The Queen's Journal, Volume 145, Issue 7

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Queen’s University

Vol. 145, Issue 7

Friday Sept 29, 2017

since 1873

Students struggle living amongst Division Street construction Household received no warning from City prior to project start in May

PHOTO BY JUSTICE KING

Ongoing construction in front of student houses on Division Street.

M aureen O’R eilly News Editor This May, the City of Kingston began the long process of reconstructing Division Street between Union and Brock Streets.

This came as a surprise to many students living in the area who received no prior notice from the City about the project.

According to the Queen’s Gazette, this reconstruction is due for completion in late fall of 2017 and will “replace aging infrastructure and separate the sanitary sewer and storm sewer systems, which will improve wastewater management during rainstorms.”

One student household located on Division Street sat down with The Journal to discuss their experience of living through the construction during the summer and into the first few weeks of school. According to

them, the City never informed them that construction would be starting.

“We didn’t get any notification that there was going to be construction all summer,” Laura O’Grady, ArtSci ’18, said.

To help the community navigate through the chaos of the road work, construction crews created temporary detour walking routes.

For several weeks, street traffic was redirected to a pathway that ran along the entire edge of the back, side and front of their home.

Having people continually passing by where they eat, sleep and study raised privacy concerns for the students.

Zoe Zimmerman, Sci ’18, says she often cooked in the pitch-black during this time because an illuminated kitchen would expose her to passersby walking inches from her window.

Nolan Ross, ArtSci ’18, reported

incidences of individuals walking along the path and “testing the front door” to see if it was unlocked.

With her bedroom on the main floor, Rachel Strauss, ArtSci ’18, said pedestrians knocked on the window directly next to her bed.

“When we chose this house, we [knew we were] very exposed because we’re right on campus… but now I don’t open my curtains at all,” Strauss said. “Even if [people aren’t] watching us, they’ll be drilling a foot away from my window.”

“As soon as you walk outside it’s like a stage because everyone’s right there.”

Ross, Zimmerman and O’Grady also ran into trouble this summer when their water was shut off without warning. While water shut-offs were communicated in advance a few times, Ross said they were given insufficient notice

on one occasion and another time there was no warning at all.

Inconsistent communication has remained a theme throughout the construction. On August 9, the house received a notice that they wouldn’t be able to park on the street until September 29.

Just this Wednesday, Strauss found herself unable to access her front door due to an excavator being operated on their front lawn — a disruption the students received no warning about.

With the loud construction beginning each day at approximately at 6:45am that can go well into the evening, the group struggles with the noise. Zimmerman and Strauss said they often avoid going home during the day and will only return when the workers are done.

Construction also raised the issue of accessibility for O’Grady this

summer when she was on crutches for two weeks. During this time, she began to wonder how residents with permanent accessibility struggles would navigate their day-to-day life.

“Being on crutches and trying to navigate through the construction would’ve definitely been a larger concern had it not been so temporary,” O’Grady said.

While the household did take issue with the effects of construction, their main problem is the lack of direct communication and support the City provided them with.

“Construction does have a negative impact on students who are studying and just trying to feel safe in their own homes, but we’re understanding people,” O’Grady said.

“Obviously city construction has

FEATURES

EDITORIALS

OPINIONS

SPORTS

LIFESTYLE

Queen’s multi-million divestment of South African Apartheid

Protesting athletes have a right to freedom of expression

An alternative approach to vegan outreach

Curtis Michael rides bike across Canada for racial justice

Dealing with the loss of my dad

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“Rethink The Drink” event discusses binge drinking Students analyze campus drinking culture in open forum PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

Rector Cam Yung speaking in the JDUC on Wednesday.

Julia BalakriShnan Photos Editor Stopping at the JDUC on Wednesday to discuss binge drinking on university campuses, the cross-Canadian “Rethink the Drink” tour encouraged students to challenge the drinking culture at Queen’s.

The event, run by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) brought speakers Ann Dowsett Johnston and Catherine Paradis to campus, both of whom are anti-substance abuse advocates. Johnston is an award-winning writer and Paradis is a researcher and analyst at CCSA. The panel included Hannah Billinger, ArtSci ’18, and Alex Hillyer, ArtSci ’18, who serve as co-executives on Queen’s For The Boys — a mental health

and substance abuse initiative on campus. The two were accompanied by Rector Cam Yung, who served as moderator.

A series of clips were shown throughout the night depicting drinking, partying and rape culture.

While they were meant to be all- encompassing, many prompted Queen’s-specific examples from those in attendance.

“There’s a definite schedule when it comes to drinking here,” Billinger said. “We have our trivia nights at the pub Wednesday and Thursday, Friday at Ale House, Stages on Saturday. We can’t run an event on Thursday or Friday, because people won’t come. They want to go out, and it’s really, really difficult to try to get people to swap their drinking plans.”

Multiple people in attendance also cited drinking as an

expectation and not a respected choice. Alcohol was labeled a “social lubricant.”

“I need to have an excuse if I’m not drinking,” Hillyer said.

“It’s presumed you’re going to drink immediately.”

When Paradis posed the question of why people pre-drink, multiple students in

“

It’s presumed you’re going to drink immediately.

”

— Alex Hillyer, the audience said it was more affordable. When asked how they defined “binge-drinking,” the answers varied.

The forum also discussed how

INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS

Queen’s appoints first Director of Indigenous Initiatives New office created in order to facilitate campus-wide Indigenous initiatives

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY QUEEN’S GAZEETTE

Janice Hill.

Sarina Grewal Assistant News Editor In light of a final report released by Queen’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Task Force in March, Queen’s has created a new position under the Deputy Provost (Academic Operations and Inclusion) focused on Indigenous initiatives on campus.

Kanonhsyonne (Janice Hill) has been appointed Director of Indigenous Initiatives, a position that came about as a result of recommendations listed in the university’s TRC report.

The re p o r t , titled “Yakwanastahentéha Aankenjigemi Extending the Rafters: Truth and Reconciliation Commission Task Force Final Report,” lists

25 different recommendations aimed to promote awareness and exposure to Indigenous issues on campus. The creation of the Office of Indigenous Initiatives was the third recommendation on this list.

A strong advocate of Indigenous education, Hill is the former Director of Four Directions Aboriginal Student Centre — a

drinking expectations and ads for culture at the event, but as the alcoholic beverages are gendered. discussion wrapped up, the Data shows that young women greatest emphasis was placed on will see more ads than men from personal responsibility. alcohol companies.

“Change happens on a “The notion of ‘chick beer’ is peer-to-peer basis,” Yung said. “To really disturbing to me,” Johnston become a caring campus, we have said. “A girl two-thirds the to make a commitment to saying, size of her male companion is ‘I care about my friends and taking shots of tequila while colleagues, so how can I make sure he’s drinking beer. And that’s they make it home safe tonight?’” considered normal.”

“We’re not saying don’t drink,” According to a 2017 study Billinger concluded. “It’s okay to published in JAMA Psychiatry, go out and over-drink, as long alcohol companies started as you realize that and access gendered advertising initiatives your resources.” in the mid-90s to encourage both Resources on campus include males and females to drink at the the Campus Observation Room same level. Since, alcohol abuse in Victoria Hall, the Good2Talk and dependence among women post-secondary student helpline, has increased by 83.7 per cent.

Walkhome in the JDUC, and TV shows, social media Barbara Lotan as Queen’s and sexual violence were all Sexual Violence Prevention and deemed aspects of drinking Response Coordinator. position she held since 2010.

At Queen’s, she has facilitated substantial developmental growth at the centre and has executed a variety of initiatives on campus.

Hill helped develop an Indigenous Studies minor in the Faculty of Arts and Science, was a member of the TRC task force and coordinated the revamp of the Aboriginal Council of Queen’s University.

While also preparing to move into her new office, Hill has been working to ensure the centre runs smoothly after her departure. She will officially step into her new role on October 2.

The Journal spoke to Hill about her goals in her new position and discussed how her transitionary period has been going in the two weeks since her appointment.

“Overall, the game plan is to enact the recommendations from the task force report. That’s my mandate, so… one of the first things is to strike an implementation committee,” Hill said. “It’ll be the implementation committee that will guide the implementation of the recommendations.”

Hill explained her two priority tasks are to develop an Indigenous strategic plan for Queen’s and to create a “vision statement.” This would outline the University’s commitment to building relationships with Indigenous communities and students.

She will also advise and support efforts to introduce more

Indigenous content to faculty and departmental curriculums on campus.

