The Fulcrum - Vol 76 Issue 13

VOL. 76 ISSUE 13

Nov. 26, 2015

Solidarity PG. 5, 23

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IN THIS ISSUE...

SFUO suspends yoga program P.5 Yoga teacher says class cut because of ‘cultural appropriation’ Northern gateway just a pipe dream? P.10 Documentary screening at U of O looks at effects of pipeline Genetic Revolution P.12 Busting the myths around the next big thing in the food industry Sound the horns P.14 Here comes the cavalry NYC calls period ads offensive P.18 Why sensoring Mother Nature is silly. Period.

Going off the deep end P.20 Di’s advice this week is sure to make a splash

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NEWS

NEWS EDITOR

Eric Davidson news@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0061 @Eric_Davidson93

SFUO comes under fire for yoga program’s suspension

Yoga teacher says suspension came from concerns of cultural appropriation be specific to a certain culture are adopted by another culture, especially if that culture is deemed the “oppressor”. There have been concerns that the widespread adoption of yoga in the West from its origins in South Asia is a form of cultural appropriation.

Class to return in January

The SFUO received international attention over claims that it cancelled an on-campus yoga program

eric davidson News Editor

T

he Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) is at the centre of a social media firestorm resulting from the suspension of an oncampus yoga program.

Yoga teacher says classes cut because of cultural appropriation

Jennifer Scharf, who taught

the program, claimed that the program was cancelled over concerns of “cultural appropriation” brought on by the complaints of one student. The program, which was designed for students with disabilities, had 60 members and was free. She said she was told in email correspondence with the SFUOrun Centre for Students with Disabilities (CSD) that “there are cultural issues and implications involved in the process; (they’ve) heard from a couple students and volunteers that feel uncomfortable.”

The SFUO says the classes were never cancelled but are just under review. “The yoga classes were never cancelled, never did we say they were cancelled, they were put on hold,” said Roméo Ahimakin, vice-president services and communications of the SFUO. Maylor said that the program had not been up for review since its formation in 2008, and that all programs are eventually put under review to ensure quality. “As a responsible student union, we need to do our due diligence to re-evaluate the programming… to fit in with the mandate of the centre.”

She said that the CSD is currently reviewing comments from users to improve the program as part of a “holistic approach” to make it more inclusive. Ahimakin said that they were looking at all aspects

Photo: CC Amanda Mills

“It turned out to be one person who basically had a chip on their shoulder and was stonewalling everybody,” she said.

The SFUO denies that cultural appropriation was the driving issue in the suspension.

“We understand that cultural appropriation in popular media has been talked about with yoga, but that is not the main focus of this,” said Nicole Maylor, vice-president equity of the SFUO. The term “cultural appropriation” refers to situations where elements considered to

Day of Action: In solidarity with Mizzou and Yale

These demands included equity training for all staff, a racialized students’ space on campus, a black studies department, a therapist of colour, and free tuition for all black and indigenous students on campus. The demands also included divestment from prisons and investment in communities.

There was a referendum held last year to create a racialized students’ centre on campus, but it didn’t pass, which some students at the time said stemmed from racism.

The university was not able to provide comment regarding the demands at time of publication.

Participants also discussed their experiences at the U of O. During the stop at Tabaret Hall, Roselyne Dougé-Charles, a fourth-year women’s stud-

SFUO marches against anti-black racism Jaclyn McRae-Sadik Associate News Editor

In light of the recent events at the University of Missouri and Yale University in the United States, rallies in support of black students took place across American and Canadian university campuses.

The Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) hosted the U of O’s march that took place on Nov. 18, with vice-president of university affairs, Vanessa Dorimain, leading the rally.

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The march began at 9 a.m. outside Marion Hall with around 23 initial participants, and more students joining throughout the event.

The University of Missouri came under fire these past few months for multiple racial incidents, resulting in the resignation of its president, Tim Wolfe, on Nov. 9. Yale University also ended up in national headlines over e-mails about racially insensitive Haloween costumes.

The march proceeded across the U of O campus, pass-

ing The University Centre towards Laurier Avenue, where participants hung the banner “OttawaU to/à Mizzou”.

The march then continued towards the Mackenzie King Bridge, where the banner was hung, ending the march.

“Our goal was just to get the message out that we’re in solidarity with Mizzou but also here at the University of Ottawa. We also provided our list of demands of things that we think that are necessary for students,” said Nicole Maylor, SFUO vice-president equity.

of the program, including the physical aspect itself.

Maylor said the CSD chose to suspend the program in September.“That decision was made by the (CSD), just to open a process in which they could have feedback from the students, so they could present a program that is more inclusive,” she said.

Scharf says she was not informed that the program would return in the future. “There wasn’t even a door left open,” she said. “When I got the final cancellation notice… they didn’t even have the courtesy to email me directly.”

“I’m starting to get upset that now these not true things are getting said by the federation, and it’s making me wonder why I had been so kind to these people when they are now trying to disrespect my practice.”

Ahimakin responded that the SFUO appreciated the program. “The program has done wonders on campus,” said Ahimakin. As for Scharf’s instruction of the class, “(the SFUO) are so thankful for the work that she’s been able to do, the time and dedication she’s been putting into the program.”

Internet backlash

The Ottawa Sun broke the story on Nov. 20, and news outlets around the world picked it up. These outlets include the British Daily Mail, the Independent, the Guardian, as well as America’s Fox News and Australia’s Sydney Morning Herald.

The University of Ottawa was also a trending topic on Facebook in Ottawa as a result of the story.

The coverage was followed by immediate backlash on social media, as people derided the SFUO for allegedly cancelling yoga classes over the issue of cultural appropriation.

Some papers wrote that the yoga program had been cancelled, however Ahimakin maintains the classes were never cancelled, and will be back in January.

Some papers have also said the university made the decision to suspend the yoga classes, however the University of Ottawa has distanced itself from the issue, saying in a tweet that “The decision to cancel a yoga class at #uOttawa was made by the Student Federation.”

“We read reports saying the program was cancelled and we were really surprised, never did anyone release any information saying it was cancelled,” said Ahimakin.

Vanessa Doriman of the SFUO led the rally

ies and psychology student, detailed an incident where she says a professor asked students what good things colonialism brought in an effort to “end class on a good note”.

Charles calls out the issue that these rallies and other movements are bringing to the surface—that anti-blackness is everywhere, even institutions

Photo: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik

of higher education.

Bilan Arte, chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students, was in attendance showing her support and echoed the importance of the issues that Charles touched on.

“Right here in Canada we have a problem with racism and it’s time that we confront that.”

NEWS | 5

Change brewing in Ontario beer market More choice, but could come at a cost: U of O prof Jaclyn McRae-Sadik Associate News Editor

Beer will be sold in select grocery stores across Ontario, starting this December. Before this, only the Beer Store and LCBO were allowed to sell beer in Ontario.

Thirteen chains were selected by the province to sell beer through a competitive bidding process, the province announced on Nov. 18, with up to 450 new locations to be stocked with beer.

Details are currently being kept under wraps as the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) complete the authorization processes and agreements.

The province announced there will be designated areas within stores, restricted hours, and limitations on pack-

Beer will be located at the following stores • • • • •

• • • • • • • •

Coppa’s Fresh Market Farm Boy 2012 Inc. Galleria Supermarket Hanahreuem Mart Inc. J & B La Mantia Ltd. (La Mantia’s Country Market) Loblaws Inc. Longo Brothers Fruit Market Inc. Metro Ontario Inc. Michael-Angelos Market Place Inc. Pino’s Get Fresh Sobeys Capital Incorporated Starsky Fine Foods Hamilton Inc. Wal-Mart Canada Corp

Beer will now be sold in a number of grocery store chains.

age sizes and alcohol by volume. They haven’t yet given any specifics, but they’ve announced the chains that have been selected.

So who exactly will feel the after-effects of this big move in Ontario’s beer market? Professor Tyler Chamberlin of the Telfer School of Management believes the provincially owned LCBO may not suffer too much from a drop in beer market share—as it sells many other products and has a

strong customer focus—but the Beer Store could take a hit. “(The LCBO) have done a lot to create an environment and an atmosphere for buying.

Not so much The Beer Store.

They’ve not had that consumer approach; they’ve never had that,” said Chamberlin. “You show up, they throw beer at you and you leave.”

Chamberlin also believes prices may be steeper as an extra step in the distribution channel is added. Unlike the

make that they’re not going to make,” he said.

The aftermath of this move for beer drinkers isn’t quite clear yet, as there are still details that have yet to surface while the agreements are finalized.

“It’s a good thing, I think, for consumers in the sense that we give them choice,” said Chamberlin. “I’m not clear yet on how the pricing is going to work, whether it’s going to be considerably more expensive

(at grocery chains). I wouldn’t be surprised.”

According to the website for the province of Ontario, a similar process may be in the works for wine and other spirits.

“The Premier’s Advisory Council on Government Assets is continuing discussions with wine and spirits producers on how to provide greater opportunities for Ontario’s wine industry in a trade-compliant fashion.”

office.

Maylor said she welcomes these comments and wants to tackle the issue. “I think it’s definitely a valid concern, we’re always working on ways to improve the clubs system to make sure all of them get replied to,” she said.

According to Maylor, the clubs office includes the clubs coordinator, Gwen Madiba, a full-time SFUO employee, a part-time clubs assistant, as well as Maylor herself, who oversees the clubs office.

Another issue is the funding process and reimbursement, which Chan says can take a long time. “It sucks that an individual, especially a student, is in the hole $500 for three months when they were expecting to get it back in two weeks,” he said.

“It takes a long time to get funding, but we usually get the amount of funding we are asking for, so they’re good with giving out funds.” said Morin-Ricard.

Maylor said steps are being taken to reduce the strain on employees of the clubs office, including online room booking, which was instituted last year. “That alleviates the work

off of the clubs office, and puts it more into the hands of the students,” she said.

One other issue is what the funding can be used for. “That money can’t be used for anything permanent, I can’t buy any assets,” said Chan. As a rock climbing club member, he says he would want to buy equipment, but the current rules don’t allow it.

Maylor says that the clubs office is aware of this issue.

“We actually are right now looking into those rules, and making sure that they’re up to date,” said Maylor.

No specific date was given for any changes to be implemented.

Students call for changes to clubs system SFUO says it’s open to changes eric davidson News Editor

Some students are calling on the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) to reform its clubs system, which has received criticism from some clubs about some communications and funding procedures. The 175 clubs range from rock climbing to starcraft—there’s even a quidditch club.

“There are different guide-

6 | NEWS

lines to creating a new club,” said Nicole Maylor, vice-president equity of the SFUO and overseer of the clubs service.

Creators must get at least 15 people to sign up, create a constitution, and pay a $35 fee.

