A starring role TV and film producers find region attractive. Page 8 MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2017
SPOKE
A LEARNING NEWSROOM FOR JOURNALISM STUDENTS
CONESTOGA COLLEGE, KITCHENER, ONT.
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Vendors visit Everything from fudge to fashion for sale. Page 3 48TH YEAR — NO. 16
K-W OKTOBERFEST PARADE IS WUNDERBAR
PHOTOS BY PETER SWART
The annual Kitchener Oktoberfest parade kicked off on Oct. 9. Above, Onkel Hans waves to the crowd.
Drummers in the Burlington Teen Tour Band march in the parade. Thousands of people were in attendance and non-perishable food was collected along the route. For more photos, see Page 5.
Honouring Aboriginal victims BY JOSH PEDERSON
Aboriginal women are three times more likely to live in impoverished conditions, three times more likely to have inadequate housing and are three times more likely to be victims of violence. These staggering facts are ones that must not be tolerated. The government has done little to remedy the problem and unless action is taken by Canadians, the cry for help will continue to echo down the corridor of forgottenness, unheard and ignored. Many advocators and members of the public gathered at Marianne’s Park in Guelph on Oct. 4 to pay tribute and honour the victims of missing and murdered Aboriginal women during the Sisters in Spirit vigil. The beautiful and touching service was organized by the Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis (GWWC) organization, which is a not-
for-profit feminist group that provides services and information to women and their children on abuse and sexual violence. Services this organization provides are crucial, and in some cases life-saving to those who are affected by the tragedies of sexual violence and abuse against women. Services include: n Marianne’s Shelter which provides a safe house for women who are victims of violence. n Family Court support group that women seeking legal advice or counsel can visit as they go through the court process. n And a 24-hour crisis hotline which can be reached at 1-800265-7233. Women can have a one-on-one conversation with a representative who deals with emotional trauma. A video was presented that outlined the problems currently plaguing Aboriginal communities across Canada. The Aboriginal Peoples Television Network series,
Taken, follows the lives of different Aboriginal families and tells their stories of lost or murdered friends and family. The video was an impactful story of a mother in turmoil, grieving the loss of her missing, presumed dead, daughter. The distress and worry these communities are facing is incomprehensible and the video an eye-opener, giving many insights into the troubles these women face during their quest to bring those responsible to justice while faced with extreme grief and despair. Following the video, Rilea Godin, 13, courageously went to the stage to deliver a heartfelt message about how she has been impacted by tragedy following the murder of her stepbrother’s mother, Denise Bordeaux. “Denise was the mother of my stepbrother Sean. After her death, Sean began drinking and doing drugs.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
PHOTO BY JOSH PEDERSON
Members of the community gathered in Guelph on Oct. 4 for a candlelight vigil to honour missing and murdered Aboriginal women.
NEWS
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Now deep thoughts ... with Conestoga College
Monday, October 16, 2017
FILBERT CARTOONS
Random questions answered by random students
What is your biggest pet peeve?
“People who don’t use their turn signals in roundabouts specifically.” Aimee Ranni, first-year broadcast radio
“Rude people ... Just people who are disrespectful, I’m big on respect.” Alexandra Czajko, first-year advertising and marketing
“When I can’t find a parking spot.”
Tessa Freitas, first-year general arts and science PHOTO BY MIKE TURCOTTE
Charlie Campbell, 14, a regular at Ctrl V in Waterloo, is immersed in one of the many games available in the virtual reality arcade.
VR arcade spreading nationally
“Slow walkers.” Nathan Schlupp, second-year marketing
BY MIKE TURCOTTE
“People texting and walking and not paying attention.”
Tom Monkman, second-year marketing
“Lying. I hate when people lie.” Jake Barbuto, first-year protection security and investigation Smile Conestoga, you could be our next respondent!