“We have very few Indigenous faculty at the University,” she said. “In order for all the other faculty to feel like they’re properly equipped to teach Indigenous content, then I think that it’s imperative that we have at least an Indigenous content specialist on staff.”

Hill went on to express her desire to hear the input of students and individuals on campus.

“I welcome the opportunity to speak to any of the student body that cares to let me know what their views are. I would be happy to hear what they have to say about [the task force recommendations].”

Overall, Hill hopes her role and office will allow for students to leave Queen’s with a deeper understanding of Indigenous affairs. She highlighted the importance of awareness of acknowledging Indigenous history and realities in Canada.

“We can ensure that all the students who come here to get an education leave with some level of understanding of the Indigenous history and experience in this country,” Hill said.

“Queen’s has a reputation for educating the leadership and policy-makers and decision-makers in this country.

I think it’s imperative that they learn the history and the current reality of Indigenous people.”

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Friday, sept 29, 2017

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LIBRARY

Watson Hall unveils first campus LINQ space Two new innovative study rooms and virtual resource centre open to all students

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News in Brief P&CC Head Manager resigns

PHOTO BY NICOLE LANGFIELD

New LINQ space in Watson Hall.

JaSnit PaBla Assistant News Editor For Vice Provost (Digital Planning) and University Librarian Martha Whitehead, it’s rare that she gets to see “a ghost or glimmer of an idea actually being enacted” at Queen’s. This changed for her on Tuesday with the unveiling of the first campus Library Information Network at Queen’s (LINQ) Library in Watson Hall.

Located on the main floor of the building, the LINQ Library space features two separate rooms with natural lighting and glass walls. The first room incorporates comfortable seating with space for students to collaborate on assignments, several independent study cubicles and a virtual display of library resources.

Room two features a large study table, seating for approximately 10 students and a large whiteboard to be booked for use by students through the University Library.

Approved in 2013, the space in Watson Hall is in accordance with the Library and Archives Master Plan (LAMP) project, which aims to “develop a network of inviting places for study, interactive learning and innovation, distributed in various key locations across campus and linked to information services and resources.”

It was made possible through the contributions of the Joseph S. Stauffer Foundation.

In her opening remarks before the unveiling, Whitehead expressed her thoughts on the project. “We are impressed with how students express their appreciation for library spaces,” she said.

“The motivation behind the plan was thinking about teaching and learning and research in this digital era, and with that, also information resources,” Whitehead told The Journal in an interview after the unveiling.

Shelley King, an English professor and collaborator on the LAMP project, expressed that

the department had chosen to surrender the space following the closing of the Disraeli Project in 2015, which had used it as an occupational site.

She believes the space will serve as a place for students to speak to their Teaching Assistants and professors, hold meetings, as well as work in a collaborative setting.

“We had the opportunity to do some renovation on the building,” King said. “We want Watson to be a destination for students to come to study.”

Throughout the early stages of the LINQ project, Whitehead and King agreed they faced the challenge of getting funding.

While departments were unable to provide the funds and the faculty was unwilling to commit early on, LINQ turned to a donation on behalf of the Joseph S. Stauffer Foundation.

For LINQ to grow further across campus and faculties, Whitehead predicted that funding would continue to be a major point of discussion. “We’re already spoken to another faculty that’s interested,” she said. “But we have to work this into our funding.”

“I wouldn’t say we aren’t optimistic about getting funding for larger projects,” Whitehead added.

“People love libraries and we’re working on getting advancement on that.”

She hopes to see the LINQ program grow across campus in spaces that are currently out-of-touch with the needs of the student body. For Whitehead and King, the space is both a major achievement for the LAMP project and a steppingstone for the creation of more innovative study spaces on campus.

“It’s really heartening to see what you can do in a project where you hear lots of good ideas, and are working continuously in those collaborative environments,” Whitehead said.

Samantha Lall, Head Manager of P&CC, tendered her resignation early Thursday morning, marking the second year in a row the P&CC Head Manager has resigned.

This marks the fifth AMS resignation this year following Delyth Phan (Talent Acquisition Manager), Emmy Vassos (Director of Clubs), Brian MacKay (Vice-President) and Marshall McCann (TAPS Marketing Manager).

“On behalf of the Executive, we would like to thank Sam for her service to the AMS, we wish her the very best,” wrote Chelsea Hollidge, AMS Vice-President (Operations), in an email Thursday afternoon to all AMS staff.

Hollidge expressed that the AMS is working quickly to find a replacement. For now, Monica Przyborowski, Retail Services Director for the AMS, will serve as Head Manager to ensure all operations are carried out properly.

—Jasnit Pabla

Queen’s community: Have an idea?

Innovation? Special project?

Queen’s University Alumni Association can help fund you.

Receive up to $2,000 for your Queen’s project

Queen’s groups have gained funding for conferences, festivals, community outreach programs, summer day camps and more!

Applications available at: Alumni Relations Summerhill or http://bit.ly/2ybZzYV

Deadline: October 31, 2017

Contact: Nikki Remillard nikki.remillard@queensu.ca 1.800.267.7837 or 613.533.2060 ext. 78691

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Politics professor awarded professorship in Stockholm Margaret Moore to begin teaching abroad next July

Friday, sept 29, 2017

Construction raises accessibility, privacy concerns for students Continued from front to happen and whatever they’re doing is essential, but I think if you’re going to do that type of construction… [the city] should have some type of team to promote accessibility or accommodations for people that it’s going to

drastically effect,” Ross said.

As of Monday, Ross said he was still unaware of exactly why this construction was being done.

O’Grady said she only knew from seeking out articles online herself.

“If it’s going to directly affect you, I think there should be some responsibility to explain what’s

going on and why,” Ross said.

“I think for future projects that are this big… if they were to have a plan prior and provide us with this plan and give us updates, that would’ve been nice. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”

Sexual assault a decisive issue in Uber-KATC dispute Kingston taxi broker points to website that records incidences of sexual violence in rideshare cars

Margaret Moore.

JaSnit PaBla Assistant News Editor Queen’s Professor Margaret Moore was awarded a visiting professorship at Stockholm University earlier this week, set to begin next July.

The Olof Palme Visiting Professorship, granted by the Swedish Research Council and named after the late Swedish Prime Minister, provides the opportunity for researchers who are focused on areas of peace and justice across borders to network and teach abroad.

At Queen’s, Moore is a professor in the department of Political Studies and author of A Political Theory of Territory, her primary work which earned her the professorship. In her book, Moore says although political states aren’t necessarily territorial, they require defence to avoid conflict.

“I really wasn’t expecting to get this award,” Moore told The Journal. “It’s nice to see my work being read and recognized. Truly a tremendous honour.”

Moore will begin teaching lectures at Stockholm University in July for a period of six months. Her work will also include conducting research groups, hosting seminars and working with graduate and post-graduate students.

On top of this, Moore will continue her own research and writing her next book. “The goal is to contribute actively in the department and university,” she said.

On moving to Stockholm for the professorship, Moore expressed that she’s unsure of what’s to come.

“It’s always a challenge to leave your comfort zone,” she said. “I’ll have to meet all new people and become somewhat conversant in Swedish.”

Alongside the language barrier, she said another possible challenge may be the strain her absence could put on her family.

“I’m working to get my 15-year-old

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY MARGARET MOORE

daughter to spend a semester at an English-Swedish school. I think that would be really great for us.”

When asked about what she’s most looking forward to, Moore said it’s networking with like-minded scholars in a completely different environment.

“When you’re at home, you get into a rut and start thinking you’re doing the natural thing,” she said. “But it’s always productive to see how other things are organized [in] culture, academics and teaching.”

Moore believes this new perspective will allow her to create new academic linkages and implement the teaching methods she observes abroad.

“This job comes with a learning curve, and I think it would be interesting to see how things are decided at the university,” she said. “Are there committees?

What is the relationship between post graduate students and faculty?”

At Stockholm University, she will also be affiliated with the InRights research group. InRights focuses on political inclusion and rights for migrants, minorities and indigenous peoples, which are some areas of research that Moore is less familiar with but excited to venture into.

This professorship is “widely known, well-

funded and is very prominent, which is why it’s so gratifying to receive it

”

—Margaret Moore “This professorship is widely known, well-funded and is very prominent, which is why it’s so gratifying to receive it, and I think Stockholm is a nice city too.”

PHOTO BY MAUREEN O’REILLY

An Amey’s Taxi outside the JDUC.

iain Sherriff-Scott Assistant News Editor The Kingston Area Taxi Commission (KATC) recently proposed draft bylaws that aim to heavily regulate Uber. The bylaws have heightened conflict between the two organizations, particularly dividing them on the issue of sexual assaults committed by Uber drivers against passengers.