They must then go through an interview process and clubs training. The training took place over the weekend of Nov. 21.

One of the issues raised was communication and registration times. “It takes longer than I think it should,

and there’s never really any confirmation that you’re registered,” said Chris Chan, president of the University of Ottawa rock climbing club, who has gone through the process several times over the past few years.

However this isn’t the case for all clubs, Catherine Morin-Ricard, vice-president communications of the U of O Quidditch club, said they didn’t have trouble registering, although they have had trouble contacting the clubs

Photo: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

LCBO, The Beer Store is privately owned by Labatt Brewing Company, Molson Coors Company, and minimally by Sleeman Breweries, meaning profits go directly to these companies.

“If you’re Molson, Coors or any sort of the big breweries you get all the profit from the retailing through The Beer Store, so if you’ve got to sell it through another chain… that’s profit theoretically that Loblaws or Wal-Mart has to

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Malaria research from U of O master’s student nets spot in prestigious journal

Research finds that mosquito nets often used improperly eric davidson News Editor

There are an estimated 207 million cases of malaria each year—90 per cent of which occur in sub-Saharan Africa—resulting in over half a million deaths per year. Mosquito nets treated with insecticide are the most effective way to prevent the spread of malaria—but U of O biology masters student Emily Acheson, and geography masters student Andrew Plowright found that these nets aren’t always distributed effectively.

Their study measured the world’s response to malaria, with a focus on the country of Tanzania, and looked at whether mosquito nets were being effectively distributed to areas with the highest populations of mosquitos. The study Where have all the mosquito nets gone? Spatial modelling reveals mosquito net distributions across Tanzania do not target optimal Anopheles mosquito habitats was published in Malaria Journal in August 2015.

“We were interested in knowing if mosquito nets were truly targeting malaria hotspots,” said Acheson.

First, they tracked mosquito habitats across Tanzania to

pinpoint these hotspots. Then they took data from national surveys to find where mosquito nets were being used.

Acheson said that they hoped to find that everyone had mosquito nets. Failing that, they hoped that the nets being used were at least distributed in proportion to mosquito populations. “We didn’t find either of those outcomes,” she said.

“We found that not only was mosquito net coverage around the country very random, but we also found, startlingly, that areas that were considered malaria hotspots net ownership actually decreased,” said Acheson.

“It’s difficult for governments and control programs to know how to systematically get out mosquito nets,” she said.

“If you can’t cover everyone, then it’s important to target the people who are most at risk of malaria, and until they do modelling like this they don’t know what those areas are.”

It’s not everyday that a grad student gets their work published, let alone in a reputable journal.

“That was the first journal I tried to get it published in, and it accepted got with minor revisions,” said Acheson. “I think the reason it got taken up so quickly was because it’s a very

U of O masters student Emily Acheson’s research was featured in Malaria Journal

novel methodology, nobody has ever combined these two factors together before.”

Jeremy Kerr, a biology professor at the U of O and the paper’s supervisor, said he was impressed with the paper and the attention it got. “Emily is an extraordinary young researcher, and she’s going to

continue to do amazing things,” he said.

Perhaps her paper’s success shouldn’t come as a surprise, given Acheson’s passion for the subject. “I love parasitology,” she said. “My friends find this creepy, but I think parasites are extremely misunderstood and understudied… I think that

News Briefs

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who took the crown with a final score of 97.5 out of a 100.

He added that the selection was surprising seeing as Canada is not known for its rye.

Murray was actually “demoting” Canadian products in his bible saying that “the quality of Canadian has been disappointing me for some time.”

Last year’s winner Suntory Yamazaki Mizunara did not repeat, but did manage to land in the top five along with the U.S. Photo: Kim Wiens made Pikesville Straight Rye and William Larue Weller. Ireland also made an appearance in the top five along with the Midleton Dair Ghaelach.

No Scottish whiskey has made the top five in the last two years.

—Moussa Sangaré-Ponce

Sam Dalbah, owner of the Second Cup on the corner of Rideau and Dalhousie said he saw his sale numbers go down 19 per cent since the construction began.

Both owners don’t know whether to stay in their established locations or move out. Hackett is afraid of losing his two-decade-old business, while Dalbah might relocate to “somewhere with less disruption” once his lease is up.

Peggy DuCharme, executive director of the Downtown Rideau Business Improvement Crown Royal’s Northern Harvest Rye is the Area, said it’s too early to blame decreasing cus- Holy Grail of whiskeys, according to Jim Murtomer activity on the construction. ray’s Whiskey Bible. The U.K. rye expert named —Moussa Sangaré-Ponce the Gimli, Manitoba product the best whiskey for 2016.

More than 1,000 different whiskeys were tasted in the quest for the best, but it was Canada

to fight it, so far none of them have worked that well at a large scale yet, ” said Acheson.

“Right now, I still think mosquito nets are the most promising.”

No word yet on Acheson’s next big study, but she did hint that she’s studying a killer fungus in Vancouver.

Canadian Whiskey Crowned international royalty

LRT construction affecting local businesses The Confederation line LRT has reduced the amount of traffic and pedestrians on Rideau Street. For some storeowners, it also could be reducing the amount of customers.

Corey Hackett, co-owner of skateboarding shop Top of the World, said that walk-in traffic has gone down more than 50 per cent since the construction began. This is a problem during the holidays, as that’s when retailers make a large chunk of their profits.

Though movement in the Rideau and ByWard Market is as easy as it’s ever been, Hackett says that people view the area as a big construction zone. Buses and pedestrians are the only ones allowed on the roadway during construction.

people really underestimate what they can do.”

People are taking all kinds of approaches to ending malaria, including genetically modified mosquitos, but Acheson says, at least right now, nets are our best bet.

“There are a lot of different ways that they’re trying

Photo: CC Julien Harneis

NEWS | 7

National News

Quebecer arrested in connection with YouTube murder threats Masked figure in video claims one Arab in Quebec will be murdered per week Canadian Press iPolitics

iPolitics (CUP)—Montreal police have arrested a man in connection with a YouTube video in which someone says one Arab would be murdered in Quebec every week.

The arrest was made early on the morning of Nov. 18, spokesperson Andre Leclerc said in an interview.

The person in the video was wearing a Joker mask and could be seen brandishing what looks like a pistol as he made the threats and spoke about the recent terrorist attacks in Paris that left 129 people dead.

Leclerc said a toy weapon with compressed air was confiscated when they arrested the 24-year-old man.

He was expected to be arraigned later on Nov. 18 on various charges, including uttering threats, although Leclerc said there could also be charges related to inciting hatred.

The video surfaced on Tuesday and followed an attack on a Muslim woman near an elementary school in Toronto that police said also appeared to be “motivated by hate.”

Photo: Courtesy of iPolitics.

Turkey: a “laboratory” of democracy

Thinking Out Loud series looks at journalism and human rights Gregory Todaro The Concordian

Montreal (CUP)—“Turkey is a graveyard for journalists,” said veteran Turkish journalist Amberin Zaman, speaking to the crowd at a lecture in Concordia University’s D.B. Clarke Theatre on Nov. 16.

She described the influence the government of Turkey has over the firing of journalists, where hundreds of journalists across the country have lost their jobs because they’re either seen as critical of the government or aligned with a group the authorities find

threatening.

“This is what Turkish media is coping with,” said Zaman during the Thinking Out Loud lecture.

Zaman, along with Kyle Matthews, senior deputy director of the Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies at Concordia were guest speakers at the A Conversation About Journalism and Human Rights talk.

The lecture was moderated by foreign editor for the Globe and Mail Susan Sachs.

The talk, which was also co-presented by the Austrian-based International Press Institute, focused on what Za-

8 | NATIONAL NEWS

man calls “unremitting and sustained” suppression by the government on Turkish media.

Zaman herself was fired from the Turkish newspaper HaberTurk after publishing articles against the government. “(The Turkish public) are no longer privy to critical views of the government, so all you have is propaganda,” she said.

“What’s also troubling is that now the government is also targeting the Western press.”

“Now foreign journalists who write stories that make the government uncomfortable can face expulsion,” she said, citing the example of-

Fréderike Geerdink, a Dutch journalist who was recently prosecuted.

When Sachs asked Zaman if she felt her own reporting was influenced by this, Zaman replied, “I’d like to think no.”

Zaman was personally targeted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last year: he called her “A militant in the guise of a journalist,” and told her she needed to “know (her) place.”

“I think it’s very frightening when you see a state that… has full political power and still feels obliged to actually pressure businesses and

private media to toe the line,” said Matthews. “It’s a spiral.

How do you get out of that?”

One possible outlet is Twitter—Zaman said the social media platform is especially popular with younger Turks.

In 2013 during massive protests in Istanbul’s Taksim Gezi Park, #direngezi was trending as a message of resistance.

While social media has allowed people to get and share information, Matthews said the Turkish government is trying to exert its influence online as well.

“In Turkey, we have seen that social media platforms have been shut down numer-

ous times,” he said. “It turns out that 60 per cent of requests to Twitter to shut down accounts or posts… came from the Turkish government.”

However, Matthews also said that social media can greatly empower individuals.

“I think for authoritarian governments (social media is) the one thing that drives them nuts,” he said. “They try to shut down Twitter, they try and shut down Facebook but they can’t control it… I don’t think the 21st Century is going to be very kind to control freaks because you can’t control the flow of information.”

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A&C EDITOR Allegra Morgado arts@thefulcrum.ca

ARTS&CULTURE

(613) 695-0062 @allietate

Inaugural event gives a voice to student experience Student Federation to host its first FEDTalks event on Nov. 29 Natasha Lomonossoff fulcrum contributor

T

he slogan of the TED conferences, most well-known for their TED Talks and TEDx events, is “Ideas Worth Spreading.”

On Nov. 29 at the University of Ottawa, the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) will help spread student-focused ideas with their first-ever TEDx inspired FEDTalks.

“The goal is for students to feel inspired by these talks and to provide a forum in which issues that directly affect students can be discussed,” says Hadi Wess, vice-president social of the SFUO. Since the first installment of FEDTalks is intended to be mainly for students, the talks will largely address the student experience at the U of O. Within this realm of experience, however, “the topics of the talks will range from student activism and govern-

By using a larger space and making the event bilingual, FEDTalks is more inclusive and accessible for all students at the U of O.

Photo: Kim Wiens.

ment, eating disorders, the Syrian refugee crisis, cycling, fashion, and mental health, to identity and bilingualism,” says Wess.

Even though the SFUO has hosted TEDx events in the past, they decided to create the FEDTalks event, which has no official connection to TED, in order to give them more freedom to make the event more

inclusive for the U of O student body.

