Big Music Fest Headliners for Kitchener event announced. Page 8 Monday, February 23, 2015
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Museum making waves Exhibit focuses on the wonderful world of water. Page 9
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46TH Year — No. 6
These chefs can take the heat By ALEX RIESE
Present and future chefs collaborated at Waterloo Region’s fourth annual Iron Chef competition on Feb. 5. The focal point of the contest was a cook-off between chefs from eight of the region’s most successful restaurants, with students of Conestoga’s culinary management program acting as sous chefs. According to the event’s organizer Gary Hallam, it gave the students a unique opportunity to grow. “There are so many ways to learn, not just in a classroom,” he said. “This environment teaches them life skills of being out here serving real customers and working with chefs. And a bit of pressure is good for students, so I think they did great.” The competition features a different primary ingredient each year. This year, Kevin Stemmler from Stemmler Meats supplied beef chuck for the ingredient of choice. The winning dish was produced by the team of Bauer Kitchen and Beertown, who braised the beef and paired it with a blood orange marinade. All proceeds from the event were donated to scholarships for Conestoga’s culinary programs. By the end of the event, $15,000 had been raised to foster future greatness in the culinary arts. The contest was judged by
PHOTO BY Alex riese
Lori Maidlow, the executive chef at Waterloo Inn, plates her restaurant’s deconstructed shepherd’s pie. For additional photos, see Page 6.
pretty amazing,” she said. Some students are already starting to profit off of the exposure that competing in this event has given them. Casey Brownrigg, a firstyear culinary management student and sous chef for Gusto Catering Company at the competition, said, “I just applied to Beertown and I told them I was competing in this competition. They actually asked me to come back and show them what I have, and they liked what they saw. So I’ve already gotten a job out of it.” Now that the competition is over, all parties involved are looking ahead to next year. Hallam said this year was the most successful year for the competition, and he hopes to build on the success. According to Saraiva, the increased success of the event may have been due to a reduction in competitors. “We found that with a couple more restaurants, it becomes more crowded for the guests, so I think this year the number of guests to restaurants was well balanced,” he said. As for next year, Saraiva hopes to challenge chefs even more to keep them on their toes. “I’d like to take it to the next challenge next year, maybe give them a little more to worry about,” he said. “Beef chuck was challenging, but wait until next year.”
Conestoga’s culinary program co-ordinator Chef Philippe Saraiva, Stemmler and celebrity guest judge Susur Lee. Lee, one of the leaders in Asian fusion cooking, has had a partnership with Conestoga’s culinary program for several years; a partnership he deems to be incredibly rewarding. “Chef Matthew Warden invited me,” he said. “I love
the school. I have some students in my restaurant, so we have a little friendship connection. He asked me to judge here, and of course I said yes because it’s important to see the next generation of chefs and to see the upcoming of the same passion. I think it’s very important to preserve the next generation of chefs.” Many students left a positive impression on the chefs
that partnered with them. Lori Maidlow, executive chef at the Waterloo Inn, whose restaurant has competed in all four previous Iron Chef competitions, said the students this year were the best she’s ever worked with. “They were very professional, very courteous and, considering they’d only been in school for one month, I thought their knife skills were
ture cells that can develop into any cell present in the bloodstream: red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and other blood components. So far there have been five OneMatch clinics held throughout KitchenerWaterloo, Cambridge and Baden. OneMatch is a stem cell and marrow network operated by Canadian Blood Services. Over 500 people were swabbed, but no matching donors have been found yet. Divo’s father, John Sr., is optimistic that a donor will be found. “We’re very optimistic. We just have to believe in the system, and there’s 22 million people in the registry right now ,” he said. Despite the fatigue from the cancer treatments, Divo still
tries to maintain his daily routines. “The No. 1 thing I try and make sure I do is I don’t stray from what I do on a normal basis,” he said. “I’m coaching peewee triple A, and trying to stay on the ice, because hockey’s something I love to do. I try and keep my life as normal as possible.” He also talked about the turnout at the most recent clinic. “The turnout was amazing! The community really came together as a whole,” he said. His father had a message for people who are eligible to be donors. “Definitely come and do the swab if you’re between the ages of 17 and 35, male or female,” he said.
John Divo stands in the kitchen of his home in Baden on Feb. 7. Divo has leukemia and is in urgent need of a stem cell transplant. For video story, go to www.spokeonline.com.
