Fire aftermath Businesses still reeling six months after arson. Page 3 MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2016
SPOKE
A LEARNING NEWSROOM FOR JOURNALISM STUDENTS
CONESTOGA COLLEGE, KITCHENER, ONT.
CSI director let go
WWW.SPOKEONLINE.COM
SWAN PARADE
Where to hike this spring There’s great natural areas in this region. Page 12 47TH YEAR — NO. 13
ATTRACTS THOUSANDS
BY CHRIS HUSSEY
Conestoga College’s student union may have some questions to answer after dismissing one of their directors. Conestoga Students Inc. (CSI), the official students’ association for Conestoga students, let go one of their board of directors during a meeting on March 17. Brian Clark was dismissed from his role on the board after serving almost two years in the position. CSI’s board of directors is made up of students who are elected by the student body in a general election held in the winter semester each year. Once elected, these directors guide the direction of the corporation by voting on important decisions, such as whether to increase student fees or fund new programs. They are also expected to attend CSI events and engage with students in an effort to better represent the student body as a whole. In exchange for completing these responsibilities, directors receive some perks, including discounted graduation photos, free printing at CSI’s service hub and an honorarium of $800, according to CSI’s Governance Policies. These policies were last updated last year, and Jeff Scherer, the current CSI president, said they may not be the most up-to-date version as the policies are in constant review by the board. Clark, a second-year student in the community criminal justice program, said he was dismissed after Spoke contacted CSI with questions about the election of the new president and vice-presidents for the 2016-2017 school year. Spoke asked CSI why the election was conducted the way it was, and in particular, why there was no student input when selecting the president and VPs. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
PHOTO BY ETHAN KOMPF
Swans enter the Avon River in Stratford during the 26th annual swan parade on April 3. The event drew thousands who watched the birds be released from their winter pens and guided along roads toward the river. For story and more photos, see Page 6.
Tutor booking frustrates student BY CHRIS HUSSEY
When Rose Galdamez booked a writing appointment over the phone with the Learning Commons last semester, she was happy with the experience. “They’re very nice in there … and I had an excellent appointment,” she said. However, when she tried to book a math appointment with one of the many tutors through the department, she found it a lot more frustrating this time around. “The problem stems from the fact that they’re no longer accepting appointments over the phone (for tutoring),” she said. “The online system is not user-friendly.” It all started when Galdamez, a second-year personal support worker to practical nursing bridge student, tried to book an appointment through the Virtual Learning
Commons website. She found the booking process difficult, so she visited the Learning Commons the next day and a staff member worked with her to help her book two appointments before an upcoming exam.
“
The problem stems from the fact that they’re no longer accepting appointments over the phone (for tutoring). — Rose Galdamez
”
However, when she came in for what she expected was the first of the two appointments, she was told that the staff member had made an error and booked the appointment on another day. Galdamez
said that’s when it hit a breaking point for her. “I was really upset,” she said. “I wasted a whole hour of my time.” When she was finally able to meet with the tutor, she said it was “fantastic” and really helpful. However, she said the online booking process needs to be changed and made easier. Lisa Bauman is a Peer Services consultant at the Learning Commons, and while she was not able to comment specifically on Galdamez’s case, she said there is a broad range of comfort with technology within the student body at Conestoga and that other students may have had a better experience booking a tutor. “We know that there may be students who may find it very difficult, but we also have a lot of feedback where
students say, ‘Oh yeah, it’s simple and straightforward and I knew how to do it.’” For students like Galdamez who may not find it as straightforward, Bonnie Lipton-Bos, manager of the Learning Commons, said students can also come in to get hands-on assistance. “The staff members at the front desk will get right on the computer with the student and help them book the appointment if it’s difficult for them.” Galdamez said at the end of the day, she just wants to voice her concerns so that other students get the best experience at the Learning Commons. “I just want to find common ground and raise awareness in the hopes that they take my feedback … and really make an effort to help students succeed and pass their courses.”
NEWS
Page 2 s SPOKE
Now deep thoughts ... with Conestoga College
Monday, April 11, 2016
FILBERT CARTOONS
Random questions answered by random students
What is on your perfect pizza?
“Just cheese. No toppings.” Mina Jawad, first-year broadcast - television
Spoke story sparks internal CSI feud CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“Pepperoni, bacon, cheese and green peppers.”
Kyle Harrington, first-year international business management
“Ham, pineapples, bacon and cheese. The more cheese the better.” Krystyna Bruce, first-year journalism - broadcast
“Pesto sauce, goat cheese, tomatoes, chicken and red onions.” Roland Fleming, first-year journalism - print
“Pepperoni, extra cheese and black olives.”
Karleigh Jefferson, second-year social service
“Just pepperoni.”
Carla Buela, first-year journalism - broadcast
Smile Conestoga, you could be our next respondent!
