Murder mystery THEMUSEUM hosts a killer night out. Page 5 Monday, April 6, 2015
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Conestoga College, Kitchener, Ont.
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Green is the New Black Students help Fairview Park Mall with green initiative. Page 9 46TH Year — No. 12
Go Blue! Go Bald! by cassie tulecki
PHOTO BY Cassie tulecki
Robert Free grew his beard for 15 months and then had it shaved off to support the Go Blue! Go Bald! event hosted by Make-A-Wish Southwestern Ontario.
Participants in Make-AWish Southwestern Ontario’s ninth annual Go Blue! Go Bald! fundraiser raised approximately $20,000. Supporters raised pledges, dyed their hair blue and also had their heads shaved at the event held March 28 at Edelweiss Tavern in Kitchener. There was also a silent auction that was open to the public. Go Blue! Go Bald! has raised over $1 million all across southwestern Ontario since it began. “Participants in our Go Blue! Go Bald! head shave events raise pledges, and many colour their hair blue in advance of the event to raise awareness, and then they shave their head for our wish kids,” said Stephanie Field, manager of communications and development. Blue hair extensions could be purchased for a $5 donation at the Make-A-Wish offices if supporters chose not to go bald. People could also get involved by hosting an
event that focused on the blue theme. The possibilities were endless. “Each winter Make-A-Wish Southwestern Ontario holds a Go Blue! Go Bald! campaign, however, supporters are encouraged to join in the fun at any time of year and organize a Go Blue! Go Bald! head shave or blue-themed fundraiser in their school, workplace or community,” Field said. Make-A-Wish Southwestern Ontario works to give children with life-threatening medical conditions the chance to experience hope, joy and have their wish fulfilled. In 2014, the organization was able to grant 68 wishes for exceptional children. “Behind the blue hair, there are many unique and heartwarming stories,”said Lori Quick, chief executive officer, in a media release. “One such story is that of 12-year-old Ayden, who has participated in Go Blue! Go Bald! since 2010. In the past four years he has raised a cumulative total of $9,356.75. Ayden was
inspired to participate by a friend who received a wish and his aunt’s involvement in the event.” Melissa Legge, one of the many supporters who attended the event, said, “My sister and I have come for the past two years. We heard it on the radio and I wanted to dye my hair anyways. We even brought our little brother this year.” The event was sponsored by CTV, KFUN 99.5 FM, 105.3 KOOL FM and the Waterloo Region Record. Stylists from Studio 102 shaved supporters’ heads on stage. “The participant pledges totalled $14,108.25 for the event and with the silent auction and draw prizes the event total will reach around $20,000,” said Brittany Kinchen, wish co-ordinator. To learn more about Make-A-Wish and how you can get involved, call 519471-4900 or visit www. makeawish.ca. There is also a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/swo. makeawish, and a Twitter page at @MakeAWishSWO.
aWEARness ‘moves’ people by rachel roy
Students in the visual merchandising arts program at Conestoga have done it again, showcasing their personal costume designs at the fifth annual aWEARness runway performance on March 26. This year’s theme was The Evolution of Movement Through Time. The students’ designs were presented on a runway and in a video created by broadcast television students. The performance was held at The Conrad Centre for the Performing Arts and proceeds went to National Service Dogs of Canada. “It always takes a couple of weeks after an event for all of the bills to come in and be paid, etc.,” said Laura Harding, co-ordinator of the visual merchandising arts program. “However, I can still confirm at this time that the students met their goal to raise enough funds to sponsor the training and care of a new
puppy which will be designated for a family in our community who has a child with autism. For this contribution, they are given the privilege of naming the puppy and they selected the name ‘Doon’ to honour their college campus.” The students worked on their designs for a long time, some for over a year. “We had to do the inspiration stuff, like watching videos and taking note of colours and stuff like that,” said Christin Hemstreet, one of the student designers. Hemstreet was inspired by the movement and beauty of the Northern Lights. She wanted to focus on how she could show the specific movements and colours of them. Some of the other student designers and their inspiration were: Erin Ireland who used the Big Bang as inspiration. Laura Tonellotto whose design was inspired by the movie Up. Rachel Voisin was inspired
by nature, focusing her design on lightning. Angela Nott did a tornado design. Maddie Perette did wind. Laurysa Tschirhart created a piece around waves/ ripples. Amanda Ross’s work was based around the energy of the human body. Jessica White created a design using a similar theme, a heartbeat. Garrett Shoemaker decided to work with the “evolution of man.” Emira Skarep’s design was based on a peacock. Jennica Swayze created her piece as a water wheel. Margie Hedges, co-ordinator of design programs at Conestoga College, said, “It’s all about creativity. What we try to do is inspire the students just to think outside the box then just go with their heart and just do incredible things. “It’s a visual display really gone wild.”
PHOTO BY Rachel roy
Students in the visual merchandising arts program at Conestoga showcased their costumes on March 26 at The Conrad Centre of the Performing Arts. For more photos, see Page 6.
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Now deep thoughts ... with Conestoga College
Monday, April 6, 2015
FILBERT CARTOONS
Random questions answered by random students
If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be? “A liger (a cross between a male lion and female tiger).”
