The Queen's Journal, Issue 31

ams elections

Say yes to CES B y K atherine Fernandez -B lance Assistant News Editor

Eagan said she tried to remain level-headed throughout the campaign and not get her hopes up too high, but that she had her lucky After several rounds of the oil thigh, charm with her on election night. flip-cup and the CES campaign “The first person I called [when song, the atmosphere at the CES I found out] was my boyfriend of election party was tense. Finally, five years who goes to school in when the AMS election team, lead Ottawa. My lucky charm was the by the current AMS executives, puck that he used to score in his walked in, signalling a win for team first game in the Triple A league,” CES, the crowd literally went wild Eagan, ArtSci ’11, said. and chants of ‘CES’ dominated the Morgan Campbell, AMS room for the next several minutes. president-elect, said that for most “All I gotta say is fuck yeah!” of the campaign, team CES was Ashley Eagan, AMS vice-president definitely the underdog.

(Operations) elect said in her “Team AMS, that’s it! I want speech to the crowd after hearing to say that I saw this coming, but the results. “We worked so hard I didn’t ... we started off with a President-elect Morgan Campbell (second from left); vice-president (University Affairs) elect photo by christine blais to create something you could all small team, that team put in a 100 Kieran Slobodin (centre); vice-president (Operations) elect Ashley Eagan (second from right), of team CES embrace vote for.”

See It’s done on page 8 as they celebrate their victory.

T h u r s d ay , F e b r u a r y 3 , 2 0 11 — I s s u e 3 1

the journal

Q u e e n ’ s U n i v e r s i t y — C a n a da ’ s O l d e s t S t u d e n t N e w s pa p e r — S i n c e 1 8 7 3

elections

MCRC election heats up B y L abiba H aque Assistant News Editor The Main Campus Residence Council (MCRC) elections took a turn last Tuesday as both teams spoke in front of an AMS Judicial Committee (JCOMM) hearing.

Team MCF, which consists of presidential candidate Josh McCaul, ArtSci ’13, vicepresidential (Residence Affairs) candidate Tuba Chishti, ArtSci ’14, and vice-presidential (Discipline)

candidate Wesley Forget, ArtSci ’13, claimed that, TeamGAP misrepresented the residence non-academic discipline system in their campaign.

Team GAP consists of presidential candidate George Huang, MSc ’13, vice-presidential (Residence Affairs) candidate Pooja Kumar, Comm ’12, and vicepresidential (Discipline) candidate Alexandra Shaw, ArtSci ’13.

McCaul said that members of the team GAP were telling students

during their class talks, that the current non-academic discipline system would be changed to an academic system in the future. This would mean that anytime a student would breach a code of conduct in residence, it would appear on the student’s official transcripts.

Currently there are no plans in changing the residence non-academic discipline system.

McCaul said team MFC filed a complaint toPaoloUy,chiefelectoral officer for MCRC, last Thursday.

According to McCaul, the issue was taken more seriously when individuals and dons complained that the future of discipline was being misrepresented.

“Mr. Uy talked with them on Thursday night. He testified at JCOMM that he initially instructed them not to talk about the discipline at all, or to clarify what they meant,” he said. Despite the warning from Uy, McCaul said team GAP restructured their

The Journal spends a day with a member of Morris Hall’s cleaning staff.

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mean green Methods of implementing environmental values amongst young children up for discussion.

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SDL goes south Despite their defeat, team SDL said they’re proud of the way they ran their campaign and confident in the way they came across to students.

Before the results were announced, presidential candidate Sacha Gudmundsson, ArtSci ’11, was not a fan of the atmosphere in the room.

“Everyone’s stressed, I’ve got to make the spirits come up in this room,” she said.

After news came of their defeat, Gudmundsson thanked all the supporters in the house and encouraged them to remain involved in the AMS. “We ran the campaign with integrity, honesty and positive spirit.

I wouldn’t change the way this was done,” Gudmundsson said. “We still put a lot of good ideas on the table, and I’m excited to see what

custodial duties

See MCF on page 7

ams elections

B y J essica F ishbein Assistant News Editor

Inside

happens next year.”

Vice-presidential (Operations) candidate Dan Szczepanek, ArtSci ’11, said that highlights of the campaign included class talks and the Golden Words interview.

“We’d fall asleep by midnight exhausted, and be up by seven with so much adrenaline,” he said. “I want CES to ... involv[e] ... [the] student population that isn’t normally involved. They should follow through with what they promised, this is what it’s about.”

All members of SDL are unsure of their plans for next year.

“I went into this with no backup.

I don’t think I can go into a project like this without giving it 100 per cent,” vice-presidential (University Affairs) candidate Lara Therrien Boulos, ArtSci ’11, said. “I’m not fully closing the door to AMS. I really love the society and don’t think this will stop me from sticking around.”

Therrien Boulos said

funk fusion Montreal’s latest quartet fuses jazz, funk, rock, pop and hip hop into a uniquely Random Recipe.

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women’s hockey photo by justin tang

Presidential candidate Sacha Gudmundsson (left), vice-presidential (University Affairs) candidate Lara Therrien Boulos (centre) and vice-presidential (Operations) candidate Dan Szczepanek (right) of Team SDL lost last night’s election with 37 per cent of the vote.

that volunteers made the campaign possible.

“We had amazing volunteers who had helped us run really a clean, smooth campaign,” she said. “There were moments we heard how the other team was

campaigning and we remained positive and didn’t stoop to low levels.”

Victoria Harrison, ArtSci ’11, was at the party. She said that SDL remained true to themselves See I expected on page 8

Gaels won their game at home this weekend 4-1 against the UOIT Ridgebacks.

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News

2 •queensjournal.ca

Thursday, February 3, 2011

academics

Professor to take Turkish fellowship

Ariel Salzmann is the first Canadian to be awarded a prestigious fellowship at the University Research Centre for Antolian Civilizations located at Koç University

Professor Ariel Salzmann is spending six months at Koç University in Istanbul, Turkey for a prestigious history fellowship.

B y N elly S ul J eon Contributor Ariel Salzmann, associate professor of Islamic and world history, is the first Canadian to be awarded a prestigious fellowship at the University Research Centre for Antolian Civilizations, a position that she will begin in two weeks time.

The Centre is located at Koç University, one of three Turkish

supplied

universities Queen’s currently has ties to through undergraduate exchange programs. The other universities are Bosphorus University and Billkent University.

Salzmann said she will conduct research as a fellow on multiculturalism in the Ottoman Empire and will work at the university until June.

“I want to see what the relationship [between the Ottoman Empire and Europe] was, and I am

particularly concerned about how the Catholic Church responded to what I call the challenge of Ottoman multiculturalism,” she said. “The Middle East is a region with a rich, diverse history ... this is something that we can all learn from, particularly in the area of multiculturalism.”

This research, alongside the newly established exchange programs could help increase the University’s internationalization agenda as mentioned in Principal Woolf ’s 2009 ‘What’s Next’ document, she said.

“Internationalization is not just a bridge from ... Kingston to the rest of the world, but a sort of coming together and embracing of the diversity here,” Salzmann said. “[It’s about] showing how this can be part of the bridge that goes and hopefully brings more Turkish, more Middle Eastern students here.”

Every major world “language should be taught at Queen’s. ” —Ariel Salzmann, associate professor of Islamic and world history Salzmann said it’s important for students to have greater opportunities to study world languages at Queen’s, adding that

students can advocate for more language training and research in topics such as Muslim Middle Eastern studies.

“The University has listened already. It was the students ... who pushed for Arabic to be taught two years ago … and as a result now we have Arabic,” she said. “They put together a petition and that’s why the administration responded.”

Salzmann said two important languages that should be taught at Queen’s but currently aren’t, are Hindi and Urdu. Hindi is spoken by a large population in India while Urdu is spoken by many in Pakistan, Salzmann said.

“Every major world language should be taught Queen’s,” she said. “If students don’t have these languages in undergraduate, they will have problems going to into programs at other universities.”

As well as teaching more world languages, Queen’s needs to address regional and thematic topics in class, Salzmann said.

“For example, my colleague [history professor Adnan Hussain] and I are working to establish a theme ‘within Muslim societies’,” she said. “We all have to be ... citizens of our countries, but we all have to be global citizens [as well.] We have to respect, we have to learn about other people, other societies, other histories.”

Inside Trustee elected Lauren Long wins in five candidate race for student trustee.

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EngSoc Win Engineering Society presidential winner celebrates at Clark Hall pub.

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ASUS win celebrated Team of Rico Garcia and Duncan Peterson win election unacclaimed.

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CESA’s vote of confidence Team LoKK celebrates win for Concurrent Education Students’ Association.

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Campus Catch-up Check out campus news from across the country.

Page 6

student advocacy

Setting a table for change Queen’s Oxfam aims to raise awareness about world hunger B y M aghan B lakey Contributor Queen’s Oxfam has tabled their annual Change Conference in favour of a more creative evening event called the ‘Hunger Banquet.’

Attendees will become part of a dramatization of the global hunger pandemic—a pandemic that affects more than 800 million people worldwide. Cara Babineau, ArtSci ’12, one of the organizers for the banquet, said the banquet is a metaphor.

“People go for the experience.

People come in and they’re assigned to a different economic class, parts of the world that have more or less,” she said. “It’s a demonstration at the beginning of the dinner part of the evening.

So different people placed in the higher class will be served first and the second class will have to wait longer. The last class might have to sit on the floor and they might not get water, things like that.

The portion sizes will be affected as well.”

