added that it was a good opportunity to meet other photographers.

Polidario, who used a Nikon camera with a 50mm lens during the walk, has taken studio photos for her classes at UTM. However, she admitted to not possessing experience with nature photography. Consequently, Polidario appreciated the nature path chosen for the walk, stating that it also brought light to “underrated [campus] scenery” that should be deserving of more attention.

In terms of the quality of instruction, Polidario commented that she received personal advice from Alkoka while taking a close-up photo of a leaf.

In terms of advice, Polidario added: “Keep taking pictures, photographers are always searching for that ‘one picture.’ Sometimes, it takes a hundred shots just to get that one shot. Also, shoot in a manual setting so that you can refine the settings to reflect your personal style.”

of words that read: “Ghost stories— the past again, refusing to go away.”

The quotes and words she includes in these pieces seem to engage us in thoughts we are already aware of.

Though these figures are people of the past, they still impact us every day.

The exhibit itself encourages artgoers to make sense of why the world works the way that it does. Hague tells me that this is true, but the point of her art is to have people not only look at it, but to see it. This takes time and patience—without this, her work may be overlooked if we are too hasty in our judgments.

“Because it’s a retrospective, it’s about time and its about getting some time and distance to understand things,” she told me, “I’m thinking if you have a little distance maybe you can understand your own nature.”

Nature is a strong theme in the gallery and I can feel it. There are hints of it within works like “Enchanted Forest.”

If art is supposed to sooth us, or prepare us to turn back to the more natural world, then it may have met its goal here.

Point Break is Kathryn Bigelow’s second directorial effort. It follows the story of FBI agent Utah (Keanu Reeves) and his undercover stint with the Ex-Presidents; long-haired, freeloading surfers by weekday, bank robbers by weekend. As Utah leverages his former-quarterback athleticism, young looks, and street knowledge to infiltrate the Ex-Presidents, he befriends their leader, Bodhi (Patrick Swayze).

Bodhi looks and speaks like a messiah. To him, surfing and robbing are spiritual pursuits and a means to connect with the adrenaline innate to human nature. He’s not looking to get radical or rich—he just wants to find himself.

Like most undercover cop stories, the narrative of Point Break is the conflict between Utah’s loyalties to the FBI and his developing bond with Bodhi. There are predictable, well-tread story arcs. For example, when Utah finally corners Bodhi at gunpoint after an iconic chase scene, he shoots the air in frustration, unable to choose between apprehending his subject and killing his friend.

The central conflict is a little stale,

but what separates Point Break from the herd of action movies is its depiction of surfer culture. Narratively, Point Break combines early nineties surfer culture with high-octane action and spiritual musings. As a work of filmmaking, Bigelow manages to weave those disparate elements into a viewing experience that is “totally rad,” edge-of-your seat exciting, and surprisingly thoughtful.

For instance, one scene involves Utah ambushed by a group of gnarly dudes who don’t like the “jive” of his messy surfing. A fist fight breaks out.

Directed with Bigelow’s trademark penchant for action scenes, the fight is riveting. Utah, outnumbered, is then saved by Bodhi. Surfing, fighting, and musing sums up Point Break.

Looking back, well-executed action is about the only thing Point Break has in common with Bigelow’s modern filmography. This is a masculine and fantastical story—a far cry from the caliber, scope, and political reach of Bigelow’s recent filmography. With a unique blend of tones and styles, it’s no wonder Point Break became a cult classic. It’s a tough movie to describe, but it also isn’t—it’s just a real good time.

11.06.2017 THE MEDIUM ARTS» 7

Remember: artists are parents, too Professionals in the art world strive to find work-life balance by integrating children in work settings PAULA CHO

“A Day of Affectionate Actions” is an event at the Blackwood Gallery and it is a part of the gallery’s Take Care exhibition series. This event is comprised of two performances highlighting the difficulty of managing both art and familial responsibilities, yet acknowledging both responsibilities are nearly impossible to separate.

The performances featured parentartists and their young children who demonstrated how they combine family and creative commitments.

The event was introduced by curators Amber Berson and Juliana Driever. They explained that this project stemmed from personal frustration with how their parental status made it difficult to be acknowledged as an artist, or even welcome in the art community. Berson said that parents are “almost immediately disregarded as emerging artists.”

Through countless phone calls and Skype sessions, they shared the same dream of building an art community that is less exclusionary. Berson said

YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

“A Day of Affectionate Actions” showcased the struggles of managing creative work and family life. that the goal of the event is to bring awareness to the issue of accessibility in these artistic and cultural institutions, regardless of familial duties.

The first part of the event was a performance by Lovid—a husbandwife duo of Kyle Lapidus and Tali Hinkus along with their three children. The family ensemble started the performance with the parents tending to their artwork, their two teen-

age daughters working on a laptop, and their young son, dressed from head to toe in green, drawing in his notebook. During the performance, the son became restless so Hinkus left her work to play with him. They danced and tackled each other as the father and daughters continued to work in the background. Lovid’s performance beautifully showcased the chaos of working as a family but also

the beautiful artworks that can result from it.

