Volume 45 issue 2

THE VOICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA

September 17, 201 8 Volume 45, Issue 2 themedium.ca

First Academic Affairs meeting

Free speech, or lack of?

Environemental art projects

Rebecca Horne’s Scholarship

A loss for mens soccer

News, page 2

Opinion, page 4

Arts, page 5

Features, page 8

Sports, page 11

UofT partnership raises security concerns Intelligence officials in the United States and Canada concerned about Chinese telecommunications company Huawei KAYVAN AFLAKI

In July, senior lawmakers on U.S. intelligence committees raised concerns that Chinese telecommunications conglomerate, Huawei, was a “grave cybersecurity risk,” and that “its smartphones and equipment should not be used by Canada and other Western allies.”

In the spring of 2016, the University of Toronto consecrated a $3 million partnership with Huawei to “support a range of diverse projects, from optimized cloud computing to building next-generation Internet structures.”

The partnership will continue to foster research and development for Huawei technology at the University of Toronto until 2020.

Recently, Australia joined the United States in banning Huawei from its 5G mobile networks due to “national security concerns.” Both the U.S. and Australia, along with Canada, the U.K., and New Zealand, are members of an intelligence-sharing network known as the Five Eyes.

In recent weeks, Canada has fallen under mounting pressure to respond to fears of Huawei as a potential cybersecurity threat. Under Chinese law established by the country’s ruling party, companies must “support, co-operate

TRISTAN CANNON-SHERLOCK/UOFT

U of T partnered with Huawei in 2016. with, and collaborate in national intelligence work.” Security experts in the U.S. and Canada warn that equipment produced by firms such as Huawei could be compromised and may serve as a backchannel for China’s national intelligence service, which brings up serious surveillance violations.

These concerns come as post-sec-

ondary institutions across Canada secure funding for research and development projects focused on developing a 5G mobile network, which promises near-broadband speeds to smartphones and enable breakthrough technologies such as driverless cars. To date, Huawei has committed nearly $50 million to thirteen Canadian post-secondary

institutions to develop the 5G mobile networks, including the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo, McGill University and the University of British Columbia. In more than 40 cases, Canadian university professors have transferred full rights of their inventions to Huawei.

Vivek Goel, U of T’s VP Research

and Innovation, commented on the U of T partnership with Huawei in an email with The Medium. The exchange was facilitated by the university’s media relations’ team.

“Since signing the partnership agreement, Huawei has supported dozens of U of T projects involving more than 30 principal investigators and their trainees,” said Goel. “Such partnerships boost opportunities for innovation and education by providing researchers and students with tools, technologies, and data that might otherwise be inaccessible.”

Goel emphasized the university’s commitment to operating within Canada’s legal framework. “U of T works with individuals or organizations that are legally operating in Canada. We will respect any direction that we receive from the Government of Canada with respect to national security.”

In an article for The Globe and Mail, two former directors of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)— Richard Fadden and Ward Elcock—as well as John Adams, the former head of the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), advocated for a ban to exclude Huawei from supplying equipment for a 5G network in Canada.

Huawei continued on page 2

Campus tobacco smoking policy covers cannabis University of Toronto Student Success Centre aims to facilitate discussions and educate students on the drug TANISHA KUMAR

With the legalization of cannabis coming this fall to Canada, the University of Toronto is reviewing its smoking policies to ensure students are complying with the current legislation on marijuana use.

The Cannabis Act, also known as Bill C-45, will come into effect on October 17, 2018. The bill, according to the Government of Canada’s website, will ensure that there is a controlled access to it, it does not affect the youth negatively, does not cause any harm to public health and reduces profits made by criminals, and be used for medicinal purposes.

An annual Macleans survey revealed that most Canadian university students who smoke marijuana do not use the substance daily, but once a year to almost never. At the University of Toronto, approximately 1 per cent of the students

PHOTO FROM PUBLICDOMAINPHOTOS.NET

U of T is reviewing its smoking policies to comply with recent marijuana legislation. smoke marijuana daily.

In an interview with The Medium, University of Toronto’s senior director of student success Heather Kelly, Kelly stated that the university would use their existing smoking policies on tobacco to regulate

cannabis on campus.

“Just like for cigarettes, all students moving onto residence would need to sign a non-smoking contract in which they agree that they will not smoke in their residence rooms or dorms,” said Kelly.

Kelly also told The Medium that the university has established “working groups” across all three campuses, which hope to use the new law as an opportunity to educate students on drug use.

“It is an important moment to

educate students about the safety and effects of cannabis, understand its limits and their own responsibilities and most importantly, to seek help when and if needed,” said Kelly.

Although smoking on campus is forbidden, if a student was to get high and then attend classes, the university would take actions depending on the student’s behaviour.

“The university expects all students to obey the law.” continued Kelly. “Any behavior which is detrimental to a student’s personal or academic success will be looked into and appropriate measures will be taken. The university believes that it is important to ensure the safety and well-being of all students.

In order to do this, the university has decided to facilitate discussions throughout the year to keep students informed about the effects of cannabis and drugs in general.

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THE MEDIUM 09.17.2018

September 6th, 2018 Motor vehicle accident A staff member reported their vehicle had been struck while parked in P8.

September 8th, 2018 Police assisstance Campus Police attended residence for a student experiencing medical distress. The student was transported to the hospital by EMS. September 10th, 2018 Motor vehicle accident A non-community member reported the theft of their laptop from the fourth floor of the library.

Security review doesn’t cover UofT

Steptember 7th, 2018 Property damage Facilities staff reported a damaged window pane outside the Student Centre.

September 9th, 2018 Police assisstance Campus Police attended the bookstore for a staff member experiencing medical distress. The student was transported to the hospital by EMS. September 11th, 2018 Theft Campus Police attended a residence for a party that was out of hand. Upon arrival, the area cleared, however, a large mess was left behind.

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

Anyone with information regarding any of these incidents, or any other incident, is requested to contact the UTM Campus Police at 905828-5200, Peel Regional Police at 905-453-3311, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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.

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

CSE works with telecommunication service providers for over 99 per cent of Canadian subscribers.

Huawei continued from page 2 They have also supported a cessation of involvement on the part of Canadian universities in developing Huawei technology.

CSE representative Erin Koronewski informed The Medium that the agency’s Security Review program does not “monitor, test or evaluate academic research projects between Canadian universities and individual corporate firms.”

Koronewski further added that the CSE is, nevertheless, mandated

to test products manufactured by Huawei that may find their way into Canadian markets.

“As part of its cyber security mandate, the Communications Security Establishment works with telecommunications service providers representing over 99 per cent of Canadian subscribers.” Koronewski continued. “In this role, CSE provides advice and guidance to mitigate supply chain risks in telecommunications infrastructures which Canadians rely on.”

“Since 2013, the Security Review

program has been in place to test and evaluate designated equipment and services considered for use on Canadian 3G and 4G/LTE networks, including Huawei equipment.”

Huawei is presently the largest manufacturer of telecommunications equipment in the world and the third largest manufacturer of smartphones.

Huawei Canada did not respond to The Medium’s request for comment as of press time.

Academic affairs aims for diversity UTM Faculty data reveals 62.9 percent of the UTM faculty is male

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

UTM has a lack of geographical diversity in its faculty.

MELISSA BARRIENTOS The Academic Affairs Committee held their first meeting of the academic year last Wednesday, which reviewed the results of ten years of faculty data on the University of Toronto Mississauga campus, and the approval of a proposal for the new professional experience certificate in Digital Media, Communication and Technology.

An overview of the UTM faculty data gathered by the University of Toronto Human Resources Information System on the UTM showed a lack of geographical diversity in UTM’s faculty. In the 2017-2018 academic year, 41.95 per cent of UTM faculty members had earned their degrees in the U.S. and 42.20 per cent in Canada. Furthermore, 62.9 per cent of the

UTM faculty is male.

“UTM is committed to hiring the best faculty and to increasing diversity within its community,” said Acting VP Academic and Dean Angela Lange.

Additionally, the proposal for the professional experience certificate in Digital Media, Communication and Technology, which consists of an eight-month long non-credit paid work term, was approved and will be effective on May 1st, 2020.

