The Ontarion - 172.3

o

The University of Guelph’s Independent Student Newspaper

FREE

theONTARION

Writers’ Fest

| 3 News | 9 Arts & Culture | 13 Sports & Health | 19 Science & Tech | 21 Life | 24 Opinion | 25 Editorial | 26 Fun Page |

NEWS

3

172.3 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

The sky’s the $10.25 limit

Efforts to raise minimum wage are gaining momentum Alicja Grzadkowska

Long gone are the days of relaxing after lectures and staying in all weekend. The number of students flooding the mall and local supermarkets with their resumes shows we need jobs and fast, preferably before the next rent cheque is due.

Part-time work has become a regular fixture for many students. The 2013 First-Year University Student Survey by the Canadian University Survey Consortium (CUSC) found that 37 per cent of students reported working, with the typical student working approximately 14 hours a week.

Jeremy Thackray, a fourthyear English student at the University of Guelph, is just one of these working students.

Thackray has been employed at Tim Hortons since February 2007 and now makes $12.05 an

hour. Working professionals with degrees might be dissatisfied with this number, but working at minimum wage or just above it is a reality for many young adults taking part in post-secondary education.

According to the Toronto and York Region Labour Council, it’s time to raise the minimum wage, in part for the benefit of working students. Their report on minimum wage was released on Sept.

6, and pointed out that the wage has been frozen at $10.25 since 2010.

The council’s meetings with student groups in the summer fueled the discussions on changes to the wage. The Labour Council held a forum with the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) from University of Toronto, York University and Ryerson, as well as support staff and faculty from the universities. Making ends meet was a significant issue raised by students in the unions.

“One of the things that came up in a really strong way was the number of students who are working a job, two jobs, in some

cases three jobs, while they’re also going full-time to school, just to be able to pay for their tuition, and room and board,” said Cartwright.

Other costs can also accumulate.

“Gas has been one of the most frustrating things to pay for because it just keeps increasing,” said Thackray, pointing out one of the problems of the stagnant minimum wage. As the cost of living rises yearly due to inflation, students in minimum wage jobs often can’t rely solely on their income as a means of support, particularly when tuition costs also increase.

“The money I made working can barely put a dent in my living expenses or tuition. My parents are my main source of financial support,” said Victor Frazao, a fourth-year Chemical Engineering student at the University of Toronto.

And while some may see increasing minimum wage as a way to combat poverty, the main target of the raise would be the students.

“More than two-thirds [of minimum wage earners] are under

the age of 23,” explained Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Guelph, Miana Plesca. “We know it doesn’t have a big effect on poverty reduction…it’s to help students finance their university.”

As the Labour Council works towards convincing the government to raise the wage, which Cartwright says should be at $14 in 2013 because of the increases to cost of living and technological productivity, the question arises of whether students will be satisfied working at the higher minimum wage, emphasis on the minimum.

“Companies should appreciate my services as worth more than minimum wage. I can bring more to the table than I could when I was in high school making minimum wage,” said William Course, an engineering student at McMaster.

Thackray acknowledges that it is difficult to put a worth on his services, as a student without a degree but with credible skills, and a dedicated worker who has spent six years at his current job.

“On one level, I’d like to think I’m a good enough worker to deserve more than I make. On the other, I also know how far I’ve come since I was 14.”

Despite the status that the wage implies, making an extra few dollars an hour would be a welcome aid for students faced with the burdening costs of post-secondary education. The Ontario Minimum Wage Advisory Panel reviewing the Labour Council’s presentation will report back to the council at the end of the year.

o the

4

NEWS

www.theontarion.com

With a little help from my friends at Project Serve

Volunteers forge friendships and build community Ben Derochie

Guelph is renowned for the high percentage of its citizens that actively volunteer, and many students experienced the veracity of this tradition last weekend with Project Serve. An annual event that has for 16 years, upwards of 300 students gathered together on Saturday Sept. 14 and volunteered a few hours of their time for 24 different environmental and social organizations around Guelph.

After meeting at the University Centre for a quick prep talk, volunteer groups then dispersed across the city to their respective locations. The volunteer group assigned to the Guelph Food Bank ended up being one of the larger groups of the day, with around 55 students. Once arriving at the food bank, volunteers were quickly allocated for a seemingly endless amount of tasks.

While some of the duties were

somewhat mundane, many volunteers genuinely enjoyed their time and appreciated the effort they could lend. The group assigned to organizing and washing potatoes started a ‘potato museum’ of deformed potatoes resembling various things. Another group assigned to sorting and shelving boxes started an improvised version of basketball of sorts, and quickly realized why some of us don’t play basketball. Even the students helping to renovate sandboxes were happily building sandcastles in between work breaks.

Perhaps more gratifying was seeing many students socializing and befriending each other quite quickly. A large portion of this group were first year students, and it was immensely gratifying to see so many already engaging with their new community and becoming involved. Events like this are part of the reason why Guelph is known for its friendly small town atmosphere. A sense of community is forged through functions like this, and many students feel connected to their new home and those that inhabit it afterwards. Even the citizens

PHOTO BY BEN DEROCHIE

This is possibly the happiest anyone’s ever looked picking up trash by the train-tracks.

Members of Project Serve gathered together on Sept. 14 to give their time to several different organizations, both environmental and social, around Guelph. of Guelph that aren’t students directly benefit from events like this; the food bank coordinators calculated that our one group alone contributed around 165

hours of work for the organization, all in one afternoon.

The food bank coordinators were immensely grateful at the end of our visit for the help our

one group contributed; knowing that the other 23 other groups spread throughout Guelph were at the same time receiving similar praise was quite uplifting.

Former U of G chancellor audited

Travel expense claims called into question Sabrina Groomes

Pamela Wallin, a former Chancellor at the University of Guelph, and current Senator of Saskatchewan, has been at the center of a Deloitte audit for several months. This audit called into question Wallin’s travel expense claims spanning her career as Senator, which began in late 2008.

Wallin was chancellor at the University of Guelph from March 6, 2007 to March 31, 2011. This position held no salary but provided her with a $20,000 honorarium in her first year. Lori Boni Hunt, a spokesperson for the University of Guelph, confirmed to The Star this past August that Wallin was, “entitled to ask for the university to cover flights related to her duties as chancellor.”

Wallin in total owes the senate $138,969. After being audited, she was given a deadline to repay the Senate by Monday, September 16th. Wallin initially repaid $38,000 when the allegations began; this past Friday she sent the Senate personal cheques amounting to $100,600 plus

interest to settle her debt.

On February 25, Wallin publicly made it known she disapproved of the University providing expense information to the media. Due to the provincial freedom of information legislation, the University was unable to keep her expense claims private. Charles Cunningham, the Assistant Vice-President of Communication and Public Affairs, stated that the University has “responded to all requests for information regarding Senator Wallin’s expenses.” He also made clear that there was no discrepancies or inconsistencies with Wallin’s expense reports while acting as Chancellor.

When it came down to the University’s expenses regarding Wallin, she did not double-bill these expense claims with that of the Senate and attempted to keep her claims to a minimum while at the University. “Her expense claims were minimal and she stayed on campus when here overnight to keep costs down,” stated Cunningham in an email.

Recently, Wallin spoke publicly about her audit saying the Senate treated her unfairly and her expense claims were all but an honest mistake.

The National Post reiterated

Wallin’s speech regarding her recent audit. “When I submitted expense claims, I did so in good faith, honestly believing that the reimbursement was appropriate. If mistakes were made, I am responsible for those, but there was never a deliberate attempt to thwart the travel policy that was in place at the time the claims were submitted,” Wallin stated.

Regarding the Senate committee, Wallin called them a “lynch mob” and expressed her anger and disappointment towards those who believed her dishonest.

Despite these hurtful allegations, Wallin has told the media she will not resign as senator.

In regards to the University of Guelph, even though Wallin is no longer a Chancellor she still has a scholarship dedicated to her legacy and work with the campus community. The Pamela Wallin Chancellor’s Scholarship is an award that was established in 2009 in honour of Wallin and is considered one of the most prestigious entrance awards at the University, thus recertifying her credibility at the University.

Wallin’s previous position at the University will not be tarnished by the current audit.

COURTESY PHOTO Cunningham stated in an email, “I will also say that she did an amazing job as our Chancellor

and devoted countless hours to the U of G and our community, especially our students.”

NEWS

5

172.3 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

Farmers’ market moves back to Gordon Street

Renovation necessary for health and safety, but facility looks mostly unchanged Michael Long

After a summer of renovations, the Guelph Farmers’ Market reopened Saturday Sept. 14. But patrons expecting an HGTVstyle redesign were likely to be confused by the lack of obvious upgrading. Though that wasn’t the point according to the project’s coordinators.

From the outset, the city has stressed that upgrading the building’s aesthetics was not its principal intent; rather the aim was to bring the facility up to adequate health and safety standards.

“The renovation to the Farmers’ Market is not a makeover. It is a necessary investment to ensure the safe operation of a cityowned facility, and will improve the Farmers’ Market experience for vendors, shoppers and the community,” advises the City of Guelph’s website.

Careful observers will spot some improvements. The damaged concrete flooring has been sealed to allow for the proper cleanup of fallen food – a key area of concern for the Guelph Public Health.

New paint has been applied, the washroom upgraded, and the entrance vestibule and doors have been refinished. Less visible plumbing, electrical, and fire safety systems received the most significant attention.

If patrons were less than awed with the changes, it appears as though they may not be alone.

Vendors, too, were perhaps expecting a little something more.

For instance, vendors closest to the walls were given new counters, yet vendors who set up down the centre aisle, who were scheduled to receive upgraded

counters as well, never got them.

Additionally, the ceiling was supposed to be covered and the building’s office was to be renovated. Neither improvement was accomplished.

Problems of financing were mostly to blame. The city had originally allocated a budget of $500,000 for the renovation, but delays finding a contractor, and

difficulties at city hall meant the actual allowance for the project was considerably less.

Persistent rumours that the facility is slated to be torn down within five years may also explain the city’s reluctance to invest heavily in renovating the facility.

“Under the circumstances, and based on budget restraints: good job. For the future, I hope

to see the completion of what they started,” said Janet Ulett of Ulett’s Pride Kitchen.

Despite moving back to a space considerably smaller than the one vendors and shoppers had grown accustomed to at Exhibition Arena, the majority of people seemed pleased to have the farmers market “back where it belongs.”

PHOTO BY WENDY SHEPHERD

It’s business as usual at Guelph Farmers’ Market after the renovations that moved the market to a temporary location. However, customers may have been confused by the “new” look as there were no obvious upgrades. The reason behind the renovation was to upgrade the health and safety standards so customers and vendors can continue to enjoy it.

Tokyo fish market to be moved The city of Tokyo will spend 4.5 billion dollars to relocate the world-famous Tsukiji fish market to a modern distribution centre.

The Tsukiji market supplies fresh seafood to sushi restaurants and grocers around the city; it is also extremely popular with tourists. The relocation is part of a broader face-lift Tokyo is planning for the 2020 Olympics.

Critics of the project allege that moving the 78-year old market is but another blow to a traditional Japanese institution. The city argues that moving the market will ease truck congestion coming in and out of the market and will ultimately save the market in the long run. High-rise condominiums will be built on the current site.