When I later asked Lapidus how they started the artistic collaboration with their children, he replied: “They’re a part of our life and we haven’t made a distinction between our life and our artistic work. The practice of working together has been our primary artistic output for the last twenty years.”

The second performance of the event provided a platform for local parent-artists to share the unique and personal details of their children’s bedtime routines, illustrating the difficulty of juggling the everyday labour of caring for a child and dedicating time for creative work.

A common theme to all the parents’ accounts of bedtime is negotiation with their children. Jenn Goodwin and her seven-year-old son Sam utilize the “when-then” method when it comes to their bedtime routine.

“When you have your pajamas on…” Goodwin trailed off.

“Then we can do a story!” Sam finished.

On some nights, Goodwin stated that “whining sessions” about going to bed are just necessary. She said that because Sam is older now, they have moved on from the more childlike methods of going to bed, like the off-pitch singing.

The third circuit of the Take Care series is called “Infrastructures and Aesthetics of Mutual Aid,” and opens on November 20.

High-key lyrics Bartender turned writer

TWITTER.COM/LLOWKEYOFFICIAL/PHOTO

Lowkey’s music is anything but subtle or restrained.

HAIDER SYED

This past Wednesday, The York Federation of Students brought BritishIraqi hip-hop artist and activist Lowkey to perform at York’s student centre. Other opening performances included writer Nasim Asgari and Brampton rapper Noyz.

Lowkey retired from the music scene in 2012 but made a surprise return to public life last summer with the release of the song “Ahmed.” The song touched on the plight of refugees fleeing to Europe. His politically charged music, coupled with his activism in the UK over the years, has drawn public attention.

Lowkey’s music addresses socioeconomic, political, and historical issues. Songs such as “Obama Nation,” “Terrorists?” and “Hand on Your Gun” criticizes US-British foreign policy, the war on terror, the weapons industry, and western imperialism.

Most prominently with the release of “Long Live Palestine” in 2009, Lowkey has drawn attention to the occupation of Palestine.

What makes Lowkey so special, and why his music resonates with many people around the world is largely due to the messages he tries to convey. Not only has he gained musical and political recognition without financial or record label backing, he has sold out venues and tours around

Europe, the U.S., and Australia.

In particular, Lowkey is an important figure for the Muslim youth.

After 9/11, young people of color and immigrants in the West can relate to Lowkey’s music. Personally, I have found him as an unapologetic, outspoken, and inspiring figure who expresses himself passionately through his music while giving a voice to the powerless. He does not shy away from being overtly political when it comes to the drawing attention to people who have been disenfranchised, exploited, and socially rejected in this world—exemplified in tracks such as “Ahmed,” and “Ghosts of Grenfell.”

“His young life was as delicate as the wing of a butterfly / And as fragile as a spider’s web.”

—Lowkey He has gone against the grain in every sense of the phrase when it comes to what is expected in the mainstream culture. He has forged a successful career as a hip-hop artist while pointing out the ethical nature of our consumerist societies. Most importantly, Lowkey has used hiphop music as a tool to empower and influence others.

NETGALLEY.COMPHOTO

Verveniotis recently wrote The Sanguinaires: Or What I Hate Most About Everything.

KASSANDRA HANGDAAN A&E EDITOR

Current U of T student Gabriel Verveniotis has recently written The Sanguinaires: Or What I Hate Most About Everything. This book was published this past October 30. At the moment, Verveniotis is studying English and has taken courses in creative writing, literature, and poetry. Also a bartender by trade, Verveniotis revealed that his profession and academic pursuits has informed the way he has written The Sanguinaires.

“The Sanguinaires reeks of the bars and booze and was written as a sort of sonnet that encapsulates the crude and comical things I experienced and witnessed,” he said, further referring to bartending as an esteemed profession. He noted that the experiences he’s had as a bartender has influenced his “entire impression and perception of humanity.” A challenging aspect of writing the book was managing his life as a bartender and as a student simultaneously.

“I struggled to complete the work, given that I was attending school on and off as well as working till four [in the morning] at bars,” he said.

When discussing if his academic studies have somehow shaped the way he has written The Sanguinaires, he admitted to learning from other authors.

Verveniotis said, “I learned what other authors had successfully done, which enabled me to size them up and try to do the same if not a better job.”

He cited authors he’s read while in school such as Arthur Schopenhauer, Sam Sheppard, and Charles Bukowski, as being influencers of his own work. While writing the book, Verveniotis had undergone a “long bout of gloom” and had sought advice from the university.

The Sanguinaires, to Verveniotis, is reflective of his “disdain for the notion that our problems are psychological rather than metaphysical.”

Besides the wide-ranging characters of psychopaths, alcoholics, junkies, and mystics, Verniotis stated that he intended the book to be political.