Caleb Timmerman, first-year international business management
“A monkey.”
Ryan Standfield, first-year computer programming
“Any sort of bear, a polar bear.”
Ryan Cresswell, second-year pre-service firefighter
“A koala.” Sarah Abbot, first-year accounting
“An octopus.”
Sarah Kamenz, first-year accounting
“A tiger.”
Vivian Grandy, first-year general business
Smile Conestoga, you could be our next respondent!
Bad asphalt leaves holes in roads and budgets BY JACK PARKINSON
The common pothole costs Ontario about $2 billion every year. But one man says he has a solution to this problem. Simon Hesp is a Dutch immigrant who travelled to Canada and became a chemical engineer at Queen’s University in Kingston in 1992. Since then, Hesp has taught a bumper crop of the institution’s best and brightest students and formed his own research group, which has received, roughly, more than $10 million in funding from private and government sources since its inception. The Hesp Research Group covers a range of topics, but places special emphasis on road infrastructure and its improvement. In a Toronto Star article in January 2014, Hesp said the main problem was the low quality of asphalt used on most Ontario roads. “More than half the asphalt I’ve tested ... (has) engine oil residue. And that will crack in the first winter. After 10 years it will be rubble.” To make a long story short, Hesp got fed up with low quality asphalt and devised a series of tests to ensure that asphalt was produced at a higher purity. He took these tests to the City of Kingston, which implemented them, and the results speak for themselves: Kingston has not reported any cracking after five years with the better asphalt. The question is obvious – why isn’t Waterloo Region doing something like this? According to Kitchener Ward 10 Councillor Sarah Marsh, who helps set Kitchener’s budget and has contact with road department staff, the main reason might just be a simple lack of information. “I haven’t noticed (the potholes in Waterloo Region) are much worse than other cities in Ontario,” Marsh said. She said that, while road repairs and costs are discussed at council meetings as often as they are needed,
PHOTO BY jack parkinson
Former City of Kitchener councillor Dan Glenn-Graham has resolved to push the issue of asphalt quality in Kitchener. the quality of the asphalt has not been a topic of discussion. Marsh was open to the idea of higher quality asphalt, and said she would give the process her support if her ward residents demanded change. Former councillor Dan GlennGraham, who ran for mayor in the 2014 Kitchener election, tells a different story about when he was on city council. “I was told, ‘Oh, we’re looking into it,’” Glenn-Graham said. “Which, of course, means nothing much.” Glenn-Graham feels strongly about the quality of the roads in Waterloo Region, and stressed that there were two main contributors to the potholes that plague motorists. First was the infrastructure underneath roads – sewers, water pipes, etc. Maintenance on those installations can only really occur through excavation, which, of course, impacts the quality of the road surface. The second contributing rea-
son is the freeze-thaw cycle, where water seeps into the pores in asphalt, freezes into ice and expands, then melts again, leaving the road much less structurally sound, if not outright broken. This is what accounts for most of the potholes in any given city road. “We spend a boatload of money on (potholes),” said Glenn-Graham, who resolved to bring the issue before council again soon, even though he is no longer a councillor. “We need a model of continuous improvement. It’s shocking to me that (Kingston) staff had to be persuaded.” According to GlennGraham, roads that are properly maintained could last for up to 50 years – a far cry from the yearly reconstruction in Waterloo Region today. So the next time you’re driving along and you hit a pothole, don’t get angry – get involved. Let your councillors know you want better roads.
NEWs
Monday, April 6, 2015
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Violinist wins Conestoga’s Got Talent BY JOSH KENNEDY
PHOTO BY Josh kennedy
Brandon Mitchell performs a Metallica song at Conestoga’s Got Talent. The competition took place on March 24 in the Sanctuary.
students show off their creations
Students got the chance to show off some of their skills at Conestoga’s Got Talent, which was held by Conestoga Students Inc. in the Sanctuary on March 24. Auditions for the talent show started on March 5 and ran until the 24th, with a total of 15 students auditioning. Most of the participants sang and played the guitar, performing songs from Metallica, Aerosmith and Bob Marley to name a few. But a few students showcased other talents including beat boxing and violin playing. One student, Colleen Geerlinks, astounded everyone by solving three Rubik’s cubes in just over a minute. The grand prize was $300, with $200 going to second place and $100 going to third place. Geerlinks came in third, second place went to Nicole Eves, who sang Cry by Aerosmith, and the first place
prize went to Chris Lagana for his violin skills. Cake pops were sold at the event with the proceeds going to Make-a-Wish. The charity has a major fundraiser being planned. Twenty-nine Flight Centre employees and Jennifer Klotz-Ritter, CEO and president of Make-aWish Canada, are travelling to Iceland Aug. 4 to hike the Landmannalaugan route. They hope to raise $60,000 for the charity. “Our main goal is to reach about $60,000 before the day of the walk,” said Monika Brrowiec, a volunteer at Make-a-Wish. “The show had a huge variety of talents that came out to perform and all of them were impressive,” said Samantha Schwier, the programming co-ordinator for CSI. “It is a great way for students to express themselves, get out of their comfort zones and make friends.”