According to the proposal, “[The] certificate will provide the opportunity for students to engage in industry-based experience in digital technology and media fields that will be integrated into their undergraduate studies through concentrated paid work placements (work-integrated learning) in an immersive and au-

thentic environment.”

The certificate is limited to students enrolled in the specialist program of Digital Enterprise Management, or are majoring in Communication, Culture, Information, and Technology, or the Professional Writing and Communications program. In addition to the two work terms, students will be required to complete 2.0 credits, including one required course, two professional practice courses, and a 400-level thesis course within their specific program.

Looking ahead, the Academic Affairs Committee is hoping to implement a new robotics major, design a new arts and culture building, and embed an experimental learning component to the current curriculum in the upcoming years.

09.17.2018 THE MEDIUM NEWS

UTSU talks terminating agreement UTSU committee recommends terminating agreement with UTMSU

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»DO YOU THINK CENSORSHIP IS AN ISSUE ON THIS CAMPUS?

Austin Armstrong 2nd year, DEM

Noelbright Kim 3rd year, DEM

No. My experience is that freedom of speech and expression is encouraged.

There are some things people talk about that others look down on them for.

Rose Davis 3rd year, sociology

Sara Dass 3rd year, CCT

It is to a small degree. Certain works are restricted by the university.

No, I don’t think so. My language is profane and I’ve never gotten in trouble.

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

The UTSU is looking into other avenues for profit.

ALI TAHA NEWS EDITOR The University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) Ad Hoc Negotiations Committee has recommended that the organization terminate its Associate Membership Agreement (AMA) with the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union.

The agreement, effective since April 30, 2008, is meant to “co-ordinate and streamline resources” of the UTSU and UTMSU, as well as bind the two unions’ governance and fee remittance structures.

In February, both organizations had sixty days to renegotiate the agreement. During the period of talks, former president of the UTSU Math-

ias Memmel said that “both parties recognize that the UTSU-UTMSU relationship has changed since 2008, when the agreement was signed. For example, the agreement forbids the UTMSU from doing advocacy work on university-wide issues, which doesn’t make sense anymore.”

However, the talks stalled, leaving the next executive teams of the 20182019 year to carry on negotiations.

According to the agreement, UTM students pay one fee and three levies to the UTSU each year. During the UTSU’s August 15th Board of Directors meeting, VP University Affairs Joshua Grondin estimated that the UTSU should expect a revenue decrease of $82,000 per year from a loss of UTM student revenue.

To make up for this lost revenue, the UTSU is looking into other avenues of profit. The union plans to request donations from alumni, as well as open for-profit services which include renting conference spaces and running a café. The UTSU is also considering increasing their levy to act as a counterbalance to the lost revenue.

As specified by the AMA, the agreement can be terminated by either a ¾ majority from both unions’ board of directors followed by a ¾ majority at a general meeting, or a referendum of both memberships.

Neither UTSU President Anne Boucher or UTMSU President Felipe Negata responded to The Medium’s request for comment as of press time.

UofT #1 in Canada UofT 28th in the world, 12th in employability

UTM campus goes global UTM Principal Ulrich Krull has high hopes for the future of the university

PAWEL MIGDAL/THE MEDIUM

UofT’s education is highly valued by employers around the world.

PAWEL MIGDAL/THE MEDIUM

The UTM Principal says that UofT has reached a maturity in the international scene.

HARRIS WATKINS

Last Wednesday, the University of Toronto Mississauga’s Campus Affairs Committee held their first meeting of the 2018-2019 academic year to discuss the status of the university’s future capital projects, campus renovations, and the university’s focus on being a leading institution in academia at the international level.

On the status of construction projects on campus, the committee learned that the completion of the Davis revitalization project was to be delayed until January 2019, due to

reported permit issues with the City of Mississauga. The committee also discussed two future building projects, which include two new buildings; one dedicated to the sciences the other to arts and culture. The science building would be issued a higher priority than the latter—however details on both of these buildings have not been solidified yet, as both projects are still in their infancy.

On the international status of the university, VP and Principal of UTM Ulrich Krull stated, “I see, personally, a point of pivot for the university […] the University of Toronto has reached a maturity in the international scene that it truly can exercise

and flex its muscles to be an international university.”

Krull went on to highlight the university’s efforts in ensuring that there is a greater diversity in the student body at the university, representing “more countries, more cultures, more languages, and more thought processes.” He concluded his remarks by noting that he has “never seen the university working so hard to take on a leadership position” and compete with universities like Stanford, Cambridge, and Oxford.

The next Campus Affairs Committee meeting with be on November 12, 2018.

ALI TAHA NEWS EDITOR According to the London-based Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, the University of Toronto ranks 28th in the world, and first in Canada, leading ahead of McGill University, the only other Canadian university in the top fifty.

On the QS website, the University of Toronto is “the birthplace of insulin and stem cell research,” and by a significant margin “receives the most annual scientific research funding of any Canadian university.”

The university also placed 12th in the world in the 2019 QS Graduate Employability Rankings.

In a University of Toronto Mis-

sissauga news article on the university’s employability ranking, U of T President Meric Gertler said, “this result reaffirms the excellence of a University of Toronto education, which is highly valued by employers around the world.”

Quacquarelli Symonds uses five weighted criteria in ranking universities. The university’s reputation among employers is the main value used to evaluate the ranking, followed by research collaborations with global companies, an analysis of high-achievers’ alma maters, the number of employers who have an active presence on campus and the graduate employment rate one year after graduation.

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09.06.2016

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Free speech with strings attached An attempt at implementing free speech is flawed when there’s a touch of silence “We will not tolerate anybody using our children as pawns for grandstanding and political games. And, make no mistake, if we find somebody failing to do their job, we will act.”

Who do you think made that comment? And who do you think it’s targeted towards?

Well, it’s targeted towards teachers in Ontario, and it was made by our Premiere, Doug Ford. What is he threatening our teachers about?

The sex-ed curriculum that Kathleen Wynne introduced and put into action during her time as Premiere.

Last week, for our first issue, we published an article that discussed the Ontario government’s mandate for publicly funded Ontario colleges and universities to establish free speech policies, or they would face funding cuts.

The mandate announcement also discusses that “speech that violates the law is also prohibited”.

Between the Ontario government threatening teachers for teaching

Wynne’s sex-ed curriculum, and the mandate by the Ontario government to establish a free speech policy across all publicly funded post-secondary institutions, there’s a certain amount of hypocrisy that coincides with these mandates by the government.

The sex-ed curriculum became known as the “controversial” curriculum. When it first came out, I was grateful that it was being taught. To me, it was never controversial, it was informative and essential to a child’s growth in life. The new curriculum was a signifier of growth in our government and its policies that have been outdated for quite some time.

Ford’s government has now turned the curriculum into a fearmongering ideology. He uses the sentiment that parents have not been listened to for far too long, and that parents have not been heard. Following his entrance into office, he mandated that Wynne’s curriculum was to never be taught, and that the curriculum that was being taught before Wynne’s ver-

sion is to be taught now. There’s even a spot on the Ontario website where one can complain about a specific teacher who chooses to continue teaching Wynne’s curriculum.

I find it incredibly difficult to be okay with a government who wants sex-education limited yet would like publicly funded institutions to have a free speech policy, while also silencing any teacher who disagrees with the decision to revert back to the old curriculum. Of course, the two subjects don’t completely relate, however, how can a government mandate free speech, yet limit the conversation that Wynne was aiming to start at a young age?

The principle of free speech is surrounded on the idea that individuals can say what they believe and have certain opinions without the fear of being ostracized for their personal beliefs. However, by limiting the sex-ed curriculum, in a way, the conversation that included same-sex relationships for example, is now shut down and hid away from young

students. This is an issue, because if Ford’s government really wants institutions to preach free speech, then his mandate against the new sex-ed curriculum is directly against that very freedom. Why? Because a conversation that teachers should be and are trying to have with children is now silenced.

If our government is unable to allow a conversation to be embedded in a curriculum, it’s hardly fair for the government to dictate a free speech policy. While the two issues are completely independent of one another, they do work hand in hand.