“What I wanted to communicate was a libertarian message. I wanted to assert the importance of the individual rather than the government and identity-based ideologies that preach collectivist thinking,” he explained, “The government featured in The Sanguinaires is threatened by

a group of disaffected, dangerous, and disenfranchised junkies that are looking for God in all the wrong places and they just want to be left alone to fail.”

Verveniotis said that he identified most with two characters in the book, Cooter and Laertes. These two characters, for him, are like “two sides of an argument” that Verveniotis himself wonders when he thinks about mortality. On the topic of mortality, Verveniotis admitted that there was no easy answer.

“Cooter is the forceful one who wants to control his fate and Laertes believes that the gamble of life’s meaning is nothing but a rouse, and that it’s better to laugh at others who try and figure it out,” he said.

Verveniotis hopes that readers will understand that the satirical and cynical elements of the text reflect the way we as a society deal with death. He explained that we look at mortality as a “farce to be ignored.”

In reality, Verveniotis said, “Sometimes the most damaged and depressed of minds are the only ones that can see the writing on the wall, but the irony is that it doesn’t matter, because knowing what fate entails rarely makes a difference.”

8

«

11.06.2017

Dennis Edney and his faith in justice Defence lawyer Dennis Edney was the keynote speaker for the eXpression Against Oppression week MARIUM FAISAL ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR On Thursday, the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union hosted defence lawyer Dennis Edney as the keynote speaker for UTMSU’s Annual eXpression Against Oppression week. Edney, who has remained in the spotlight due to his role as Omar Khadr’s defence lawyer, has lectured extensively on the rule of law throughout North America.

An article published in January of 2009 on CBC news titled “Omar Khadr: Coming of age in a Guantanamo Bay jail cell,” describes Khadr’s detainment by American forces at the age of 15. Khadr was incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay for 10 years.

The article mentions that in 2010, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the Canadian government’s interrogation of Khadr at Guantanamo Bay had violated the most basic norms of humane treatment of detainees.

The defence lawyer’s lecture was prefaced by a few important words from Gillary Massa, an Advocacy Coordinator with the National Council of Canadian Muslims, who

CHEN GONG/THE MEDIUM

Edney discussed the rule of law in the current political climate and the refugee crisis. was also the moderator for the night.

Edney began by saying that his wife asked him to “say something happy for a change” to which he replied, “I’m Scottish and we don’t do that,” but goes onto emphasize

that he is a very positive person because of what he has encountered as Khadr’s defence lawyer.

Edney stood in front of a room of eager individuals and said: “You’ve got to get out there. You’ve got to

make changes, because it’s your world and we’re messing it up.”

He promised that by the end of his lecture, he “will have challenged [us] to question both the concept of practice and justice that’s being carried

out in [our] name.”

The lawyer mentioned that there were people who viewed the rule of law as a “set of rules designed to stifle initiative and enterprise.” They perceived law to be something that restrained freedom and creativity.

“That is not what the rule of law is about. [It] restrains and civilizes excessive power. The two pillars of promoting justice and civilizing excessive power are crucial for defending Canadian values and survival of our democracy,” Edney stated.

He acknowledged that it is difficult to keep perspective when everyday it seems like there is yet another thing going wrong. The world appears to “have lost all vestige of humanity.”

We can be tempted to say that we want to “sit this one out,” but post 9/11, “distrust, bigotry and violence appears to dominate our everyday lives.”

“History does not end. It is a timeless repetition of human folly and correction. Nothing is inevitable, least of all liberal democracy.

Law continued on page 10

What is networking with a purpose?

UTM students and student society executives discussed avenues and benefits of networking today NICOLE SCIULLI STAFF WRITER One of the biggest stressors for students is the prospect of finding a job after university. They have studied and made it through their programs, but after graduation, many students find themselves at a crossroad. Graduating students often ask themselves: Should I go to work straight after university?

Which industry should I work in?

How should I approach recruiters?

As these questions challenge students, career analysts recommend that students can bridge the gap between school and the workplace by networking to forge relationships with industry professionals.

There is, however, a variety of networking styles and events. For example, the Career Centre offers different networking nights, depending on your field of study, where they invite recruiters from companies that fall under a specific category.

At a networking night for marketing and communications on October 25th organized by the Career Centre, the event had students split off into different groups, with the recruiters going around each section to talk about how they

MESHA GHAYUR/THE MEDIUM

Students are encouraged to participate in networking events and pose questions to recruiters. achieved their current positions.

Along with answering student questions, recruiters suggested next steps for students, including advice for post-graduate programs, emphasized the value of internships, and shared personal experience to help guide the student interests.

Clubs on campus also find value in networking and approach it in different ways. Tala Alkhadi, one

of the executive members of the ICCIT council, talks about the different workshops the clubs offer to help students network in effective ways.

