The Fulcrum - Vol 76 Issue 21

VOL. 76 ISSUE 21

mar. 3, 2016

Black Lives Always MatterPG. 6, 9

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This Week

IN THIS ISSUE...

Keeping an open door P.8 U of O professor welcomes Syrian refugees into her home

A pciture says a thousand words P.9 The artist of UCU mural of murdered trans women of colour speaks to the Fulcrum Divest the power P.12 Is fossil fuel divestment a feasible way to fight climate change?

Fast track to forgetting P.14 U of O track and field team faces unknown hurdles Hitting too close to home P.17 Why restrictions are needed when it comes to abortion clinic protests Making things come together P.20 What to do when you can’t quite get to orgasm

NEWS

NEWS EDITOR

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

BOA meeting centered on exec complaints, election results, GA

Disciplinary committee review finds VP finance ‘harassed’ by other execs Eric Davidson News Editor

T

he most recent Board of Administration (BOA) meeting dealt with a range of topics from complaints amongst Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) executive members, ratification of the recent election results, to academic amnesty.

The meeting took place on Feb. 28 in the Senate Room in Tabaret Hall.

The meeting saw a poor turnout—though still enough to meet quorum—and vicepresident services and communications and president-elect Roméo Ahimakin was not present at the meeting. The explanation given by Nicole Maylor, vice-president of equity, for his absence was that he had had an “emergency.”

According to the SFUO’s constitution, executives are required to attend every meeting.

disciplinary committee review During the meeting, a review by the disciplinary committee, which outlined a number of complaints between members of the executive, was discussed. When the review was brought up, several BOA members requested that it be discussed in camera (closed to the public).

Katherine Giroux Bougard, chair of the BOA, responded that the main findings of the review had to be announced in public, but that afterwards it could be discussed in camera, which went on for three hours.

The first complaint was against vice-president finance Camelia Touzany, brought by all of the other members of the executive. The complaint alleged that she had recorded an in camera meeting on Jan. 11 on her phone, which she denied.

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This month’s BOA meeting featured a disciplinary review of complaints made by and against vice-president finance Camelia Touzany.

The report found that as it was impossible to prove that Touzany was recording the meeting, and that she did not distribute any recordings, there was no breach of confidentiality.

Touzany filed a related complaint that after she was accused of recording the meeting, she was sent an email by another executive that she was no longer welcome at executive meetings, and was excluded from a number of meetings.

Touzany also complained of ill treatment by other members of the executive, including what the review called “abusive in camera points.”

The review concluded that the other executives have been harassing Touzany, and that some SFUO employees have been mistreated and used as pawns in the disagreements of others.

Another complaint was filed against Touzany by Nicole Maylor, vice-president equity of the SFUO, over use of racial-

SFUO election are now official, as the BOA ratified them at the meeting.

Departures William Downey, civil law representative, was removed from the BOA due to unexplained absences. Health science representative Fernando Hernandez resigned from the board citing health reasons.

General Assembly Both vice-president services and communications and president-elect Ahimakin (via vicepresident social Hadi Wess) and president Anne-Émilie Hébert urged members of the BOA to attend and promote the next General Assembly (GA), which will take place on March 15.

This comes after last semester’s GA did not receive any motions to vote upon or meet quorum, with only 40 people in attendance.

Hébert reminded members to promote the fact students will get academic amnesty, so they won’t be penalized for missing class to attend the

ly discriminatory comments, specifically pertaining to antiblack racism.

The review found that the comments did not have “racially-charged intent,” and that the executive should foster an inclusive work environment for all parties.

The stated goals of the review were to start a mediation process and clarify by-laws, and to reverse Touzany’s ban from executive meetings.

While an overview of the review was read in public, no written copy has been provided as of yet.

The SFUO was not made available for comment. At the end of the meeting, Giroux Bougard reminded members of the BOA that most of them were not designated to talk to the media.

Other Business Ratification of election results The results of the recent

GA. However, she added that students with tests and assignments will not receive academic amnesty.