“Tsukiji is a globally known brand name and a cultural treasure. Why throw this away?” said Makoto Nozue, 76, who has bought and sold tuna at the market for six decades.

In the end, the union representing Tsukiji wholesalers conceded that a more capable facility was necessary for the market’s survival. Vendors were faced with a choice between maintaining the traditional market, or maintaining the tradition of handing down their business to the next generation.

Swiss banks under legal pressure Swiss banks, notorious as taxhavens and for their strict laws regarding client secrecy, are under pressure from American investigators to provide information about American clients and pay penalties between 20 and 50 per cent of their clients undeclared account balances.

American investigators are proposing these terms as a deal for most of Switzerland’s 300 banks.

If the banks comply, they will avoid legal persecution, which could be even more costly than the deal. Some major banks, however, such as Credit Suisse, have been under investigation for some time and will be forced to settle individually.

Swiss banks, in an effort to assure their clients, maintain that bank secrecy is still protected by Swiss law. However, according The Economist, “banks are being bullied into providing enough information, short of actual client names, to allow Americans to make robust ‘mutual legal assistance’ requests that leave Swiss courts with no option but to order banks to provide clients’ personal details.”

Information gleaned from the Swiss cases will in turn be used to hunt down American tax-dodgers across the globe.

Compiled by Michael Long

6

NEWS

www.theontarion.com

Party-going student nearly run over in bus loop Incident puts CSA under pressure to stress bus safety Michael Long It’s a familiar sight to those who make frequent use of Guelph’s transit system: students milling about the university bus loop, waiting for one of the several buses that make their way downtown.

But which bus will be the first to arrive? Will it be the 2B, the 3A, or perhaps even the flighty Gordon? Staking out a spot next to the winning terminal is sure to award the lucky student with a cushy seat to sit on. But for those who guess incorrectly, or for those who don’t know which bus to take in the first place, moving to the right terminal – at least for those disinclined to wait a couple of minutes for the next bus – can become hectic during peak hours.

On the night of Saturday Sept.

7, this scenario proved more hazardous than usual.

Anxious partygoers, the majority of whom were first-year students, were rushing toward a bus pulling into the terminal when a student fell near the rear wheels of the bus and narrowly escaped injury. A nearby transit employee lifted the student to their feet, attempted to restore calm, but was pressed up against the side of the bus in the commotion. Neither the student nor the transit employee was hurt.

When the students had boarded the bus, the transit employee decided that the situation was no longer safe – for both employees and students – and all of the buses temporarily vacated the bus loop.

“It’s a problem,” said Tyler Valiquette, the CSA’s Local Affairs Commissioner. “At the start of September, students are coming back to Guelph – everyone’s celebrating – and people are still learning, especially students who are living in residence, which

PHOTO BY WENDY SHEPHERD

Just an example of CSA’s first poster for the new, residence-wide bus safety campaign. It reminds students to watch out for one another and to not rush the bus. This follows a near accident on Sept. 7 where a student was almost hit by a bus. terminals are used to catch buses to go downtown. So what we see at the bus loop is a lot of mayhem, especially late at night.”

And the potential for mayhem was unusually high on Saturday.

“When the incident happened, it was the first weekend back, it was the first non-dry weekend in residence, it was Nuit Blanche, it was the Jazz Festival, there was a Tiger Cats game, and there was this Blacklight Blackout party as well,” said Valiquette.

The following Monday, Valiquette

sat down with Guelph Transit to discuss a communication and safety strategy to help prevent incidents like this from happening again.

The CSA has since arranged for security to control the flow of traffic around the bus loop for the rest of September. Additionally, a residence-wide poster campaign has been developed to educate students on proper bus etiquette: the first poster is called “Don’t Rush the Bus.” A mass email has also been distributed.

“It’s really important to have a positive relationship with transit, especially with the Late Night Bus Service we’ve created, because, ultimately if things like this continue to happen, or even happen once more in the future, they could freeze our late-night transit system,” said Valiquette.

The Late Night Bus Service and the regular bus service are under two separate contracts. If employees feel that the late-night service has become unsafe, they can suspend service, as happened

in 2005.

“Ultimately, it could be a lot better if there were more buses,” said Valiquette. “But transit has said that all buses are on the road.

One thing that we’re trying to do is get more buses for homecoming, especially running downtown – we did it last year, and it really helped the situation.”

Students are encouraged to respect transit employees and exercise patience when boarding the buses. If one bus is full, simply wait for the next one.

Student housing woes almost over

Plans for student housing high-rises move forward for the 2015-16 school year Kelsey Coughlin

After a few years of student housing troubles, the University of Guelph has come up with a solution to accommodate thousands of future students. This solution, which is to construct two to three student high-rises across from the University, is expected to

be completed as early as the summer of 2015.

Following a hearing in October 2012, the Ontario Municipal Board ruled that the Best Western at Gordon Street and Stone Road would be reconstructed and remodeled to provide space for future housing.

Chris Pidgeon, a planning consultant for Abode Varsity Living said that “[they] essentially have settled on the details of the zoning bylaw and official plan amendments with city staff.” Once the issue of obtaining a building permit is settled, he expects that construction could begin early

next year.

The plan for a new residence building is comforting to many students who had faced difficulties with student housing in the past. According to student housing services, during this past summer up to 160 students were temporarily unable to be placed into a residence building due to overbooking.

Emily Johnston, a third year student, explains that if these buildings were in place during her first year, a lot of housing headaches would have been successfully avoided. Johnston explained, and that “some of

[her] friends even had to live in residence common rooms because there was not enough room for everyone.”

This new residential development will alleviate a lot of the stresses surrounding a lack of available student housing.

Ontario Municipal Board member Marc Denhez permitted an 11-storey residence building, with additional buildings up to but not exceeding 9-storeys.

The exact size or design of these buildings is not yet known, but the room count is expected to surpass 1, 500 bedrooms.

Johnston said that, as a student,

“[you] go to school expecting to have a place to live, and the new development ensures that no one will be left out in cold.”

While there are still remaining issues concerning zoning bylaws and other legal measures, Pidgeon is confident that students will be able to move in time for the 2015-16 school year.

Even amidst these housing issues, the University of Guelph has been nationally recognized for having top-notch residence facilities. These new buildings are expected to be a reflection of the value Guelph places in the residence life experience.

ARTS & CULTURE

9

172.3 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

An astonishing story of triumph

Sean Reyes’ strength to overcome hardship shines on, touching the hearts of many Emily Jones

Four years ago musician Sean Reyes fell victim to an atrocious act of violence and was unexpectedly placed in a position no one would ever hope to be in; left fighting for his life, waiting for help, and needing to be rushed to the hospital for immediate medical attention.

Upon investigation, doctors determined that Reyes suffered “a basal skull fracture and a traumatic brain injury.”

Over the following three years Reyes underwent nine brain surgeries, each a struggle that required serious patience from both Reyes and his loved ones.

This traumatic experience could have had multiple outcomes; when something so horrific happens to someone it can be difficult to push through and stay positive. This is why Reyes’ story is such an inspiration. Not only was he physically strong enough to pull through recovery even though at times it was a tortuous experience, but he was also able to bring something positive out of a negative situation.

In his years recovering, Reyes decided to put all of his passion into his music. After his neardeath experience, Reyes thought it was important to share insight and wisdom with others. Reyes’ tragedy turned into something beautiful because he made it so.

Reyes’ mission is not only to share his music but also to teach people to never take life or those around you, for granted. The time you have with your loved ones is precious and not to be ignored.

On Thursday Sept. 12, Reyes played with his band at NV lounge in downtown Guelph.

PHOTO BY WENDY SHEPHERD

NV lounge hosts Sean Reyes’ performance on Sept. 12, an inspirational story and a group of talented musicians.

His performance was one of excellent showmanship and artistry. His ability and skill blew the audience away as his band played a mixture of covers and originals from Reyes’ new album “To Know Thyself.” The originals were heartfelt and many were written during his recovery period. One song that

was especially striking, heart wrenching and heartwarming at the same time was titled “Only Human” – which showcased the emotions felt during the long recovery period he had to endure. Reyes’ stage presence filled NV lounge with energy when he took off his acoustic guitar and sauntered

through the crowd during a cover of “Sunglasses at night”

by Corey Hart. This was an unexpected shift that showed off the versatility and musical talent Reyes’ possesses.

Sean has been asked to be a guest at the 2013 Acquired Brain Injury Provincial Conference later this year to share

his story and his music. Reyes is not only an extraordinarily talented musician but he is also an inspiration to all those who are struggling, know of someone struggling or have watched someone struggle from any kind of brain injury or violent attack. Reyes’ positivity shines on everyone he encounters.

10

www.theontarion.com

First Light Theatre

A look behind the scenes of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Emily Jones

This past week the George Luscombe Theatre at the University of Guelph was given a special treat; First Light Theatre put on their rendition of Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. The acting was excellent, a true depiction of artistry and dedication. But,

First Light Theatre is more than acting; it is a community within a community. Guelph houses a large amount of artistic ability and First Light Theatre is proud to be a part of the central movement.

Founded by Rob Mackinnon and Rosemary Walton, the First Light Theatre was not only a way to display their passion for the craft of acting but also to bring together like-minded people who have a passion they want to explore and share.

The city of Guelph is a very

ARTS & CULTURE

vibrant place, and First Light Theatre is an example of a place that holds the community together, brings joy to the lives of many and is a place that invites creativity and strong support of the arts.

The double cast of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern spent months perfecting their characters and worked extremely hard to produce a show that was of comedic value and artistic integrity. The show was a pleasure to have seen and proof of dedication to perfecting ones’ craft.

Review: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead Jonathan Webster First Light Theatre’s production of Tom Stoppard’s post-modern play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead came to George Luscombe Theatre last week.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead is an inversion of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, following the titular characters of Rozencrantz and Gildenstern as they are continuously baffled by the events of Shakespeare’s great tragedy. The dialogue was fast-paced and

every line was filled to the brim with wit. Thematically, the play touched on both comedic and tragic aspects and on existential issues such as death.

Jeremy Case-Klassen and Michael Klien played characters Rozencrantz and Guildenstern, respectively.

They did a superb job of keeping up with the speedy dialogue and exceeded in replicating the chemistry of the duo. Brendan Green was outstanding as The Player, who acted as foil to Rozencrantz and Guildenstern,

and - accompanied by his band of Tragedians – was the source of many of the play’s metadramatic moments. Hamlet was played by Nick Harrison, succeeding at the task of balancing the severity of the character and the inherent comedic absurdist themes of the play.

Overall, attending this production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead was an idea way to spend a night, and whether or not you are a theatre aficionado, it is worth your time to catch a showing of this absurdist play.

PHOTO BY RACHEL KOPACKI

STYLE PICK OF THE WEEK: LAURA

PHOTO BY EMILY JONES PHOTO BY RACHEL KOPACKI

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, a play written by Tom Stoppard, was put on by First Light Theatre at George Luscombe Theatre Sept. 12 to 14.

Laura’s outfit showed that it is possible to be stylish and casual at the same time. Laura mixed patterns and prints in the same colour family, and paired these tone-on-tone prints with a cuffed pair of ripped jeans and sneakers. A perfect example of comfortably cool.