In addition to addressing the

issue of food security, the evening will also include information about some of the other Oxfam focal issues.

“It’s all connected,” Babineau said. “Oxfam Canada is focused on climate change and womens’ rights right now. They’re also interested in food security. One of the speakers will be speaking about how everything is affected and another will be talking just about women or climate change specifically.”

The evening’s collection of speakers will include the Youth and Campus Outreach Officer of Oxfam Toronto Taryn Diamond.

“She’s a great speaker and can connect with students really well,” Babineau said. “She can really show people of our age group how we can do things to really change what affects us and the world.”

Babineau said the conference differs a lot from its structure in previous years.

“Before we would have workshops and things during the day with just the dinner and conference in the evening,”

photo by christine blais

At Queen’s Oxfam’s first ever Hunger Banquet, attendees will be assigned to different economic classes and served accordingly. If put in a lower economic class, attendees will be served later and with smaller portion sizes. The aim of the metaphor is to provide people insight into the issue of global hunger which affects more than 800 million people worlwide.

she said, adding that this year’s combination of a dinner workshop will enable more people to become involved with all aspects of the events at once.

The decision to change this year’s event name to the ‘Hunger Banquet’ was to present the issue of chronic hunger as the focal point.

“The Hunger Banquet is actually something that Oxfam

Canada has,” Babineau said, “It was originally called Hungry4Change because it was about recognizing people that are hungry around the world. So the name is closer in raising awareness about that specifically.”

Babineau said she hopes the changes made to culminate in this year’s re-envisioned Hunger Banquet will pique peoples’

interests. Queen’s Oxfam is aiming for a turnout of about 60 guests.

The Queen’s Oxfam Hunger Banquet will be held Saturday, Feb. 5 at 4:30 p.m. in the McLaughlin Room of the JDUC. Tickets will be sold in advance for $5 at Common Ground Monday through Friday between 11 p.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets purchased at the door will be $10.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

queensjournal.ca

•3

Features

Getting out of Egypt Supplied

Continued from page 1

British Columbia on the ground in Egypt. They had lunch near Tahrir Square, less than a week before the riots broke out.

The travellers moved onto attractions in Jordan, including Petra and the coastal city of Aqaba.

“Everything started out beautifully,” Walker said. “We had lunch at a Bedouin camp where Lawrence of Arabia used to hang out and learned how to ride camels.

It was absolutely spectacular.”

The group then headed back to Egypt, travelling four hours through the desert by bus to Luxor. Walker

and his wife, along with three other couples from Queen’s, opted to extend their trip for a cruise along the Nile when signing up for the trip months prior. The rest of the Queen’s group, including former Principal Bill Leggett, headed back to Cairo expecting to fly home.

“They flew into trouble,” Walker said. “Theirs is quite a story.”

When Leggett, Queen’s principal from 1994 to 2004, arrived in the Cairo airport he estimated there were over 10,000 people in the terminal.

“This surge of humanity was trying to get through,” he said. “It

Photo courtesy of David Walker

Photo Courtesy of David Walker

Top: David Walker, one of 21 alumni who travelled to Egypt on a Queen’s trip, photographed riot police protecting a local police station. Bottom: Walker was caught in a demonstration after leaving his cruise ship last week.

was so heavily packed with people that it was impossible to move at times … Chaotic to say the least.”

Leggett was scheduled to fly back to Canada on Jan. 29, but was delayed by two days. “[There were] people who had spent 24, 36, 48 hours in the airport,” he said. “Luggage carts being passed overhead … A couple of people fainted and were lifted up and passed bodily overhead.

Quite a scene.”

From his cabin on the cruise ship, Walker said he watched the situation escalate.

“There’s BBC world news showing rioting,” he said. “We’re getting texts from our friends saying ‘it’s not good here in Cairo.’

“So we were getting a bit anxious.”

Then their cellphone and Internet connections went dead.

“Smoke was rising from the towns,” he said. “From time to time on shore there were fires and you could hear gun shots.”

The itinerary had Walker and his group landing in a small town on the banks of the Nile to visit a temple. It would be the last time the group was allowed off their cruise ship.

“That’s where the story starts to get interesting,” Walker told the Journal in an interview on Friday after he arrived home in Canada.

“We got ourselves caught up in a bit of a riot.”

The group was traveling by bus, passing a line of “shabby-looking” riot police protecting the police station from any arson attempts.

Walker said burning stations had become an ordinary sight.

The tour-guide on the bus dismissed the gathering crowd in town as only “a small riot,” but when the group returned from the tomb, the riot had grown to the point that the bus couldn’t reach the boat.

The shoreline was crowded with demonstrators and entrepreneurs upset that the other cruise ships had refused to dock in town.

“They were angry at losing business, the crowd was angry about Egypt and our bus arrived in the middle of it,” Walker said. “We got as close to the boat as possible.

That’s when it was really scary.

There was shouting and yelling and pushing and shoving.

“I said to my wife, ‘go, go, go’ and we just ran.”

The original schedule drafted

by Alumni Relations planned for the group of Queen’s travellers to dock in Luxor and fly to the Cairo airport, connecting to a flight back to Toronto. But the Luxor airport was closed.

“We were lingering around on this boat … sitting on the deck in the sun watching the shoreline with anxiety,” Walker said, adding that while they were on board the ship a

Luxor museum exploded near the coastline and a police station was burned down.

“The tourists were dissolving around us,” he said. “There were many of these Nile boat cruisers around and some of them were packing up, you could tell they weren’t going to have any business for a while.”

The gift shop on Walker’s cruise liner packed up all their silver and gold, which the shopkeeper told Walker was an attempt at protecting his business from looters.

“I thought ‘great,’ ” Walker said.

“So now if they come on the boat they’ll be looking for our watches.”

The group explored several opportunities for escape from Egypt, each one proving to be impossible in some way. The group’s tour guide planned on chartering a bus to the Red Sea and then taking a boat across to Jordan or Israel—but authorities advised against traveling four hours through the desert unprotected.

“At this time we hadn’t had much sleep for a day or two and it was getting noisier and noisier all around us,” he said. “All the security disappeared, all the police disappeared. All the prison guards left their posts and we heard all the prisoners were out of jail, roaming the countryside.”

The group’s last-ditch effort was going to be camping outside of the Luxor airport, waiting for it to open. At midnight on Jan. 31, Walker and the other passengers from Queen’s were briefed on the plan.

for days.

When everyone woke up at 5 a.m., the tour guide briefed them on the plan and though the group had to break curfew, they finally left en route to the airport shortly after sunset. “They coupled us off the boat with our bags onto the bus, praying that we wouldn’t get caught,” he said.

When they reached the airport, it was closed but the group managed to have the doors briefly opened so they could reach the plane that was only on 40-minute clearance from the Egyptian aviation authority.

“We went into this deserted airport [and] went through security where the [metal detector] was not plugged in,” Walker said. “We went to the passport control, couldn’t find anybody at first but eventually found somebody to stamp our passports.”

They ran out onto the runway, immediately entering the jet that had been circling above the airport waiting for the passengers to be ready to board. “[The pilot] shut the doors and we were off,” he said, adding that the group flew overnight to Qatar, connecting to a flight to London, England and then home to Toronto.

The Alumni Relations Egypt tour cost over $7,300 per person.

Brown said the thousands of dollars put towards chartering a plane in Luxor were taken out of the Alumni Tours revenue and will not take up funds from the operating budget or alumni pockets.

Quoted “The options for getting out seemed to have disappeared to nothing ...

We were told to be up at 5 o’clock and have your bags packed and we’ll go … nobody slept.”

—David Walker, MD ’71 and former dean of Health Sciences on his escape from Egypt

“The options for getting out seemed to have disappeared to nothing,” Walker said. “We were told to be up at 5 o’clock and have your bags packed and we’ll go … nobody slept.”

By this point, Queen’s Alumni Relations had been working for 24 hours to arrange a flight to retrieve their travellers. Judith Brown, associate vice-principal (Alumni Relations) worked in tandem with the Tour Operator, Gohagan, to charter an eight-seater jet and evacuate the tourists in Luxor, ensuring they wouldn’t sit unprotected outside the airport

“The principal was very clear on this: safety is the first priority,” Brown said, adding that the University’s efforts would have been the same regardless of whether a former principal and former dean were on the trip. “There’s only one thought that goes through your mind at a time like this and it would be the same thought regardless of the passengers. You need to bring them home safely.

“I’m just so relieved. The adrenaline is still kind of pumping.”

4 •queensjournal.ca

News

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

health

A battle for health Queen’s and Royal Military College jointly launch first ever Canadian military and veteran health research network B y S avoula S tylianou Contributor A first of its kind research network has been launched in order to provide medical advances specific to the health needs of military personnel, veterans and their families.

Queen’s, the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) and the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research (CIMVHR) have teamed up to bring together researchers from across Canada.

Alice Aiken, professor in the School of Rehabilitation Therapy and director of the military and veteran health research network, said independent researchers will now be able to communicate with one another about various health conditions faced by military personnel.

“We’re looking at everything, battlefield medicine to mental health to social health,” she said, adding that researchers can even examine how policies come into play. “The hub will be at Queen’s.”

Aiken said the initiative will deal directly with the discovery and treatment of health issues specific to the men and women who have served in war zones and their families.

“The example most people can see is Afghanistan and I think people coming back from Afghanistan have been exposed to psychological and physical stressors that they wouldn’t have necessarily been exposed to in Canada,” Aiken said, adding that this can trigger Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Aiken said.