If we want our children and youth to fully engage in free speech, and to understand what that means, it’s essential to allow our youth to see their adults do it first. Give them the opportunity to believe and trust in us “adults” to be mature and discuss topics that may be considered taboo, freely.

Only then can the future of our youth grow to its ultimate potential.

09.17.2018

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Visualizing environmental activism The Work of Wind: Air, Land, Sea exhibit explores themes of sustainability and climate change GRACE MEANY

The Work of Wind: Air, Land, Sea aims to show detrimental effects on our environment through thirteen contemporary art installations, which will be spread across the Industrial Southdown Area from September 14-23. The director and art curator of the exhibition, Christine Shaw, has worked closely with the University of Toronto to organize and execute the event, which is exclusive to Mississauga. As a volunteer, I was able to witness The Work of Wind along a 1.5km stretch of land, which was home to an oil and lubricants refinery, a carbon dioxide production facility, and the Clarkson Wastewater Treatment Plant.

For 10 days, the Clarkson Wastewater Treatment Plant served as the location for the project “Spring Bloom in the Marginal Ice Zone: From the Barents Sea to Lake Ontario,” for which artist Jana Winderen captured the sound of the Barents

ASHLEY VANDERKOEN/THE MEDIUM

The exhibit brings the dying ecosystem to life through an auditory experience.

Sea during Spring Bloom. Sounds of middle of the Barents Sea; ice drift- climate change—simply because we melting ice and cries from bearded ing and melting on the left, a bearded cannot see them. “Spring Bloom in seals and other sea mammals could seal calling its mate on the right. the Marginal Ice Zone: From the Barbe heard when standing close to the Oftentimes, it is easy to dismiss the ents Seas to Lake Ontario,” however, project. If you close your eyes, you melting ice and distressed sea mam- forces us to become environmentally can almost imagine being in the mals—which we know are results of aware, by bringing the dying ecosys-

tem to life through an auditory experience.

The Work of Wind: Air, Land, Sea has commissioned these interactive art pieces to encourage visitors to discover an environmental awareness outside of a political setting.

“Spring Bloom in the Marginal Ice Zone: From the Barents Seas to Lake Ontario,” along with the 12 other exhibits I have visited, became a reason for why I should walk 5 minutes out of my way to find a recycling bin. Issues of sustainability, climate, and resilience sound unimportant in comparison to that midterm worth 35 per cent of your grade, that oftentimes, it becomes background noise in the everyday bustle of our lives. However, it is important to occasionally sit back and consider the big picture. That is the beauty of The Work of Wind: Air, Land, Sea; it takes environmental concerns and gives them an outlet in contemporary art. The big picture is now a tangible thing, as proven by the art commissioned for the exhibit.

Breaking down the wall between city & art shift CTRL at the AGM celebrates community and challenges barriers of gallery spaces KEENA AL-WAHAIDI

The Art Gallery of Mississauga’s shift CTRL exhibit, curated by Adu Radha Verma, is a project set up in the gallery’s XIT-RM project space.

It invites viewers to dive into opinionated conversation, self-discovery, and the understanding of our diverse city life.

The room, about twelve square feet, is humble but impactful. On the wall to the left, there is a table with three boxes. They are marked with the words “Art,” “Politics,” and “Belonging,” which are themes consistent with the exhibit’s overall message. This message being that we can agree or disagree with some of the cards in each box, but still make an influential opinion about them.

Each box offers about 20 to 30 cards. Filled with city facts and opinions, the boxes delve into subjects that we may or may not be aware of.

In “Art”, one card reads “58,000 people visited the AGM in 2017.” This one is fair and honest—a statistic that is true but not surprising.

The cards seem to pose questions.

Others are warnings disguised as facts. The second card in the “Art”

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Each paper in the pile asked the same question: “Who are you?” box reads, “The AGM has been open for 31 years—so much can change over 3 decades.” There is a sense of urgency in this one, reminding us that the art here changes, and that it also changes us. Our perspectives alter as a community within this given space.

On the wall straight ahead, there is a flurry of papers lined up neatly across a bulletin board. They’re stacked up against the board, each in different piles but with papers that prompt the same things. Each one had a space to fill in with questions such as: “Who are you?” and “Do

you feel like you belong in Mississauga?” The responses varied from “No, not at all” to “Yes, very much.”

Above the table with blank papers and colourful pens for viewers to write with, a sign read, “Hang it up to create a public archive of truths,” which is exactly what various art go-

ers decided to do. Underneath “Who are you,” many chose to respond with an answer that didn’t include their name. These included answers like, “A people-kind” and “The stranger you walk by.” The responses intrigued me: instead of getting a name out of a single profile, I can get an entire personality by just reading that first answer.

The shift CTRL exhibit has managed to break barriers in more than one way as it reflects on how we define ourselves within the city, and also as a community within the city.

This gallery space is meant to invite, challenge and engage. It reminds us that outside of the gallery walls, we are often searching for a space where we can understand our responses to everyday life. Not only to life, but to ourselves and other people.

Before leaving the gallery space, I pause to briefly look at one last sheet in front of me on the board. This one has been filled out philosophically and with very much thought. When asked about belonging, they declined to put an answer on the scale and simply wrote: “Who belongs anywhere?” shift CTRL runs at the Art Gallery of Mississauga until December 21.

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THE MEDIUM 09.17.2018

Revitalizing the campus radio station After a two-year hiatus, the executive team of CFRE is ready to kick start a new season of music PAULA CHO A&E EDITOR

Committed to representing the local arts scene and fostering a sense of connection across campus, CFRE is UTM’s radio station. Established in 1970, the radio has endured both its ups and downs, from wavering periods of management to hosting memorable acoustic sessions. After being on a hiatus for the past two years, the executive team behind the station has restructured their content programming and pinpointed what exactly they hope to accomplish.

Initially a DJ for the station while he was a student at UTM, Viktor Komadina describes his goals as station manager by referring to CFRE’s past and how he hopes to build upon it.

“We were originally Erindale College’s little radio station—all we did was have students come in and choose CDs they loved or bring in vinyls they loved, and mix what they wanted. It was a residence thing, where our music would play through the hallways and you could hear us all around campus. Back when it was more bare-

YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

CFRE is returning after two years of being down. bones, we were able to have a much wider reach and sense of community with our students. It was more of a radio club that was made for students at the time to enjoy themselves in the middle of nowhere that was this big Erindale Park area. But as the university itself started changing as far its standards for students, the station and the music became less of a priority. This went from a getaway spot where people could play a little music to more of a commuter school that felt disconnected.”

To combat this issue, Komadina is determined to stick to CFRE’s roots of playing the alternative music scene and creating programming to involve more students. “I want to have regular workshops and DJ training programs on media management, sound editing, and how to represent yourself on live social media. I want for people to come in and collectively work and create [material] that we can start broadcasting. As soon as next week, our server will be fully operational and for the rest of the year, when we

have a few events, I hope we’ll have good turnouts and show that we’re very much involved in the music community.”

Working at the forefront with DJs and content creation is Asheesh Sridhar, the director of programming.

“My job is to schedule things with DJs based on what they might need from the station, to train them, and to talk with them about their shows. I’d first ask the general idea of what they would like to do and how they can maintain that over an hour time slot.

From there, we work on how they can make it a weekly thing, a monthly thing, and how they can ultimately grow the show.” When asked if there is something specific he looks for in the pitches he receives, Sridhar replies that radio is simply about expression.

More important than interesting subject matter is if the person truly has something to say.

On the topic of their music selection process, CFRE mixes playing records they are sent from promoters and labels, checking the charts of the National Campus and Community Radio Association, and basing their playlists off what DJs introduce them. “Sometimes, there are local jams around the corner that have the greatest musical quality, but you just don’t hear about it. It’s a matter of finding the right avenue and that’s the business we’re in—making those avenues,” Komadina says. “We’re about the hometown heroes and trying to stray away from the top 40, the billboards, the Drakes. Back in the day, we had Arkells, BadBadNotGood, and Jazz Cartier—there’s been an eclectic variety of really good music.”