The event will be held in the Alumni Auditorium, which has a capacity of 300, giving more students the chance to attend the talks as typical TEDx events have a 100-person limit for the audience. To ensure that the event is more inclusive than the regular TEDx events, two Francophone speakers

will be included alongside the nine Anglophone ones.

“Since the culture of TEDTalks is mainly Anglophone, we wanted to include Francophone speakers so that all of our students on campus could be reached and participate in the forum,” says Wess.

FEDTalks will also be made shorter than the TEDx events hosted by the university in

Ottawa Film Festival showcases mountain of talent

prior years so that students can stay for the whole round of talks.

For Christine Moncrieff, who will be one of the speakers at the event, maximum student participation is her hope for the inaugural event. “I hope that everyone who comes out will be able to take something away from each of the speakers,” she says.

Moncrieff, a fourth-year criminology student with a minor in women’s studies, will be giving a speech entitled “The 8-year battle for the 4-year degree”, during which she will detail her experience with mental illness, and her fight to obtain accommodation while studying at the university.

“I want to give a message of encouragement to other students, to let them know that they are not defined by the labels that society places upon them. What matters is that one lives their life according to themselves, not to the labels that they are given,” says Moncrieff.

Francesco Caruso, a second-

year student in conflict studies and human rights, will be focusing on student activism in his talk entitled “The Academic Glass Canon: Combining SelfWorth & Student Activism”. He says that he wants students to realize that activism is important and worthwhile, even if results don’t come quickly.

“Activism is usually timeconsuming work for a student, who has to balance other priorities while at university. It can also be difficult to see immediate results.”

Moncrieff and Caruso are just two of the eleven speakers featured at the inaugural event.

Along with the other nine speakers, their talks will be inspiring students at the first of what will hopefully become an annual event for students to spread meaningful ideas with each other.

FEDTalks will take place on Sunday Nov. 29, beginning at 1 p.m. in the Alumni Auditorium in the UCU. Tickets are available for students to buy at the SFUO Office at UCU-07 for $5 each.

Indie film fest features six U of O alumni maitland shaheen staff contributor

When it comes to the Mirror Mountain Film Festival, an international film fest taking place in Ottawa next month, “expect the unexpected”, says the project’s director Christopher Rohde.

It’s an accurate description of the event, seeing as the festival might just be the first of its kind in Ottawa—a three-day event that celebrates both local and global filmmakers, with a special focus on underground, indie, and alternative films.

Rohde has been a part of the local art scene for a decade, but wanted to see more support and recognition of local filmmakers.

“It was something that I’ve

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been thinking about doing for a long time,” says Rohde, who wanted to combine all of his interests into a singular project.

The festival will take place at Club SAW and the Arts Court Theatre, with an event schedule that includes exclusive screenings, an award ceremony, panel discussions with local artists, and both opening and closing night celebrations.

One of the filmmakers featured is a recent University of Ottawa alumna, Angelina Kuok. A communications graduate, Kuok created a short film entitled Senbazuru as part of a media production class with classmates, Udoka Ijeh, Marina Sigouin, and Samuel Wang.

Senbazuru, which translates to “a thousand origami cranes,” was inspired by “origami cul-

ture,” Kuok explains.

“We want to celebrate this beautiful art in a new perspective, exploring the relationship between people who fold cranes and the cranes themselves.”

In Japan, folding one thousand origami cranes is believed to make wishes come true. The short film explores the historic Japanese tradition with a contemporary Canadian influence.

“We tried to do it in a more modern way, with a Canadian tone,” says Kuok. She and her classmates decided to portray paper cranes of varying colours in the film, representing Canada’s cultural diversity.

Kuok is one of six U of O alumni presenting films at the festival. Her project will

Senbazuru is one of six films at the festival that feature U of O alumni.

be shown as part of “Local Heroes”, one of the festival’s screenings that features short films created by local talent.

In addition to Ottawa-based filmmakers, the festival features work by directors from the United States, Germany, Australia, and more. Rohde says that he received over 600 video submissions, and that the selected works vary in theme.

“There’s a wild variety of visual styles and genres, but

by the virtue of their existence as independent films, they all celebrate the spirit of independent filmmaking.”

In this way, the festival may in fact mirror the values of Senbazuru—cultural diversity and appreciation with a modern, inclusive vibe.

“We’re all really excited for this opportunity,” says Kuok.

“It’s great for us to be able to reach out and get to know other local and international filmmakers.”

Photo: Courtesy of Angelina Kuok.

While the festival hasn’t even begun yet, it seems like its goal of an inclusive celebration of independent artists is already successful. “It’s for films that are a little bit out of the ordinary or unexpected,” says Rohde. “There’s really something for everyone.”

Mirror Mountains runs from Dec. 4-6 at Club SAW, 67 Nicholas St., and the Arts Court Theatre, 2 Daly Avenue. The full itinerary can be found at http:// mirrormountainfilmfest.com.

ARTS & Culture | 9

The human side of pipeline projects

Film on Northern Gateway pipeline to be screened at the U of O Zainab Al-Mehdar fulcrum contributor

Although many Canadians have heard of the Northern Gateway pipeline project and the controversy surrounding it, few understand the way it has impacted those living on the west coast.

Tomas Borsa and JeanPhilippe Marquis, however, decided it was time to help those people be heard.

Borsa and Marquis are part of the documentary team who created the film Line in the Sand, which explores the ways in which the proposed pipeline would impact those living in its path.

The film, which was nominated for the International Jury Prize at the Glasgow International Human Rights Film Festival last month, will be screened at the University of Ottawa on Nov. 28.

Borsa and Marquis traveled from Bruderheim, Alberta to Kitimat, British Columbia with a limited crew to create the film, collecting testimonies from Canadians whose livelihoods and cultures could be influenced by the approval and construction of the pipe-

line.

“We were very focused on the people, the human factor was the center of the film. We wanted to meet people and hear what they had to say,” said Marquis.

The inspiration for the film came from a combination of curiosity about the impact, and a desire to delve in deeper than the mainstream media was doing.

“We felt that the media was framing the Northern Gateway pipeline as a very oppositional project—Alberta versus British Columbia, and First Nations versus white people, and jobs versus the environment,” said Marquis. “So we wanted to go on the ground and see what people were thinking, because the media coverage was too vague or too generalized. “ The film was shot over the course of two years, and was funded by a Kickstarter campaign and the Borsa and Marquis’ own savings.

“While we were traveling we slept in the van or with friends, or camped and cooked,” said Marquis.

The free screening will be

A powerful message graffitied on a fence in a town affected by the pipeline in a still from Line in the Sand.

presented by Cinema Academica, a film club at the U of O. It will be shown in English with French subtitles, and will be followed by a discussion with Marquis about the film.

He said he is hoping that viewers walk away from the film with more knowledge

about those affected by the Northern Gateway, as well as a deeper understanding of the impact of potential pipeline projects in future.

“It’s hard to end a film with a story that has no ending. At some point you need to close the book and say we have to film it, so we decided to make a

Photo: Courtesy of Tomas Borsa.

film not only about the Northern Gateway, but rather use that as a case study, and we made a film about pipelines,” said Marquis. “We met different people who are protesting for different reasons … we hope that the viewers can relate to different people fighting for different reasons.”

Although the screening is free, donations are welcome, and all of the money raised will go towards supporting communities affected such as the Unist’ot’en and Madii’lii.

The screening of Line in the Sand will take place at 7 p.m. on Nov. 28 in room 150 in Marion Hall.

Field research course helps student group make a world of a difference

Student-run event showcases Bangladeshi culture while raising money for the acid attack survivors Klaassen notes that although Bangladesh has the highest rates of acid attacks of women, gender-based violence is a worldwide problem and acid attacks are not unique to Bangladesh.

“The garment industry is so large there and they often are using hazardous or unsafe materials. Violence against women happens in all different forms, all over the world, including in our own society, and this is just one of the forms in which it happens there.”

Besides providing medical care and social services, the ASF also offers free legal advice, employment services and reintegration programs to victims.

The fundraiser will begin with a reception featuring Bangladeshi food and culture, including a henna station and photo display, and conclude with a series of expert presentations. Speakers include Professor Banerjee, Dewan

madison mcsweeney staff contributor

What do henna, a silent auction, and wine all have in common? They’re all a part of the Wine and Samosas fundraising event that a group of University of Ottawa students are hosting on Nov. 30.

Featuring Bengali food, music and culture, as well as expert presentations, the fundraiser will support the Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF), which provides medical and social services to Bengali victims of acid violence.

Acid violence refers to the throwing of corrosive acid into a person’s face, leaving the victim with severe physical disabilities, reduced economic prospects, and often a lasting social stigma. The majority of victims are young women, who are often targeted in retaliation after rejecting sexual advances or marriage proposals. Bangladesh has the high-

10 | ARTS & CULTURE

The students organizing the event were inspired after visiting the ASF headquarters on a research trip to Bangladesh.

Photo: Courtesy of Rebecca Klaassen.

est rate of acid attacks against women in the world.

Event organizers Rebecca Klaassen, Benjamin Stiver, Katie Redwood, Shevaun EnsorHarrison, Laura Feltham, and Emilie Carriere were inspired to “raise funds and awareness” for this issue while on a field research course in Bangladesh researching gender-based violence. The group worked under Professor Nipa Banerjee and the Bangladesh-based NGO,

BRAC. The students saw the effects of acid violence firsthand during a visit to the ASF headquarters in Bangladesh.

“You meet young women who are about the same age as we are and it affects their lives so much,” said Klaassen, a fourth-year international development and globalization student. “It’s just a very emotional, hard-hitting experience.”

“Violence against women happens in all different forms, all over the world, including in our own society, and this is just one of the forms in which it happens there.”—Rebecca Klaassen, fourth-year international development and globalization student.

Mahmud of the High Commission of Bangladesh to Ottawa, and the students who went on the trip themselves.

Dr. Banerjee’s presentation will largely focus on the value of study-abroad programs, which she says promote empathy and provide a “great learning experience” that cannot be replicated in a classroom.

Banerjee believes that even more than the funds raised, the major impact of the event will be the “nurturing (of) understanding and empathy” for people in other parts of the world.

Tickets are $10 for students and $20 for the general pub-

lic, with all proceeds donated directly to the ASF. The event is being sponsored by the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa and the School of International Development and Global Studies, with food donated by local Bangladeshi and Indian restaurants.

Tickets can be purchased from the International Development and Globalization Student Association office in FSS 2039 until Nov. 30 or at the door, if they are not sold out. The event will take place in FSS 4007, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Check out the Facebook event page for more information: https://www.facebook.com/ events/1651249368463231/.

thefulcrum.ca

W

hile some revel in the colder seasons, the approaching winter means stress-induced sleepless nights due to creeping exams, culminating with the inevitable winter woes faced by many students.