“The issue became as big as it is today, in part, thanks to Romeo Dallaire sharing his experiences.”

The network will focus on issues such as how the treatment for PTSD can be improved as well as looking at social issues faced by military families.

For example, families of military personnel are less likely than the general population of Canada to have a family doctor, most likely because they are forced to move around.

“25 per cent do not have a family doctor,”

Aiken said.

The idea for the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research sprung from a forum held in Kingston in November 2010, which discussed the health care issues faced by military personnel, veterans and their families, Aiken said.

“Basically what we did is that we recognized that there was a need for a co-ordinated research effort [from universities] across the Alice Aiken, director of the military and veteran health research network photo by Christine Blais country and that it wasn’t being done so a says by linking researchers from across Canada, research on everything from battlefield group of us started working on getting it medicine to mental health will be promoted. together,” she said.

The new network serves to connect the Having served in the military herself, for the new research initiative and the Aiken said she’s particularly interested in network will function similarly to those in two health systems to each other.

“Our vision is that Kingston [through] ensuring the well-being of military personnel, other countries.

“We’re the only NATO country Queen’s and RMC is the hub for this both active and retired. doesn’t have a network pan-Canadian research network. So when “I am very passionate about military that priorities need to be researched, they can be veterans and their families. A lot of research like this.”

Although costs of the network haven’t communicated from university to university. is being done [in universities], but is not been finalized, Aiken said a network like It’s all about networking,” Aiken said. being communicated effectively.”

When asked why a network like this has The forum, held on Nov. 16 to 17, the one that functions in Australia costs $25 not been created until now, Aiken said it has was more popular than anyone could have million annually.

Aiken said there is currently a separate to do with the Canadian public. hoped, Aiken said.

“First of all, politically, the Canadian public “We had a waitlist that consisted of over healthcare system for military personnel might not have accepted it at an earlier time.

100 people. It blew us out of the water,” she in Canada.

“Members of the military are covered After the first Gulf War when I served, said, adding that the forum was able to have by their own health care system, not it would not have been a popular idea. expert participants.

“We were also lucky enough to have provincially. All services are provided in Whether people agree with Afghanistan or Senator Romeo Dallaire moderate one of the the same location,” she said, adding that not, they certainly support our troops,” she this would happen at a military base, told the Journal via email. “The military sessions at the forum for us.” does a unique job and they need our support.

Following the forum the idea for the for example.

Aiken said that for certain procedures, Moreover, I don’t know that anyone has ever network was presented to the University military personnel might need to use the tried to create a network like this.” for approval.

In order to have the creation of the civilian system, but that procedure may not —With files from Clare Clancy research network approved, Aiken said she be avaiable where they are deployed. had to submit a proposal to the Senate Advisory Research Council (SARC).

“It was very quick. We had 31 engaged elections faculty members from Queen’s,” she said, adding that these faculty members were people who supported the creation of the network. “I was then asked to speak to my proposal in front of SARC.” Aiken said the details of how the network will function are still under discussion.

“We’re still in the process of deciding what B y L abiba H aque it will look like,” she said.

Assistant News Editor According to Aiken, so far there are 20 universities other than Queen’s on board With an arsenal of great ideas, sole presidential candidate for Computing Students' Association (COMPSA) Rob Staalduinen said he wants to bring change to the faculty society.

Staalduinen said his main goal is to increase the academic resources available to computer science students.

Staalduinen, CompSci’13, is currently the vice-president (University Affairs) for the faculty society. He said one of the main problems concerning academic resources is the TA to student ratio in first and second year classes. Upper-year students have volunteered to start group photo by Justin Tang tutorials for first and second year students Presidential candidate because of this ratio.

Rob Staalduinen says that he hopes expand “Computer science students have already student-run tutorials. started group tutorials with students,” he said adding that this is an initiative he hopes on the latest COMPSA developments. to build on.

“Social networking is getting so popular “I want to create an online system where that it may be the best way to reach out to professors can request these tutorials when everyone,” he said. they feel like they are needed,” he said, Staalduinen said he also hopes to build on adding that this would require the society to the alumni speaker program that he started promote the initiative to upper year students this year and to find new ways to generate and create groups of tutorial leaders. revenue for the society through sponsorship Staalduinen said he also hopes to increase and fundraising. the faculty’s visibility on campus.

With his previous experience on council, “Most people don’t know where Staalduinen said he feels prepared to take on computing is and aren’t as aware of it as they the position as president. are of the AMS or ASUS. I want to reach out “I have the experience to do this,” he said. to students outside of our faulty and I want “I’m not doing this because I feel like it’s a to reach out to our students,” he said. job. I love COMPSA; I want our society to Staalduinen said he hopes to create a blog be part of [the student’s] lives.” or a Twitter account, which will provide all students an opportunity to get a quick update Voting days for COMPSA are Feb. 8 and 9

President programming Rob Staalduinen runs unopposed for Computing Students’ Association (COMPSA) president

News

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

queensjournal.ca

•5

health

Fewer fighting flu with vaccines Reduced flu vaccination this year can have negative impacts on both individual and public health B y K atHeRine FeRnanDeZ -B lanCe Assistant News Editor With cold and flu season beginning to come to an end, public health records show that there was an average 10 per cent drop in vaccinations this flu season.

Dr. Gerald Anthony Evans, an infectious disease specialist at Kingston General Hospital and an associate professor with Queen’s Medical School, said the reduced uptake of the flu vaccine this year could be attributed to flu fatigue.

“Canadians heard so much about [the vaccine] in 2009 with the [H1N1] pandemic,” Evans said, adding that this

caused vaccination rates to be far higher in past years.

Evans said that many people don’t treat the flu as severely as they should, and this also leads to a decrease in immunization.

“People mistakenly think a bad cold is the flu, but in reality the flu is one of those infections or diseases that people would prefer not to have,” Evans said. “The more people we vaccinate and make immune, the less likely the impact of the flu will be severe.”

Evans said that like most vaccines, the flu shot allows your body to develop antibodies that neutralize the virus and prevents you from being effected by it.

elections

A residential win

Scepticism still surrounds the vaccine, Evans said, and this also contributes to its reduced uptake.

“People think that they can get the flu from the vaccine; that’s completely not true because the virus is a dead virus,” he said, adding that there are few risks associated with getting the vaccine.

Evans said that the current vaccine is made in chicken eggs. After obtaining a copy of the influenza viruses in circulation, a seed strain is created and then used to replicate the virus. This replication is then treated to inactivate the virus.

“About half of the egg production in the world actually goes towards vaccine production,” Evans said, adding that the vaccines distributed in Kingston are produced all over the world, but are licensed

by Health Canada before use.

“The vaccine is pretty standard every year, the only thing changed is what types of influenza virus go in it,” Evans said. “By looking at surveillance data, we can see

which strain [is most common this year.]”

Evans said that many people believe that if they get the flu shot once, they are protected against it for years, but because the strains used in the vaccine change year to year, it’s important for people to get vaccinated every year. In November, the University ran a one-day public flu clinic on campus.

Statistics show that at least 25 per cent of the Canadian population regularly gets the flu vaccine, Evans said, but he estimates the percentage of university students who get it is much lower.

“Students are generally, young, healthy and vigorous. They think they don’t need the protection. They are also busy with lots of stuff and I’m sure it’s a low priority within their schedule … even if you’re young and healthy, it’s a good health habit to get the vaccine every Fall,” Evans said.

The flu vaccine is available from October until late February. To book an appointment with Health Services, call 613-533-2506.

Team GAP wins MCRC elections with 388 votes l aBiBa H aque Assistant News Editor The Main Campus Residence Council (MCRC) president-elect George Huang said he was elated last Thursday, when he found out his team won their bid for MCRC executives for the 2011-2012 term.

Huang MSc ’13, said the competition between the two teams had been very close. Huang and the rest of team GAP faced scrutiny from the opposing team last week when they were brought in front of the AMS Judicial Committee for alleged misrepresentation of the residence non-academic discipline system.

Nonetheless, residents voted on Feb. 1, 2 and 3, and Team GAP won the elections with 388 votes while team MFC had 360 votes.

Huang said that his team found out last Thursday night when Paolo Uy, chief electoral officer for MCRC told them personally that they had won.

“We were in Leggett at the time; it was around 9:30. He told us that we were successful and we were excited,” he said.

“The first thing that went through my head was; okay it’s over.”

Huang said the team contacted their predecessors immediately to begin their transitioning as soon as possible.

“We look forward to working with Residence Life; we want to continue our relationship with them,” he said, adding that the team is also looking into sponsoring a Queen’s invitational Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) event.

The event, which has a high first-year enrollment, is case-based and has students identify problems with company practices and look for solutions.

“Currently our front desk services have very low usage amongst students. We would really like this to be used as a case towards the participants, and get their feedback as to what they think we should do to increase use,” he said.

Although the team has a strong grasp on the ideas they would like to work towards immediately, they are aware of the difficulties they may face when pursuing their long-term goals.

“We would like start an initiative as to how we can get flex dollars at Common 25 per cent of Canadians regularly get the flu vaccine.

Ground,” he said, adding that although it is a long-term goal and he foresees many difficulties, he hopes to set-up the ground-work for future executive teams to build on.

Vice-presidential-elect (Residence Affairs) Pooja Kumar said that she is very thankful for the support that the team had received during their campaign period.

“It’s a huge accomplishment. Especially this time around, the election at the very least was a complicated process. So we were very happy with the outcome,” she said.

Although team MFC was not elected, Kumar said she would like to collaborate with them in future as they had some great ideas, like the creation of a more user-friendly website.