The Uber-taxi conflict gained media attention last week as Transport for London (TfL) announced that Uber’s license won’t be renewed for London, England — one of their largest markets. Uber’s license was discontinued after allegations that it mishandled the reporting of crimes to authorities, amongst other accusations.

Uber has said they will appeal the decision.

Last week in Kingston, the KATC held its monthly meeting at City Hall focusing on the contested draft bylaws. Cases of sexual assault and safety prompted significant discussion in particular.

Mark Greenwood, owner of Amey’s Taxi, told the commission that Uber has had scandals involving drivers assaulting passengers. He said that “one sexual assault is too many.”

In response, the KATC Commissioner and AMS Director of Marketing and Communications

Craig Draeger cited incidents out of Halifax, Nova Scotia in which a taxi driver was charged with sexual assault. He explained that in terms of outcomes, these arguments “cut both ways.”

“A taxi driver that had been convicted for assaulting several passengers had committed dozens of sexual assaults in Halifax, in the last couple of years,” Draeger remarked, adding he hopes the commission can make taxis and Ubers safe for all riders.

In an interview with The Journal after Wednesday’s meeting, local taxi broker Kevin Murphy, who operates seven cabs under Amey’s, referenced a website called “Who’s Driving You?” The site features hundreds of recorded sexual assaults, kidnappings and even deaths allegedly committed

by Uber and Lyft Drivers.

Uber’s ability to perform background checks on potential drivers has been widely scrutinized.

Murphy expressed that websites like “Who’s Driving You?” help to highlight problems surrounding unchecked Uber drivers.

The website is run by the Taxicab, Limousine and Paratransit Association (TLPA), a not-forprofit organization that aims to provide taxi companies around the world with the resources to “enhance” taxi drivers “effectively and profitably” in serving local markets.

Business Insider reported last year that Uber claims to have received “less than 170” reported cases of assault or sexual assault.

Uber’s claim contradicts the website “Who’s Driving You” which details over 300 sexual assaults alone.

At last week’s City Hall meeting, Chris Schafer, Uber Canada’s Public Policy Manager, attempted to push back on claims that the company’s safety protocols were inadequate.

However, Schafer declined to provide an official comment to The Journal on the matter.

The proposed commission bylaws seek to require all potential Uber drivers to have their fingerprints taken at the Kingston Police headquarters. As well, potential drivers would have to swear an affidavit at City Hall and have their background checked through the local police.

Kingston Uber already requires background checks for their drivers that are streamlined in Ontario through the Cobourg police. Uber also maintains a zero tolerance policy when it comes to background checks — if a potential driver is found to have a criminal record, they won’t be allowed to drive with the company.

The commission is set to continue hearing from stakeholders and the public on issues surrounding Uber’s operation in Kingston.

Friday, Sept 29, 2017

Features

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IN-DEPTH STORIES FROM AROUND CAMPUS AND IN THE COMMUNITY

Queen’s 23.3 million dollar problem Despite being thousands of kilometers away, the issue of South African apartheid divided Queen’s campus Nick Pearce & Mikayla WroNko Journal Staff From 1978 to 1987, Queen’s University had a problem that wouldn’t go away: $23.3 million of investments sitting in the business assets of Apartheid in South Africa in pooled investments.

Nine years of sit-ins, referendums and near-endless debate culminated in more than 60 people — including faculty and children — storming into the Board of Trustees meeting on a spring day in 1987. They were demanding Queen’s total divestment from South African Apartheid.

What made conducting business with South African companies detestable was the country’s history of apartheid — an institutionalized system of segregation and discrimination favouring South Africa’s settler white minority over the Black majority, which carried on until it collapsed in 1991.

For Black South Africans, Apartheid meant they couldn’t vote, were prevented from having access to health care and couldn’t have romantic relationships with white people.

This wasn’t the first time protestors barged into a board meeting. In October of 1986, they chanted until the board adjourned out of frustration. But this time was different — they read prepared statements demanding the Board take action after almost a decade of discussion.

“Time and again presentations have been made to you, but time again they have been disregarded,” PhD student Godwin Friday said to the Board in a 1987 Journal article. “You are showing contempt for the students of this University.”

In a few months, the Board capitulated.

They partially divested from South Africa, reportedly taking each investment case-by-case, as they chose which were conscionable enough to get a return on. According to a figure reported

by The Journal in 1983, 44 per cent of the University’s stock portfolio was composed of companies who operated in South Africa.

Although they were difficult to deal

with at the time, Queen’s is remembered as having effortlessly taken the right side of history in present day discussion.

Growing opposition at Queen’s Throughout the debate, students weren’t just disagreeing with the administration — there were rifts on how to handle the issue of divestment among themselves. In 1983, the AMS held a critical referendum where 59 per cent of students voted to divest AMS funds within the next two years.

Ultimately, student bureaucracy prevented the implementation of the vote before the end of the AMS executive’s term. Sensing the thorny politics of Apartheid divestment, the succeeding team decided it would be easier to overturn the decision in 1985. As far as the AMS was concerned, Queen’s was out of the debate.

For Black South Africans, “ Apartheid meant they couldn’t vote, were prevented from having access to health care and couldn’t have romantic relationships with white people.

”

But other Canadian universities weren’t so sure.

The same year the AMS decided to scrap their referendum results, 600 McGill students chanted, “Divest now”, in front of the administrative building where their Board made the decision to ready a divestment of $45 million in companies operating in South Africa. Following suit, U of T committed $3.7 million, York voted for total divestment of approximately $8 million and Dalhousie divested about $2 million.

Back on Queen’s campus, student activists were vocally frustrated with how the AMS was distancing itself from the issue of Apartheid. Brad Hornick, a member of Queen’s Campus Action

Network for International Development (CANID), told The Journal in 1985 that if the Board of Trustees really wanted to make money from their involvement with South Africa, “they should open a pornographic bookstore, or run a prostitution ring. That’s the equivalent of what they’re doing.”

they were difficult “Although to deal with at the time,

Queen’s is remembered as having effortlessly taken the right side of history in present day discussion.

”

To quell disputes, the AMS Committee on South Africa (AMSCOSA) was created following the overturned 1983 referendum to mediate the debate between students and the administration.

Instead, AMSCOSA created further division when it produced a whopping 60-page report with recommendations for a “positive anti-apartheid stand” that further divided the AMS executive.

The report — created with the input of open forums and over 400 randomized telephone calls to Queen’s students — turned a seemingly normal AMS assembly into a four-hour heated debate. Among the report’s recommendations, AMSCOSA’s suggestion of withholding the Queen’s Appeal fee — the University’s financial campaign to establish a student fund — was the most controversial.

Until the University agreed to withdraw funds in companies operating South Africa, AMSCOSA suggested that the thousands of AMS members protest by refusing to pay the yearly $15 fee.

Sixty members-at-large booed and hissed over the statements of the AMS executives who argued for and against apartheid action.

The AMS eventually could only decide on two questions to put forth to referendum from the AMSCOSA report: should campus pubs be able to sell products directly and indirectly produced in South Africa.

At the time, the Tri-Colour pubs

Archive photos of student activism on campus in response to Queen’s South African investments in the 1980s.

stocked their shelves with Carlsberg beer — a product that was reported by The Journal in 1986 to be produced directly in South Africa.

The referendum results were disheartening, with the majority of students voting to keep all South African-associated products in their pubs.

From the time the 1985-86 AMS took office and finished their term, no progress was made in anti-Apartheid policy.

The inaction only inflamed the tension.

Queen’s Model UN invites South African diplomat February of 1986 — in its first year — Queen’s Model UN made the contentious decision of inviting South African diplomat. Wesley Johanneson to speak to delegates. The decision was made by a steering committee after two hours of debate with a vote of 29-26 in favour of the invitation.

With the frenzy attention of the local and national media, the AMS and Kingston Police Force organized additional security to prevent what one media liaison for the Model UN called “an international incident at Queen’s”, according to a 1986 Journal article.

On the day of his speech, Johanneson had to wait 10 minutes in silence as a group of 75 students got up and marched out of Grant Hall yelling, “racist”.

In his speech, Johanneson condemned the North American media for dealing with South Africa and the issue of apartheid in “simplistic, black-white terms.”

PhD student Eben Otuteye joined a group of protestors congregating around the stage in Grant Hall.

Later described at a court testimony, Otuteye came forward and allegedly attempted to spit at the diplomat. He was promptly arrested and charged for assault and the threat of possible deportation, according to the corresponding issue of The Journal.