Student in urgent need of stem cell transplant
By IAN MCBRIDE
John Divo has been battling opposing teams on hockey rinks for many years, but he has faced a much more difficult challenge since being diagnosed with leukemia. The 20-year-old Baden man, who was taking the electrical training program at Conestoga College, was first told he had cancer on Dec. 23, 2013. This past fall, Divo was feeling well and was prepared to play in his last season of junior hockey with the Kitchener Dutchmen. However, those plans were put on hold when he relapsed in November. He is now on the priority list for a life-saving stem cell transplant. Stem cells are imma-
PHOTO BY Ian Mcbride
NEWs
Page 2 s SPOKE
Now deep thoughts ... with Conestoga College
Monday, February 23, 2015
FILBERT CARTOONS
Random questions answered by random students
Who is your favourite cartoon character and why?
“Let’s go with Goofy, just because he was always funny.”
hot drinks help skaters warm up
Brent Morgan, first-year respiratory therapy
“Ash from Pokémon because I grew up on it and always wanted to be a Pokémon trainer.” Ryan Sernoski, first-year radio broadcast
“Scooby-Doo hands down.”
Cody Piper, first-year radio broadcast
“Probably Homer Simpson because I grew up with the guy and he’s funny.” Topher Wadey, second-year radio broadcast
PHOTO BY cassie tulecki
Kitchener-Waterloo MPP Catherine Fife enjoys a hot beverage with Sherry Cao and Anna Huang at her annual community skate on Feb. 7 in Waterloo.
“Ariel because she has a beautiful voice and she has beautiful red hair.” Sam Power, second-year interior decorating
“I’d have to go with Cinderella because I loved her growing up and I always watched it at my aunt’s.” Paige Vanderley, second-year interior decorating Smile Conestoga, you could be our next respondent!
NEWs
Monday, February 23, 2015
SPOKE s Page 3
Environmental jobs more crucial than ever By Cody Mudge
There’s a long whirring hiss, a sharp click and then a windy exhalation. The plastic crinkles with each swing of the arm and the thud of heavy boots striking the floor echoes off of the hallway walls. For a moment it looks like they’re getting ready for a spacewalk, treading carefully in their suits, in line and file, making their way to the airlock where Dave Farrish is waiting for them. All the while the whir, hiss and click create a cacophony of reverberating rhythms as the small group of students make their way outside into the windy cold. “Gather round,” Farrish tells his students, all of whom are clad in “moonsuits,” big grey plastic body suits with a large visor to see through and holes at the end of the arms and legs for gloves and boots. The suits make the students look like a pre-space age astronaut from a cheesy sciencefiction film. The small group huddles around him, oxygen tanks strapped to their backs, respirators clasped onto their faces. “I’m going to zip you up and then we’re going to go outside. Within about five minutes your visor is going to fog up and I’ll unzip you but it will give you an idea of what your vision will be like. If at any point you need out of your suit, put both hands on your head and I’ll get to you,” he says. When they’ve managed to trundle outside they toss around an orange foam football and a reflective Frisbee. Most of the initial tosses miss their mark as the group becomes acclimated to the cumbersome suits and the lack of dexterity their gloves force on them. Farrish smiles as they stumble around, their cone of vision reducing with every minute. There isn’t a toxic spill or a leaking gas line today, instead they’re able to enjoy their time getting used to one of the most important tools of their trade. Farrish is the program coordinator for the environmental engineering applications post-graduate program at Conestoga College’s Cambridge campus. His students undergo HAZMAT-style training alongside courses that teach them about waste management, environment legislation, field sampling and hydro geology (a form of geology devoted to the movement and distribution of groundwater). “The (moonsuit) training is for those who work in the handling and cleanup of chemical spills or leaking underground storage tanks, as well as in the sampling of
PHOTO BY cody mudge
A student, clad in a moonsuit, retrieves a Frisbee from the snow as part of a training exercise to get used to the suit. soil and groundwater at contaminated industrial sites,” Farrish said. The environmental engineering program, and many others like it, are filled with students seeking to join the growing environmental and renewable energy sector in Canada. The economic recession years have been hard on this country, not as debilitating as in other areas of the world, but significant enough to have made strengthening the floundering economy a priority for the last half decade. So while combating climate change is crucial, in the words of President Barack Obama, “we will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations,” exploitation of natural resources, like Alberta’s oil sands, have been justified to assuage the fickle deity known as the economy. And the economic argument for projects like the oil sands are strong, as long as one ignores anything beyond the next 25 years, and young people entering post-secondary education would be remiss not to notice the job potential of the industry. Hundreds of billions in revenue will be made in the next few decades if extraction continues at a strong pace and that means steady employment for the over 22,000 already employed by the oil sands project. Farrish’s students, those in the energy systems engineering program at the Cambridge campus, and those studying environmental sciences at the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University, have identified a markedly different field, yet one that appears to be outpacing even the rampant oil sands indus-