Despite the incident of miscommunication between the two teams, Kumar said that she hopes team MFC remains involved in MCRC and she wishes them the best of luck.

“We are all very worthy opponents, we all have great ideas. As you can see, the elections results were very close. The closest they have been in a long time,” she said. “We are all very competent and I’m glad to see our team persevere.”

Team GAP beat team MFC with a margain of 28 votes.

photo by Christine blais

photo by Christine blais

6 •queensjournal.ca About The Journal

Editorial Board Tyler Ball

Managing Editor Rachel Kuper Production Manager Leslie Yun

News Editor

Clare Clancy

Assistant News Editors

Katerine Fernandez-Blance Jessica Fishbein Labiba Haque

Features Editor

Editorials Editor

Jake Edmiston

Elias Da Silva-Powell

Editorial Cartoonist Dialogue Editor

Adam Zunder

Craig Draeger

Arts Editor

Ally Hall

Assistant Arts Editor

Alyssa Ashton

Sports Editor

Kate Bascom

Assistant Sports Editor

Lauri Kytömaa

Postscript Editor

Kelly Loeper

Supplements Editor

Holly Tousignant

Photography Editor

Christine Blais

Assistant Photo Editor

Justin Tang

Copy Editors

Andrew Stokes Catherine Owsik

Web and Blogs Editor

Terra-Ann Arnone

Web Manager

Dianne Lalonde

Business Staff

Business Manager David Sinkinson

Advertising Manager

Tina You

Advertising Representatives

Carlee Duchesne Lianne Lew Jesse Weening

Staff

Photographers Asad Chishti Jerome James

Writers

Contributors

““

The group ... moved the material outside, where they were subsequently arrested by campus police.

Editorials The Journal’s Perspective

Editor in Chief

Sara Melvin Parker Mott Claire Nelischer

Savoula Stylianou Edward Woolley Tuesday, February 8, 2011 • Issue 32 • Volume 138 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.

Contents © 2011 by the Queen’s Journal; all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of the Journal. The Queen’s Journal is printed on a Goss Community press by Performance Group of Companies in Smiths Falls, Ontario.

Contributions from all members of the Queen’s and Kingston community are welcome. The Journal reserves the right to edit all submissions.

Subscriptions are available for $120.00 per year (plus applicable taxes).

Please address complaints and grievances to the Editors in Chief.

Please direct editorial, advertising and circulation enquiries to: 190 University Avenue, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3P4 Telephone : 613-533-2800 (editorial) 613-533-6711 (advertising) Fax: 613-533-6728 Email: journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

”

LIFE

A Super Bowl of sin?

A

sport-related and otherwise. n article published by the CBC will be moved into Texas.

Other charges are less dramatic. Any entertainment spectacle considers the Super Bowl and comes to a gloomy conclusion on The article claims the Super Bowl encourages self-indulgent and lare lancy what the event shows us about encourages gluttony. Super Bowl excessive behaviour.

Most of the issues in question Sunday is the second biggest day human nature.

The article, titled “Super Bowl, of food consumption, behind are matters of free choice—you super football follies,” claims Thanksgiving. Pizza chains claim can’t stop people from eating that “the Super Bowl represents that the day of the Super Bowl too much, getting excited about humanity at its worst,” charging it is one of the busiest of the year. sports, or scalping tickets at an with encouraging everything from The article also suggests that the outrageous mark-up.

The concerns about prostitution Superbowl incites greed—pointing bad habits to illegal activity.

Some of the charges are serious, to the astronomical ticket prices are different. Hopefully, recognizing veryone knows that Queen’s as the article cites evidence that charged by scalpers, which can go a pattern of human trafficking will squirrels are special. Not only help authorities crack down as are they abundant, but they are drunk driving spikes on Super Bowl as high as $5,000 a ticket.

While the issues raised in the hard as possible.

Sunday. It’s also a day associated plump, mangy and generally crazy.

It’s hard to see what the goal These rodents not only plague our with injury, as overzealous fans get CBC story are unsettling, it’s hard to take the article’s claims seriously. of the article is, especially as its campus, but share one quality in carried away in their excitement.

None of the problems in final accusation, that the Super particular that I find increasingly More unsettling is the spike in sex traffic related to question arise solely out of the Bowl encourages “shameless disturbing: stealth. an influx of visiting fans, with Super Bowl itself, but are simply cross-promotion,” is the most One particular memory a Reuters report estimating that exacerbated by it and by any obtuse of all. exemplifies what I’m talking about. thousands of underage girls other number of popular events, In my second year, my housemate Robbie was found yelling ‘shoo, shoo’ rather forcefully in his bedroom.

A squirrel had broken into his second floor room and was found eating through a bag of mixed nuts.

I have never been as impressed by a Queen’s squirrel as I was at that moment.

It somehow had managed to crawl through a narrow window opening and find its perfect meal before escaping unharmed.

The squirrels that roam campus and the student ghetto have always scared me and this incident only confirmed my judgements. As one friend remarked to me yesterday, “squirrels are evil.”

Each time I hear about another squirrel break-in or see a group of them rummaging through garbage, I am more convinced of News this. With patchy fur and beady eyes, they are far from their cute cartoon counterparts.

There is one redeeming thing arleton University’s student distribution, solicitation, lobbying association has a responsibility about Queen’s squirrels—their government has upheld a effort, display, event etc. that seeks to facilitate political discourse place in the University’s traditions. previous decision to cut funding to limit or remove a woman’s right from all perspectives, Carleton Over the years I have heard various and remove the official club status to choose her option in the case of Lifeline has a responsibility to versions of the myth of the golden do so in a reasonable manner, in squirrel, but there is one I find of an anti-abortion group called pregnancy will not be supported.”

Carleton Lifeline claims that line with the association and the especially convincing.

Carleton Lifeline.

Apparently there is a golden The Carleton University Student the decision opposes CUSA’s University’s expectations.

It’s easy to see why the University squirrel at Queen’s, which if sighted Association’s (CUSA) original own mandate to function free decision followed a “Genocide from prejudice based on political felt it necessary to cut the club’s before midterms, foreshadows funding. The graphic display could failing marks.

Awareness Program” campaign affiliations or beliefs.

Alternatively, if the golden The Journal feels that easily have a serious and disturbing mounted by Carleton Lifeline in October. The campaign featured CUSA’s decision was reasonable effect on passers-by—especially squirrel is sighted after midterms, those unprepared to see it in a the semester’s finals will be aced. graphic imagery of bloodied and appropriate.

It’s my belief that the legendary It’s true that removing public space. fetuses and compared abortion to Instead of encouraging discourse golden squirrel is actually albino, Carleton Lifeline’s club status as a the Holocaust.

The group had been offered consequence of its inappropriate and reflection, the display simply after hearing descriptions of it from indoor space to display their posters, conduct sets a dangerous precedent. marries two overwhelmingly friends who’ve seen it.

I suppose then that the squirrels but moved the material outside, While the move is a response to sensitive topics in the least sensitive where they were subsequently the club’s methods, not its message, way possible, trying to elicit disgust of Kingston will remain pests in my arrested by campus police and dissembling the two is impossible. and guilt in viewers. The University mind with one exception.

I myself have never seen the CUSA needs to carefully examine made a reasonable and appropriate charged with trespassing.

The Student Association told the clubs that it endorses for fear decision, considering they provided golden squirrel but perhaps I will be Lifeline that their constitution of contradicting its own mandate Lifeline a forum to display their lucky enough to bear witness to its opposes the association’s to function as a body free materials—a concession which the existence, preferably after midterms. club ignored by moving into a anti-discrimination policy, which from prejudice.

However, where the student public space. states that “any campaign,

C

C

Squirrels, oh my!

E

Carleton cuts Lifeline

C

Editor in Chief 2011

The Journal Online: www.queensjournal.ca

Election Voters List

Circulation 6,000 Issue 33 of Volume 138 will be published on Friday, February 11, 2011.

Vote February 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 190 University Ave. Terra-Ann Arnone Alyssa Ashton Kate Bascom

Paul Bishop

Elias Da Silva-Powell

Carolyn Flanagan

Dianne Lalonde

Claire Nelischer

Justin Tang

Christine Blais

Benjamin Deans

Ally Hall

Lianne Lew

Catherine Owsik

Holly Tousignant

Katherine FernandezBlance

Craig Draeger

Labiba Haque

Kelly Loeper

Katie Pearce

Jesse Weening

Carlee Duchesne

Jerome James

Tim McKay

David Sinkinson

Ron Yan

Jake Edmiston

Balpreet Kukreja

Sara Melvin

Rose Solovitch

Tina You

Janina Enrile

Rachel Kuper

Jacob Morgan

Anand Srivastava

Leslie Yun

Jessica Fishbein

Lauri Kytömaa

Parker Mott

Andrew Stokes

Adam Zunder

Clare Clancy Justin Chin Jaaron Collins Rob Campbell

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

queensjournal.ca

DIALOGUE

•7

Talking Heads ... in the QP

Perspectives from the Queen’s community

Photos By Craig Draeger

What were you doing for the Superbowl?

“Working right here at the QP.” Alex Steele, ArtSci ’11

The House of Commons is broken. Is the answer to wrest power away from the party structure and toward individual Members of Parliament?

E dward Woolley, A rt S ci ’13

Canadian politics

MPs, not parties Power has become centralized in the office of the Prime Minister and party leaders, undermining our Westminster Parliamentary system

industry only, but his judgment.”