ARTS & CULTURE

A milestone for Boarding House Gallery Same Difference: A Sneak Peak to the Upcoming Year Rachel Kopacki The events on Sept. 10 marked a milestone occasion for the Boarding House Gallery as the downtown gallery opened their very first annual Masters Introduction show.

This show presents the work of incoming and returning Fine Arts Graduate students, with each student showcasing an individual work as a prelude to his or her practice.

On opening night, the gallery space was bustling with Fine Art faculty as well as Masters and Undergraduate fine art students who were socializing and catching a glimpse of these new works.

In addition to an opportunity to see some great art, it was a great night to catch-up with old friends and see some new faces.

The show features the talented works of the artists: Jen Aitken, Maryanne Casasanta, Stephanie Cormier, Rachel Crummey, Brandan Doty, Laura Findlay, Maegan Rose Mehler, Janine Miedzik, Don Miller, Jasmine Reimer and Matthew Schust.

For the length of the show, the modestly sized gallery space will be filled with a variety of paintings, photo-work and sculpture.

It was interesting to see the variety of work and the shared spirit and energy for the upcoming

year. Master of fine arts student Denise Higginson loved the ability to showcase her painting in this unique environment.

Higginson states, “often the tendency for a show is that your biggest paintings are most impressive. I was fond of the painting I submitted [which] I might not have normally shown.”

Denise’s painting “Be With” shows a tube-like portrait of two intertwining figures.

As part of a series on the face, Denise is not simply appropriating a photographic source but is manipulating and distorting her figures.

Many people at the opening were interested in Jasmine Reimer’s piece titled “Rats.” Reimer imprinted common house-hold objects in silicone and modeled the form over a stool.

From a distance, the piece merely looks like a colourful mound, but once you come upclose you realize there is more than meets the eye. The piece acted as a guessing game for viewers as people pointed out and found the various forms in this embossed object.

The show features a strange juxtaposition between colourful, fun pieces like Reimer’s “Rats“ and Janine Miedz’s tarp piece with very stripped and simplified pieces like that of Jen Aitken and Rachel Crummey.

The MFA opening show introduces the great variety and quality of work to look forward to this upcoming year. The show will run until September 28.

172.3 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

11

PHOTO BY RACHEL KOPACKI

The Boarding House Gallery in downtown Guelph hosts first annual Masters Introduction show, featuring the work of Fine Arts graduate students.

12

www.theontarion.com

ARTS & CULTURE

Guelph named top place for music lovers

What makes our music scene special?

Kimberly Northcote

Students can now add another item to their list of why they love going to school here. Aside from the eco-conscious reputation and those adorable guide dogs in training, we can now boast that the CBC has named Guelph one of the top 5 university towns for the music lover.

We all assume that everyone loves music, but a common problem is that many musical tastes and genres are often not represented in the media or in events around town. However, Guelph does an excellent job of ensuring this does not happen, which is a major part of why it is so deserving of its’ new title. There are so many musical performances and events that happen each week in Guelph, allowing coverage of many types of music.

Guelph has an annual Jazz Festival, the Hillside Festival, and many performances by up and coming artists at small venues, in addition to well-known performers hitting up the Guelph Concert Theatre. Even visual arts based events, such as Nuit Blanche, include music as an important part of the attendee’s experience.

The University’s very own radio station, CFRU, is also a great example of musical diversity. Its extremely varied music schedule entails electronic, soul, funk, hip-hop, folk, roots, blues, jazz, experimental, classical, and heavy metal music, as well as entire shows revolving around music in many other languages.

Another aspect of Guelph that makes its music scene unique is its small venues. Large concerts are always a lot fun, but it is refreshing to see an artist play live in a café or bar, as opposed to a huge stadium. Small venues allow for a lot of interaction with the audience, and make it a more intimate and personalized experience. Audience members can get closer to the stage and meet other fans while waiting

PHOTO BY AMY VAN DEN BERG

Guelph was featured by CBC as one of the top places for music loving people. The Jazz Festival, featured above, is only one of many amazing events that earns Guelph such an amazing reputation. between sets. One memorable example comes from a student who went to a show and ended up meeting the band in a bar across the street afterwards.

Students of Guelph can enjoy shows on campus. Artists such as the Arkells and Tegan and Sara have performed in Peter Clark Hall, resulting in some awesome shows. The College Royal Ball is another great experience for students who are passionate about live music.

In the 2013 ball, musicians took over the University Centre, converting each floor of the building into a venue for a different style of music. Students had a great time singing along to the many Beatles covers that

were performed that night, and dancing to songs they were hearing for the first time.

The atmosphere of Guelph is one of openness and acceptance that lends to the Guelph music experience. This makes Guelph a great city for new artists to showcase their music and for people to explore different kinds of music. One student reflects, “I love how Guelph introduces you to all kinds of music. Not only at the clubs, on campus events and concerts, but also through the headphones of passing students!” Guelphites are passionate about their music, which the key component for any music scene. Music can be

very personal and it can be the starting point of many friendships and memories. Living in such a welcoming environment where arts and culture

take up such a significant place in the community, it increases the chances of encountering interesting and unique forms of musical expression.

ALBUM OF THE WEEK: AN AWESOME WAVE

COURTESY PHOTO

Alt-J’s An Awesome Wave (2012) is an indie-rock quartet that originated in Leeds, England. The album is a collection of mind-bending sounds; diversity throughout the album shows the unique style of the group. Innovative artistry is present from start to finish, let it play all the way through.

SPORTS & HEALTH

13

172.3 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

Gryphons football remain perfect at 3-0

Gryphons dominated the Varsity Blues on national television – Now they prepare for homecoming Andrew Donovan

In the three years Guelph Gryphon’s head coach Stu Lang has been at the helm of the university’s football team, the Toronto Varsity Blues have been the unseeded, sometimes overlooked opponent on the Gryphon calendar; though, in reality, they have proven to be the proverbial thorn in the side of an otherwise successful and growing Gryphons football program.

This past Saturday the Gryphons broke script and rewrote the play on their rivalry with Toronto, proving that this football program has moved beyond the years

of mediocrity into a new generation of football that is now 3-0 and in its second year of national recognition.

The game was televised from coast to coast in Canada and was being broadcasted live from the home of the University of Toronto at Varsity Stadium.

The game began on a rather sour note for the Gryphons when the opening kickoff was returned for 70 yards. The Gryphons defense picked up the special teams with a strong two and out for the Blues.

Toronto was up 3-0 early.

Guelph had been coming off a week whereby there offense didn’t score a touchdown but the team still managed to post 24 points in a one point victory over the Windsor Lancers, so all eyes were on Jazz Lindsey and the slow start Gryphon offense to see how they’d respond after their early bye-week.

It took Guelph until late in the first quarter to get the offense a score as the usual suspects got the Gryphons on the board – a 12-yard pass from Jazz to Saxon Lindsey made it 7-3 Guelph.

The Lindsey duo hooked up for another score nine minutes into the second quarter to go up 11 and then rookie running back Johnny Augustine added another goal line touchdown for his first ever OUA touchdown. The first half ended with Guelph up 21-3.

Veteran receiver Dillon Dimitroff ended the afternoon with 87 yards total, Daniel Ferarro kicked a career long 47 yard field goal while Bryson Wishloff-Dobush caught a shovel pass from Lindsey and ran it in for a 17 yard major – Dobush’s first touchdown as an OUA player.

Guelph’s weak point on the day, their special teams, was exemplified on Toronto’s biggest play

of the day, a 97 yard punt return from by Kevin Bradfield which capped off a day where Toronto had 280 return yards by special teams.

J. Lindsey ended off the afternoon with 297 yards and four touchdowns which allowed Gryphon football fans to release a collective sigh of relief as we finally got to witness our highpotential offense kick it into gear.

On the other side of the ball, the defensive front four had a dominating first half, yet again, holding Toronto’s rushers to just 97yards. The defensive backs and linebackers for Guelph played out of their skin on Saturday, surrendering only 180 yards through the air and picking Toronto quarterbacks, of which there were three, four times.

Guelph will be advertised on national television yet again this weekend when they take on the

McMaster Marauders at Alumni Stadium for the university’s homecoming celebration. Both teams are ranked nationally, Guelph at number 7 and McMaster at number 9, and for Guelph this will be their first game versus a nationally ranked opponent this season; for McMaster, this will be their third of such games.

Sportsnet 360 announcers were excited about the prospect of being at Alumni Stadium for yet another Guelph homecoming where thousands of students are expected to pack the stands in red, gold and black, turning the tranquil fields on the North-East end of campus into a fortress for the home side on their quest for a national championship.

Be loud. Be Proud. Be Gryphons through and through. See you all in Guelph colours on Saturday at 1 p.m.

GRYPHON LACROSSE, FASTPITCH AND BASEBALL

PHOTO BY RIVER ROY

Guelph fastpitch, although not technically a varsity sport, played in a tournament this past weekend and finished with a win and a loss.

PHOTO BY PABLO VADONE

Gryphons lacrosse beat Toronto handily to move to 3-0 on the season but suffered their first loss to the Brock Badgers 14-6 on Monday.

PHOTO BY PABLO VADONE

Gryphons go 1-3 on the weekend, dropping to 4-4 on the season. A fight for a playoff spot is going to be tough.

WORDS AS ART PHOTOS BY WENDY SHEPHERD

BY Adrien Potvin

The beautiful and acoustically divine River Run Centre welcomed with open arms three unique performances to kick off the 2013 Eden Mills Writer’s Festival. Dave Bidini and his Bidiniband opened the evening with a quirky blend of alt-rock, dark crooning and politically charged lyrics, followed by the densely layered orchestration of Juno Award-winning Guelph native Jim Guthrie and his band. The headlining act and final performer was acclaimed singer-songwriter Joel Plaskett and his band Emergency, bringing an enthusiastic and varied audience The occasion marked the 25th anniversary of the Eden Mills Writer’s Festival, an event celebrating voices in Canadian liter regional and national levels. The event offered poetry slams, live readings and literary workshops, and a sold-out talk entit Thought, featuring food and agriculture journalists Michael Pollan and Sarah Elton on Sept. 14 at Rozanski Hall.

Bidiniband, led by Toronto-based journalist/writer/musician Dave Bidini formerly of the iconic alt-rock band Rheostatics, o with a performance characterized by dramatic lighting and a sharply dressed Bidini hopping around the stage. Rheostatics are ce through the band’s music, but Bidini’s sardonic and satirical lyrics offer an interesting take on the Canadian experience while stay iar rock styling. His work alternates between heartfelt, nostalgic Canadiana and a biting and sometimes vitriolic critique of the sta declining the initially scheduled live reading of a passage from his new novel, and opting for a favourite of his songs, Bidini nonethe a note to ponder on.

Guelph native Jim Guthrie took the stage afterwards with a richly orchestrated performance featuring an eight-piece band. Guth confessional lyric style worked harmoniously with his band’s dramatic orchestration featuring a violinist, baritone saxophonist a two drummers and guitarists.

