Queen's Journal, Volume 147, Issue 2

Become a contribu tor : Wr i t e , e d i t, photograph.

the Queen’s University

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journal Volume 147, issue 2

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Monday July 8, 2019

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Situated on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples.

since 1873

Student Wellness Services introduces new model of care Director of counselling services “confident” new system will provide quicker access to care L uca D annetta Assistant News Editor In response to a significant surge in students seeking care over the past five years, Student Wellness Services (SWS) will introduce a new model for counselling over the summer.

“We have listened to your feedback and have made changes that will result in shorter wait times and quicker access to care,” an announcement circulated in a School of Graduate Studies

newsletter last month stated.

The new model will introduce half-hour “access appointments” for students who are seeking support for the first time, in which a clinician will focus on learning about the patient’s goals for treatment, meeting immediate needs, and making recommendations for next steps.

Next steps may include enrolment in group wellness programs and online learning modules, or helping patients connect with other health care providers in the Kingston community.

The announcement indicated these access appointments can be scheduled “as quickly as the same day you call.”

In a statement to The Journal, Dr. Rina Gupta, director of counselling

services, confirmed the new model of care is “designed to provide quick access to services, and shorter wait times.”

“We are confident students will access care more quickly than under the previous model,” she said. “This model is in place at other institutions in Canada and the US, and students report high levels of satisfaction.”

The changes follow feedback detailing long wait times as a primary student concern, reported several times in The Journal over the last two years.

Interviewed in the spring of 2018, students seeking care reported long wait times and lack of access to quality care. In some cases, students were told they would have to wait four to six weeks for an appointment.

See wait times on page 3

Engineers’ purple dye increases risk of cancer Engineering Society seeking alternatives after Health Canada warning R aechel H uizinga News Editor Every homecoming, first-year engineering students lie in kiddie pools full of purple dye that—according to a recent Health Canada advisory—increases the risk of cancer.

Following two safety assessments, Health Canada found exposure to gentian violet, the substance found in the dye engineering students use for ‘purpling’, increases the risk of cancer. The agency issued its warning on June 12 and advised Canadians to cease all use of the chemical given the “seriousness of the risk.”

Engineering Society President Delaney Benoit said the Society is aware of Health Canada’s warning against exposure to gentian violet.

“Given the clear health warning issued by the government, the University cannot endorse the use of gentian violet going forward. As a result, the Engineering Society is currently researching alternatives,” Delaney wrote in a statement after declining The Journal’s request for an interview.

Health Canada’s individual review of gentian violet was prompted by the World Health Organization’s Codex Alimentarius Commission, which recommended regulatory authorities prevent exposure to gentian violet in food because of its potential to cause cancer.

While the World Health study focused on food, Health Canada’s individual assessments reviewed the safety of human non-prescription drugs, veterinary drugs, and medical devices containing gentian violet.

Following the safety assessments, the Agency found there’s no safe level of exposure to the dye and that “any exposure to these drug products is a potential cause for concern.”

The manufacturer of Gentian Violet Liquid Topical voluntarily discontinued marketing of their products in Canada, and all

licensed products containing the substance have been removed from the market.

The safety review also stated that in studies “cases of cancer in animals following oral exposure of gentian violet were noted,” although there have been no reported cases of cancer in humans associated with gentian violet in Canada or internationally.

The assessment concluded that most medical devices containing gentian violet do not pose an increased risk of cancer when used for a short period of time as long as they do not come into direct contact with the skin, but engineering students have been known to dye their entire bodies purple during Orientation week and Homecoming.

Traditionally, second year engineering students leading incoming frosh during Orientation Week dye themselves purple, and the first-year students follow their lead a couple months later during Homecoming.

As a rite of passage, first-year engineering students also dye their leather jackets purple during the exam period in the fall.

GRAPHIC BY AMELIA RANKINE

University seeks new residence on campus The University is seriously considering the development of a new residence building on main campus, according to a press release issued last week.

The proposed building, which is still in the early planning stage, would be built on University property along the west side of Albert St., just south of Union St. and across from Tindall Field.

According to the University, the new residence is needed to accommodate plans for modest enrollment growth.

The proposed development would also make space for students from other residences as old building undergo renovations, like the John Deutsch University Centre (JDUC) renovation which will displace nearly 100 residence units.

The University is working with the city to ensure factors like heritage, neighbourhood integration, and environmental issues are addressed in the plan, as well as respecting the local community and residents.

Roughly 50 near-campus neighbours attended a public information session hosted by the University last week.

The plan still awaits approval from the University’s Capitals Assets and Finance Committee as well as the Board of Trustees. If approved, construction is anticipated to start in the spring or summer of 2020.

journal_news@ams.queensu.ca

—Luca Dannetta

IN THIS ISSUE: OSAP cuts sting p. 6. Attacks on campus journalism silence students, p. 7.

Queen’s rowers take show on the road, p. 11. Abortion rights a question of autonomy, p. 16. queensjournal.ca

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Monday, July 8, 2019

Promising more action in the fall, sexual violence task force has slow start The group has met twice since release of sexual violence data in March Carolyn Svonkin Assistant News Editor Since data from the Student Voices on Sexual Violence survey was released nearly four months ago, the response from the Queen’s sexual violence task force has been slow.

Following the release of the survey results in March, the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) announced post-secondary institutions would be required to develop task forces “devoted to tackling sexual violence on campus.”

Under direction from former Principal Daniel Woolf, Ann Tierney, vice-provost and dean of student affairs, was tapped to lead the transition of the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Working Group (SVPRWG), into the task force.

Barb Lotan, Queen’s sexual violence prevention and response coordinator, was also tasked with helping the transition.

In an email sent to The Journal in March, Tierney said the working group would take on the responsibilities outlined for the task force by the Ministry, as well as continuing its prior work.

The transition, she said, would “take effect right away,” yet the group has only met twice since the province’s announcement in March.

In an interview with The Journal,

Lotan and Tierney said because some student members can’t attend summer meetings, the task force won’t meet in full until the fall, though there is “ongoing communication through group email.”

While Lotan and Tierney said they’ve received no further direction from the Ford government concerning the task force, they anticipate a “seamless transition” of the working group members.

They emphasized the diverse membership of the working GRAPHIC BY AMELIA RANKINE group, which includes faculty, staff, Task force will meet in full in September. a representative from the Sexual Assault Centre Kingston, the AMS blanks” left by those results. gather information about sexual but sector-wide.

Social Issues Commissioner, and Lotan and Tierney said they see violence at Queen’s, with Lotan They said the results of the representatives from the Sexual the task force’s main objectives adding the group is “trying to Student Voices on Sexual Violence Health Resource Centre and SGPS. as providing a forum to discuss leverage everything [they] can in a survey have been a topic of In April, the group outlined issues on campus, designing and way that’s useful and doesn’t take discussion at the group meetings, their summer agenda, implementing useful practices away from [their] primary work.” but added the timing of those which includes planning and programs, and facilitating While Lotan said the results was close to exam times for fall programming. communication with campus group “welcomes any and all and included “summary data but Lotan and Tierney said plans partners. involvement, participation, not breakdown data.” for the upcoming school year They stressed the group tries and feedback,” meetings Ultimately, Lotan doesn’t include hosting a speaker on to update the Queen’s community are not open to the Queen’s “anticipate the group changing sexual violence and consent relatively regularly either online community due to scheduling much,” as she said the working during Orientation Week or on campus through various difficulties and the challenge group is “already doing what the and reviewing data from channels and as programs of finding a room. government wants [them] to do.” the National Collegiate come up, but Tierney admitted To place an item on the agenda, “We already knew there Health Assessment (NCHA). “the communication piece though, students can let Tierney were issues, which is why we’ve While not specifically focused is a challenge.” or Lotan know about their been doing the work we’ve on sexual violence, Lotan called Some of the channels the group ideas or concerns. been doing, even without results from the NCHA “really uses to communicate to students They also said they’re [the Student Voices on Sexual current,” and despite not being include the AMS, SGPS, the task looking at work being done to Violence survey] telling as detailed as results from the force’s website, and their Facebook combat sexual violence at other us we needed to do that,” Student Voices on Sexual Violence page. universities and provinces, as Tierney added. survey, the group plans to draw Tierney said there’s a diversity Lotan and Tierney believe many on them in an attempt to “fill in of resources students can use to issues are not Queen’s-specific journal_news@ams.queensu.ca

Kingston Pride marches into Confederation Park

Close to a thousand walk in parad e Lauren Thomas Contributor Kingston Pride flew its colours in front of City Hall on June 19, marking 30 years since the group began marching.

For the first time since a handful of marchers strolled down Princess Street in 1989, thousands of participants set up shop in Confederation Park for Kingston’s Pride Day celebrations.

“Pride to me means striving to live your authentic self with courage, determination, passion, and a willingness to walk proudly Thousands gather at Kingston’s Pride parade. towards love with others along a diverse and sometimes treacherous path,” Kelly of City Hall [and] sending the message Dear, Kingston Pride’s master of ceremony, that everyone in our community is valued, told The Journal. everyone in our community deserves Opening ceremonies began outside respect,” Paterson said in an interview.

City Hall with an Indigenous land By 11 a.m., crowds had gathered along acknowledgement, followed by the Princess St. to wave rainbow flags as more raising of the Pride flag and Mayor Bryan than 900 LGBTQ+ members and allies Paterson’s reading of the official Pride marched down Princess St., including month proclamation. members of the AMS. “I’m certainly very happy to be down “To be a part of the hundreds who here at the Pride Festival this year in front marched and the hundreds who waved and

PHOTO BY LAUREN THOMAS

yelled in support was something special, especially for myself who had never had the opportunity to walk in the Pride Parade before,” AMS President Auston Pierce said in a statement to The Journal.

In a written statement, Bunisha Samuels, AMS social issues commissioner, said participating in Kingston’s Pride parade was a “great opportunity” to showcase the diversity within the Queen’s student body and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.

“Community-building and allyship are active and consistent processes of unlearning and re-evaluating our individual privileges and power while showcasing support,” she said.

The day’s festivities continued in Confederation Park with the Pride community fair.

As live music and drag queen performances entertained event-goers, local groups like Kingston’s Sexual Assault Centre, HIV/AIDS Regional Services (HARS), and the Ollin Organization lined the waterfront with vendor booths.

“It was nice this year because it was a different level of connecting and collaborating,” Yessica Rivera Belsham, an Ollin representative who performed the day’s Indigenous land acknowledgement, said in an interview.

“The future seems exciting; working together,” she said. “That’s what it’s all about, working together in a good way forward with an open heart and mind.” journal_news@ams.queensu.ca

Monday, July 8, 2019

News

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Queen’s LGBTQ+ Archives aim to preserve historical records Archivist explains importance of record-keeping Sydney Ko Assistant News Editor In the fifty years following the Stonewall riots, the LGBTQ+ community has been advocating for acceptance. Some Queen’s archivists want to make sure those steps aren’t forgotten.

Since 2012, the University Archives have been preserving Kingston area’s LGBTQ+ history through collecting and recovering relevant documents and artifacts from 1970-2010.

These records include personal and institutional records relating to social and political events, with organizations like Queen’s Homophile Association, Club Vogue, and Red Emma’s contributing to Archivists preserves LGBTQ+ stories. the collection.

According to the KLGBT Archive project implement these projects, according to the charter, material reflecting gay and lesbian project charter. life has been scant.