While not the original intent of his statement, it’s entirely applicable to a discussion of the nature of political parties.

At its core, the question boils down to whether MPs should serve as guaranteed votes for a political party, or whether they should exercise their own judgment and independence when making decisions.

Ironic as it may sound today, a young Stephen Harper once decried the House of Commons as being more-or-less the United States Electoral College if the Electoral College continued to sit for four years—a largely ceremonial body that gets together to vote the exact same way on every issue.

I’m in a predicament. I rather like the government’s recent proposal to purchase new fighter jets, but I’m quite opposed to its “anti-crime” measures. What can I do?

Under the current political system, I have the following options: support the government because I like one of their policies, support the opposition because I’m opposed to one of the government’s policies or stay at home/spoil my ballot/vote Green (they’re all pretty The worst thing that much the same thing). our political system The truth is that few people could endure is a agree entirely with every decision strengthening of the a political party makes or every party structure. policy they enact—and the kinds of people who do, are the most The House of Commons aggravating partisan hacks one can was designed as a forum for the ever encounter.

Most people have a wide and people’s representatives to gather diverse range of ideas and cannot together, debate and discuss ideas be easily grouped into any political to promote the general welfare ideology, much less a political party. and vote on the adoption of So, how do we change this? proposed solutions.

The best and brightest were to In my mind, the best way to fix our political system is to get back think and discuss and come out with different ideas. Where are the to basics.

From the eighteenth Wilberforces, Burkes, Pitts or Foxes century until almost the end of of today?

Does anybody even pretend that the nineteenth, the House of Commons in Westminster was Parliament is a forum to discuss a chaotic chamber, with little ideas and debate issues?

The closest we have today absolute stability for governments.

Prime Ministers had to cobble to an independent thinker in together coalitions of different MPs Parliament is the MP from Beauce, that would shift with each vote. Quebec, the much-maligned One may take note of Charles Fox’s Maxime Bernier.

And whatever your political crossing of the floor to support Prime Minister Pitt on a debate position is, it’s certainly a breath of fresh air to hear an MP like over Canada.

On every issue, MPs could Mr. Bernier come out and openly support or oppose the government, oppose some of the policies of his and could cross the floor to express own party. their differing opinions.

The great pity is that Mr. Bernier Edmund Burke, the great is in the unique position of being Whig statesman of the eighteenth indispensable to Stephen Harper, century, once wrote that “your and so he has the license to say representative owes you, not his what he wants. Few MPs have

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such freedom.

So, how does society go about accomplishing this revolution in politics? The first and most effective way is to end the ridiculous practice of requiring party leaders to sign nomination forms for candidates.

A local candidate should be the choice of a local constituency, not the party hierarchy.

This would rectify two problems: first, it would make MPs accountable to their constituents, not their party leadership, and second, it would increase the quality of debate in Parliament.

At present, MPs with independent ideas are stifled by leaders, as any comments may be blamed on the leadership (“why don’t you fire him/her?”).

If MPs could say what they wanted without their leaders taking the blame, then the quality of parliamentary debate would rise and an abundance of new ideas could emerge.

The situation in Canada is unique among Westminster democracies and needs to be fixed.

A final note on one of the more recent proposals (that we adopt a proportional representation to elect MPs): the goal of Parliament is to represent different areas through thinking, ‘small-i’ independent MPs. The worst thing that our political system could endure is a strengthening of the party structure.

At heart, the greatest problem with our democratic system is the stifling of the legislature by the party structure.

While I appreciate the value of parties in bringing together coalitions of people who broadly agree, a true representative democracy requires that representatives have the ability to decide for themselves and use their own discretion on each issue.

We need more floor-crossing, less party discipline and more debate.

When we start thinking and debating again, then the House of Commons will work.

“I fell asleep at 6 p.m.”

Susannah Gouinlock, ArtSci ’11

“The same as this chick.”

Claire Nelischer, ArtSci ’12

“Watching with friends.”

Laura Sonley, ArtSci ’12

“Watching the Steelers lose.”

Murray Adamson, ArtSci ’12

Have your say.

Write a letter or visit queensjournal.ca to comment.

OPINION

8 •queensjournal.ca

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS CRTC overturn is a wake-up call to Internet providers Dear editors, Not all is well in the world of Canadian internet billing. and this time, it’s personal.

Just three days after signing a contract with teksavvy, a small internet provider offering unlimited bandwidth packages for less than half the price of large providers like Cogeco, the

Canadian radio-television and telecommunications Commission (CrtC) came down with a decision forcing independent providers to adopt something known as “Usage-Based Billing” (UBB)—which, in effect, mandated that these small providers charge customers nearly as much as internet giants like Bell, rogers and Cogeco. My wallet suddenly felt lighter.

Personal woes aside, there is something to be said about UBB. For years, major internet providers have sneered as independent

POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICAT ES Financial Planning Global Business Management Human Resources Management International Development International Marketing Marketing Management Public Administration

business.humber.ca

providers have purchased bandwidth from them and re-sold it to customers at a fraction of the price, all without incurring the maintenance and infrastructure upgrade costs associated with operating a major network.

Proponents of the CrtC decision say UBB is a necessary action in order to cope with enormous increases in internet traffic and to ensure major providers maintain viability in the longer term.

What the CrtC decision fails to consider, however, is that infrastructure upgrades and technological advances have made the internet more powerful—and cheaper to run—than ever before. according to a February 2 article in the globe and Mail, it may cost as little as 3 cents for a major internet provider to transmit one gigabyte of data, yet most providers charge between $1-2 for each additional gigabyte of usage. in short: yes, there has been an explosion of internet traffic among Canadians, but the cost of providing this service is falling faster than the usage is rising.

Fortunately, the Conservative government has listened to the recent public outcry and announced

on February 2 its intention to overturn the CrtC decision should the Commission fail to do so itself. and in the wake of media attention on internet billing, this should be a wake-up call to major providers who will likely see their market position erode if they do not re-tool their pricing structures.

But even in the democratic throng that is the online world, justice is fragile. i’m willing to pay for my internet use, but UBB seemed more like a way for large service providers to eliminate smaller competitors and ensure high profitability. surely, the CrtC can do better.

Brendan Monahan, ArtSci ’11

Reagan at 100: Bad Policies, Great Politics Dear editors, February 6 marks the centennial of ronald reagan’s birth. since his departure from office in 1989, conservatives and pundits have concocted a dubious and duplicitous narrative about the reagan Presidency. “reagan cut the size of government,” “reagan was a true fiscal conservative,” “reagan stood up for america” and most preposterous and fallacious of all: “reagan won the Cold War.” on the issue of government spending, reagan should be remembered as a tax-and-spend liberal. according to the treasury Department, nine tax bills were passed between 1981 and 1987 and

seven of them increased taxes. regardless of how reagan personally felt about tax hikes, he signed off on these tax increases.

By 1986 the deficit ballooned to $226 billion and the national debt more than doubled. reaganomics—the theory that cutting taxes can increase tax revenues—itself was a myth. it’s a bold statement to say that the entire reagan economic policy rested not on an edifice but an artifice. the President’s own budget director David stockman would call it a “fiscal catastrophe” in his 1986 memoir. the notion of a muscular foreign policy is a half-truth. there were times when reagan did stand up for america. When asked about the israeli Prime Minister’s “unreserved opposition” to the Us selling arms to saudi arabia, reagan retorted that it was “not the business of other nations to make american foreign policy.” ronald reagan not only sold arms to iran (while simultaneously jailing the private sale of these arms as they violated the Us arms embargo on iran) but his administration then hoped to fund the anti-communist Contras in Nicaragua, an illegal and impeachable offence that has been largely forgotten. to reagan’s credit, he was not as ideologically inflexible as george W. Bush. reagan came into office talking tough on nuclear issues but by 1984 was telling the world that he wanted to see a world without nuclear weapons.

When reagan met the soviet Leader gorbachev in 1985, he whispered: “i bet the hardliners in both of our countries are bleeding when we shake hands.”

By the end of his Presidency, he had reduced the Us stockpile of nuclear weapons faster than previous Presidents. reagan was not a great president; neither was he a bad president. he was rather somewhere in between. in terms of policies, reagan should be remembered as mediocre. in terms of politics—that is the ability to win elections, transform the trajectory of the country, and perhaps most importantly, alter the politics of the opposing party—america’s fortieth President goes unrivalled.

Omer Aziz, ArtSci ’12

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

queensjournal.ca

•9

Arts

Paul Giamatti stars in the titular role of Barney, a man who likes three things: his father Izzy (played by Dustin Hoffman), cigars and a woman named Miriam (played by Rosamund Pike).

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film review

Living an unsuccessful love story The adaptation of Mordecai Richler’s Barney’s Version tells the poignant story of a life marked by both joy and tragedy, one lived fearlessly and propelled by the conundrums of ludicrous actions B y P arker M ott Staff Writer Starring: Paul Giamatti, Dustin Hoffman and Rosamund Pike Directed by: Richard J. Lewis Screenplay by: Michael Konyves Duration: 132 minutes

 So what is Barney’s ‘version’? Is it his angle to a life inanimate, or another edition into real life in all its cynical glory? Is Barney’s Version, based on the novel by Mordecai

Richler, just a misrepresentation of normalcy?

Simply put, Barney Panofsky (Paul Giamatti) is a successful man living an unsuccessful love story.

His subsidiary friends toast to how Barney is their only truly successful friend, but when it comes to him and women, they pout at him like a child who has lost his mommy.