The Joel Plaskett Emergency began after a short break, and Plaskett delivered his trademark Maritime charm, breezy stage funky beats throughout his set, which consisted of classic tunes like “Natural Disaster” and “Nowhere With You” and som from his 2012 record Scrappy Happiness. Backed by his band The Emergency, featuring Dave Marsh on drums and Chris on bass, the group kept the groove and sonics tight as Plaskett mused on topics like driving around, partying with g friends, and finding happiness doing nothing in particular. The songs off of Scrappy Happiness are characteristi of Plaskett – sometimes-obtuse lyrics (but nevertheless heartfelt), groovy rhythmic work and shimmering chord structures sum up to an exciting night of music. The band sent the audience off with a reggae-tinged medley of songs, featuring “Work out Fine” and a surprising and cheeky interpolation of the summer sleeper hit “Royals” by Lorde, among other bits and bites of songs.

(Left, ab Joel Pla graced Run Ce to kick events

d The

Left: “Hat Trick 3-stars” Richard Wagamese, Wayne Johnston and Thomas King (front to back) joyfully meet with fans following reading selected excerpts from their work.

Right: Members of the Guelph Spoken Word team present a number of beautifully worded and thought-provoking Poetry Slams, expressing experiences and emotions of social justice, community, environment and relationships.

rature from tled Food for . opened the night ertainly channeled ying true to familatus quo. Although eless ended his set on

hrie’s heartfelt and and flautist among

e humour and me new ones s Pennell good ic

Joseph Boyden (above) and Michael Winter (left) deliver “beautiful truths” in the “Sculpture Garden” in the form of captivating performances of excerpts from recent novels in the sculpture garden.

Bottom left: Guelph Spoken Word continue their performances at “The Mill”.

bove and right) askett Emergency the stage at the River entre this past Friday off Writers’ Festival in Guelph.

PHOTO BY STACEY ASPINALL

Saleema Nawaz reads at “The Mill” along with Grace O’Connell and Iain Reid, categorized as “Young Writers to Watch”. Nawaz completed her first novel, Bone and Bread, in 2013.

SPORTS & HEALTH

172.3 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

Somebody call 911

17

Emergency response teams go head-to-head on Guelph Lake Emily Carlisle

Sirens could be heard coming from Guelph Lake this past Sunday, but not due to an emergency. These sirens were stimulating the crowd to cheer on the Guelph Police, Guelph Fire Department and the GuelphWellington EMS who were about to race each other in a 1 kilometre, Olympic-style rowing regatta.

Sunday morning, the emergency responders gathered at 7:30 a.m. where they only had three hours to learn the grueling sport.

Competing first responders was the main event at the fundraiser for the Guelph Rowing Club, in which all of the money raised is to be put towards the purchase of a new boat. Members of the club hope that by next year they will have raised the $40 thousand needed to purchase the boat, which Communications Director, Isobelle Gray, says, “will be used during youth camps, learn to row programs, recreational and competitive rowing programs.” The event also included a barbeque, with donations made from Piller’s and Zehrs, and information booths where spectators were welcome to learn about the Guelph Rowing Club and the emergency response teams.

As for the race, the teams seemed to be ready and confident after their morning practice. Although there were rumours that things were

PHOTO BY RIVER ROY

Though it took the first responders a bit of time to line up for the start, they eventually managed to get the race going. The EMS won the friendly bout against the firefighters and police officers.

looking good for the firefighters, Chief of Police, Bryan Larkin, and his team responded, “…

We’re team players, so we think we can take on the firefighters and the EMS.” EMS worker, Malcolm Fan, had this same confidence, and he too stressed the importance of teamwork.

“Timing is very tricky. It looks easy, but when you’re trying to get seven people going at the same time it’s more difficult.”

Both seemed to be correct, as teamwork would prove to be the most important factor in the race to come.

With this competitive spirit in the air, the three boats made their way to the starting line, savouring every second of the last bits of practice before the race. Once they were able to line themselves up, which caused a little bit of laughter amongst the crowd, the race was underway.

Sporting bright blue T-shirts, the EMS boat quickly pulled ahead of the other two. Even from a distance, all oars could be seen moving at precisely the same time, highlighting the synchronicity and coordination of the crew.

That’s not to say the other two boats weren’t just as impressive. At the halfway point the firefighters appeared to have caught up to the EMS, while the police were also able to find their perfect rhythm, though it came just a little too late in race.

After what some in the crowd called “the longest 1000 metres in one’s life,” it was the EMS who won, with the firefighters in second and the police not far behind. All teams finished to incredible applause and encouragement from both the crowd and their competitors.

Following the race, firefighter John Osborne said of his team’s second place finish, “We came second this year, so we can’t leave it at that!” The Guelph Rowing Club does in fact wish to make this an annual event, and next year the teams will be back and looking to prove themselves once again.

With perfect weather, great food and a good cause to support, there wasn’t much to complain about over at Guelph Lake on Sunday. Even better though, none of the boats capsized, creating no need to call 911.

Eating locally starts with you

Many restaurants are capable of serving locally grown food, but won’t unless you ask for it Mike Ott

The 100-Mile Diet is a choice that calls for its followers to try and eat foods grown and produce within a 100-mile radius, and it is advantageous in several ways.

The issue is that it needs to be requested. Large food suppliers like Sysco deliver to hundreds, if not thousands of local restaurants across Ontario and Canada. These large companies will receive produce, meat, and other foods from several different places, including

the United States, China, South America, and surprisingly from our own backyards. Many large food suppliers will buy their product to distribute to restaurants from farms in Ontario, where meat and produce undergo more rigorous inspection than anywhere else. However, these suppliers just distribute whatever they have, unless something is specifically requested.

Tim Halley, the executive chef for the recently opened Western Hotel, along with its affiliates, said that having locally supplied food is simply a matter of asking for it. “When you’re a restaurant, you can buy pork from a big distributor, and they get it from all kinds of places,” Halley explained, “you can get it

from the States, or you can get it from Kitchener. They’ll send you whatever; you just have to ask where it’s from. It’s that simple.”

Halley insisted that it all came down to the restaurant level, where requesting locally grown food made all the difference. “If I ask where the eggs are from, and Sysco says Elmira, that’s where I’ll get them from. It’s only a matter of just telling them ‘I want them from here, not somewhere else.’”

Many people fail to realize the advantages of eating local food in terms of the environment. The amount of fuel used to transport this meat all over the continent is insurmountable. Eating locally grown meat and produce cuts the environmental cost of transportation and helps support local economies.

Alongside the environmental benefits of eating local, Halley pointed out the economic benefits as well, “…when every economy is struggling, why would you buy pork from a guy in the U.S. when you can get it here? You’re supporting the people around you, and we’re feeding our own economy.”

The more that people demand locally grown food from restaurants, the more likely they are to serve it. The benefits of eating local have received much attention lately, and Halley says more and more people are interested in it. “People ask questions more than they ever have before. ‘Is this local?’ ‘Where’s this from?’

‘Are there nitrates in this?’”

In order to make restaurants serve local food, it all comes

down to you – the consumer.

Once restaurants see that there is a demand for local products and that there is money to be made from a young population that is interested in the 100- Mile Diet, they will begin to adjust their menus the same way that Halley has done. Next time you order a burger at that pub in your neighbourhood, ask where the onions came from, ask if the meat is hormone free, or ask if the potatoes for the fries were grown in Idaho or Prince Edward Island.

Being informed and asking the right questions are the first and most important step in not only supporting your neighbours economically, but could perhaps improve your health by eating local and what’s in season.

18

www.theontarion.com

SPORTS & HEALTH

Women’s soccer goes 1-1-0 on the weekend

After a heartbreaking loss to Laurier, Guelph continues winning ways at Brock Andrew Donovan

Sports are filled with dichotomies and some call it the tale of two halves. But maybe the number 10 ranked Guelph Gryphons experienced a tale of two opportunities this past weekend, one painstakingly missed, whilst the other capitalized on.

Guelph began their weekend by traveling to number 9 ranked Laurier Golden Hawks, who, going into the weekend, sat in third place in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) West standings.

The game was played in Waterloo where the red and yellow of the Guelph fans clashed with the purple and tan seating at University Stadium.

The play was fairly even the entire match, as one would expect form two evenly matched teams. The tenacity of the Gryphons defense is unmatched though, the ladies controlled the

ball above and beyond the skill set of the opposing offenses on corners, free kicks and breaks. As what always seems to be the case in sports though, the Gryphons, who have only surrendered two goals on the year, faltered on a questionable call by the referee in the 61st minute. Freshman forward Jacky Normandeau buried a free kick taken by Kelsey Tikka for her first goal of her OUA career and the Golden Hawks were up 1-0 with 30 minutes to play.

Immediately, Laurier dropped back into a defensive formation and to say Guelph had opportunities to score was an understatement. Though there was no better chances than that which Courtney Whiteside, Guelph’s leading scorer, had in the dying seconds of stoppage time. The ball came to Whiteside’s left foot, her strong side no less, and with Laurier’s keeper scrambling to get in position to block the attempt, Whiteside’s touch was heavy and the ball sailed over the crossbar. The whistle blew on the ensuing goal kick and the emotion from Guelph’s leading scorer was unmatched, even by the jubilance of Laurier.

The aforementioned dichotomy

played itself out perfectly in Guelph’s Sunday matchup versus the 0-2-4 Brock Badgers. Whiteside made good on her own rebound in the 78th minute to put Guelph up 1-0 which withstood the test of another 12 minutes of play to put the Gryphons back in the win column to end the weekend.

Any athlete knows the pain of defeat can often outweigh the joys of victory and, as humans, we often reflect on the opportunities missed more so than those achieved. However, the lady Gryphons should take heed to standings and statistics of their season as a whole; Guelph has the most points in the OUA through six games, without scoring the most goals and surrendering the least, but through solid, hardas-nails play through the full 90 minutes of each and every game.

Guelph travels to Windsor on Saturday to take on the 5th placed 2-3-1 Lancers who have let up an unusually high 14 goals in 6 games, second poorest in the OUA only to Trent’s 31 goals against, a statistic that last week’s OUA player of the week, Erica Bain, and Whiteside are surely looking to make good on.

COURTESY OF ONTARIO UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS WEBSITE

Guelph leads the OUA West standings and still holds the number 10 rank in the CIS despite losing to the 3rd place and ninth ranked Laurier Golden Hawks last Friday. Guelph then travelled to St. Catharines and beat Brock 1-0. They now travel to 5th place Windsor Lancers Saturday looking to hold their top spot.

Women’s lacrosse starts the season off right

Linnaea Jasiuk

The Guelph Gryphons women’s lacrosse team celebrated their homecoming this past weekend with a four game schedule that included wins against Laurier (14-3), Queens (14-5) and McGill (12-8) and a tie versus Brock University (9-9).

The team was confident heading into the weekend games but was unsure how on-field dynamics would develop in a year where eight

rookie players have been added to a roster of just 23. The team’s main strength is that all players take the opportunity to use the skills they possess; accordingly, the whole team is coming together as a force to be reckoned with.

Assistant coach Staci Morris, a former Gryphons lacrosse player herself, was pleased with how the women played together as a team and the resulting scores on the weekend. Morris explained, “It was a strong start to the season.

