VOL. 78 ISSUE 18
Feb. 5, 2018
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In this week’s issue... SFUO elections guide P. 6 Everything you need to know about your SFUO candidates Black History Month preview P. 9 Hear from some of the organizers behind this years events Capital Hoops Classic P. 13 Find out how your Gee-Gees basketball fared at TD Place I’ll have a rum and nutritional facts please P. 14 Why doesn’t alcohol get nutritional facts labels? How do I meet people IRL? P. 17 That’s right, Tinder isn’t the only option
NEWS
NEWS EDITOR Anchal Sharma
news@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0061 @anchalsharma_
SFUO general election 2018 debates recap Thirteen candidates discuss plans for next year in restructured positions Graham Robertson Managing Editor
O
n Wednesday, Jan. 31, and Thursday, Feb. 1, candidates for this year’s general election for the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) went head to head in the annual debates.
The debates saw a restructuring this year, being moderated by the federation’s executive coordinator Vanessa Dorimain and president Hadi Wess. In previous years, the debates have been moderated by representatives from both campus student newspapers, the Fulcrum and la Rotonde. The positions for this year have also been restructured, following a governance review motion at the Nov. 5 meeting of the Board of Administration (BOA). PRESIDENT, VP INTERNAL, VP EQUITY Wednesday’s debate saw candidates for the positions of president, vicepresident internal (formerly vice-president services and communications), and vice-president equity. Leila Moumouni-Tchouassi, who is re-running for the position of vicepresident equity on the United slate, discussed the need for more resources for marginalized students. Caroline Lu of the Solutions slate shared her plans for equitable education, while Pamela Twagirayezu, an independent candidate, focused on bolstering campus mental health services.
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In terms of campaigns, Twagirayezu shared her hopes for a new and improved sexual violence campaign, Lu discussed an event similar to iWeek hosted by the International House with the focus being on diversity and inclusion, and MoumouniTchouassi talked anti-racism, decolonization, and child-minding for student parents. When asked how they would manage the high level of stress associated with the job, MoumouniTchouassi explained, “you always have to be accountable to the work you do and stand by these decisions. I do what I do because I love what I do.” She explained that so far she has managed the stress “in having an amazing team by (her side) and by making sure we all support each other because we are united.” Lu, who currently sits on the BOA as a representative for the Faculty of Sciences, shared her experiences with mental health issues, and her goal to create a positive working environment for elected representatives of the federation. Katie Zwierzchowski, a candidate for vice-president internal from the Solutions slate hopes to compile a list of all resources and services available to students, and publicize it, saying that she hopes to reinvest more in these services. “No matter what obstacle and challenge you face, at the end of the day it’s worth it,” said her opponent Pamela Bader, who is currently the comptroller general of the SFUO, and is running on the United slate. Both candidates for president had strong state-
ments regarding their slates’ positions. Philippe Garcia-Duchesne, who sits on the BOA as a representative of the Faculty of Social Sciences and who is running with Solutions said, “you have 23 million reasons to vote for me— this is the number of dollars the student federation receives from students each year.” In contrast, current vicepresident finance Rizki Rachiq, who is running on the United slate, said that “(his) platform is not just focused on solutions, it’s actions,” in reference to the name of his opposing slate. VP EXTERNAL, VP OPERATIONS, VP SOCIAL
Thursday saw candidates for the positions of vice-president external (formerly vice-president university affairs), vicepresident operations (formerly vice-president finance), and vice-president social. “There are too many tragedies on this campus,” said Paige Booth, a candidate for vice-president external on the United slate, regarding a new mental health campaign, who also discussed tuition hikes, increasing study spaces on campus, and an alumni mentoring program that matches current students with U of O alumni to help them build better work connections. Booth’s Solutions opponent Matthew Boulden, who sits on the BOA as a representative for the Faculty of Social Sciences, shared plans for increased funding for the university by rewriting the budget, educating students about their academic rights, and shorter wait times to see
academic advisors. “At the end of the day, students are the ones who fund and operate the SFUO,” said Boulden. Adam Ha, vice-president social candidate for Solutions, hopes to push for increased transparency of the executives, and increased engagement with federated bodies and students across campus to better meet their needs and plan social and philanthropic events. His opponent from United, Faduma Wais, said that the U of O lacks school spirit and therefore hopes to bolster it through initiatives such as a winter week and more sporting events, such as a soccer tournament. For current vice-president university affairs Axel Gaga, now running for vice-president operations with United, his priorities include an ecommerce platform where students can purchase products and merchandise from the SFUO businesses online and an SFUO expenses tracker, so that students are aware of where money is being allocated. “I’ve accomplished all I wanted to as vice-president university affairs, now I want to bring this
to vice-president operations. I want your opinion... united, we can accomplish more,” he said. Shannon Berry of Solutions, running against Gaga, shared plans for year-long profitability of the federation’s businesses to increase club funding, student merchandise, and more accountability and transparency. On the topic of general assemblies (GAs), which have only met quorum once since their inception in 2014, Booth discussed increasing online outreach and using monthly town halls as a means to promote the assemblies. Wais shared incentives for attending, such as scholarships or free coffee, while Boulden said that students need a reason to come, and thereby educating them on what happens when a motion passes at the GA is critical to increasing student participation. As for making the UPass affordable for students, Gaga said he has received the budget and has told the City of Ottawa that students are unhappy with the costs. When asked by Boulden about merging the U-Pass with student cards, Gaga continued that he has been work-
Photo: Anchal Sharma.
ing on this, and aims for it to be in effect next year. Berry agreed with merging the two cards, and wants to maintain negotiations with OC Transpo to give students the option to opt-out of the bus pass, or make them available for part-time students. One issue that was raised was roundtables for federated body executives; Booth shared making the agenda available in advance and increasing online presence through the use of livestreams and social groups. Boulden said he would attend federated bodies’ GAs to get their input on the functioning of the SFUO, as well as include federated body vicepresidents academic in workshops and matters related to students’ academic rights. Gaga asked Boulden, who sits on the BOA as a Faculty of Social Sciences representative, why he did not attend campaign meetings, nor invite students. Boulden responded saying that he had been excited to work on the Fight the Fees campaign and hoped to continue working on it, but was not made aware of follow-up information, and thus hopes to change that if elected.
NEWS | 5
Meet your 2018 SFUO general election candidates
This year’s election sees restructuring of executive positions In the wake of another year of low student engagement and budget concerns, the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) has modified executive positions and roles for the next academic year, following a governance review motion at November’s Board of Administration (BOA) meeting.
VP Internal
President
Pamela Bader
Rizki Rachiq
Pamela Bader is a third-year biology student running for vice-president internal, a new position this year (formerly vice-president communications and services) that will focus on the clubs portfolio. Bader is currently the comptroller general for the SFUO and has worked with Zoom Productions, and has worked closely with clubs in the past. She is also part of the United slate. The new position will also take on part of a communications role, in matters such as live-streaming meetings, which Bader feels she has experience with through her time at Zoom Productions. “All our goals whether it’s to increase student participation, be transparent with our budget, or create scholarships, our goal essentially is to bring all the students together and make sure they feel safe together and united like a family,” she says.