All those Red B u l l-f u e l l e d a l l-n i g hte r s and chilly winter winds can lead to one unfortunate thing—dull, dehydrated and tiredlooking skin.

Although your skin may not have fully recovered yet after the onslaught of midterms, you’re now also dealing with the effects of extreme weather conditions while trying to keep the last hint of your summer glow. Luckily the Fulcrum is here to help you say goodbye to a lifeless complexion and say hello to glowing winter skin!

Campus style: Keeping your skin radiant this winter

Winter may be coming but dry skin doesn’t have to Christelle Musambi staff contributor

Art: Kim Wiens

All those Red Bull-fuelled allnighters and chilly winter winds can lead to one unfortunate thing— dull, dehydrated and tired-looking skin.

izer to better penetrate and prepares your canvas for “Operation: Illuminated Skin”. Choose a creamier exfoliator with spherical exfoliating beads, as its gel counterpart strips away surface oils crucial for colder weather.

Product recommendations: Murad Smoothing Polish at $35-$40 or St. Ives Even & Bright Pink Lemon and Mandarin Orange Scrub at $5.99-$6.99.

Beautiful Honeydew & Chamomile Sleeping Mask at $1.50-$1.99 and Lush Eau Roma Water Toner at $10.95-$22.95.

Double Up A cold weather emergency skin kit is not complete without facial oil. Just a few drops of your favourite facial oil over the mask locks in the moisture. Rub the facial oil in your hands, pat it onto your skin and work it in a circular, upward motion. In the mornings, you can use the oil on its own, or mixed into your moisturizer to create a soft glow.

Product recommendations: Jeffrey James The Glow Oil at $12.99 or L’Oreal Age Perfect Glow Renewal Facial Oil at $19.99-$24.99.

Ovenight Moisture Your regular moisturizer simply won’t be enough for winter defence, so it’s time to pull out those heavyduty sleeping masks. Hydrated skin is key for reviving a sallow complexion.

Overnight masks infuse your skin with the moisture it desperately needs, and since the formulas are thicker, you receive an extra dose of hydration.

Before applying it, grab a rose water toner and spritz away, following immediately with the mask. If it’s a particularly frosty one out, you can continue to spray rose water throughout the day to replenish your moisture barrier.

Product recommendations: Freeman Feeling

Scrubbed Smooth First thing’s first, get rid of all those dead skin cells to reveal the softer skin beneath. Exfoliation allows for your moistur-

Dew the Glow Now it’s time to incorporate the fall/winter runway beauty trends that will complement your dewy complexion. Nothing says fresh skin like a good glow from an illuminator.

Highlight the high points of your face, which are the top of your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, your cupid’s bow and above your brow.

Mixes with Mack: The Jet Mackenzie Gray fulcrum PRESIDENT

Creamsicles are an integral part of any proper childhood. Here’s how to enjoy one as an adult.

What’s in the drink?

Triple Sec is a sweet, clear and smooth orange flavoured liqueur. A 750 mL bottle will cost you $23.95, and a Mickey only $12.95, making it one of the most affordable and flexible purchases you can make.

Galliano is an Italian herbal liqueur, which is code for “it tastes like

vanilla.” At $17.45 for a 375 mL bottle, Galliano is firmly planted in the premium liqueur category, but you only need a small amount to get the desired effect, allowing the bottle to last a deceptively long time.

Orange Juice. Now that’s an ingredient we all know—but don’t buy from concentrate or with any pulp in it, you’ll ruin the drink. If you’re looking to impress your guests or want to go the extra mile, consider squeezing the juice yourself. You’ll taste the difference.

Grenadine is a blackcurrant

A Hint of Blue Smudged blue liner along the waterline instantly brightens the eye.

Just line your lower lash line and use your finger to smudge away to make your eyes stand out.

Product recommendations: Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Bluefin at $29 or Annabelle Kohl Eyeliner in Midnite Blue at $5.99-$6.99.

Flushed Cheeks A bright pink or red blush instantly livens your complexion, and avoids the dullness that comes with the lack of sunshine in the winter months.

Product recommendations: Mac Mineralize Blush in Love Thing at $32 and NYX Powder Blush in Desert Rose at $9.99-10.99.

Follow all of these beauty tips, and watch your lackluster skin transform into a winter wonderland.

flavoured bar syrup that is both thick and sweet. This drink uses it for style, but many others use it to add a hint of sweetness. At around $5 for a 750 ml bottle, this is an affordable buy that will last you a ridiculously long time.

The easy way out.

Does bringing four bottles to a party sound like a hassle? Skip out on the Galliano and grenadine and go straight to the Triple Sec and orange juice. You won’t have the same vanilla flavour, or the presentation and sweetness of the grenadine, but you’ll still have a tasty drink in a pinch.

1 ½ oz Triple Sec 1 oz Galliano 5 to 6 oz of orange juice 2 drops of grenadine Start with an Old Fashioned glass (or a solo cup, depending on your venue) and fill with ice. Measure out the Triple Sec and Galliano—fill the rest of the glass with orange juice, leaving a little room at the top. Stir the drink. Place a spoon over the top of the glass with the back surface facing up.

Slowly pour a small amount of grenadine over the back of the spoon and watch the grenadine sink to the bottom. Enjoy! thefulcrum.ca

Product recommendations: Forever 21 Tri-Color Illuminating Bronzer at $6.99-$7.99 and MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in various colours at $37.00.

Photo: Kim Wiens.

ARTS & Culture | 11

The truth behind GMOs Nicholas Robinson Staff Contributor

I

n the last 40 years, genetic engineering and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have revealed themselves to be tools of great potential, with applications ranging from basic research to feeding families.

However, despite these benefits, this practice has been met with mixed feelings, suspicion, and, when it comes to food, an often hostile reaction from the public. As it stands, only about a third of the general population thinks that genetic engineered (GE) crops are safe to eat.

Yet, the science on this issue is startlingly clear.

There are hundreds of studies demonstrating the safety of such food—9 out of 10 scientists say GE crops are safe, and every reputable scientific and public health organisation, from Health Canada to the National Academy of Sciences to the European Commission, echo this sentiment.

There are not many issues on which the public opinion is so distant from the scientific consensus. But then again, this issue is one that’s often dominated by politics, hyperbolic claims, and pseudo-science.

This is a shame, since this field has both world-wide implications–discovering how best to feed the world–and local applications, with research on GE crops being carried out at the experimental farms in Ottawa and even here at the University of Ottawa campus.

So what is genetic engineering really about, and why has it been met with such a hostile reaction over the years?

History of GMOs The historical use of GMOs a c t u ally goes back

further than one would think.

While insulin was discovered back in the 1920s by Canadian scientists Frederick Banting and John Macleod, those forms of insulin (derived from pigs and cows) were slightly different to that found in humans and less effective, with a higher risk of causing allergies.

In the 1970s, an American start-up called Genentech solved this problem. They invented an easy way of synthesizing human insulin by genetically engineering E. coli bacteria to produce a more human-friendly form of the hormone. Since then, almost all insulin used by diabetics comes from GE bacteria and yeast.

It didn’t take long for GE microorganisms to become widely used as an essential tool for research and as a better way to produce medicine.

In the 1990s, GMOs came to our plates.

Rennet, a key ingredient in cheese making, was synthesised using GE bacteria for the first time in 1990. Now, almost all cheese is made that way.

Later in the ‘90s, genetic engineering helped save the papaya.

“The papaya ringspot virus hit Hawaii’s papaya groves, decimating the livelihoods of farmers and damaging the island’s economy,” said Andrea Palmieri, a recent graduate from the Food Science and Nutrition program from Carleton University.

Palmieri went on to say that this dismal trend continued, until a team of university researchers created a GE papaya that was resistant to the disease. Since then, papaya crops have flourished.

That decade, more GE plants such as cotton, squash, soy, and corn were all introduced. The genetic modifications in each helped these crops survive diseases and reduce pesticide use. With this in mind, farmers enthusiastically embraced the technology and soon almost all crops being planted were GE. Unfortunately, it also didn’t take long for opposition to the technology to blossom.

In 1998 Percy Schmeiser, a farmer in Saskatchewan, was sued by Monsanto Canada for patent infringement.

The Supreme Court of Canada ruled in Monsanto’s favour, finding that Schmeiser had “never purchased Roundup Ready canola nor obtained a licence to plant it. Test of (his) canola crop revealed that 95-98 per cent was Roundup Ready Canola” later going on to say “(His) involvement with the disputed canola was also clearly commercial in nature.”

Despite being sued by Monsanto for accidental contamination, Schmeiser marketed himself as a per-

secuted farmer to the public. Following this event, and a bungled introduction of GE crops in Europe around the same time, genetic engineering and GMOs became inextricably linked to evil corporations in the public perception.

“Monsanto has become a scapegoat and the symbol for corporate greed,” Palmieri said.

This is a fact considered ironic by many, especially considering that the organic industry, worth over $60-billion , is exploiting that reputation to get a leg up on their competition and profit off of public fears.

“Big organic has linked their objectives to the Anti-GE movement, and sees conventional farming methods and GE as a competitive threat to their business,” said Palmieri. “By promoting fearful claims about GE foods, they are also advertising that their organic products are inherently superior to them.”

Now, Monsanto are no saints. As with most large corporations that are profit driven, there is some questionable stuff in their history, including accusations of bullying farmers, bad environmental policies, and unfairly monopolizing the food industry (although many of these allegations have been disproven over the years).

However, the alleged ills of industrial agriculture should not cancel out the good that GMOs can do for society.

Breakthroughs While misguided environmentalists continue to spread fear and hysteria about genetic engineering, GMOs continue to lead the way in terms of ground-breaking scientific research.

For example, many professors at the U of O are currently using genetic engineering and GMOs to bolster their research.

Dr. John Bell, a professor of medicine at the U of O and a senior scientist from the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, is looking to treat cancer with viruses.

“Cancer cells want to become immortal, but they have to give up something. They gave up the ability to fight viruses,” he said. “Therefore, maybe we can design viruses that infect only cancer cells.”

Dr. Mark Ekker, a biologist at the U of O, is currently using GE zebrafish to research Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative disorder that is mainly caused by the death of certain neurons.

“We need to make transgenic fish that allows us to genetically kill those neurons that make dopamine. There are a number of ways that you can kill these neurons but we think that the transgenic approach is the most promising.”

In March of this year, Health Canada approved the Arctic apple, the first GE apple to enter the

market. Developed by a small Canadian company, the apple doesn’t go brown when cut—a trait which will certainly appeal to the fussy eaters of the world.

According to Health Canada, “The science behind the Arctic apple is quite simple.

A gene was introduced into the Arctic apple that results in a reduction in the levels of enzymes that make apples turn brown when sliced. In every other way, the Arctic apple tree and its fruit are identical to any other apple.”