“One of the workshops that is upcoming is a portfolio critique,” says Alkhadi, “Industry professionals from a design background will come to UTM where students can get constructive feedback for their drawings and experience.”

She suggests students bring their resumes and pose questions to the recruiters: “Ask company recruiters what they look for and what the hiring process is like. Come with a purpose. Even if you are in first year, come out and learn about a business you’re interested in and grow your connections.”

Alkhadi also talked about an upcoming Alumni Night where UTM invites graduates from the campus

to come and engage with current students. “It can be comforting for students to use UTM as a common factor between them and the alumni, allowing them to get comfortable, have proper conversations with the recruiter, and ultimately grow their network.”

Meeting recruiters not only allows students to connect with their industry, but also encourages them to find opportunities and pursue interests. “If there are other people out there doing that job, then there’s no reason that you can’t be doing it,” says Lisa Peden, the undergraduate coordinator for ICCIT, when asked if people speak to her about how their desired occupation seems unrealistic to them.

Many students also find value in networking because of the information they find about hiring companies in an intimate setting.

“When I attend a networking event, I can really get an insider look on a company,” says Yi Rong Tan, a third-year CCIT student, “There is no one career strategy that will guarantee employment. It requires time to build connections, and to research your desired field as much as possible.”

Network continued on page 10

11.06.2017 THE MEDIUM FEATURES» 9

There is no time to be complacent Law continued from page 8

We should be particularly weary of the silent song of history,” he said, adding “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

Edney argued that the mortal threat to the Western ideal of progress comes from within: “We can no longer assume that our fellow citizens understand the importance of liberal democracy. Trump and his populous counterparts in Europe are but the symptoms of the crisis in our liberal democracy […]. The international order of the past quarter century rooted in principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law would give away to a world in which individual leaders and nations pursue their own narrow interests without meaningful constrains and without the regard for the sheer benefits of global peace, freedom and prosperity.”

Edney stated how it has been over 27 years since the fall of the Berlin wall and all the hope of freedom the fall brought with it. But today, the U.S. for example, has elected a man “who likes big walls and is an avid admirer of autocrats, such as Vladmir Putin.”

Omar Khadr’s lawyer went on to express that at some stage in every political generation, there are decisions that history goes on to reveal are “defining of that era.” The establishments and accepted legal principles put in place after World War II reflect the values of people at that time, where the efforts to “try and never see such a horror again are all under threat.” He gives the example of the European Union and how it is under threat from “ultra-nationalists and from people who wish to with-

CHEN GONG/THE MEDIUM

The event was hosted by UTMSU in collaboration with the MSA, PSPLA, CCMW, and NCCM. draw from the one shared vision of a global collective.”

“And then, there is the United Nations,” said Edney, “17 years ago, Kofi Annan stood before the UN general assembly for the failure of the international community to prevent the massacre of 10,000 Bosnians in Srebrenica. He called it a horror without parallel in the history of Europe since the Second World War. It was worse than just a repeat of history.

He pledged to ensure the UN would never again fail to protect the civilian population from mass slaughter. We have seen this in action before with Rwanda, Cambodia, South Sudan and now, the tragedy of Aleppo and its peoples.”

He mentioned the videos of people from Aleppo that surfaced on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram,

“Pleading for our help and confused at our indifference […], now the city of Aleppo is no more. Buried under rubble, Aleppo weeps.”

“We are at a critical conjecture in world history,” Edney stated, “There are currently more people displaced by war, by persecution and conflict, than in any time since World War 2.” As Edney describes, “the desire to scapegoat and abuse newcomers has become a virus that has affected many countries […] even though the refugee crisis is […] the gravest humanitarian crisis in modern times.”

He described how 86 per cent of refugees are hosted by developing countries and more than half of those are children. One out of every 113 people is either a refugee, asylum seeker, or displaced. “Instead of us being defenders of human rights, of

the rights of children and refugees, religious minorities and women, we simply stand by and watch passively as many lives are lost needlessly. Was it always that we lacked such compassion?” Edney asked.

He recalled that the current refugee situation is severely “reminiscent” of refugees fleeing the destruction of World War 2 and the Nazi onslaught.

The reality is, he describes, is that most governments turn their backs on millions who were trapped just as they do today.

“Yes, immigration brings challenges […] but above all, immigrants bring hard work, diversity, and global connections. They strengthen this country. We may not have complete borders but neither should we vilify [immigrants] and scapegoat them particularly because we are all im-

migrants or descendants of immigrants,” said Edney, “Yet, the recent presidential campaigns were built on fear bigotry and racism by proposing security policies that reminded me of Nazi Germany.”

“And what is concerning is the level of support for these policies,” Edney expressed. This is demonstrated by the fact that “Since 2013, the overall of number of hate crimes has increased by 44 per cent according to Statistics Canada.”

“We only have to consider Guantanamo Bay to understand how easy it is for a society to lose its way when we ignore the rule of law,” he said.