Two CSI board members, who wished to remain anonymous, approached Spoke and commented on this election, saying they felt that some candidates received preferential treatment. After this, Spoke attempted to set up an in-person interview with Cameron Jones, the current CSI vice-president who was elected president for the next school year. However, he was unavailable, so Spoke sent questions to Jones via email, and Clark said this email was circulated within CSI to various executive staff. He said this was the spark that initially set off the events that led to him being dismissed. Clark said on March 10, the day the email was sent, Scherer attempted to call an emergency meeting. According to Clark, Scherer threatened board members by telling them to be at that meeting otherwise he would dock their honorarium. “He can’t do that because he doesn’t have that power,” Clark said. Eventually, the emergency meeting was held that evening, and Clark said the email was the first thing that was raised. In fact, Scherer began the meeting by asking the people who approached Spoke anonymously to resign. Clark said he requested that the board instead discuss what might have prompted the individuals to approach Spoke in the first place. “They didn’t even care to discuss that,” he said. “They were just very retributive in nature.” Clark said Sheena Witzel, CSI’s assistant general manager and one of the executives at the meeting, accused Hope Krempa, another one of CSI’s directors, of being one of the people who talked to Spoke. According to Clark, Krempa had approached Witzel previ-
ously with similar concerns as those that were addressed by the anonymous individuals who talked to Spoke. “It’s not like one person was upset by an election that didn’t go their way,” he said. According to Clark, at the emergency meeting Krempa singled him out, saying he was one of the anonymous Spoke sources. He said he was accused of violating CSI’s one-voice policy, which he described as the “put-up or shut-up policy.” The official policy, according to the Governance Policies, states that, “Board members will support the legitimacy and authority of the final determination of the Board on any matter, irrespective of the members’ personal position on the issue. The Board will speak with one voice or not at all.”
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He can’t do that because he doesn’t have the power. — Brian Clark
”
The meeting ended with no one admitting to talking to Spoke and no one resigning. The following Thursday (March 17) at CSI’s monthly board of directors meeting, Krempa made a motion requesting another emergency board meeting in order to dismiss Clark. The motion carried and the emergency meeting was held after the regular meeting ended. According to Clark, in the emergency meeting Scherer said that things came to light and accused Clark and Gurpal Singh Bhatia, another CSI board of director, of being the ones who talked to Spoke anonymously. Spoke has not revealed the anonymous sources to anyone, not any CSI board of
director or executive member. After being accused, Clark was asked questions in the meeting by some of the executives about why he did it. Clark said that although he never admitted to anything, another motion was made to dismiss him. He said instead of asking if anyone approved of the motion, which is normally how the CSI meetings are run, Scherer asked if anyone opposed the motion. “He just went to, ‘Who opposes,’ so that everyone else could just sit quietly without having to answer,” Clark said. He said this was a direct policy violation because in order to dismiss a board member, there has to be a vote with two-thirds of the board voting in favour of the motion. Scherer said in an email to Spoke that Clark’s dismissal from the board was an HR concern and falls under confidentiality and, as a result, CSI could not comment on the issue. He also said they could not comment on the policies and procedures of CSI’s board of directors. Clark said many of the issues with CSI’s board of directors stems from a lack of experience and proper training for the position. “You have a bunch of people who are in their early 20s and late teens operating and in control of a multimilliondollar corporation,” he said. Clark said he hopes that people pay more attention to what CSI is doing and how it is run, because he said the biggest issue for him is the lack of accountability and consistency within the organization. “When it comes down to it, the policy binders that are given out are just kind of given out … and there’s no accountability as far as that goes,” he said. “There has to be credibility behind everything they do.”
NEWS
Monday, April 11, 2016
SPOKE s Page 3
Parkdale Plaza rebuilds after fire
Teen arsonist gets equivalent of nine months in jail BY JESSICA PETT
Darkened windows, billowing smoke, caution tape, fire trucks and a Dollarama all have one common denominator. In the early evening of Sept. 11, 2015, pedestrians, customers and store owners gathered in the parking lot of Waterloo’s Parkdale Plaza. They watched as smoke and flames destroyed their favourite businesses and in some cases, their life’s work. The destruction was caused by arson and the accused was just 14 years old. The stores that make up Parkdale Plaza represent years and years of hard work on the part of individual merchants who have built up those businesses, some for over 30 years. It was all destroyed in a matter of hours. According to a March 4 story in the Waterloo Region Record, damage was estimated at $2 million. Just a little over six months later, businesses like The Water Depot, Heffernan Jewellers and especially Dollarama are still feeling the effects. The Water Depot had been open for only two weeks when the fire completely gutted its newest location. The store is located two units down from the Dollarama and suffered extensive damage as a result. Storeowner Greg Watson is frustrated by the events that took place that day and in the days since but said that despite the destruction, there was no question that they would reopen. “There was a little bit of water damage due to the firefighting efforts when they sprayed down the roof but it had substantial smoke damage. There was a layer of soot or a black sludge-like substance over everything. All of
PHOTO SUBMITTED
In this September 2015 photo, firefighters work to put out a fire at Parkdale Plaza in Waterloo that was set by a 14-year-old-boy. Many stores in the plaza have rebuilt and customers are returning. my equipment was destroyed, it was garbage, and all the walls were torn out,” he said. Despite all of the issues the store ran into, they made their goal of reopening on March 5, 2016. According to Watson, business has been slow, most likely due to the fence located directly in front of the store, which may be misleading customers into thinking it is still closed. The fence is there as Dollarama is still very much under construction. As for the young man accused of starting the fire, Watson has his own opinion on what should happen to him. “This kid affected dozens of lives and caused millions of dollars in damage and for what?” said Watson. “I’d like to see him punished. I’d like to see him sit in jail and have time to think about what he did and decide whether he wants to be a part of society.” Unlike the Water Depot, Heffernan Jewellery had occupied the plaza for over 30 years. The family-owned and run jewelry store had become a well-known name in the community. Regardless of having two locations in Waterloo, the decision not to return to the Parkdale Plaza was a hard one for co-owners Tim Heffernan and his brother Jim. When the fire began to spread, Tim was in the store alone. All of a sudden he noticed smoke seeping into the store and immediately began gathering up his customers’ products to keep them