The charter suggests regional records Records of same-sex relationships were of gay and lesbian life in Canada are often destroyed for security reasons, and “almost nonexistent.” when they weren’t, families frequently Janice McAlpine, archivist coordinator for stepped in to “expunge the evidence,” thus, the project, wrote in an email to The Journal making “coming out” and growing up that she and her colleague Renee Van extremely difficult, the archive charter stated. Weringh came up with the idea of putting While LGBTQ+ archives do exist in larger together the archive in 2011. cities, like Toronto, the problem mostly lies “Our friends were getting older and with how smaller communities decide to downsizing. We knew they might start

GRAPHIC BY AMELIA RANKINE

tossing their keepsakes in the recycle bin, and if they didn’t, when they died, their relatives would,” she said.

As a way to preserve these records, McAlpine and Weringh proposed the creation of the KLGBTQ Archive to Queen’s Archives, and archivist Heather Home joined in on the project.

McAlpine said the pair approached LGBTQ+ people they knew for donations of documents, minutes, newsletters, articles, posters, tickets, and photos that documented events and organizations

important to Kingston’s queer history.

McAlpine added it’s important these records remain in Kingston, as there are not many records publicly available about the LGBTQ+ community.

According to McAlpine, the archive represents “the steps queer people in Kingston took to find each other, to create a social space, to entertain each other, to make art, to find sex, to find love, to make families, to have the right to work without being closeted, to challenge discrimination.”

She also explained the archives serve as a way for LGBTQ+ people to know there’s a record of their local community, and unlike in the past, lives will not be erased from the official record.

McAlpine said the long-term impact of the archive depends on how Canadian society changes over time and whether the status of sexual and gender minorities becomes more secure or more precarious.

“For now, LGBTQ people know someone is interested in their story, and that is affirmative,” she said.

The KLGBT archive can be accessed in Kathleen Ryan Hall, but it’s still being processed as more material becomes available over time. While certain parts of the collection are under closure for a set period of time, much of the material provided by local organizations is open to the public.

SGPS responds to CFS-O lawsuit over Student Choice Initiative advocating for student interests and ensure the message is heard by the province, but said preparing for the worst is necessary.

He added the current focus of the SGPS is working with the University to ensure compliance with the SCI. Sydney Ko Abramska explained the organizations Assistant News Editor need to “continue to communicate the challenges and to ensure that SGPS SGPS President Jeremy Abramska says members will receive services, benefits the Ontario government’s Student Choice and the opportunities that the SGPS has Initiative will have a “dramatic effect” on provided in the past.” his more than 4,000 graduate constituents.

“While the lawsuit is ongoing, the SGPS The Canadian Federation of Students will continue to work with the directive so Ontario (CFS-O), an advocacy organization long as it remains in force,” he stated. representing more than 30 student With the SCI set to take effect in unions across the province—include September, Abramska said the SGPS the SGPS, filed filed an application for has already taken measures to comply and Judicial Review in Ontario’s Superior Court has “reviewed processes and the budget for in an attempt to have the policy quashed. the upcoming school year.”

In a written statement to The Journal, “The biggest concern for the SGPS is SGPS President Jeremy Abramska protecting member-driven services and PHOTO SUPPLIED BY JOSH GRANOVSKY Granovsky won first place for Best Campus Feature Story. described the lawsuit as a “possible ensuring that we maintain our active route of advocacy” for student advocacy and resources for SGPS members organizations to r e v e r s e on campus,” he added. the policy.

According to Abramska, the SGPS In its application, the CFS-O wrote has also been working with the AMS to the former Minister of Training, ensure they are still compliant with the Colleges, and Universities, Merrilee Fullerton, directive since the announcement. acted “unlawfully” when the ministry The Society has also been reviewing through The Journal’s platform.” deemed fees passed through democratic the internal processes of the SGPS to ensure Granovsky said support from the Jewish referenda “non-essential.” that bursaries, grants, and services are community and its allies gave him strength The application also said the Minister affected as little as possible. to write the article. was negligent by failing to consult with “The SGPS has taken an approach “I wanted to communicate that anyone the relevant student organizations before which will put it in the best position for who tries to disrupt the Jewish community’s announcing the policy in January. this coming fall to ensure that Raechel Huizinga sense of belonging at Queen’s clearly Abramska said it’s important for we are prepared for the changes,” News Editor doesn’t understand the strength of our student groups to continue to be vocal in Abramska said. resolve for protecting each other.”

Former Journal Lifestyle Editor Josh Going forward, Granovsky said Granovsky took home first place for Best he hopes his story inspires others to Campus Feature Story at the Canadian stand up for communities facing Community Newspaper Awards on June 8, discrimination, “whether it’s one they for his article “Standing strong in the face belong to or not.” of antisemitism.”

Second place went to The Eyeopener’s “I was scared to acknowledge this Olivia Bednar for her story “The kind of hate living right on my doorstep,” Miseducation of Everyone.” Third Granovsky said of an anti-Semitic place went to The Varsity’s Paige incident he experienced. “I wrote about Chu for her story “Setting norms, this incident because I knew I had inheriting privilege.” the opportunity to reach a wide audience

President Jeremy Abramska says focus is on compliance

Journal staff recognized for Best Campus Feature Story Josh Granovsky awarded for his article opening up about anti-Semitism

News

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Monday, July 8, 2019

University seeks to limit shots at campus pubs AMS concerned new policy will push students to hub Raechel huizinga News Editor During their first week in office, the AMS executive compiled an eight-page document outlining their concerns with the proposed campus alcohol policy and sent it to the University’s Alcohol Working Group.

Last updated seven years ago, the new policy seeks to limit shots to one per student at all campus pubs and establish an alcohol sub-committee for campus advertising.

In an interview with The Journal, Auston Pierce, AMS president and William Greene, vice-president (University Affairs) spoke about the impact these changes could have on students.

“While we believe that members of the Alcohol Working Group have put great emphasis on harm reduction strategies, we feel that it has not put enough emphasis on respecting student choice,” Greene said.

While the two said they’ve met with the group to discuss some of their concerns, Pierce maintained

there were still some “major ones [they] struggle to see eye-to-eye with and still need to be addressed.”

According to Greene, limiting shots at campus bars will push students to more “dangerous” drinking establishments in the hub.

“Our fear is that by putting greater restrictions on our on-campus pubs, students will be deterred from coming to our pubs, which we feel are the safest places to consume alcohol,” he said.

In a statement to The Journal, the University said policy revisions

campus, and policy is a proven way to help do this.”

The statement also cited a 2016 survey which showed Queen’s students binge drink more than students at other institutions, with 44 per cent of participants reporting at least one incident of binge drinking within the past two weeks compared to 34 per cent of Ontario students reporting the same.

“We are all working to improve the alcohol culture on campus, and policy is a proven way to help do this,” the statement concluded.

“Our fear is that Pierce stressed campus pub and Walkhome staff receive by putting greater training designed to “help students restrictions on our in distress.” on-campus pubs, TAPS staff receive bystander students will be training, anti-oppression training, and hands-off intervention and deterred from coming frisking training. to our pubs.”

“We have all that stuff that —William Greene, isn’t around elsewhere, and our Vice-President concern is they’re displacing (University Affairs) students from the safe environment with this policy to are an attempt to align itself go to other areas on Princess St.,” with best practices as part of a Pierce said. “long-standing commitment to The Society’s second key reducing alcohol-related harms” concern with the latest policy draft, to students.

Greene said, surrounds campus “Stakeholders across campus, advertising of events occurring at led by the Alcohol Working Group, bars and restaurants. use evidence-based best practices Should a sub-committee be to promote student health, safety established to approve these and well-being,” the statement advertisements, Greene said read. “We are all working to once-a-month meetings could improve the alcohol culture on cause a backlog of requests.

AMS offices in the JDUC.

“Our problem with it is there are over 260 clubs in the AMS alone that are constantly running charity events, live music events, and community events that are at bars and restaurants where the primary purpose of those events is not the consumption of alcohol,” Greene said.

Pierce added that in the 2018-19 year, more than 2,700 events went through the advertising sub-committee.

“The Division of Student Affairs has indicated there’s a potential for us to become an authorized body in terms of reviewing advertisements so we can streamline that and make it more accessible for students,” Greene said.

The policy also seeks to ban facility-wide last calls in what the Executive believe stems from a fear of bar rushes.

“Our perspective is, we don’t have a bar rush problem at our campus pubs,” Greene said.

He believes the working group is trying to achieve a more

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

informal practice of last calls where servers notify customers that service is done for the evening.

“We don’t think that reflects the realities of our pubs,” Greene said.

“We believe that facility-wide last calls have been able to adequately handle closing up service for the night.”

The Executive said they did reach a consensus with the working group on implementing mandatory advertisement of certain pub practices, like providing free, non-alcoholic beverages to designated drivers.

“It was needed, there needs to be an update to the alcohol policy,” Greene said. “However, we just feel that the restrictions are not reflective of the realities we have on campus.”

Public consultations about the alcohol policy draft have been delayed until the fall, and the Executive said they’ll be hosting focus groups to gain student input.

Life skills on the menu for Kingston’s youth

Big Spoon Lil’ Spoon brings cooking basics to kids with exceptionalities Luca Dannetta Assistant News Editor Two Queen’s students are teaching children with exceptionalities essential life skills out of a President’s Choice cooking school on Princess St.

Founded by Victoria Preston, Sci ’21, and Delaney Clarke, Sci ’21, Big Spoon Lil’ Spoon pairs student volunteers, the ‘Big Spoons,’ with children, the ‘Lil’ Spoons’, in a hands-on kitchen environment to teach the basics of preparing a meal.

The organization currently serves more than 50 children in the Kingston area with exceptionalities like Down Syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyper-active Disorder, and Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The decision to focus on cooking

classes was grounded in Preston’s and Clarke’s own experiences as university students.

In an email to The Journal, Preston explained that when she moved out of residence, one of her primary concerns was how she would cook her own meals.

“Food is at the centre of so much of what we do and is such an integral component of culture and society,” she said. “Learning the basics of how to build a healthy and balanced meal is critical.”

Preston also emphasized the creative aspect of cooking, which she says allows the ‘Lil’ Spoons to make their own creations and showcase their own personalities.

Since establishing the organization in 2018, Preston and Clarke have employed creative fundraising tactics and a strong social media presence to raise both awareness and money for supplies and renting kitchen space.

A shinny hockey tournament in January raised more than $3,000 to subsidize the costs of kitchen and equipment rental for parents, making use of major sponsors like Steamwhistle Brewery, Pita Pit, Rockstar, and Monster Energy.

“Food is at the centre of so much of what we do and is such an integral component of culture and society.”

—Victoria Preston

Preston with a student.

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY TAYLOR WELSH

In the fall of 2018, Preston and Clarke applied and were accepted for the Queen’s Innovation Centre Summer Initiative (QICSI).

The QICSI offers a 17-week paid summer internship for post-secondary students with an entrepreneurial goal, along with seed money to help fund their business ventures.

Preston said that working with the QICSI has helped her team develop a coherent business model and strategically plan for the future.

Big Spoon Lil’ Spoon has also become involved with ME To WE through the WE Incubation Hub, a program that empowers youth to develop social entrepreneurship initiatives by giving them access to resources and mentorship.

Preston said her perspective of success has evolved throughout the journey, and she now has big goals for the program.

“I can’t wait until we release our future plans and ideas for expansion,” she said. “I think a long-term goal would be to expand to over 10 different university campuses across Canada and to make Big Spoon Lil’ Spoon a nation-wide program.”

Big Spoon Lil’ Spoon is already on track to expand to the University of Toronto by the fall of 2019.

The most important measurement of success for Preston and Clarke, however, is that the organization remains grounded in its core principles.

“Our primary goal has always been to ensure the Lil’ Spoons are having fun and that they are learning something valuable that will have a positive impact on their life,” Preston said. “If we can accomplish that, then I think we are already successful in what we are trying to do.” journal_news@ams.queensu.ca

Monday, July 8, 2019

News

Four Directions respond to National Inquiry with Sacred Fire

Four Directions hosted a Sacred Fire.