There’s a lot of depth to the team this year and we were proud to see how well [team veterans] led the rookies.” The depth referred to by Coach Morris was displayed this weekend with goals being contributed by 14 different players including four rookie players.

In fact, it was rookie Katelyn Ayres who led the team with 11 goals spread between the four games, followed closely by fourth year players Dana Skyvington who scored 10 goals and Alyssa

Nevills who scored 8. The defensive line also shined, they kept their opponents under 10 goals in each of their four games.

Despite thje encouraging outcome of the weekend, the Gryphons are not ready to rest just yet. Coming second and bringing home silver medals for the past two consecutive years prove that the Gryphons are ready to work harder. The victories this past weekend give the Gryphons reason to believe that women’s

lacrosse will deliver similar results throughout the rest of the season and make this season a golden one with hopes of bringing the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) banner to Guelph.

“The team showed that they are able to adjust quickly but we can improve our communication on both offense and defense,” says Morris. The team will face McMaster on Saturday and the University of Ontario Institute of technology on Sunday.

Wrestling reinstated for 2020 Olympics

Andrew Donovan

After seven months in limbo, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to reinstate wrestling back into the Olympics for 2020 and 2024, a decision they admit was overdue and should have never occurred in the first place.

Be that as it may, the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA) did admit they have some work to do in order to modernize the sport for today’s Olympic standards that rely heavily on TV viewership.

Jade Papke, a wrestler for the University of Guelph wrestling team, explained that wrestling’s participation in the Olympics came into question for a few reasons, but “… mainly because they based it on

TV views. They also didn’t think the audience watched it enough because they didn’t understand it, it was complicated, a little outdated and wasn’t publicized.”

Part of the revamping of international wrestling was a change to the points system. “Imagine someone coming to watch a hockey game. You can kind of explain the gist of it and they would understand how it worked.

Wrestling, for how simplistic it is, was very complicated for a viewer. Part of the process was to revamp the points system,” explained Papke.

IOC President Jacques Rogges commended the moves taken by FILA stating that, “Wrestling has shown great passion and resilience in the last few months…they have

taken a number of steps to modernize and improve their sport.”

Modernization seems almost oxymoronic when it comes to wrestling, a sport that dates back to the Olympics in Greece and an event that has been in every modern Olympics, except one in 1900. It is little wonder why the community, including those who don’t even follow the sport, were taken aback by the axe from the board.

Though no sport wants a scare like this, Papke sees the elimination and reinstallation of wrestling as almost a blessing in disguise, “Not only did people who want to watch wrestling not really know about it but people who didn’t know they want to watch wrestling didn’t know about it. But by having these

articles pop up on CBC and other outlets, about saving Olympic wrestling, it really got our sport out there and I really believe it increased our fan base. I think it all worked out for the best.”

For new and old fans of wrestling these are the changes to expect going forward, starting in the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro: men’s Greco-Roman, men’s freestyle and women’s freestyle will consist of two three-minute rounds, as opposed to three two-minute rounds and scoring will be cumulative through the two rounds whereas before each round was scored separately.

FILA also changed the female weight classes by adding two more weight classes in Freestyle while Greco-Roman and Men’s

Freestyle each lost a weight class; this is an area that Papke expects will help her chances at qualifying for the Olympics in 2016 and 2020.

Wrestling was reinstated over baseball-softball and squash. One can certainly appreciate its rich history in the Olympics and the effort put forth by FILA and wrestlers across the globe to see their sport reinstated by the board. Removing it from the Olympics in the first place should make one question how this historic events roots were so easily ignored. In any regard, the news is good for Guelph wrestling. With a strong atmosphere and competition here in Guelph and the positive news about 2020 and beyond, there’s hope that more local talent might be displayed on the international stage.

SPORTS & HEALTH

172.3 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

19

Household interventions and obesity links found Namrata Tilokani, A new study conducted by Dr. Jessica Haines, a University of Guelph Professor, and Dr. Elsie Taveras of Harvard Medical School is finally bridging the gap between simple, household interventions and their ability to influence obesity. The study, which can be found in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics medical journal, examines the relationship between four household factors, namely increasing the regularity of family meals,

decreasing the amount of time a given child spends watching TV, removing the TV from the child’s bedroom, and increasing hours per night of sleep. While removing the TV from a child’s bedroom and increasing family meals had no significant impact on lowering BMI indexes, decreasing television time and increasing hours per night of sleep showed a downward shift in BMI indexes. Over a 6 month period, those who decreased television time and increased their sleep by almost 45 minutes per night showed a decrease in BMI by

0.18, whereas the control group increased their television viewing and subsequently showed a rise in their BMI index by 0.21.

When asked about the nature of obesity, Professor Haines reported that “Obesity is multifactorial. There are many health behaviours that influence obesity risk and these include sleep, sedentary behaviours, physical activity, and eating behaviours,” and many of these behaviours can be accounted for in the study that Haines has carried out.

Haines also agrees that physical

activity is an important component in reducing obesity. When asked about the relationship between physical activity and its role in lowering BMI indexes, Haines said that “Physical activity is an important risk factor for childhood obesity. Our results suggest that simple household routines focused on sleep and reduced television viewing may help reduce obesity risk in children. Our future research will explore whether these messages, along with additional messages around other weight-related

behaviours, such as physical activity, can result in even greater reductions in body mass index among young children.”

Haines’ future research will focus on further investigations of body mass indexes, and its relation to obesity. Haines’ current research interest stems from a preventative perspective on health. Changing behaviours later in life can be difficult, and as such, Haines hopes to find effective ways to help families with young children establish healthful behaviours early in children’s lives.

SCIENCE & TECH

Iron fish combats anemia

Can a U of G innovation be the solution to irondeficiency and anemia?

Amy Van Den Berg

Health has taken the shape of a little iron fish as a University of Guelph project attempts to solve iron deficiency among women and children in the developing world.

The Lucky Iron Fish Project was announced as a finalist for an innovation award just last Wednesday. The project is a social entrepreneurship organization that uses a fish-shaped lump of iron to help provide atrisk people with 75 per cent of daily iron requirements. U of G alumni Christopher Charles originally designed the iron fish.

In regions where poor brain development in infants is common and over half of the female population experience difficult births including

premature delivery and hemorrhaging, this new technology will prove to be life saving.

When placed into boiling water that is being sterilized for drinking or cooking, the palm-sized chunk adds iron to the food or water. Its daily use increases circulation and iron storage in the body and reduces anemia prevalence by half.

Gavin Armstrong, a U of G PhD candidate in biomedical sciences, is currently commercializing the technology.

Armstrong created the project in order to market and distribute it in developing countries, specifically Cambodia.

“The ultimate goal is to alleviate iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia around the world,” says Armstrong, “We want to add benefit to health, community, economy, and the environment.”

The project is one of five finalists for the Innovation

by Design Awards in the category of “Social Good.” The

annual awards are sponsored

by U.S. business magazine Fast Company that focuses on technology, business and design.

Finalists will be featured in the magazine’s October issue and the 2013 winners will be announced at a New York City gala on October 2.

The Lucky Iron Fish is an example of how we need to foster innovation to make a serious difference and to make a better planet.

- Gavin Armstrong U of G PhD candidate in biomedical sciences This announcement comes months after the project was awarded a grant of $60,000 per

year under the University’s new Commercialization Fellowship Program. The two to three year program supports graduate students in the commercialization of U of G innovation and research and was created by the Office of the President as part of the University of Guelph’s BetterPlanet Project.

This money has been helpful to the initial start-up of the Project as well as to secure funding from other groups.

The Project is currently only in Cambodia but with this significant help Armstrong has plans to become internationally available by 2014.

Iron deficiency affects over 2 billion people worldwide and impairs cognitive development in children and infants and can result in anemia and weakness, impacting the ability to work.

The Lucky Iron Fish Project is paired with multiple local nongovernmental organizations in Cambodia and is attempting to provide small business

opportunities across the country by encouraging the local manufacturing of the product using scrap metal.

The project also seeks to engage not-for-profit organizations in the developed world to help fund the organization’s initiatives and encourage woman in the developed world to ‘buy a fish – buy a future’ for at-risk iron deficient women and children in the developing world.

Successful studies have encouraged the organization to recently expand the distribution and use of the Lucky Iron Fish to as many Cambodian households as possible. Sustained use of the fish is as high as 90 per cent, likely due to its appearance and straightforward instructions.

Armstrong is confident in stating, “The Lucky Iron Fish is an example of how we need to foster innovation to make a serious difference and to make a better planet.”

Review: Apple announces the iPhones 5S

Same old iPhone, new invasion of privacy Anthony Jehn

Apple held a recent media event on Sept. 10 at their Cupertino campus where they announced the highly anticipated iPhone 5S. Apple came out with some serious claims including this iPhone being the “most forward thinking” smartphone on the market.

They also claimed this iPhone is “the gold standard of smartphones;” which is ironic since this is also the first time the

phone will be available in the colour gold. However, taking a closer look at the new phone will allow you to quickly realize it is really the same iPhone as before.

The iPhone 5S will maintain the existing form factor with some minor tweaks. This includes a new rear “iSight” camera that has a larger lens and a dual flash that will bring improvements to low light scenarios. Apple also designed a new A7 processor that will (among other speed enhancements) allow the phone to process higher resolution photos. Another new feature

is the addition of a fingerprint scanner dubbed “Touch ID” that will replace the existing home button. This will allow consumers to use their fingerprints to unlock the device.

The phone will be able to store multiple scans of different fingers to provide versatility. This has rightfully sparked a lot of online controversy.

Most people are aware of the privacy scandal from back in June. That was when Edward Snowden, former NSA employee, revealed the details about a surveillance program entitled PRISM. The program is used for intelligence

gathering that subsequently eliminates the privacy and security of American citizen’s personal information.

One company name that was frequently associated with the scandal was Apple. There were allegations that Apple was sharing the information they collect from their user base with the NSA. The fact that they are collecting this information is enough of an issue to begin with, but knowing that they are voluntarily sharing it makes it much worse. Apple is claiming they will be unable to access the stored fingerprint scans off the devices, however,

people are finding this hard to believe since they also denied their cooperation with the NSA. Having this information associated with the “Touch ID” is all part of the new phones features.

The new iPhone 5S is really an attractive purchase. It is the most expensive iPhone Apple has ever created. It will look exactly the same as the iPhone 5 but with a better camera and a “Touch ID” home button. It is designed and marketed to make you think the existing iPhone is out dated and obsolete, but this model forces you to relinquish your fingerprints, as well the rest of your privacy.

20

Understanding photography beyond your iPhone Wendy Shepherd Anyone can slap on a blur filter on their photo and call it a day on Instagram, but why do we do it?

To deconstruct the inner workings of the creative mind in ten words or less – we want what we photograph to significantly stand out. That background blur sharpens our subject, keeping the background out of focus, and ultimately resting our focus on the desired object. Sometimes this makes the most artistic photos of all. So, how does one get that effect without the filter?

To begin understanding this concept, two key terms are essential to understand. Firstly, by utilizing the camera to sharpen the subject and soften/blur the background, we are manipulating the depth-of-field by means of changing the aperture settings.