Guantanamo, he continued, has been called everything from an offshore concentration camp to a legal black hole. Edney revealed how approximately 1,000 Muslim men have been held there from all over the world since 2002 by the U.S. government under “incredible inhumane conditions and incessant interrogation and all without any judicial oversight and without access to any properly constituted legal system.” No knowledge of humanitarian conventions is needed, Edney emphasized, to understand that what was being witnessed was unlawful.

Edney says he “never lost faith in justice,” and that was a major motif behind his continued defence for Khadr. “Despair and apathy is a luxury you cannot afford; you must speak out. You have an obligation to get up,” he said.

The event was held in collaboration with the UTM Muslim Students’ Association, Political Science and Pre-Law Association at UTM, Canadian Council of Muslim Women, and National Council of Canadian Muslims.

Trade upgraded Nigeria to UTM: a local bartering story

THEBARTERCO.COM/PHOTO

Salifu launched his own company, The Barter Corporation.

JESSICA CABRAL ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR In 2016, recession hit Nigeria and the value of the naira, the Nigerian currency, plummeted rapidly. At the time, 400 Nigerian naira equalled approximately one Canadian dollar, an exchange rate that hurt not only the citizens that resided in the country, but Nigerians around the world as well. In the midst of this economic depression, international student Attah Salifu, a fourth-year

management student at the University of Toronto Mississauga, found himself struggling to pay for school fees, rent, and groceries. To combat his financial crisis, Salifu joined the trading community on Facebook, an experience that inspired him to launch his own company in 2017 called The Barter Corporation.

“My parents normally provided everything for me. I never struggled.

Barter continued on page 9

10

«FEATURES

THE MEDIUM 11.06.2017

Not your average swapping experience Barter continued from page 9 Then, when the recession hit our country, I could’ve asked them for money but I didn’t because they were helping other people as well,” Salifu explains, “I couldn’t even buy ramen, so bartering really helped me during that period.”

According to Salifu, bartering refers to the trading of items or services for other people’s items and services without any monetary payment. Salifu started bartering in Toronto where trading is steadily gaining popularity. With online sites dominating the online Torontonian community, such as Bunz. com, people can post photographs of items they no longer need, like a pair of lightly-worn jeans, attract potential traders, arrange a meetup, and swap for something more useful like subways tokens or coffee beans. After a few trading endeavours, Salifu decided he wanted to bring this initiative to Mississauga.

“I was thinking about selling some stuff that I had to make money and then I found bartering.

It actually helped me a lot. I traded stuff for drinks or valuable items so I could stretch the small money that I did have,” Salifu recalls. “I spoke to people in the community because in

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Salifu’s company, The Bartering Corporation, hopes to launch an app in November of 2017.

Mississauga our trading community isn’t as active as in Toronto. People wanted something in Mississauga where we could trade and be active.

So that’s why I decided to found The Barter Corporation.”

Salifu vividly remembers his first bartering experience. With a generous woman, Salifu traded his Play-

Station 4 Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag video game, now sold at BestBuy for $19.99, for a bottle of Jacob’s Creek wine. Bartering isn’t just limited to trading inexpensive items.

Throughout his experiences with the trading community, Salifu has seen people trade items ranging from clothing to pianos.

“Think about it. You probably have stuff in your house that you don’t use, but it’s still valuable. You struggle to pay your bills, so instead of using the money you need, you just barter,” Salifu says.

Currently, The Barter Corporation operates through a website that uses blog posts to provide the com-

munity with advice, including tips on how to budget and where to store certain foods like dairy and meat products in the refrigerator, to best prevent premature spoiling.

In November of 2017, The Barter Corporation will launch an app to help people connect with other traders located in Mississauga.

Upon downloading, the app will ask the user to input their interests so that it can create a personalized feed. Salifu explains that the app will also feature two facets: trade and upgrade. Once a user taps on an item that they want to receive through a bartering exchange, they will have to choose between the trade and upgrade options. The trade option allows users to simply arrange a meetup and exchange their item. For the upgrade aspect, The Barter Corporation team will trade the item for the user and deliver it to their house.

To his fellow entrepreneurs, Salifu recommends that if they have a business idea brewing, they shouldn’t hesitate to transform the idea into a tangible reality. “Honestly, just do it. At the end of the day, there’s really nothing to lose. Even if you don’t succeed, the experience is worth the risk.”

Exploring opportunities and resources Network continued from page 8

Other clubs have taken traditional approaches to networking and added an extra layer designed for building skills.

One such club is DECA chapter at UTM. DECA is an international organization focused on helping students build skills used for entrepreneurship, marketing, and management. Part of the monthly competition hosted by DECA UTM involves a role-playing situation where students must present their recommendations to a business question. Industry professionals, who are invited there, act as judges to rate the students’ performance.

Precious Benemerito, the president of DECA UTM, explains how the case competitions that DECA runs can really help a student’s professional development. “On the case competition day, we run workshops on professional skills like interviewing and networking. Students can also interact with alumni and the industry professionals,” she says.

