Campus events
Black history on campus Organizers deconstruct meaning behind annual event B y M eaghan Wray Assistant News Editor Opportunities to study black history at Queen’s are limited, says Maame Debrah, a board member for Queen’s Coalition Against Racial and Ethnic Discrimination (QCRED). “I don’t think there’s an avenue for people to learn outside of classrooms,” Debrah, ArtSci ’13, said. February is Black History Month and this year’s theme at Queen’s is “deconstructing.” The main goal is to break down why this specific month
exists and what it means to black people in both the Queen’s and Kingston communities. Debrah, who interns with CFRC as the Black History Month co-ordinator, said black history shouldn’t be separate from everyone else’s histories. “As a human race, what affects someone else does affect another person in some way. It’s not only something that should be seen as affecting only black people,” she said. “It intersects. It is everyone’s history.” One downfall of QCRED-organized events this year was minimal outreach to
students, Debrah said, adding that more community-building needs to occur. “The turnout wasn’t so amazing and we probably didn’t reach out as much,” she said. Last night’s speaker was Anne-Marie Woods. Woods is a creative consultant at Imani Enterprises and focuses on youth education. She is also a spoken-word poet, actress and singer. She wrote a travel column for Sway Magazine and is a CBC radio producer based in Toronto. Her talk, what you don’t
Photo By Corey lablans
Activist, author and poet Anne-Marie Woods spoke to a crowd in Dunning Hall as part of the annual Black History Month.
know can hurt you, centred on the importance of education on black history.
Woods sat down with the Journal after her presentation. See Anne-Marie on page 6
T h u r s d ay , F e b r u a r y 1 6 , 2 0 1 2 — I s s u e 3 4
the journal Queen’s University — Since 1873
Student violinist earns top honour
alfie’s
No confirmed druggings in case B y K atherine Fernandez -B lance News Editor
Deanna Choi, ArtSci ’14, practices in Grant Hall Wednesday night. Choi won the 2011 gold medal for violin, granted by the Royal Conservatory of Music. For full story see page 2.
Photo By Justin Chin
Activism
Animal rights group rallies Group protests against fur in Canada Goose jackets B y S avoula S tylianou Assistant News Editor
According to the Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals, an activist group The popularity of Canada Goose established in 1944, each year over jackets on campus resulted in 100,000 coyotes are trapped and an anti-fur demonstration on killed in Canada. “If you see a fur trim on a Canada Tuesday afternoon. The Kingston Animal Trust, Goose jacket, it’s definitely real fur,” a local animal rights advocacy Simpson said. group, staged the protest outside Canada Goose has a fur policy the JDUC. on their website that explains why Participants gave out pamphlets using real fur is strictly for practical with information about the purposes in cold weather. “Faux fur is ONLY a fashion trapping and killing of animals statement,” the policy reads. “It in Canada. “The major thing is Canada will not act the same way that Goose jackets — it is so present real fur does to protect skin on campus. Everyone has one. from frostbite.” That was the reason we started is The policy also states that because of this renewed interest in coyotes are one of three animals fur coats,” Eric Simpson, member that protect people from frostbite. of the Kingston Animal Trust, said. “The first two are wolf and Canada Goose uses coyote fur wolverine; however, they are not trim on their jacket hoods. abundant, so not a viable option,”
the policy reads. It also says coyotes are used because they are considered “pests.” “They attack livestock, endangered prey species, pets and sometimes even people,” it reads. Simpson said this was the group’s first time holding an event on campus. “We did some information sessions downtown, walking around and giving people information; but by far, the biggest See One on page 7
scene and we don’t have an active and ongoing investigation,” Koopman said. Gracie Goad, AMS hospitality A week after three Alfie’s patrons and safety services director, said were brought to hospital, officials TAPS staff and Student Constables say there’s no evidence the students haven’t deviated from normal procedure following the incident. were drugged. “Both TAPS and [Student On Feb. 8, three students were brought to hospital after leaving Constables] staff are required to Alfie’s at approximately 1 a.m. obtain SmartServe certification According to Campus Security they prior to working their first shift,” exhibited signs of “intoxication Goad told the Journal via email. “Both services hold training in that appeared in excess of their September which addresses safe actual consumption.” One of the students had reported consumption of alcohol and their to Campus Security officers that responsibilities as staff in providing adequate duty of care to patrons.” she couldn’t move her legs. Donna Joyce is manager of the The following day, Campus Security released a statement that sexual assault domestic violence suggested the students’ drinks program, run out of local hospitals including Kingston General could have been tampered with. Joel Keenleyside, Campus Hospital and Hotel Dieu. She Security’s operations co-ordinator, couldn’t comment on whether the said there’s no indication that the three women were seen by the students were drugged. He added program last week. She said 58 people in the that no one has been implicated in region — this includes Kingston, the incident. Frontenac and “Other than the initial follow-up Lennox, done the following day, there have Addington — came to the program been no further discussions with after being sexually assaulted. [the AMS Pub Services] on this Twenty seven of them reported incident,” Keenleyside told the feeling like they had been drugged Journal via email. “There is still no in some manner. “It’s prevalent provincially clear indication that anyone was in and it’s such a pervasive issue,” fact ‘drugged.’” Constable Steven Koopman, Joyce said. The majority of victims that media relations officer for Kingston Police, said that to his knowledge come forward in both instances none of the three women had are women between the ages of 16 and 24. contacted the police. “We hadn’t even gone to the See It’s such on page 6
Three former gaels vie for london 2012
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