This November, breakthroughs that involve GMO usage are even bearing fruit south of the border.

After a two-decade approval process, the first GE animal destined for food was approved in the United States. Developed by a small American company, it’s a salmon that grows much faster—a trait that could ease the overfishing pressure on wild salmon.

Around the same time, the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Innate potato, the first GE potato to gain approval. When fried, that potato produces a lot less acrylamide—a nasty carcinogen.

While many people in the anti-GMO crowd use terms like “unnatural” and “artificial” to discredit this kind of research, when you get right down to it, genetic engineering is in tandem with the principles of nature.

Evolution and GMOs At the heart of the genetic engineering process lies DNA. All living beings on Earth use DNA to carry genetic information and as this genetic information mutates throughout the generations, new traits appear, and life evolves.

Throughout most of history, evolution was guided by natural selection—the bestadapted traits tended to survive, while the less-adapted traits were likely to die off.

However, with the dawn of human intelligence came a new type of selection— one in which traits chosen by humans tended to survive. This artificial selection found a crucial application in agriculture.

“Every fruit, grain, vegetable, and domestic animal we eat today bear little resemblance to the crops we started cultivating 10,000 years ago,” said Palmieri. “Almonds used to be loaded with lethal doses of cyanide. Bananas used to be chock-full of seeds. Corn used to be a tiny inedible grass with its kernels encased in hard shells.”

As science progressed, new ways of breeding traits arose along with it.

“We make a synthetic piece of DNA that encodes the gene we want,” said Ekker, using his experiments with zebrafish to illustrate his point.

“When you introduce into a fertilized egg, then this would integrate into one of the zebrafish chromosomes and this piece of DNA, now called a transgene, will make the enzyme and make it specifically in the

targeted cells.”

One of the most promising innovations in genetic engineering recently has been the CRISPR method, which makes the process of genetic engineering cheaper, quicker, and more efficient.

“In CRISPR what you can do is take the genome and change something that’s already in the genome for something else.

We call it genome editing,” said Ekker, “The progress using this approach has been phenomenal over the last few years. It’s going to revolutionize basic research.”

At the end of the day, when faced with a large population and the large threat of climate change and world hunger, researchers need all the tools they can get. Genetic engineering techniques are simply one of these useful tools.

Science doesn’t have to be scary Despite these miraculous breakthroughs in science and health, the opposition to GMOs remains strong.

Anti-biotech groups routinely destroy research labs and lead witch hunts against public scientists.

This paranoia even extends to the U of O student government, since The Student Federation of the University of Ottawa will only endorse products that are defined as organic, which means non-GE. “There has been a huge boon in foods labelled ‘non-GMO’, but most of these foods don’t even have a GE counterpart, which is very misleading,” Palmieri said.

Not only is this kind of sentiment dishonest, but it also has proven to be dangerous.

This comes to light in the story of Golden Rice—a type of rice bred to have high levels of vitamin A. It was developed by a nonprofit organization to help solve vitamin A deficiency problems in countries where rice is a dietary staple. Since it was first developed 15 years ago, Greenpeace has vigorously fought it. As a result, Golden Rice has never been used, which is disastrous for those who are vulnerable to vitamin A deficiency.

“Each year, vitamin A deficiency is responsible for up to two million deaths and 500,000 cases of irreversible blindness.” said Palmieri.

Despite the persistence of anti-science hysteria and misinformed environmental rhetoric, the opposition is understandable.

The genetic revolution promises to be a very powerful one, and with great power comes great responsibility. Far too often scientists have failed to effectively talk about what they’re doing to the public, and the media has also been far too prone to sensationalist reporting and poor fact-

checking.

“S cientists should spend more of their time talking to the public about what they’re doing, why they’re doing it and the care they’re taking when doing it,” said Ekker, This sentiment is echoed by Palmieri.

“We must actively participate in the conversation,” she said.

Bell believes that this kind of exchange is a two-way street between scientists and the public.

“The people of Canada have supported our work, and if we are successful, they deserve as much credit as we do.”

Luckily, it seems like some figures in the scientific community are looking to mobilize and put an end to misinformation and scare tactics regarding GMOs. Earlier this year, three American science communicators started March Against Myths about Modification, a movement dedicated to spreading awareness of genetic engineering.

Palmieri, who led the Ottawa branch of this movement, says this is a start, but the scientific community still has a long way to go.

“There aren’t enough of us out there balancing the misinformation with the facts and because of this, it has resulted in a major communication gap… genetic engineering is not to be feared. It’s a valuable tool that offers tangible and diverse benefits.”

Hopefully this adherence to scientific fact and levelheadedness remains strong, since genetic engineering has shown itself to be a safe and powerful tool that can be used to benefit humanity at large.

Art: Kim Wiens

SPORTS

cavalry

SPORTS EDITOR Spencer Murdock sports@thefulcrum.ca

@SpencerMurdock @FulcrumSports

awards

Photo: Marta Kierkus.

Coach of the Year Jen Boyd

Gee Gees women’s rugby head coach Jen Boyd won her second consecutive Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) Coach of the Year, and rightfully so, as she coached the Gees to an unbeaten regular season and Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) bronze medal.

The Gee-Gees achieved consecutive unbeaten

Photo: Ian MacAlpine.

regular seasons, and outscored their opponents 421-48. Boyd led the team to their first ever top-ranking in the program’s history. The Gees can consider themselves very fortunate to have one of the very best coaches in women’s sports on their sideline.

—David Agbaire

Female Co-Most Valuable Players Irene Patrinos Irene Patrinos had what must be regarded as a career year, as she helped the women’s rugby team to a strong showing at the CIS national championships. The team made it to the semifinals of the competition and secured their best-ever finish in a season. Patrinos was instrumental in the Gees’ dominance this season with her accurate kicking and electric speed. In her

six conference games she scored 40 points from three tries, eight conversions, and two penalty kicks. For her efforts this season she was named to the All-RSEQ first team and turned in a career performance at RSEQ finals where she placed in the Championship Finals All-Star team. In her final year with the Gees, she posted perhaps her best season yet.

Photo: Marta Kierkus.

Male Most Valuable Player:

Derek Wendel Derek Wendel had his best season for the Gee-Gees, it was also the best season for any U of O quarterback since Brad Sinopoli in 2010.

Although it was a disappointing year in the standings, Wendel lit up the stat sheet and record books. Wendel threw for a staggering 3,136 yards on a nation-best 216 completions with 29 total touchdowns. He shattered

school, conference, and national records on his way to a second-team All-OUA nomination. Wendel proved that the Gee-Gees’ offensive attack was one of the most potent in the nation. With such an accomplished season he’s successfully put himself on the radar of CFL scouts.

—Spencer Murdock

Pilar Khoury

14 |

Pilar Khoury had another outstanding season for the women’s soccer team. Her 11 goals in the regular season firmly established her as one of the most dangerous strikers in the nation, and lead her to a second consecutive AllCanadian team appearance.

The Gees unfortunately stumbled at the last

Photo: Marta Kierkus.

hurdle, losing in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) semifinals and failing to qualify for the national championships.

However, Khoury without a doubt closed her career in garnet and grey in fantastic fashion.

—David Agbaire

Dancing Cam more than just a black and white issue

Discomfort with black players and their celebrations uncovers racial issues in sport Moussa Sangaré-Ponce Staff Contributor

To dance or not to dance?

That is the debate raging over Carolina Panthers star quarterback Cam Newton.

After scoring a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans on Nov. 15, Newton started celebrating by doing the “dab” dance.

A Titans defender confronted him and then he did it again. The dab is a small dance that originated in the last year in Atlanta’s hip-hop scene, and was popularized by the group Migos. Atlanta is a predominantly black city and is also Newton’s hometown.

Normally a player’s dance moves wouldn’t make headlines, but Newton’s celebration has the sporting world in an uproar. According to Deadspin, last week sports media figure Skip Bayless, a host of ESPN’s First Take, called the dance, “a little much for a franchise quarterback.”

You may ask why this is such a hot take—well first, he’s a quarterback, and second he’s a young black man.

The Charlotte Observer was at the forefront of the issue, where Jonathan Jones wrote a column on why Cam should continue to dance. In response, a Tennessee mom named Rosemary Plorin also wrote an open

letter to the paper ripping the quarterback for his celebratory actions.

According to Plorin, the dance was inflammatory and was not reflective of a role model, as she claimed she had to redirect her daughter’s attention to the cheerleaders and the mascot during the dancing.

Here lies a problem—scantily clad women dancing and cheering over controlled violence and a person in a mascot costume are apparently better role models than a black man thriving in America.

Newton has had a few bumps along the road to success, but his tremendous amount of charity work in Charlotte, Atlanta, and across the country speak to his character.

Is Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who twice dealt with sexual cases during his career a better role model than Cam? What about Aaron Rodgers?

The Green Bay QB turned his famed championship belt touchdown celebration into sponsorship cheques doing ‘discount double-checks’ with State Farm.

It should be OK to dance though, because white players in NFL are allowed to show their emotion—just ask Tom Brady. He is seen screaming, rallying his team and faces no

Cam Newton’s MVP caliber season should not be overshadowed by meaningless dance moves.

opposition.

If you’re white, not showing emotions is OK too—Eli Manning has done that for over a decade and the media just said it was Eli being Eli. However, when Newton did it in his early years his leadership was brought into question.

There’s not only a racial double standard when debat-

ing Cam Newton, but also a positional one. If any other player on the team had celebrated as Newton did in Tennessee, nobody would have blinked an eye.

Quarterbacks however are held to a different standard because they’re the leaders. It could also be a new school vs. old school debate but a lot of

Gees thrash Algoma to remain perfect

Men’s and women’s basketball both improve to 5-0 in blowouts Spencer Murdock Sports Editor

As far as thunderous starts go, both Gee-Gees basketball teams know a little something about them.

After making collective light work of their first four opponents of the 2015-16 season, the Gees welcomed the Algoma Thunderbirds to Montpetit Hall on Nov. 20.

It wasn’t a warm welcoming for Algoma, as their teams were trounced in succession.

In the women’s game, there was never a doubt that the game would be a win for the upstart squad. They pounced

on the Thunderbirds early, only allowing the team a single point in the first quarter.

Behind the offence of fourth-year Catherine Traer, the Gees carried their commanding lead to a 74-23 win.

Traer continued her early dominance this season with a 21-point performance, while newcomer Anne Wagar scored 14 points and pulled down eight rebounds.

Head coach Andy Sparks praised Wagar for her hard work in a developing role on the team.

“The game slows down for her,” said Sparks. “She’s not a player that plays out of con-

New Gee-Gee Anne Wagar drives to the hoop.

trol. So for a first-year player that’s a major benefit. She can actually step in now and contribute.”