PHOTO BY cody mudge
Dave Farrish, environmental engineering program co-ordinator, poses with his students outside of the Cambridge campus. try. Canadian environmental think-tank Clean Energy Canada released a report late last year entitled, “Tracking the Energy Revolution.” In the report, Clean Energy Canada suggests that the renewable energy sector has actually outpaced the oil sands in this country. This opens up an incredible wealth of opportunities for students like those in Farrish’s class, who seem to have an industry at their fingertips that has barely scratched the surface of its economic potential. While this growth is a noted improvement for the country, which boasted a paltry clean energy sector only five years ago, some artificial growth may be needed to assist Canada in reaching its environmental goals. This push comes from growing interest in the field but
also from government funding and tax incentives to investors and companies. Outside of Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec, very little has been done by governmental bodies to encourage growth in the clean energy sector. If this changes and public funding joins the hundreds of millions of private investment, the industry is primed to explode. Even then, the energy sector is just a small part of Canada’s massive environmental industry, approximately 18 per cent according to Industry Canada. Other significant areas include water supply treatment and conservation, waste management and air pollution control, essentially the focus of Farrish’s program. Before the students were completely fogged up in their moonsuits, the group gathered around as the pierc-
ing wind undoubtedly cut through their suits with the precision of a surgeon. Their hiss-click parade had drawn the attention of a few students standing by windows inside the campus and a small group of smokers clustered by the door who stood watching these alien figures perform a perplexing huddle. “Don’t expect to be put in a situation like this very often,” Farrish said, referring to the harsh chill of the January day and the bright midday sun reflecting off of the snow-covered surroundings, “but today will give you a good idea of the limits of your equipment and I can’t understate the value of that. Alright, let’s have some fun!” With that, the next generation of Canadian environmental engineers played football with respirators and moonsuits.
COMMENTARY
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Monday, February 23, 2015
Sexual assaults under-reported by matt howell
We are sure everyone has heard the slogans “no means no” and “consent is sexy.” However, despite the campaigns and discussion about rape, little is being done to actually end it. The CBC is working with some experts to try and gather data and statistics on sexual assaults on postsecondary school campuses. Apparently there are no solid stats. Over the span of six months, the CBC contacted 87 university and colleges across Canada to request the number of sexual assaults that have been reported. The survey revealed there were more than 700 sexual assaults over five years. The concept seems incredibly simple; never force yourself onto anyone. Excuses for this heinous act are plentiful. “I was drunk” or “she wouldn’t have dressed that way if she didn’t want to,” are a couple of the twisted forms of logic that have been expressed. First off, no one “asks” for it. Secondly, if being hammered makes you want to perform an act that will forever negatively alter the life of someone, you need to quit drinking. Unfortunately, a lot of victims stay quiet for varying reasons that can only fully be understood by those who have experienced such atrocities. We have to be honest as a society and say that we don’t deal well with this. We place blame where it doesn’t belong, which discourages victims from coming forward. It’s a vicious cycle. Colleges and universities have, at times,been hubs of sexual assault activity. There are lots of students, lots of partying and a lot of flirting, but these elements aren’t the cause of sexual assault; being a disrespectful, pitiful and grotesque human being is. The fact that these crimes are still happening, and in abundance (472,000 sexual assaults were reported in 2009 in Canada), should make us sick. Instead we point fingers and blame instead of offering solutions. What we need to do is teach our children to love and respect those next to them. We also need victims to know we will listen and sympathize with them, when they are ready to talk about it. They should fear no judgment, retaliation or opinion. Though rape has been called an unspeakable act, we need to change that mentality. We need to speak about it, and do something about it. Only then will victims know that we care, and that we want to help. 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
The best laid plans ...