Pamela
Anchal Sharma & Ellie Sabourin News Editor & Associate News Editor
VP Oper ations Shannon Berry
Rizki Rachiq is a fifth-year economics student running for president of the SFUO with the United slate. Rachiq has served as the federation’s vice-president finance for the past two years and feels that running for president is the next step up. He believes that he has gained experience working with other executives and is confident that he can fulfill the role of extending support to other executives and act as a mediator if elected. Rachiq also says that he is familiar with the new duties of the position, mentioning the health plan which will be under the president’s mandate. As a part of his platform, he hopes to increase funding for mental health services through the health plan by working with Greenshield, and also wants to work towards getting a Gardasil vaccine covered. Rachiq explains that he and his colleagues are re-running under the United slate since they still believe in its message from last year. “United is people I know, I know their work ethic,” he notes, adding that the team is composed of past executive or staff members of the SFUO. Another part of his platform looks at improving communication with executives, and hopes to implement a system on the SFUO website similar to the U of O’s library system which allows students to book rooms in advance. Rachiq also explains that students will be able to schedule appointments with executives online and see their office hours. He also mentioned wanting to create a needs-based scholarship for student athletes, an incentive based volunteer program where SFUO volunteers could win up to $500 in groceries through an employee of the month system. Finally, if elected, Rachiq is excited about implementing Camp Federation, a camp getaway orientation weekend open to all students at the beginning of the year to help them transition into university.
Shannon Berry is an engineering student running for the position of vice-president operations (formerly vice-president finance) with the Solutions slate. Berry was previously the vice-president finance for the Engineering Student Society, where she managed a budget of $200,000. Her platform focuses on improving profitability for the SFUO and its student-run businesses. Berry plans on doing this by selling merchandise at the Agora bookstore and working with student designers who she says will receive a percentage of the profits. She also hopes to work with Higher Endpoint to create a loyalty program where students can collect points in order to help pay for part of their tuition. If elected, Berry plans to make the budget more accessible to students through live updates, and an anonymous forum where students can submit their input on budget lines. As for the new position, Berry thinks “it was a smart change,” and says she can work well with a team of accountants to ensure that the budget is managed properly. One of the ways she plans on doing this is by having a total contingency fund of at least 10 per cent of every budget. She will also work with vice-presidents social and equity to plan events with the assumption that “whatever can go wrong will go wrong,” and including that in the budget.
Shannon Photos: Ellie Sabourin & Anchal Sharma.
Katie
Katie Zwierzchowski Katie Zwierzchowski is running for vice-president internal with the Solutions slate. Although Zwierzchowski is new to the SFUO, she has club experience as a member of the sorority Delta Delta Delta. “I have been working with many of the executives with my sorority which is considered a club,” she says. Zwierzchowski notes that Solutions is trying to get students more involved in the SFUO. “We are trying to repair relations with the students and the SFUO,” she says. “One of my absolute main goals is to bring back funding to clubs.” She hopes to introduce guaranteed funding for clubs that present a budget. One of her main goals is also to make Zoom Productions more accessible to students. “I’d like to be able to work out a rental system so that students can take out equipment to create promotional material for clubs,” she says. “I’ve got the background in terms of the clubs system,” she says. “I’ve seen the clubs system from both sides. I’ve seen it as a student trying to join a club, which is not always the easiest thing, and I’ve seen it as a club member working with the SFUO.” “I’ve seen that there is room for improvement on both sides and I know that I can bring something to that.”
Axel
Axel Gaga Rizki
Phillipe
Phillipe Garcia-Duchesne
The presidential candidate for the Solutions slate is fifth-year conflict studies and human rights student Phillipe Garcia-Duchesne, who currently sits on the BOA as a representative for the Faculty of Social Sciences. According to Garcia-Duchesne, the general idea behind Solutions is to “build accountability.” “We want to make sure that services are responding to students needs,” he says. “One of the biggest things is increasing and improving the channel to voice concerns.” He says that they plan to do this through a more comprehensive website and virtual Q&A’s. He also shares that as a platform, Solutions is highly concerned with mental health initiatives. “We are looking at provincial health standards and hoping to improve the health plan in that regard.” Garcia-Duchesne believes that his past experience as a BOA member and with campus clubs have prepared him to take on the position of president. He also hopes to bring more awareness to student services, so that students are able to take advantage of what they’re paying for. “Representing students at the university has been a big thing for me,” he says.
Axel Gaga is a biology student at the U of O running for vice-president operations. Currently the vice-president of university affairs, Gaga is running for the new position with the United slate. “Before I leave, I would like to know I left my university better than before and with students that are more engaged and who love participating,” he shares, adding that the main point of the United campaign is to raise school spirit. According to Gaga, the requirements for vice-president operations are rooted in “improving and optimizing the effectiveness of every project and every budget we have” and he realized this upon entering the position of vice-president university affairs. As the outgoing vice-president university affairs, Gaga said he “completely revamped the campaign department to make it request based,” adding, “there are meeting minutes so we can be held accountable, I also worked with the Students Rights Centre to improve the way academic justice is done on this campus.” Gaga also feels that creating the new position was a smart move on the part of the SFUO and feels that if elected he will be able to focus on the budget, and meeting students and federated bodies to make sure that “the information gathered is being related to the team that is crafting the budget” to ensure the money is being spent correctly.
6 | NEWS
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VP ex ternal
VP equit y
VP social
Paige Booth
Pamela Twagriayezu
Faduma Wais
Paige Booth is a fourth-year student in the Faculty of Social Sciences running for vice-president external with the United slate. The new position will replace vice-president university affairs and will absorb all of its responsibilities barring campaigns (except the one to lower tuition) and the U-Pass. Booth has worked as a receptionist for the SFUO in the past, and is currently the human resources assistant. She feels this experience has given her the chance to navigate the internal structure of the federation, and see how it operates. Booth’s platform prioritizes mental health, and if elected she hopes to implement a 24/7 in-person mental health service that will be accessible to all students. “If we can have someone on the phone in an office, 24/7 why can’t we have someone on campus?” she asks. Booth feels confident in other members of her slate as well, claiming “we know the structure of the organization,” and that the new positions make it easier for executives to get more done and be more productive as a cohesive team for the students.”
Pamela Twagriayezu is a fourth-year social work student running for vice-president equity as an independent candidate. She is the president of her federated body, ADESS, and has worked as a community outreach coordinator, a victim and witness specialist agent for the minister of the general attorney, and at the Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre. Twagriayezu’s reasoning for running independent of a slate is to prove that she can work with whomever comes into power. “When you get elected as an official you’re representing students, and a lot of times when people run with slates they’re running with people they know that have aligned ideologies. At the end of the day, I’m there to represent those students, those marginalized folks that don’t have voices,” she shares. Twagriayezu’s platform is based on accessiblity, visiblity, and equity, and she wants to work towards improving the policies for accessible learning physical or otherwise, as well as the policy on sexual violence to ensure that survivors and victims are protected. She also wishes to implement gender neutral bathrooms if elected, and wants better access to female hygiene products. “I’ve seen how our student union hasn’t always best represented my needs as a black woman and how I can better serve people in that role as VP equity,” Twagriayezu explains. Twagriayezu also wants to find outside financing for the SFUO and wants to see more student engagement next year both with employees and ensuring they have the right training, and the students who use the services they provide. Her platform is about including marginalized students like francophones, Indigenous students, and international students, and working with the vice-president operations to create a scholarship for those who identify within such groups.