CFRE continued on page 7

Women in the director’s chair at TIFF Screened at TIFF, Float Like A Butterfly and Where Hands Touch are films directed by women DELANEY ROMBOUGH

It is no secret that gender disparities exist in the film industry. However, the Toronto International Film Festival is taking initiative to close the gap.

According to their website, 36 per cent of the films screened at this year’s festival are directed by women, which is a three per cent increase from 2017.

Furthermore, in light of the #MeToo and TIME’S UP movements, TIFF has made a five-year commitment, called Share Her Journey, to “increase participation, skills, and opportunities for women behind and in front of the camera.” Women are just as talented as men in this industry and they have important stories to tell as seen in films like Float Like a Butterfly, written and directed by Carmel Winters, and Where Hands Touch, directed by Amma Asante.

Float Like a Butterfly is a story set in Ireland and centers around the film’s protagonist Frances (Hazel Doupe), her little brother Patrick (Johnny Collins), and her previously incarcerated father Michael (Dara Devaney). As a child, Frances loses her mother and grows up idolizing boxer Muhammad Ali. She wants to be a fighter like Ali but in 1960’s Ireland, it’s not very ladylike.

Throughout the film, Frances fights through many difficult situations and somehow survives them all. The boys in the local village pick on the travelers for being “savage” and “un-

PHOTO FROM TIFF.NET

Float Like A Butterfly centers around Frances played by Hazel Doupe. civilized.” When Frances’s father is released from prison, he develops a drinking problem and the local police always look to pick a fight with him.

Frances takes care of Patrick for years while Michael is in prison, so when he is released, he is shocked to learn how “cowardly” Patrick is. Michael tells Patrick to toughen up and that women deserve to be hit to keep them in line. In a shocking moment, Michael makes Patrick hit Frances, who is visibly hurt by her father’s beliefs more than getting slapped by her brother.

It was in this moment that the audience realized just how poignant Hazel Doupe’s performance was. Following the film, during a Q&A with Carmel Winters and Hazel Doupe, Winters said, “I didn’t want to go with the cliche that a fighter is always masculine and harsh but actually this girl is everything. She’s as delicate as a butterfly yet she’s tough enough to fight back, and Hazel did a great job with that.”

Another female-directed film at TIFF is Where Hands Touch, writ-

ten and directed by Amma Asante.

The film is an untold Holocaust story about Lenya (Amandla Stenberg), a black German teenager, who falls in love with Lutz (George MacKay), a member of the Hitler Youth. Asante spent ten years developing and researching this film in order to shine light on a lesser-known piece of history from this time.

Lenya’s mother (Abbie Cornish) has done her best to protect Lenya from the Nazis, but like the Jews, Lenya is a target because she is black

and not a “true German.” Lenya does her best to stay invisible but when she meets Lutz, she starts taking risks like any young girl in love. They stay out after curfew and kiss on doorsteps, despite knowing that they will be killed if anyone finds them together.

When the Nazis take her mother away for having a black child, Lenya fights back and ends up in a Jewish concentration camp, which is where the film takes an even darker turn.

Lenya slaves away in the kitchen in horrible conditions; one of her bunkmates doesn’t even have proper shoes.

After some time has passed, she realizes that Lutz has been stationed here against his will. He wanted to fight on the battlefield. When Lenya tells Lutz she is pregnant with his child, the two of them attempt to escape the camp but not before Lutz is shot and killed.

The film ends with Lenya reuniting with her mother back in Berlin.

Stenberg’s performance is nothing short of incredible as she took on this challenging role of a young girl who had to grow up so fast. Lenya goes through a lot in the two-hour film, and Stenberg makes the transformation from innocent youth to an abused camp worker to ultimately a mother, look seamless.

If you love strong female characters in leading roles who tell important stories about being strong, loving, and independent, then I recommend watching both Float Like a Butterfly and Where Hands Touch.

09.17.2018 THE MEDIUM ARTS» 7

REWIND VICTORIA DANESI Broadcast News (1987), written and directed by James L. Brooks, is a romantic dramedy that also serves as a satire on the changing state of journalism. The film follows Jane Craig (Holly Hunter), an ambitious news producer, and her best friend Aaron Altman (Albert Brooks), a witty but cynical journalist who is secretly in love with her. Aaron’s romantic dreams are interrupted when Tom Grunick (William Hurt), a likable but inexperienced anchor, joins the station and Jane becomes interested in him.

Surrounding this love triangle is the inner workings of television news. On Tom’s first day at the station, he shadows Jane as she is in post-production on Aaron’s segment.

Jane, who insists the piece needs to be perfect, goes down to the wire as the broadcast is minutes away. When she finally approves the edit, madness ensues as assistant director Blair Litton (Joan Cusack) rushes with the VHS tape to the control room. As Blair is sprinting through the newsroom, she ducks under opened filing cabinets, rams into a water fountain, and even jumps over a toddler—but she makes it just in time for air.

Broadcast News plays off tropes of the typical romantic comedy. Jane never really commits to Aaron nor Tom and is more dedicated to her career. When you think that Jane will finally find romantic happiness, her

KEENA AL-WAHAIDI When I was assigned to read The Quem Quaeritis Ceremony for Dr. Chester Scoville’s ENG330 class, I found a great deal of it to be both strange and wonderful. Its contents reveal that it was performed in song and was dramatized to highlight the religious significance of Easter morning. This ceremony was performed by the Quem Quaeritis, a troupe that later added on their own developments of the religious account.

The ceremony takes on the account of the three Marys and the angel protecting Christ’s empty tomb on Easter. When they enter after the third day following Christ’s crucifixion, the angel asks the anticipated question: “Quem Quaeritis?” which means “Who do you seek?” indicating the play’s constant message of unearthing revelations.

The Quem Quaeritis Ceremony is small, but it contains ideas that are larger than any of us. One might ponder its potential for theatrical use, rather than just a simple narrative. It is crucial to examine surviving medieval texts, dating back to the tenth century, for religious inquisition.

One strength of this text is its pro-

journalistic ethics are too important to her after an incident with Tom. Holly Hunter and Albert Brooks’ chemistry is a shining moment in the film. From the moment their characters interact, you can feel the bond they have. They quip at each other without any hurt feelings and can communicate effortlessly. When the two are on the phone deciding where to meet, Aaron merely says, “I’ll meet you at the place near the thing where we went that one time” and Jane instantly knows where he’s thinking of.

The number of one-liners delivered

by Aaron are endless and I was still discovering new ones while laughing along with my favourites.

Set in the late 1980’s, the changing business of journalism is becoming apparent in Jane’s newsroom. The inexperienced Tom is promoted because of his ability to boost ratings while major layoffs occur in the news division. Aaron desperately wants to anchor, but he scoffs when his face does not test well in a focus group. At the beginning of the film, Jane is giving a presentation about the growing lack of commitment networks have in reporting hard news. Her audience is extremely inattentive to important political stories but perks up when she angrily plays a video of thousands of dominoes falling.

Nominated for seven Academy Awards, Broadcast News is a clever approach to the romantic comedy genre and gives a fascinating look into a newsroom.

ficient stage presence. In ENG330, we were given a few minutes to watch a performance of The Quem Quaeritis Ceremony on YouTube. Theatre, when staged, is always longer than the reading of its text. The performance was long when it needed to be, and its dialogue was read with great distinction.

The only reason that The Quem Quaeritis Ceremony may not be a page-turner is because it isn’t—the text does not exceed one page of The Broadview Anthology of Medieval Drama. When first reading it, I had lost track of what I was supposed to be assessing. Instead, I wondered if I was picturing the ceremony in a different way than I was supposed to.

Was I supposed to be reading a religious retelling or a tenth century play that resembled really good theatre?

Translated from Latin, it is obvious that the text has some theatrical potential. However, there are reasons to avoid a dramatized retelling of the ceremony. There is no climax or resolution, and the play doesn’t possess any real villains or heroes. There also doesn’t seem to be much stage direction. However, after reading it, it’s quite possible that it doesn’t need any.

CFRE’s comeback story

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CFRE’s goal is to have a bigger broadcast signal and to be heard.