In his testimony, he said the officers threatened that he “could be shipped back to Africa.”

The then-Queen’s Afro-Carribbean club raised over $1,700 to assist Otuteye’s

GRAPHIC BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

Features

6 •queenSjournal.ca

Friday, Sept 29, 2017

legal fees, as the PhD student argued he didn’t commit assault because he had no intention of hitting the diplomat. Spitting on the ground was a form of insult where he was from in Africa. Likewise, the AMS, professors and concerned groups appealed to the Crown Attorney to have the charges dropped.

When they were dropped later that summer, the court went up in cheers as the decision was made, leading the presiding judge to comment, “the courtroom is not a theatre.”

On September 3, 1987 “ Queen’s divested, ultimately

succumbing to faculty and delivering on roughly a decade of student advocacy.

”

University Divestment of South African Apartheid Assets prior to 1987

This courtroom drama buoyed the spirits of pro-divestment activists, who were otherwise facing unpromising prospects.

That May, the Board of Trustees had deemed divestment ineffective and inappropriate while still condemning Apartheid.

Gordon Fleming, the chairman of the Board’s investment committee, referred to the endowment fund’s “clearly superior performance” and suggested a South Africa-free portfolio would only do as well as the market, which was “not good enough”.

“Many people I’ve talked to are annoyed the board is spending so much time on this issue,” The Journal quoted him as saying.

“There have to be 100 issues like this in the world. If it’s Apartheid today, what will it be tomorrow?”

They adopted then-Principal Smith’s guidelines on the issue. This included plans to

divest from companies with large fractions of business in South Africa, and whose products directly enforced apartheid while offering info for students wishing to voice their concerns with the Federal government.

They also proposed a committee on the feasibility of a research unit on investing in South Africa.

Administration’s response Meanwhile, the University said they would offer support and scholarships for Black students from South Africa as an alternative way to protest Apartheid.

The spectacle of name“calling, heckling, chanting, “

and dramatizing infuriated and alienated those Board members who may have been sympathetic to the committee’s arguments

”

—Journal Editorial GRAPHIC BY REBECCA FROST

It was up to Senate that Fall to decide if the divestment issue would survive the year. Following an hour-long emotional debate and in a surprising vote, Senate favoured a motion asking the Board of Trustees to divest from

countries doing business in South Africa.

The student protesters were re-energized as a result. The AMS circulated postcards by students to petition Walter Light to move on South Africa. While protesters rallied outside Richardson Hall in October, they planned to dump roughly 4,000 postcards on Light’s desk.

A month later the AMS built a mock South African shanty town in the JDUC to push the Board further.

have to be 100 issues “There like this in the world. If it’s

apartheid today, what will it be tomorrow?

”

— Gordon Fleming Divestment realized Finally — in January 1987 — the Board partially divested about $5.3 million. It was concentrated on four companies: Exxon, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Mobil and International Fragrances and Flavours. However, it was peanuts compared to what many of the activists were demanding. This dissatisfaction only grew when the Board invested $800,000 in another South African company the following month.

As a result, protestors stormed the Board meeting in May of 1987.

“I don’t like a bunch of grubby hoodlums barging in demanding what we should do,” board member Julia Clarke was quoted as saying in The Journal. “If they want to communicate with the Board, they should do it through their representative.”

The Journal ran an editorial similarly

chastising the protestors.

“The spectacle of name-calling, heckling, chanting, and dramatizing infuriated and alienated those Board members who may have been sympathetic to the committee’s arguments,” it read.

While the Board was no longer prepared to move any further solely off student opinion, students felt powerless in the wake of the board’s decision.

In a surprise turn of events, Principal Smith urged the board to change its position and divest from South Africa.

It was enough.

On September 3, 1987 Queen’s divested, ultimately succumbing to faculty and delivering on roughly a decade of student advocacy. The faculty vote appeared to be the critical event that caused the change of opinion.

“In my view, the faculty is the centre of the university and without the support of the faculty, we can’t have an excellent university,” Board member Allan Broadbent said.

While the AMS President Anthony Carter was “elated”, there were some lingering hard feelings.

Thirty years later, Apartheid is gone, along with many of the protestors and actors on campus that debated divestment.

Meanwhile, the new divestment debates on fossil fuels and Israel haven’t claimed the same energy or widespread commitment that South Africa did.

But the memory of it still lingers in both movements, along with the frustration Light expressed at protesters that stormed into his board meeting.

“You don’t want to listen,” Walter Light said. “So just talk.

Friday, Sept 29, 2017

queensjournal.ca

EDITORIALS

The Journal’s Perspective

Freedom of expression includes athletes

•7

THE QUEEN’S JOURNAL Volume 145 Issue 6 www.queensjournal.ca @queensjournal Publishing since 1873

Editorial Board Joseph Cattana

Editor in Chief Managing Editor

Meg Glover

Production Manager

Justice king Lydia Noureldin

Digital Manager

Maureen O’Reilly

News Editor

Sarina Grewal

Assistant News Editors

Iain Sherriff-Scott Jasnit Pabla

Alex Palermo

Features Editor

Brigid Goulem Ashley Rhamey

Editorials Editor

Nick Pearce

Arts Editor Assistant Arts Editor

Clayton Tomlinson Sebastian Bron

Sports Editor

Matt Scace

Assistant Sports Editor

Shivani Gonzalez

Lifestyle Editor

Trump’s recent words criticizing the NFL and its players have sparked outrage from around the world. The perceived disrespect of the American flag that’s become the center of a debate distracts from the real issues being protested — the unfair treatment of racial minorities in America.

In America, Canada and several other places in the world, black people in particular face discrimination throughout their lives that they can’t tune out. Being able to ‘distance’ yourself from race in your day-to-day life takes a certain amount of privilege to accomplish.

For athletes, being in the public eye comes with a responsibility to uphold a sense of morality on-and-off the field. For black athletes in the wake of racially charged events, the scrutiny As Canadians, we pride ourselves on our universal health care system.

It provides life-saving services at a very low cost compared to other developed countries. But what we don’t realize is that our healthcare system is being severely jeopardized by budget cuts and it will only get worse.

Earlier this year, the Ontario’s Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care announced it will need to cut a staggering $2.8-billion in savings over the next two years.

This follows an alarming trend of budget cuts that began in 2015 with an overall goal to remove $60-billion from health funding over the next decade.

Budget cuts to our healthcare system limit the services, innovation and employment that are provided by our hospitals.

Without the financial support of the federal government, the standard of care for patients has already started to decline.

This year, the Ontario Hospital Association found wait times for patients in emergency departments had reached the highest monthly level since 2008.

Many of the largest hospitals in Ontario also reported occupancy levels exceeding 100 per cent.

Having minimal financial aid from the government has taken its toll and hospitals will only be stretched thinner over the next few years.

Our system also recently failed Catherine Terry, an elderly woman in Hamilton who passed away

Josh granovsky

Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Julia Balakrishnan

Photo Editor Assistant Photo Editor

they face is two-fold. Asking athletes to stick solely to sports is asking them to stay silent on the issues that affect them and their country.

When Trump criticizes kneeling athletes as displaying a disrespect for the American flag, he completely ignores their reasons for protesting in the first place.

When Colin Kaepernick first decided to kneel during the national anthem last year, he did it to make a statement about how America treats black people. Those that are offended by his actions believe his method of protesting is disrespectful, while some don’t seem to understand that it’s a protest at all.

ILLUSTRATION BY STEPHANIE JIANG

Trump’s speech and tweets targeting the NFL aren’t only inflammatory, but illegal under the American Constitution. For the President of the United States to suggest that a private institution like the NFL should fire its employees is contrary to everything the American flag supposedly represents.

Although it seems like a recent development, the world of sports has always been involved in politics.

Historically, athletes haven’t visited the White House as a form of protest when invited.

Athletes taking a political stance isn’t new, and as citizens

Stephanie Jiang

PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

Stop cutting funding to Ontario’s healthcare

themselves they have the right to do so. Kneeling is a form of protest that allows athletes to voice their opinion and show solidarity for others.

The flag of one’s country is symbolic of different things to different people and patriotism is expressed in a variety of ways.

While some people may call the NFL protests disrespectful of the flag, others may see them as upholding its values of freedom of speech and expression.

— Journal Editorial Board

in late August when emergency services were unable to reach her in time. She had a heart attack during a “Code zero” event, where there is only one — sometimes even zero — ambulances available.