Thrift shopping makes sense
My grandma is a very thrifty person. She strongly believes in getting the most for her money, whether it’s by fixing her own car, tailoring her clothes or buying items second-hand. In fact, my grandma absolutely loves to go thrift shopping and much of my childhood was spent inside stores like Value Village, St. Vincent de Paul and Salvation Army. Almost everything I’ve owned was previously loved by someone else. As a kid I would proudly boast where I scored my new flared jeans and striped T-shirts even if it did embarrass my older sister. Apparently bragging about second-hand clothes wasn’t cool, but I didn’t care. However, in more recent years I’ve noticed that more and more people are realizing the benefits of buying used items: you can buy high quality items for much cheaper, it’s better for the environment, many thrift stores donate to charities and every trip is like a treasure hunt; you never know what you may come across. Unfortunately there are still people out there who
Nicole Nemeth Opinion
view second-hand shopping as something only poor people do, that it’s dirty or degrading. That’s not true. Many people from every background obtain used items whether they are hand-me-downs, collectibles, antiques or refurbished electronics or obtained from yard sales or through trading items. When you think about it, there really is no difference between buying a previously played video game at EB Games or one from a local thrift shop. In addition, people who love to dress fashionably but can’t afford to dish out big bucks for designer duds can often find quality brands for a fraction of the price if they simply take the time to sift through the racks. Guess jeans, DKNY sweaters, Chanel purses, Doc Marten boots. I’ve come across all of these items and more on my
frequent Value Village explorations. People who aim to live an eco-friendly lifestyle are foolish if they’re not making the effort to purchase used items. It’s the best way to recycle and reuse clothes, furniture, housewares, electronics and more. Not to mention, by avoiding big retail stores you’re reducing the amount of waste produced when making a new items. The Salvation Army offers assistance for children and families in need, they provide shelter for homeless people and rehabilitation for people struggling with addiction. Value Village stores donate items that have not sold in the past few weeks to developing countries and they have working relationships with over 140 non-profit partners across the U.S., Canada and Australia. And many other thrift stores donate to charities as well. The benefits of thrift shopping are plenty. It only makes sense to forgo the mall the next time you feel like spending your hardearned dollars and visit your local thrift shop instead.
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 of 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.
opinion
Monday, February 23, 2015
SPOKE s Page 5
Stick with those Canadians have the resolutions
By now, many people who made a New Year’s resolution have lost interest. That first day of the new year is the time when everyone chooses aspects of their lives that they want to change or improve. One of the more popular resolutions is to get healthy and fit by signing up at the local gym. I go to World Gym in Kitchener and have been going for a year. In January I noticed a lot of new people working out and getting memberships. Now, seven weeks later, those people are nowhere to be seen. Although getting fit is a great resolution, unfortunately it’s one that many people find hard to follow through with. Quitting smoking is another popular one. All are great ideas in theory, but I believe making a healthy change in your life involves more than picking something to improve because it’s a new year.
Cassie Tulecki
Opinion To make a change in your life you first need to study your own habits and understand why you started it in the first place. Really understanding why it has become such a dominate part of your life is the first step in being able to overcome it. Many students, for example, fall into the routine of staying up late throughout the week and eating quick and cheap food – usually fast food. They already have the stress of trying to get through school with great grades so they can eventually get the career they want. It’s a lot of pressure, and it makes it hard to break that
habit. It takes time to slowly introduce healthier habits and distractions. If going to the gym more often was your resolution, then start off by going whenever you can instead of sitting in front of the TV and watching Netflix all night long. Instead of smoking a pack a day, limit yourself to two or three cigarettes a day and in between those chew gum or keep your mind busy by reading a book or indulging in a hobby. It’s not realistic to force yourself to try and accomplish a New Year’s resolution by quitting the habit cold turkey. After the first month or so of your resolution you’ll run out of motivation and slip back into your old ways which will make you feel even worse. Focus on sticking to your goals and you’ll be happy with the results in the end.
Journalists need to be scrutinized more
Trust is hard to gain back once it is broken and no professionals know this better that journalists. Some of the most wellknown Canadian and American journalists have run into trouble over the last year, with scandals, lies and conflicts of interest. These include CBC’s Jian Ghomeshi, who allegedly sexually abused women, Leslie Roberts, a Global new anchor, who gave preferential treatment to clients of his public relations company, Amanda Lang, a CBC news senior business correspondent, who allegedly shelved an RBC story while in a relationship with a CEO, and the latest, Brian Williams, a CBS news anchor, who exaggerated stories about his time in Iraq and in New Orleans during Katrina. By themselves these issues are damaging to the journalists’ reputations, careers and the companies they worked for, but when viewed together it creates a disturbing trend within the industry. Journalism depends on
Jordan Johnstone Opinion
the truth; if that is lost than the profession’s credibility is destroyed. That’s why Ghomeshi tried to get out ahead of the story on him by filing a lawsuit against the CBC and admitting to rough sex because he knew his reputation was at stake. Now that he has lost that he will never work in journalism again.
“
Maybe it’s time to set up a journalism board like lawyers and doctors have to revoke journalism credentials based on a code of conduct ...