safe. Not long after that he was asked to leave the building by a police officer. “It was incredibly hard to breathe and everyone took off,” he said. “I took customers’ jobs and I put them in the safe, but I didn’t take anything (of his own) that particular day, it was too hard to see and it was burning my eyes. When your store is filling up with smoke, there’s no time to look for personal possessions.” In fact, Tim said the parking lot got so hectic and full so quickly that he couldn’t even drive his car home that evening. When he came back to get it in the morning, firefighters were still working to contain the flames. According to Tim, smoke damaged the leather wristbands of a few watches but the rest of the jewelry in the store was undamaged. However, all of the showcases, his workbench that was made of wood, and several tools were thrown out due to smoke damage. “We decided it financially wouldn’t have made sense to go back there,” he said. But not all that came out of the fire was a loss for the brothers. Jim and his children continue to run the other Heffernan Jewellery location. Tim and his wife decided that they weren’t yet ready to retire and opted to create their own home studio, which they are calling River Ridge Jewelers. “We decided to open our little studio. It’s exciting but we only started in December. We are going to try it for a while
and see how it goes,” he said, adding he believes his former customers, who he has a personal relationship with, will find out about his new store and come visit him. “In a roundabout way my brother is sort of my competition now.” Tim believes the accused should be tried as a teen but would be unhappy if he didn’t see some significant jail time. “They’ve got to give him a great report card before they let him out of there (custody). It’s for the safety of the public,” he said. The fire in Dollarama was set in the aisle that contained gift-wrapping materials. Waterloo resident Rebecca Stanley and her father were inside the store when the fire broke out. “First I smelled smoke. Then my dad asked if I smelled rubber burning. We looked around and saw a flame up to the ceiling in the back corner of the store and quickly smoke started to fill up the store. Once we were outside the smoke became very thick, heavy and black,” she said. The fire wasn’t considered “under control” until 13 hours after fire crews began attempts to extinguish it. John Percy, public education officer for the Waterloo Region Fire Department, said one reason why the fire spread so rapidly toward the other adjoining businesses was partly due to the age of the structure itself. “There’s no sprinkler system that was required to be installed when it was built so
the fire spread through walls and once the flames get to the roof they can go across the roof structure. The biggest challenge we had with a lot of the other tenants was smoke migration,” he said. The now 15-year-old youth charged cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Justice Colin Westman ordered a psychiatric and psychological report to be done before the youth’s April 1 sentencing. The accused was facing charges of arson, endangering human life and possession of an incendiary device. After the April 1 court date, Westman said, “He (the youth) entered a plea of guilty in January of 2016 and he was sentenced on April 1 to the equivalent of nine months in jail as a young offender. Both the pre-sentence report and psychological report were quite troubling but the principles of sentencing for young offenders, especially with no record as in this case, requires the court to focus on rehabilitation and reintegration into the community and not on specific deterrence, general deterrence or denunciation as in adult cases.” Today, many of the fire and smoke damaged stores have reopened and are beginning to see their customers slowly returning. Most businesses that were restored have had a slow start but many owners are hopeful that soon enough, things will be business as usual, just like it was before the night of September 11, 2015.
COMMENTARY
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Monday, April 11, 2016
Bad days are OK BY JOSEPH WEPPLER
Charlie Chaplin once said, “You’ll never find a rainbow if you’re looking down.” But is it necessary to spend every day of your life looking for a rainbow? From the Latin word “optimum” meaning “best,” to be optimistic is to hope for and expect the better option. Optimists believe that, in any given situation, the greatest possible outcome will be the one that occurs. Optimism is a powerful code that many people strive to live by. Dr. Tali Sharot, a neuroscientist from New York University, is known for her research on optimism. Her book, The Optimism Bias, explores why she not only believes that our brains are hardwired to look on the bright side of things, but also why that can be dangerous. When an optimist meets a sour situation, they grin and bear it and hope for the best. But what happens if the best outcome doesn’t occur, when you don’t just have a bad day, but a bad week? In the real world, where no one has control over their emotions, sometimes it’s OK to just feel bad. You’re allowed to have a bad day, despite any privileges you might have. The power of optimism doesn’t come from your ability to maintain it, no matter what happens. Instead it comes from your resiliency and determination to bounce back after an imperfect day. The power of optimism is in the return, not the maintenance. So next time someone tells you that everything happens for a reason, or they tilt their head and say, “don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened,” feel free to ignore them. Take a day to feel like trash. Take a week to wallow in your own misery. Then, when you’ve finished falling apart, simply pull yourself together again. It might seem hard, it might even seem impossible. But when you’re a little broken, no one knows better than you how you’re supposed to look when you’re fixed. And maybe you don’t want to look the same way. Maybe you take your broken pieces and you craft yourself into something new. It isn’t just your decision, but your right as the one in control of your life. It’s important that you don’t let anyone else tell you that you can’t be happy. But it’s just as important that you don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t be sad. Charlie Chaplin once said, “I always like walking in the rain, so no one can see me crying.” But you don’t have to be ashamed of your tears. And then, once you’re all cried out, stand tall and heft that standard of optimism once more. 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
Children shouldn’t be rewarded for trying because that is expected.