Faduma Wais is a fourth-year student running for vice-president social with the United slate, having been involved with the SFUO for the past three years. “When I got the opportunity to see what it’s like on the outside as a volunteer… seeing the events they’ve pulled off in the grand scale, this is something I was keen on doing throughout my time in university,” she says. She has helped organize 101 Week, and participated in Black History Month Galas. Wais is currently working with the SFUO Campaigns Department. Her platform is based in increasing school spirit and a sense of community on campus, which she hopes to do by working with Sports Services to create more events for students. She also wants to ensure that events include students of all ages, and groups. Wais believes that her time with the SFUO has given her insight into how it operates and what needs to be improved. She feels that United can make changes on campus as they “bring a unique approach and perspective” from having worked together in the past. “The experience of working together makes it easier to be fluid in the work that we do,” shares Wais. “This is the time we need to make change and it all starts with one united voice.”
Pamela
Caroline Lu Caroline Paige
Matthew
Matthew Boulden Matthew Boulden is a third-year political science student running for vice-president external on the Solutions slate. Boulden has worked as a page in the house of commons, and is currently co-president of the New Democratic Party at the U of O, as well as a representative for the Faculty of Social Science on the BOA. Boulden feels his time as a page gave him handson experience with how government works, and that his time on the BOA gave him insight into the SFUO and helped him become familiar with the administration. His platform is rooted in targeting tuition hikes, and making students aware of their academic rights. Boulden also wants to increase student engagement within the university by holding regular town halls and communicating with students. “There are a lot of people who might know about the SFUO and have opinions on the SFUO and often it can be a conversation that can be focussed on problems,” he says. “(Solutions) wants to change that.”
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Caroline Lu is a third-year chemistry student and is running for vice-president equity with Solutions. Her platform is composed of three central ideas: promoting inclusivity and positivity on campus, increasing advocacy through education of equity related issues, and bringing better resources and services to students. Lu is currently in her second year on the Science Student Association as the chemistry representative and represents the Faculty of Sciences on the BOA. Lu says that being a part of various minority groups has helped her understand how intersectionality affects how students live their lives and hopes to put her personal opinions aside when representing the student body. If elected, she hopes to implement an open door policy, “where (students) can say anything they want (and) don’t fear any consequences from what they say.” She also shares that she likes the new roles that fall under her position such as clubs and campaigns, as most are equity based.
Leila Moumouni-Tchouassi Leila Moumouni-Tchouassi is running for re-election for vice-president equity with United. Moumouni-Tchouassi has been involved in activism within Ottawa for several years, and is particularly passionate about black activism and rights. “I’m excited to have the VP equity role without clubs,” she says. “Because advocacy work takes up so much time. Without clubs, I will be able to be fully devoted to advocacy work this year.” Moumouni-Tchouassi has been a student on campus for five years and feels that she knows exactly how this university works and “how it is letting down its students.” She is also the racialized representative for the Canadian Federation of Students at the National level. “United as a whole, we’ve all been involved on this campus for a while,” she says. “So we are all very experienced working with students and other universities.”
Faduma
Adam
Leila
Adam Ha Adam Ha is a communications student and is running for vice-president social with the Solutions slate. Ha is currently in his second year as vice-president social for the Communications Student Association, and feels his skills from this position will translate to the broader range of students as vice-president social on the SFUO. Ha has volunteered for 101 Week in the past and believes he has the experience needed to plan for this event. That being said, he hopes to create a wider range of events for students throughout the year, focusing on diversity. This includes bringing in comedians, hosting open mic nights through student businesses, talent shows, and sporting events. Ha says he wants to change the way the SFUO has run in the past, by budgeting responsibly so that money is put into things and situations like overspending on ELE Fest don’t repeat themselves.
NEWS | 7
A&C EDITOR Ryan Pepper arts@thefulcrum.ca
ARTS&CULTURE Sixth annual Capital Catwalk takes “Into the Wild” theme (613) 695-0062 @pep_ryan
Her Campus uOttawa hopes to raise over $6,000 this year Candide Uyanze
fulcrum Contributor
C
reative howto stations, a silent auction, and local designers—these are some of the new additions added in this year’s Capital Catwalk fashion show, taking place Saturday, Feb. 10.
“A lot of our swag, donations, and raffles are bigger and better this year, which we’re excited to bring to guests.” says Shannon Charbonneau, a fourth-year communications student and the vice-president of Her Campus uOttawa, the group organizing the show. “The end goal is, of course, donating all of the proceeds to the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation.” Last year, the event raised
approximately $6,000 dollars for the foundation—a number they hope they can surpass this time around. The Her Campus team has been fundraising for the event since fall 2017 through bake sales, all-you-caneat pub nights, a Zumba night, and sponsorships with local businesses. “It’s a cause that everyone can relate to, whether it’s a family member or friend who has had to deal with cancer of some form in their lives,” said Charbonneau. “We really love to support (the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation) year after year.” The theme for this edition, “Into the Wild,” is inspired by the event’s location at the Horticulture Building in Lansdowne. The Feb. 10 soirée will feature decor different from previous years, while keeping its signature semi-formal yet fun vibe. “Our whole goal is to create a fun evening full of great fashion, food, and entertainment,”
Charbonneau said. “We hope that guests will enjoy the local talent that we have to showcase for them.” Festivities begin at 6 p.m., where guests can check out the creative stations, take part in the raffle table, and pose in the photo booth during cocktail hour. At 7 p.m. the fashion show will begin, where models of all kinds—many of whom are University of Ottawa students— showcase garments from local designers on the titular catwalk. Guests who wish to continue celebrating beyond 9 p.m. are invited to the show’s after-party, whose location will soon be announced on Her Campus’s Facebook page. Over the years, the fashion show has grown in attendees, funds raised, and lavishness. The event’s growth has, in turn, increased the size of the Her Campus uOttawa team, which is currently made up of roughly 60 students from universities and colleges across
The organizers of last year’s Capital Catwalk.
Ottawa. The U of O’s chapter of Her Campus, a global online student-run magazine, began in 2012 and has a pink level designation, meaning they are one of the top 25 per cent chapters of the over-300 in Canada and the U.S. The chapter has been hosting Capital Catwalk for six years and are divided into smaller teams falling within
the editorial side or events and marketing side. They also hosted the ASPIRE conference last fall. Charbonneau tied back to the core purpose of the fashion show. “It’s about raising money and awareness for a really important cause that hits home with so many people,” Charbonneau said. “We want guests to leave the event feeling like
Photo: Timé Freedman.
they contributed to something so much bigger.” Tickets are $25 for students, or $100 for five students, and can be purchased until the day of the event through Capital Catwalk’s Facebook event page. Those who cannot attend can still support the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation through the event’s virtual lemonade stand.