This sort of unimaginable occurrence is becoming more and more prevalent, all due to scarce hospital funds and lack of investment in health services.

With a legal agreement on health funding unilaterally decided by the Ministry of Health — with absolutely no input from actual physicians whatsoever — the outcomes of these cuts are appalling. The healthcare system must have a flexible budget in order to keep up with the changing needs of patients.

It’s time to look for a better solution and stop cutting funding to our healthcare. You don’t have to be a physician or politician to make a difference. It starts with just being aware. The more people who know what’s going on with the provincial healthcare system, the more people who will speak up.

So keep healthcare on your mind and in your conversations.

Show the policy makers that our healthcare is not and should never be expendable.

No one has the right to put a price on health, not even the Canadian government.

Stephanie is The Journal’s Editorial Illustrator. She’s a second year QuARMS student.

Video Editor

Nicole Langfield Max Silverberg

Assistant Video Editor

Amelia Rankine

Editorial Illustrator

Stephanie Jiang Rebecca Frost

Graphics Editor

Meredith Wilson-Smith

Copy Editors

Contributing Staff Staff Writers Bryn Evans Vishmayaa Jeyamoorthy AJ Lockhard Mikayla Wronko Contributor Hannah Stafl Eily Shaw

Business Staff Business Manager Head Sales Representative

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Sales Representatives

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Office Administrator

Faith Villanueva

Want to contribute?

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

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

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

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Contents © 2016 by The Queen’s Journal; all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of The Journal.

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Friday, Sept 29, 2017

OPINIONS

Your Perspective

Accepting less to achieve more An alternative approach to vegan outreach

PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

Hannah discusses her experiences as a vegan and society’s preconceptions of those who choose different diets.

Hannah Stafl, ArtSci ’20

It usually takes weeks or even months for someone to find out I’m vegan. It inevitably comes out when I turn down something almost any normal person would accept — Cheetos, ice cream, a burger — or when I have to makeshift my dinner at a restaurant which isn’t accommodating to dietary restrictions.

Whenever this happens, I get asked something along the lines of “well, why didn’t you tell me?”. This question always puzzles me, as I find myself trapped in a paradox: if I introduce myself along with the fact that I choose to eat plants and not animals, I’m seen as preachy and an overbearing vegan.

However, if I don’t offer this information up front, most people are shocked that I didn’t share this large part of my life with them.

It seems that either way, I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place in this situation.

I think the reason many people have a negative knee-jerk reaction to the idea of veganism is that they have had more negative experiences than positive regarding the community and the movement as a whole.

Almost anyone I ask can recount a moment in which they felt judged by someone else in the vegan community — whether online or in-person — for “not being good enough” in regards to their diet and lifestyle.

This isn’t just towards full-on omnivores.

People who are vegetarian still often feel criticized or not fully accepted by many vegans for not completely committing to a plant-based diet.

A friend of mine who was interested in plant milks and changing up parts of her diet to be more plant-based said she would never go vegan because of how negatively she viewed the community. She feared the aforementioned judgement and criticism that might come her way because she wasn’t cutting out all animal products.

While I believe a large amount of this comes from the online vegan community, I think there are huge ramifications to this environment we’ve created. These results are something we need take seriously.

We’re detrimentally hurting the vegan cause by rejecting the partial efforts and changes that many people make. While we might not view this as a substantial change, to most, it seems like they are giving up a major part of their identity by making this decision.

As someone who often likes to think in terms of maximizing results, it’s hard to ignore the numbers. It’s very easy to observe how the aggregation of minor changes in diet and lifestyle across a large group of people does actually amount to a substantial level of impact.

“

Almost anyone I ask can recount a moment in which they felt judged by someone else in the vegan community — whether online or in-person — for “not being good enough” in regards to their diet and lifestyle.

”

For example, the Vancouver Humane Society discovered in 2015, 33 per cent of Canadians were trying to reduce their meat consumption or were fully vegetarian. That’s approximately 12 million people trying to eliminate or reduce how much they eat meat, which is quite a substantial amount.

Because of this, it seems very foolish then to reject those efforts that have a significant impact on our environment and the animals implicated in all of this just because we “wish they could do better.” Instead of condemning those who are still on their own journey, I encourage them to try options that they might be interested in.

For example, if someone feels like their body reacts poorly to regular milk consumption, I’ll suggest the many dairy-free items they can try and then work to extend that initial interest they have.

This isn’t at all to say that we should stop pushing for change and confronting the general values we hold as a society that are deeply in conflict with our everyday exploitation of animals for food, clothing, entertainment and more.

The harsh or confrontational manner in which many vegans have inspired change and enlightenment in others isn’t wrong or bad. However, it’s important that we start to re-evaluate the approaches to vegan outreach that we use for different people.

From my experience, I was personally pushed to cut out dairy and eggs after I watched a video from YouTube Star Freelee the Banana Girl displaying the inherent

violence that comes from producing both of The underlying view behind this these products. “all-or-nothing” mentality that can be While the shocking nature of this was the self-sabotaging to our efforts of spreading push that I needed to remove these products the vegan message is about taking no part from my diet, this YouTuber has put a bad whatsoever in violence against other beings taste in many people’s mouths about the and our earth. vegan community as a whole.

“

By being quite unforgiving and critical to others for not following a vegan lifestyle, Freelee has painted the whole community in a negative light.

”

By being quite unforgiving and critical to others for not following a vegan lifestyle, Freelee has painted the whole community in a negative light. With her harsh tone, it’s not unreasonable to assume that she may dissuade some people from trying to go plant-based at all because they fear a reaction like hers if they make a mistake in their diet.

Our fault as a community lies in the misconception that everyone will respond as we did to an onslaught of information about the reality of eating animal products (the violence, hormones and toxins in the food, environmental destruction etc.) and have a moment of enlightenment.

In reality, these truths can be extremely difficult to process coming from having the importance of a diet including meat, dairy and eggs drilled into us at a very young age.

This means that many people are seriously turned off by a confrontational approach and as a result, continuing down this path won’t be very effective in inspiring positive change at all.

This is why we need to start approaching the topic with openness and acceptance. We need to begin to accept that it may take one person five years to go from vegetarian to vegan and another person two weeks (myself, being the former). Although someone loves how they feel eating plant milks and cheeses, maybe they can’t give up meat forever.

If we reject anything but perfection, what do we get? A lot of people who are interested in aspects of a plant-based diet, yet too scared to make any changes. They fear the prospect of assigning themselves the label or fully committing, as this can subject them to harsh criticism if they slip up.

My bottom line is “ this: we should never

stop championing the fight to end the use and exploitation of animals.

They are sentient beings who have their own intrinsic value, and don’t deserve to be treated as mere means to our ends.

”

We need to focus on becoming more accepting towards all levels of commitment to a vegan diet.

Not only does this help to foster a more open and realistic view of the vegan lifestyle and community, but it’s still effective in bringing about change in people. We know as humans that when we feel accomplished and supported by others at some goal, we want to keep going and pursue that goal, as opposed to when we’re met with criticism and disapproval for the efforts we’re making.

My bottom line is this: we should never stop championing the fight to end the use and exploitation of animals. They are sentient beings who have their own intrinsic value, and don’t deserve to be treated as mere means to our ends.

However, when we reject the efforts and participation from those who simply may not ascribe to all of the beliefs and practices we’d like them to, we’re behaving foolishly.

We’re rejecting changes that concretely lower our consumption of animal products as a society.

So keep educating and pushing for change. Let’s just try to remember to practice as much acceptance as we do advocacy, because it really will help us in the long run.

Hannah Stafl PPE major.

is

a

second-year

Friday, Sept 29, 2017

queenSjournal.ca

•9

ARTS REVIEW

25 years later, the Almighty Voice and His Wife is more relevant than ever Play returns a quarter-century after its first production and offers a startlingly resonant message PHOTO SUPPLIED BY TIM FORT

The Almighty Voice and His Wife returns after 25 years.

Sarina Grewal Assistant News Editor Originally published online on September 28.

Twenty-five years after it first appeared on stage in Kingston, Daniel David Moses’ The Almighty Voice and His Wife is back with a new cast, new perspective and the same director.

Currently featured at The Grand Theatre, the two-act play tells the story of two Cree lovers, Almighty Voice and White Girl.

Shortly after getting married, the characters, played by Brendan Chandler and Brefny Caribou respectively, find themselves on the run from Mounties after killing a settler’s cow.

The show is directed by Lib Spry, a Queen’s professor and PhD candidate who also directed its very first production 25 years ago, and brought it back to stage with Moses, who also teaches at Queen’s Dan School of Drama and Music.