PHOTO BY TESSA WARBURTON

queensjournal.ca • 5

Cultural counsellor says Indigenous students need support Brittany Giliforte Arts Editor When the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls issued its final report in June, it called all Canadians to act against a genocide “rooted in colonialism and colonial ideologies.”

At a Sacred Fire hosted last month by the Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre, cultural counsellor Lisa Doxtator told The Journal it shouldn’t be up to Queen’s Indigenous students to educate others about the impacts of the Inquiry.

“So much already falls on their shoulders to raise awareness and to educate, I think what we need to do right now is be there for them, support them, and help them,” she said.

Four Directions hosted the Sacred Fire in an effort to support Queen’s Indigenous students and to honour the missing and murdered women and girls.

“We know this is going to impact our students in the fall,” Doxtator said. “I’m sure this report will be integrated into different courses, and our students already feel unsafe to self-identify, so now that we’re talking about a cultural genocide, that’s huge.”

The report, Reclaiming Power and Place, found the genocide of Indigenous women and girls in Canada has resulted from decades of systematic and institutional violations of their human rights.

“I think the fact that they’re calling it a genocide has opened up a lot of dialogue and we’re hearing from Indigenous and non-Indigenous people,” she said. “[After] reading through [the report]’s list of criteria for genocide, I believe Indigenous people in Canada hit every one of those marks that they identified.”

Moving forward, Doxtator said it’s up to non-Indigenous people to respond to the report, as well as people like

herself—adults and educators about Indigenous culture—but not Indigenous youths.

“The most important thing for us to do is to be there for our youth and help them deal with the feelings that result from this report,” she said.

Doxtator has seen many students come through the doors of Four Directions over the years looking to learn about their ancestry, and said the Centre is able to provide the necessary resources and supports to do so.

“When they’re able to identify that we’ve had this very traumatic

“We know this is going to impact our students in the fall.”

—Lisa Doxtator, Cultural Counsellor

history, there’s a lot of anger in that,” Doxtator said, adding she’s seen the effects this history has on Indigenous students suffering from depression, anxiety, and feelings of unsafety on campus.

Since the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) task force in 2016, however, Doxtator said Queen’s has stepped up.

Doxtator’s position as cultural counsellor at Four Directions was a result of the TRC—a position she says has helped form that avenue for students seeking resources to heal and learn about their heritage.

In light of the new report, Doxtator emphasized the value in the resources Four Directions offers Indigenous students.

“Now, with colonialism and racism, we’re adding cultural genocide, and we want to be prepared for our students in the fall,” Doxtator said. “It means engaging our partners, the other student wellness services, and being proactive in how we’re going to engage our students in the fall.”

‘Soft launch’ of new counselling model to take place over summer Continued from front...

An annual Student Wellness Services report for 2017-18 revealed that wait times for appointments ranged from two to five weeks.

The report also revealed a 73 per cent increase in mental health appointments over the past five years, with the most commonly cited concerns including anxiety, depressed moods, and stress.

Additionally, the report shows that the counsellor or psychologist to student ratio was 1 to 1,225.

SWS is planning a “soft launch” of the new model during the summer, when fewer students are on campus, in order to maximize access to care and ensure a smooth transition into the new school year, according to Gupta.

“We are looking forward to implementing [this model] on our campus as part of the range of supports that are available to promote student wellbeing,” she added.

Monday, July 8, 2019

queensjournal.ca

Features

•6

IN-DEPTH STORIES FROM AROUND CAMPUS AND IN THE COMMUNITY

ILLUSTRATION BY AMELIA RANKINE

Some Queen’s students face uncertainty as the 2019-2020 school year looms.

Students grapple with cuts to OSAP Cuts will force some low-income students to work more, prolong degrees

Luca Dannetta Assistant News Editor Victoria Preston-Walker, Arts ’20, was prepared to graduate in the spring of 2020 with a degree in philosophy and psychology.

In the wake of cuts to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), she won’t.

Following significant changes to post-secondary education policy in Ontario and reduced funding for OSAP, Queen’s students like Preston-Walker are left wondering how they’ll pay.

“Seeing a government that doesn’t really care is really disappointing,” Preston-Walker said in an interview with The Journal.

“School is hard enough as it is. I should not have to be working two jobs in order to afford my education.”

In the last year, Premier Doug Ford’s government eliminated a program that guaranteed free tuition to students whose family income was below $50,000 and scrapped a previous provision which froze interest on student loan payments for six months following graduation.

But the change that received the most public attention was the $670-million funding cut OSAP announced in January.

Ford also changed the ratio of grants to loans that lower- and middle-income students could receive, meaning that many lower-income students will be forced to take significant loans to finance their education.

The changes of policy will have considerable effects on the financial realities of the 18 per cent of Queen’s students who had their tuition covered by grants under OSAP. ‘It’s really disappointing’

Preston-Walker’s situation is just one example of how cuts to OSAP affect access to post-secondary education for low-income

students and families.

She is a first-generation post-secondary student. Her father is self-employed, and her mother works with the Toronto District School Board—another institution facing uncertainty from provincial cuts.

“They help us how they can,” she said.

“But it’s mostly up to us.” She also has a younger sister at Queen’s.

Preston-Walker receives $1,500 in Registered Education Savings Plan assistance from her parents for each school year but shoulders all other expenses, like tuition, books, rent, utilities, and food.

School is hard enough as it is. I should not have to be working two jobs in order to afford my education.

—Victoria Preston-Walker

Last year, Preston-Walker worked two part-time jobs on top of a full course load to finance her education and living expenses.

Her already-strenuous financial situation was made graver when her OSAP estimate was cut significantly from last year.

She lost more than $4,000 in total aid, and most of her grants were converted to loans.

This extra financial pressure will force Preston-Walker to take this year off and work full-time. She expects that her original 2020 graduation date will have to be pushed back to 2021, or possibly even 2022.

A community responds When Aimee McCurdy, Arts ‘20, first heard about Premier Ford’s 10 per cent tuition cut, she was thrilled—until she realized her discount would come at the expense of less fortunate students who rely on OSAP to finance their post-secondary education.

In an interview with The Journal, McCurdy explained her family is fortunate enough to afford tuition and costs of living.

“Education is already accessible to me,” she said. “The issue is that it’s not accessible to others.”

McCurdy approached her mother and asked if she could donate her 10 per cent tuition cut to an organization that would provide financial assistance to less fortunate students. Her mother approved, but McCurdy could find no such organization.

With the help of some fellow Queen’s students, she started her own.

Students For Students (SFS) is a non-partisan, student-run organization founded with the goal of making post-secondary education more financially accessible to Queen’s students.

To this end, SFS facilitates donations to the Queen’s General Bursary Fund, which issues non-repayable grants, available to students in all years of study who have a demonstrated financial need.

All donations through SFS go directly to the General Bursary Fund.

According to the SFS website, the General Bursary calculates a student’s standard costs—tuition, books, living expenses, etc.—and their resources—OSAP, income, etc.—and tries to supplement the difference.

McCurdy reached out to the Queen’s Gift Services Department, who helped her establish a Students For Students bursary fund that would specifically apply to Ontario students receiving OSAP.

She pointed out that not only are students receiving fewer funds through OSAP, but the University itself is also losing roughly $31 million in revenue through Premier Ford’s 10 per cent tuition cut, resulting in less money for all expenses—including the General Bursary Fund.

SFS is calling on students fortunate enough to have all of their financial needs met to “use their privilege to make a difference” by donating their 10 per cent tuition discount to the General Bursary Fund.

Education is already accessible to me. The issue is that it’s not accessible to others.

—Aimee McCurdy

“How are you supposed to do the best you can do, and prove how much you know, if you’re working all of the time?” she said.

McCurdy also emphasized that the group is strictly non-partisan.

“Of course this is a response to the OSAP cuts,” she said, “but we have members affiliated with the Conservative Party. It doesn’t matter what your party is.”

“This is a problem,” she said. “And I want to solve it.”

As for Preston-Walker, she and thousands of other students across the province will have to find a way to make ends meet. She’ll work full-time this year, and hopefully return next fall. But even then, she’ll be locked in a juggling act of financial and time management that could become all too common in Ontario.

Monday, July 8, 2019

queensjournal.ca

EDITORIALS

The Journal’s Perspective

THE QUEEN’S JOURNAL

Attacks on student journalism only reinforce its necessity

ILLUSTRATION BY AMELIA RANKINE

Covering difficult campus issues will always put a damper on student publications’ popularity—but they shouldn’t be attacked for doing their job.

The University of Ottawa’s student newspaper, The Fulcrum, was recently the victim of a cyberattack wherein their entire online archive—representing more

than a decade of work—was deleted.

The hack comes 11 months after The Fulcrum’s 2018 investigation into fraud allegations against the school’s student union.

This attack highlights the widespread distrust of student journalism on campuses and the publications’ increasing vulnerability.

The Fulcrum was able to recover most of their pieces, but the online newspaper nearly lost more than 3,000 articles. These articles act as institutional memory for the publication and the community as a whole.

Students may be tempted to take attacks like that on The Fulcrum lightly, but in doing so, they fail to consider the impact student journalism has on communities.

Student newspapers are to campuses what major commercial news outlets are to the public: they keep readers informed and educated about events touching their lives, and hold politicians and organizations responsible for their actions.

However, unlike larger publications, many student newspapers lack the financial and practical resources to defend themselves from attacks, leaving them susceptible to the whims of aggravated readers.

Cyberattacks, office egging, angry Tweets—independent media outlets are subject to countless forms of creative criticism. But retaliation toward journalism is only indicative of its reach and capacity to inspire conversation.

While the attempt to censor the work of The Fulcrum can’t be tolerated under any circumstances, it’s a reminder of the influence of student publications.

It may seem cathartic to throw an egg or two if you have an opposing take on an issue presented in the paper, but it’s far more productive to voice that opinion in a direct and respectful manner.

Like all campus newspapers, The Journal strives for equity and transparency. We work diligently to provide the Queen’s community with not only relevant coverage and insight, but also an outlet for everyone to speak their mind about important topics. Readers are encouraged to share their opinions, whether through submitting an opinion piece or a letter to the editor.

Student journalism is an essential part of campus life. Without these publications, there would be no source devoted to covering student governments, university administrations, and campus initiatives. At their foundation, student newspapers provide accountability for organizations otherwise unscrutinized.

Most importantly, student journalism is a platform for university communities to make their voices heard in a safe and courteous way.

As a reader, you’ll inevitably come across a piece of writing you don’t agree with. It’s vital that, even when we hold different opinions, we forge dialogue rather than trying to silence opposing views.

—Journal Editorial Board

Campus print operations shouldn't be quick to fold “Printed papers can’t be long for the world.

Focus on the future.”

Upon seeking support for The Journal’s print operations, I received an email from a former journalist saying exactly that.

But print journalism is every bit as much a part of journalism’s future as its expanse into the digital sphere.

Printed news—especially on post-secondary campuses—is vital if journalists are to continue to serve as purveyors of information and accountability.

Campus papers across Canada, from University of Ottawa’s The Fulcrum to University of Calgary’s The Gauntlet, have been transitioning to online-only publications in the face of declining ad revenue and looming budget cuts.

At The Journal, confronted by the same threats, we constantly receive suggestions to go completely digital as if we haven’t heard those arguments before.

These daily threats to print news mean the medium print is no longer in fashion—but its lack of trendiness doesn’t make it any less important.

Student newspapers are often the only autonomous reporting mechanisms on campuses. They share what student politicians are doing, what campus artists are creating, what local initiatives are offering, and what your peers have to say.