Popular drag queen Peppermint performs at U of O RuPaul’s Drag Race star talks groundbreaking Broadway role, Black History Month Alex Szigeti
staff contributor Popular drag performer Peppermint, the first trans woman on RuPaul’s Drag Race and the first to hold a principal position on Broadway, performed at the University of Ottawa’s Alumni Auditorium on Thursday, Feb. 1. She performed for half an hour, followed by a discussion and Q&A session. The event, free of charge, was hosted by the U of O’s Community Life Service, and the first of the university’s many Black History Month events. “I’m an African American woman and I believe that Black History Month should be celebrated to its fullest,” said Peppermint. “I was invited to come, so of course I’m going to say
yes to that.” Peppermint, the first openly trans contestant on RuPaul, appeared on the ninth season of the show, and finished as the first runner up. It was the shows most watched season in its history. “(RuPaul’s Drag Race) was fantastic. Ever since then, I’ve had a lot of big opportunities, and things have opened up. I’ve had a chance to travel a bit, do some music, do a little TV appearances, and it’s been fantastic,” Peppermint said, who also shared how her trans identity has given her a unique position of visibility. One of these big opportunities is the recent announcement that she has been cast in the Broadway musical Head Over Heels, a comedy featuring
8 | ARTS & CULTURE
music from The Go-Go’s, opening in San Francisco in April, before moving to New York City in June. “Broadway is a drag queen’s dream,” said the New York born and based Peppermint. After going to college to study musical theatre, she got slightly side-tracked, and that dream was put on the backburner. That was when she got into drag and nightlife, and focused all her energy into those performances. However, after her season of RuPaul’s Drag Race aired, she began to discover new opportunities. “The opportunity came for me to audition for the Broadway show, and it kind of lined up with everything I’ve been working towards over the past few years, and I think it
Peppermint performed at the U of O on Feb. 1.
couldn’t be a better fit,” she said. “This show, this production, these producers, this role, of course I would have been very happy in
any role on Broadway, but I’m really excited about this project.” As for her lasting words of wisdom to anyone in
Photo: Parker Townes.
the LGBTQ+ community, she put it quite simply. “My message is to not be afraid of being proud of who you are.”
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SFUO, university departments welcome Black History Month Events focus on history, current issues facing Black community which is open to all high school and university students in the area. In terms of the SFUO, vice-president equity Leila Moumouni-Tchouassi discussed eight events for this month, such as a screening of Get Out on Feb. 6, a workshop on how to care for black hair also on Feb. 6, and a comedy night on Feb. 14. “It’s important that we continue to support Black students by celebrating their histories but also by creating more spaces for students to see themselves reflected in this institution that can often disenfranchise many of the most marginalized,” Moumouni-Tchouassi said in a statement to the Fulcrum. Although this month is important for Black history, it is critical that the discussion not end when March rolls around. Black history needs to be celebrated throughout the year. “It should not be during only Black History Month
Ryan Pepper
Arts & Culture Editor February is Black History Month, and the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) and the University of Ottawa’s department of history have a number of events lined up to celebrate Black history both now and throughout the year. Sylvie Perrier, chair of the history department, explained that the department is currently in a partnership with the Association canadienne pour des heritages africains (ACPHA) to promote Black history within the Ottawa community and support community involvement, largely through the use of the university’s resources and research. The department is also hosting a conference with a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization representative, and professors from the history department on Feb. 27,
that we aim to remind ourselves of the atrocities that black bodies and minds have been subjected to and continue to be subjected to,” Moumouni-Tchouassi said. “The work of learning and unlearning from the past to learn and move forward to a better future should not be only on the black population which is why this month and its events should be huge.” The history department also offers several courses on African history, namely two on the history of Africa south of the Sahara from the year 1,000 to the present, which are open to all students at the university. The department also has seminar courses on African history. “Our teaching is not necessarily nation-based or geographically based; sometimes it’s transnational, international, global,” said Perrier. Canadians know of the Underground Railroad
A screening of the BBC film The History of Africa took place on Friday, Feb. 2.
which helped escaped slaves find freedom in our country, but Canadians also owned slaves while a colony. Slavery was only abolished in the British Empire in 1834. Perrier said this history is easy to find, but not many people might know Canada’s complicity in the slave trade. Classes in the history department seek to teach a
Photo: Jean-Luc Ducamp.
more balanced and nuanced view. “Black History Month is a showcase … it makes people aware of the importance of African history, but for us, the study of Africa is yearround, we do that all that time, and not only in the history department, but also in cross-interdisciplinary initiatives,” said Perrier.
Now with the partnership with ACPHA, the university can continue teaching African and Black history to the community, and serve an important mandate for historical education, while the SFUO continues to create spaces for Black students “The study of Africa is year-long. We do it all the time,” Perrier said.
ALBUMS YOU SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO : The Jerry Cans ● Nunavutitut | Eric Davison
Fulcrum Freelancer Why you haven’t heard it: Nunavutitut was the debut album of Inuit folk-rock band The Jerry Cans. Although acts like A Tribe Called Red and Tanya Tagaq have started to push First Nations music toward the mainstream, these artists rarely got the attention they deserve. In the bygone age of 2012, a throat-singing ensemble of ex-punks chanting about clubbing seals and food security in Iqaluit was too out-there to be picked up by all but the most indie of labels. Why it might be tough to get through: Learning Inuktitut isn’t high on anyone’s list of priorities in a city where many people are still struggling to learn French. The English songs also tend to send listeners down a Wikipedia rabbit-hole as they frantically Google references to NorthMart, the federal seal hunting ban, PETA’s history of conflict with the Inuit people, and
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town names that even autocorrect can’t figure out.
Why you should listen to it anyway: It’s fun, it’s upbeat, it’s unique, and it gives us a small window into the lives of our most Northern citizens. “Northern affairs” has often been a buzzword used by politicians seeking to pad their progressive reputation, but most Canadians south of the Territories hardly know what issues the North is actually facing. This album shines a light on those issues. As an album, it’s also incredibly well structured and eclectic, blending classic Canadian folk with a strong beat bordering on punk. Quebecois and Irish-inspired fiddle music backing Inuktitut vocals creates a blend of styles that truly captures Canada’s heritage. Fun facts: -The lead vocalist didn’t actually speak Inuktitut until he started dating the accordionist. The vio-
linist then joined the band after a brief stint in the Iqaluit fiddle ensemble. -The band has played several shows in Australia, where their message of Indigenous rights and the difficult yet beautiful life of the frontier resonates strongly among the local population. -The band did an Inuktitut cover of The Tragically Hip’s “Ahead by a Century” as a testament to the importance of Gord Downie’s life to the Canadian music scene. -The band once described their work as “seal-clubbing music,” as a reference to its uniquely Northern sound and the fact that no one down South liked it. Best lines and songs: -“Mamaqtuq!” literally translates to “Tastes Great”. The song “Mamaqtuq” captures the cosy and boisterous attitude of a lodge after a successful hunt as they dig in for a communal meal of seal. -”The GN Song” just straight-up complains about the ineffective-
Nunavutitut by Inuit folk-rock band The Jerry Cans.
Photo:
ness of the federal government in the territories for its entire length and captures many of the daily annoyances faced by Northern communities. -“Dear Peta” is a surprisingly com-
prehensive criticism of PETA’s campaigns to end the seal hunt and how they have negatively impacted Inuit communities while inadvertently harming the environment.
ARTS & CULTURE | 9
CAMPUS CREATIONS: “And there, in front of me, he was” Email arts@thefulcrum.ca to submit your work to the Fulcrum. By Kevin Vélez Guerrero —Did you bring the chess set? —Always. Why would I ask that? It was like his objet fétiche, always with him, everywhere he went, like some kind of obsession to this game of pieces at service to their king. To me, it’s like a mental war, a race with the sole objective of destroying your enemy. And it feels like a meeting long overdue, the type that cost the people hundreds of dollars when a ton of bureaucrats are invited to those fancy banquets, but it’s even more painful for the pocket of one who fights to pay bills on time. And then the bills of the government. And there, in front of me, he was. With his disgusting flaxen outfit.