Canada’s first virtual reality arcade, Ctrl V, is about to open many new locations across the country, and even spread into the U.S. Thanks to places like Ctrl V, more people now have the means to try this new and exciting technology. Ctrl V opened June 1, 2016, in Waterloo and is growing exponentially with more than 10 locations now open, and another 20 new arcades planned for across Canada. The company is even opening their first U.S. location in New Jersey. Guests can reserve a booth in the arcade online, or walk in and pay by the hour for unlimited virtual reality gaming with a catalogue of over 50 games. Ctrl V uses the popular HTC Vive system. Robert Bruski, co-founder and chief financial officer, says people should come to
Ctrl V and, “Give it a shot. You’ll go in there for an hour, and it’ll feel like 15 minutes.” Bruski also says, “We haven’t heard any downfalls, or negative responses,” which can be a fear for people who have not yet had the chance to try it out. Virtual reality has numerous benefits to it as well, not just for gaming purposes, but also can be used for training in dangerous scenarios such as combat, parachuting and vehicle training in the military. According to an article on the Canadian Forces website, “In partnership with civilian hospitals in Ottawa and Edmonton, the Department of National Defence has acquired two CAREN virtual reality medical treatment systems. The systems can be used in the rehabilitation of CF personnel with both physical and psychological injuries. “The CAREN is a safe,
controlled,therapeutic learning environment for CF members to challenge their abilities in physical rehabilitation, and to undergo exposure therapy as part of treatment for mental health conditions. “The CAREN system allows a patient to become part of his or her simulated environment, to interact with this environment, and to modify it through body movement.” So whether it’s gaming, simulations or training, virtual reality is becoming more popular, and now with numerous arcades spreading around the continent, it’s only a matter of time before the craze grows even more. You can visit Ctrl V at their flagship location at 170 Columbia St. W., Suite #5, in Waterloo, and give VR a try for $24.99 per hour. For more information about Ctrl V, check out their website at https://www.ctrlv.ca/
NEWS
Monday, October 16, 2017
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A unique opportunity for students BY AUSTIN WELLS
Sometimes while wandering through the halls at one of Conestoga College’s campuses, students may encounter a booth they haven’t seen before, and won’t see very often. As part of the Conestoga Students Inc. vendor program, which has been running for over three years, temporary salespeople set up tables and offer their products to the students. These products vary – one vendor sells video games, another sells vinyl records, while others offer fudge or clothing for sale. According to current head of the vendor program, Maggie Litwiller, that’s just a few of the vendors the student association deals with. “There are a total of 17 vendors currently working with the school,” Litwiller said. “We’re trying to work on getting an 18th, Spotify, to make a deal with us for later this year.” Before the vendor program became official, one vendor, Campus Games, a small unofficial business dealing in old and new video games and accessories, had arranged with CSI to come to campus and sell their product.
“Even before we had the vendor program, they’ve been a lifelong vendor at the college,” Litwiller said. “A lot of students enjoy them, I think because they relate to and enjoy the video game products.”
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Even before we had the vendor program they’ve been a lifelong vendor at the college. — Maggie Litwiller
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The vendors who come to the college were handpicked by CSI to help deliver the best possible experience for students and provide them easy access to things they might enjoy or need, such as music, games or unique clothing. In regards to food, Litwiller said approval would be required from the school’s food services. Regardless of what is and isn’t allowed, the fact remains that the vendor program is a positive aspect of Conestoga’s environment and CSI will continue to ensure the program grows and keeps students satisfied.
ART MEETS AGRICULTURE
IN THE CARROT CITY EXHIBIT
PHOTO BY AUSTIN WELLS
Conestoga Students Inc. has contracts with 17 vendors to sell merchandise to students on campus. One of them is a fair trade alpaca clothing booth, shown above.
Pita Pit service falters BY REBECCA SOARES
PHOTO BY MELISSA HORTON
An admirer looks at the architectural designs at the Carrot City Exhibit in the Idea Exchange Gallery in Cambridge on Oct. 2. The event showcased designs made to sustain urban agriculture through architecture. For the video story, go to www.spokeonline. com.