Stop spoiling your children Kids are being spoiled without anyone realizing it. Public school teachers give children stars on a wall for good behaviour or for completing their classroom chores. I understand that when children go above and beyond they should be given some form of reward, but should they be rewarded just for showing up or for things that are expected. There has been a lot of talk about giving out participation ribbons for taking part in a sporting event or any other kind of event that involves some kind of point system. I don’t think children should be rewarded for just standing around and doing nothing, or simply “trying their best.” Encouraging this kind of behaviour could mean that they expect everything to be handed to them as adults.
Emmie Siroky
Opinion When a child’s team loses a soccer game, maybe they should be told to train harder rather than be rewarded for losing, because in the real world when you lose, that’s the end of it. You don’t get a reward from your boss when you mess up and you don’t get a reward from your landlord just for paying your rent on time, end of story. You could argue the fact that they are children, but isn’t everything you teach children supposed to help them in the future? Some parents are taking away the awards and telling their children that they will get them back when they
actually win. Although that approach is a little bit drastic, it makes sense. A better way would be to not give the award at all. A Kansas city mom disagrees with this, and spoke about her beliefs on social media. “Well, what lesson do you think you’re teaching when you take a trophy away from a six-year-old child? That you’re a jerk?” asked Kandy Johnston, a grad student and mom. “(Are you saying) that she shouldn’t be involved in anything? That winning is the only thing that matters?” Parents and non-parents see it from many different sides, whether they agree or disagree. I think participation trophies are unnecessary and shouldn’t be handed out. Rewarding someone for doing nothing is just ridiculous.
SPOKE
IS PUBLISHED AND PRODUCED WEEKLY BY THE JOURNALISM STUDENTS OF CONESTOGA COLLEGE Editor: Chris Hussey Assignment Editors: Matt Linseman, Jenna Braun Advertising Managers: Christel Allison Spoke Online Editors: Emmie Siroky, Sean Malinowski, Marissa Cuddy Production Managers: Sarah Veenstra, Garrett
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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.
NEWS
Monday, April 11, 2016
SPOKE s Page 5
Meet Conestoga’s A-team BY LEAH MORROW
“We have students here who are about to graduate,” said Charlie Matjanec, employment adviser in Accessibility Services. “We have students who are just starting out or have a reduced course load. We have graduate alumni here because they enjoyed the interaction and wanted to continue.” Accessibility Services has about 13 students registered who have autism and who are members of the A-team. According to Autism Speaks, the world’s leading autism science advocacy group, autism spectrum disorder and autism can be defined as complex disorders of brain development. These disorders can be categorized in varying degrees with people having difficulty with social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication and repetitive behaviours. The website for the organization said that over 40 per cent of those on the spectrum have above average intelligence and creativity levels. “I would say one of my best traits is thinking outside the box,” said Danny Eagle, one of the A-team members. “When we are doing a math problem, most people take the streamlined method. I try to think about various perspectives and then come up with the right answer.” “I am very knowledgeable about a lot of things and I am very creative,” said Cam Schaefer. “I am currently writing a novel.” “My super power would be that I am outspoken,” said Becky Hunt. “I am motivated.” Hunt has written and pub-
lished a children’s book called How Bullying Victims Feel. “When I was younger, in elementary, middle school and high school I got bullied a lot,” she said. “Like constantly being bullied every single day. Every time I would go to the office, I would get the same excuse; they are just being kids or they are just being boys. One day I just got fed up with it.” She said that is when she started to write to express herself. She said if people were not willing to listen to what she was saying, then she would write it down. Matjanec said one of the topics addressed in Hunt’s book is people not speaking up for themselves. He said she took it upon herself to speak up and be their voice for them. “I stood up for my friends who were being picked on too,” said Hunt Matjanec said the purpose behind the A-team is to give students a supportive environment free of bullying, a place where people can go and talk about everything from school to relationships in a safe environment. Schaefer said he can look back on moments when he stood up to bullies of his own. “This was one of the moments that I was most proud of myself,” he said. Schaefer said when he was younger he, like many kids, had a wild imagination. He had invented what he referred to as “the double world.” “One day, a bunch of kids came up to me,” he said. “They said, Cam, did you know that there is a portal to the double world in the dumpster?’ I asked them, how dumb do you think I am?”