When students waiting at CoGro or Student Wellness Services pick up the paper, they can flip to the Arts or Sports section that interests them—but to get there, they have to page through News, Opinions, and Features.

When the same content is reduced to a Facebook link or a Tweet, it enables readers to silo their interests without exposure to the other issues affecting them.

At a time of waning student engagement, a print paper exposes students to the topics shaping their lives, like OSAP changes impacting their peers or little-known sexual violence survey results.

Without the distractions of links and notifications, it’s easier to focus on and absorb the information on a printed page.

This allows students to understand and weigh in on important issues they might otherwise scroll past.

Student newspapers are also often free and publicly available—they don’t require an expensive computer or phone to access.

Their physical presence is trustworthy in an era of falsified information.

It’s essential that campus newspapers innovate digitally to stay relevant and financially sustainable, whether through

•7

podcasts, videos, or newsletters. Their digitization just often isn’t enough to stand alone.

Print student papers serve both campuses and the communities around them in a timely, focused, and accessible manner that websites can’t replicate.

If campus outlets can stay on top of digital trends and prove themselves sustainable, they should be able to continue printing.

Physical newspapers give everyone a window into the stories impacting them. If they were to disappear, so would that opportunity.

Meredith is The Journal’s Editor in Chief. She’s a fourth-year Politics and English student.

PHOTO BY TESSA WARBURTON

Meredith Wilson-Smith

Volume 147 Issue 2 www.queensjournal.ca @queensjournal Publishing since 1873

Editorial Board Editor in Chief Managing Editor Production Manager News Editor Assistant News Editors

Features Editors

Meredith Wilson-Smith Iain Sherriff-Scott Amelia Rankine Raechel Huizinga Luca Dannetta Sydney Ko Carolyn Svonkin Andrew Schjerning

Editorials Editor

Shelby Talbot

Opinions Editor

Aysha Tabassum Brittany Giliforte

Arts Editor

Pamoda Wijekoon

Assistant Arts Editor

Jack Rabb

Sports Editor Assistant Sports Editor

Alina Yusufzai Ally Mastanuono

Lifestyle Editor Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Tegwyn Hughes Tessa Warburton

Photo Editor

Jodie Grieve

Assistant Photo Editor

Sydney Waters

Video Editor Assistant Video Editor

Jonathon Fisher Sasha Cohen Chloe Sarrazin

Copy Editors

Contributing Staff Contributors

Chiara Gottheil Elena Koning Bobby Liang Claudia Rupnik Sophia Spencer Lauren Thomas

Business Staff Aidan Chalmers

Business Manager

Christina Zheng

Sales Representative

Want to contribute?

For information visit: www.queensjournal.ca/contribute or email the Editor in Chief at journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca Contributions from all members of the Queen’s and Kingston community are welcome. The Journal reserves the right to edit all submissions.

The Queen’s Journal is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the Alma Mater Society of Queen’s University, Kingston.

Editorial opinions expressed in The Journal are the sole responsibility of The Queen’s Journal Editorial Board, and are not necessarily those of the University, the AMS or their officers.

190 University Ave., Kingston, ON, K7L 3P4 Editorial Office: 613-533-2800 Business Office: 613-533-6711 Fax: 613-533-6728 Email: journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca Please address complaints and grievances to the Editor in Chief and Managing Editor.

The Queen’s Journal is printed on a Goss Community press by Performance Group of Companies in Smiths Falls, Ontario.

Contents © 2019 by The Queen’s Journal; all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of The Journal.

Circulation 3,000

8 • queensjournal.ca

Monday, July 8, 2019

OPINIONS

Your Perspective

Workplaces are becoming the new closet for LGBTQ+ individuals Acceptance can’t exist when individuals aren’t given the professional space to be their authentic selves

Bobby Liang touches on his experiences as an openly gay man in the workplace.

For as long as I can remember, I have in Pride month, can fail to do so if they identified as a gay man. As I grew older and maintain ingrained discomfort with came to better understand my sexuality, LGBTQ+ relationships and individual forms being out to those around me came of expression. almost naturally.

For instance, a man in a suit walking into By high school, I was part of a tight- a downtown financial firm’s office wearing knit club of “out” gays. We had ambition, a pair of high-heeled shoes would likely flaunting our newfound, fabulous identities face raised eyebrows from passersby—and to a world that was growing increasingly perhaps more aggressive reactions. Though more accepting of us. he may be able to enter his office without any Now, as a university student and young issues, he would likely not feel comfortable in professional, stepping into the workplace can his choice of dress. sometimes feel like stepping right back into Having worked at several large and small the closet. companies over the past few summers, I’ve The way I define “the closet” is not by noticed that I’ve frequently felt the need to sexual orientation alone, but by the feelings ask myself one question: Am I too gay? and traits LGBTQ+ individuals suppress for No, it’s not like I was ever dousing myself the sake of professionalism and to avoid with glitter and singing Britney Spears being stereotyped. at the top of my lungs. In a past position, We shouldn’t have to accept that being my professionalism was called into our authentic selves—which can align with question solely because many felt that the stereotypes of individuals in the LGBTQ+ tone of my voice was too feminine. I was community—is in bad taste. shunned for being too flamboyant, and The idea of workplace acceptance of the treated as if I were too emotional to handle LGBTQ+ community begins to fall apart difficult tasks or make important decisions. when it clashes with heteronormative These thoughts are not only rooted in social standards for professionalism and my own professional experience, but in leadership. The mere mention of a multiple research studies proving that same-sex partner can be interpreted gay and otherwise queer individuals face as inappropriate for the work substantial hurdles when they exhibit traits environment, while straight aligning with LGBTQ+ stereotypes. employees can openly discuss their Men who speak at a higher pitch are romantic relationships without meeting the typically subject to greater scrutiny same criticism. surrounding their authority and credibility Even companies who support their as employees. In a study published by LGBTQ+ employees through mentorship PLoS ONE, respondents agreed that they programs, workshops, and participating preferred traditionally masculine voices over

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY BOBBY LIANG

feminine voices in their leaders.

Co-workers don’t always consciously The results of the study point to interpret an individual’s behaviour as a distinct phenomenon. Men with “too gay,” but it can be hard to avoid the higher voices are at risk of having their stigma regardless.

The energy authority disregarded by their LGBTQ+ employees spend convincing heteronormative peers, who their peers to take them seriously could often associate this trait with the be used instead to thrive and excel in LGBTQ+ community. the workplace.

A survey conducted by Telus found that Organisations who actively support nearly one-third of Canadians don’t view the LGBTQ+ community through their workplace as being LGBTQ+-inclusive. policy are effectively improving the Forms of discrimination described were not situation. However, issues with workplace overt, but instead more subtly embedded culture and professionalism must in workplace culture. Assumptions be addressed alongside the systematic made about sexual orientation, the use factors that contribute to LGBTQ+ of inappropriate language, and LGBTQ+ workplace discrimination. employees being subconsciously looked When crafting anti-discriminatory over for higher positions were all factors in policies, corporate Human Resources that impression. departments across Canada should include Unsurprisingly, 57 per cent of the sensitivity training addressing the role survey’s respondents said they were not of heteronormative workplace standards fully out at work, with 15 per cent showing in the stigmatization of the concern that they would miss out on LGBTQ+ community. career opportunities if they were fully out.

It’s clear that an uphill battle This leads to individuals suppressing remains for queer individuals to traits they feel will cause peers to discover feel comfortable being out in the workplace. their sexual orientations. Beyond the While we can hide our identities to appear professional consequences of being outed at more professional—and many of us work—or being seen as “too” out—Canadian are actively doing so—that lack of LGBTQ+ employees also expressed fear acceptance does the next generation for their personal safety at work. no favours.

Though it may seem obvious to We have to take a stand and claim many that discussing one's personal the workplace as a space where we can life is indeed unprofessional, it goes without take pride in being authentically ourselves. saying that for many, such as myself, sexual identity encompasses a large part Bobby Liang is a second-year of who I am.

Commerce student.

Talking heads

... students around campus PHOTOS BY TESSA WARBURTON

What's the first sign that school is starting up again?

“Move-in day."

“The Staples back-to-school ad."

“People going to the pier."

Sujay Menjunatha,

Sarah Bennett,

Justin Woods,

M.Eng '19

Comm '21

Comm '21

9 • queensjournal.ca

Monday, July 8, 2019

Arts

was completely incinerated, our barbecue turned to dust.

The whole area looked like the surface of the moon, with crazy, grey craters,” Greenwood said in an interview with The Journal.

In 2018, Greenwood turned her experience into a collection of fictional short stories called Kill as You Go. Her new book follows her experience as an eyewitness to the wildfire and provides reflections on mental

health, her childhood, and her family.

Initially Greenwood had hesitations about writing a memoir, but she was encouraged by friends who saw the value in her story and told her she had a duty to write it.

The memoir is written as though she’s recounting her experience to a close friend over coffee—feedback that incited relief from Greenwood, who struggled with incorporating her personal details within the story.

“It was against all my training—I’m trained as a journalist. As a journalist, you’re supposed to keep yourself out of the story. In fact, in the first draft, I barely talked about myself at all—it was all factual. I had to teach myself how to do a memoir,” Greenwood said.

Upon reflection of her writing process, she offered advice to aspiring writers based on the experience.

“Find yourself a good editor and listen to their advice. I have a lot of editor friends. I sent it off to two [of them], and they said, “Why did you write this as if it happened to someone else?”

Greenwood said. “It was very good feedback.”

She focused on telling her specific understanding of what happened when she evacuated the burning city “because it’s really important to get on the record what that experience was like” so that people can be better prepared in the event of another massive wildfire.

“The fact that no one was killed during the fire makes people think it wasn’t as serious as

it was, but there was just a combination of circumstances that meant no one was killed.

The fire started at noon and not midnight —there would have been hundreds dead if it had happened at midnight,” Greenwood said.

Greenwood pointed out that wildfires are still a threat to many areas across the nation, including the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, where Fort McMurray is located.

“Just a few weeks ago, one of the Indigenous communities put its own ban on all-terrain vehicles because of the high fire risk in the area,” Greenwood said.

While Ontario has experienced a rainy spring this year, Alberta has been facing “a very dry season.”

“The conditions are very similar to what they were around the time of the Fort McMurray fire. If people even have the slightest fire risk, I hope they think about packing their 72-hour emergency bag and making sure they’re ready to go when the time comes,” Greenwood said.

She cited the “safety culture” in Fort McMurray as a major factor in the successful evacuation during the fire.

“As soon as the order came down, everyone evacuated because they had the background and the training.

I worry that, in other communities, they may not be so lucky,” Greenwood said.

“The one thing you can’t replace is a human life, so that’s really the most important thing.”

talent within our own city.

In one performance, audience members are invited to a silent disco.

Wearing synchronized headphones, the music plays to each individual participant, rather than blare aloud.

Another show, the ambitious Choir!Choir!Choir! creates a community engaged concert, where 400 attendees are given lyric sheets and are led by performers to learn a song together.

Their performance was live streamed to theatres in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, where people learning the same song will join them, sparking a country-wide sing-along.

With shows like these, Wheeler sought to expand the industry focused mould of the previous year, and encourage “everyday people”

to participate, whether they’re “tech-heads” or not.

FoldA blazes a new trail for theatre festivals everywhere with its dual focus on digital development and performance.

Workshops and expert panels bring industry professionals who are interested in engaging the community in the world of digital theatre.

Their unique Alpha Beta Go program helps creators grow their shows from idea to performance, with access to funding and test audiences, which is especially important in the collaborative world of digital media.

“If you consider for a second that digital technology is almost always interactive,” Wheeler said, “that means that to fully test a piece you need to actually test it on live people.”

“With digital work, people come and engage, they have to use an app or they have to tweet in.”