The Pita Pit is Conestoga College’s healthy food alternative, but it creates a pit of people piled in line. The eatery has become a popular food choice among faculty, staff and students, but its increasing popularity has caused service problems. On Oct. 2, Conestoga’s College Council meeting took place in the Guild Room of the Welcome Centre. During the meeting Dianna Fong-Lee, the co-ordinator of Conestoga’s occupational therapist assistant and physiotherapist assistant programs, raised the issue of decreased efficiency and increased traffic at the school’s Pita Pit. “There’s an issue that with all the high school students doing tournaments at the college –and it’s good that they come, we want them there – but Pita Pit becomes increasingly busy and for employees and students who are all on a clock, they end up waiting 30 minutes,” said Fong-Lee. She asked Conestoga Students Inc. (CSI) President Aimee Calma if her association was responsible for the eatery, and when she was told CSI was, she asked
Calma if there was anything that could be done about the slow service. Calma said, “We’re trying to work out things still as it’s just the beginning of the year but we can definitely look into improving things.” Joclyn Batista, a secondyear BScN student waiting in line at Pita Pit, said, “There definitely needs to be some way of improving it. Students don’t just use the break to grab food, they try to study or work on assignments and when you spend 30 minutes or more in line I’m losing valuable time I could have used for my education.” There were suggestions offered at the meeting about how to improve the situation, including an increase in staff and a mobile order pickup similar to the one recently made available at Conestoga’s on campus Tim Hortons. While it may not seem like a pressing matter for the college to focus on, it’s important for students and staff to be able to access the healthy alternative. People shouldn’t need to go to another option that isn’t as healthy simply because of an increased wait time. The mobile pickup or a
staff increase would improve people’s overall satisfaction with the restaurant and it would allow the workers to have less stress as the establishment would have new methods to handle the number of people coming to order. A solution could help students like Batista who are trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle while trying to keep up with the demands of their program. “It gets frustrating to wait so long,” she said. “I try to eat healthy but when the healthy alternative takes nearly 30 to 40 minutes, I have to leave the line because it’s taking up so much of my time. I end up having to settle for pizza. All the waiting really puts strain on the amount of work I can do during breaks. It’d be great if they could improve it even if only slightly.” In other news at the College Council meeting, members were told the college is trying to draw more individuals to the hospitality program. They hope to inform people about the variety of jobs available after graduation, and educate them that they can become more than just a barista. The next College Council meeting will be held Nov. 20.
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NEWS CELEBRATING 50 YEARS WITH CAKE AND A FREE BARBECUE
Monday, October 16, 2017
PHOTOS BY REBECCA SOARES
The Amazing 50 trailer visited Conestoga’s Doon campus on Oct. 5 as part of a provincewide tour organized by Colleges Ontario to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Ontario’s college system. Above, Conestoga President John Tibbits chats with CSI President Aimee Calma prior to her cutting a cake.
The celebration included a free barbecue, hosted by CSI, which was enjoyed by Conestoga students, employees, graduates and retirees, who could also tour the Amazing 50 trailer, which featured a timeline highlighting Ontario college milestones and innovations, as well as a quiz.
Tibbits speaks about Conestoga’s growth and successes at the 50th anniversary celebration outside the rec centre.
Candlelight vigil held at Marianne’s Park CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“He was no longer the funloving brother who spent time with me ... hopefully we can get justice, so no other children lose their mothers.” The captivating and inspiring message received overwhelming applause for Godin’s strength to give
insight on such a tragic event. Like many others, the message needs to be heard so something is done and, as Godin said, no other children lose their mothers. To raise awareness, the GWWC accepted donations of red dresses to symbolize missing or murdered Aboriginal women. Jaime
Black, a Manitoban Metis native, created the Red Dress Project and these dresses can be seen hanging in communities across Canada. For the event 22 red dresses were donated by members of the public. At 7 p.m. a candlelight vigil was held at Marianne’s Park where the crowd gathered
in a circle and with their candles lit, held a moment of silence to honour those lost. A harmonious song was played afterwards which featured traditional native-Canadian drums. Patty Bryant, a volunteer for the GWWC, said this was the largest turnout for the event in its five years
of running with over 200 people in attendance. She added that a bigger venue would be needed next year. Bryant said they hold three events annually. “There is the Take Back the Night, Sisters in Spirit and the Walk for Freedom.” She encourages everyone to come and show support for the cause.