PHOTO BY LEAH MORROW
Conestoga’s A-team consists of Casey Gautreau (from left), an Accessibility Services counsellor, Charlie Matjanec, employment adviser and co-facilitator, Zak Martin, co-facilitator, and members Becky Hunt, Carly Crooks, Karen Harnock, Cam Schaefer, Danny Eagle and Yvonne Spicer. He said his bullies’ lack of creativity was almost disappointing. “If I am going to get bullied,” he said, “I want high quality bullying. I want effort put into it.” Schaefer said he wants bullying that could be at least classified as a B. Karen Harnock said back in Grade 9 a girl created a lot of issues for her. “My teachers didn’t seem to understand at all. The girl pushed me into a locker, so I decided to use self-defence.” She said she had no choice but to punch this bully, putting her down for the count. “Bullies might not know that the person they are bullying has super powers of their own,” said Matjanec. “You have to be able to say, enough, I’m not going to take
this anymore.” Matjenec asked the team to specify any issues or concerns they have within the college environment. “Sometimes people on the spectrum require a little more clarification,” said Harnock. “I had to deal with a professor last semester who was not very understanding and I got so fed up that I had to drop the course.” The team agreed that sometimes so much information is thrown out at once that it is very easy to get lost. “I have done so much public speaking surrounding disabilities,” said Yvonne Spicer, another A-team member. “Since 2008, I have been speaking to government officials and been on so many committees.” She said they are trying to
LIFE WASN’T EASY BACK IN THE GOOD OL’ DAYS The Joseph Schneider Haus held a cheese and buttermaking demonstration on April 2 and 3. People got the chance to see how these staples were made Pennsylvania-German style and could go on a tour to see what it was like to live in 1856. For video story, go to spokeonline.com. PHOTO BY JESSICA HAMMER
eliminate the stigma surrounding disabilities of every kind. “We want to be more included,” she said. “We want people to not bully us and not treat us differently. We want people to just get to know us, not for our disabilities.”
NEWS
Page 6 s SPOKE
Monday, April 11, 2016
PHOTO BY MICHELLE MAISONVILLE
Stratford held its 26th annual swan parade on April 3. Swans are an important part of Stratford and have been since 1918. For video story, go to www.spokeonline.com.
Swan parade goes on despite the cold BY ETHAN KOMPF
Stratford welcomed spring 10 days ago during its annual Swan Weekend, which took place on April 2 and 3. Every year Stratford holds an event which includes street performers, carriage rides, contests and musicians and culminates in a parade which leads the swans a block from where they’re kept for the winter to the Avon River, where they live until the next winter. The procession was led by the Stratford Police Pipes and Drums, followed by a city worker holding a swan and the rest of the swans, who waddled along on foot. The procession wove down Lakeside Drive, through a
crowd of thousands, all who showed up despite large amounts of snow and unseasonably cold weather. The flock slowly reached the banks of the Avon and, one-by-one, entered the chilly water, which still had thin layers of ice floating on it.
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It’s our first time (seeing the swans) but we wanted to come because it’s a big thing. — Janine Prew
”
There they rejoined the ducks and geese who had already returned.
The two-day event attracts people from many different places, not just Stratford. “I’m from Kitchener,” said Janine Prew, a worker at Stratford General Hospital. “It’s our first time (seeing the swans), but we wanted to come because it’s a big thing.” Many newcomers did not realize how busy the event would be and had trouble seeing. “We came an hour early to get the perfect spot,” said Matt Hamming, another spectator. “But then everyone swarmed around us and we were pushed to the back.” The swans left their pens around 2 p.m. on Sunday and reached the water about 20 minutes later.
PHOTO BY ETHAN KOMPF
The swans spread their wings after entering the water for the first time since last fall. This is where the swans can be found until they are brought back to their winter home at the end of October.
PHOTO BY EMMIE SIROKY
Swans walked down the street to the Avon River. Residents lined the sides of the road to see the birds released after a long winter.
PHOTO BY ETHAN KOMPF
The Stratford Police Pipes and Drums led the procession of swans to the river.
SPOKE s Page 7 NEWS THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY AT KITCHENER COMIC CON
Monday, April 11, 2016
PHOTO BY CHRIS HUSSEY
INTERNET PHOTO
Flaked, one of Netflix’s newest series, follows Chip, a man struggling with sobriety and desire.
Flaked is flakey Flaked is an online streamed show about bad people making terrible decisions and wondering why their lives are so miserable. One of Netflix’s newest forays into producing original content, Flaked feels like it’s trying to buy time before the streaming platform’s other, much more entertaining, shows start their new seasons. The series stars Will Arnett, a wonderfully comedic actor known for his roles in shows that Netflix has picked up over the last few years like Arrested Development and BoJack Horseman. Arnett plays Chip, a man struggling with his tenuous sobriety and a guilty conscience, made only worse by the bad decisions he makes around many of the female characters in the show. Chip may always have something to say, but he’s always saying something he shouldn’t. Supporting Chip are: characters like Dennis, Chip’s best friend played by David Sullivan; Kara, Chip’s current fling and maybegirlfriend played by Lina Esco; and London, Dennis’ romantic interest and the most likeable character in the show, played by Ruth Kearney. It’s really unfortunate to hear that Arnett struggled and slipped with his own sobriety during the making of the show, but it’s understandable when you take a look at the array of selfish, utterly charmless charac-
Scott Sander, more commonly known as K-W Deathknight Predator, shows off his costume during Kitchener Comic Con on April 2. He was one of many who dressed as their favourite character for the event. For video story, go to www.spokeonline.com.