Barney marries a floozy, indignant wife of a Russian mobster (played by Rachelle Lefevre) because he impregnates her. They fight at the altar and she commits suicide because Barney

missed a chicken roast. He then marries a well-off but equally vexing daddy’s girl (Minnie Driver) and can’t stand her. He grits his teeth while she complains about his expressionistically esoteric paintings. This is a mismatch.

That’s the way his life is, a joke and a tragedy.

Barney likes three things: his father Izzy (Dustin Hoffman) a retired police officer, cigars and Miriam (Rosamund Pike). Barney

culture

Reimagined representations The Vagina Monologues are back with a newfangled double feature presentation

See One on page 11

album review

clearly canadian When Paul Giamatti thanked “the great nation of Canada” in his acceptance speech for Best Actor at the Golden Globes, several national allusions in Barney’s Version came to mind: • Habs games peppering television screens on set • Involvement from familiar favourites Paul Gross, Denys Arcand, Atom Egoyan and David Cronenberg • Set and filmed in Montréal, it had an early Canadian release date

Twigg & Stone’s City Limits.

B y C laire N elischer Staff Writer On a campus rich with a multitude of women’s experiences, there are far too few opportunities for honest and frank discussion of taboo subjects such as women’s sexuality.

The Vagina Monologues has had a long history of opening up dialogue on such topics at Queen’s, having been performed here by students for the past 11 years. But for Shannon Goldberg, Vanita Sachdeva and Leora Smith, the directors of this year’s production of the show, the Vagina Monologues no longer creates a relevant space for this open discourse, as it did when it first opened 20 years ago.

“The play hasn’t completely evolved with social change, so things that were daring in the early The cast of the 11th production of Vagina See A Way on page 11

falls in love with her at his own wedding. Pathetic? Yes, but Barney’s life is a conundrum of ludicrous actions. He is a man who laughs and cries readily at the same time. That’s the way his life is, a joke and a tragedy.

Miriam is from New York and Barney thinks he is destined to marry her. He uses his junkie friend Boogie (Scott Speedman) to help him divorce his wife, but ironically, a horrible accident follows. Still, why would Miriam wed Barney?

The stout, unattractive and

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Breaking tedium

Instrumental duo bring a break from the ordinary B y Terra -A nn A rnone Web and Blogs Editor

photos by christine blais

Monologues at Queen’s aim to create a relevant space for open discourse.

Ottawa duo Twigg & Stone began 2011 with the release of their debut album, City Limits. Well-crafted, mellow and beautifully produced, City Limits crosses a wide array of genres. The album is an artistic experiment and certainly an ode to the pair’s mixed musical See These on page 12

Online sobaz benjamin Check out an interview with the filmmaker in light of his visit to Queen’s to speak on his film Race is a Four-Letter Word. on limelight

theresie tungilik Find out more about the artist before her talk on Thursday at Agnes Etherington. on limelight

10 •queensjournal.ca

ARTS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2011

ARTS

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

queensjournal.ca

This theme of community extends beyond the performance itself and into the activities surrounding the production. some laughs, but also challenge The cast and crew participate in themselves to think about the weekly “Sunday Sessions” where issues presented and to account participants are able deconstruct for the diversity of experiences in some of the subjects covered in the the world. show and discuss issues that face “There’s a lot of things that women in the Queen’s and broader are going to make you feel Kingston community. uncomfortable in the show and “It’s not just a play, it’s about it’s very easy to push them away or forming that community on just laugh them off,” Sachdeva said. campus,” Smith said. “What we “But you should challenge yourself found from our interviews [with and ask yourself why you feel like cast and crew] was that a lot of that and why you have such a people on this campus are looking reaction to certain things.” for a positive community, and this The directors see the Vagina is one. It’s nice to be a part of that.”

Monologues and Re-Vulva-Lutions In an effort to extend this as a form of activism, with sense of community and to ensure implications for the audience and that the show is accessible to as a cast and crew of over 40 women. many people as possible, there “Maybe people who have been will be childcare provided during struggling with these issues will performances in Convocation think, ‘Oh yeah, I’m not alone! I’m Hall, an accessible campus space. not the only one who’s feeling this In addition to the $12-$15 tickets way, who’s frustrated, who wants on sale in the Queen’s Centre, to get enraged,’ I see it as a way to pay-what-you-can tickets are build a community,” Goldberg said. available at the Grey House. All

‘A way to build a community’ current set of monologues and we decided which ones fit and which 1990s are now totally naturalized ones didn’t. We looked in a broad and easy to say,” Sachdeva said. source of websites and books and “It limits representations of [a YouTube videos and we asked woman’s] experiences to really people in the community to write extreme examples for shock value; things, and together we compiled the only cases of sexual assault are seven new monologues.”

“It’s still the same show that on women of colour and in war.

The only queer experiences are people know and love and they should come see it and just be when you’re … a sex worker.”

As a response to the limits of the excited that there’s an added Vagina Monologues, the directing bonus of these new, really great team has decided to build on monologues as well,” Smith added.

The seven new monologues the tradition of the show while making revisions to account for featured in Re-Vulva-Lutions the current experiences of women address difficult topics like gay in the Queen’s community. This marriage, rape and sex work. But change comes in the form of despite the weighty subject matter Re-Vulva-Lutions, part two of the of some of some pieces, the show double-feature that will comprise adds a dose of comic relief in monologues about masturbation this year’s show.

“We started by making a list of and dating.

The directors said they hope issues that we wanted the show to cover and we worked backward,” this balance of content will allow Sachdeva said. “We looked at the audience members to share Continued from page 9

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proceeds from ticket sales will go to Dawn House, Interval House and Sexual Assault Center Kingston, three important organizations helping local women.

The directors of the Vagina Monologues and Re-Vulva-Lutions hope to have audience members who are willing to open their hearts and minds to new perspectives and that viewers will take something away from the show.

“We’re just trying to expose people to different ideas, both stories and theory, and what it means to be a feminist,” Sachdeva said. “It’s not just bra-burning, man-hating lesbians who don’t shave. But if you are that, rock on!”

The Vagina Monologues/ Re-Vulva-Lutions cast perform a sold out show this Thursday at 8 p.m.

Tickets still available for Friday’s performance at 8 p.m., Saturday’s 3 p.m. matinee and a final show at 8 p.m. in Convocation Hall.

One man, three women, one true love Continued from page 9

volatile Barney.

I posit Miriam is allured by a man that loves her so passionately. That is one of the most attractive things in anyone.

We can accept Miriam for who she is and furthermore, bestow her as an important asset to Barney’s conscience.

What surprised me about

Barney’s Version is how typical director Richard J. Lewis portrays a life that is complex, yet muddled with apathy and charm. This life is formula, a little derivative—founded on love and propelled by it—and if this is about a reclusive TV producer, you expect something out of the box. I was let down, but atoned by Lewis’s control of a more simple approach.

He really captures the texture of

real life, but using enough caustic humour to emphasize Barney’s sleepwalking attitude.

This is an emotional movie too, told as picaresque. Dustin Hoffman and Paul Giamatti are the essential pair. Hoffman’s Izzy is aberrant but cynically astute like Barney.

They read each other’s eyes like a book they have read a thousand times. Barney is enchanted by his father, his guts, his advice and his

Giamatti’s Barney Panofsky is a man of many women, juggling wives played by Rachelle Lefevre, Minnie Driver and his one true love, Rosamund Pike’s Miriam.

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downright silliness.

Barney is the key character and Giamatti must have just missed the Oscar nomination. He doesn’t play the role, he denies it. He rejects the camera’s presence and reminisces.

By the end, we hit an irony.

Barney begins to lose what he has savored his whole life: memories.

Some good, mostly bad. He sees a ball descend from the sky and it faintly reminds him of a deep

regret. But that is the downturn of a life that comes off simplistic, but also reminds us assuredly that life is a series of memories in motion and they will ultimately fade away. Or at least, that was Barney’s version.

So, there we have it: a near-great film about the stubborn quest for greatness.

Barney’s Version plays until Thursday at the Screeing Room.

ARTS

12 •queensjournal.ca

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2011

‘These are not beats, they are pieces of music’ Continued from page 9

DJ Twigg (Chris Bull, left) and DJ Stone (Chester Hansen, right) use soft, scaling piano seamed with a mix of classical and new-wave blues backed by snappy percussion.

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background—Twigg has gained acclaim as a local DJ while Stone performs jazz bass.

“Windows”, the album’s second track, is most notable on the record. Soft, scaling piano moves seamlessly from classical to new-wave blues and is backed by snappy percussion. Too often, instrumental music leaves listeners desiring more. The stylistic layering of City Limits, however, breaks this monotony to create a unique sound. While the songs remain separate in composition, they blend well in progression for

easy listening.

The naming of each track is outstanding.

“Foolish Heart” evokes specific imagery, moving with the listener as synth-piano traces a story of ill-fated relation and emotion, all without lyrical aide. Rounding out the album is by far its edgiest track, “How Far”. Just when it seems Twigg & Stone’s signature jazz-funk has been abandoned, the fast-paced synths break for bluesy woodwind. The pair described City Limits best in an email to the Journal, saying “these are not beats, they are pieces of music.”

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Vocalists Frannie Holder and Fabrizia Difruscia (from left) rocked attendees with tracks from Fold It! Mold It!, Random Recipe’s debut genre-fusing record.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

queensjournal.ca

• 13

sports The Queen’s Gaels faced the RMC Paladins in the 25th Carr-Harris Cup at Constantine Arena in Kingston. The Gaels defended their win from last year with a 5-2 win over their Kingston rivals. The Carr-Harris Cup is an annual tournament commemorating the first game between Queen’s and RMC played in 1886.