NEW Recreation centre WIll be worth the wait
PHOTO BY carson deshevy-renouf
Mike Dinning, Conestoga’s vice-president of Student Affairs, is disappointed that the recreation centre on campus had to close prematurely, but he is certain that the decision will benefit students in the long run. For video story, go to www.spokeonline.com.
video game swap brings out hundreds of gamers
PHOTO BY jordan johnstone
Tarec Rahim (standing), a Conestoga engineering student, attended the National Engineering Month event March 24, showing off the robot he and Roger Bongers, a fellow student, built. For video story go to www.spokeonline.com.
PHOTO BY cody mudge
The Waterloo Game Swap at RIM Park in Waterloo provided hundreds of gamers with the opportunity to browse dozens of vendors’ booths. For video story visit www.spokeonline.com.
COMMENTARY
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Monday, April 6, 2015
Male image scrutinized BY nataleigh mccallum
Makeup, hair trends and clothing are all things women obsess about. But now men are too. A recent study conducted by BuzzFeed, the online news media company, found ideals of male beauty have increasing prevalence in entertainment, media and advertising. The BuzzFeed article stated that although more women have negative opinions about their bodies, the percentage of men admitting body image-based issues is growing at a much faster rate. The number of men’s beauty products increased by more than 70 per cent worldwide between 2012 and 2014, making the male cosmetic industry worth $3.3 billion globally. So, what are the new ideals of male beauty? BuzzFeed gathered information from professional publications, entertainment and social media to find out what exactly makes a man attractive today. In their study, they focused on 12 countries and how the societal term of beauty for men varied. For example, in America, men face media pressure to have the perfect, muscular body. A popular look for American men in recent years is the “lumbersexual,” which is bearded, masculine and white. For Mexican men, they found that more of a macho behaviour was an ideal. They finished second in a 2000 study of the most vain men in the world behind Venezuelans. Brazilian men believe Germanic features and tan skin are an ideal and undergo cosmetic surgery. South Africa’s ideal is white men, even though they only make up nine per cent of the population. Skin lightening cream is the highest selling male beauty product there. For Turkish men, they often use body hair removal services and in the United Kingdom, it’s common for men to have tattoos. In South Korea makeup and plastic surgery are popular, particularly to make eyes bigger, to double eyelids and create a high-bridge nose. From all of this, where is the world’s ideal of beauty going to go? It is known that media has a negative effect on how women see themselves. Only four per cent of women consider themselves beautiful according to Dove. But now, it is affecting men as well. Due to the pressure from society people today have lost touch with what really matters. A study at San Francisco State University found that while women struggle with trying to be thinner, men struggle with becoming more muscular. Men and women must remember it is what is on the inside that counts. The views herein represent the position of the newspaper, not necessarily the author.
Letters are welcome Spoke welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be signed and include the name and telephone number of the writer. Writers will be contacted for verification. No unsigned letters will be published. Letters should be no longer
than 500 words. Spoke reserves the right to edit any letter for publication. Address correspondence to: The Editor, Spoke, 299 Doon Valley Dr., Room 1C30, Kitchener, Ont., N2G 4M4
Women are not the only ones who have issues with the way they look.
Discrimination still exists
It’s two steps forward, two steps back By NATHAN BROWN
Most people would assume that we as a society can accept each other for who we are. However, in some ways we are stuck in the past, while in others we are more advanced. We are not as racist and most other forms of discrimination are not as common. However, homophobia is still a huge problem, as a transgender woman in Hamilton can attest. An official complaint was filed to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario last October, after the woman was denied access to the women’s washroom at a bus terminal by a security guard stationed there. Even after pointing out that she had the legal right to use the washroom she was still directed to the men’s facility. Now, if someone pointed out their legal rights to you, wouldn’t you step aside? If faced with a situation such
Nathan Brown
Opinion as this you would think logic would override morals. The City of Hamilton has apologized for the incident. Mike Kirkopoulos, a spokesperson for the city, said that all city staff receive harassment and discrimination prevention training, including gender identity and expression training. However, if that were the case, then obviously the training wasn’t as thorough as management thought. “The city is also working to make information around accessible, all-gender washrooms more readily available,” Kirkopoulos said, also stating that the city is waiting until after the tribunal
ruling to work on addressing any other recommendations. That sounds like the City of Hamilton is beating around the bush, probably trying to protect the city from scrutiny, and keeping the discussion about this incident to a minimum. Back in 2012, Toby’s Act was passed in Ontario, amending our province’s Human Rights Code to include gender identity and gender, meaning that these two groups became protected from discrimination. However, just because legislation is in place doesn’t mean everyone follows it. Cole Gately, a transgender advocate in Hamilton, spoke out about the situation, saying that public washrooms are one of the most contested places for transgender people. “We need to get over this mythical threat that these are men posing as women to get into a washroom to hurt people,” Gately said.