He was wearing the same shirt as when he made me mad for the first time. A couple just stood up. For this time only, we looked at each other with complicity. Another poor lady, she was too concentrated on a pickle. It was a table for couples, face to face, at a corner. The table that everyone wanted, the perfect location for lovers, would be unavailable for the next hours. I still didn’t know how many. —You got the clock? —No. It was going to be eternal without a clock. I had a job interview, but this was personal. We could never coincide our schedules—he was in front of me, he could have stolen my girlfriend, but not the championship.
He pulled out the chessboard—the table complained—the pieces too. He played whites. I arranged the blacks, putting the queen on last. A pendulum clock divided our table from the next. —Did you notice that it creaks every 10 seconds? —There you have it*Tick* Pawn E2 to E4. Classic one. He always played safe. His defense was good, but his attack slow; he only attacked when he was sure to win… *tock* Knight from B8 to C6. I was more incisive, I always looked for the attack, the surprise, the encirclement of the enemy. *Tick* Knight G1 to F3, I cut the movement, my pawn is delayed. *tock* my other knight comes out, *tick* he opens the line, overtaking with his pawn—and I get lost in the move-
ments of my memory. That wretch that was in front of me had invited her out and had bewitched her. Amada was no longer the same, she ignored me, she ran away, I played fool, but I knew everything. That bastard not only won my girlfriend, but also a championship. His bishop points dangerously to my rook, the other is on the way. I do not like that strategy. The waiter interrupts us. We must order something if we want to continue here. Yes, a couple of coffees would be fine. I had to continue. He won a championship, I won the next, but the last one got out of control when he described how passionate my ex-girlfriend was in one of his encounters. His bishop trap is working, my de-
fenses do not resist much. I made a mistake, the queen was exchanged in vain, I cannot lose... What? The first check… the second, he ate my last tower, he must not beat me. I cannot lose my honour too. He turned in his queen, bad move, we’re neck to neck. He is chasing my lone king and... a draw? Dammit! I’m going to have to see this guy again. There was still time for my interview. About the author Kevin Vélez Guerrero is an exchange student from Ecuador. Journalism and photography are his passions. He likes to tell stories, but I write my own ones from time to time. Motto: “I hate to do plans, I prefer to take the chances.”
S TA G S H O P. C O M
108 Bank Street | 757 Bank Street 12 | ARTS & CULTURE
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SPORTS
SPORTS EDITOR sports@thefulcrum.ca @FulcrumSports
Gees Men’s and Women’s teams lose Capital Hoops to Carleton
Both teams put in solid efforts, but Carleton lives up to its ranking Zack Goobie
Associate Sports Editor
T
he University of Ottawa Men’s Basketball team took to the court at the Canadian Tire Centre looking to avenge past losses to the Carleton Ravens on hardwood at the home of the Ottawa Senators. The final score did not do justice to this highly contested, back and forth entertaining game. Both teams made shots, and both rosters had players step up on the big stage. MEN’S BASEKTALL
Brandon Robinson opened the scoring for the Gee-Gees with a great pull-up jumper on their first possession. The Ravens showed a tight press to start the game and that proved to wear down the Gees over the course of the game. Sean Stoqua hit a three to give the Gees a 5-4 lead with 6:30 left to play. Robinson responded with a three of his own, and it was a close game early on. The Gees and the Ravens exchanged threes and it was 11-9 with three minutes to play. Kenny Jean-Louis decided to join the three-point barrage for the fifth Garnet and Grey trifecta, giving them a 17-12 lead. After one quarter, the Gees had a 18-12 lead from 5-7 shooting from deep. Carleton came out with the first six points of the second quarter to tie up the game, and that took away the Garnet and Grey momentum. Stoqua opened the scoring for the Gee-Gees with a fade away just outside the paint to give the Gees a slight 20-18 lead with 7:02 to play. A three-pointer in transition off a Gee-Gees turnover gave the Ravens a slight 2625 lead with 3:13 still to be played. Calvin Epistola took a hard hit with 21.2 left, but finished and completed the three-point play. At the end of
two quarters the Ravens had a 35-30 lead with a shot that fell at the buzzer. Carleton went on a 7-2 run to start the quarter and took a 42-32 lead with six minutes to play. Robinson continued to play big for the Gees, with his 15th point to cut into the Ravens’ lead to make it 42-37. He touched on his game offensively saying, “I was just trying to make plays for my team, it’s mine and a couple of other guys’ responsibilities to do that, I try to take advantage of the opportunities that I have.” Both teams kept going back and forth, Pierre-Charles came close to making a highlight reel put back, but he was fouled in the process and converted both free-throws. A three-pointer by Gage Sabean gave the Gees a 48-47 lead with 1:34 to play. However, at the end of three quarters, and despite a great effort by the Gees, they were trailing 51-48. Robinson explained why Carleton is so good down the stretch and how they are always in games. “They have a lot of mental toughness, their coach is really hard on them so when they get in these situations, it’s not anything that they haven’t been through before.” Both teams kept going head to head, and two and a half minutes in the Ravens were up 58-53, and coach James Derouin had been awarded a questionable technical. Carleton stretched their lead off a close layup to make it a ninepoint game 62-53. Coach James Derouin talked about that full court press and how it impacted the result. “They wore us down with their full-court pressure and at a critical stage that’s what pressure does, and for a critical two-minute stage, we lost it.” A three-pointer at 4:30 was a tough pill to swallow for the Gees as Carleton took a 65-53 lead and basically determined the end result. The Gees suffered a 67-56 loss at the hands of the Ravens. Carleton kept their perfect
The Gees faced off against Carleton in Capital Hoops.
record, and if that wasn’t already enough, they sure cemented why they are the best team in the country. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL The University of Ottawa Women’s Basketball team took to the court on the biggest stage in front of thousands at the Canadian Tire Centre for the annual Capital Hoops game. The pristine hardwood and the bright lights got in the heads of the young Gee-Gees early on, but they showed a great deal of resiliency, playing a tight game for the following three quarters. The first quarter showed why the number one nationally ranked Carleton Ravens are the best team in the country, dominating the Gees in every facet. However, the Gees responded and made it a tighter game as the game wore on, but they could not control the ball movement and the many offensive weapons shown by the Ravens. Carleton came out firing, scoring the first nine points of the game, forcing Gee-Gees
coach Andy Sparks to take a timeout. Amélie Hachey came back with a threepointer to put the Gees on the board right after the stoppage. After two free-throws from Brigitte Lefebvre-Okanku, Carleton came back with a three-pointer to go up 14-5 with 4:51 to play. Aliissa Heiskanen and Brooklynn McAlear-Fanus scored the Gees’ seventh and ninth points of the quarter, proving how hard points were to come by for the Garnet and Grey. Carleton wouldn’t go away and responded immediately with a three-pointer. The Gee-Gees struggled all quarter on both ends of the ball; from rebounding to three-point shooting to turnovers, they looked like they were constantly a step behind. The Garnet and Grey trailed 24-9 at the end of a tough quarter. Hachey talked about the defensive strength of the Ravens. “Carleton has a really good defence, so it is hard for young players to find the holes or the open plays (in their defence).” The Gees went to Angela
Photo:Parker Townes
Ribarich early in the second quarter and found success as she scored the first four points of the quarter, all in the post. Defensively, the Gees were much better in the first four minutes of the quarter, denying the Ravens of any baskets. Hachey hit a three to drop the Ravens’ lead to single digit, 24-15 with 5:32 to play. Hachey kept the Gees in the game with her eighth point of the night, coming from behind the arc. Lefebvre-Okankwu had a steal and a basket at the end of the half, but the Ravens responded with a three, Carleton had a 34-24 lead at recess. Hachey continued to be the offensive weapon for the Gees as she scored another threepointer to go along with a layup inside, reducing the deficit to 39-31 with four minutes left in the third quarter. The Gees continued to trail at the end of three quarters, 43-32. A great old fashion threepoint play 2:12 into the fourth quarter by Hachey brought the game back to a 10-point affair. A Heiskanen jumper put the Gees right back in it 4537, but the Ravens responded
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with a three on the next possession. That would be as close as the Gees would get. Back to back threes stretched Carleton’s lead to 56-41 with two minutes remaining. The offensive ball movement was hard to match for the Garnet and Grey as Carleton looked in sync, especially in the first quarter, stretching the floor from points in the paint to shots behind the arc. Coach Andy Sparks explained why Carleton is so successful offensively. “If they’re hot, they are really tough, I think defensively the fact that we could guard their post one on one was a positive for us,” said Sparks. “The threes they took, we closed out short on them, and we should have really closed out fully on them.” Hachey led the way with 16 points for the Gees who lacked scoring from other players. Coach Sparks talked about Hachey’s performance saying, “(Hachey) hit some shots for us, somebody had to score and she took it upon herself a little bit to get some shots off, that was positive.”