Photo by Justin Tang

Women’s basketball

Men’s Basketball

Queen’s snaps skid

Down but not out

After a loss to the Toronto Varsity Blues on Friday, the women’s basketball team edged the Ryerson Rams 62-61 B y C raig D raeger Dialogue Editor The women’s basketball team ended their seven-game losing streak on Saturday night against the Ryerson Rams.

The game was close throughout, with the Rams holding a 34-31 lead at halftime and the Gaels holding out a 50-49 edge at the end of the third quarter.

With about three minutes left to play the Rams held a five point lead, but the Gaels fought back to take control of the game in the final few possessions.

A strong Gaels defence forced a shot clock violation on the Rams with about five seconds remaining and a one point deficit on the board.

Next Issue WOMen’s Hockey The Gaels picked up two wins over the weekend against the Brock Badgers and the Guelph Gryphons.

Women’s Volleyball After a straight set win over the Ryerson Rams, the Gaels dropped a game to the OUA East-leading York Lions.

Men’s Volleyball Queen’s continued their dominating season with two wins over the Ryerson Rams and the York Lions.

The ball found its way to first-year wing Gemma Bullard, who was fouled with 2.5 seconds remaining. A couple clutch free throws later and the victory was sealed for the Gaels.

“The foul shots were the most nerve-wracking thing of my life,” Bullard said.

It was also Bullard’s first career double-double, as she posted 16 rebounds and 14 points. First-year guard Liz Boag added 12 points and fourth-year guard Brittany Moore added 10.

“When we came in, we knew we could beat this team,” she said.

“It wasn’t our best effort, but it feels really good to come out with a win.”

Bullard said the biggest thing the Gaels gained from the split weekend was self-assurance.

“The main thing, I think, is confidence. We haven’t won a game in, I can’t remember how long.

“When you win, you can carry that over,” she said. “Hopefully when we go to play York on Friday night, we’ll remember this and have that extra hunger for it.”

The win improved the Gael’s record to 4-15. Coupled with Laurentian’s loss to the Ottawa Gee Gees, Queen’s moved into the sixth and final playoff spot in the OUA East.

Head coach Dave Wilson said the team’s confidence level is bound to improve from this win.

“All the head game stuff it does to you when you’re losing, it’s all gone,” he said. “So now we just play, and if we played as well as we played last weekend, we can control our destiny going forward.

They were honestly having trouble thinking they were every going to have a chance to win again.”

This followed a disappointing 68-46 loss to the Toronto Varsity Blues on Friday night. Toronto burst to a 17-6 lead at the end of the first quarter. The 33-22 edge they held at halftime proved to

The Gaels fall to the Toronto Varsity Blues and the Ryerson Rams at the ARC

be insurmountable, after the Blues B y C raig D raeger outscored the Gaels 22 points to Dialogue Editor 10 in the third frame, en route to a 22-point win.

The men’s basketball team lost a set of games against the Toronto “The main thing, I Varsity Blues and the Ryerson Rams last weekend, extending their think, is confidence. losing record to 3-16.

We haven’t won On Friday, the Gaels came out a game in, I can’t to a promising start, but were remember how long. ultimately unable to upset the Blues for a second time this season and When you win, you fell in an 87-82 decision. can carry that over.

The somewhat lethargic Gaels play hampered their chances from —Gemma Bullard, the start, but they were able to hold wing onto an 18-17 lead after the first Bullard and Boag added 11 quarter, which evaporated into a and 10 points respectively to the 41-37 deficit at halftime. losing effort.

Head coach Duncan Cowan Wilson said the Gaels were said the Gaels blew their chance in outmatched on an individual level. the first half.

“The biggest thing with [the “[In] the first half, we had the Blues] is that the matchups aren’t opportunity to be in control of the great for us, and that’s why we game and we didn’t play particularly struggle with this team so much,” well,” he said. “I don’t think we he said. defended well, we didn’t execute offensively, we missed a lot of lay-

”

ups, so our missed opportunity was in the first half.”

Toronto went on a run at the beginning of the third quarter toward a 57-46 lead. Queen’s outscored Toronto 26-20 in the final frame, but it wasn’t enough to clinch the victory.

Cowan said the team is going to need to mature to start winning games.

“Ultimately, we need to get a little stability out of our post positions, and that’s going to take some time,” he said.

Fourth-year guard Dan Bannister lead scoring with 22 points, while rookie guard Ryan Golden added 18.

Cowan said the game against Toronto may have sunk their playoff hopes for good.

“The playoff thing has been a long shot for a little while, but that [game] probably puts it to bed,” Cowan said “At this point, the next two weeks is going to be a chance See Gaels on page 15

A Toronto player attempts to defend against Queen’s forward Bernard Burgesson in the Gaels’ 87-82 loss at the ARC Friday night.

Photo by Asad Chishti

SPORTS

14 •queensjournal.ca

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Carr-Harris Cup brings out old rivalry Continued from page 1

Forwards Jonathon Lawrance and Scott Kenway celebrate a goal in the Gaels’ 5-2 win over the Paladins.

Photo by Justin tang

The next day was just as important for the Gaels as they traveled to face off against their Kingston rival Paladins for the Carr-Harris Cup. The game celebrates Lorne Carr-Harris, a British soldier born in Kingston who attended RMC, graduating in 1917. Carr-Harris served in the British army and also competed on the British hockey team in the 1924 winter Olympics in Chamonix, France.

Although the game is only in its 25th year, the Queen’s-RMC rivalry of 125 years provides plenty of historical motivation.

RMC’s Constantine Arena was packed to the brim with rowdy fans from each school. Both teams raced around the rink with a ferocity not seen in most regular season matchups; their thoughts on much more than just two points.

The Gaels struck first as forward

Kelly Jackson found the back of the net on the power play 7:04 into the first period. The teams would continue to trade chances for the rest of the period but the game remained 1-0 Queen’s.

As tension mounted in the second period the play turned scrappy. A few misguided penalties by the Gaels gave RMC a sustained man-advantage where they were able to score twice to take the lead. The Paladins outshot the Gaels 13-10 in the second frame, in large part because of eight Gaels penalties. This led to a 2-1 RMC lead going into the third period. Queen’s head coach Brett Gibson said it can be hard to play against RMC. “You have to stay patient against RMC, they play a frustrating brand of hockey,” he said. “That gives them the credit. I told the guys to dictate the pace of the game and we allowed them to dictate it with no retaliating and stupid penalties.”

The Gaels figured things out in the third to break open the game in their favour. After killing off a two-man advantage, the Gaels gained a man-advantage of their own and Jackson potted another goal midway through the third. Lawrance scored on another power play to take the lead. Finally forwards Kenway and Soquila added insurance goals on breakaways to give the Gaels a 5-2 win. Gibson said the Gaels executed their game plan in the third.

We don’t like each “other and it gets pretty scrappy out there.

That’s the hockey we like to play, we don’t shy away from that.

”

—Kelly Jackson, forward

“When we finally decided to play, we dictated the pace and that’s the reason the score was 5-2,” he said.

Jackson was awarded the game MVP award for the two big goals that held the Gaels in the game before their offensive explosion in the tail end of the third.

The big win did not come easily by any means. The Gaels saw their forwards Brock Ouellet and Chris Murphy aggravate existing injuries early on, forcing them to sit out for a majority of the game. These players are only two of a large group of hurt players for the Gaels.

The team also played without Joey Derochie this weekend, another entry in the list of about eight players currently unable to compete.

Verbal and physical battles filled the game from its outset.

On multiple occasions fists were flying as referees battled to keep the players in check. The teams combined for 80 penalty minutes that clearly influenced the outcome of the game. Jackson said the rivalry fit its billing. “[The history] definitely lived up to its anticipation,” he said. “It’s tough, we don’t like each other and it gets pretty scrappy out there.

That’s the hockey we like to play, we don’t shy away from that.”

SPORTS

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Gaels lose two at home Continued from page 13

to reveal the true character of the kids we have here.

“Now it’s about trying to get wins,” Cowan said. “We’ve battled pretty hard this year trying to find wins, and they’ve been hard to come by, but I think there’s a couple out there. We’ve just got to play our game and see where it takes us at this point in the year.”

Cowan said the Queen’s program has the potential for greatness, but needs time to achieve it.

“There’s something here and it’s going to take some time to build it,” he said. “We have a good young group and our veterans have worked hard and sacrificed to do it.

We need to improve our basketball program and that’s going to take wining, probably.”

On Saturday, the Gaels played the Marco W. Alessio memorial against the Ryerson Rams and lost by a score of 79-70. The game commemorates the former Gaels basketball player who was killed while teaching abroad in Madagascar. A scholarship has been established in his name and is awarded to a player who shows academic and athletic excellence from the Gaels. This year’s recipient was guard Tim Boyle.

The Gaels came out to a great start, and went on 10-1 run to open the game before the Rams clawed back to a 24-22 lead at the end of the first and a 39-33 lead at halftime.

The second half wasn’t much better for Queen’s, who couldn’t stop the Rams from digging them further into the hole, en route to a nine-point loss.

Golden said the Rams were a tough opponent.

“They’re just big, athletic [and] quick,” he said. “All the things that make a good defensive team. It’s been a long season, but none of us have given up. We’ve still got three games left and we’re going to keep fighting. All three of those games [are] at home, which helps.”

Golden said the team’s development this year has been rocky at times.