Spoke
i s p u b l i s h ed and prod u ced weekl y b y t h e j o u rnal i sm st u dents o f C onestoga C ollege Editor: Nataleigh McCallum Assignment Editors: Kali Caudle, Jordan Johnstone Advertising Managers: Beth Crouse, Justin Ford Spoke Online Editors: Matt Howell, Nicole
Nemeth, Nathan Brown Production Managers: Alex Riese, Maryssa McFadden Photo Editors (print): Cassie Tulecki, Carmen Ponciano, Ian McBride Photo Editors (online): Rachel Roy, Jack
Parkinson, Josh Kennedy Social Media Editor: Carson Deshevy-Renouf, Cody Mudge Circulation Manager: Heather Stanley Faculty Supervisor and Adviser: Christina Jonas
Spoke’s address is 299 Doon Valley Dr., Room 1C30, Kitchener, Ontario, N2G 4M4. Phone: 519-748-5220, ext. 3691, 3692, 3693, 3694 Fax: 519-748-3534 Email: spoke@conestogac.on.ca Website: www.spokeonline.com
The views and opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily reflect the views of Conestoga College. Spoke shall not be liable for any damages arising out of errors in advertising beyond the amount paid for the space. Letters to the editor are subject to acceptance or rejection and should be clearly written or typed; a MS Word file would be helpful. Letters must not contain any libellous statements.
entertainment
Monday, April 6, 2015
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Mysterious murder at THEMUSEUM BY JUSTIN FORD
A gathering of people mingled in a dimly lit room, beaming with anticipation. A bone-chilling shriek rang out as a body hit the floor with a thunderous thud. Blake Molloy had been murdered. The Intrigue Mystery Adventure was the brainchild of the Four Chicks – students of the event management graduate program at Conestoga’s Waterloo campus. The event, which took place March 28 at THEMUSEUM in downtown Kitchener, was a yearend project put together by the Four Chicks. They were expecting about a 30-person turnout, but close to 70 people purchased tickets. “I’m impressed with the set up,” said Katie Owens, who played the role of Belinda Molloy, a prime suspect in her husband’s murder. “The team working on this are very intelligent girls.” Each attendee-turneddetective was given a booklet with details about each possible suspect responsible for Blake’s death. The five suspects (and actors) began their dialogue after the body hit the floor, reassuring each other that they were all equal parts confused and innocent. Trying to remain calm, they scurried off to their designat-
ed parts of THEMUSEUM, where the participants then began to grill each suspect to solve the head-scratching murder in an attempt to form their own theories. “I think it’s Belinda, because she lies,” said Conestoga second-year financial planning student, Xiachui Zhang. The actors remained in character while enduring interrogation. Volunteers served drinks and as the night went on, members of the Four Chicks carefully placed clues throughout THEMUSEUM to help bolster the gradually forming theories. “People aren’t on the right trail,” said Janet Burton, one of the Four Chicks. “Once the other clues get out, they’ll slowly figure it out.” Those in attendance were truly enveloped into the event, so much so, that a shady character – who was not one of the five suspects – was starting to come under scrutiny for his sheer creepiness. Brando Von Dino, an employee at THEMUSEUM, was dressed in a brown trench coat, wearing aviator sunglasses and sporting a grizzly beard. He sauntered through the crime scene throughout the night, not saying a word, making many participants suspicious. He was often spotted in the upper levels of THEMUSEUM,
looking down on everyone with a chilling gaze. “I’m not going up there to be freaky. I’m going up there to do my job,” Von Dino said. “I really hope someone guesses me.” Von Dino was a last-minute addition to give the event an extra boost of authentication. The night also included multiple door prizes, music, and a selection of free appetizers to fuel the detectives vying to solve the case. As the night went on, theories grew stronger. Participants not only had to accuse the right suspect, but also correctly guess a motive. Was it Jeffery Cage, a lowly ticket taker, Tom Gordon, a criminal investigator and close friend to Blake, Simone Graham, a European super model and love interest of Blake’s, Blake’s wife Belinda, or Charlotte Tanner, a hotel owner who knew all the dark secrets of each suspect? As the participants were scrambling to submit their last-minute accusations, an ominous bell tolled to mark that time had run out, and the suspects gathered back at the scene of the crime to tell their stories and uncover what actually happened to Blake, and why. As the first three suspects proved their innocence, Belinda hinted, “I may have
PHOTO BY justin ford
Katie Owens, as ‘Belinda Molloy,’ mourns her husband’s tragic and sudden death at the Intrigue Mystery Adventure on March 28. contributed to my husband’s death, but I did not kill my husband,” which left one person with blood on his hands. In the end it was revealed Gordon the investigator – played by Francis Mellon, a Conestoga graduate – murdered Blake, over his jealousy, a growing grudge and his forbidden love for Belinda. “The last clue gave it away,” said winner of the Intrigue
Mystery Adventure, Chris Cressman. “The characters all did a good job. Often, what they didn’t say was a better clue.” Along with Burton, the other members of the Four Chicks are Shelby Rodford, Kate Couto and Nancy Ariss. Their event went off without a hitch, and they all deemed the night an overwhelming success.
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THE arts
Monday, April 6, 2015
Conestoga students showcase their designs
Jessica White was inspired by the memory of hearing her son’s heartbeat for the first time.
Students in the Conestoga visual merchandising arts program held their fifth annual aWEARness fashion show at The Conrad Centre for the Performing Arts on March 26. This year’s theme was The Evolution of Movement Through Time. All proceeds from the event went to National Service Dogs of Canada.