”
Roberts knew about journalism’s professional code of
conduct and knew he made a mistake. Therefore, he resigned. Williams, who claimed he was a passenger in a helicopter which came under fire in Iraq (which army officials said never happened) and saw a body floating near his hotel in the French Quarter, was suspended for six months without pay by CBS for misleading the public. Ghomeshi was fired from CBC, although Lang continues to work there. When incidents like these happen in the journalism industry it damages the profession and the trust placed upon journalists to be honest and unbiased. These so-called professionals know better. Hopefully those remaining in this onceproud industry, and those entering it, will tread carefully, learning from these conflicts of interest, lies and crimes. Maybe it’s time to set up a journalism board like lawyers and doctors have to revoke journalism credentials based on a code of conduct, but that would attack free speech everywhere.
right to die
The concept of assisted suicide has often been a frightening one. Giving people the right to die with the assistance of a physician has always been hotly debated. It is banned in more places than it is permitted, but after a recent ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada it seems Canada might just be joining the minority. According to a Feb. 6 article in the Waterloo Region Record, “the Supreme Court of Canada has unanimously struck down the ban on providing a doctor-assisted death to mentally competent but suffering and ‘irremediable’ patients.” This ruling officially reverses the ban that was put in place 21 years ago that clearly and absolutely prohibited assisted suicide. Canadian lawmakers are tasked with writing the actual legislation. This decision, although not popular with everyone, is great, and the only reason that is the case is because we have now finally put the lives of the suffering and the frail in their own hands. The assumption is that suicide is the coward’s way out. Assisted suicide is, in turn, just a way of safely and legally being a coward. The reality of the situation, however, is in the fine print. Noting that patients will qualify for “doctor-assisted death” are to be “mentally competent but suffering and (/or) ‘irremediable,’” you must understand that the alternative is likely worse. What some people strug-
Carson DeshevyRenouf
Opinion gle with is “why would someone want to do this?” Essentially, letting someone suffer when they would rather die is selfish. I’m not saying that everyone in pain or agony should opt for this, but I do believe that the option should be there. Having someone help you assess your options, and if it comes to it, release you of your suffering peacefully should have been available long before this. Because it wasn’t, many people have already flown to places like Switzerland, where assisted suicide is legal, because they consciously felt that that was the best option. Those arguing for the removal of the ban think that it “unjustifiably (infringed) (Section 7) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” as was stated in a news release from the Supreme Court of Canada. Although for many this will be an uneasy step, it is undoubtedly a step forward. Along with all of the other rights that Canadians get to share and enjoy throughout their lives, should they find themselves in an unbearable situation of pain and suffering they should also get to exercise a right to die.
NEWS
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Monday, February 23, 2015
Record crowds at Iron Chef
The fourth annual Iron Chef Waterloo Region competition, supported by students in Conestoga’s culinary arts programs, attracted more than 340 guests. The event raised $15,000.
photos by Alex Riese
Clockwise from top left: Dishes are prepped at the Borealis station; the line at the Lancaster Smokehouse station works hard to churn out their pairing of beef chuck and grits; Conestoga president John Tibbits accepts a $15,000 cheque to be used for culinary scholarships; two sous chefs from the team of Bauer Kitchen and Beertown joke around with patrons while serving their team’s braised beef tips with blood orange marinade; Derek O’Connor, a frequent attendee of food shows, selects his favourite three dishes.
Soil erosion a problem for Ontario farmers BY CARMEN PONCIANO
When we drive through the countryside and pass the many long stretches of farmland, we often don’t think about the amount of work and maintenance farms require and the challenges that farmers face every year. Those who make a living through agriculture deal with many different problems, but one in particular has become a key challenge in Ontario – soil erosion. Soil erosion refers to the wearing away of the fields’ topsoil through water, also
known as water runoff, wind and, in some cases, tillage. For the most part soil erosion is a slow process that can go unnoticed, but, throughout the years, it can become a significant problem for farmers. However, it is also possible that it happens very suddenly which causes serious loss of topsoil. This makes the land unsustainable for long-term production. “Erosion doesn’t just happen during the spring runoff,” said Anne Loeffler, Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) conservation special-
ist. “We’ve also had some significant soil losses after heavy rainfall events in late spring and early summer. Producers can’t lose topsoil to downstream reservoirs and lakes.” To help address the problem, the GRCA held several workshops earlier this month where they educated farmers on soil erosion and how to reduce the problem on their own lands. One topic in particular was the importance of using cover crops which are planted between harvests. “Cover crops are one of the best management practices
recommended to farmers to address soil erosion,” Loeffler said. “Cover crops can have many beneficial effects on soil health because they not only reduce erosion, they add organic matter to the soil, reduce nutrient losses to watercourses and groundwater, and improve soil fertility.” GRCA has also identified watersheds such as Canagagigue Creek, the Upper Ninth, Upper Conestoga and Fairchild’s Creek as having significant soil erosion issues. Leofflen said soil erosion
causes excess nutrients and sediment to enter watercourses that, in turn, cause water quality problems for aquatic life in the surrounding areas and for downstream water users. Loeffler said climate change has a lot to do with the problem. “One of the factors that affects the rate of soil erosion is the timing and intensity of rainfall events. Heavy rainfall events have caused significant localized soil erosion losses in our watershed during the past few years,” she said.