“It’s been a learning process, not just for the younger guys, but for everybody,” he said. “But that’s no excuse, I think we should be playing a lot better than we are.”

Women’s fencing places fourth at the oUas The 2011 OUA women’s fencing championship was hosted by RMC in Kingston last weekend where the Toronto Varsity Blues grabbed the OUA title from defending champions, the Carleton Ravens.

Queen’s finished fourth overall with 184 points. Anna Rogers was the Gaels’ top individual performer placing third in the foil event. Rogers was also the only Gael named an OUA All-Star. The women earned the bronze medal in the team épée event and silver in the sabre event.

The OUA men’s fencing championship will be hosted by Brock University on Feb. 19 to 20.

—Kate Bascom

tsn sportscaster, Queen’s grad speaks at the JDUC Jock Climie, Artsci ’89 and Law ’94, will be at the Robert Sutherland Room in the JDUC on Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. to speak about his career as a TSN sportscaster.

Climie played for the Gaels football team and held the single-season CIS record for receiving yards in 1988, which has since been broken. He has also been inducted into the Queen’s Football Hall

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• 15

of Fame.

After being drafted by the Toronto Argonauts in 1990, Climie played in the CFL as a slotback for 12 years with the Argonauts, the Ottawa Rough Riders and the Montreal Alouettes.

Along with being an analyst on TSN’s CFL studio show, Climie is also a lawyer in Ottawa.

—Kate Bascom

tie-breaker ends Gaels’ curling run The Queen’s University curling team placed fifth at the World University Games tournament in Turkey after a loss to the Czech Republic.

A 6-3 record in round-robin play saw the team tied with the Czech Republic. Queen’s, led by skip Jon Beuk, fell 11-7 in the tie-breaker and finished fifth overall. In the eighth end, the Gaels were within one point of tying the game. The Czechs, however, cemented their win in the ninth end after scoring three points.

Canada’s top finish at the tournament came in 2003 when they placed first in curling.

—Kate Bascom

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LAst Issue’s ANsWeRs

16 •queensjournal.ca

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

postscript

society

Party for progress Charity events are great ways for us to give back. But how much do we actually know or care about the charities we’re supporting?

B y S ara M elvin Staff Writer When I was dancing up a storm at last year’s Goatface Ball and mercilessly chugging cheap beer at Queen’s Players, I thought I was just attending another fantastic party.

Who knew that a large part of my tickets weren’t just paying the DJ and granting me the oh-so-rare (and somewhat lethal) open bar access? Instead, I was one of the many unknowing, fun-loving attendees of our modern-day, student-run charity fundraiser events.

Whether you were at Minq last Friday or Float the week before, did you ever wonder where your money was going? Maybe you already knew, but how did it get from your wallet to a water pump in rural Ethiopia? What are the ethical concerns and debates behind the concept of charity?

Let’s take Goatface, a charity whose proceeds I speculated may end up with nomadic goat herders in Nepal, or something of the sort.

Not even close.

Goatface raises money for Kingston General Hospital’s (KGH) palliative care unit. This is the end-of-life unit for patients with terminal illness, and the proceeds go to improving medical care and treatment to reduce the severity of suffering and improve quality life in their last months.

Goatface started their partnership with KGH in 2006.

Since then, the committee has grown and now works with local sponsors and businesses, student DJs and members of the Kingston community to make sure a giant cheque ends up at KGH at the end of the year. Over $150,000 has been donated since Goatface started their partnership with the palliative care unit.

“If students are going to be partying and going to attend these events regardless, why don’t we make this a win-win situation and donate to a good cause?” said Julia Jones, ArtSci ’12 and one of the chairs of the 2010-11 Goatface committee.

“A lot of party charities are making much more money in comparison to other charities. We say go out, we’re going to throw you a sick party, and your money

According to Julia Jones, ArtSci ’12 and a co-chair of the Goatface charity event (above), party charity events often make more money than other types of events.

will be going to a good place,” she said.

Watercan events are fairly similar to the parties the Goatface committee throws.

Money from ticket sales gets sent off to their head office in Ottawa and distributed accordingly to various water initiatives in Eastern Africa.

Their mission statement is based on fighting global poverty by helping the world’s poorest people gain access to clean water, basic sanitation and hygiene education.

Since 1987, Watercan’s programs have reached over one million people in the world’s poorest regions.

Molly Skelly, Artsci ’12 and co-chair of Queen’s Watercan explained how Watercan works at Canadian universities.

“Each university has a Watercan chapter, and the goal is to raise $40,000 between all of the universities in Canada and that goes towards 13 primary schools in the Bono district in Kenya,” she said. “The money that we make is matched by the Canadian International Development Agency three to one.”

Skelly said she’s also aware of the ignorant tendencies of Watercan guests.

“At the entrance of our parties and the Facebook event, we have a blurb about what we’re doing and where the money is going.

People still have no idea,” she said “I feel like when they go to parties, they’re not interested in donating to charities, they’re just wrapped up in the party aspect. It bothers us a lot.”

Skelly said the Watercan committee is looking to raise money in different ways, and in doing so, increasing awareness.

“We had a really successful photo exhibition of Watercan’s on-the-ground work in Eastern Africa earlier in the year,” she said, adding that the Queen’s chapter is also looking to partner up with some restaurants in Kingston and conduct water initiatives.

Charities raising money for impoverished African countries have created an iconic image of the 21st century, such as the World Vision-eqsue image of smiling

North American’s hugging small African children.

This type of aid can be tied back to the 1984-85 Ethiopian famine, when Bob Geldof, an Irish rocker and activist held relief concerts to raise money.

When Bono of U2 got involved, he said Geldof’s concerts were depressing and development should be made “sexy.” Vanity Fair did a cover story on this concept, saying that the main aim for charities was to attract a more hip crowd.

This mentality has transferred over to the parties charities like Watercan throw.

“There are big problems with this because we are defining what is an important development issue based on what we think is sexy,” said Paritosh Kumar, a professor in the global development studies department.

“Malaria and having public latrines is not something Angelina Jolie would go for, for example.

In our celeb-centered culture, it may transfer over to what a society would go for,” he said.

“Campaigning for HIV/AIDS is more fashionable; since there is money in this, non-governmental organizations start working on those issues because it’s a question of funding. It’s a top-down model.”

“The big question surrounding development is around created relations, between North and South, between what we consume, and how it is produced,” Kumar said.

“The whole concept of charity completely sidesteps these kinds of issues.”

Instead of a one-stop donation or a quick-fix of aid money, African countries want to improve and restructure trade relations.

Five years ago at the World Social Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, major African NGO’s said that they were fed up with their dependency on charity and asked for Western donors to stop dumping excess products into their markets because the ‘help’ was completely

destroying the domestic economies.

“Big party events like this aren’t sensitizing us to the causes of the problem,” Kumar said.

Queen’s Player’s has a unique approach that combines international and local development initiatives.

“Charity is the justification for Players, really,” said Ian Eatock, the vice-president of the board for Queen’s Players.

“If you’re going to party that hard, you should definitely have a moral justification. This year we did something different,” he said, adding that they gave their money to QIVA, a micro-credit organization. Before, they just donated their money to local charities.

“The idea was that we wanted international initiatives to fuel the local charity aspect. The way that micro-credit is set up is that you don’t actually give the money away, you lend it and get it back in a year. Small-scale entrepreneurs in developing countries borrow the money and start a small business.”

When the money comes back to them, they reinvest it in the Kingston community by donating to local women’s shelters, Martha’s Table and Camp Outlook, he said.

Daniella Dávila, Artsci ’11 and the Social Issues Commissioner at the AMS, said it’s also important to question the larger systemic issues of participating in charities.

“It’s about charity versus solidarity,” she said. “By going to these parties, people need to ask themselves why these charities are needed, who’s directing this charity, who’s managing the funding, why have they chosen the causes they’ve chose, and what privileges did they have to choose who to support,” she said.

“And if we’re talking about poverty, we need to ask ourselves if we in our everyday lives support the structures that allow us to have the socio-economic statuses that we already have.”

Hannah Davis, Arstsci ’11, said

photo by Sara Melvin

the concept of charity does not address the root of the problem.

“Charity goes back to the politics of convenience; as long as it’s convenient, people will continue to support,” she said.

“We also have to look at the politics of representation, who we construct as needing our help and who is more worthy of our help or money and what ways are acceptable for doing it. So, going and partying is supposedly an acceptable way because we’re getting something back.”

During a lecture for the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) in Belgium, philosopher Slavoj Zizek discussed the ethical implications of charity from an extremist anti-capitalist perspective.

He contended that charity is no longer just an idiosyncrasy of some good guys here and there, but a basic constituent of our economy.

He introduced the concept of cultural capitalism, where your money isn’t just buying something, it’s buying into something. When you buy your ticket to a fancy event, you also buy your redemption for being a consumerist and are fulfilling a whole series of ethical duties, he said.

According to Zizek, Charity degrades and demoralizes, and it’s immoral to use private property in order to alleviate the horrible evils that result from the institution of private property.

Despite his cynicism, he said every bit ultimately helps.

“Of course we should help,” he said. “It’s horrible to see a child whose life is ruined by an operation that costs $20.”

In the grand scheme of things, Kumar said charities may be essential and the difference between whether someone lives or dies.

“We shouldn’t generalize because they are charities that are doing really amazing work. Like in some cases, for example Haiti after the earthquake, not having water or food and people are dying.”

Enter Postscript’s Annual Short Fiction Contest! See queensjournal.ca/shortfictioncontest