Her advice for students that are new to networking would be to research the companies beforehand.

If they are nervous, it’s better to go with a group of friends. “It’s important to have natural conversation.

Networking is a process and takes a

ISLANDMEDIAMANAGEMENT.COM/PHOTO

Benemerito cites LinkedIn as an important resource for building a genuine rapport with employers. lot of perseverance, but learning to create these business relationships can open up future opportunities,” she adds.

Benemerito also mentions LinkedIn as an important resource: “It is a great tool to follow up with the employer, build a genuine rapport with them. If you are genuine, they will

be able to see that, and will eventually remember your face and name.”

Networking has played a part in Benemerito acquiring a new position at the professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. After attending DECA conferences and attending an in-house tour of PwC offices, the recruiters remembered her

when she applied for the position.

Other helpful resources can be found at the Career Centre where career consultants can help inform students about different opportunities. “After taking a Learn to Network workshop for example, students are free to attend networking events on campus,” says Ann Gaiger, assistant

Career Centre director. If they take a Career Exploration Workshop and a 15-minute module on the Career Learning website, students have access to different job search opportunities under their chosen field.

Through this tool, students have access to a tour of a certain company.

The Career Centre also organizes an external job shadowing program, where upon securing a placement, students have the opportunity to accompany an industry professional for a day.

“Students who follow-up with recruiters can conduct informational interviews with them on the current industry status,” says Gaiger.

Gaiger says that a combination of informal networking, like reaching out to friends and family for possible job exploration opportunities to formal events like networking nights on campus, can allow students to discover potential career paths and open them up to opportunities that may have not known about.

Whether you’re a seasoned networking enthusiast or a newcomer to these events, UTM offers many resources for students to find a starting point for their job searches and to ultimately help build their ideal career.

11.06.2017

»

11

Pinto believes communication is key Second-year student athlete Andre Pinto plays centre-back for the Eagles varsity men’s soccer team MELISSA HEPPNER

It is not easy being a full-time student and a varsity athlete, but for centre-back Andre Pinto, his love of the game, and support from his teammates make it all worthwhile.

A second-year student in the communication, culture, information, and technology program, Pinto says his key to success in academics is to approach it the same way he does soccer. “We train a lot [for soccer] so we should do the same thing with studying,” he says.

His teammates make it easier as well. The academics are “more like a team effort,” where players in the same program help each other out with studying and prepping for class.

Since they train so often, he must be disciplined with his time and it helps to have the support from his fellow players.

Pinto is an experienced competitive athlete, having begun his career at three years old when his parents put him in soccer. He fell in love with the game and went on to play as the

YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

Pinto shows confidence on the pitch and promotes communication among his teammates. captain of the Mississauga Croatia team, and later for clubs Toronto Lynx and Oakville Blue Devils. He also won the most valuable player and sportsman of the year award playing for his high school soccer

team at Holy Trinity in Oakville.

Holding the centre-back position over his entire soccer career, Andre brings toughness and confidence to the field, promoting communication between his teammates. He tells ev-

eryone to keep talking on the field.

He believes the key to success is confidence and to “stick in.” His club coaches first told him that—he says it means that no matter what you do, be it going in for a tackle or studying

for a test, “you have to go hard.”

Pinto prepares for matches by listening to hip-hop music, zoning out from the real world, and visualizing what he wants to do on the field. He says his motivation are his teammates. “Our team is a family and that is what motivates me to keep playing, to play for the guys around me.”

Pinto says the UTM team is improving since last year, having made playoffs this year. However, they are still looking to promote that “winning mentality” and culture—something the new coaches strongly uphold. Pinto says the team must have the mentality that they are going to win every game in order to make it happen. It’s more of a mental obstacle than anything else.

He hopes to get as far as possible in the playoffs next season.

Pinto says joining the men’s varsity team at UTM helped him meet a lot of people and make a lot of friends he otherwise would not have.

He encourages anyone interested in playing soccer to show up to tryouts and show the coaches you have a great work ethic.

Caffeine vs. decaf: the good and the bad Caffeine raises surprising positive impacts like a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia LABINA KHALID

The consumption of coffee, both caffeinated and decaffeinated, has positive and negative impacts on health.

Caffeine affects the central nervous system, along with the digestive, excretory, circulatory, respiratory, skeletal, muscular, and reproductive systems—but these effects are not necessarily negative.

Caffeine stimulates our brain. It makes us feel alert and less tired.

Caffeine can be used instead of overthe-counter drugs to treat headaches, drowsiness, and migraines. According to a 2009 University of Florida study, a habit of caffeinated coffee in our 40s and 50s may reduce our risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease or dementia by 70 per cent. Other studies suggest that regular consumption may help reduce the rate of cognitive decline in older adults.