Photos by Rachel Roy
Laura Tonellotto was inspired by hot air balloons.
Sara Dixon was inspired by the raw power of a volcano when creating her costume design.
Erin Ireland designed her costume incorporating a Big Bang theme.
Nicole Reardon designed her costume based on a Slinky.
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Monday, April 6, 2015
Elmira Maple Syrup Festival a flipping good time
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CbC’s Dragon Comes to Conestoga
PHOTO BY heather stanley
The Elmira Maple Syrup Festival was held March 28 with over 68,000 people in attendance. One of the events held was a pancake toss where teams needed to get the most pancakes in a giant frying pan in order to win. Other activities included a craft show, sugar bush visit and a pancake run.
Future Shop’s closure leaves 1,500 jobless After thousands of job losses this year, more will be added to the total with the closure of Future Shop. The March 28 announcement was a shock to both customers and workers. The 500 full-time and 1,000 part-time employees will now join the 17,600 left unemployed by the withdrawal of Target from the Canadian market. Future Shop’s website said the sudden closure is due to the Canadian-based company and U.S. company Best Buy merging into one brand under the Best Buy name. Future Shop is a Canadian company that was purchased by Best Buy in 2001. All 131 stores across Canada closed, 66 of them forever. The other 65 were set to reopen starting on April 4 as Best Buys. Out of the stores in Waterloo Region, only the store on King Street and Northfield Drive will turn into a Best Buy. In total, there will be 192 Best Buy locations in Canada, including 57 mobile stores. According to a Best Buy press release, “existing product orders, service appointments and warranties will continued to be hon-
Heather Stanley
Opinion oured.” As well, Future Shop gift cards can be used at Best Buy locations and returns and exchanges will also be accepted. Although many did not see it coming, Future Shop had been struggling financially for quite a while. Many people are now shopping online and through discounters such as Walmart, which creates tough competition. Two years ago, eight locations closed due to this adapting market. Best Buy also said they “reviewed its real estate footprint to address the fact that a significant number of its Future Shop and Best Buy stores are located adjacent to each other, often in the same parking lot.” This created a bunch of problems for both retailers. Although Future Shop is owned by Best Buy, with the two stores being so close to each other, profit margins were lower for both companies. If locations were more
spread apart, revenue would have been more plentiful. As well, both stores sold the same electronic products around the same prices, so there wasn’t much that set one store apart from the other. Best Buy should have considered the impacts regarding the placement of stores being in such close proximity to each other when locations were being built. This would have eliminated the need to close so many stores. At the very least, more locations could have been converted into Best Buys. Although the loss of jobs is inevitable, workers at transitioning Future Shop locations should have been given Best Buy jobs. This way, new locations would have a quicker start-up with knowledgeable employees. Best Buy said in a March 28 press release that they will be investing $200 million in launching major home appliances in all stores, increasing staff and improving the online experience. It went on to say that although the company is closing, 80 per cent of customers will still be within a 15-minute drive of a Best Buy location.
PHOTO BY Kali Caudle
Michael Wekerle of the CBC’s Dragon’s Den speaks to the audience during Conestoga College’s Pitch Day event. For video story, go to www.spokeonline.com.
Idea Exchange’s latest installation
Postcard courtesy of the Idea Exchange
Artist Philippe Blanchard’s Structured Light is the latest installation at the Idea Exchange in Cambridge. This piece combines wood, wallpaper, lights and sounds to create one mesmerizing experience. For more, view a video story at www.spokeonline.com.
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Monday, April 6, 2015
Breaking the cycle of victimization
BY BETH CROUSE
As children we are taught about stranger danger and about personal boundaries when it comes to sexual assault, but what about what victimization is or how to recognize someone who is being victimized? Sandy Lozano, a fourthyear community and criminal justice student at Conestoga College and volunteer at Victim Services of Waterloo Region, has completed a research project that focuses on how victims can be better supported in Waterloo Region. “Most people associate a victim with being someone who has experienced some kind of criminal activity, like sexual assault, domestic violence, theft or homicide, but in reality a victim can experience other forms of activities that aren’t criminally related,” Lozano said. Through her research, Lozano was able to conduct a needs assessment for Waterloo Region which mapped out the different agencies that provide direct or indirect support for victims. Lozano found there are great services available, but victims don’t know about them, such as financial assistance where victims can get money for counselling, or for
things like fixing a broken door or window as the result of a break-in. “There needs to be more awareness across the board in community service agencies, schools and done at the municipal level to promote awareness in high schools and job places,” she said. “We need to get employers involved in more training to try and understand victimization and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and how to recognize it.” In Canada, Lozano’s research shows victims have an issue with the lack of involvement in the criminal justice system, feeling they don’t have a voice. There are victim impact statements, which are really beneficial, but there needs to be further supports put in place. “There’s no job security and because of the economic impact of victimization, Canadians and companies lose millions of dollars. Victims can suffer from PTSD and stress. Their output at work can drop, and the quality of work can be affected from their victimization,” Lozano said. “Employers have to fire people who have been victimized because they can’t work anymore or they’re coming in late because of the PTSD, so then victims are fired and the com-
PHOTO BY Beth Crouse