NEWs
Monday, February 23, 2015
SPOKE s Page 7
Welcoming the Year of the Ram By HEATHER STANLEY
“Xin nian kuai le,” or as we say in English, happy new year! On Feb. 19, the Chinese New Year began. Also known as Spring Festival, it is an important tradition for families in China, but is an event that is also celebrated around the world. The festival runs for 15 days and goes back more than 4,000 years. The date of the new year depends on the lunar calendar. However, it always falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice. The calendar is associated with the Chinese zodiac, which is comprised of 12 animals. Each year the animal changes. 2015 marks the Year of the Ram. In Kitchener-Waterloo, celebrations started early. The Central Ontario Chinese Cultural Centre hosted a small festival at Forbes Hall in Rim Park, Waterloo on Feb. 7. The event was free for people of all ethnicities and was centred around the Chinese culture. The hall featured a slew of exhibits including various arts and crafts tables, books, poster board displays, plants and traditional food. Nigel Saunders, president of the KW Bonsai Society, which was one of the vendors at the event, talked about bonsai trees. According to Wikipedia, bonsai “is a Japanese art form using miniature trees grown in containers.” The art dates
back over a thousand years. “This is our second year we’ve been here now,” Saunders said. “We were at the festival last year and we just come and promote our club. It’s a great place to be.” Saunders said bonsai trees can live for hundreds of years just like any other full size tree. Also featured were traditional dances such as a lion dance, food and the colour red, which is associated with good luck. Luck is one of the themes for every Chinese new year. The Chinese believe that what you do at the start of a year will affect your luck in the coming year. There are also many taboos during the festival. If a person does these, they are said to wash away good luck. Some of these include washing your hair on the first day of the year, breaking dishes, using scissors or knives, wearing black or white clothes, the number four and a baby crying among others. In contrast, wearing red, letting off firecrackers, giving out red packets of money and eating lucky food such as fish will help bring good luck. “I’m not superstitious,” said Saunders when asked if he believed in the taboos. “It’s different this year,” said Ming Guo, a parent of a child participating in the event. “Last year they set up tables and people had lunch to celebrate. This year it was more
Photos by Heather Stanley
Children from the K-W Chinese School dance at the Year of the Ram Chinese New Year Festival at Forbes Hall in Rim Park, Waterloo on Feb. 7. like an event. There were a lot of tables and stations.” Guo said the K-W Chinese School has a choir that performed each year. This year they sang three songs. “It’s an event for everyone,” Guo said. “You can just drop in and have fun. It’s different.”
During the festivities, a musician from the K-W Chinese School played an instrument called a pipa.
Although no one knows for sure how the festival began, one story says it was created out of fear of a mythical creature who preyed on villagers. This creature’s name was Nian, which is the Chinese word for “year.” Nian is said to be an animal with a lion’s head. All stories
include a wise old man who tells villagers how to get rid of the evil creature by making loud noises and hanging red paper cut-outs and scrolls on doors because Nian is scared of the colour red. This year’s festival will end on March 5.
Throughout the festival the colour red was prominent, just as it is every year. Red is associated with luck, which is an important theme during the Chinese New Year.
ENTERTAINMENT
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Monday, February 23, 2015
Kitchener getting rocked again Big Music Fest looking to expand on last year’s success
BY MATT HOWELL
The Big Music Fest will be rocking Kitchener again this summer, and by the sounds of it the second verse will be better than the first. The headliners for the upcoming summer festival were revealed on Feb. 10, and it reads like a page out of a music history textbook. Kick-ass and class are the themes for the July 11 and 12 weekend, with Soundgarden, Jane’s Addiction and Extreme making up the kick-ass, and Rod Stewart and Blondie being the latter for the massive spectacle that will once again be held in McLennan Park in Kitchener. Mark Higgins is the owner and president of Big Music Fest, which after a very successful first run, will be looking to expand on last year’s accomplishment by offering something a little different from other festivals. “We have real international star power. We have an icon, and we have that Seattle sound that I love, along with some Canadian shit thrown in there too. I don’t know of anything out there like this, and if there is, that’s great,” Higgins said. It takes a lot of different people, groups and organizations to make something of this magnitude happen. And according to Higgins, planning got under way right after the conclusion of last year’s event. “We started probably an
hour after last year’s show,” Higgins said. Last year’s lineup had some stellar acts as well, featuring such rock mammoths as Aerosmith and Bryan Adams, but this year there will be new additions to the festivities.