Summer U-Pass Vanessa Dorimain, vicepresident university affairs, reported that negotiations with OC Transpo to create a summer U-Pass are underway, as the referendum question passed.

She said they are working on determining what the definition of a full-time summer student is, and that due to time constraints it might not function as an International Student Identity Card (ISIC), as current U-Passes do. An ISIC card can get students discounts at certain businesses.

Health Plan Touzany said that the SFUO’s accounting department will owe $300,000 in accrued costs due to the health plan.

She said that premiums for the health plan will increase next year, but that she is hopeful about the situation since the health plan referendum ques-

Photo: Eric Davidson

tion passed.

New Motions The first motion, brought forward by Dorimain, was to broaden the scope of the SFUO’s accessibility fund. The fund exists to provide assistance to students with disabilities, though the SFUO’s website says it can be used for “a variety of other purposes.”

This motion focused on making sure student-parents and people in the Trans community are included in the fund. The motion was passed.

The second and third motions, were both brought by Tanner Tallon, representative for the Telfer School of Management, which looked to increase transparency within federated bodies, and ensure that at least one executive position on each federated body is bilingual. The former motion stated that all federated bodies would have to hold public votes to make changes to their constitutions. Both motions passed.

NEWS | 5

New Ontario grants system to allow free tuition for low-income students New Liberal budget promises to make financing post-secondary education easier eric davidson News Editor

The Ontario provincial government unveiled their new budget on Feb. 25, and it spelled out some good news for students.

One of the main features of the budget is the Ontario Student Grant, which looks to improve the process of financing students from different income brackets. According to the budget, the change will ensure students from families making $50,000 or less don’t have to pay tuition and won’t have any provincial debt, while also making tuition more affordable for middleclass families.

“The Ontario Student Grant is a really exciting step toward a more affordable and accessible system of getting an education,” said Rajean Hoilett, chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students Ontario. “It’s a progressive step that students have been calling for.”

According to the budget, no Ontario student will receive less than they are currently eligible for through the 30 per cent Off Ontario Tuition grant once the new system is implemented, while more than 50 per cent of students from families with incomes of $83,000 or less will have non-

repayable grants in excess of average tuition.

As college tuition is lower than university tuition, college students will see the largest decrease in tuition, but Ross Finnie, associate professor in the Graduate School of International Affairs at the University of Ottawa said the program will be a boon for students choosing either option.

The new system will not give out more money in grants than before, but it will centralize them and make the process more organized. According to Finnie, that could make a significant difference for lowincome students. “It looks like it will simplify the whole financial aid system.”

Finnie said that the system is currently a “mish-mash” of different programs, where students have to apply for different types of financial assistance. Some of the money is in the form of tax credits, which can be particularly confusing.

“Probably half the students out there don’t even know these things exist,” he said.

The new grant will bundle all of them up, said Finnie, and give it to students in one grant up front.

“It’s combining a bunch of complicated and restrictive grants, and generally just making the process easier for students,” said Hoilett. “We

Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals put forward their new budget, which includes a number of provisions for low-income and middle-class students.

look to this as the start of a conversation about the government’s role in providing more accessible and affordable post-secondary education.”

The next battleground, he said, will be the change in tuition rates. Under current rules, there is a three per cent cap on increases to undergraduate tuition fees, but that cap will expire in 2017.

“We hope that the government uses that opportunity to break down some of these financial barriers,” he said. “We hope to see a progressive move toward the elimination of tuition fees.”

Finnie said that it’s not easy to tell what effect the new system will have on the rate of post-secondary attendance. “I suspect it will have some posi-

tive effect,” he said, but added that there are other factors that influence people’s decision whether or not to attend post-secondary education.

He argued that more will have to be done to make people aware of the benefits of attaining a post-secondary education before we see a large spike in attendance numbers.

“I think (the Ontario Student

Photo: CC Jason Hargrove

Grant) needs to be combined with other programs that help young people understand what the benefits are.”

Although there are more steps to take, Finnie said the new grant system is decidedly a good thing for students, and a positive step for the financial aid system. “This is the biggest change that there’s been in a really long time.”