The program has seen success even in its second year, with many Alpha Beta Go shows moving up the ranks to the bigger stages.

Among these is Pathetic Fallacy which will move on to be performed from July 31 to August 25 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival—the world’s largest art show.

The show centres around climate change and exemplifies the ways that technology can help adapt art to a changing world.

Anita Rochon sought to create a performance about climate consciousness with a low carbon footprint.

From V a n c o u v e r, she joins the show via video-streaming with herself in front of a green screen and passes her central role along to a local actor.

She shows that these new ways to create art can break down global barriers, and bring local communities to the forefront.

Above all, FoldA seeks to create theatre for a tech-savvy future.

“Digital as a concept has transformed almost everything,” Wheeler said. “If you think about anything in your life, it’s likely that it’s changed from an analogue method to a digital method in the last 20 years.

We really tried to keep the theatre a place that is nondigital, but that can’t last forever.

This is what human life is and art is to address human life.”

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY THERESE GREENWOOD

Therese Greenwood.

Therese Greenwood retraces Fort McMurray wildfire in new memoir Wolfe Island author talks writing process and fire safety Claudia Rupnik Staff Writer Three years after the Fort McMurray wildfire, author Therese Greenwood keeps the fire alive in the minds of Canadians

with her new memoir.

Titled, What You Take with You: Wildfire, Family, and The Road Home, the former Wolfe Island resident wrote about her personal journey escaping the fire.

Greenwood moved to the neighbourhood of Abasand in Fort McMurray with her husband in 2011.

Five years later, they lost their home to the uncontrolled wildfire that destroyed much of the city and surrounding area.

“The fire was so hot, everything

THEATRE

FoldA blazes a new trail for digital theatre Queen’s Drama Professor leads local festival with global reach Pamoda Wijekoon Assistant Arts Editor Kingston’s very own Festival of Live Digital Art (FoldA) burst onto the stage last year with its innovative integration of digital technology into theatre.

Now in its second year, FoldA is hitting the stage from June 12-15 out of the Isabel Bader Centre.

Drawing together tech industry professionals, creators from across Canada, and local talent, the festival is layered, multifaceted and proudly collaborative.

It’s built a platform to launch a new era of show business designed to draw the rapidly changing world in, rather than keeping it out.

Taking inspiration from national theatre festivals such as Vancouver’s Magnetic North,

FoldA seeks to bring Canadians across the country together to celebrate revolutionary theatre.

They’re curating a diverse selection of performances by creators from coast to coast.

“We’re trying to use technology to bridge the gap of this enormously small country called Canada,” artistic director Michael Wheeler told The Journal.

As an instructor of New Medium Performance at the Dan School of Art and Music here at Queen’s, and as the Artistic Director at SpiderWebShow Performance—a national performing arts website—Wheeler has focused on developing new approaches to creating theatre.

Wheeler’s classical theatre background was influenced by an education at McGill, Harvard, and even the Moscow Art Theatre in Russia.

With FoldA, his team now looks to join the old to the new, and give the borderless internet a local stage.

This year’s goal is accessibility for Kingston locals and to find the Audience at Choir!Choir!Choir!

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY MADISON LYMER

journal_ae@ams.queensu.ca

Arts

Monday, July 8, 2019

queensjournal.ca

•10

PERFORMING ARTS

Cirque du Soleil skates through Kingston Photos: Cirque du Soleil performing Crystal at the Leon’s Centre.

Crystal marks a turning point for Canadian circus company Pamoda Wijekoon, Brittany Giliforte Journal Staff

The circus arrived in Kingston with the scrape of skates as Cirque du Soleil performed Crystal, their first-ever ice show.

The Montreal-based troupe stopped into the Leon’s Centre on July 3, performing nightly shows to Kingston audiences and visitors until July 7.

Cirque du Soleil has been a staple on the world stage for the past 35 years—but Crystal proves that it’s never too late for a change.

The first Cirque du Soleil show to utilise modern pop songs, a

comprehensive narrated storyline, and the blended mediums of acrobatics and figure skating, it’s a marked evolution for an established company trying to connect with its audience.

The show centres around young misfit Crystal—played on July 3 by singles figure skater Lisa Mochizuki—whose active imagination leaves her lost in a world of her own after falling through a frozen river.

As the titular character is alternately chased and guided by a gaggle of Shadow characters and her own Reflection—performed on July 3 by figure skater Mary Siegal—Crystal comes together as a visually stunning exploration of self.

While the show’s development posed obstacles for the performers and show creators, Cirque publicist Frédérique Morin said the key to making Crystal possible was hiring acrobats and skaters who were up for the challenge of learning

PHOTO BY BRITTANY GILIFORTE

new skills. “[Cirque du Soleil] had to find skaters that were open-minded to learn new acrobatic tricks.

Some skaters had to learn how to do backflips and things like that, and then the acrobats … had to be up for the challenge of learning how to skate,” Morin told The Journal.

Faced with the new hybrid art form, show creators had to begin the development process with workshops to determine the feasibility of what could be done on the ice. One innovation was the use of crampons, the footwear devices used by mountaineers, on all the acrobats’ shoes.

This allowed them to move between the air and the ice without sliding.

The results are gravity-defying stunts, including scenes where Mochizuki takes to the air on a trapeze in her figure skates, performing flips and turns with her blades balancing on the thin

bar. In one scene, an acrobat scales a teetering tower of silver chairs without so much as a harness to keep him in place on top of the ice.

The imagery of the frozen river is present in every element of the show, with the performers costumes designed in patterns which emulate shattered ice. Even Crystal’s shadow explodes out from under her in five directions, like the cracks that spread underneath her feet before she fell.

Above all, Crystal was designed to resonate with audiences.

PHOTO BY PAMODA WIJEKOON

Morin notes the inclusion of a narrator helps the audience follow the story and the inclusion of modern music is meant to aide viewers to “connect with what they see.”

“We wanted to push the boundaries and we wanted to share our art with different audiences.” she told The Journal.

“No matter what age you are, you really enjoy the performance. With the music and the colours and the costumes and everything put together, it’s created a very unique show.”

PHOTO BY BRITTANY GILIFORTE

FINE ARTS

Union Gallery accused of mistreating student artists BFA alum talks open letter and experience with campus gallery Brittany Giliforte Arts Editor In a signed letter, BFA alumni say Union Gallery is unsupportive and disrespectful to student artists.

On May 8, Kaitlyn Hollander posted an open letter addressed to the Union Gallery—signed by herself and six other fine arts grads—to her Facebook page.

The letter listed a number of claims detailing the ways she and other fine arts students say they’ve been treated by the Union Gallery throughout their time at Queen’s.

Among these claims were “violation of artist copyright” and “removal of artist intentions.”

Some students were unwilling to sign the letter because they’re still in school, have worked on the gallery board of directors, or rely on the gallery as one of few places on campus where they can show their work.

Hollander claims these conflicts of interest deterred more students from signing the open letter.

Now graduated, Hollander hopes her open letter will help

improve the relationship between students and the gallery by ensuring that future artists are treated “fairly” and their work is represented as they intend it to be.

In the letter’s address, Hollander writes, “[f]or the sake of the Union Gallery and its future operations, these issues must [be] brought to light and dealt with.”

The issues Hollander had with Union Gallery that prompted her to sit down to write the open letter were two-fold.

In the fall of 2018, it had been more than a year since Hollander worked with the gallery—until her art work was used in the advertisements for Cezanne’s Closet, an annual fundraising event run by the Union Gallery.

The event raises money to fund the gallery’s operations.

All submitted artwork is donated and artists receive no compensation. This is no surprise to the artists when they hand over their work, but Hollander’s surprise came when she saw her art being used—without her permission— on an advertisement for the event.

When Hollander contacted the director of Union Gallery, Jocelyn Purdie, to talk about it, she says she was asked to leave the gallery.

Union Gallery.

When reached for an interview by The Journal, Purdie declined. Instead, she provided an emailed written statement.

“She was incredibly unresponsive, told me it was good exposure, and all these things that when you work in art, you hear them from people trying to take advantage of you,” Hollander told The Journal.

Hollander says the call for submissions form is not a contract and doesn’t ask permission to use the artwork for advertisements or anything besides the event itself.

“Basically, [Jocelyn Purdie] thought I had signed a contract saying they could use it, but Cezanne’s Closet only has a submissions form, which is far from a contract,”

PHOTO BY TESSA WARBURTON

Hollander explained.

The second instance that prompted Hollander to write the open letter happened two days later.

While participating in a Union Gallery show, her artist’s statement was printed with information she didn’t intend to be included. She knew her statement might be edited, but she believed this was limited to spelling and grammar corrections.

Jocelyn Purdie told The Journal in an email that the gallery holds the right to edit statements to “meet a standard for clarity of content, grammar, spelling and length.”

Hollander’s statement however, was edited to include information that she sent the gallery in an email

separate from her pre-written submitted statement.

“I sent them an email, I didn’t say explicitly ‘please do not edit my statement’, but I said I think it is best if we leave it as it is and I sent a long list of reasons why my statement didn’t have a lot of content in it,” Hollander told The Journal.

The statement was changed anyway, she says.

In her email to The Journal, Purdie said the gallery helps students to develop professional skills and that it “does not require or insist that BFA students take advantage of the opportunities provided.”

She said that the students who participate in the gallery’s events do so voluntarily, not mandatorily. Purdie hopes that, “going forward, the gallery will continue to be a resource for students.”

While Hollander acknowledges that not all students have had a negative experience with the gallery, and that it serves an important purpose on campus for fine arts students, her letter asks that the gallery’s operational practices be improved.

She writes that “we need the gallery to grow professionally and develop our own nature in the industry.”

11 • queensjournal.ca

Monday, July 8, 2019

Golden Gaels: Queen’s rowers are going places SUPPLIED BY MICHAEL BRYENTON

The Gaels have been slicing through water and competition as of late.

6 rowers to represent Canada internationally this summer Jack Rabb Sports Editor Queen’s Rowing has found raucous success over the past year, enjoying win after win in regatta after regatta. On the personal as well as team level, the rowers have been able to do no wrong.

The medals flowed throughout last season, and poured in at the OUA and National Championships.

Most notable was the ascendance of Gavin Stone, who won two golds at the Nationals and took home Male OUA Athlete of the Year. He also recently struck bronze in a Canadian boat at the most recent World Rowing Cup race.

The ball kept rolling in June, with announcements that five more Queen’s athletes were selected to represent Canada

internationally. Michael Bryenton, Charlotte Deacon, Louise Munro, and Megan Stellato were all chosen to don the maple leaf for the U23 World Championships in Florida, while Alex Bernst will be travelling to Lima, Peru to compete in the Pan-American Games.

“They’re definitely pretty special,” said head coach Rami Maassarani in a phone interview with The Journal. “All these athletes have worked so hard to get to where they are, so it’s nice to see their work paying off.”

“They train for this goal but no one ever takes anything for granted. So when it does happen, it’s surprising for them … no one would ever walk into a team with the expectation that they would make it, which speaks to their character.”

But for outsiders, these developments might not be as surprising. Three years ago, Maassarani and co. altered the course of Queen’s Rowing with the decision to change their approach

to the sport; the winds of fortune turned almost overnight.

“In the past it was just focusing on big boats and winning banners at the OUA Championships and at the Canadian National Championships.”

Then, they shifted their focus to developing the student athletes themselves.

“We spent a lot of time training and racing smaller boats, which are worth less points for the team championships but are very beneficial to [personal] training.

So putting this athlete-first approach as opposed to the overall team championships approach has really contributed to our athletes’ development.

“It’s a fairly unique approach that we have compared to the other schools in the OUA and in Canada …

Recent results have suggested that [it’s] working the way we intended it to.”