ROOFING CENTRE HOME OF EXPO
By Joshua Van Ostrand Opinion
ters. Flaked feels like a show that is trying to do what Netflix has done so well before, gritty shows about real-life situations – but where characters in other streaming series have charm or grow, Flaked’s characters just feel stale. Where BoJack Horseman was a self-centred character making bad decisions in much the same way Chip does, Horseman brought character to it in a way that seemed so much more real. The characters in Flaked don’t seem to understand what they’re doing is wrong, they’re a bunch of psychopaths running around California causing mayhem and complaining about the consequences. There may be hope in the future for Flaked, its concept is interesting but the writing lacks focus and needs a lot of work to bring it up to the quality of the other series. Normally it’s difficult to wait for the continuation of Netflix’s super series but I won’t hold my breath for more Flaked. Instead, I’ll just mark my calendar for more of the service’s grand-slam shows like BoJack Horseman and Orange is the New Black. I give Flaked one star out of five.
PHOTO BY JASON MOTA
The Conestoga College trades and apprenticeship programs held their 8th annual Tools and Trades Expo on March 29 at the Roofing Centre of Conestoga College’s Waterloo campus. For video story, go to www.spokeonline.com.
CONESTOGA COLLEGE SERVES UP LAMB Molly LeBlanc, a student in the culinary skills - chef training (co-op) program, makes her Juicy Tzatziki Lamb Burger recipe at Conestoga College’s Waterloo campus during the Ontario Lamb Recipe Challenge on March 19. Leblanc took the top prize in the contest. PHOTO BY CHRIS HUSSEY
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Monday, April 11, 2016 NEWS STUDENTS CELEBRATE THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR BY ENJOYING SOME FREE, HOT FOOD
PHOTOS BY MARISSA CUDDY (ABOVE) AND SEAN MALINOWSKI (RIGHT)
Conestoga Students Inc. held their annual year-end barbecue outside the Sanctuary at Conestoga College’s Doon campus on March 30. The line of students hungering for a free hot dog, hamburger or veggie burger snaked all the way inside the building, while those who had already been served wasted no time in putting their toppings on. For the video story, go to www.spokeonline.com.
Teachers need feedback as well
As students we receive feedback on a fairly regular basis. Our teachers constantly tell us how well we are learning the required material and how we are doing on assignments and tests. We receive posted grades and feedback on eConestoga as well as red writing all over the assignments we hand in. Teachers do all of this so we know what aspects of our course material we are, or are not, excelling in. Once a semester select students in select classes have the opportunity to fill out anonymous surveys (called Student Appraisal of Teaching or SATs) for certain teachers. This means there are plenty of students
who do not get an opportunity to give opinions on the way someone teaches a specific course. The results from these surveys are not released to the teacher until the course is over, by which point it is far too late for them to improve and help their current students to the best of their abilities. If every student receives feedback to become the best student she can possibly be, we should extend the same opportunity to the teaching staff. It should be a matter of every student filling out an SAT for every course. As a second-year journalism - print student I had the opportunity to assess one of my four core teachers
Ashley Nequest
Opinion this semester as well as the professor for my psychology course. However, I was not allowed to provide feedback for the one teacher I would have actually liked to complete a SAT for. There needs to be ample opportunity for every single teacher to be able to improve themselves as an educator after hearing what students from a variety of courses have to say about their cur-
rent methods. Completing something like a SAT for every course is also important. There are times when students take a course that is from a different program and they are supposed to apply that learning to the program they are in. In these situations the teacher may not know exactly what the student has been taught regarding the subject at hand or how to teach to a group that knows very little about that specific subject matter. Having students complete SATs for every course allows these teachers to see how they may, or may not have, improved since the following term. Finally, just as we receive
updates on our progress periodically throughout the semester so should those providing our feedback. It is expected that our assignments be returned to us and grades posted relatively quickly so we are constantly aware of where we stand in terms of completing the given course. Teachers should also be constantly aware of how well they are doing – a majority of the class passing or failing something isn’t always enough. We, as students, are used to being assessed and critiqued on an almost daily basis; it’s time we were able to help our teachers improve the same way.