CFRE continued from page 6 In regard to long-term goals, Komadina says that “being part of the art scene at UTM, [which includes] Blackwood Gallery, drama club, we’re about making things a little easier for students. Ultimately, my goal as station manager is for CFRE to have a bigger broadcast signal and for us to be heard. We primarily operate via online, but we also have an FM signal, which you can only hear on campus.

And not everyone’s carrying around a

pocket radio, like the eccentric kind of guy I am. By the end of my time here, I want to make it so CFRE is the number one music station in Mississauga, representing the local scene and giving people a little more sense of community. I think radio is so much more than just making a frequency. I think it’s about keeping people connected, keeping listeners involved, and keeping those within the immediacy of the community informed [while] giving them a place for output.”

If there were one means of bring-

ing people together, Sridhar believes it’s radio. “More than anything, we’re a conduit for if you have something to say or if you want to express yourself in a certain way—you get to do this through radio. Once that process occurs enough times, we start building an actual community of people who are committed to CFRE for no other reason than their love for what they’re able to do at this station. That would be real success.”

CFRE is broadcasted on 91.9FM and on their website.

MEGAN ATHAIDE

for easier understanding.

In their most recent podcast episode, “Human Extinction: Is the world going to end soon?” Moffit and Brown discuss climate change and faltering democracy, while teaching listeners about the psychological phenomena of love languages and the science of crying. Moffit takes an optimistic view of this topic whereas Brown comes to the debate from a more discouraged standpoint. This makes for an interesting discussion about how the current political and environmental climate will impact generations to come.

I’ve been loving Sidenote during my time on the bus commuting to and from school. I enjoy how the hosts present new topics and different perspectives in a way that feels like friends sharing stories with each other. The AsapSCIENCE team is a group of proficient scientific communicators and entertaining storytellers. Their podcast will teach and help you make greater connections to the world around you.

Sidenote is a new educational podcast hosted by Mitchell Moffit and Gregory Brown. The Toronto-based creators also run their own YouTube channel and brand AsapSCIENCE. Every Wednesday, Moffit and Brown sit down to discuss controversial topics, personal anecdotes, and of course, science.

Gregory and Mitchell describe themselves as science communicators. In their YouTube videos and podcasts, they take on explaining scientific processes and newsworthy current events and trends. The goal of AsapSCIENCE is to get more people interested in science and to remove the intimidation that a lot of people feel when coming in contact with the subject. A few of the topics they have discussed range from sex-ed to alcohol consumption and reality television to human extinction.

With the help of their researcher Rachel, Moffit and Brown are able to relay relevant information and facts throughout the podcast that makes

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09.17.2018

Self-doubt to success: Rebecca Horne Rebecca Horne, a UTM Ph.D. student in psychology, recently won a prestigious Vanier scholarship MELISSA RAMSAMMY

Rebecca Horne, a University of Toronto Mississauga Ph.D. student in the department of psychology, has recently won the prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship. In the aftermath of such a major accomplishment, Horne speaks with The Medium to reflect on the emotional significance of achieving the goal that has driven her for years.

The Vanier Scholarship, a program initiated by the Government of Canada, showcases Canada’s achievements in research and innovation, with the hopes of earning recognition on a global scale. The program acknowledges the remarkable work of Canadian doctoral students, who have demonstrated excellent leadership skills, and an appreciation for higher learning. With a value of $50,000 per year for three years of doctoral studies, the program awards only 166 scholarships across the entire nation.

Horne recalls the moment, back in April, when she discovered she would be one of the lucky few recipi-

YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

Rebecca Horne is a Ph.D. student in the department of psychology. ents.

“My first reaction was bursting into tears,” she says. “I was shaking!”

She first heard of the scholarship in her second year of undergraduate studies in family sciences at the University of Alberta. Learning about

the award as an undergrad, Horne initially doubted her ability to earn the Vanier Scholarship. Looking back, Horne remembers thinking, “Oh! Well that seems really cool, but I don’t see myself ever really being able to do something like that.”

During that same year, Horne stumbled across the beginnings of her own research career. She gives credit to a mandatory course within her program that exposed her to the world of research: a course on intimate romantic relationships.

“I just fell in love with it,” she says.

“I enjoyed reading the textbook. I didn’t even realize you could do research on couples, or how it could be done, or that it was such a diverse field.” With a new interest, Horne decided to pursue a master’s degree in the same field at the University of Alberta, before moving to Toronto to complete her Ph.D. in psychology.

Horne’s most current research project continues to explore romantic relationships, with a particular focus on “really big relationship sacrifices.”

She explains that these sacrifices include times when “we’re giving up or modifying our own goals and desires for our partner.” Of all the possible sacrifices, Horne believes one of the biggest is the sacrifice of “relocating” to a new city or country if a partner is called for work or school.

The pilot study for this project launched only a few weeks ago, but Horne is optimistic about the valuable research she may be able to conduct. The project aims to track the progress of 200 couples as they “relocate” due to some big life transition.

Award continued on page 10

Exploring horror and violence in Austen At last week’s Lecture Me! event, professor Terry Robinson investigated Gothic in Northanger Abbey LIAYANA JONDY Last Tuesday, the Experiential Education Office at UTM hosted their first “Lecture Me!” event of the 2018-2019 year at the Mississauga Central Library. The lecture, entitled “Gothic Jane Austen” featured professor Terry Robinson from the UTM English and Drama department who specializes in eighteenth and early nineteenthcentury British literature, theatre, and culture, from the Restoration through the Romantic period. In addition to this, her research also gears towards sexuality and gender, women’s literature, art and aesthetics, and graphic satire. At this month’s lecture, Robinson discusses representations of the Gothic and “Gothic violence” in Jane Austen’s novel Northanger Abbey.

Robinson notes that during the 90’s and early 2000’s, a large surge of movies and books based on Austen’s novel were divided in terms of their reading of her text. According to Robinson, the movies and books based on Austen’s Northanger Abbey either chose to read her novel as a “courtship novel,” a novel focusing on a heroine’s self-discovery, romance, and marriage, like Pride and Prejudice, or as a parody or satire of the Gothic Novel, a genre where horrid, terrible, or dark subject matter act as

UOFTMISSISSAUGA/TWITTER

“Gothic Jane Austen” was the first “Lecture Me!” event of this school year. the texts central feature.

As Robinson notes, some common elements found in Gothic novels include religious corruption, taboo familial relations, mysterious or threatening atmosphere, and high, overwrought and intense emotions.

Throughout Austen’s text the novel’s “heroine,” Catherine Morland, interprets the world around her as though it is a Gothic novel. Robinson explains that at several points during the novel, Catherine imagines “realworld manifestations of the Gothic.”

At one point in the novel, Catherine has the opportunity to visit Blaise Castle Estate, built in 1766.

Robinson elaborates that Austen’s readers at the time, unlike Catherine,

would have known that Blaise Castle was not the largest or even oldest castle in England. Catherine’s belief that the “castle will realize her gothic fantasies” exposes her own folly for confusing fictional realities, explains Robinson.

At another point in the novel, Catherine is invited to stay at Northanger Abbey by her friend’s father, General Tilney. During her stay, Catherine continues to imagine manifestations of the Gothic. She spots a chest, which contains merely a duvet cover, and a tall, black cabinet that seems to be empty but upon further inspection contains a “precious manuscript.” The “precious manuscript” turns out to be an inventory of lin-

en. In this case, Catherine discovers “mere artifacts of domestic, everyday work,” says Robinson.

Catherine then concentrates her curiosity towards the late Mrs. Tilney, General Tilney’s wife. Through her closing reading of the text, Robinson suggests that Catherine’s investigation of Mrs. Tilney’s death leads her to suspect General Tilney as being responsible for his wife’s passing.

To Catherine’s dismay, Robinson reveals, Mrs. Tilney’s death is deemed natural and provides Catherine with no fantastical plot of mystery, horror, and suspense but rather a period of “awakening,” or a realization of her folly. As Robinson words it, “horror is unrealized.”

Robinson asserts, however, that Austen is doing “something real” in Northanger Abbey. The level of violence towards female heroines of gothic novels by male characters remains present in Austen’s text, Robinson argues. Male characters, such as Henry Tilney, the son of General Tilney and Catherine’s future suitor, reveal their misogynistic standpoints on the interests of their female counterparts.