The men’s team looked to exact the same punishment on the winless Thunderbirds following the blowout in the women’s game.

The nation’s number one ranked team wasted no time attacking Algoma. Led by a flurry of threes from point guard Mike L’Africain, the Gee-Gees took a commanding 51-17 lead at the half.

Algoma started getting

Photo: Richard A Whittaker

their shots to fall in the second half but were unable to match the power of the Gees’ squad as they fell by a lopsided margin of 85-49.

Caleb Agada showed out for the Gee-Gees as he slammed rim-rocking dunks on three occasions and had a chasedown block that envied the work of LeBron James.

Agada had the high in scoring on the night with 18 points and nine rebounds.

“We got a little bit complacent,” said head coach James Derouin. “There was a lot of

Photo: CC, Mike Morebek

past great quarterbacks celebrated touchdowns vigorously.

However, Brady, Rodgers and every other quarterback in the NFL, also show more than a little emotion when celebrating and expecting your quarterback to be stoic and emotionless is antiquated.

In the end it will be hard for Cam Newton to appease the

doubters, and there’s still a long ways to go to eliminate double standards within sport.

Just like he said: If you don’t want him to dance, don’t let him score. If your child asks you what he is doing while celebrating, tell them he’s doing exactly what he should be while playing football—having fun.

good things defensively tonight and it’s something we’ve really been working on so it’s a positive moving forward.”

As impressive of a performance as any was the one turned in from fourth-year forward Noel Jones.

In only 12 minutes, Jones was five-for-five, scoring 10 points and nabbing two rebounds.

In a few minutes, the former Syracuse University player provides a security blanket of sorts for the Gee-Gees. He creates quick offence and is a force in the post,. No matter what the situation, he’s ready to go in.

This hard work is paying dividends. “It means a lot,” said Jones. “I’m just happy to come out and be a part of the win and really contribute.”

“I’m understanding the position more and what coach wants from me so it’s really helping me gain that extra understanding.”

Jones’ coach also recognizes the progression of his player.

“He’s been getting better

and better and better,” said Derouin. “He’s stayed ready and stayed focused and I’m fired up for him. He’s a great kid and never complains about his minutes and you’re really seeing his game come together and it’s great to see.”

The Gee-Gees final two games before the holiday break will be the toughest tests they’ve faced so far. They welcome Windsor and Western—two teams that played them close last season.

“We lost to Windsor at OUAs (Wilson Cup Final Four) and we all took that personally,” said Agada. “On the Western side Greg Morrow scored 40 on us last year and we want to lock him up.”

The double-headers will both get underway with the women tipping off at 6 p.m. and the men at 8 p.m. on Nov. 27 and 28.

“It’s going to be a big test,” said Jones. “Those are two really good teams and if we can come out with two wins it will be a big step in the right direction towards a great year.”

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Sports | 15

Quick Hits

Gees hockey stays hot in win over Stingers

Sitting atop the conference, Ottawa squad is getting better by the week

The Gees have reason to celebrate their early success.

that solidified their place atop the provincial regular season standing— currently owning an impressive 6-3 record on the year.

Relentless offensive attacks by both teams highlighted the early goings of the game. Mélodie Bouchard and Vicky Lemire found the back of the net for Ottawa to take the lead in the first period.

Concordia managed to start crawling back as Ann-Julie Deschenes scored a power play goal early in the second period. The Gee-Gees would respond to the test with a goal from

david agbaire proofreader

On Nov. 22, the Gee-Gees women’s hockey team travelled to Montreal to take on a tough Concordia Stingers team and was looking to extend their impressive start to the season.

Concordia had previously beaten the Gees 4-2 in Ottawa earlier in the season and were coming into the game with a middle-of-the-pack 4-5 record.

The Gees avenged their loss with a convincing 4-1 win, in a performance

Photo: Marta Kierkus

A final third period goal from Camille Pauck-Therrin clinched the game for the Gees and capped off another impressive performance.

Carol-Ann Upshall that restored the two-goal lead late in the period.

A final third period goal from Camille Pauck-Therrin clinched the game for the Gees and capped off another impressive performance.

The Gees were in fine form as goalie Maude Lévesque-Ryan made 26 saves, in a solid performance between the posts.

The team will look to extend their winning streak with a 7 p.m. game against the Carleton Ravens on Nov. 27 at Minto Sports Complex. The previous game between these two teams

resulted in a 2-1 victory for the visiting Gees.

They will close out the year in an away game with the third-ranked Mc-

Gill team on Nov. 29 at 3 p.m. The Gees will enjoy a lengthy break from their taxing schedule before resuming play in January.

FulcFit food series: Lentil cheddar cheese loaf Jaclyn McRae-Sadik Associate News Editor

During the school year, it’s all too easy to let your eating habits slip. To help fight this, the Fulcrum has some essential recipes to

keep you full and fit all year long.

When you’re working with a budget but need something to get you through that exam period, lentil cheddar loaf is quick, filling and doesn’t use up

that spare cash you’re keeping for the bar. Plus, a good protein kick can’t hurt when you’re running low on energy.

It keeps in the fridge, and you can heat it up easily all week for a quick snack.

Ingredients:

Photo: CC, Justinc

6 ounces red lentils 12 fluid ounces water 4 ounces grated cheddar cheese 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped 1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 large egg 3 tablespoons cream 1 teaspoon butter Salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Step 1: Preheat the oven at 190 °C or 375 °F. Step 2: Cook lentils in a pan with water for 10-15 minutes, or until a hard puree.

Step 3: Remove lentils from heat and mix in grated cheese, onions, parsley, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice.

Step 4: In a bowl, beat the egg and stir in the cream.

Step 5: Add in the egg and cream mixture to lentils.

Step 6: Grease a 1lb loaf pan with butter and press in the mixture.

Step 7: Bake for 45-50 minutes until the top is golden and firm.

Step 8: Let it stand for 10 minutes in the pan, and then turn out.

Voilà, enjoy!

16 | SPORTS

thefulcrum.ca

OPINIONS

OPINIONS EDITOR David Campion-Smith

opinions@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0062 @davidcs96

When talking about the refugee crisis, look at Canada’s history

Canada’s past can show us how not to handle crises that happen today David Campion-Smith Opinions Editor

I

f all goes according to the Liberal government’s plan, 10,000 Syrian refugees will be admitted into our country before the year is out.

Unfortunately, many people are adamantly against the idea of letting refugees into the country, citing security concerns.

A quick glance at different social media platforms, and you’re bombarded with comments such as “focus on Canadians first,” among others, that condemn the idea of giving refugees sanctuary in Canada.

The idea that Canada is a nation of immigrants, with the exception of Indigenous peoples, has already been brought up, when discussing how many refugees Canada should let in.

However despite our reputation for multiculturalism and openness, Canada has denied entry to those fleeing persecution before—and if

you’re surprised to hear that, it’s probably because it’s not something our country likes to proudly talk about.

First, and perhaps most infamously, we have the S.S. St. Louis—a ship carrying 907 German Jews that was denied access to Cuba, the U.S., a whole host of Central American countries, and then finally Canada.

Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, members of his government, and the general public felt that this wasn’t a Canadian problem, and that taking in all of the Jewish people fleeing Nazi persecution wouldn’t be feasible.

A common view at the time was that someone had to draw the line at allowing refugees in, and it might as well have been Canada. The SS St. Louis was turned around when it arrived in 1939 and returned to Europe. Of the 907 who were denied access to Canada at least 254 would die in Europe, according to the National Post.

In 1914 came the S.S. Komagata Maru, a ship with eco-

nomic immigrants from India.

The ship and its 376 occupants were confined to a port in Vancouver for almost two months without being resupplied by the government. The ship and its passengers were eventually forced to leave under the watchful eye of two Canadian naval vessels.

The reason given for the exclusion of these passengers was the “Continuous Passage Act”, which meant that only ships that had arrived directly from their port of origin, without stops, would be accepted into Canada.

The treatment of Chinese immigrants in the early 20th century is yet another refugee issue that Canada failed to act on. Taxes were imposed

by Canada that limited the amount of family members a worker could bring over by charging a price per person.

There was also the “Chinese Exclusion Act” which refused entry to any Chinese immigrant who wasn’t a merchant, dignitary or student.

Passed in 1923 under Prime Minister William Lyon Mack-

Passengers aboard the Komagata Maru.

enzie King, this law wasn’t repealed until 1947. Some of these refused Chinese immigrants were hoping to join family that had arrived to do work on the railroad, while others were fleeing the first skirmishes of the Chinese civil war.

Does any of this sound fa-

Photo: CC, Leonard Juda Frank

miliar? If you’ve been paying the headlines any attention over the past few weeks, it should be clear that we are living through one of these moments right now—and now is exactly the time to change this pattern. In 20 or 30 years from now we can point to the current refugee crisis and say

that, in comparison to Canada’s previous refugee situations, we did the right thing.

As a country we need to change our attitudes toward refugees to ensure that future Canadians are proud of their country’s identity on a global scale, and do those Canadian history books a favour.

Beer in grocery stores a good start but let’s give more options Ontario’s break-up of Beer Store and LCBO monopoly way overdue

“The Beer Store, a privately-owned company, enjoys a legal monopoly on the sale of beer in the province. It’s because of this that the move to open up alcohol sales is long overdue.”

Nicholas Robinson Staff Contributor

The government of Ontario is moving to let grocery stores sell beer, in a plan to modernize alcohol sales in the province. Allowing more stores to sell beer is a good start, but it’s now time to break up other government monopolies in this sector.

A group of 13 approved retailers will be allowed to start selling beer in some of their locations next month.

Any store willing to sell beer needs to have at least 100 square metres dedicated to selling food and must sell “a full range of food products,” according to the Ontario government.

The Beer Store, a privately-owned company, enjoys a legal monopoly on the sale of beer in the province. It’s because of this monopoly that the move to open up alcohol sales is long overdue.

Photo: Kim Wiens

Government alcohol monopolies, be it the Beer Store or the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), are born out of moral prohibitionism. As previous experiments with prohibition have shown, the government can’t really control alcohol consumption.

In fact, that sort of government interventionism tends to create more problems than it solves, by pushing consumption to the margins of society and allowing organized crime to flourish.

It isn’t the government’s role to dic-

tate an individual’s shopping choices.

It may be true that in some cases government monopolies can be preferable than private businesses, but it’s not the government’s job to make sure that we can buy cheap beer.

Liberalizing the alcohol market will also help small local breweries establish themselves.

As well as breaking up the Beer Store monopoly, it’s time to privatize the LCBO, or at least end its monopoly. The free market has shown itself to be the most effective tool for providing better services and innovation, and it does so without coercing citizens. After Alberta privatized its liquor sales at least 1, 187 new liquor selling businesses opened providing

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liquor in the province. The types of liquor available also increased from 2,200 products pre-privatization to 19,000 products in 2013 according to The Huffington Post.