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We have real international star power. We have an icon. — Mark Higgins, owner and president of Big Music Fest
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The festival, with the help of some local concert venues, has been extended from three days to seven. There will also be a food festival, a film festival and a live stage in front of City Hall that will feature various local acts throughout the week. The Friday night will once again feature the Breaking Bands indie night, where in the months prior to the show hundreds of bands will audition and be whittled down to just 25. Those bands will get the opportunity to showcase their stuff.
Festival officials estimate that $7 million was pumped into the local economy last year, but there were some concerns prior to the event about what the surrounding communities would think of having more than 20,000-plus concertgoers being in their backyard. That’s why city officials, organizers and residents all stayed on the same page through meetings and Q&A sessions, and this time around was no different. Wanda Kampijan is a resident of the McLennan Park area and didn’t see any major issues transpire during last year’s celebration. “What I really liked was that there was dialogue with the community as the planning was going on, so the community had an opportunity to voice any concerns or issues they thought could bubble up,” Kampijan said. Parking and garbage were concerns, but are generally associated with any large gathering of people in a small area. The organizers did, however, visit residents afterward to discuss their feelings towards the performance. “The organizers came back and looked for feedback after the event to help them base their planning for this year,” Kampijan said. More bands are to be announced over the next few months, and tickets are on sale now. For more information on Big Music Fest, visit www.bigmusicfest.com.
PHOTO courtesy of big music fest
Seattle grunge originators Soundgarden, and 30-year rock veterans Jane’s Addiction, will be showcasing their unique and influential styles at the Big Music Fest as part of the kick-ass night on July 11. Extreme and Canadian rockers Monster Truck fill out the headliners for the Saturday night.
PHOTO courtesy of big music fest
Rod “the bod” Stewart will be the Sunday night headliner at this year’s Big Music Fest on July 12.
PHOTO BY matt howell
Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic joyfully looks on as Mark Higgins, owner and president of Big Music Fest, announces the headliners Feb. 10 for the upcoming July festival.
NEWS
Monday, February 23, 2015
SPOKE s Page 9
Waterloo Region ‘bound’ to learn BY MARYSSA MCFADDEN
Sometimes life gets hectic and people can often forget about the lives of the other beings we share the world with. Yet, through the hustle and bustle of everyday life comes a new interactive exhibit at the Waterloo Region Museum to remind us all, not only about the millions of creatures in our communities, but also how our everyday actions can help or destroy them. Every year from January to April a travelling exhibit comes to the Waterloo Region Museum. This year they are featuring Ocean Bound!, an interactive exhibit for all ages which takes visitors on a journey from where our water comes from and how our actions on land affect the beings who thrive in the ocean. Not only will visitors learn about the threats to water, the exhibit also helps to empower people to change their habits and aid in the long-term solution to protect the important resources in the local community and the rest of the world. “Water is part of our lives, and we often take it for granted, but the exhibit helps you understand a bit more of the complexity of the natural and man-made systems involved,” said James Jensen, curator of exhibits at the museum. Though the exhibit was first created in Ithaca, N.Y., the Waterloo Region Museum developed some 3D
PHOTos BY Tomasz Adamski, Courtesy of Waterloo Region Museum
Activities at the Ocean Bound! exhibit include making a cloud rain over a 3D terrain to learn about the natural flow of water, driving a life-size submarine and interacting with a large map to learn about watersheds in North America. designs and activities with the help of graduate students from the University of Waterloo. Ocean Bound! also features many engaging, educational activities for students and families. One of these allows visitors to make a display rain in order to follow the flow of natural water through the earth and give us the vital resource of water. Another part of the exhibit allows visitors to drive a submarine which simulates travel through rivers and oceans.