The depth-of-field is the gradual distance between objects in a photo that will appear sharp, or in-focus. A photo with a shallow depth-of-field is similar to the photo described above; a blurry background with a sharp subject.

The range in which objects are in focus in relation to each other is shorter. By comparison, a deep depth-of-field will allow for a

www.theontarion.com

Insta-what?

longer length (or “depth”) in which objects appear sharper: the majority of the photo is in focus.

How do we achieve this incamera? The words “f-stop” and “aperture” are music to my ears.

The aperture of your camera controls how much light enters the camera and reaches the sensor. It works much like the iris in your eye. When the aperture is small, less light enters the camera; when it is open wide, more light pours in. The size of the aperture has a direct effect on the depth-of-field. In order to achieve a shallow depth-offield the aperture must be open wide, and vice versa for a deep depth-of-field. The aperture size is represented by the f-stop on lenses and camera settings.

Small f-stops (e.g. f/2.8) indicate that the aperture is open wide, allowing more light to enter the camera, creating a photo with a sharpened subject in the foreground and a blurred background. Large f-stops (e.g. f/10) indicate a smaller aperture allowing for less light to enter and providing a sharper focus to more of the image.

Many DSLR cameras have a setting called “Aperture Priority Mode.” This mode will help you focus on allowing enough light to enter the camera to get the desired outcome. Aperture priority mode allows you to choose the f-stop (the

SCIENCE & TECH

PHOTO BY WENDY SHEPHERD

Left: Shallow depth-of-field: The subject is “pulled out” of the background, using a wide aperture, set at f/2.5. Right: Deep depth-of-field. The subject is still “pulled out” of the background, but to a lesser extent, making the background more visible. The aperture is smaller (set at f/10), allowing less light to reach the camera’s sensor. amount of light entering the camera) and will adjust the shutter speed of your camera accordingly to achieve correct exposure. Throw a little

ISO and shutter speed action in there and you are well on your way to making the photographs you envision in your mind. Unsure about what ISO

and shutter speed are? Tune in next week to learn about the (atypical) love triangle that exists between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.

Saints Row, Dubstep Guns, and Freedom in Escapism Devon Harding As I leapt off of a skyscraper while blasting B.O.B. by Outkast, taking advantage of Saints Row 4’s new superpowers, I had a thought – I’m sick of boring protagonists.

They’re all too common in Western gaming, wherein typically a man goes to a strange place, kills a whole lot of foreigners/aliens/ demons, and takes a few gameplay related prizes. Alternatively a man is in a city, slowly defeating enemies and gaining power, either of the literal or the “shoot things from your hands” variety, until he takes control/ fights a hugely underwhelming boss. These two scenarios are strikingly common, and Saints Row 4 parodies them both. But more interestingly, it looks at the problem behind them.

Our protagonists are boring tough guys, alternatively looking off into the distance remembering a lost family member and yelling halfhearted quips at enemies in line to be defeated. Or they’re some kind of anthropomorphic animal, but that’s besides the point. Saints Row is now almost alone in its position as a bestseller that lets you create

a character with real freedom and personality. It also is the only current best seller with a Dubstep gun that fires explosive “Wubs.” This means two things: that Saints Row is awesome, and that videogames have done a terrible job of providing variety in their protagonists.

The game began with a declaration – “More fun, less mercy killings.” This refers to one of the grittier parts of Saints Row 2, wherein the games still had their façade of hardcore crime, and their ridiculous persona had only just begun to appear. After that, the game began in a pitch-perfect parody of military shooters. This meant grey corridors, hundreds of identical terrorists, “breech the door” segments, and a thrilling conclusion set to Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing.”

After this, you get to create your character, who was until this point decked out in androgynous combat gear. Your protagonist, a French woman with a two foot beehive haircut, a silver skinned alien, a streetcar-esque southern bell, or the all-too-common Jason Stratham, then becomes president, gets attacked by

aliens, and enters the matrix all before the half hour mark. This is purposefully silly, designed to prod at serious games in unexpected ways, but the game does genuinely set a benchmark. You can play as anyone, anytime, and with many personalities to choose from. What’s great is that they are all treated with the same respect to their character.

The voices you can choose are individual, they all have different lines and quirks, but those around you will respond in the same ways. My tough bald guy in power armour gets the same mix of respect, camaraderie, silliness and hilarious romantic options as my purple woman in a mascot costume. This defiantly flies in the face of the industry standard.

Think of Catwoman in Batman – Arkham City, and the game’s thugs disappeared, to be replaced by ones obsessed with Catwoman’s ass and the word “Bitch.”

And we defend this. When Anita Sarkeesian of Feminist Frequency questioned why all our protagonists were either male, or bland, sexualized women (not that our male protagonists

aren’t bland) large parts of the community freaked out, decrying her as an outsider attacking us. Even forgetting the deeper problems Sarkeesian finds, it would be a stretch to suggest that protagonists aren’t overwhelmingly male. And then Saint’s Row comes along, parodying this, and offering female characters that are just as funny and (semi) deep as their male counterparts. To parody over sexualisation they gave both genders a sex appeal slider. On the men, this adjusts crotch bulge, on women breast size, but turning it to perverted levels makes thing hilariously unsexy very quickly. Imagine Dead or Alive breast physics designed by a twelve year old. Or, a less restrained twelve year old.

So why is it that a game which recently added a downloadable gun that shoots farting plungers is gaming’s leader in terms of protagonist choice and variety? It’s because Saints Row has thrown off being the crime game it once was. It is now gaming’s chief selfparody, and can make fun of the overly curvy women and overly muscular men that haunt our

pastime. In Saints Row you can be anyone, so as to point out the lack of freedom in other games. If I play a serious game I must play as a character ingrained in that seriousness. In Saints Row I can be anyone because it realized it was a game, that there are no barriers and no set actors. It realized that gaming needed to acknowledge that it can present anything. And it’s because of that freedom that the game works. When my character sings 90’s rap while on their way to blow up monster trucks, it’s fun because it’s my character.

When I defeat the game’s big boss and save the world, it’s satisfying because it’s my character’s victory. Saints Row isn’t as imperially good as a select few other games, some of which do these same things in a more serious and thought provoking way, but it is unique in its silliness, and will arguably be as important. Then again, other games don’t have superpowers, a villain who reads the entire first chapter of Pride and Prejudice to you, and the option to have sex with a floating spherical robot. Play Saint’s Row 4. It’s wonderful.

LIFE

Female Ejaculation Why are we still in the dark about female sexual anatomy and physiology?

Sophie Feltes Writings on female ejaculation date back over 2000 years, from the ancient Greeks Hippocrates and Aristotle, to Chinese Taoists. Thanks to our historically sexist society, we have long understood the male sexual organ and everything it can do, so it seems ludicrous to me that not only is there rampant debate about the composition of “shejaculate,” but some medical professionals still question whether this phenomenon exists at all. In-depth research into female ejaculation is very new, but we are making some headway, including a notable study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine that finally seems to make a clear distinction between squirting and female ejaculating. If you are thinking, “I didn’t even think squirting was real and now you’re telling me there are multiple kinds?!” you are not alone. I found it fascinating the number of angry responses posted online by women in response to valid clinical studies, comments along the lines of, “Sure we’ve all heard about it, but do any of us actually know someone who can?” I chose to investigate this topic when I realized that if I

wanted to know what the f*** this weird stuff was coming out of me, the only way to find out was to research it myself.

Even in a recent international online survey composed solely of women capable of ejaculation, the extent of their isolation and lack of information was clear. The majority of respondents said that they did not know a single other woman who had ejaculated.

This study, which at a measly 320 participants constitutes the largest study on female ejaculation to date, also exposed the lack of knowledge that many if not most women around the world have about their own sexual anatomy and physiology. When questioned about their perceived source of the fluid, almost half of the women marked “unknown,” while the remainder of responses were fairly equally dispersed between vaginal, anterior vaginal wall (g-spot), and urethra.

Approximately half classified their ejaculations as stemming from clitoral orgasms, while the other half classified them as vaginal, and several women reported squirting during anal sex. Contrary to popular belief, there is no concrete link between the G-spot, also still a controversial topic, and squirting.

Here is what little information we know. It is estimated that a minimum of 10 per cent of women are capable of ejaculation. Most women who report

21

172.3 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

PHOTO BY WENDY SHEPHERD

Some medical professionals continue to question the phenomenon of “shejaculate,” or better known as the female orgasm. Research into this occurrence is all very new, but in recent years studies have been making headway. squirting also report enthusiastic (albeit sometimes confused and surprised) partners, frequent occurrence, and a greater likelihood of multiple orgasms and further ejaculation after the initial orgasm. Some women report teaspoons of fluid, while others can release up to one liter! This is where much of the debate on the nature of the fluid comes from; doctors find it hard to believe that so much fluid could be contained anywhere but the bladder. It would appear that while “real” female ejaculate from the female prostate (aka Skene’s gland) does exist, it is very much like semen in consistency and composition, the only real difference being the absence of sperm. This

is more rare than the squirting or gushing usually referred to as ejaculation. Both come out of the ducts surrounding the urethra (not the urethra itself) but “real” ejaculation takes place almost exclusively upon orgasm, while one might squirt out of intense arousal. Squirting usually involves the release of a clear fluid with no smell and a slightly briny or salty taste. It is essentially extremely diluted urine without the ammonia.

The most important thing to remember here is that both are totally healthy, feel great, and are in no way evidence of an incontinence issue.

Women have experienced ejaculating for the first time at ages as early as seven and as late

as 68, while the average appears to lie somewhere around 25. So ladies, if you haven’t experienced this yet, do not assume that you aren’t capable, you might very well be. Try putting a pillow under your bum to tilt your pelvis forward so that your partner or favourite vibrator is more likely to hit your G-spot.

While they may look uncomfortable from afar, hard curved toys with a round tip make the best G-spot stimulators. The combination of dildo, fingers making a “come hither” motion or even a wang up in there, plus clitoral stimulation is a real winner. Worst-case scenario, you’ll likely end up with mindblowing dry orgasm. I know, life is hard.

A decision that changed my life

Why volunteering abroad was the right decision for me Deighna Baes

A year ago today, I was restless. I don’t know why exactly, but I felt like my life was lacking purpose.

I had just come back from working all summer in retail, and the fall semester had returned in full force with enough assignments and deadlines to make me want to pack up and move to a tropical location. My major is Studio Art, but I needed another social science course so I found myself in Rozanski Hall in SOC 1100. Large first year lectures are always the same at the start, full of tutorials, library study groups, and advertisements for work and volunteer programs.

One volunteer presentation caught my eye; a company called Reach Out Volunteers that had programs all over the world dedicated

to “change one village at a time.”

In my first year I had applied for a trip to Fiji, which I didn’t get accepted to. With this in mind I didn’t take the bright orange Reach Out flyer I had put on my corkboard seriously, assuming it was a pipe dream. A couple weeks went by and every time I worked at my desk I stared at this flyer with promises of travel and changing lives. I decided to apply to a program in Peru on a fluke without telling a soul, and I was accepted shortly after. Telling my friends and family led to an array of mixed reactions, mostly excitement but some confusion and worry. Would I be safe? How could I afford it?