Megan Stellato just wrapped up her first year at Queen’s and the attention to individual progress has already paid dividends: her

Gaels were humming along as usual, finishing with a sparkling 8-3-5 record. Their regular season success came in part by standout play from seniors Jenny Wolever, the OUA MVP and a First Team All-Canadian, and Lidia Bradau, a Second Team All-Canadian.

Their departures will leave the Gaels with holes on either side of the pitch. Wolever accounted for 38 per cent of the Gaels’ goals and Bradau was a noted defensive general.

Head Coach Dave McDowell is sad to see them go, but he knows that the future is in good hands.

“We have a very good recruiting class coming in, it’s a very big class,” he said in a phone interview. “We anticipate contributions right away from a lot of them.”

The other main contributors to last season were the sophomores who will be expected to shoulder a greater role.

With the emphasis now firmly on youth, Coach McDowell’s focus going into the 2019-2020 season is quickly coming together and incorporating the freshman recruits. According to McDowell, it comes down to “how quickly can we get them initiated, on board and understanding expectations.”

Another point of concern for the team is goal scoring, trying to replace the output from the graduating players. The Gaels will have to pay special attention to the offensive side of the game and continue to focus on setting up and scoring goals as efficiently as possible.

“Who’s stepping up in terms of this, it will be a bit of a team process,” McDowell said.

With the season less than two months away, the team is eagerly looking forward to hosting the Final Four at Queen’s.

Women’s soccer aiming for return to form Following a disappointing finish in last year’s Final Four, a new recruiting class promises to rejuvenate the program Alina Yusufzai Assistant Sports Editor The women’s soccer team had a promising season last year that ended on a sour note with matches conceded to Western and then McMaster, placing fourth in the Final Four.

Despite the disappointing finish, the silver lining is that an already-strong young core has had an extra year to develop and gain experience. Next season, they plan to be reckoned with in the OUA Final Four where they have been a staple in past years.

Up until the Final Four, the

selection to the U23 team opens a lot of doors.

“I’m able to continue to build and strengthen my knowledge of the sport with a more diverse group of people with all different experiences and backgrounds,” said the coxswain.

Charlotte Deacon echoed this sentiment: “U23s are a really great way for rowers to get a sense of competing on an international level as well as a stepping stone towards the senior team.

“The senior and U23 teams have a lot of overlap in terms of coaching, training schedule and such, so U23s are a good way to get on senior coaches’ radars and to start making a name for yourself.”

Deacon and Stellato have already been rubbing shoulders with Canada’s finest at the National Training Centre in Victoria, B.C., as they work with their new teammates to get ready for the fast-approaching race, slated to take place from July 24-28.

“With such little time until world championships, it takes a lot of discipline and teamwork to come together to be a fast boat that can race well together,” said Stellato.

It’s fortunate then that Stellato and Deacon are literally in the same boat, especially considering the odds were far from in their favour: “Queen’s Rowing is a very small team compared to most university rowing teams,” Deacon pointed out.

“I think it’s very telling that such a large number of us are representing Canada this summer.”

From Kingston to Victoria and soon to Florida, or Peru in the case of Bernst, or Holland in the case of Stone, the sun never sets on Queen’s Rowing.

“Honestly, it’s kind of surreal,” admits Stellato. “I used to go on the Rowing Canada website all the time and look at the team photos and think to myself, ‘I want to be there,’ and now I am. I have worked incredibly hard to get to this point and truthfully, I’m proud.”

Women’s soccer aims for provincial supremacy.

“The team will see where they are going based on the [composition of the] team and how they work together,” says McDowell.

Women’s soccer has long been considered a stalwart of Queen’s Athletics, with unimpeachable success at the provincial level.

Expectations haven’t changed because of two tough games, and McDowell recognizes the need to improve if the women are to make it back to the National Championships.

“There are some things we need to clear up, being better defensively and offensively and we think

PHOTO BY CHRIS YAO

these are some of the things our incoming players will help us with,” he said.

The excitement around the new season is palpable, especially for the players themselves considering the long hours of work and training that they’ve been putting in throughout the offseason.

McDowell said they’re excited to see how things fall into place without their senior stars, as well as seeing the rookies take up the storied mantle of Queen’s Women’s Soccer success.

“So far so good. They’re doing a good job.”

Monday, July 8, 2019

Sports

queensjournal.ca

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Following Forsyth, DeGroot aims even higher The men’s volleyball team prepares to fight for another OUA championship Alina Yusufzai Assistant Sports Editor Coming off an exceptional season—their best since 2011-12—the men’s volleyball team is preparing for another shot at the national championship.

This past year, their quest for the USPORTS title culminated with a fifth-place finish after winning the Forsyth Cup as OUA champions. Sophomore Head Coach Gabe DeGroot discussed the team’s run in a phone interview with The Journal.

“There were many players that stood out this year, who were driving forces in the team’s OUA success,” DeGroot said.

Zac Hutcheson stepped up offensively en route to a First Team OUA All-Star selection. Adam Boljkovac had a phenomenal year as well, resulting in him being named as a Second Team All-Star.

As well, Zane Grossinger’s star continued to rise as he led the OUA in assists with 718—earning him a First Team nod.

DeGroot—named OUA Coach of the Year in just his first season as a head coach—described how it felt to find quick success with the team. “[It was] a pretty special year. The biggest

thing for me was being part of a group of athletes and creating a team culture and seeing them be successful.”

As far as personal goals, DeGroot wanted to put emphasis on fine tuning the team’s culture, making it a welcoming environment.

DeGroot considers it vital for the team to be inclusive. He said inclusivity encourages growth for players of all ages—a holistic approach which contributed to the rapid progress of the rookies.

“Our superstars, point scorers aren’t the only ones on the court.”

DeGroot, a former OUA volleyball star himself, aims to have athletes treat each other equally, admitting that this is rare at the university level.

“Eliminating that [hierarchy] culture of university sports is a piece of what we are doing.”

According to DeGroot, the other piece is putting in work over the summer to build individual skills and team chemistry in order to make the next step forward when the 2019-2020 season rolls around.

Specifically, the team is looking to get better defending at the net: “Aiming to win national games, we need to improve blocking; some of that just comes from experience. We should be able to

DeGroot set the expectations for his sophomore season high.

“[It was] a pretty special year.”

—Head Coach Gabe DeGroot

make progress in that area as we mature.”

Being able to put himself in the athlete’s

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

shoes has helped DeGroot shift the team away from the typical hierarchy of university sports culture.

“I try, as a coach, not to define the roles for the team too much,” he said, evidence of his experience as an award-winning libero influencing his coaching.

With much of their core returning, the Gaels will aim to build on last year’s barnstorming tour of the OUA by finding their stroke on the national stage.

Analysis: going pro with Fazio Straight out of USPORTS, Queen’s goalie Justin Fazio practices with Predators Jack Rabb Sports Editor

Justin Fazio backstopped his Gaels to a Queen’s Cup this past spring. Now he’s garnering NHL attention.

From June 25-29, the Sarnia native attended the Nashville Predators’ development camp, taking the ice with first round draft picks under the scrutiny of Predators coaches and scouts.

An NHL development camp consists of a gauntlet of testing and practices, culminating in a scrimmage. They’re a great opportunity to get exposure as well as professional coaching.

Fazio, 22, came to Queen’s via the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League; he left Sarnia as the winningest goalie in their history after five seasons. His run there began attracting the eyes of NHL scouts.

He played in the NHL Prospect Tournament for the Detroit Redwings last year, and he had previously been signed to an Amateur Try-out Contract on an emergency basis with the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL), the farm league for the NHL. Fazio has been around the edges of professional hockey for some time now, and with his involvement with

the Predators and their AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, he seems poised to make the jump following his time at Queen’s.

There used to be a time when to be the best university hockey team in Canada meant being the best hockey team in the world. The league doesn’t receive the same recognition these days.

Many people in scouting circles consider the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), consisting of the junior leagues in the West, Ontario, and Quebec/Atlantic provinces, to be the only league worth monitoring for NHL-calibre talent.

However, Fazio’s recruitment by the Predators, as well as outgoing Queen’s captain Slater Doggett’s signing to the East

Justin Fazio has his eyes set on making the jump to the next level.

PHOTO BY CHRIS YAO

Coast Hockey League’s Florida Everblades, suggest the powers that be are beginning to appreciate the high level of competition in the OUA and in USPORTS at large.

The only leg up that Canadian universities have traditionally had on the CHL vis-à-vis athlete retention are their ability to offer an education and a high level of competition simultaneously.

Players in the CHL don’t need to expend energy balancing school with hockey, and if they’re a sure-fire bet to make the big leagues, they don’t necessarily need the insurance of a good education.

The United States’ answer to USPORTS, the NCAA, fares much better and often attracts bona fide stars who sign in the NHL immediately upon graduating.

The greatest discrepancy between the two university leagues is the amount invested; the NCAA is a financial powerhouse with the ability to provide exposure and top-quality services to their athletes that USPORTS programs simply can’t afford.

It all conspires to give Canadian university hockey a “have-not” distinction that doesn’t reflect the level of talent at all.

The OUA has designated hockey, alongside football and basketball, as a top-priority sport, which means that more funding will be allocated to it, which ideally means that some of the shine that the NCAA enjoys could be coming to the Canadian product.

As things stand, Fazio could serve as a tangible reminder that top-tier talent can develop and flourish within a university environment.

Fazio’s climb through the hockey ranks has been remarkable. Fans of USPORTS hockey are hoping his journey represents the vanguard of a new wave of stars coming through Canadian universities.

Monday, July 8, 2019

queensjournal.ca

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Lifestyle New narratives prove teenagers don’t have to be one-dimensional anymore tegwyn hughes

Assistant Lifestyle Editor North American filmmakers have been trying to capture the quintessential coming-of-age experience since the rise of the teen comedy genre in the 1980s. However, the so-called average teen in most of these classics has been white, male, middle- or upper-class, and straight—until now.

Early coming-of-age movies were primarily about sex, drugs, and alcohol, with comedic moments exploiting gender and race. For example, 1978’s rom-com Grease transforms its female lead, Sandy, from shy and innocent into leather-clad and cigarette-smoking so she can better fit in with her boyfriend’s clique. By its end, Grease presents a one-dimensional message: teens must dress and act a certain way to be accepted.

In the same year, Animal House was released. Full of drunken antics and harmful pranks, the

CULTURAL COMMENTARY

What the evolution of coming-of-age movies means for representation

film follows the members of a college fraternity as they try to escape suspension and the wrath of their angry principal. Although Animal House has truly funny moments, its jokes more often rely on portraying race and gender in a way that excludes and belittles many of the movie’s viewers.

Twenty years later, coming-of-age movies introduced more varied protagonists, but they still hinged on the same tired tropes as their predecessors. The first decade of the 2000s saw a new kind of teenage comedy, with Mean Girls and Superbad at the forefront. Mean Girls, released in 2004, focuses on a girl entering public school for the first time and adapting to its social structures.

The film notably includes LGBTQ+ secondary characters—albeit stereotypical ones—and shares

a message about staying true to oneself.

Meanwhile, 2007’s Superbad is about three underaged high school seniors determined to get alcohol for a party. Its portrayal of nerd culture and unpopularity makes the characters endearing and speaks to the common teenage experience of not belonging.

However, the film ultimately falls short of anything groundbreaking in terms of diverse experiences.

Over the past thirty years of filmmaking, the continued lack of female directors in Hollywood, the prioritization of a male audience, and a lack of funding for indie projects ensured the same ideas were recycled again and again.

But slowly—too slowly—things began to change in Hollywood.

The early 2010s gave us

coming-of-age movies that were still about privileged characters but injected enough depth and vulnerability to be called progress.