SPORTS | 13
THE BOXSCORE: CAPITAL HOOPS CLASSIC BASKETBALL(W) BASKETBALL(M) HOCKEY(M) FRIDAY, FEB. 2, 2018
FRIDAY, FEB. 2, 2018
FRIDAY, FEB. 2, 2018
Gee-Gees
Gee-Gees
Gee-Gees
vs
CARLETON
41
57
vs
CARLETON
56
67
AT
3 2
CONCORDIA
HOCKEY(W) SUNDAY, JAN. 28, 2018
Gee-Gees VS
CONCORDIA
3 5
friday, FEB. 9, 2018
Friday, FEB. 9, 2018
FRIDAY, FEB. 9, 2018
THURSDAY, FEB. 8, 2018
Gee-Gees
Gee-Gees
Gee-Gees
Gee-Gees
AT
U OF T
TBD TBD
AT
U OF T
TBD TBD
vs
QUEENS
TBD
at
TBD
CARLETON
TBD TBD
For detailed game coverage check out the Fulcrum’s website at www.thefulcrum.ca.
Men’s Hockey beat Concordia with late breakaway goal
Team wins despite loss of their captain, matchup against leading scorer eric davidson editor-in-chief
Before the University of Ottawa Men’s Hockey team took to the ice against the Concordia Stingers on Feb. 2, they were already facing a serious problem. After missing four games due to injury, the team announced that captain Eric Locke is expected to miss the rest of the season. This comes at a bad time, as the Gees still have ground to make up in the OUA east division, where they currently sit in sixth place out of 10 teams. The Gee-Gees also knew that they had to be wary of Concordia’s not-so-secret weapon, Anthony Beauregard, who leads the league in points (56), 17 more than his nearest competition. Beauregard leads the league in assists (39) and is second in the league in goals (17). Despite a tough challenge, the Garnet and Grey
were able to play hard in an important road game at Concordia, coming out on top. The game started with the Gees looking shaky, and the Stingers taking advantage, scoring less than three minutes in to take the 1-0 lead, with the goal assisted by none other than Beauregard. The Gees had the chance to equalize on the power play eight minutes in, and again 13 minutes in, but failed to capitalize both times. Soon after the second penalty, Beauregard came in on a breakaway, but was shut down by the Gees’ goalie Graham Hunt. As the period was set to close, the Gees would regret not capitalizing on their power plays, as Concordia scored their second goal to take a 2-0 lead into the first intermission, but the Garnet and Grey would start the second period on a power play as a Concordia player went off for
high sticking with 30 seconds left in the first. Despite the early deficit, the Gees didn’t show signs of giving up, though they still couldn’t find their rhythm on the power play. Concordia killed off their penalty to start the period, and most of the period went by without anyone lighting the lamp. Ottawa got more chances on the power play, but things still weren’t coming together. But finally, after a Concordia was sent off for boarding with under five minutes remaining, the power play clicked. A minute in to the man advantage, Brendan Jacome found the net, off assists from Jacob Sweeney and Michael Poirier, cutting Concordia’s lead in half when the second buzzer sounded. The Garnet and Grey entered the final period with momentum, with Connor Sills tipping in a pass from Mathieu Newcomb less
The Gee-Gees won a close game against Concordia.
than three minutes in to tie the game up at two apiece. It looked like Concordia would regain their lead halfway through the third, but Hunt continued to make key saves. Gee-Gee Connor Sills ran into penalty trouble, tak-
ing back to back penalties for boarding and delay of game, but the Gees killed off the Concordia power plays. It looked like the tight game was headed for overtime, when Gee-Gee Quinn O’Brien came streaking
12 | SPORTS
Photo: Remi Yuan.
down the ice on a breakaway, and beat the Concordia netminder to score the game winning goal with under three minutes left in the game. It was a close game, but the Gee-Gees pulled out a clutch win on the road.
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SPORTS | 13
OPINIONS
OPINIONS EDITOR David Campion-Smith
opinions@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0062 @davidcs96
Canada should require nutrition facts on alcohol Proper labelling will lead to informed and healthy consumers david campion-smith opinions editor
C
anada’s laws surrounding nutritional labelling can feel a bit random. Next time you’re trolling around the Canada Food Inspection Agency’s website (which I assume is all the time, unless I’m the weird one here), take a gander at the list of foods and drinks that are exempt from displaying nutritional information. Such products include loose fruits and vegetables, single ingredient meat products, and alcohol. One of these things is not like the others.
Alcoholic beverages in Canada with an alcohol by volume (ABV) greater than 0.5 per cent don’t have to display their nutritional information unless they make a health claim or have added sweeteners. This is an odd distinction, and something that requires better regulation by our provincial and federal governments. While provincial governments are responsible for alcohol sales and regulations, the federal government is granting the exemption in this case. The government should require alcohol producers to display nutritional information on all beverages. Alcohol consumption is common, people have a right to know how what they’re putting in their bodies and how it will impact them, and there is such a broad range of
14 | OPINIONS
types of alcohol that generic stats and information are not enough. Alcoholic beverages contain sugar and carbohydrates, which we see displayed in the nutrition facts on other foodstuffs. The amounts vary, with most red and white wines containing four grams of carbohydrates, 12 grams of carbohydrates in your average beer, and light beer clocking in at half of that, with six grams of carbohydrates. As of right now, however, the average consumer has no idea about these numbers when they’re in the store. With such a wide variety of all of these products, these specifics cannot be consistent from one bottle to the next. There is a precedent for mandating nutritional information. Last year, the Ontario government passed the “Healthy Menu Choices Act,” which requires that restaurant chains with more than 20 locations must display the calorie content of their dishes on their menus. It’s only reasonable that we should expect the same from our alcohol producers that we expect from McDonald’s and Wendy’s. On average, Canadians drink a lot; 80 per cent of the population drank alcohol at some point in 2012. In 2016, Canadians drank 10 litres of alcohol per capita, and 22.71 million hectolitres of beer were sold in 2015 (beer is commonly cited as the alcoholic beverage with the most calories and carbohydrates). There is no nutritional labelling on any of that alcohol produced or consumed, unless it makes a health claim. No other food or drink is allowed to be produced and
consumed in such vast amounts while providing so little nutritional information to the consumer. If Canadians one day began eating 22 million tons of candle wax on a regular basis, we’d be having a nation-wide conversation about the nutritional information of candle wax, but for some reason, we’ve decided that alcohol gets a pass. There is such a wide variety of alcohol that we cannot expect generic numbers to be accurate. Yes, we all know that light beers will have fewer calories and can expect them to be better for you overall than regular beers, but that doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of beers. Does this India Pale Ale I’m about to drink have more calories than this lager? Where does my favourite imperial stout fit into the equation? The point is that these
are basic questions about just one variety of alcohol, while the LCBO offers 24,850 products. The generic fact that a glass of white wine has 121 calories is not applicable to all white wines, and there are actually differing accounts of how many calories are in a regular beer; some sources say 153, others, 148. Ontario has already begun requiring more nutritional information on food be available to consumers and there’s no good reason to not do so with alcohol. Alcohol of all types is commonly consumed in Canada, and with such a variety of beverages being produced, we need specific labelling regulations so consumers don’t need to rely on generic numbers. Adding nutritional information to alcohol is a little change that can help make all of us more informed consumers.