Sandy Lozano, a fourth-year community and criminal justice student, wants to see more done to break the cycle of victimization. pany has to hire someone else. nies don’t understand and “Victims in the first place they don’t have the training shouldn’t be fired, the vic- on how to support employees tim should be getting more who have been victimized so support but a lot of compa- there’s no legal protection for them,” she added. When police are called, it is up to them to decide if Victim Services is needed. Although there is a policy in place where there are mandatory referrals to Victim Services, there also has to be training for police officers because if they don’t understand how to identify who is a victim, they are leaving victims without support. “Looking back on coming into my program, I just realized legally how little support there is, and with my work with Victim Services, it’s the one thing that bothered me,” Lozano said. “I was involved in a robbery and I wasn’t referred to Victim Services and if it wasn’t for my mother who’s a social worker, I wouldn’t have gotten any support.” Lozano was also a part of the Human Library held at the Library Resource Centre on Jan. 29. Her experience as a victim is what pushed her to share her story and give a voice to other victims who feel they don’t have one. “I want victims to start having a voice and feel empowered, not disempowered. That’s how I felt. I felt like I should be ashamed, but I’m not ashamed anymore. I felt talking about what happened to me has empowered me so I really hope that with more
awareness, we can promote more people to come forward to get the services available and get empowered rather than live in silence and shame from whatever trauma they may have suffered.” The stigma of victimization keeps people from talking about it. Lozano said some people may even believe that victimization doesn’t happen that much, but it does. In 2009, a general social survey was conducted and it found that 7.4 million Canadians self-reported as being victimized. That’s onequarter of the population. “For people to recognize they’d been victimized in some way is amazing. So providing more community awareness to schools, and teaching young people what victimization looks like, what is it or how the community can help you, is where our attention needs to be,” Lozano said. “We have really great agencies that want to help people, but we don’t have the financial backing to do it because there’s not enough funding to support these services,” she added. “Victims don’t know about these supports, or they’re afraid to seek out support for fear of retaliation from the victimizer or because they’re afraid of these services. “It’s the awareness that really needs to be promoted throughout our region and nationwide, so that’s why my focus is on Waterloo Region, because it’s easier to get change in a smaller spectrum.” Currently, Lozano is trying to implement an awareness campaign in Waterloo Region next year that would see National Victims of Crime Week (the week of April 19) turned into a month of victim awareness where organizations could come together and collaborate to educate people on the services available. “In the end, the only way to support people is for everyone to work together. We want to see people come forward rather than have to deal with the trauma in silence and by themselves. “I want people to start talking about the stigma of victimization more. The only way for us to get beyond the stigma and the ignorance of victimization is to talk about it.” Lozano will be presenting her results and recommendations from her research on April 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Blue Room at Conestoga College’s Doon campus. For more information on Victim Services of Waterloo Region, visit their website at www.vswr.ca.
NEWS
Monday, April 6, 2015
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Students help with green initiative By NICOLE NEMETH
On March 28 Conestoga students from the integrated marketing communications program launched another successful event promoting Cadillac Fairview’s Green at Work initiative. Green is the New Black was the title of the third project where Conestoga students teamed up with Fairview Park Mall to inform the public about environmental sustainability as part of their major project. Thanks to the partnership, the mall gains promotion and exposure for their initiative while the students gain real-life experience in event planning, project management, creative strategies and media relations. “The key thing is, they get to actually apply the theoretical principles in a real-life experience,” said Steve Howell, a professor in the program. “They’re working with a real budget, they’re working with a real client, they’re engaging with a real target market ... So the learning has been really how to understand, respond and exceed a client’s expectations.” Cadillac Fairview’s Green at Work, a sustainability program, started in 2008. Since then, the mall has reduced its energy use by 16 per cent, water consumption by 28 per cent and improved waste diversion by 10 per cent, compared to the 2008 baseline year. “Green at Work is a Cadillac
PHOTO BY nicole nemeth
Scott Waddington and Christine Harris, both Conestoga integrated marketing communications students, handed out water bottles as prizes to participants in trivia games at their On the Go booth. It was part of the student-assisted Green at Work initiative held at Fairview Park Mall on March 28. Fairview program that encourages the tenants in their mall to do things more environmentally sound: reduce water, recycle and reduce waste,” said Kim Denstedt, program co-ordinator. All 23 students in the program had to work together to pull off this major assignment. They could easily be seen in their bright green T-shirts, encouraging shoppers to par-
ticipate. Scott Waddington was chosen to be the project manager because it was his team’s idea that had been selected as the best representation of what the client wanted. “It’s my job to oversee everything and make sure that we get everything completed on time and to make sure we can execute the whole thing,” he said. Although the students
appeared to be excited and full of smiles, it was still a tough job to pull off in a short amount of time. Waddington said, “It’s taught me a lot about time management and making sure that we work with outside resources to get stuff. We have to make sure we have constant communication ... Working within such a tight time frame has definitely been a challenge.”