Robinson explains that there is an “undercurrent of aggression” that the men of authority assert within the text. When Henry reprimands Catherine for believing that General Tilney harmed his wife, he reveals violent undertones that highlight women’s vulnerability. Henry inadvertently reveals that his father abused his mother on a physical or emotional level. Robinson suggests that although Catherine may be a naive reader, she has not completely misread the situation. Although General Tilney did not kill his wife, he still exhibited violent behaviour towards her.

Robinson concludes that those in positions of power and authority “control and construct our own realities.” Gothic violence is no mere matter of fiction but rather an everyday matter of fact, Robinson explains during her closing remarks.

09.17.2018 THE MEDIUM FEATURES» 9

Katherine Bullock, the new chair of ISNA Professor Katherine Bullock from the political science department discusses her role with ISNA MAHNOOR HAMID Dr. Katherine Bullock, a political science lecturer at UTM, has been serving as the first female chair on the executive board of the Islamic Society of North America Canada (ISNA), one of the largest Muslim organizations in the country, since January 2018.

Though she serves as chair for the current term, it is not her first time in a leadership position at ISNA. She first joined ISNA when she embraced Islam in 1994 and moved to Canada.

She attributes her role in leadership to the encouragement of her community, who have supported her and had approached her to run for a position on the board for the 2015 term.

The Medium sat down with Bullock to discuss her perspectives on the board and her role in this non-profit group.

What does having a “genderbalanced” and “ethnically diverse” board for the first time in ISNA’s history in Canada mean to you and to ISNA? “In the early days of ISNA, it was ethnically diverse. You had Arabs, and Pakistanis, and Indonesians, people from all over. The women were involved, but never on the board. We cannot say they were never involved, they were always active but in different ways,” Bullock reflected. “So, I think that out of the national Canadian Muslim organizations, ISNA has always been the most diverse. I think it means that people from diverse backgrounds see in ISNA some-

PHOTO BY COLE BURSTON/TORONTO STAR VIA GETTY IMAGES

Bullock has been a supporter and attendee of ISNA since 1994. thing they can be loyal to, that this can be their organization, and their background doesn’t matter. To have diverse people willing to run, means that such people feel that they can be welcomed at ISNA, and I think that’s a great blessing.”

What inspired you to pursue this position?

“When I first came to Canada I wasn’t Muslim, and I converted to Islam in 1994. When I converted back then, there weren’t very many organizations or even mosques around. So right away we joined ISNA Canada.

Ever since then, I’ve been a supporter of ISNA and an attendee. Fast

forward to 2005, I was employed at ISNA for a year as the Media Relations and Outreach Officer. [Around that time,] I had taken a maternity leave and had started teaching here [at UTM] and found it difficult to do all of those things so I did not return to ISNA as an employee, but eventually, people started saying ‘Please, can we nominate you to run on the Board.

There’s a need for more women and more professionals, someone with your educational experience.’ I finally decided to put my name on the ballot, but I didn’t think anyone would vote for me. So, I thought it was [appeasing] those people, put my name

on the ballot, and then I wouldn’t get elected,” Bullock stated. “Actually, I was really surprised in 2015, and I was elected. So, I served a term on the board as a member at large. When it came around to this term, 2018, we had certain eligibility requirements.

And it turned out I was the only one with the eligibility.”

And what were the eligibility criteria?

“You’d had to have been on the board previously, and that was the main criteria aside from being 18 and a member of ISNA. I consulted some of the elders in the community and they basically said, ‘if this is a position

that’s in front of you and no one else is around to do it, then you should accept it.’ Whereas if there were many others who you felt would be competent, then if you don’t want to you don’t have to accept it,” she said.

How does your experience with students who take your class on Islamic politics inform the way you interact with Muslim youth at ISNA? “At the mosque, you’ll have youth who want to be there, who are religious, and then youth who would rather be somewhere else. What I think being on campus has taught me is to respect the faith journey of each person. I have really learned a lot from the young people that go through the class. [When encountering youth at ISNA] what I have learned is that they are at a particular place in their faith journey, let’s be compassionate and understanding.

Let’s try to interact and engage with them as adults with topics that they find interesting or [they are] passionate about,” Bullock said.

Going into the position did you have any doubt, perhaps as a woman in a male-dominated fieldor did you find support in the community?

“One of the blessings for me is that I’ve always found support in my community from both men and women, ever since I was an undergraduate student. So, I never had that kind of experience.”

Read the rest of this interview online at www.themedium.ca

Could whispering soothe our brains?

The Medium investigates the psychology behind ASMR and why it has become an Internet sensation FATIMA ANABTAWI

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR), has become increasingly popular over the past year.

Videos of YouTubers, such as “ASMR Darling,” whispering into microphones, tapping, scratching, and blowing have reached over 25 million views. Maybe you’ve even heard of “Life with Mak,” an ASMR YouTuber whose videos have transformed into memes across Twitter and Instagram.

The other day while I was browsing YouTube, videos with “ASMR” in the title bombarded my trending page. Out of curiosity, I clicked on one of the videos. A lady was eating pickles into a highly sensitive microphone for about five to ten minutes.

I was uncomfortable but intrigued at the same time. I was disgusted but also entranced. I decided to investigate.

ASMR, a tingly feeling on the back of your neck and upper spine, is triggered by various audio and visual cues, like whispering and crunching. Sometimes it happens spontaneously, and other times people seek to

JULIA HEALY/THE MEDIUM

ASMR can be triggered by a number of actions, such as whispering. trigger it on their own because of its calming effects.

My investigation began with Anna Lomanowska, an assistant professor in UTM’s department of psychology and a specialist in behavioural neuroscience. I spoke with Lomanowska about ASMR, what she thought of its sudden emergence as a viral phenomenon, and the reasoning behind it.

“I think it’s a way to have some ac-

cess to some types of sensations that may not be available in your daily experience,” Lomanowska explains.

Lomanowska continues, “People describe it as satisfying, there is something about it that is very visceral.”

Lomanowska emphasizes that because ASMR is still a very new subject in the field of academic research and researchers have only just begun to study it, there aren’t many conclu-

sive or definite statements to be made about ASMR. “This is all very hypothetically speaking, but to me there is a sensory aspect to it that is accessible visually that can almost produce the sense that you are engaging in the action.

Because the detail in terms of sound and video is very important,” Lomanowska adds.

Lomanowska notes that only one completed study on ASMR currently

exists, and it was published as a work titled “Autonomous sensory meridian response: What is it? And why should we care?” by Lloyd James, Thomas Ashdown, and Lucy Jawad in the Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine.

“One area that I think I’ve seen an article about this […] it was a healthrelated journal and they were drawing attention to this as potentially a way to use ASMR in the health care context to help people relax before a procedure or to promote a certain mental state or emotional state, so there’s certainly an interest in that from the applied perspective,” Lomanowska says in reference to ASMR’s future use.

After our conversation, I realized that ASMR appeals to viewers’ desire for intimacy. ASMR videos offer personalized attention geared towards the viewer, as well as a sense of anonymity. Viewers don’t always know who is making the videos and no one has to know that they are watching, so ASMR is a very personalized experience.

ASMR continued on page 10

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THE MEDIUM 09.17.2018

Keep your wallet & your stomach happy The Medium contributors gather to share their guide to delicious and affordable food around UTM with hemp seeds, pumpkin granola, fruit, and coconut whip cream. This bowl satisfies my sweet tooth while still providing me with the nutrients I need to be energized for class.

More alluring features of the café include their Instagram worthy aesthetic and cozy atmosphere, as their walls are decorated with a Mississauga mural and they have a limited assortment of board games you can play with friends.

DANIEL REALE, FATIMA AL SAADIE, SHAYNA JAN, JESSICA CABRAL

Inspired by Suresh Doss’ recent article that featured his top picks for delicious and affordable food located around UTM, The Medium contributors have gathered to create their own guide to wallet-friendly, quality food close to campus. Doss, a CBC Metro Morning regular, recommended Breakfast ING, Chilli Chicken House, and Lazar Bakery.