According to a 2013 Harvard School of Public Health study, intake of two-to-three cups of caffeinated coffee daily caused a 45 per cent reduction in suicide rate. The reason may be that caffeine’s stimulant effect that boosts our moods. Caffeine also reduces risk of oral cancer. Decaf has a lower effect in reducing risks of oral

MESHA GHAYUR/THE MEDIUM

Both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee contain antioxidants. cancer.

Unfortunately, people can develop an addiction to caffeine. Sudden stops or breaks can cause withdrawal effects such as headaches, anxiety, irritability, and drowsiness. Some may even experience tremors—the sudden involuntary body movements, mainly in the hands. Some can even overdose

on caffeine. The symptoms of an overdose are confusion, vomiting, and hallucinations. Overdose can cause irregular or rapid heartbeat, along with difficulty in breathing and can also lead to death due to convulsions.

Caffeine increases the amount of acid in our stomachs, which can cause heart burn or an upset stomach. Since

extra caffeine cannot be stored in our bodies, we might experience increase in urination. People with acid reflux or ulcers are advised to consult their doctors before consuming caffeine.

Caffeine in large amounts may interfere with absorption and metabolism of calcium. A lack of calcium may lead to weakening of bones, or more

seriously, osteoporosis. Caffeine may also cause muscles to twitch or ache.

For pregnant women, caffeine can be hazardous—it enters the bloodstream and gains access to the placenta and goes into the baby’s bloodstream. This causes a baby’s heartbeat and metabolism to increase. Too much caffeine can cause miscarriages or slow fetal growth.

Decaffeinated coffee is rarely studied or considered. Decaf has 97 per cent of the caffeine removed and it contains antioxidants and nutrients.

Antioxidants are contained in both regular and decaf coffee. The main antioxidants are hydrocinnamic acid and polyphenols. This prevents heart diseases, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

A cup of coffee daily may reduce risk of type 2 diabetes by seven per cent.

Decaf also contains small amounts of required nutrition, such as magnesium, potassium, niacin, and vitamin B3.

Decaf may also be involved in reducing the risk of premature birth.

According to two human cell studies, decaf may protect neurons in the brain which can help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. These benefits are shared with regular coffee.

12

«SPORTS

THE MEDIUM 11.06.2017

HCC hosts annual glice event at UTM This past Friday, the HCC had another successful glice event held in Gym A of the RAWC AMRISH WAGLE ASSOCIATE S&H EDITOR

Last Friday, several of UTM’s organizations including the IEC, RAWC, Hart House, and UTMSU joined forces with the HCC Wellness Ambassadors to host the annual indoor skating event at Gym A of the RAWC. The turnout was simply sensational, with over 550 students and faculty attending to lace up their ice skates and get moving. The rink was produced from a synthetic plastic that mimicked the properties of real ice to a considerable extent. This rink was transported in literal pieces of jigsaw shapes that were then assembled in the gym. The surface of this synthetic material was easy to skate on for beginners. Nevertheless, the event saw many ambitious individuals slip and fall while trying out new moves.

The wellness ambassadors also held a competition every hour, including prizes for who can skate the fastest, do the best spin, or even do the best dance move. The winner of the lat-

YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

Over 550 students and faculty attended this year’s glice rink event. ter was awarded a free pair of Beats headphones for their participation.

The entire perimeter of the gym was lined up with tables for UTM organizations that promoted themselves,

Strong UTM performance

including the IEC that handed out free candy.

Another dynamic attraction at this event was the hot chocolate station.

However, since the beverage was

The impacts of alcohol Alcohol has many negative effects, including liver damage HALEY WEST

FACEBOOK.COM/UTMATHLETICS/PHOTO

The cross-country team is headed to Québec for nationals.

VANESSA CESARIO SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR On Saturday, October 28, the UTM cross-country team had a great showing at the OCAA Provincials held at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario.

Sophie Glanz is a medical student at UTM and a first-time varsity athlete, according to varsity program coordinator Jack Krist. Glanz was also named OCAA Cross Country Rookie of the Year and added to the first team All Ontario. Glanz finished in fifth place with a time of 23:01:05 and now has the “honour of being UTM’s first ever OCAA award winner and the first ever to represent UTM and team Ontario at the CCAA National level,” says Krist.

Stephanie Nevison, also a UTM medical student, finished 12th overall with a time of 24:21:02. Krist says, “Nevison was named to second team All Ontario and will represent UTM at the nationals both as an individual and as part of the UTM team.”

The UTM women’s team finished fourth in Ontario. Andrea Ortiz finished with a time of 26:21:03, Jerusha

Colucci with a time of 26:24:08, Rebecca Wong with 28:58:05, and Rebecca Allan with 29:01:08.

The UTM men’s team had two runners, Kale Heino and Haseeb Malik, who finished in the top 20 at provincials. Heino finished 15th overall with a time of 27:55:09, and Malik finished 19th with a time of 28:14:06.