The success of these films would set up the resources for today’s diverse blockbusters.

In 2013, Kings of Summer and The Way, Way Back each captured the profound nostalgia and yearning of a teenage boy’s adolescent summer. The first explores fragile masculinity and family dynamics through the eyes of a runaway trio of friends living in the woods.

The second is a surprisingly

emotional story primarily taking place at a water park and following an awkward teenage boy struggling to contend with his newly blended family.

While these two movies took coming-of-age filmography to a new level, they lacked the diverse realities of teenagedom, which expand beyond the experiences of one specific societal group.

Over the past four years, that restrictive portrayal of reality has changed in mainstream teenage films. Not only are teenagers constantly sharing ideas and voicing their opinions online, where geographical and financial restrictions fall away, but our social and political climate is at a breaking point. We’ve entered a polarized world, and young people are sick of seeing their voices stifled.

To read the rest of this article, go to queensjournal.ca/ lifestyle

WORLD SPORTS

How Kawhi changed Raptors franchise history Recapping the highlights of an unforgettable championship season Alina Yusufzai Assistant Sports Editor This June, the Toronto Raptors pulled a 114-110 win over the Golden State Warriors, making history as Canada’s first NBA champions.

After their Game 6 win, thousands of Raptors fans flooded the streets of downtown Toronto—climbing traffic lights, vehicles, and buildings and setting off fireworks—in celebration.

The franchise’s 24th season was one to remember, so let’s break down exactly how the team got there.

The Raptors faced their fair share of hard work, disappointment, and determination this season, capturing the hearts and attention of Toronto, Canada, and even the world. All this began last July when Kawhi Leonard was traded from

the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for DeMar DeRozan, the former Raptors shooting guard. This trade marked the beginning of an unforgettable season in which the Raptors overcame countless challenges, with moments serving as markers of 24 seasons of hard work.

Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals vs the 76ers featured not only one of the best moments in the season, but one of the best in Raptors franchise history. The game was tied at 90-90—about to go into overtime—when Kawhi, the Raptors’ small forward, shot the winning basket just as the buzzer went off. The ball bounced around the basket four times before it fell in. Kawhi was hunched over and fans were at the edge of their seats, celebrating as soon as the Raptors were sent to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Game 1 in the NBA finals against the Golden State Warriors was the first home game of the series and the Raptors won 118-109. The first home game sent a clear message to Golden State that the Raptors would protect home court.

Throughout the game, Steph Curry led the Warriors with the most points, but Kawhi still dominated defensively, resulting in the Raptors staying ahead throughout the game.

Game 4 against the Golden State Warriors was a huge one for Kawhi, who scored two back-to-back three-pointers, which gave the Raptors the first lead in the game. He came out and scored the two shots, stealing the ball from Draymond Green and leaving the Warriors unable to play defense.

This game gave the Raptors a 3-1 lead in the finals, making

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION

BY ALLY MASTANTUONO

Kawhi the true MVP once again.

In these historic moments, Kawhi proved time and time again that he deserves the title of NBA Finals MVP, as his performance helped restore Toronto’s hope in its team. Kawhi’s contribution can be compared to that of Vince Carter during his time with the Raptors.

Vince Carter, who played for the Raptors from 1998-2004, was said to have changed the face of Canadian basketball. Carter led the team to many winning games and was known for his dunking skills, earning the title of “Half Man, Half Amazing.” Carter was awarded the All-NBA Team award in the year 2000, given to the best players in the league. Kawhi gave us that consistency and balance that we have been lacking since the historic Carter seasons that created a name for Canadian basketball.

Kawhi has lived up to his nickname “The Klaw,” given to him because of his defense skills, and is the “fun guy” that he called himself in an interview. This iconic interview caught the attention of fans and even New Balance—a company that makes athletic apparel—who sponsored Kawhi and made the phrase a trademark. Kawhi proved his “fun guy” nickname to be true when he celebrated the national championship through the Toronto streets.

Thanks to Kawhi, the Toronto Raptors have had a memorable season, which ended with the championship that was 24 years in the making. We may have started as the underdogs, but years of work paid off. As Raptors global ambassador and rapper Drake once sang, “Started from the bottom, now we’re here.”

LIFESTYLE

14 •queensjournal.ca

Monday, July 8, 2019

STUDENT LIFE

High expectations: the best ways to enjoy legal weed A semi-serious guide to first-time cannabis use them, so you can look for the ratio that makes you feel the best.

Get the goods most a r e indica, sativa, THC, and CBD. Indica strains are known to be calming and physically relaxing, while sativa is supposed to improve your mood and energy level. However, cannabis affects each user differently, and it can be hard to know how a certain strain will make you feel without trying it first.

ILLUSTRATION BY AMELIA RANKINE

Tegwyn Hughes Assistant Lifestyle Editor With all of its strains, concentrates and taboos, trying cannabis—the term for weed or marijuana used by the Canadian government—for the first time can be daunting. Canada’s legalization of recreational cannabis use is here to stay, but that doesn’t make everyone an expert on its use. While each person has a different preference when it comes to cannabis, there are some things all users should keep in mind when experimenting with the substance.

Figure out the kind of high you want There are countless kinds of cannabis strains, so, depending on the effects you’re looking for, you might want to consume certain kinds of weed in certain ways.

Let’s look at how cannabis is classified. The four terms you’ll probably seen thrown around the

[C]annabis affects each user differently, and it can be hard to know how a certain strain will make you feel without trying it first.

A better scale to keep in mind when buying weed is the amount of THC and CBD in a strain. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is a cannabinoid molecule in cannabis, which causes the feeling of being high. This means weed higher in THC might make you feel tingly, hungry, and intoxicated. On the other hand, weed higher in the compound CBD, or cannabidiol, is more likely to make you feel calm and mellow without the more extreme psychoactive elements of THC. Cannabis is usually sold in hybrid strains that have different combinations of THC and CBD in

RECIPES

Vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe A tasty treat for summer potlucks, movie nights and more

In Ontario, cannabis products are available both online and in brick-and-mortar stores authorized by the provincial government for customers aged 19 and over. Cannabis is currently available as dried herbs, oils, oral sprays, or capsules, and you can expect to see edibles, beverages, topicals, and extracts hitting shelves in the fall.

The Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) is the government's cannabis retailer in Ontario. It has ample information on its website about different cannabis strains and the products it carries, so you have all the resources you need to find the cannabis that works for you. You can even filter the products by strain, brand, and THC-to-CBD ratio.

Prepare your arsenal (of munchies) After you’ve made your purchase, the most vital step in enjoying any experience with cannabis is stocking up on supplies.

If you plan on smoking, water is your best friend. Even the most seasoned cannabis smoker can fall victim to lung-burning coughing fits, and the only thing that seems to help is chugging a Nalgene’s weight in water. Learning how to inhale cannabis properly can be a challenge—you should inhale the smoke and then push it down with fresh air in the same breath—and you don’t want to be caught without your handy H2O. The second thing to prepare

Elena Koning Contributor If you’re hankering for something sweet but still want to uphold your summer health commitments, look no further.

This recipe for vegan and gluten-free cranberry chocolate chip cookies is quick, easy, and made of natural ingredients to satisfy your cravings.

Perfect for summer potlucks or late-night screenings of The Bachelorette, these cookies are a feel-good treat that will have you reaching for another.

Ingredients:

These cookies are perfect for summer potlucks.

PHOTO BY ELENA KONING

—1 and 1/2 cups oat flour —1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats —1/2 teaspoon baking soda —1/2 teaspoon baking powder —1/4 teaspoon salt —1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

before experiencing your first high is a given: munchies. It’s hard to predict what your stoned self is going to urgently crave when hunger hits, or whether you’ll even get the munchies at all, but you can cover all your bases by buying the basics ahead of time.

High-THC strains are more likely to give you food cravings than high-CBD ones, but there’s no harm in stocking up on snacks either way. Get one salty, one sweet, and one savoury snack ready to go, so that when you’re relaxing on the couch, a bag of chips or a tray of cookies is already waiting for you.

High-THC strains are more likely to give you food cravings than high-CBD ones, but there’s no harm in stocking up on snacks either way.

Enjoy weed safely—and don’t forget to breathe.

While you might be excited to try your newly-purchased cannabis with gusto, don’t forget to be cautious about how much weed you consume. The phrase you’ll hear the most when experimenting with cannabis is to “start low” and “go slow.”

This means that no matter which product you’re trying, you should start by consuming a small amount of it and waiting around 15 minutes to see how it affects you. Making or buying edibles for a first-time weed experience is not recommended, because the potency of your final product can often be unpredictable and ingested

—1/4 cup coconut sugar —1/4 cup pure maple syrup —2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed and 6 tablespoons water) —1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract —3/4 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped —3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips Directions: 1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Celsius.

2. In a small bowl, make the flax eggs by thoroughly combining the ground flaxseed and water.

Let this mixture set for at least 10 minutes.

3. While the flaxseed mixture sets, combine the oat flour, rolled oats, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.

cannabis takes longer to induce a high. Instead, stick with dried herb or oils and see how you feel after a small sample.

Once you start feeling high, try to relax with a low-stress activity like watching TV, playing a video game, or chatting with friends.

Sip on some water and enjoy those munchies you bought earlier.

If you find yourself experiencing any anxiety, sit down and remember to take deep breaths.

You might be freaked out by the way weed makes your body or mind feel, but it’s important to remind yourself that nothing will go wrong. Despite what your high mind might think, you won’t die. Try to ride the wave of your high instead of resisting its effects, and you’ll probably find the experience gets better right away.

If you find yourself experiencing any anxiety, sit down and remember to take deep breaths ... remind yourself that nothing will go wrong ...

Ultimately, just like with alcohol, cannabis is a product that each user will experience differently. It’s vital that you listen to your body, whether that means opening a second bag of chips or slowing down and taking a break. Cannabis can be a great product to help you relax, but it isn’t for everybody.

With this information at your disposal, you can rest easy knowing your first cannabis experience won’t be half-baked.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and the fully set flax egg.

5. Slowly fold the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients until well-combined, ensuring not to overwork the dough.

6. Add the chocolate chips and chopped cranberries, mixing until incorporated.

7. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, rolling each portion into a slightly flattened ball and placing the balls evenly onto a greased baking sheet.

8. Bake the cookies for 8-12 minutes, keeping an eye on them throughout the cooking time.

LIFESTYLE

Monday, July 8, 2019

queensjournal.ca

Jonas Brothers doc revisits the past to usher in the band’s new era Ally Mastantuono Lifestyle Editor In a time when nostalgia sells better than sex, it’s hard to argue that Amazon’s new Jonas Brothers documentary, Chasing Happiness, is anything more than a ploy to sell the band’s reunion album.

And yet, somewhere between home video footage and clips of the band’s glory days, the film achieves something beyond filling up stadiums for the brothers’ 2019 tour.

As a newly loud and proud Jonas Brothers fan, news of the band’s upcoming documentary had me bursting with all the excitement I’d suppressed as an insecure preteen. Sitting down to watch it a few days after its release, I happily expected nothing more than a chance to revisit the pop culture moments that had secretly defined my childhood with an open mind and fresh set of eyes. But by the time the screen faded to black, the film’s uplifting (albeit somewhat contrived) story of brotherhood and sacrifice resonated with me more than I thought it would. The 90 minutes of runtime pulled at my heartstrings as skillfully as the chorus of “Lovebug.”

Barely 10 minutes into the documentary, I was shocked

Chasing Happiness offers an honest look at the life of the Jonas Brothers.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ALLY MASTANTUONO

MOVIE REVIEW

Chasing Happiness is an honest celebration of brotherhood to learn that the Jonas Brothers I knew and loved weren’t a product made by the Disney Channel—or at least, not initially.