The event was comprised of three booths spread across the mall, each with stations focusing on sustainability At Home, At Work and On the Go. “We had an initial meeting with the client and she was telling us how Green at Work is about environmental sustainability and wanted to tie it back to the consumers who interact with it. So we thought if we taught them how to be green at home, green at work and green on the go, it gives them that incentive to pay attention to it,” Waddington said. There were different activities for both children and adults at each station. At Home featured a rain bucket decoration station that encouraged children to collect rain water and a recycle bin sorting game for adults. The At Work booth had a large Jenga game for children, promoting green practices at school, and an office makeover game for adults. On the Go promoted environmentally friendly transportation through a trivia game, a smart-cycle that powered a television and self-propelled cars that were donated by THEMUSEUM. Once completed, participants would receive either a tote bag, water bottle or light bulb. Shoppers who visited all three stations were eligible to win various prizes including tickets to see the Rangers, the Symphony or coupons to various stores within the mall, among other prizes.
Engineering event showcases their industry By Alex Riese
In today’s world, we are all in debt to engineers. They are the innovators who design the smartphones of today and shape the future of technology. And thanks to Conestoga College’s second annual National Engineering Month (NEM) event held on March 24, the engineers of the future got the recognition they deserve. The event, hosted by the Conestoga student branch of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), was a collection of interactive exhibits that showcased the prominent role of engineering in modern society and the opportunities available to engineering students at the college level. It featured several exhibits, including a Raspberry Pi computer designed and built by engineering students at Conestoga, a hexapod robot, a flying fish robot and an interactive button-making station. All of these exhibits gave participants a taste of what
Conestoga’s engineering programs have to offer. NEM was sponsored by the Ontario Association of Civil Engineering Technology and Technologists (OACETT). It is a self-governing, non-profit organization that manages the certification of new civil engineering technologists (C.E.T.). The representative present at NEM was Larry Black, a project manager at ACL Steel and an associate member of OACETT. A graduate of Cambrian College’s C.E.T. program, Black deems it crucial that students understand the opportunities available to them in collegelevel engineering programs. “University isn’t for everybody. In the past, there’s been a big push for people to go to university,” he said. “But there are opportunities at both levels, and we believe the college level offers a more hands-on approach that allows students to build computers and robotics.” One of the most captivating attractions at NEM was the
PHOTO BY alex riese
Engineering students Tarek Rahim (pictured above) and Roger Bongers built a hexapod robot that was showcased at NEM. hexapod robot made by engineering students Tarek Rahim and Roger Bongers. Built from an open-source template and controlled via a PS4 controller, the robot can be used in
scenarios ranging from surveillance of inhospitable areas to diffusion of bombs and landmines when it may be too dangerous for humans to handle the situation. According to
Rahim, he and Bongers built the robot in their spare time to impress a local robotics company. “It was actually just to get us a co-op position,” he said. “We did this on our side time with the expectation that one of the founders of Clearpath Robotics would see it, and he was very impressed.” A career path in engineering may not be for everybody. Those who choose the career must be prepared for problems developing in every area of a project, and they must learn to stay calm in the face of failure. But, according to Rahim, if done right, engineering can be a massively rewarding career. “It’s a great career to get into,” he said. “Before coming to Conestoga I pursued a biology degree, but it wasn’t really beneficial because I didn’t have access to a million-dollar lab to do research. Now, with the practical education I’ve gotten at Conestoga, I can build really cool stuff at home on a budget,” he said.
fun & games
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Useless Facts
Oh Cliff!
Horoscope
Michael Jordan makes more money from Nike annually than all of the Nike factory workers in Malaysia combined.
Week of April 6, 2015
Aries
March 21 April 19 You have been obsessing over certain aspects of your life, calm down and take a step back and you’ll see everything at a different angle.
Taurus April 20 May 20
People around you have been changing dramatically and it’s throwing you under the bus. Don’t worry though, the next couple of weeks will be good for you.
Gemini May 21 June 21
You have been treated quite poorly lately by your friends, but don’t judge a book by its cover, they may have a legitimate reasoning.
Cancer June 22 July 22
You have been cautious of your moves lately; take a wild card from the deck and do something spontaneous.
Leo
July 23 August 22 You have been feeling lost and out of sorts lately, don’t let those feelings control you, your next week will be a great one.
Virgo
August 23 September 22 You haven’t been needed with the people around you lately and it’s making you uneasy. Instead of focusing on them, it’s time to focus on you.
Libra
Table tennis balls have been known to travel off the paddle at speeds up to 160 km/h.
September 23 October 22 You have been working really hard this past week to make sure everything goes according to plan. Keep going and you’ll have grand results.
Humans and dolphins are the only species that have sex for pleasure. Winston Churchill was born in a ladies’ room during a dance.
Scorpio
All of the clocks in the movie Pulp Fiction are stuck on 4:20.
October 23 November 21 You have been taking control of everything in your life. This will bring you true happiness in the near future. Keep it up.
Sudoku Puzzle
Sagittarius November 22 December 21
Fill in the grid with digits in such a manner that every row, every column and every 3x3 box accommodates the digits 1-9, without repeating any.
People around you have been having issues with the decisions you have been making. Try not to upset your friends but keep your goals in mind.
Capricorn December 22 January 19
Don’t panic, your life may be going crazy right now but your future holds balance and security. Don’t lose hope.
Aquarius January 20 February 18
This week has been pretty hectic for you but don’t fret, your life will soon fall back into its normal routine.