This is what our team had to say: Bubble Kitea – Daniel Reale Like other bubble tea locations, Bubble Kitea is known for milk teas and slushies poured over generous portions of sweet tapioca. But, Bubble Kitea picks up where your favorite Bubble Tea joint falls short—with their selection of Chinese snacks.

Featuring a variety of steamed dumplings and buns, Bubble Kitea keeps me happy when studying brings me down. My recommendation would be their Xiao Long Bao. Filled with pork and shrimp, the buns ooze tasty soup when you bite into them. Use a fork or chopstick to poke a hole in the dumplings soft shell to let some of the steam out, and then sip some tasty soup out while biting into the meat on the inside. They’re soft and warm on the outside, with hearty soup and meat on the inside. With $15 you can get six pieces of Xiao Long Bao, three

YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

The Acai Bowl from The Cold Pressery is a sweet and nutritious vegan-friendly option. steamed pork buns, steamed sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaf, and a Taro slush. If pork’s not your thing, try the chicken or shrimp Siu Mai dumplings at $4 for four pieces.

The Cold Pressery – Fatima Al Saadie As a UTM student and a vegan, I know how difficult it can be to find suitable food options. So, you can imagine my surprise when finding out that a plant-based eatery, The Cold Pressery, is just one bus (110 N) and a five-minute walk away from the UTM campus. The food options include vegan grilled cheese,

pesto Portobello toast, a selection of baked goods, smoothies, and cold and hot drinks. Most of the food falls within the $4.25 to $7.50 range.

I highly recommend the Chipotle Bean Tacos. Priced at just $6.25, this dish offers a delicious “medley of black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas and corn on avocado spread topped with tomatoes and purple cabbage drizzled with chipotle sauce.” This affordable option comes with three bean tacos! For dessert, I recommend the Sweets from the Earth double chocolate chip cookie. Priced at just $2.25, this cookie will surely satisfy your sweet tooth and help

you maintain your plant-based diet!

The Cold Pressery – Shayna Jan Trying to eat healthy on a student budget isn’t always easy, considering most restaurants will charge you $18 for a bowl of lettuce. This becomes especially difficult if you have dietary restrictions or ethical concerns that rule out the consumption of meat and animal products. The Cold Pressery has an abundance of vegan-friendly foods to satisfy your cravings. My favourite item on the menu is the açaí bowl, which is açaí purée blended together with mango, banana, and almond milk, sprinkled

Henry’s Fish and Chips – Jessica Cabral I’ve been going to Henry’s Fish and Chips since I was in elementary school. Nuzzled in the quiet residential area of Dundas and Wolfedale, this cozy fish joint offers large portions for affordable prices. Although the shop specializes in fish, such as haddock, cod, shrimp, and clams, they also offer chicken fingers, chicken burgers, spring rolls, and my ultimate favourite option— poutine. With small, medium, and large sizes priced at $2.66, $3.98, and $5.75, respectively, you can’t go wrong with this people-pleaser.

Drenched in warm gravy and served with gooey shredded mozzarella, instead of cheese curds, these loaded fries overflow their cardboard takeout box. You are sure to get your money’s worth because the portion sizes are generous. I’m full and satisfied with a small poutine, but if you’re feeling extra hungry, try a large. After all, who doesn’t love a meal under $10?

Why is ASMR popular? Battling doubt Award continued from page 8

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The spread of ASMR videos is more about a sensory experience.

ASMR continued from page 9 While Lomanowska touched on the scientific aspect of ASMR, I wanted to gain a better understanding of Internet culture and the reasoning behind ASMR going viral. I met with Tero Karppi, an assistant professor in ICCIT to discuss how ASMR initially became a trending and viral sensation in the first place.

Karppi says, “I didn’t see it coming but I guess I’m just interested in what’s behind it, why people are interested in stuff like that and I think we often think about social media and content and YouTube videos through kind of rational perspec-

tives and I think that is one of those things that don’t seem super rational, like it’s more about sensory experience.”

Karppi also explains how there is never a formula or algorithm to create viral content, as he says, “It’s easy to observe what starts to happen when these videos start spreading— but to control that spreading is much more difficult.”

When one video resonates with the viewers online, there is a chain of imitation that begins and so the trend catches on, Karppi notes. He also adds, “If I was to speculate how those videos will change internet culture, I guess one could say that

there is a potential that the internet will become more attracting that way, that it will attract your emotions and senses.”

At the end of my investigation, I realized that ASMR videos could serve two potential purposes, the first revolved around the use of its videos for a personalized experience to help deal with insomnia, anxiety, and in more recent cases, premedical operation jitters, while the second, and perhaps more common option, focused on the entertainment value. The future of ASMR is unknown, but for now I’ll continue to enjoy the ASMR memes that have taken over the internet.

“Overall, we really want to see what are the changing needs of partners throughout the relocation,” explains Horne. “Especially if they’re the one who initiated the relocation (we call them the ‘relocators’), or if they’re the partner who trails their partner, the ‘trailers’.” Her biggest concern is finding couples to participate in the study, yet she remains hopeful due to the study’s importance.

“There isn’t a lot of research out there on how this process affects couples, surprisingly,” Horne notes.

“There’s a lot about the job stressors of relocating and personal stressors, but very little research about how a couple deals with that stress.”

With an agenda for the future and a renowned accomplishment under her belt, Horne seems to have accomplished the goal that her younger self never believed would happen. Today, she receives messages of congratulations all around her, a constant reminder of the prestigious award she received.

Horne reflects on what this scholarship means to her and believes the scholarship has impacted her professionally and personally.

“Professionally it means everything, because it is something that I’ve been inspired to do since the early years of my undergrad,” she

says. “But even personally, I’m a person who likes to pride myself on having a strong work ethic and being really motivated in school and interested in what I do. So, winning the scholarship is kind of like a reaffirmation of that. It is weird hearing congratulations from everyone when they realize it’s a big deal, a big scholarship. It feels kind of overwhelming sometimes.”

“I guess I thought in the past that if I do achieve something like that, then that’s not my stopping-point, but I can rest and relax now. I’ve achieved something big, it should be fine. But now I just feel even more driven to keep going with it.

It hasn’t really slowed me down. I just want to do more now,” Horne continues.

To anyone who struggles with self-doubt, Horne sends an important message: “A lot of us are wondering if we’re good enough, if we can achieve anything. I think it’s important for people to just work hard for the things they want. I still have imposter syndrome, where I don’t understand how I achieved this award. Is it a mistake or something? Hopefully we grow out of it one day. Just keep pursuing your goals. Thinking back to when I was an undergrad, I never thought that this would be possible. And now here I am, six years later.”

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A tough break for UTM men’s soccer UTM varsity men’s soccer lost their first game of the season against the Humber Hawks last Wednesday evening VANESSA CESARIO SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR This past Wednesday, September 12th, the UTM men’s varsity soccer team had their first game of the outdoor season against the Humber Hawks. Despite the 5-1 loss, UTM had some positive moments that they can carry with them through the rest of the season.

Shortly into the start of the game, Humber got their first goal. A giveaway in the middle of the pitch led to a threw ball for the Humber winger.

From there, it was an easy cross into the box where the Humber player tapped it in. Not too long after this, Humber received another opportunity where the ball hit the crossbar and landed just in front of the goal line, allowing the score to remain 1-0.

Although Humber got an early goal, UTM was playing with intensity and had excellent communication from the goalkeeper to the striker.

This led to midfielder, Jaimin Rehal, sending an excellent through ball to rookie striker, Jamari Whyte, where he went one-on-one with the goalie

UTM ATHLETICS/FACEBOOK

UTM Men’s Varsity Soccer team stays positive despite a 5-1 loss to Humber Hawks. but kicked it just over the net. Less than two minutes later, UTM’s Moe Golmakani, crossed to Whyte where he buried it in the back of the net— making up for the previous miss. The remainder of the half was a lot of back and forth play with UTM doing a

great job on both the attack and defense. The score stayed tied 1-1 at half.

The second half started off well for both teams, but it was Humber who got the first scoring opportunity.