What would I be doing? How would I be helping people? With a newfound surge of independence I researched and planned. I was certain to make this dream a reality. After months of working retail whilst in school, selling paintings, and doing odd jobs, I had paid for

the trip entirely on my own.

Finally, in May the day came when I was ready to fly off to Peru. Flying on your own for the first time is scary but strangely liberating. After 30 hours of travel I made it there and met with my team members for the first time.

If I can stress one positive aspect about doing a volunteer trip, it’s that you will meet amazing people from places all over the world.

Our first night was spent in Cusco getting acquainted and preparing for the physical hardships we were about to experience. Bright and early the next morning we bused to Urubamba in the Sacred Valley where we were to stay every night between volunteering. By volunteering, I mean that we were to build a jungle gym for a tiny elementary school remotely set on a mountainside. Throughout that week we stripped the logs by hand and used hand tools and shovels to prepare the holes for

the foundation, mixing cement, cutting logs, and attaching the wood together. The children there are truly fascinating, and were one of the highlights of my trip. Bright and eager, these kids could create entertainment out of anything. By anything, I mean tires, deflated soccer balls, and even the strips of bark we took off of our logs for the playground. After a week of grueling hard work, some altitude sickness, and avocado sandwiches, we managed to complete a jungle gym with monkey bars, towers, and a swing set. The kids’ reaction to the completed playground made all of our blisters worth it.

It was difficult to wrap my head around how the children didn’t know how to use a swing set, but they quickly learned! After a good photo session, we headed back to Cusco for a week of hiking the Inca trail and sightseeing.

Our team went white-water

rafting, zip lining, biked down a mountain, and hiked the trail to see Machu Picchu. The sights I saw were truly breathtaking and will stay with me until my last days. Reach Out Volunteers did a great job of getting us to experience everything, from salsa classes to Spanish and cooking classes. It’s hard to decide what the best part of the entire experience was. Knowing that I changed some kids’ lives is something that no one else can take away from me. I have made some truly amazing friends who I have kept in contact with months later. We are all making plans to visit each other (out of the ten people in my group I have seen two since).

Our next goal is to take another trip with my previous group to Cambodia in 2015. Volunteering abroad is something that I will always advocate, as it changed my outlook on life and I hope volunteering abroad changes yours.

22

LIFE

www.theontarion.com

An interview with John Sleeman

The man behind the beer Al Ladha

A legend in both beer and the entrepreneurial world, John Sleeman rose from high school dropout to chairman of the third largest brewery in Canada. As the first mayor of Guelph, John’s grandfather George Sleeman brought hydroelectric power as well as a free street car service to the present day Sleeman brewery located at Clair Road and the Hanlon Expressway.

The Sleeman name does indeed hold a longstanding tradition within Guelph. Well before John took the reins in 1998, the Sleeman Brewery supplied our thirsty neighbours to the south during the prohibition years. In 1933 the company was charged with smuggling and tax evasion and the family’s brewing licence was suspended for fifty years. It was not until John’s Aunt Florian shared his family history and his grandfather’s recipe book that Sleeman had the courage to restart the brewery. Before this moment he had no knowledge of his families notorious past. I had the opportunity to sit down with John and pick his brain on beer, business and Al Capone.

Al Ladha : What do you find is the most challenging aspect of becoming an entrepreneur in the twenty-first century?

John Sleeman: It’s very challenging and I think perhaps the most challenging aspect of entrepreneurialism is getting the funding you need to build your dream. After you develop the dream you then have to go out and sell it to people. The challenge of convincing bankers and lenders is often greater than the challenge of convincing your consumers. If you have a good idea, consumers will come along. It’s really difficult taking an idea and having it come to fruition because along the way you generally need some money. It takes money to make money. It’s very hard to convince people to take a risk on you as an individual or your idea. This fact hasn’t changed in 1000 years – it might actually be worse now.

The economy is coming back but people are still cautious.

AL: I read as a teenager you worked at McDonalds? Can you please share what lessons you took from that experience in forming Sleeman?

JS: I think very highly of their organization and I eat there as often as I can. They somehow take young people who normally don’t take to direction very well and start turning them into adults. They teach them to show up on time, be clean, to wash their hands and hair, be nice to the customers and follow orders.

Here is the system - follow the system. They are very organized.

These are things that kids don’t learn at home or don’t want to learn at home. Somehow at McDonald’s when someone tells them they listen and they do it. So when I look back at my time there I realize it forced me to show up on time, have a schedule and stick to it. Perhaps the most important lesson I took away from working at Mc Donald’s was the value of how you treat customers.

AL: Your Aunt Florian gave you the recipe book and provided you with words of encouragement so you saw this opportunity and ran. I know hindsight is 20/20 but would you change anything looking back?

JS: Not a thing! I know there were days I didn’t have enough money to do what I needed to do. I was scrambling and I lost my house and got pretty close to going bankrupt. But the alternative would have been to either not take the risk, which was unacceptable, or sell more equity and have more money and less debt.

Perhaps this would have made life easier on the financial side but then I wouldn’t have had the control of the business to make the decisions I wanted to make. It is a balancing act - trying to get as much money as I can from lenders and bankers while putting in as little as I can so as not to lose control. I could have put in more money myself, but I didn’t have it then. I look back and I’m pretty happy with the way it all turned out.

AL: During one of your speeches you said “The answer could be yes, but you will never know

PHOTO BY ZACH BARANOWSKI

John W. Sleeman restarted his families brewery in the late ‘80s basing all products on the family’s original recipes. With a past including bootlegging and smuggling beer, Sleeman Breweries has entrenched a rich history within Guelph. unless you ask.” Can you elaborate on this and how this worked for you?

JS: I had to ask to buy the Sleeman brand name back from Standard Brands for one dollar.

There are a lot of people who have good ideas but are afraid to tell people about them. Or they have a great idea but they need something...advice, money, customers, liquor licence or whatever it is….And there’s this concern about embarrassment or humiliation when you ask “What if he says ‘no?’ But what if he says ‘yes?’” If you don’t ask, you don’t get! So you need to develop not just a thick skin but certainly enough self-confidence to believe in your idea and ask for help.

AL: What can you tell me about the notorious Al Capone, your family, and his time in Guelph?

JS: Through family rumours I learned he was our customer during prohibition in the U.S. No one ever admitted to meeting him or anything like that and I’m probably sure my family had someone in the middle between Al Capone and them.

However, there are pretty strong stories in town about Al Capone coming here once in a while and staying at the Albion Hotel. There may also be tunnels underneath the town that go all over the place. I heard these rumours as a kid, and one day at a new product introduction in Minneapolis, Saint Paul a very elderly gentleman arrived not too long after I’d left and spoke to John Driggers who headed up our U.S operations and said “Sleeman eh?

Tell me the story.” So John told the customer the story and the elderly gentleman said “That’s what I thought. I used to drive

the beer for Al Capone…I would go to Detroit, the beer used to come across and I would go pick it up…Then I would drive it primarily to the suburbs of Chicago, and everybody loved the beer…We used to get the bottles in wooden cases and they had no marking.” On the Canadian side you didn’t want to get caught with a labelled bottle. “We used to get a bunch of labels printed up, and once we got the bottles over here we put the labels on and away we go.” So this served to corroborate the stories I heard as a kid.

Al Capone certainly wasn’t the nicest guy in the world, but the governments did try to choke the supply of alcohol despite the great demand. I don’t agree with the way he murdered people, but you can’t argue that he was a smart business man.

Supply and demand is supply and demand. So yeah, it’s true.

24

OPINION

www.theontarion.com

What Happened to Kony 2012?

A year and a half after Invisible Children’s video, public interest has waned Stephanie Scott

In March 2012 Invisible Children launched their “Kony 2012” campaign. A year and a half later we appear to have forgotten all about it. However, there is still the need for continued support for the thousands of former child soldiers in northern Uganda and the affected communities. My Masters research project examined the benefits and challenges of integrating post-conflict development with reintegration efforts for former child soldiers in northern Uganda.

Research studies and Non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) agree that there needs to be a more comprehensive framework that integrates reintegration, rehabilitation, community reconciliation, peace and security and post-conflict development.

Furthermore, there needs to be a transition from short-term humanitarian aid to long-term development approaches. Communities need to be rebuilt so that there is something to be reintegrated into. Simply reinserting children and youth back into an environment of poverty, inaccessible education and a lack of appropriate employment opportunities will not lead to successful reintegration. Youth must be reintegrated into communities that offer sufficient economic and

social support. There are numerous NGO’s working in northern Uganda, yet the challenge is in increasing the coordination of these different approaches and creating a comprehensive framework for long-term development.

Last year Invisible Children’s “Kony 2012” video was watched by millions of people. Soon after its release there was criticism of the inaccurate portrayal of conflict in Uganda and people began to question the credibility of Invisible Children and its founders. There was heated, yet promising, critical discussion. Today it is no longer on people’s minds. Public interest was lost as fast as it had first been gained. However, we cannot simply forget as the victims of this two-decade conflict are still in need of help. NGO’s still require international and local support to help assist post-conflict development and reintegration efforts.

One example is an organization called Children of Hope Uganda who uses education as a tool to empower youth and help promote the recovery and reintegration of war-affected children. Lorna Pitcher, a retired school teacher, and a team of volunteers in Canada have raised over $500,000 in the past six years to help fund programs in northern Uganda that provide education and vocational skills training for former child soldiers. The Ugandan programs help pay for school fees and materials, operates a vocational school, supervises income generating activities and currently provides university sponsorships

for 12 Aboke girls. The programs are run by local Ugandan staff.

Children of Hope sells items that are made locally, such as jewellery, bags and stuffed animals, to help raise money in support of their programs. Students who are interested in supporting Children

of Hope are encouraged to start student clubs and can visit childrenofhopeuganda.org for more information.

Invisible Children’s “Kony 2012” campaign increased global awareness of the Lord’s Resistance Army conflict. Discussion regarding

reintegration efforts for former child soldiers and post-conflict development for affected communities needs to continue. NGO’s and other development agencies in northern Uganda need our continued support and assistance. We cannot forget about the victims.

PHOTO BY WILLIAM MURPHY

Over a year after the release of the Invisible Children video, many have seemingly forgotten about an important cause they were once passionate about.

The tragedy of customer service

A night of dancing leads to disappointment Carleigh Cathcart

There are two main things I’ve learned from almost six years in the customer service industry: (1) that the customer is always right, and (2) that whenever the customer is not right, refer to the first point.

With that in mind, I recently had an experience at each of two local businesses - one disappointing and unnecessary, and one outstanding and greatly appreciated. I think it’s safe to say that these interactions highlight the importance of not just the product being offered, but also the way in which the customer receiving the product is treated.

First, the negative experience.

My friends and I were downtown to celebrate Frosh week, as was about 95 per cent of the university population. Our group got separated, and about half of us were in line for a popular Guelph nightclub (bar 1), while the other half ended

up waiting for entrance to another (bar 2). Both of these bars are in the same building, and owned by a local entertainment company.

The half of our group in line for bar 2 inquired and were told at the door that yes, they could access bar 1 upstairs, as is usually the case.