There are also giant sea creatures fashioned out of used water bottles in order to highlight the negative impacts of bottled water on the aquatic environment. Jensen said many people are unaware of how dangerous bottled water is to the world’s water supply. “If you throw something into the river upstream of Elmira it could end up in the middle of the Atlantic, doing harm to aquatic life. Thinking in these terms – long term impacts at great
distances from where you live – is not something we are good at in a day-to-day sense. This exhibit helps people think about that in a fun, engaging way, while still being true to the seriousness of the topic,” he said. The museum staff hope the exhibit opens people’s eyes to the simple lifestyle changes they can make to conserve the world’s water. If Nicole Goddard is any indication, the exhibit is a success. “I liked the sea creatures
best,” said Goddard, a Conestoga protection/security and investigation student. “We always hear how water bottles are bad for the environment, but seeing how much water bottles add up really opens your eyes.” She added by reducing or eliminating our use of water bottles we can help out both our land and water environments. The Ocean Bound! exhibit will be on display at the Waterloo Region Museum until May 10.
FUN & GAMES
Page 10 SPOKE
Monday, February 23, 2015
Useless Facts
Oh Cliff!
horoscope Week of February 23, 2015
Aries
March 21 April 19 You’re wondering about your value; why not ask your friends? You’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Taurus April 20 May 20
Something drastically don’t panic. reveal itself
has changed in your life, Everything will in time.
Gemini May 21 June 21
You have been judging people from afar lately. Instead of keeping your distance, go and speak to them. You’ll learn something new.
Cancer June 22 July 22
You have been having trouble controlling your temper. That’s OK, but maybe you should drink herbal tea to relax.
Leo
July 23 August 22 You have been feeling unappreciated lately but don’t fret, your adoration will come.
Virgo
August 23 September 22 You have been obsessing about so many things that it is becoming almost impossible to keep organized. Step back and take a breath.
On average, two newborns will be given to the wrong parents every day.
Libra
The Olympic was the sister ship of the Titanic, and she provided 25 years of service.
September 23 October 22 You have been trying to make everyone else happy while you have been left in the dark. Take some time for yourself.
Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite. In France, a five-year-old child can buy an alcoholic drink in a bar.
Scorpio
No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver or purple.
October 23 November 21 You have total control right now and this will bring you success.
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.
You have been emotionally attached to some things and it has been throwing you out of balance. Don’t worry, this will soon end.
Capricorn December 22 January 19
You have been working very hard on all your projects. Therefore, you’ve been feeling very lonely. Go out for a night and enjoy yourself. You’ll feel better.
Aquarius January 20 February 18
You have been holding back your true feelings lately because you’re afraid of the outcome. Take a shot in the dark and speak the truth.
Pisces
February 19 March 20 You have been overthinking everything around you lately; calm down and reflect. Trust your gut feelings, they will not disappoint you.
Whispering Waters wishes you waves of fortune
Word Search
Monday, February 23, 2015
let it snow – not!
NEWS WINTER CAN sometimes BE BEAUTIFUL
SPOKE s Page 11
PHOTO BY Carmen ponciano
Conestoga College was a winter wonderland, as February’s icy grip left the trees and vegetation with a touch of frost. This week will be warmer, jumping to a high of -1 C on Wednesday.
PHOTO BY Maryssa mcfadden
Lovely sounds from the ivories
The end of February is in sight, however, the end of winter may not be. The 20 cm of snow that fell during the Feb. 2 storm continue to cause problems, with mounds of it still piled at the edge of driveways and in parking lots. Some of these piles in Waterloo Region are over four feet high. Above, Maureen McFadden stands next to a snowbank to show how high one of the piles is outside her house.
what did you do during reading week?
PHOTO BY Nicole NEMETH
Yvonne Choi, a Laurier Piano Performance student, plays the piano at an Idea Exchanges’ Unplugged event on Feb. 8. Anyone interested in performing instrumental music can contact the library.
SKATING BYLAWS ARE NO MORE
PHOTO BY Justin ford
Students are shown in Conestoga’s F-wing hitting the books, maybe to free up time for Reading Week? For a story on what students did on the break, and what teachers expected their students to be doing during that time, go to www.spokeonline.com.
PHOTO BY BETH CROUSE
Residents in the Eastbridge neighbourhood in Waterloo fought a bylaw that banned skating on city property, and won. Alexander Petropolous, an Eastbridge resident, enjoys skating on the storm water runoff pond-turned hockey rink. For video story, see www.spokeonline.com.
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NEWS
Sweet treats help raise money for a good cause
PHOTO BY carson Deshevy-Renouf
Students from the integrated marketing communications program supported the Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society by selling tasty treats on Feb. 9. Half of the proceeds from their bake sale went toward aiding animals in need.
Monday, February 23, 2015
humber hawks defeat condors
PHOTO BY Jordan johnstone
Humber Hawks players prepare to block a shot at the women’s varsity volleyball game on Feb. 8. Conestoga lost the game 21-25 and the match 3-0. For video story, go to www.spokeonline.com.