Monday, October 16, 2017
Military veterans lead the Oktoberfest parade in Kitchener on Oct. 9.
NEWS
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Cyclists take a break to interact with the crowd on their multi-person bicycle that promotes the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Oktoberfest floats through Kitchener-Waterloo PHOTOS BY PETER SWART
Six horses pull a traditional wagon full of kegs.
An Oktoberfest classic floats through the streets in the annual parade.
Kobbler Jay the Eccentric Juggler breathes fire.
Float riders raise the maypole on the Tour de Hans float.
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Remaining vigilant
COMMENTARY
Monday, October 16, 2017
BY LUCAS HUTTERI
It has become far too common to hear of vehicular attacks in the news. It unfortunately appears to be the flavour-ofthe-year for attackers. Gun violence in many countries is rare, but vehicles are available to nearly everyone and they can be turned into deadly weapons in the wrong hands. Some of the more prominent vehicular attacks in 2017 include: London, England. This city has suffered three attacks this year. The attack on the Westminster Bridge killed four, and injured 50. On London Bridge, eight were killed and 48 were injured, and in Finsbury Park near a mosque, one person was killed and nine more were injured. Spain was the target of two attacks. In Barcelona a van plowed through a crowd killing 13 pedestrians and injuring 120. Nine hours afterwards, another incident occurred in Cambrils leaving one woman dead and five others injured. North America has been targeted as well. In Charlottesville, Virginia a white supremacist drove a car into counter-protesters killing one and injuring 19 others on Aug. 12. And most recently on our own soil, a man rammed a police officer with a car, stabbed him, and then took off in a U-Haul van hitting four pedestrians in Edmonton two weeks ago. It’s difficult to start every day hearing about terrorist attacks one after the other. We start to wonder if it could happen in our own communities. In the wake of all these attacks, especially Edmonton, how are Canadian police now handling large events? With this year’s Elmira Maple Syrup Festival pulling in over 70,000 attendees, a fire truck was used to block an intersection so vehicles couldn’t be driven down the main street into the crowd of pedestrians. According to therecord.com, police in Waterloo Region increased their presence at this year’s Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest, with police stationed on rooftops and more officers in the crowds. They also operated more RIDE programs throughout the region in an attempt to keep impaired drivers off the roads It’s great that Canadian police forces are working to plug up each and every new hole that terrorists, domestic or not, poke in our defences, but the fact is that attackers are finding new ways to commit such atrocities. All levels of the Canadian government need to remain vigilant and allocate resources and even more tax dollars toward public safety, especially toward events that attract tens of thousands of people. Just because Canada has been a relatively safe haven, doesn’t mean it will remain that way forever. 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., Kitchener, Ont., N2G 4M4
OPSEU and colleges sacrifice students’ time and money during strikes.
Ezra party worth holding If you’re a Waterloo Region resident, then you’ve probably heard of the parties that happen on Ezra Avenue. If you’re not born and raised here, then, being a student, you will probably hear of them soon. Each year on St. Patrick’s Day, and during Wilfrid Laurier University’s homecoming, thousands celebrate on Ezra in Waterloo. This year’s homecoming attracted 12,000 partiers. The day after, the streets are riddled with red Solo cups, empty beer cans and paper wristbands that have stamps that read “Ezra” on them. Students from all three post-secondary schools in the area join in on the fun overseen by Waterloo Regional Police and the campus police at Laurier. Thousands of young adults come to Ezra to celebrate, and if you’re lucky, you’ll receive a wristband to attend one of the house parties on the street. The party starts at 7 a.m. and isn’t over until the last few
Ashley Sprague
Opinion students are stumbling home well after the sun goes down. Is this annual bash just “kids being kids” or is St. Patrick’s Day and homecoming really something to celebrate? For years, parties on Ezra have been monitored by police to keep kids safe, and in recent years they have tried to stop these parties from happening. In 2015, the region put a ban on all street parties, and forbid students from attending any on the well-known street. The students didn’t let that scare them and the party still happened. Because of the large mass of attendees, the police have to be careful not to get the crowd riled, so, in more recent years, officers have been there only to make sure everyone
stays safe. In 2017, 150 provincial offences were laid and six criminal charges during the massive party. These bashes cost taxpayers thousands of dollars due to 350 hours in police overtime; firefighters and paramedics were also on hand to keep the party safe. Because Ezra consists of mostly student housing, noise complaints are minimal. Driving past the area you may hear the faint chant of “it’s great to be a Laurier Golden Hawk” along with the jumble of music playing from the yards of the students who live there. The comradery that happens between the three schools on “Ezra days” only happens twice a year, and definitely should be something worth celebrating. As for the complete disarray of the area afterwards; the trash is cleaned up by student volunteers and some of Laurier’s student union. I say, as long as everyone is respectful and stays safe, keep Ezra alive.