Photo: CC, tookapic.
Some average alcohol calorie levels.
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Learning Crossroads a blueprint for future campus buildings
Plugs, study space, open concept a must for new construction Artyom Zalutskiy fulcrum contributor
Students desperately searching for study spaces on campus can rejoice, as the seemingly endless rounds of construction at the University of Ottawa have resulted in something we can all enjoy: the Learning Crossroads building. While not completely finished, the building has recently opened its doors for students, providing more study spaces, and importantly, endless outlets. These features, combined with bright lighting, an open concept, and plenty of modern facilities make it a blueprint for future construction projects on campus. Our campus has been in desperate need of a makeover for years, with the large majority of the buildings on campus being old, small, inaccessible, dark, and generally out-
dated. However the Learning Crossroads building is a beacon of light on our otherwise bleak campus, housing two lecture halls, more than a dozen group study rooms, various technologies, and over one thousand study spaces. The building itself, situated behind Lamoureux Hall, is incredibly modern. It’s well designed with an open-concept layout that is foolproof to navigate, with plenty of large windows, that combined with the right lighting, make it cheery and welcoming to all students. A central focus of the Learning Crossroads building is new technology which the university hopes will capture students’ interest and enhance learning. The gaming room lets students try new tools such as the Oculus Rift, drones, and the Nintendo Switch, and there is an enormous
8k video screen covering a wall which students can use for data visualization. A multipurpose room houses a piano and a hardwood floor aimed to improve the teaching of music and dance. Perhaps the most notable technological achievement is the inclusion of outlets in every corner of the building. An abundance of outlets may not seem noteworthy, but the lack of outlets in many buildings at the U of O has been a large issue for students who have wasted valuable study time hunting for an unused outlet across campus. With the new Learning Crossroads building, the days of not being able to use the perfect study spot because it has no outlet nearby and having to bring an extension cord or power bar to campus may be over. We owe the U of O administration a pat on the
back for listened to students’ concerns about modernizing our campus. The Learning Crossroads
in my life. Moving away was difficult, to say the very least. My parents are overbearing, and I’m saying this in the nicest way possible, because it wasn’t vicious, but in a very mama bear protective fashion. But many times, it stood in the way of self-growth, because they wanted to do everything for me; they guided me and tried to protect me from everything. All of this left me thinking the world was easier than it turned out to be. The day I left for a new continent, all the feelings of security came crashing down as I stood at the doors of the airport. I said my last goodbyes and walked over to customs and broke down. I turned away so they didn’t see the tears streaming down my cheeks, because they also taught me to be strong. It was hard when they were the protective blanket I wore around me. I had to walk to my terminal and never look back because I
was determined to be the brave and strong person they wanted me to be. I made it to the other side of the world, and little did I know I had more difficulties waiting for me. One of the hardest things was eating alone. It was calm, but empty. The air was so still I could hear the refrigerator humming. I never noticed it before. I sat down to eat, and it was only me who prayed, only me who chewed. It was only me when I lifted my head up from my plate. The realization of the utter silence in the room made me appreciate food. I savoured every bite, I took my time and I heard myself think. I wasn’t talking over anyone. I wasn’t arguing with anyone. But being in such a big space and not having to share it was so foreign to me. Watching television was a whole other experience. I laughed from my gut, my heart, and soul, but no
one else was laughing. I was loud, with no one to disturb. It was concerning and comforting at the same time. In the first few months away from home I constantly waited for the doorbell to ring, hoping someone would come by and keep me company. I would hear cars pass by
Look at this building, it’s full of outlets!
Photo: Christine Wang.
building is a huge improvement for the university that will greatly enhance learning for students, and
hopefully this building will serve as a bases for future construction projects on our campus.
from my bedroom window and I would look out, but they were just passersby, it was never for me. After a while the solitude became comforting. I never had a crazy social life, but all I needed was my group of friends. It was difficult because they too were on different continents. It was
easy to think I was alone in this home because I quantified it by distance, but when my parents or my friends called via video chat it made me realize I don’t have to be surrounded with people to not feel this discomfort. I just had to learn to be okay with being in my own space.
REAL TALK: Struck by loneliness Zainab Al-Mehdar fulcrum alum
I think the most challenging thing about adulthood is being struck by loneliness. It doesn’t happen gradually and you never see it in your peripheral vision. You find yourself standing in a storm with the sky raging at you, and without warning you are hit by anguish. You remember how you were guided through life, but weren’t given room to learn. Laying on the pavement you try to pick yourself up, but composure slips through your fingers as you muster the will to peel off of the side of the road and learn to adjust to this new life. Whether you love it or hate it, you learn to accept the solitude that comes with growing up. I learned that when I moved away from home. I lived with my parents until I was 19 and I depended on their constant presence
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Adjusting to loneliness can take time.
Illustration: Christine Wang.
OPINIONS | 15
Illustration: Christine Wang.
Photo & edits: Christine Wang.
16 | THE TOMATO
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DISTRACTIONS
DEAR DI Horny Homework: Sweet Dreams (are made of this)
Sometimes the thing you need to turn a mediocre sexual experience is adding something that will cushion the blow. So grab your favourite pillow(s) and favourite partner(s) and get to work. Prop several pillows under your butt to elevate your lower body in missionary. Coil your legs around your partner’s shoulders while they kneel right in front of you, entering your vagina or anus. Grab a vibrator or use your fingers to help them out as they penetrate you deep.
Dishing with Di: Riding While the average woman is objectified in pretty much everything she does, every now and then the sexualization of something very ordinary still manages to shock me. For example, I wasn’t aware until recently about the very sexual history of cycling. Women who rode bicycles were considered very unladylike for doing so. Since they, you know, mounted it, between their thighs, pressed up against their vulva, feeling the vibrations. An 1895 edition of the newspaper New York World provides a very comical list of “Don’ts” for women who ride. These included tips such as “Don’t cultivate a ‘bicycle face’”, and “Don’t imagine everyone is looking at you”. I hope those ladies got a damn good orgasm from those bikes, since they had to deal with this bullshit.
FEATURES EDITOR Savannah Awde
features@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0062 @s_awde7
Dear Di, How the hell do people meet other people? I’m not great in sliding into my crushes’ DMs and have always started relationships with people I’ve met IRL. How am I supposed to meet someone in the midst of cuffing season?