That doesn’t mean, however, that the government needs to get rid of the LCBO entirely—a well-run LCBO in a competitive market could be a source of steady income for the government.

The federal government should learn from this as they look for plan to legalize marijuana and create a system with multiple options from the beginning.

Allowing beer to be sold in grocery stores is a good start, but for a real change we need a stronger effort to break up government monopolies.

OPINIONS | 17

Let’s face it—we still have a period problem

Ignorance towards a natural human condition needs to go Faith Jamael

Fulcrum Contributor Thinx, a New York City-based company, recently faced controversy and backlash for ads that they applied to have posted in New York City metro stations. The reason?

These ads depict women modelling Thinx’s newest product—a line of period underwear.

These innovative undies, which promise to provide your favourite white jeans the protection they need from Mother Nature, can absorb up to two tampons worth of discharge during a woman’s menstrual cycle.

With a variety of designs and sizes, any woman can find something to help “that time of the month” pass by a little easier.

Upon looking at these scarlet letter-worthy ads, I discovered that they could possibly be the least offensive thing you could find in a New York City metro station.

Next to advertisements for breast implants, and U.S. military advertisements these pictures show women wearing the underwear and tops t h a t cover the majority of the upper body.

S c a ndalous, right?

After facing an outpouring of feminist power and finally approving

Photo: CC, Jessi

the ads, Thomas Prendergast, chairman of the metropolitan transit authority, still described the ads as “offensive”.

Why is it o f fens i v e to have tasteful ads offering support to women going through something we are physically built to do, yet it’s okay to have ads that show violence, or pressure women to become more appealing for a potential sexual mate?

Menstruation is a completely natural thing, yet our society can’t even stomach a simple ad that acknowledges its existence.

Any woman can tell you a trick to hide her tampon or pad to get it discretely from her bag to the bathroom. Any woman can tell you the relief you feel when you discover that yours and your best friends have synced up. A period is a normal thing every woman has to face, so why hide it from mainstream culture?

As much as we might like to on certain days, no woman can escape

“Why is it offensive to have tasteful ads offering support to women during something we are physically built to do, but yet it is okay to have ads showing violence, or pushing women to alter their bodies to become more appealing to a potential sexual mate?”

her period.

So next time Mother Nature comes knocking ladies, go out and buy yourself a big box of tampons, pads, diva cup, or period underwear, and don’t worry about shoving it into the

Who can arrest world leaders?

Only international courts should be able to try politicians for war crimes

Headquarters of the International Criminal Court in The Hague

David Campion-Smith Opinions Editor

18 | OPINIONS

Earlier this month, a Spanish judge issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister

Photo: CC, Vincent van Zeijst

Benjamin Netanyahu and seven other current and former government officials involved

in an Israeli Defence Forces raid in 2010 that left nine dead. The investigation was brought forward by Spanish activists on board the boats.

A Malaysian court in 2012 convicted former U.S. President George Bush and other American officials for war crimes. The recent court cases, focus us to ask who exactly has the right to arrest world leaders?

It is not, and should not be the role of national judicial systems to make legal determinations about the leaders of other nations.

These types of trials are the role of the international court system, however that system has consistently been focused on targeting leaders of smaller nations rather than holding all leaders to the same standard.

shopping bag before anyone notices.

Add a few gallons of your favourite ice cream to the list, take a bubble bath, cuddle up for some Netflix. The only thing you shouldn’t do during your period is feel ashamed.

The United Nations has the International Court of Justice, although that is primarily focussed on disputes between states and providing legal advice to other elements of the United Nations rather than sentencing.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is the main body responsible for trying individuals, although there are often special tribunals set up like after the Rwandan genocide and the violent break-up of Yugoslavia.

The fact that there are already international institutions set up to handle situations such as this means that Spain shouldn’t have taken it upon themselves to issue the warrant.

While the ICC has the mandate to try heads of state, they’ve also been accused of having strong biases, with five heads of state being tried from 2000-2012 and four of them former leaders of African nations. The sole non-African leader tried was Slobedon Milosevic, who was charged with genocide and ethnic

cleansing after the war in the former Yugoslavia, however he died during the course of his trial.

The four other leaders who have been affected by the ICC are the former President of Côte d’Ivoire Laurent Gbagbo, Jean Kambanda former leader of Rwanda, Charles Taylor the former leader of Liberia and Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed four months after an arrest warrant was issued.

By its very nature the idea of trying a national leader needs to come from an international body, because that is the only group that can supersede the power of a state.

However there needs to exist a fairer system that is capable of trying leaders from all countries for crimes, and those trials must be conducted to make the world a safer place for all.

If that is to be the case, international courts must also have the ability and the will to go after all leaders instead of focusing only on the developing world. All leaders must be held to the same standard.

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All emoji dictionary coming out in 2016 Oxford English Dictionary unveils plans for wordless dictionary Lindsay Macmillan staff Contributor In an attempt to stay culturally relevant, the Oxford English Dictionary has announced that its 2016 edition will be written entirely in emoji.

This decision comes soon after Oxford University Press (OUP)—the publisher of the dictionary—named an emoji as the “Word of the Year” for 2015. The emoji selected was the “Face with Tears of Joy” emoji.

“Emojis are clearly the way of the future and it’s only a matter of time until we’re done with words and we want to lead that change,” OUP said in a statement.

The world responded with praise to the 2015 word of the year, prompting OUP to announce the all-emoji

dictionary to be released in 2016.

Jarrod Waller, President of OUP, said that the publishing company “has nearly 500 years of experience, and we want to continue revolutionizing the dictionary industry.” He also noted that using emojis instead of words made the dictionary “much shorter, and a lot less work”.

The 2016 edition will include the definitions of all the emojis currently available, also written entirely in emoji.

“I thought the English language was dead,” said Melanie Cooper, professor at the Department of Linguistics at the University of Ottawa, “but replacing words with emojis is the best way to revive it.”

Cooper noted that “it’ll be simpler to teach kids to read emojis rather

than words—it’s like an international language.”

“We already stopped teaching them cursive because it’s outdated.

Might as well get rid of English language text as well,” she said.

Not everyone is so enthusiastic about a dictionary entirely in emoji.

“It seems a little excessive,” according to a statement by the University of Ottawa English Department, “replacing every word with an emoji. Can’t we have two versions of the 2016 edition? One with emoji, one without?”

The Department of Communication recently responded with a statement of their own, suggesting that the English faculty “modernize and start translating,” classic works of literature to emoji, and even signed it

with a “Smirking Face” emoji.

When asked about potential for competition from popular online dictionaries like the Urban Dictionary, Waller responded with a “Loudly Crying Face” emoji.

After he collected himself, Waller said that the 2016 emoji edition will be an attempt to attract readers of Urban Dictionary to a “source with much more repute.”

“The Oxford English Dictionary is a staple for students, scholars, and businesses all over the world,” said Waller, “and the emoji edition will increase its usefulness—and hopefully its popularity.”

The 2016 edition of the Oxford English Dictionary will go on sale in January, and will cost at least 25 “Banknote with Dollar Sign” emoji.

Art: Kim Wiens

Dubai struggles to find ways to spend riches Committee advises one per centers to buy planet Moussa Sangaré-Ponce staff Contributor The City of Dubai’s spending habits know no boundaries. Following the ordering of jetpacks for firefighters and first responders earlier this month, the city has created a committee to find new and ridiculous ways to spend their riches.

The most daring proposal presented by a some of the city’s wealthiest citizens, is suggesting Dubai buy the entire planet. The group, called Dubai’s Economic Banking Takeover (DEBT, for short) has submitted an offer to the United Nations to buy the world. If this proposal is passed the entire world would be renamed Dubai.

Though there are many who doubt that DEBT’s proposal would go through, the movement is gathering traction within the city and has hired the most elite advertising agencies to encourage the idea.

The committee also offered several other suggestions to help Dubai get rid of its ghastly wealth. One recently accepted proposal is for real golden arches to be made to replace every McDonald’s sign in the region. Soda

machines owned by the fast food chain will also beginning dispensing chilled diamonds instead of ice.

Another proposal under review is the idea to create an actual Jurassic Park. The proposal has yet to be approved because members of the committee are split on whether they want Hollywood actors Jeff Goldblum, Chris Pratt or Sam Neill to oversee the park’s operations and be there to save the day when things eventually go wrong.

One proposal that was refused was the idea of paving the streets with gold. The idea was rejected after it was pointed out that the diamond encrusted tires of many residents would cause too much damage to the gold.

Dubai has also announced plans to make a space diving board.

This would include the creation of a deep water basin within the city and the development of a space program, since the diving board would be just outside of the planet’s atmosphere.

For now however, proposals continue to be reviewed, and McNuggets will be enjoyed under golden arches, with an optional 40-karat chilled cola.

thefulcrum.ca

Art: Kim Wiens

THE TOMATo | 19

FEATURES EDITOR Kyle Darbyson

DISTRACTIONS Dear Di

Dear Di, On average, my girlfriend and I have sex about once a week. Even though that’s plenty for us, I’ve heard other people rate the quality of a relationship based on the quantity of sex they have. So, how much sex is the right amount for a healthy relationship?

Dear Di,

-Numbers Game

My boyfriend has been asking me to deep-throat him for the last couple weeks and, to be honest, I’ve always wanted to do it. While I’m totally on board with the idea, I’m a little afraid of my stupid gag reflex. Any advice on how to master the art of deep-throating?

Dear NG,

-Deep Dive Dear DD, Learning how to deep-throat effectively can be a saucy way to spice things up in the bedroom (or wherever people give blowjobs nowadays).

So what exactly is deep-throating? Well, it’s an act of oral sex where you take your partner’s penis in your mouth completely, right down to the base. It becomes difficult because of the gag reflex, which refers to the reflex contraction of the back of the throat that prevents choking. But with practice most women and men can master the deep throat technique.

There are a number of oral positions that can make this process a whole lot easier.

Many of the traditional oral positions (i.e your man standing up or lying down) are more likely to make you gag and your eyes water, which might not be very pleasant for you or your partner. Any position where your head faces your man’s feet (think 69) will allow the penis to go more smoothly down your throat and reduce hitting your gag reflex directly. Although this will make it easier, deep-throating still requires practice on your part—which I’m sure your partner won’t mind.

But make sure you start off slow. Try deep-throating for a few strokes, then try holding it for a few seconds. Once you feel good about this technique, try increasing the strokes and the amount of time you “go under”.

As with everything, practice makes perfect. Some women prefer to practice on sex toys since it’s a lot easier to see what gag holding techniques work for you without the added pressure of having your partner watching your every move.