UTM goalkeeper and captain, Aaron Peters, made an unbelievable save off

a one-time shot in front of the net, keeping his team in the game. With Humber making the UTM defense work, they still managed to stay composed and as a unit. At the 60th minute, Humber got their second goal of the game. It was a direct replication

of the first goal they scored with a cross from the outside and a one-time tap into the net. Two minutes later, Humber got yet another goal on an extremely unlucky fumble by Peters where the Humber striker was able to bury it into the back of the net.

UTM started to breakdown after this third goal despite how well they were playing prior to this. With the momentum on their side, Humber scored once again when their player was left wide open on the left side of the field. A through-ball by his teammate allowed the player to go one-onone with Peters where he passed the ball perfectly into the corner of the net.

With only a few minutes to go in the game, a tackle in the UTM box lead to a questionable penalty kick for Humber. Another shot low to the corner that just skimmed by Peters made the final score rest at 5-1.

The men also played on Friday, September 14 where they lost 5-0 against George Brown and on Sunday, September 16 where the game ended 2-1 for the Cambrian golden shields.

Golmakani plays for the love of the game Golmakani never feels nervous or scared during soccer games, he’s always grateful for the opportunity LABINA KHALID

Mohammad (Moe) Golmakani is a third-year student who has been a part of the UTM soccer community since his first year. He is majoring in CCIT and aims to do minors in “creative writing and political sciences.”

Golmakani has had a passion for soccer ever since he was a child. He tells of his time in Iran where he used to play soccer in the streets with his cousins. This is the root of his inspiration. Iran, its culture, and Golmakani’s cousins all inspire him to pursue his passion as a soccer player. He may not play on the team once he graduates but, he intends to keep up his passion by opening a school that will allow students to play soccer and any other sport they want to take their minds off things.

Golmakani has been playing soccer for more than five years now. He used to play at a club called East York and was also a part of his high school team at Jarvis Collegiate Institute in Toronto. Golmakani says he plays “for the love of the game.”

In university, Golmakani played in his first year and third year. Unfortunately, he could not play games last year as his grades did not meet the eligibility criteria for team players.

He admits that it can become really difficult to create a balance between studies and sports. He encourages everyone to remember that they have “to be students before athletes.”

Last year Golmakani says he had

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Golmakani says everyone deserves to shine, not just one person. “thoughts of quitting everything” but, he didn’t. He wasn’t allowed on the field but he was allowed to practice with the team and he made use of this. He continued to practice regularly and he also increased focus on his studies. He is now back on the team and is performing even better than before. Golmakani says “all the time off the team has helped him improve and made him a better player and a better student.”

Golmakani encourages his teammates as well. He advises them to continue playing and focus on studies.

This is especially for the players who can’t play this year due to similar reasons as him. Golmakani encourages

them to “keep trying and never give up.” He tells them that they will recover from all this stress and depression that they may be experiencing. And he extends this advice to his fellow students: “if things are looking down, don’t worry. They will get better. So, don’t give up and just try harder.”

Golmakani practices on his own every day. He also has team practices four times a week. He doesn’t allow anything to get him down. Even if there is a conflict arising on the field during a game, he avoids it by joking around. The jokes are meant to lighten the mood and ease off any anger any player might be experiencing.

The jokes aren’t mean either or insult-

ing to the other players. Although, Golmakani admits “it can distract the other guys” and help him and his team score.

Golmakani follows a set routine before every game. He has “a really good dinner” the night before, gets plenty of sleep, and listens to the same playlist of songs every time before a game. They help him remain calm and focused.

During a game, Golmakani never feels nervous or scared. He always feels thrilled and “happy to have the opportunity.” He says, “just understanding about the opportunity I have, gives me the feeling that this is once in a lifetime opportunity.” This

prompts him to focus on having fun and give his team “120 per cent.”

When Golmakani or his teammates score a goal, he says the credit never just goes to one person. They have to realize that “there are ten other guys on the pitch that make the goal happen” so, no one ever takes the full credit for scoring. He says everyone deserves to shine, not just one person. Through this, they promote positivity and teamwork. He also says, scoring a goal for UTM is always a big achievement.

When the topic of losing came up, Golmakani stated they actually just lost a game on September 12th. Losing can be real tough on the whole team. Golmakani said the whole team was sitting in the room with their heads down. Coach Chris Eveleigh came in and “gave a lot of positivity” and prompted everyone to lift their heads. The other coaches, Gio Humilium and Corey Baker also encouraged the team to remain strong as the season has just started and they have many more chances to bring back the victory.

In the end, Golmakani encourages everyone to stay strong and shares the coaches’ advice: “there will be many chances to fix everything.” He points out all the help you can get on campus: accessibility, RGSC center, and a variety of other places. Golmakani says, “there are people who care about you; you just have to show them hard work… [so] never give up and just try harder.”

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«SPORTS

THE MEDIUM 09.17.2018

Is breakfast the most important meal?

UTM’s registered dietitian, Kimberley Green, gives insight into the importance of eating breakfast MICHELLE-ROCIO CARDOZOIGLESIAS

The basics of nutrition are one of the fundamental ways of living. Sometimes, during periods of our youth, we tend to disregard our health out of convenience. Kimberly Green, a Registered Dietitian on campus, explains the importance of having a healthy diet and what that entails to the students of UTM. Figuring out what works for our bodies is important because each body varies in calorie intake, the amount, and what we eat.

Breakfast is the most important, and usually the most skipped, meal of the day that has a vital role in our daily function. There are many benefits to eating a proper full breakfast as stated by Kimberly Green, such as “better short-term memory, and overall better cognitive function, which ultimately improves your test scores.”

Kimberly Green also brings up a study that demonstrates those who eat a full breakfast stay at a healthy weight and are less likely to be obese.

Eating a well-balanced breakfast has benefits and provides more of a stable amount of energy throughout the day.

Green says that “protein, grains, fruits and vegetables may take a little more time and effort, but provide a filling, longer-lasting and more nutritious breakfast than just grabbing a banana

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Breakfast is usually the most skipped meal of the day. or a coffee.” There are many facts that demonstrate how important breakfast is as a meal, and it should be encouraged as such.

A popular drink that many students use as a little boost to keep them awake while studying is coffee.

Coffee—the lovely companion that the majority of students go to, and the reason for the long line ups at Starbucks and Tim Hortons. Although coffee gives energy to students, it is not real “energy,” according to Green.

“The caffeine in coffee is a stimulant and its effect is to constrict or ‘vasoconstrict’ the arteries, making our heart pump a little harder, giving us that “energy” boost.” Green further states that this energy is temporary and unlike the energy food can provide. But like most foods, coffee does have benefits such as decreasing the chances of breast, colorectal, colon, endometrial, and prostate cancers; cardiovascular disease; and type 2 diabetes, identified by Green. Addition-

ally, Green recommends not having more than two medium cups of coffee per day to ensure you don’t overdo it on the caffeine.

Sugar is found in our selection of foods that sometimes it is hard to avoid. “There is a difference between ‘free sugars’, or ‘added sugar’” (honey, white and brown sugar, jam, juices… etc.).” Green continues, “Naturally occurring sugars generally come along with protein and fibre and that makes a big difference to how fast it is digest-

ed and absorbed in the bloodstream.”

Sugar is an unavoidable carb in a majority of our foods but, keeping track and understanding the difference between a healthy sugar and free sugar can improve our diets.

The ideal diet for students, according to Green, is to eat in regular intervals—the typical three meals a day. Though every calorie intake varies from person to person the main focus is to get enough iron, because too commonly students suffer from iron deficiency. This can make you feel tired and drained with no energy left to study. Vitamin D is another energy driven micronutrient. In order to keep up with the pressure and demand of university life, Green presses on the importance of getting enough iron and Vitamin D. These two micronutrients are vital for students to feel more energized, and less tired and lethargic, stated by Green. Furthermore, since we live in Canada, and we have the lovely long winter months, Green says that “without enough sun exposure in the winter months, most people could benefit from a vitamin D supplement of 600 IU or more.”

Even though students are focused on getting good grades and stressed with completing assignments, it is still vital that they care about their diet to ensure they are functioning at their optimal level.