Spry said directing a play now is a lot different from when she started.

“I am much more aware of everything that the Canadian state has done to Indigenous people, historically and now, in a way that I wasn’t 25 years ago,” Spry said.

“Daniel has written a play that leaves it up to each person to walk away with what they think,” she added.

The first act, Running with the Moon, tells the story in a straightforward, chronological manner. Throughout nine scenes named after the phases of the moon, we see Chandler and Caribou take the stage as the two lovers. We watch their marriage unfold, both in their most intimate moments and their most trying ordeals.

The first scene of the act calls out a plethora of misconceptions, judgments and falsities about Indigenous communities. The Almighty Voice’s Ghost is taunted

by Caribou’s White Girl — now acting as The Interlocutor — and forced to participate in “The Red and White Victoria Regina Spirit Revival Show.” They go back and forth between discriminatory jokes

and jingles tackling stereotypes like alcoholism through heartfelt, emotionally turbulent performances, leaving audience members laughing, uncomfortable and affected by the intentionally prejudiced parody.

Caribou shines as the loyal, resolute and sometimes — as her husband calls her — “crazy” White Girl. Her performance as The Interlocutor in the second half of the show highlights her capabilities; the character is funny, hateful and presents a whirlwind of emotions, and Caribou pulls it off.

She emphasizes the importance of the play’s many historical components and their effect on its overall impact.

“It’s kind of amazing how Daniel touches on so many issues involving Indigenous history,” Caribou said.

“It’s incredibly important to be talking about these things, and he does it in such an organic way.”

“On one level we’re telling this love story of these two young people in a time of Confederation and colonialism, but then underneath it all, all the history

kind of sneaks in and permeates the entire show,” she added.

Chandler embodies the wild and passionate Almighty Voice and transitions into a conflicted, emotional Almighty Ghost seamlessly in Act Two. He maintains the strength of the character from beginning to end, and still allows his vulnerability to show.

Chandler explained the role has been incredibly eye-opening for him, and that the play itself allowed him to reconnect with his heritage.

“I always wanted to play an Indigenous person because I neglected my heritage my whole life. Doing this as my first production has been an invitation,” Chandler said. “This play is beyond me. The energy that it requires is something I’ve never actually been comfortable with.”

“It’s like looking at this bandaid I’ve had on my body for 25 years, and wondering ‘Why do I still have it there?’ And then being invited to take it off.”

The play’s production and delivery is the foundation of its impact. The music is done mostly

in-house, and features Ojibway composer David Deleary, who also worked on the first production 25 years ago. With a creative team of primarily Indigenous individuals, the show is executed simply, with haunting and beautiful visuals alongside the captivating performances of its leads.

Moses’ The Almighty Voice and His Wife is a production that requires constant attention.

It can be a tad confusing at times — let the mind stray, and key moments can easily be missed.

But it presents an honest, deliberate and turbulent story of struggling lovers and combative performers. It’s an important piece, relevant in its historical details and contemporary themes, for all to experience.

The play makes its return in a time when its themes are more relevant than ever. Indigenous issues are rightfully garnering more attention, especially in light of Canada’s 150 anniversary of Confederation, and this play presents an essential opportunity for discussion.

PROFILE

Meet Kingston’s next homegrown talent

Singer-songwriter finds home in Kingston’s music community Shivani Gonzalez

Lifestyle Editor Julia Finnegan remembers her relationship with Kingston’s music scene beginning when she was a teenager and winning the Renaissance Music Song Writing Contest. Now working on her second EP, Finnegan hopes to make a career out of her passion.

Finnegan, BFA ’20, has been surrounded by music her whole life — her father plays guitar and was in a band in high school.

Growing up, Finnegan wanted to be just like him and her desire quickly inspired the start of her music career.

“He would write songs for me when I was little and I just always wanted to do that too,” Finnegan said.

When the family moved to Kingston in her fourth year of elementary school, the city itself

proved to be the missing piece in Finnegan’s musical development.

After encouragement from local musician Andrew Vanhorn, Finnegan entered a song writing competition at 13 years old.

Despite the inexperience of the young musician, Finnegan won the under 18-category.

“That was my first time letting people hear my music other than me,” she said. “Kingston is just a very musical city so it made it easy for me to do that.”

Since then, Finnegan received more positive feedback from her competition performance and encouragement from other local Kingston artists.

With this support from the city’s music scene, Finnegan has made the transition from high school band performer to a musician with an EP, making money off of her music and her gigs. She’s taken her musical talents to Tir Na Nog,

The Mansion and other essential Kingston establishments.

For Finnegan, the best part of the musical experience is meeting people who share similar experiences with their careers.

One such artist is Emily Fiddle – after meeting when Fiddle was a judge at the contest Finnegan won, they bonded together during joint vocal lessons. Finnegan now views Fiddle as a mentor and friend to bounce songs and ideas off of. She even gave Finnegan’s music more exposure by performing a cover of her original song in Kingston with some of the city’s most famous musicians.

“I showed her this song, [‘Speechless’] and she asked me if she could cover it at her show.

Pan Chancho has these backyard barbeques and I was really exited so I went and she plays with Rob Baker and Gord Sinclair from the Tragically Hip so they were there,”

Julia Finnegan.

Finnegan explained. “She texted me later and told me that Gord Downie was watching from the parking lot so that was really fun for me.”

For Finnegan, her musical process is different than most artists she knows about.

“I think for me, words matter a lot. I love writing and that’s usually the first thing I do is write lyrics before I put music into it,” Finnegan told The Journal. “I think that’s different because other people usually prefer music before lyrics. I just think that there is a big importance to words.”

PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY JULIA FINNEGAN

Finnegan released her EP Thoughts Collide in 2015 and the next big milestone she’s working towards is releasing a second EP. Of course, as a full time second year university student, finding the time can be hard. That kind of scheduling includes putting in as many hours as necessary into the studio and performing shows. Even so, Finnegan plans to continue passionately pursuing her musical career.

“You just have to learn to make time for the things that you love,” she said.

Arts

10 •queenSjournal.ca

Friday, Sept 29, 2017

been given shining reviews. The film tells the tale of a young girl in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan that must dress like a boy to support her family.

Though the jury is still out as to whether or not it will be a financial success, it’s undoubtedly an important piece of art.

What this speaks to is the fact that Canadian film has been, and always will be interesting

and important. The idea that the Canadian film industry is lackluster and dying in popularity seems to be based on the idea that Canadian films often don’t reach the same financial status Hollywood films do and therefore aren’t worth watching.

But financial success isn’t the only determining factor of what makes a good film. Quality content exists on this side of the border and

can be seen in places Canadians often overlook like independent screening rooms and festivals.

There are also a lot of films that do well artistically, socially and financially that aren’t commonly recognized as being Canadian films. Beatriz at Dinner, for example, a dark comedy about an immigrant woman having dinner at the house of the man who colonized her people in Mexico, was produced in collaboration

by New York-based Killer Films and BC-based Bron Studios.

The latter motion picture company also produced film Fences and the highly controversial The Birth of a Nation in collaboration with US based companies — the point here being that Canadian artists do well, whether it’s in America or Canada.

What this also points to is the “brain drain”, where talented Canadian artists leave the country to pursue new opportunities in other, more visibly successful film industries. It’s so much easier to fund and make a film, as well as find an audience in Hollywood, so many Canadian artists move. But we can make Canada a better place for film.

It starts with an audience.

Support your local and national artists, whether it’s The Breadwinner or Beatriz at Dinner or another exciting up-and-comer.

As well, support your local movie theatre, because the best place to find Canadian films is always going to be at the Indie theatres that cheer them on. Give Canadian films a chance; there’s some good stuff out there that may surprise you.

this goal. At the museum, Vorano had the opportunity to meet Inuit visitors and hear their stories about the pieces the museum had on display. This position sparked the idea for his current project that bridges the divide between Indigenous knowledge and museum artifacts.

Vorano recognized the disconnect between Indigenous communities living in the North and the pieces of their material culture that were taken during colonialism. Currently, these pieces are largely inaccessible to these northern communities because they are solely stored in southern museums.

Vorano’s project, currently called the Arctic Cultural Heritage Research Network (ACHRN), works to address this inaccessibility and will be focused on user-generated content, or what Vorano calls a “Web 2.0 model”.

It will use technology to create an online portal in which Inuit people can access digital museum catalogues to view collections and input their own knowledge on the pieces to be viewed by the public.