In the end, if you can’t fully master this oral technique don’t worry. After all, deep-throating isn’t for everyone. I’m sure you’ll learn some other moves down the road that will rock your man’s world just as much.

Love, Di 20 | DISTRACTIONS

features@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0062 @KyleDarbyson

Sex position of the week: Saucy Spoons Ladies, lie on your side so that you and your partner are both facing the same direction. Have him enter you as you tilt your butt towards him. This is a great intimate position where you can direct your man on how to stimulate your clitoris.

You can also have your man alternate between your breasts and your clitoris as he whispers sweet nothings in your ear.

In modern society, a lot of people have bought into the idea that a relationship’s quality is dependent on the frequency of sex. This leaves many couples feeling self-conscious about how often they’re getting down, especially when friends compare their relationships using the amount of sex they have as the determining factor. Not surprisingly, this dynamic only serves to make couples feel shitty about their sex lives. But it shouldn’t.

A recent study conducted by researchers from Carnegie Mellon University separated couples into two groups. The first group was asked to keep their sex frequency the same, while the other was asked to have more sex than they would normally. The results of the study indicate that couples are happiest when they have intercourse as often as they want to. A forced increase of intimacy from outside sources like peer pressure only seems to cause a decline in enthusiasm towards the act itself and makes it significantly less exciting.

The moral of the story is, it really shouldn’t come down to the quantity of sex—it should come down to the quality.

Focusing on quality of sex and paying attention to your partners needs will leave you both feeling satisfied. For example, if you’re having mindblowing sex once a week rather than having orgasm-free encounters five times a week, what sounds like the better deal?

Plus, you have to take into account the fact that each couple is different. Some have the collective desire to bump uglies multiple times a week.

Others are more conservative in their intake of whoopee.

Just remember that sex isn’t a competition. As long as you’re both happy with your own arrangement, that’s what really matters.

Love, Di

thefulcrum.ca

nov. 27 to dec. 3, 2015

THRYLLABUS

MUSIC arts Sports FUN Thinking

Friday, Nov. 27

Gee-Gees Women’s Basketball vs.

University of Windsor, Montpetit Hall—6 p.m.

Welcoming refugees to Ottawa: community meeting and panel discussion, free admission, Bronson Centre—7 p.m.

Gee-Gees Women’s Hockey vs. Carleton, Minto Sports Complex —7 p.m.

Gee-Gees Men’s Basketball vs.

University of Windsor, Montpetit Hall—8 p.m.

The Tenors, National Arts Centre—8 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 28

Centretown Community Garage Sale, Jack Purcell Community Centre—10 a.m.

Scottish Tea and Christmas Bazaar, St. Andrew’s Church—1 p.m.

Gee-Gees Women’s

Basketball vs. Western, Montpetit Hall—6 p.m.

Gee-Gees Men’s Basketball vs. Western, Montpetit Hall—8 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 29

Christmas Market, TD Place—12 p.m.

Gee-Gees Women’s Volleyball vs. Lakehead University, Montpetit Hall—2 p.m.

Little England (Greek import), European Union Film Festival, Bytowne Cinema—1 p.m.

Global climate march, organized by Ecology Ottawa, city hall—1 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 30

Trumbo, Bytowne Cinema—4:15 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 1

University of Ottawa Holiday Market, Desmarais Building, lobby—11 a.m.

A Christmas Story

(stage adaptation), Ottawa Little Theatre—7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 2

Christmas Lights Across Canada, official illumination ceremony, Parliament Hill—7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 3

He Named Me Malala (documentary), Bytowne Cinema—4:30 p.m.

The Nutcracker, Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, National Arts Centre—7 p.m.

Tales of a Charlie Brown Christmas, soundtrack performed by the Jerry Granelli Trio, DominionChalmers United Church—7 p.m.

Ignite the Arctic, highlights from arctic research and collections, free admission, Canadian Museum of Nature—7 p.m.

thefulcrum.ca

DISTRACTIONS | 21

22 | LETTERS

thefulcrum.ca

EDITORIAL Volume 76, Issue 13, Nov. 26, 2015 Rebelling without a cause since 1942.

Phone: (613) 695-0061 | Fax: (613) 695-9006 631 King Edward Ave. Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Recycle this paper or we’ll tear down that wall.

Nadia “White Rose” Drissi ElBouzaidi Editor-in-Chief editor@thefulcrum.ca Devin “Orange Revolution” Orsini Production Manager production@thefulcrum.ca Savannah “Lust Lady Strike” Awde Managing Editor content@thefulcrum.ca Eric “Bastille” Davidson News Editor news@thefulcrum.ca Allegra “Salt March” Morgado Arts & Culture Editor arts@thefulcrum.ca Spencer “Boston Tea Party” Murdock Sports Editor, Rap Correspondent sports@thefulcrum.ca Kyle “Protestant Reformation” Darbyson Features Editor features@thefulcrum.ca David “Berlin Wall” CampionSmith Opinions Editor opinions@thefulcrum.ca Reine “Prague Spring” Tejares Online Editor online@thefulcrum.ca Kim “Woodstock” Wiens Visual Editor visual@thefulcrum.ca Jaclyn “Arab Spring” McRae-Sadik Associate News Editor associate.news@thefulcrum.ca Marta “Kent State” Kierkus Staff Photographer photographer@thefulcrum.ca Zach “Hungarian Uprising” Verret Multimedia Coordinator multimedia@thefulcrum.ca Nicole “Rebecca Riots” Rutkowski Associate Features Editor associate.features@thefulcrum.ca David “Burntollet Bridge” Agbaire Proofreader Deidre “Bloody Sunday” Butters Advertising Manager ads@thefulcrum.ca Dayne “Stonewall” Moyer General Manager manager@thefulcrum.ca

Contributors

Moussa “Soweto” Sangaré-Ponce Nicholas “Montgomery” Robinson Natasha “Luddite” Lomonossoff Maitland “Springboks Tour” Shaheen Madison “Skeleton Army” McSweeney Christelle “Cable Street” Musambi Zainab “Athens Polytechnic” Al-Mehdar Faith “TonyPandy” Jamael Lindsay “Drumcree” MacMillan Photo: Jaclyn McRaeSadik Edits: Kim Wiens

VOL. 76 ISSUE 13

Nov. 26, 2015

Solidarity PG. 5, 23

Changing a tiger’s stripes F

or the past few weeks race issues have been intensifying at the University of Missouri, a mere 100 miles from Ferguson, the St. Louis suburb where 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot and killed by a white police officer, and the Black Lives Matter movement was born.

Since Brown was killed, incidents of police brutality and racism against Black Americans have been put under a microscope, but responses by authorities have been deemed insufficient by many.

On Nov. 2, University of Missouri graduate student Jonathan Butler went on hunger strike, demanding the university’s president, Tim Wolfe, to take his concerns seriously.

“Students are not able to achieve their full academic potential because of the inequalities and obstacles they face,” Butler said, according to Slate. “In each of these scenarios, Mr. Wolfe had ample opportunity to create policies and reform that could shift the culture of Mizzou in a positive direction but in each scenario he failed to do so.”

According to Butler, the university failed to consider how the events in Ferguson would impact the student body. On Sept. 12, president of the Missouri Student Association, Payton Head, detailed the racial slurs directed at him on Facebook.

Racist graffiti and leaflets have appeared on campus, and on Nov. 11 police arrested 19-year-old Hunter Park for threatening to “shoot every black person (he) sees.”

Despite the gravity of Butler’s concerns, Mizzou didn’t become headline news until the university’s football team decided on Nov. 7. that they wouldn’t participate in any football activities until Wolfe resigned. The next day Senator Claire McCaskill called for the University of Missouri Board of Curators to address racism on campus. Several other state lawmakers called for Wolfe’s resignation.

On Nov. 9 Wolfe stepped down. However, after a year of unrest since the death of

thefulcrum.ca

Photo: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

Michael Brown, one wonders why it took so long for the university to address the issue. Why did Wolfe’s resignation come so soon after the football team’s announcement?

First of all, the school would’ve lost millions. According to the New York Times, if the university cancelled the football game against Brigham Young University, they would’ve had to pay $1-million to BYU. “Missouri’s final (Southeastern Conference) game in late November, against Arkansas, is scheduled to be televised by CBS, which pays the conference $55-million a year for television rights,” according to the New York Times article.

According to the Kansas City Star, Mizzou’s athletic department brought in $84-million in 2014, most of which came from the football team.

The team played an integral part in forcing Wolfe’s resignation, pointing to the importance of collegiate sports and the influence athletes can have to affect social change, where average student can’t.

It’s easy to see the events at Mizzou and chalk it up to an American issue. After all, this is the kind of place

“ What’s important to take away from all these events, is not only the gravity of the discrimination or where they’re taking place, but what the response of authorities has been.” where people fight vehemently for gun rights and confederate flags—It’s nothing like us, right?

However, incidents like this have taken place at the prestigious Yale University as well, which hits a lot closer to home.

It began on Oct. 28 when Yale’s Intercultural Affairs Committee emailed students encouraging them to avoid “culturally unaware and insensitive” costumes on Halloween. Erika Christakis, a lecturer and administrator at Silliman College, a residential community within Yale College, then sent an email to her residents questioning the “institutional ... exercise of implied control over college students.”

The emails have since spurred several protests and international coverage.

Recently the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) have weighed

in on the issue, with a solidarity protest for black students at Mizzou and Yale. They had their own list of demands which included equity training for all staff, a racialized students’ space on campus, a black studies department, a therapist of colour, and free tuition for all black and indigenous students.

What’s important to take away from all these events, is not only the gravity of the discrimination or where they’re taking place, but what the response of authorities has been.

At Mizzou it took the prospect of losing millions of dollars and international attention to acknowledge the issues that had been building up for over a year.

Several professors continued to schedule exams, even though many students said they were afraid to go to class because of widespread threats of violence against

people of colour.

At Yale, the administration was accused of stifling free speech when it never said that students who dressed in offensive costumes would be reprimanded in any way.

They only had the audacity to ask students to pass over the native headdresses and black face and choose literally anything else.

While we in Canada and the United States are slowly beginning to comprehend what people of colour are facing, those in power are barely acknowledging that there’s even a problem.

In fact a lot of them are moving backwards. In response to the Black Lives Matter movement which has caused many to demand the all police officers wear body cameras, several U.S. states have introduced and passed legislation that makes it illegal to film cops.

While the spotlight on racism and violence has never been brighter, we need to start looking at how the authorities in each instance is responding to the demands.

We’ve had enough of speeches expressing sympathy and outrage at the prevalence of racism on university campuses, and throughout society. What is actually going to be done about it?

EDITORIAL | 23

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