SPOKE
IS PUBLISHED AND PRODUCED WEEKLY BY THE JOURNALISM STUDENTS OF CONESTOGA COLLEGE Editor: Taylor Pace Assignment Editor: Austin Wells Advertising Manager: Christina Jonas Spoke Online Editors: Mike Turcotte-McCusker, Josh Pederson Production Managers: Melissa Horton
Photo Editors (print): Lucas Hutteri, Tyler Medeiros Photo Editors (online): Veronica Reiner, Peter Swart Social Media Editors: Ashley Sprague Circulation Manager: Becky Soares
Faculty Supervisor and Adviser: Christina Jonas Spoke’s address is 299 Doon Valley Dr., Room 1B230, Kitchener, Ontario, N2G 4M4.
Phone: 519-748-5220, ext. 3691, 3692, 3693, 3694 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.
FUN & GAMES
Monday, October 16, 2017
SPOKE s Page 7
Useless Facts
Oh Cliff!
Horoscope Week of October 16, 2017
Aries
March 21 April 19 If you’re looking for direction, then you already know what to do. Don’t do anything you’ll regret for the rest of your life.
Taurus April 20 May 20
You should consider a close friend to make a major decision. Hold off on major purchases. Make a commitment to yourself and take at least one step toward it.
Gemini May 21 June 21
If you need guidance, then don’t put it off. But it’s never too late to reconsider your options.
Cancer June 22 July 22
Make time to wake up before dawn and watch the sun rise. When doing this, things will start to look up for you. Also, watch out for your health this week.
Leo
July 23 August 22 It may be in your best interest to consider a close friend to help you with what you’re going through. Weigh this advice against what you know of the world already.
Virgo
August 23 September 22 If you need guidance, then you need to think about it more, and more seriously. But it’s never too late to reconsider your options.
Aerogel is the densest solid in the world at 1mg/cc.
Libra
Ham radio operators got the term “ham” coined from the expression “ham fisted operators,” a term used to describe early radio users who sent Morse code.
September 23 October 22 If you need guidance, then join the club. This advice is only a guideline, but it is indeed very serious and important.
All 50 states are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the $5 bill. When you tie a noose, the rope is wrapped 12 times around because it’s the same length as a person’s head.
Scorpio
October 23 November 21 This week you will own a fact from your history, and it will force you to remember things gone by. It’s just a word of wisdom.
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.
Are you comfortable with the idea of doing something out of character for you? Now will come the right time and you’ll know what to do.
Capricorn December 22 January 19
Get serious with yourself today. It starts by letting go your earthly desires and accepting that this is what’s best for everyone.
Aquarius January 20 February 18
Accept the support of a new friend to make a major decision. The power to do the right thing is within you.
Pisces
February 19 March 20 Think you might have a big decision coming up? Then you might be right. There’s no reason to rush into anything rash, especially if it might give you a rash.
Diodonna Winona dabbles in forces beyond mortal comprehension. She also enjoys people watching and coffee.
Word Search
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Monday, October 16, 2017