This project aims to assist in the ongoing process of reconciliation and allow for the naming, mapping and reclaiming of art and culture that was taken and erased during settler colonialism. Vorano hopes the success of this project will provide a proof of concept that can be expanded and replicated at museums around the world where Inuit art was taken for display during colonial exploitation.

As a recipient of the Fellowship, Professor Vorano received $225,000, which will first be used to set up an advisory committee tasked with determining the

aims, governance structure and ethical implications of the project.

This stage of the project will seek to determine things like who is able to add to the portal and who it can be shared with, as some may only want their stories available to select communities and individuals.

A portion of the grant will also go towards hardware purchases, and later to creating sites around the Arctic where community members will be able to access the portal, view the collections and participate in creating the user-generated content.

Vorano sees a “general strength

can tell viewers and the the University’s Arctic environmental research efforts.

Vorano also hopes that in the future, members of Inuit communities will be able to come to Queen’s to further build the reciprocal nature of the project through collaboration and teaching, as the success of the project requires Inuit participants.

Professor Vorano recognizes the “daunting responsibility to now deliver an impact” with this project, but is grateful and “happy that the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation saw the value in the work.”

viShmayaa Jeyamoorthy

Staff Writer Although you might solely associate Canadian film with the perpetuation of the Canadian stereotype — lumberjack-looking men moping in the woods – there’s so much more to the national industry that’s often overlooked.

Sometimes it feels like it’s not worth investing your time in exploring Canadian film because people tend to think so lowly of it.

That being said, some of this year’s top releases prove it’s worth taking a second look at the Canadian film industry.

Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World is a documentary that explores Indigenous influences on some of the greatest pop stars in history. The film features Jimi Hendrix, Taj Mahal, Martin Scorsese and many others talking about how Indigenous peoples have changed the music industry from the get-go.

The film won awards at Sundance and Hot Docs this year, and for good reason. It’s beautifully made, with stunning visuals and an equally powerful soundtrack.

The clever storytelling sheds light on an often overlooked part of music history — this is especially important in today’s context, where there’s seemingly a growing focus on reconciliation and acknowledgement of Indigenous peoples and their history.

Montréal-based company Rezolution Pictures produced the film, but it gained international attention. The film has garnered

Professor Norman Verano in his office.

CINEMA

Another look at Canadian film Independent film gives national industry a second wind rave reviews from critics all over the world and proves that investing in the Canadian film industry isn’t always going to be a financial flop.

Likewise, The Breadwinner, an animated film based on the novel of the same name by Deborah Ellis, premiered this month at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and has already

PHOTOS BY AJ LOCKHARD

REPORT

Queen’s professor wins award for Inuit Art History project Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation Fellowship given to Norman Verano aJ lockhard Staff Writer Throughout his career, Queen’s Art History professor Norman Vorano has been working to shed light on the histories of some of the inaccessible parts of Northern communities.

Recognized for his efforts, Vorano received the Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation Fellowship for his work with Inuit artwork and communities, as announced on September 19.

The Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation Fellowship celebrates outstanding work done in the social sciences and humanities and

SCREENSHOT FROM YOUTUBE

The Breadwinner explores family life in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

is awarded to pieces that speak to four main themes: “Human Rights and Dignity, Responsible Citizenship, Canada in the World and People and their Natural Environment,” according to the foundation’s website.

Vorano’s road to this recognition started in the 1990s when he realized nobody was teaching Inuit art history in southern Canada.

Vorano began to pursue his passion for the subject by educating more Canadians on the artwork of northern communities.

His position as the curator of contemporary Inuit art at the Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa from 2005-2014 furthered

in

Arctic research at Queen’s,” and hopes this project will inspire collaboration with the other departments l o o k i n g at northern communities. He sees a strong link between what the stories

in Inuit a r t pieces

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Friday, sept 29, 2017

Sports PHOTO SUPPLIED BY CURTIS CARMICHAEL

Carmichael’s longest stretch reached as far as 160 kilometres.

Riding with a cause

Queen’s grad Curtis Carmichael spent his summer biking across Canada with a strong message Matt Scace Assistant Sports Editor Standing on the podium at the Hilton hotel in Quebec City in November of 2015, Curtis Carmichael seemed to have a pretty keen sense of where his future was headed.

About to graduate from Queen’s with a degree in Physical and Health Education and a place on the school’s honour roll, the wide receiver had just been awarded the Russ Jackson award.

Annually, the award is given to a Canadian university football player who exceeds all expectations in their athletic, academic and community efforts In that moment, football was on Carmichael’s mind. But what came flooding in during the weeks and months after were images of his journey to this point.

Raised in Toronto Community Housing, Carmichael faced racial discrimination on a daily basis.

After years of spending time with other marginalized people, he wanted to do something to help.

So just two years after leaving football behind, Carmichael set out on a 3,379-kilometre cycling trip across Canada this summer with a strong message of racial justice.

Making a name for himself Arriving on campus in 2012 as a wide-receiver for the Gaels, Carmichael had his hands full when he moved to Kingston. Even though he was already trying to balance life as a student and an athlete, he knew he wanted more.

In his first year, Carmichael started making an impact in the Kingston community. At first, Carmichael spent a lot of time at Nightlight, a centre for marginalized adults who deal with problems such as homelessness, addiction and mental illness.

“They call us volunteers but I’m not really a volunteer. It’s kind of a peer mentoring vibe…we’d just become friends,” Carmichael said.

Alongside Nightlight , Carmichael helped out with local middle school gym classes and visited orphanages in Romania.

By his fourth year, Carmichael had a stellar reputation as a football player, student and community member.

Even though he had his sights set on the CFL upon graduation, Carmicheal had passions outside of football as well. Wanting to give youth a chance to grow up in a discrimination-free environment had long driven him to help in the Kingston community.

Putting this passion into action took some time for Carmichael, though.

In March of 2016, Carmichael went to the CFL Combine. Two months later, despite going undrafted at the league’s draft, he pursued a practice squad spot. Just weeks later, Carmichael informed his agent that he would be stepping away from football to pursue a life of social activism — something he felt would be far more fulfilling. “[Stepping away from football] was tough, but it was easier for me because it was for a bigger purpose,” Carmichael said. “It was something greater than

just playing football.”

The pivot

By September of 2016, Carmichael had already begun teacher’s college at the University of Ontario Institute for Technology.

There, he became an activist for both racial discrimination and poverty, and moreover a mentor to underprivileged youth.

The tandem of these two pursuits has made him a vocal educator on the topic of discrimination within Canada.

Carmichael’s motivation for tackling issues towards race discrimination and poverty comes from a very personal place.

Growing up in Toronto Community Housing, Carmichael was raised in an environment where his efforts to succeed in his academics would often feel useless.

With this being just one of a larger handful of struggles derived from living in government housing, Carmichael spent much of his time as a youngster wondering why he felt he was being held back.

“The system itself was something I grew up in and I faced a lot of discrimination from the police, from teachers,” Carmichael said. “I always thought it was an individual thing, but I realized that a lot of our thinking sometimes comes from things outside of us.”

Upon this realization, Carmichael felt the need to stand up for people who are in the position he was in a short while ago.

The ride

Carmichael with teammates in Africville near the end of expedition.

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY CURTIS CARMICHAEL

With a clear idea of what he wanted to represent, Carmichael had a crazy idea in August of last year. What if he biked across Canada and used it as a platform to educate people about racial justice?

Well, it happened. By September, under the mentorship of a friend’s father, cycling had taken over Carmichael’s life. Often logging over 150 kilometres on the bike a week — sometimes nearing 300 — Carmichael knew he had to be more than ready to go when the

ride came around.

“I’ve had no life for the past year,” Carmichael said.

Riding alongside a van with a trailer and three supporters keeping him in check, Carmichael set out on a 30-leg journey on July 10 across the Great White North. Beginning his journey in Vancouver, Carmichael had no idea what to expect. All he knew was that it wasn’t going to be easy.

“It was pretty crazy…I won’t do it again,” Carmichael said.

Dubbed the Ride for Promise, Carmichael’s charity of choice was Urban Promise — a shelter for underprivileged youth. The company supports kids who, without the shelter, would be exposed to harmful substances and activities. It’s an environment he knew all too well growing up, and is something he wants to do everything in his power to help change.

Over his 30 stops across the country, Carmichael sometimes spoke to groups of over 50 people.

Other times it meant having a conversation with a family over dinner. And while the cycling alone took its toll on him, what he didn’t expect was how much the weight of these interactions would affect him.