Pisces
February 19 March 20 You’re panicking about problems that don’t exist. Relax and keep your head straight, things will work out in the end.
Whispering Waters brings you waves of fortune.
Word Search
NEWS
Monday, April 6, 2015
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Healthy eating revolution underway BY CARMEN PONCIANO
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle has always been something that’s been drilled into our heads. But have you noticed that in the last decade, especially the last five years, this trend has really been taking off? Restaurants with healthier menus have emerged, more gym memberships have been filled out and even fast-food places have had to add “healthier” options to their menu. Canada has always battled obesity – currently 59 per cent of Canadian adults are overweight or obese. But what is most alarming is the percentage of overweight children. In 1978, only 15 per cent of Canadian children were overweight or obese. Today, the numbers have climbed to onein-four children. A movement to help reduce these numbers and to start changing people’s mentalities began in 2005 when Health Canada introduced the Canadian Healthy Living Strategy (CHLS). This plan consists of two initiatives which was created to help improve health outcomes, reduce health disparities, address child obesity and, of course, make health promotion a priority. In 2008 the Ontario government introduced the Healthy Food for Healthy Schools Act which established guidelines in regard to the nutrition standards for food and beverages in schools, meaning that the products sold at school can’t contain more than the prescribed percentage of trans fat. So, goodbye pop machines and chocolate bars. And thanks to this act, a Food and Beverage Policy was introduced in 2011 which advocates that schools play a major role in helping children and teens develop healthier eating habits and improve learning environments. “The Harper Government is helping to kick-start this national dialogue to help identify ways we can work together to promote and maintain healthy weights for children and youth,” said Leona Aglukkaq, federal minister of health in a Health Canada news release published in 2011. “Everyone has a role to play in helping children and youth live a healthy life.” These changes helped make people aware they should be leading a healthier life. As a result, the market has seen a significant growth in consumers buying “better-foryou” products across North America, Europe and Asia, as people are paying more attention to the ingredients in their
PHOTO BY Carmen ponciano
Canadians are more focused on living a healthy life. In addition to exercising more, people are now checking the ingredients in their food and want more ‘fresh, locally sourced’ products. food. “People are becoming increasingly health conscious since food and nutrition is linked strongly with chronic disease like diabetes and heart disease,” said Andrea D’Ambrosio, a registered dietician at Dietetic Directions in Waterloo. “People are wanting to improve their health through diet.” Having said that, promoting “healthy” has become a leading strategy within the food industry. As subtle as it was back then, nowadays when you shop at the grocery store, the majority of food packaging, if not all, have health claims that say “a great source of fiber” or “two of your daily servings of fruits and vegetables,” which have played a major role in how people shop. “In my private practice, I have seen a steady growth in clients and how people are looking to make dietary improvements,” D’Ambrosio said. Consumers are now looking for products that have vitamins and minerals as well as ingredients that benefit the digestive system and immune system. People are also looking for products that offer more antioxidants, fiber and calcium and have less sodium, fat and sugar. So fruits and vegetables have become popular again. In fact, they are so popular that the number of vegetarians have increased in the past five years. But have you noticed an increase in certain vegetables and fruits
– like kale, spinach, all sorts of berries and pomegranates? Kale, for example, has been in such high demand lately due to its health benefits that, in 2013, sales increased 40 per cent.
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have celiac disease, many still feel that they are sensitive to gluten which contributed to the 68 per cent increase in sales in the past three years. Like organic products, grocery stores and restaurants
People are becoming increasingly health conscious since food and nutrition is linked strongly to diseases like diabetes and heart disease. — Andrea D’Ambrosio
However, we can’t forget about organic products, as they have taken off in this healthy movement as well. According to Statistics Canada, “the organic food market is described by industry analysts as the most dynamic and rapidly growing sector of the global food industry.” Once small market, organic food sales have skyrocketed to almost $63 billion US in 2011. Despite the fact that organic products are a little more expensive, grocery stores have had to add their own organic section to keep up with the demand. Another competitor now playing in the big leagues is food that is gluten free. “Those with celiac disease require a gluten-free diet for life,” D’Ambrosio said. “I advise clients on how to safely follow a nutritionally balanced gluten-free diet for those with this condition,” However, even though only one per cent of Canadians
”
have had to add a gluten-free section or gluten-free menu options. But for some people eating healthier isn’t just about losing weight or feeling better about themselves, it’s part of a bigger picture – one that includes exercise and reduc-
ing stress. It’s a well-known fact that keeping active reduces the risk of heart attack, obesity, other diseases and stress. In 2011, 54 per cent of Canadians, mainly between the ages of 12 and 34, were thought to be active, an increase from 52 per cent in 2005. With this health initiative the fast-food industry has taken a hit. A 2014 Globe and Mail article stated that one of the biggest companies, McDonald’s Corp., reported a 30 per cent drop in earnings in their third quarter as a result of not being able to keep up with the locally sourced, natural food demand and that Coca-Cola saw their earnings drop 14 per cent. Nowadays, it is no wonder both are jumping on the healthier is better bandwagon.
graphic BY Statistics canada
In 2011, 54 per cent of Canadians were thought to be physically active, a two per cent increase since 2005.
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