So they paid the $10 cover, which is an absurd amount of money, especially for a customer base consisting mainly of students; that’s another issue entirely. However, upon entry (at which they were given no stamp or any other proof of admission), my girls found out that absolutely no one was being permitted upstairs, essentially stranding them in the club. This is contrary to what they were told, and thus they were lied to. That alone is bad enough business.

After realizing there was no way we’d be able to meet up, my friends left bar 2 and found the rest of us just as we were about to go into bar 1. They explained their situation to the bouncer, who was not only unapologetic, but also extremely rude and indifferent. I understand

that he has a job to do, and sympathy entries are not a part of the job, but it all comes down to how you say something, not what you say. And in this case, his attitude was essentially, “I don’t care” - the exact opposite of how any customer should be treated.

After all this, my friends were told to join the back of the line (understandable), and pay the cover fee again (completely outrageous). So at the end of it all, my friends had to pay $20 for less than two hours of dancing. Needless to say, the mood of the night was considerably dimmed, and our impression of a supposedly student-serving local business was greatly diminished. It isn’t the situation itself that disappointed us, as it was the way it was handled. I know if my father ran his business like that, he wouldn’t have much of a customer base left. Lucky for them, the majority of their patrons don’t even remember the service they’re offered. I was completely sober, and do. I am less than impressed, to say the least.

However, less than two days later

I had a wonderful experience that restored a little bit of my faith.

Because I am a genius and decided to fix my car window by pushing it up myself (rest in peace, battery), I needed it fixed after I popped it out of the track and it fell into the door.

After thanking my lucky stars it wasn’t the dead of winter, I shopped around for quotes on repair. Unfortunately, I was getting figures in the $300-500 range (what is this, a textbook store?), something I just cannot afford. Then I hit the auto shop jackpot.

I got a hold of an auto repair shop run by local couple. I explained my situation to them, as they listened patiently and kindly. They offered a very reasonable price to look at the window, and ended up disassembling my door, ‘retrieving’ the window, and securing it instead of reinstalling it with new parts. Remember, folks, labour isn’t cheap, and this is a mom-and-pop kind of shop; they’ve got to pay their own bills too.

One of the owners personally dealt with me, providing very efficient

and personable service. He was not only polite but also chatted with me about my studies, and informed me of inexpensive alternatives I may consider later down the road to further repair the window. The mechanics of this story are unimportant; but the customer service is. I left the shop feeling like a valued customer, and even as though I had made a friend. I can’t think of a better way for a customer to feel at the end of a transaction.

The point of this all is to thank those who make the parting with my precious money a little bit easier, and to shame those who greedily pry it from my hands. I know which business I’ll recommend, and which I’ll steer clear of in the future. Now if only this auto shop had a dance floor...

The views represented in the opinion section do not necessarily reflect the views of The Ontarion nor its staff.

EDITORIAL

Debate over Quebec Charter has become one-sided And thank heavens for that The Charter of Quebec Values would ban government employees, with some exceptions, from wearing “ostentatious” religious garb and symbols in the workplace, allegedly in the name of secularism. But if you’ve been following the debate, you may have detected an air of something not often seen in Canadian politics. In this case, that would be the air of consensus.

As a portent of things to come, Justin Trudeau, Thomas Mulcair and Stephen Harper have all vehemently, and to their credit, quickly, rejected the Charter. Mr. Harper has even promised to launch a constitutional challenge should the Charter be adopted.

But more interesting has been the near-consensus among the media. Publications around the country have unleashed a veritable torrent of editorial and opinion condemning the Charter, and, with each day that passes, the case against the document becomes steadily more refined. As a result, the Charter now has the reputation of being scarcely better than a fraud – one unsuccessfully perpetrated on Quebecers for the cheap partisan benefit of a beleaguered Parti Québécois.

Rarely, it seems, has there been an issue in Canadian politics that has inspired such a muted defence. But then again, rarely has there been an issue for which the just course has been so clear.

In recent days it has been entertaining to watch those opposed to the Charter – that is, pretty much everyone – begin to articulate themselves with increasing clarity, with increasing validation, with overwhelming confidence.

Even opportunistic contrarians seem to appreciate that it’s a fool’s errand to dabble in this affair.

But, it is worth asking, why has it been so much easier for pundits to reach a consensus on this issue? The answer is threefold: First, the Charter is almost certainly unconstitutional. The Globe and Mail reached out to

25

172.3 • Thursday, September 19, 2013

The Ontarion Inc. University Centre Room 264 University of Guelph N1G 2W1 ontarion@uoguelph.ca Phone: 519-824-4120 General: x58265 Editorial: x58250 Advertising: x58267 Accounts: x53534 Editorial Staff: Editor-in-chief Jessica Avolio Production Staff: Photo & graphics editor Wendy Shepherd Ad designer Justin Thomson Layout Director Stephanie Lefebvre Office Staff: Business manager Lorrie Taylor Ad manager Al Ladha

PHOTO COURTESY OF GERRY LAUZON

On Sept. 14, Montrealers took to the street to protest the Charter of Quebec Values. The Charter, with a few exceptions, would ban government employees from wearing religious clothing and symbols in the workplace. nine distinguished lawyers from across Canada and asked them, simply: is the proposed Charter constitutional or not. All nine agreed that it was not.

Jamie Cameron, constitutional law scholar at Osgoode Hall, stressed that the inconsistencies in the Charter’s application made the breach of rights flagrant.

“More problematic are exemptions for some employees in some institutions, but not others, and for elected officials who are among the most visible representatives of the state,” said Cameron.

Tsvi Kahana, associate professor of law at Queen’s University, added: “The legislation is not rationally connected to the goal of ‘religious neutrality’ because leaving Christian symbols intact sends the message of Christian supremacy, not religious neutrality; the legislation is disproportional because the concrete harm inflicted upon religious minorities far outweighs the abstract gains to

society at large, if those exist at all,” said Kahana.

Second, the Charter is evidently a partisan diversion. The Globe and Mail’s feature columnist Jeffrey Simpson has discussed this issue at length.

“According to public-opinion polls, support for the idea of the charter is strongest in rural and small-town Quebec, where almost no one wears these symbols. These are areas, however, where the PQ believes francophone voters will rally to the cause of protecting a secular state against religious intruders (to wit, those who are different),” said Simpson.

Third, though most importantly, the Charter signals that the Parti Québécois not only fundamentally misunderstands purpose of secularism, but also the role of government in assuring it. In a recent opinion piece, Dr. Inder Marwah, a postdoctoral fellow with the Department of Political Science at the University of Chicago, has attacked this most serious problem head-on.

“While states can’t be fully

neutral, they can preserve citizens’ equality not by treating everyone identically, but by accommodating those differences that would otherwise exclude some people from public life,” said Marwah.

In other words, the state can better foster secularism by, in effect, ignoring religion, not condemning it. In this way, too, there can be no worry that one religion is being privileged above another.

The Charter is a step in the wrong direction because it provides less freedom, not more.

It is inspiring to see that politicians, the media, and ordinary Canadians have reached what effectively amounts to a consensus on this matter.

Have a question, comment or complaint? Send us a letter to the editor at ontarion@uoguelph.ca.

Deadline is Mondays at 4 p.m., 300 word max.

Board of Directors President Bronek Szulc Treasurer Lisa Kellenberger Chairperson Michael Bohdanowicz Secretary Alex Lefebvre Directors Aaron Francis Harrison Jordan Heather Luz Lisa McLean Marshal McLernon Shwetha Chandrashekhar Contributors Stacey Aspinall Deighana Baes Zach Baranowski Emily Carlisle Carleigh Cathcart Kelsey Coughlin Ben Derochie Sophie Feltes Sabrina Groomes Alicja Grzadkowska Devon Harding Linnaea Jasiuk Anthony Jehn

Rachel Kopacki Gerry Lauzon William Murphy Kimberley Northcote Mike Ott Adrien Potvin River Roy Stephanie Scott Namrata Tilokani Pablo Vadone Amy Van Den Berg Jonathan Webster

o the

The Ontarion is a non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors.

Since the Ontarion undertakes the publishing of student work, the opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Ontarion Board of Directors. The Ontarion reserves the right to edit or refuse all material deemed sexist, racist, homophobic, or otherwise unfit for publication as determined by the Editor-in-Chief. Material of any form appearing in this newspaper is copyrighted 2011 and cannot be reprinted without the approval of the Editor-in-Chief. The Ontarion retains the right of first publication on all material. In the event that an advertiser is not satisfied with an advertisement in the newspaper, they must notify the Ontarion within four working days of publication. The Ontarion will not be held responsible for advertising mistakes beyond the cost of advertisement. The Ontarion is printed by the Guelph Mercury.

26

www.theontarion.com

FUN PAGE

CLASSIFIEDS MISCELLANEOUS Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN) is encouraging all Ontarians to register their consent to become organ and tissue donors. By registering as a donor, you could one day save up to eight lives and enhance as many as 75 more. Online donor registration is now available at BeADonor.ca. It’s easy and it only takes 3 minutes to register www.beadonor.ca

WRECK THIS NEWSPAPER Create a non-stop line in this box

BestCrosswords.com

Across 1- Run away with a lover 6- Stone splinter 11- Half and half 14- Kidney-related 15- Conical dwelling 16- Drenched 17- Snap course [2 words] 18- Parisian pupil 19- O.T. book 20- Dagger of yore 22- Like untended yards 24- Lake in W Hungary 28- Public disgrace 30- Egyptian god of the underworld 31- Recreation 32- Eye-related 33- Airport 37- Sun. talk 38- Beer mug 39- Thrice, in prescriptions 40- Cutting 43- Milo of “Barbarella” 45- Olds model 46- Beginnings 47- Incentives 50- Slander 51- Shoe ties 52- Juan’s water 53- Bolted down 54- Aquarium fish 57- Wharves 62- Paving material 63- Nicholas Gage book 64- Perimeters 65- Hesitant sounds 66- Ascended 67- Mob scenes

Down 1- Before 2- Pasture used for grazing 3- Switch settings 4- Salary 5- Flexible 6- Dutch painter Jan 7- Brazilian soccer star 8- Big brute 9- Monetary unit of Bulgaria 10- Lee side 11- Possessed 12- ___ lift? [2 words] 13- Kind of alcohol 21- Figs 23- ___’acte (intermission) 24- Leg up 25- According to 26- Brit’s bottle measure 27- Shipping magnate Onassis 28- Nautical pole 29- Masked critter 31- ___ evil [2 words] 33- Maker of Pong 34- Alternate 35- Confronts 36- Wipe out 38- Cartoonist ___ Silverstein 41- Reputation 42- Group of stars 43- Theoretically [2 words] 44- Compass dir.

46- Buckeyes’ sch.

47- List of candidates

48- Golden Horde member 49- Champagne buckets 50- One more time 52- “Judith” composer 55- Actor Wallach 56- French possessive 58- Despot Amin 59- Feeling of selfimportance 60- Emeritus: Abbr.

61- Conscription org.

SUBMIT your completed crossword by no later than Monday, October 31st at 4pm for a chance to win TWO FREE BOB’S DOG’S! Last Week's Solution

Congratulations to this week's crossword winner: Beatrice Hai. Stop by the Ontarion office to pick up your prize!

(HAPPENS EVERY THURSDAY)