“Physically, it was a lot easier than the mental. The mental component is hard because you’re always by yourself. Because of the depth and the heaviness of the topic, it causes you to think a lot about it, and I think that was the hardest part was juggling my mental wellness,” Carmichael said.

While the trip was largely meant to spread a message of racial justice around Canada, the ride taught Carmichael just as much as he taught others.

“Things start coming together where it just made sense. I could put words to every experience, I could explain where people’s mindsets come from, because I don’t just accept that that’s just the way they are. Everything comes from something so I think for me, that’s the biggest thing I learned from myself is that I can put words to things in ways that I can now educate others,” Carmichael said.

Friday, sept 29, 2017

queensjournal.ca

SportS

• 12

ATHLETICS AND RECREATION

Olympic hopefuls flock to Queen’s RBC Training Ground hits the ARC with hopes of finding next batch of Canadian Olympic talent

The ARC is set to host an RBC Training Ground site this weekend.

SeBaStian Bron Sports Editor Dreams of becoming a Canadian Olympic athlete aren’t as lofty as they once seemed.

This Saturday, one of four province-wide RBC Training Ground sites — a funding program designed to uncover Canadian athletes with Olympic potential — is being hosted by Queen’s at the Athletics and Recreation Centre. The event, which now heads into its second year of operation, is open to

athletes aged 14-25.

Over the course of the day, participants will be measured through a variety of speed, power, strength and endurance drills.

Sean Scott, acting Director of High Performance Sport at Queen’s since 2015, said the Canadian Olympic Committee has always been looking at ways of diversifying their engagement and development of homegrown athletic talent in Canada.

“One of the gaps for the Canadian [Olympic] system was that its development strategy

PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

wasn’t as sophisticated as other countries,” Scott said.

Prior to his arrival at Queen’s, Scott worked for Own the Podium — a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to helping Canadian athletes reach podium finishes at Olympic competitions — as a sport strategist and performance analyst.

National exposure for local athletes has often occurred at varying and often infrequent rates in years past, he added. “[W]hen you’re looking at

trying to have a very coordinated approach to developing people to achieve success at the highest level, it can be challenging for [local] athletes to find the right pathway to go from where they can’t be to where they need to be,” Scott said.

The training ground program offers local athletes a platform to showcase their athletic potential. As a result, it helps them secure the necessary funding required for their training and competition entries.

Scott said Canada’s Olympic Committee has begun to follow an effective system “that both helps identify [athletes] that have potential, and then helps connect those athletes into programming support that would allow them to develop that potential.”

Contingent on how many athletes meet the event’s required

measurement standards, roughly 100 to 200 participants from the four local qualifiers in Ontario this weekend will be invited to the regional final. The winner of the final, which is set to be held at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre on October 14, will have themselves a spot on Team Canada for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

Hosting the training ground at Queen’s has value to the athletic department, Scott said, particularly in regards to the potential growth they could experience in future years.

“The benefit for us is that [the event] does grant some nice exposure for Queen’s with sports — even national sports — and potentially offer some opportunities in the future for partnerships in relation to our athletics department.”

BASEBALL

Queen’s pitcher throws no-hitter Will Langford pitches first no-hitter in Queen’s baseball history Bryn evanS Staff Writer Walking up to the mound on Sunday afternoon, pitcher Will Langford didn’t expect that he would be writing baseball history for Queen’s.

While thoughts of a no-hitter raced throughout his mind during the game, he never really believed to be a realistic possibility.

Langford proved himself wrong.

The Gaels headed into Sunday’s double-header at their hometown Megaffin Park against the Waterloo Warriors after splitting a two-game home series with U of T the day before. Against the Varsity Blues, Queen’s split the games with a 3-1 win and a 9-2 loss.

After taking a narrow 1-0 lead in the first inning, Langford wouldn’t need anything else from his teammates in terms of offensive support.

Throughout the game, the pitcher simply kept his cool and maintained his focus.

But as innings two, three, four and five passed, a question lingered in the back of his mind: “Could I really pitch a no-hitter?”

“I knew the whole time that I had a no-hitter going,” Langford said. “It was probably the sixth inning when I thought it might actually happen.”

Although there’s been a lot of focus on himself, Langford said his historical game had much to do with his teammates’ defensive play. With the prospect of a no-hitter becoming more and

more of a reasonable possibility, they scrambled with each of their opponents’ at-bat to keep the streak going.

He mentioned that he’s proud of his teammates stating, “[This] doesn’t happen without the work we all put in, both coaches and players.”

With 13 total strikeouts to his name, Langford continued to shutdown the Warriors’ batters. By the end of the game, the furthest base a Waterloo player made it was to second.

With just one last out to record, it was fitting that the second-year Kinesiology student threw his final strikeout. With that, Langford became the first Queen’s pitcher in the baseball program’s history to throw a no-hitter.

“It was a cool feeling to strike out the last batter of the game and have the whole team dogpile me,” Langford said of the ensuing moments after the game ended.

“It felt like it was as much for [my teammates] as it was for me, especially since the game was 1-0.”

He said the crowd was feeling the excitement as well.

“I think [the fans] really became aware that I had achieved something special when the whole team ran on to the field after the last out.”

With all the attention the no-hitter has garnered, the pitcher still has his sights on what’s important — namely, the rest of the season.

“It’s just another win for us and we have to move on and finish our season strong as we have a

Langford is the first Gael to throw a no-hitter in the program’s history.

chance to have the best season in Queen’s baseball history,” Langford said.

That focus is more

important than the no-hitter, he continued.

The Gaels currently sit in fifth place in the OUA standings

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY QUEEN`S ATHLETICS

with 10 points, just six points behind the leader Brock, who they play next weekend.

SportS

13 •queensjournal.ca

Friday, sept 29, 2017

QUEEN’S SOCCER

Three decades strong at the helm

Women’s soccer head coach Dave McDowell talks to The Journal about new role as technical director for both men’s and women’s programs SeBaStian Bron Sports Editor Dave McDowell has seen it all when it comes to Queen’s soccer.

Currently in his 30th season as women’s soccer head coach, McDowell — who played varsity for Queen’s in the 1980s before assuming a lead coaching position in ’88 — has yet to experience a losing season with the Gaels.

The program’s winning percentage of just over 72 per cent since he’s been in charge speaks for itself. With three national championships, five provincial titles, two U Sports Coach of the Year awards and being a seven-time OUA Coach of the Year, McDowell has a long list of accolades.

It’s hard not to marvel at McDowell’s coaching career and success. He’s left an indelible mark on the program’s storied history — he knows the program inside and out.

This past July, Queen’s Athletics promoted McDowell to being head coach on a full-time basis — he was part-time prior to

this season — and also brought him on as the technical director of both men’s and women’s soccer programs.

The Journal spoke with the coach to discuss his new role, how he’s balancing a denser workload and his prolonged affection for Queen’s athletics.

What does the women’s program and Queen’s as a whole mean to you — both as a former varsity athlete and a long-time coach?

Well, obviously it’s been a huge part of my life for some 30 years — that’s a long time.

There’s been a passion here [at Queen’s], you know?

Is that connection you feel to the school’s passion and history something that kept bringing you back?

It’s something I love doing, and getting to do it full-time — as I get a little older in life — has been very fulfilling.

I’m thoroughly enjoying the

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

McDowell has coached the women’s soccer team since 1988.

full-time experience.

How is being director and having to oversee two whole programs different from just being a coach?

I think that’s what Christian [Hoefler] — the men’s head coach — and I are working through right now ‌ how I can best help him and his role.

We certainly spend more time together, and I think there’s more of a combination between the two of us looking to see what’s best for the soccer programs at large as opposed to when it’s just you and you’re desperately trying to find time to help your own team be as best as they can.

There’s a real push to help

both programs — and I think we’ll see more of it as we get through the season and look into recruiting and how we can combine recruiting efforts.

Any way that I can help make both teams better teams is the goal.

Does this role take away from your coaching duties?

I wouldn’t say it takes away.

I was just talking with Christian the other day about how hard it would be to be the coach of both teams ‌ you know, to sort of have to invest all of the attention and emotion and all the things you invest during a game and then suddenly turning that off and going to another game afterwards — it would be

very difficult.

Within the parameters of this situation, I don’t think it’s taken away from anything to do with the women’s team.

It’s been a real benefit so far to both teams, but I think you’ll see that come to fulfillment more as [Christian and I] sort of feel our way through the new jobs.

How has the women’s program experienced so much success under your tutelage?

It’s always important to establish a sense of competitive entitlement — feeling that no matter what situation you’re in a game or during a season, that you’re always going to find a way to be successful.

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