—Lusty but lonely
Dear LL, With so much of the dating scene happening online now, it can leave a lot of people pining for the good ol’ days of finding a new fling at their favourite bar, or even better, somewhere they’re least expecting it. If this sounds like you, never fear, because there are still ways you can get around downloading Tinder! My top suggestion if you’re looking for a new relationship is to meet new people through friend groups—and no, I don’t mean you should start dating all of your friends. Instead, make an effort to go out with your friends for drinks or to parties as much as you can. If you’re hanging out with groups of people who you know are already similar to you, there’s a much better chance you’ll find someone who you get on with. These group situations are also much less awkward than walking up to a stranger, yet more comfortable than grinding up on some hottie in a club. Another way to take your dating game to new heights is simply to be more open in your day to day life. For example, try talking to people in your classes instead of being zoned out on your laptop and leaving immediately after the lecture. If you tend to hibernate in the winter, try hitting up the gym once or twice a week, or studying on campus. If you have the time, join a club or do activities that really interest you, whether that’s volunteering in your community or kickboxing. Again, the best way to find like-minded individuals is to be out doing things you enjoy. When it comes to meeting someone, the only, albeit cliché, advice I can give is to be yourself. The best relationships usually come when you don’t expect it, which is difficult when you’re feeling lonely and in a state of hyper-singleness. If you’ve met the certain person in a place of mutual interest, that’s a good sign! It’s also a great conversation starter. Above all, be bold. Anyway, you can always switch crossfit classes if you embarrass yourself.
Love, Di
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DISTRACTIONS | 17
FEB. 5-11, 2018
THRYLLABUS
MUSIC EATS SPORTS & WELLNESS FUN THINKING ARTS
18 | DISTRACTIONS |
Monday Feb. 5 Muggy Mondays, free coffee for whoever brings a reusable mug, Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS) building 2nd floor landing—8:30 a.m. Free yoga, 90 University residence, room 140—5:30 p.m.
Vu kitchen (between Thompson and Morisset)—9 a.m. Guided meditation, 90 University, room 122—5 p.m.
tasting, University Centre, room 026— 11:30 a.m.
Saturday Feb. 10 Leanne Betasamosake Thursday Feb. 8 Simpson / Moonfruits / Preparing for midterms workshop, Shadowhand, Pressed—7 p.m. learn how to improve your Tribe Royal with memorization skills special guest and how to develop Lux, Babylon Tuesday Feb. 6 effective study Nightclub—7:30 strategies, Simard p.m. Snowman room 123—4 competition, Tabaret Hall, p.m. Lawn—12 p.m. Sunday Feb. 11 Muslim feminists Workshop on Open Table DGD, Women’s Black hair, February meal, Women’s Resource Resource free, home-cooked Centre—4 p.m. Centre—1 p.m. community meal for students and young adults, The Open Wednesday Feb. 7 Friday Feb. 9 Table—5:30 p.m. Pet therapy, Free home-cooked, 90 University Film Stars Don’t healthy, and vegan room Die In Liverpool, meal, hosted by the residence, 152—11 a.m. Bytowne People’s Republic Cinema—6:25 p.m. of Delicious, Deja Free chocolate
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EDITORIAL Volume 78, Issue 18, feb. 5, 2018 Supporting drag shows since 1942. Phone: (613) 695-0061 | Fax: (613) 695-9006 631 King Edward Ave. Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Recycle this paper or we’ll boo you on stage.
Eric “Raven” Davidson Editor-in-Chief editor@thefulcrum.ca Jaclyn “Dame Edna Everage” McRae-Sadik Production Manager production@thefulcrum.ca Graham “Jasmine Masters” Robertson Managing Editor content@thefulcrum.ca Anchal “Trixie Mattel” Sharma News Editor news@thefulcrum.ca Ryan “Lady Bunny” Pepper Arts and Culture Editor arts@thefulcrum.ca Savannah “Sharon Needles” Awde Features Editor features@thefulcrum.ca Sports Editor sports@thefulcrum.ca David “Nina Flowers” CampionSmith Opinions Editor opinions@thefulcrum.ca Christine “Latrice Royale” Wang Visual Editor visual@thefulcrum.ca
PROMOTING BLACK HISTORY MONTH ON CAMPUS
Is there more to be done to promote Black History Month on campus? Last year, Morissa Ellis, the vice-president equity of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa said at the winter General Assembly that she didn’t see much participation in Black History Month events on campus, including by some members of the SFUO executive and its Board of Administration (BOA). This year, both the SFUO and the university have organized various of events throughout the month, so there’s every opportunity for people to get involved this year. These events range from a screening of the wildly popular movie Get Out on Feb. 6, to a potluck and games night on Feb. 8, to
a comedy night on Feb. 14. As for the concerns raised last year, it’s too early to know how current members of the executive and BOA are contributing this year, but it absolutely should be a priority for members of student politics to help work on and promote events, even amidst distractions like SFUO election season. In fact, several candidates have said they want to improve campus engagement and put on events that appeal to students of diverse backgrounds. An easy first step in achieving that goal is working on events like those that are a part of Black History Month, and fostering an environment that encourages others to do the same. And what about beyond cam-
pus? Well it turns out that there have been problems promoting Black History Month in Canada generally as well. A CBC article by Nantali Indongo noted that it’s very difficult to find the Canadian Ministry of Heritage page for the occasion without the aid of specific Google searches. It can also be hard to find mention of Black History Month on municipal websites. Indongo gives the example of Montreal, though the same can be said of Ottawa’s site, which in contrast features Winterlude heavily. It turns out that there is still more that Canadians, especially politicians in general, at different levels of government, can do to promote this important time of year.
Inclusive support of Black History Month also means recognizing and amplifying the stories of those Black Canadians who may not fit our traditional and preconceived notions of Black history, which includes Black persons with disabilities, queer and trans Black people, Black people with mental health issues, and more. If we want to support Black history now, and throughout the year, we need to take an approach to the month that takes a multi-faceted and intersectional approach. If students and student politicians all get more involved in the success of events like those as a part of Black History Month at the university level, it could have benefits like eliminating issues like that brought up in Montreal going forward.
Ellie “Jinkx Monsoon” Sabourin Associate News Editor associate.news@thefulcrum.ca Nadia “Divine” Drissi El-Bouzaidi Associate Features Editor Zack “Detox” Goobie Associate Sports Editor associate.sports@thefulcrum.ca Parker “Alyssa Edwards” Townes Staff Photographer photographer@thefulcrum.ca Videographer videographer@thefulcrum.ca Chafik “Bianca Del Rio” Kassis Head Web Architect webmaster@thefulcrum.ca Lucas “Manila Luzon” Ghosn General Manager manager@thefulcrum.ca Kaylum “Ongina” Bobal Advertising Representative ads@thefulcrum.ca
Contributors
Thomas “Shangela” Sequeira Jean-Luc “Adore Delano” Duchamp Artyom“Jackie Beat” Zalutskiy Eric “Yara Sofia” Davison Candide “Pandora Boxx” Uyanze Alex “Ivy Winters” Szigeti Kevin “Eric Andrews” Vélez
Board of Directors
Raghad “Miss Coco Peru” Sheikh-Khalil Katelyn “Tatianna” Murray Jonathan “Tammie Brown” Rausseo Fadi “Harvey Fierstein” Azzi Spencer “Alexis Mateo” Murdock Marguerite “Peaches Christ” Gollish Cover Credits: Christine Wang.
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Photo: Anchal Sharma.
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