Both Heino and Malik have qualified to compete at nationals and represent UTM for the third year in a row. Krist says that, “Jerry Lai finished with a time of 33:23:05 to round out UTM men’s runners at the Provincials.”

Eight out of nine athletes have qualified to compete at nationals held in Québec. Head coach Adam Hassen and assistant coaches Sara Fournier, Ayah Abdeldayem and Sam Dumcum are incredibly proud of their athletes and the results received at provincials.

Krist says: “That is every coaches goal at the start of the year, and to send essentially the entire team is an amazing accomplishment for this young OCAA program. The team is now looking to post some strong results in Quebec and finish the season on a high note.”

wholly delicious and free, they did run out of it for the last few hours of the event. Due to the overwhelming attendance, they also ran out of ice skates, which was unprecedented

for any of the previous ice-skating events. All this just provides testament to the one undeniable element of this event—the remarkable energy in the room. Students and faculty were brimming with enthusiasm and smiling ear-to-ear. The event went almost viral on campus, where students invited their friends through all forms of social media to come in and try out the glice rink. In fact, the wellness ambassadors managed to get a Snapchat filter for the event in the theme of winter wonderland— the theme for the evening.

The one goal of the event was to encourage students to get out and get active. Winter is a season where individuals decide to hibernate and stay dormant rather than improve their physical health. The indoor skating event was just a reminder the many ways students can stay active during the winter and actually have fun doing so. Some of the other recommended activities were skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, and of course, a visit to the RAWC gym.

Alcohol is not inherently bad just like drinking responsibly and in moderation is not dangerous. However, underage drinking, binge drinking, or long term heavy drinking can have serious negative impacts on your body.

According to “Know Your Limits,” alcohol can cause weight gain because it is high in calories. It also dehydrates your body and skin, especially if you are engaging in physical activity. “Know Your Limits” also states: “Alcohol dehydrates your body and skin. It also widens blood vessels, causing your skin to look red or blotchy.” Excessive drinking can cause disruptions to normal sleeping patterns and can cause insomnia, making it hard to fall asleep. In turn, the loss of sleep contributes to stress and anxiety.

While there are dangers to drinking that come from outside forces, such as drinking and driving or bad decision-making which can lead to injury, there are also serious consequences from the simple act of imbibing. Many people know about the dangerous effect of alcohol on the liver, such as the increased likelihood of cirrhosis. However, Freeman states that researchers have linked alcohol consumption to more than 60 diseases, including anemia, cancer, dementia, depression, seizures, nerve damage, and pancreatitis.

According to both Freeman, drinking can cause the pancreas to become inflamed. Chronic pancreatitis can cause severe pain in the abdomen, vomiting, and fever.

Pancreatitis is not a curable condition and can be fatal. Sixty percent pancreatitis cases are a result of alcohol consumption. Alcohol is also toxic to nerve cells; it can cause nerve damage known as alcoholic neuropathy. It can produce painful pins and needles feeling and numbness in the arms and legs, says Freeman.

Know Your Limits says that seven types of cancer have been linked to alcohol usage. This does not mean that everyone who drinks will get cancer, but scientists have recognized an increased occurrence of some cancers among those who drink. Bowel cancer, breast cancer, three types of throat cancer (laryngeal, oesophageal, and pharyngeal), liver cancer, and mouth cancer are linked to high alcohol usage. Alcohol consumption is the second largest risk factor for cancer, with only smoking being a larger risk factor, says Freeman.

Alcohol suppresses the immune system and makes it easier for infectious diseases to gain access to the body.

Alcohol suppresses the immune system and makes it easier for infectious diseases to gain access to the body. Tuberculosis, pneumonia, HIV/AIDS, and STDs are less likely to be fought off by your immune system when overindulging in alcohol, especially because people are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour when their decision-making is inhibited by al-

cohol. According to Freeman and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these can lead to lifelong contagions which could result in other long-term health issues, such as infertility.

According to Alcoholism Treatment California, Alcohol is classified as a depressant. A depressant is a class of drugs which affect the function of the central nervous system causing impairments to both physical and psychological activity.

Alcoholism Treatment California states that alcohol blocks messages from nerve receptors and alters an individual’s judgement, perceptions, emotions, and reflexes by depressing the CNS. It is only when misuse and abuse of alcohol occurs that symptoms of depression can develop.

Mental health problems, including depression and anxiety, can be developed or exacerbated by the use of alcohol, says Freeman. There is discussion about whether drinking causes depression or depression leads to drinking. Alcoholism Treatment California explain that some researchers theorize that people struggling with depression use alcohol to self-medicate, while others believe the heavy drinking leads to depression.

According to “Know Your Limits,” alcohol has been linked as a major factor toward 65 per cent of suicides. Among young people, approximately 30 per cent of suicides occur while the individual is intoxicated. Alcohol is considered the most widely consumed drug and has inherent risks associated with its misuse and abuse.