BENDING GLASS TO ONE’S WILL A glass staining and glass fusing workshop took place on March 31 at the Grand River Glassworks Studio in Waterloo. A group of advanced glass fusers and stainers meet regularly to work on their colourful creations. Above, studio owner Laurie Spieker stands in front of two of her own pieces of art. For the video story, go to www. spokeonline.com. PHOTO BY JESSICA HAMMER
NEWS
Monday, April 11, 2016
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Raising awareness on taboo condition BY MICHELLE MAISONVILLE
April is Irritable Bowel Syndrome Month (IBS), an often taboo condition that affects five million Canadians, one of the highest rates of IBS in the world. The Canadian Digestive Health Foundation (CDHF) describes IBS as “a common chronic gastrointestinal disorder that involves problems with how the bowel moves contents through our intestines and sensitivity of how the brain interprets sensations in the bowel.” People affected by IBS can experience recurrent abdominal pain and irregular bowel patterns that are often painful. Oftentimes symptoms are chronic and irregular and may last for months or years. The symptoms people living with IBS experience vary
from person to person but may include gas, bloating, cramps, abdominal pain related to bowel movements, irregular bowel patterns, diarrhea or constipation, or, alternating between the two, heartburn and nausea. “People can become prisoners of their own home because they’re not sure if they’re going to be in pain or if they’re going to have access to a washroom,” said Catherine Mulvale, CDHF’s executive director. The exact cause of IBS is unknown, however, it’s believed that it may be linked to a prior infection or event that disrupts the normal functioning of the intestines. For example, Mulvale said people can develop IBS after food poisoning. An imbalance of intestinal bacteria or a change in the body’s levels of hormones may also lead
to the development of the disorder. According to the CDHF only about 40 per cent of IBS sufferers seek medical attention. People with milder symptoms usually end up self-treating through lifestyle changes and nonprescription remedies. Mulvale said there isn’t a cure for IBS but medications are available that can help people manage their symptoms. The CDHF recommends several strategies that can be used to reduce IBS symptoms, including improving their diet by eating a high fibre, low fat diet, trying the diet of elimination, avoiding junk food, exercising, getting enough rest, keeping a diary to help identify specific triggering dietary and emotional factors, and minimizing stress and tension.
PHOTO BY TAYLOR SCHWEITZER
Awaken By A Dream, a local spiritual music band, performed at Cambridge City Hall on April 2 to help raise money and awareness for Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region. The event was hosted by second-year Conestoga public relations students. The band played cover songs and songs of their own to express how important helping the community is.
Public relations students hold silent auction and coffee house BY TAYLOR SCHWEITZER
Helping out in the community is always rewarding, especially when it comes to devoting a night toward raising awareness of a charity or valuable service. On April 2, a group of Conestoga public relations students gathered at Cambridge City Hall to host a coffee house and silent auction to raise money for Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region. Awakened By A Dream, a local spiritual music band, performed at the event and played their own music and cover songs. “Women’s Crisis Services wants to provide more for the community,” said Umi Hami,
a second-year public relations bridge student. “Our coffee house and silent auction are a way to raise awareness and donate to their shelters.” Women’s Crisis Services is a not-for-profit charitable organization. The service helps women and children work toward getting over abusive hardships by providing shelter, education and outreach services. Jessica McCormick, a second-year public relations student, said, “The hardest part about making this event work was getting people to come. You really have to work your own connections. In public relations we always hear ‘network, network, network.’ No matter what event you
hold, you’re going to need networking to help you. For us, networking and physically getting people to show up to this event was the hardest, but we still managed to raise money.” The silent auction consisted of art pieces and a raffle draw at the end of the night. The pieces included paintings, positive sayings and photography chosen by public relations students to suit the theme of the event, which was raising awareness about how much help women and families need in the community. For more information about Women’s Crisis Services, visit www.wcswr.org or call 519-653-2289.
Dr. Camilla Krause, a naturopathic doctor at Healthsource Integrative Medical Centre said roughly one in three or four of her patients have some sort of digestive concern, whether they’ve been diagnosed or not. Some of these patients have been diagnosed with IBS and are frustrated with traditional medicine. “I think usually they’re not offered a lot of options so they’re looking for better relief of their symptoms,” she said. Krause said what they’re eating, their pattern of eating and food sensitivity can play a big part of IBS and IBS symptoms. She said a diet of elimination can also be useful because it can help to know if certain foods worsen symptoms. This means eliminating certain foods for a period of
time and then slowly reintroducing them back into your diet and monitoring your symptoms for possible reactions. Krause said another thing she looks into is whether or not they’re getting enough probiotics or if they have a history of antibiotics, which could deplete the good bacteria in their body. Various things such as yogurt, kombucha and kefir can help ensure people get the necessary probiotics. She said fibre has also found to be beneficial in the long-run but it needs to be approached carefully because it can increase immediate symptoms for some people. “It needs to be recognized that it’s a real digestive disorder with real symptoms and it can be debilitating,” said Mulvale.
BY MARISSA CUDDY
the children about meditation. “People should come to have fun because that is such an important part of our life to be healthy,” Pryke said. “We don’t make enough time for fun and ourselves.” Pryke said on the Friday night they will have a dancing class for one hour and on Saturday they will have hula hooping, pole dancing and pilates to try out. There are also low-impact activities that people can join in and have fun. “I think anything that brings attention to well-being and taking care of ourselves should be applauded,” said Drew Harvey, the associate chair of health and fitness promotion at Conestoga College. “Anything that will improve those good intentions to actively take action is important.” The Healthy Choices Wellness Show will be held at the Cambridge Holiday Inn from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $8 for one day or $10 for both days. All ticket sales are being donated to the Because I Am A Girl campaign. For more information go to www.healthy-choices.ca/.