Although they’d arrived on my screen as bandmates in Camp Rock and then as cartoonish versions of themselves in Jonas and Jonas L.A., they started as three musically-inclined brothers from New Jersey who wanted nothing more than a chance in the spotlight.

While a young Nick Jonas took

Broadway and Christian pop by storm before even reaching puberty, his brothers Joe and Kevin traded their free time for rehearsal sessions, making their own way in show business acting on stage and in commercials. But the older they got, the clearer it became that nothing could beat the feeling of performing together as brothers.

So by the time they hit their floppy-haired tween years, Kevin, Nick, and Joe had ditched their solo ventures to join forces.

The rest, as they say, is history—except, as the film makes clear, it isn’t that simple.

There were a lot of (previously unrevealed) ups and downs on the road to Jonasmania.

12-hour rehearsals six days a

week, burgeoning health concerns, and their family’s exclusion from the church their father ministered are just a few of the lows Chasing Happiness focuses on before it relishes in the highs of the brothers’ fame.

The highs, of course, are moments from their years of peak popularity—throngs of devoted fans attending their album launches, nights playing sold-out stadiums, and long tour bus rides filled with brotherly hijinks.

Chasing Happiness embraces the obvious underdog narrative in the hope that we’ll once again root for the little guy—who is, in this case, the now-adult band of brothers who’ve returned from relative obscurity to make it big a

• 15

second time. In a lot of ways, the film succeeds. The story of coming from humble beginnings and struggling against the odds to find fame is a familiar but positive one.

There’s no denying that the film’s a plug for their new album—its very title, Happiness Begins, is in direct conversation with the doc’s wistful title Chasing Happiness.

However, it’s also a surprisingly honest look at the lives of brothers who found Disney-fueled, Beatles-like fame before they were old enough to vote.

In particular, Chasing Happiness doesn’t shy away from the truth about the band’s 2013 breakup, nor does it resolve the remaining tension. When the brothers reflect on what drove them apart way back when, Joe gets teary-eyed at the memory of Nick’s sudden split from the band, while Kevin is told his brothers once felt like he was holding them back. Even as the film’s focus shifts to the happier aspects of the reunion, it’s hard to shake the feeling that they’re still not completely over all of it.

In fact, that’s where the documentary succeeds the most.

For all its cheesy reminiscing of the glory days, it doesn’t gloss over the past. We as viewers get the sense that we’ve been given a small but candid slice of Nick, Joe, and Kevin’s lives, including some of the hardest times they’ve faced as brothers and bandmates.

As the film comes to a close, the brothers’ renewed optimism in each other and their music despite the hardships they faced as young adults makes the audience confident in their future success.

We can leave convinced that maybe their new album, with its focus not on chasing but on opening yourself up to happiness, isn’t just a record full of bops but part of their own journey of healing from the past and moving forward.

LIFE HACKS

You can save money at the market.

TESSA WARBURTON Photo Editor While “work hard, play hard” is a great motto to have throughout the school year, during the summer, it’s fair to want to work less and play more.

The problem with this typical summer mindset is that, as students, most of us rely on the income we make from May through August to sustain us throughout the year. Even though it’s finally hot, we’re free of academic stress and probably want nothing more than to spend all our money at shops, restaurants, and on trips—we can’t.

Do we have to choose between sacrificing our summer for savings, or our savings for summer? I’m here to say all is not lost. With a few new rules, you can make the most of summer and have money in the bank when September rolls around.

PHOTO BY JODIE GRIEVE

and unplug all unnecessary electronics—including air conditioning or fans—to save on utilities.

If you’re leaving your student house for an extended period of time, consider unplugging the fridge and turning off the water heater if possible.

Skip the meal, not the patio Kingston is home to many gorgeous patios, but meals at these outdoor eateries can add up over time.

Consider skipping buying a full meal once in a while, and instead going halves on an appetizer or two or sharing a pitcher of sangria or beer with a friend. That way, you can get out of the house and enjoy the patio atmosphere without breaking the bank.

If you’re still hungry afterwards, opt for making a cheaper meal at home with friends.

If you’re out, turn it off

Make friends with the market

Summer is best enjoyed outdoors. That means there will be long stretches of time when your house is empty.

As such, it’s crucial to turn off

During the winter, it makes sense to buy food in bulk because the prospect of leaving the house and braving the weather can be horrendous. However, the nice

A thrifty guide to summer fun Save money while making the most out of your vacation weather gives you the chance to switch to buying produce as you need it from the market.

Not only is buying local produce cheaper, it also helps support farmers and the Kingston community. Some markets even offer free or cheap workout classes throughout the summer season. In Kingston, the Memorial Centre Farmers’ Market offers free yoga classes from 10 to 11 a.m. on Sunday.

Find your inner peace knowing you’re doing something good for both your body and your wallet.

Choose a sustainable summer wardrobe Ontario is cold for most of the year, which means our wardrobes mostly consist of jeans, sweaters, and jackets. Naturally, when summer comes, it makes sense to buy new clothing for warmer weather. But since the sunny season is so short, it’s often not worth spending big bucks on a whole new, expensive wardrobe.

Instead, opt for shopping at

thrift stores. Not only is thrifting cheaper—a lot of thrift stores are not-for-profit—but it’s also eco-friendly. You’re reusing clothes as opposed to buying them brand new.

Summer is the best time to hit up thrift stores in Kingston or access buy-and-sell Facebook groups, because a lot of people are graduating, moving out of their student homes, and getting rid of the things they no longer need.

While basic thrift stores like Value Village are likely to be picked over, experiment with lesser-known stores such as Talize or Cash for Clothes.

Rediscover your bike Whether you’re going to and from work or simply getting groceries, biking allows you to save on transportation costs. If you do it regularly enough, it can also be a great source of exercise and save you from having to purchase a gym membership.

Once you make the initial investment, a bike is a free form of

entertainment. Do your research and discover cool local trails, pack a picnic and make a day out of it.

If buying a bike isn’t an option, Kingston has many bike rental options, from the local bike-share program to Ahoy Rentals. Ahoy Rentals has bikes ranging from your generic hybrid bike to a tandem bike for two. At $8.00 an hour, you could even consider renting the tandem for a date and testing your joint coordination with your partner.

If you’re in Kingston for the summer, I recommend taking your bike over to Wolfe Island.

The breathtaking scenery makes you think you’ve left Ontario and travelled somewhere vaguely European.

To read the rest of this article, go to queensjournal.ca/ lifestyle

LIFESTYLE

16 •queensjournal.ca

Monday, July 8, 2019

POSTSCRIPT

Restrictions on safe medical abortions don’t help anybody Pregnant people deserve options to regulate their own bodies

Individuals should be allowed to make decisions about their own bodies.

This article discusses abortion.

Until the day I needed one, I’d never planned to get an abortion in my life. I was 21 when I called the Women’s Clinic at KGH in tears, asking to make an appointment.

That’s the same age that Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff was when he promised to make abortion “unthinkable in our lifetime” at a March for Life rally alongside fellow Conservative MPPs Christina Mitas and Will Bouma. I was horrified when I saw Premier Doug Ford had responded to Oosterhoff’s comments by saying that he embraced a diversity of views within his caucus.

Abortion is a question of bodily autonomy for women and people with female bodies.

Debate surrounding abortion asks whether those people should be able to make decisions about their own bodies—and in a just society, the answer is always yes.

While some may disagree, that’s a pregnant person’s prerogative.

Having an abortion is their decision to make with a doctor and nobody else.

When I was faced with the decision, it wasn’t a hard one. I was only four months away from graduating and had plans to start my Master’s degree in the fall. I had no money, no space, and most importantly, no desire to raise a child.

Deciding to get an abortion was the easy part.

In comparison, actually booking and attending the appointment seemed a lot harder. When I called to schedule an appointment, I was terrified—not of the procedure itself, but of the stigma and scrutiny

ILLUSTRATION BY AMELIA RANKINE

I would face for my decision Most of my understanding of abortion up until that point had come from Juno and Private Practice. In American media, abortion is always framed as a moral question: Are you willing to end a life? It’s presented as a tough choice with a lot of consequences—something someone will regret forever.

American media, “Inabortion is always framed as a moral question: Are you willing to end a life?

”

My experience getting an abortion in Ontario was very different from what American TV prepared me for. Unlike in Juno, there were no protesters outside of the hospital waiting to bombard me. The staff and doctors didn’t question my decision, and no one to date has called me a murderer for choosing to have the procedure—at least, not to my face.

The acceptance for my decision to get an abortion overwhelmed me. Going into the process, I was prepared to defend my choice and answer tough questions about the accompanying moral rights and wrongs.

The reality was the opposite.

The staff was kind and non-judgmental—at no point did they ask me to look at ultrasound photos of the fetus, challenge the morality of my decision, or ask me to consider adoption. The doctors cracked jokes to put me

at ease, and I was even allowed to have my boyfriend with me during the procedure.

Throughout the entire process I felt safe, respected, and prioritized in my health care.

As I left the hospital and recovered at home, the magnitude of what I had just experienced hit me. If I lived only an hour south of the border, my right to that procedure would be in jeopardy. The fact that I’m human and fallible may not have been considered a good enough reason to make decisions about my own body.

If I lived only 70 km away, I might still be pregnant right now—completely against my own will. The experience made me grateful for the healthcare I’d received, but more importantly, that I lived in a country where my bodily autonomy was not up for debate.

It was only a few weeks later that the March for Life took place at Queen’s Park and this illusion was shattered.

It was only a few “ weeks later that the

March for Life took place at Queen’s Park and this illusion was shattered.

”

While a few comments from a 21-year-old white boy would usually roll right off my back, hearing Sam Oosterhoff challenge my right to make decisions about my own body infuriated me.

While fairly brief, the attendance and support of

government officials is a huge win for the anti-abortion movement. It legitimizes anti-choice rhetoric and gives them hope to reopen the abortion debate, which can have tangible impacts on women’s access to abortion.

Mainstream anti-choice debate can erode abortion rights for Canadian women. In the United States, for example, where abortion is a legally protected right, anti-abortion activists have successfully challenged the conditions under which women can get abortions by presenting abortion as a moral issue.

Now in many states, women have to be seen as deserving of an abortion. Often, rape or life-threatening medical conditions are considered the only valid reason for getting the procedure. Increasingly, even these conditions are becoming less acceptable for politicians and providers.

But there should be no restrictions on abortion.

Individuals should be treated as capable enough to make their own decisions about their bodies, and to understand whether their circumstances are conducive to bringing a child into the world on their own terms.

With increasing anti-abortion rhetoric, people of colour and low-income individuals are the first to bear the burden. Racism and classism mean that those people are often framed as being at fault for their own circumstances. As abortion access is restricted, they become the first for whom it is inaccessible.

If that’s the case, women usually find a way to terminate pregnancies nonetheless, but wealthier women have greater ease in finding safer alternatives—like private clinics or travelling across borders—while those with fewer supports end up finding solutions that are more dangeus.

With increasing “ anti-abortion rhetoric,

people of colour and low-income individuals are the first to bear the burden.

”

When I heard Sam Oosterhoff’s comments, I thought of the other patients I saw at the abortion clinic.

As I sat and waited for my appointment, I heard many of the other young women waiting with their mothers. They were being consoled through the stress of pregnancy and their fear for the upcoming procedure.

While we were all scared for the pain, I could hear the relief in their voices that they would be able to go on with their lives—to go to prom, go to university, and find their dream jobs.

These women were so young and have so much ahead of them.

For myself, and for them, I am so grateful for access to free and safe abortions.

Sam Oosterhoff, Will Bouma, and Christina Mitas should mind their own goddamned business.