Healthy choices start with you
The spring annual Healthy Choices Wellness Show in Cambridge is back this year on April 22 and 23. The show features about 40 vendors including Hybrid Hair and Detox Salon, Visalus Pilates Challenge and Physiotherapy and Health Cambridge. Lee Pryke is the founder of the Healthy Choices Wellness Show and her company, I Am I Can Self Enrichment Centre, is one of the sponsors. Last year the event wasn’t held, but Pryke decided to bring it back this year. “Some vendors will have things to buy and samples such as protein shakes, weight loss pills and many physiotherapy options,” she said. “There is something there for everybody. You can gather information to get healthy and stay healthy,” Pryke said. There will be Himalayan healing stones for pets. There will also be other salt products made from Himalayan salts, booths with essential oils and how they heal the mind, body and soul, and Hybrid Hair and Detox Salon will feature their green hydroponic products. An author of a children’s book will be there teaching
FUN & GAMES
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Monday, April 11, 2016
Useless Facts
Oh Cliff!
Horoscope Week of April 11, 2016
Aries
March 21 April 19 Who are you, without all the trappings? It doesn’t really matter, because this week will convince you that your exterior is the key to everything.
Taurus April 20 May 20
This is quite a week for everything you cover up and hide (or do behind the scenes, with no recognition). You are now on the road to radical change.
Gemini May 21 June 21
A life-changing pattern this week will permanently alter the shape of your social life, friendships, group involvements and social media. Embrace the new world.
Cancer June 22 July 22
Sometimes you have to make up your career as you go along. Also, the wild, the weird and the wonderful is about to be unleashed in your world this week.
Leo
July 23 August 22 The time has come to expand your horizons and to reach for what (or who) represents a whole new world of potential for you. The main thing is, it should set you free.
Virgo
August 23 September 22 You may not have realized how restricted you actually are. You will certainly have nothing short of a revolution by the weekend.
The king of hearts is the only king without a moustache.
Libra
The average man sweats 2.36 litres every day.
September 23 October 22
Almost 68 per cent of men wear briefs.
Park your old ideas about love at the door. This also applies to professional partnerships. It is time to put the past behind you and be open to new possibilities.
The sound of E.T. walking was made by someone squishing her hands in jelly. Super Mario Bros. character Mario was originally named Jumpman, but it was changed to Mario to honour the Nintendo of America’s landlord, Mario Segali.
Scorpio
October 23 November 21 A different way of working and living is on offer this week and by the end of April your lifestyle will have changed beyond recognition. Embrace whatever comes.
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.
This week it’s important to talk about space, the final frontier. If you offer space, especially where children or lovers are concerned, you also receive it in return.
Capricorn December 22 January 19
There comes a time when you have to stop hanging on, or clinging on, and just let the landscape rattle around you. This applies to all aspects of your life.
Aquarius January 20 February 18
This week will permanently change the way you use your “voice” across all mediums or media. It may be Twitter. It’s a good time to think about freedom of speech.
Pisces
February 19 March 20 There may be an old attitude from 2015 which is restricting you. The next seven days will permanently change the way you own, earn or owe money.
Ephram Strange dabbles in forces beyond mortal comprehension on a regular basis. He also enjoys young adult novels and taxidermy.
Word Search
Monday, April 11, 2016
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Monday, April 11, 2016
Enjoy the outdoors this spring
BY JENNA BRAUN
In a region consumed by commercial, industrial and residential construction, there is some solace – natural areas preserved for our enjoyment. “Sometimes I need some place to go, somewhere for inspiration or peace and quiet,” said Benji Luangxay, a third-year architecture project and facilities management student. “City life gets overwhelming.” Located in southern Kitchener is the Huron Natural Area, Kitchener’s largest and “most valuable” natural area. The protected space features the Strasburg cold water creek, wetlands, hiking trails, meadows and trees of various kinds. “That’s the reality of living in an urban setting — the natural world is right beside the developed,” said Huron Natural Area’s co-ordinator, Joshua Shea, in an interview with the Waterloo Region Record in 2011. In the beginning of the Spring, Ontario’s flower, the white trillium, can be found sprinkled throughout the entire forest portion of the natural area.
“Me and my boyfriend are always looking for new places to hike,” said Carly Thibodeau, a first-year prehealth science student. “But we always come back here. It’s our favourite spot.” Both the Waterloo Region Catholic District School Board and the Waterloo Region District School Board work together to maintain this area along with Shea. Another natural area perfect for hiking is Trillium Woods, in close proximity to Huron Natural Area. Though these are Kitchener-Waterloo’s only official natural areas, there are several walking trails around the region that can be enjoyed as well, such as the Iron Horse Trail in downtown Kitchener and the Walter Bean Grand River Trail which runs throughout both Kitchener and Waterloo. “In the spring and summer, I always see bass and sunfish in the pond,” said Luangxay about the Huron Natural Area’s Board of Education Pond. “There’s tons of wildlife too: all kinds of birds, snakes, beavers if it’s really early in the morning. It’s beautiful. I’m glad we have a place like that here in the city.”
PHOTO BY PAUL BOREHAM
Get out and hike or canoe this spring. Above, Ned Courtney, owner of Canoeing the Grand, stands in his King Street shop at the start of the 2016 canoeing season. The company provides canoes and accessories and shuttles people back and forth along the river from Elora to Cambridge. For a video story about spring and the start of canoeing season, go to www.spokeonline.com.
JUDGE’S CHOICE AT PHOTO CONTEST
PHOTO BY JOE WEPPLER
First-year pre-health sciences student Vivian Walter shows off the photo she entered in the Conestoga Camera Club’s best photo contest. Walter won the judge’s choice award.