Mural honouring murdered trans women of colour finds new home on campus

Tribute to defaced downtown mural unveiled in UCU, financed by SFUO Jaclyn McRae-Sadik Associate News Editor

Black History Month, which featured numerous events held on campus and through social media, has come to a close. However a new mural in the heart of the University Centre (UCU) is trying to make a more lasting impression on U of O students.

The Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) unveiled a new mural, dedicated to murdered transgender women of colour, in the UCU on Wednesday, Feb. 24.

The artwork is in tribute to the original mural at the corner of Bank and Somerset, which was defaced in September 2015. The mural in the UCU is painted by the same artist, Kalkidan Assefa, who was also a contributor to the Sandra Bland mural on Slater Street, which was defaced in

6 | NEWS

A new mural dedicated to Trans women of colour is now in the UCU.

Photo: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik

July 2015. Both murals were covered over with text, including the phrase “All Lives Matter”.

The idea for the mural was made a reality with the collaborative efforts of Vanessa Dorimain, Danyka Ouellet, Leila Moumouni-Tchouassi, Nicole Maylor and Mikayla Vattiata.

Maylor, vice-president equity at the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa

(SFUO), said she and Dorimain, vice-president university affairs at the SFUO, first brought up the idea last November at a University Centre Management Board meeting after the idea of a mural dedicated to transgender lives in the Pride Centre was suggested to her.

“I spoke to Mikayla about it, I believe, I said like ‘wouldn’t it be great though if it was in a more central location,’” said Maylor. After that, she said,

people started getting more involved in the project.

Dorimain said the mural was fully financed by the SFUO, including cost of materials and payment of the artist.

Originally, the concept was to give the mural a place where it wouldn’t be defaced and would have people watching over it, explained Dorimain, but instead opted for a more public, central location.

“It being at the heart of the university is that not only is it reinforcing the fact that we wanted it to be protected and seen, but at the heart of the university and its body of students is kind of the SFUO making a comment on its support or recognition of the realities that students face,” said Moumouni-Tchouassi, who is vice-president of philanthropic affairs for the International Development Students Association.

Ouellet, who is the volun-

teer coordinator at the Pride Centre and vice-president social for the Conflict Studies and Human Rights Association, said work on the mural began on Feb. 22, during The Black Market event hosted by the Black Law Students’ Association and the SFUO Black History Month Committee.

The committee invited black-owned vendors and companies to set up booths in the UCU Agora. Assefa began painting during this event and continued into the week.

Dorimain also stressed the importance of the mural highlighting an often ignored minority group within a minority group itself.

“Trans queer women have always been at the forefront of movements from the beginning of time and they are barely ever mentioned or represented anywhere,” she said.

“Even within already minority communities there’s minorities

within that and things that we don’t discuss, and things that should be brought to the light.”

Many of these groups face a number of challenges, like more instances of mental health issies. According to the Canadian Mental Health Organization, 77 per cent of trans respondents in an Ontariobased survey had seriously considered suicide and 45 per cent had attempted suicide.

While Black History Month is coming to an end and The Black Market event is over, the mural is a permanent fixture and stands as a reminder, said Ouellet.

Both Dorimain and Maylor said they feel represented in the painting themselves, and Dorimain says she hopes this is the beginning of black lives being better reflected in society.

“Maybe this painting can transform into actually one day having our textbooks reflecting our histories, as well.”

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Want an STI test on campus? Urine luck!

Free STI testing on campus seeks to break world record Jaclyn McRae-Sadik Associate News Editor

The University of Ottawa wants to make sure midterms aren’t the only tests on students’ minds this semester with the Pee to See Challenge.

The U of O will be competing against Carleton University, Algonquin College and La Cité collégiale to see which academic institution can get the most participants tested for gonorrhoea and chlamydia in a single day.

The World Record Pee Challenge will take place on March 29, and the U of O will be looking to take home the gold.

The University of Calgary currently holds the official record with 502 tests, said Christiane Bouchard, project officer with Ottawa Public Health’s Healthy Sexuality and Risk Reduction Unit. According to Boucher, there is an unofficial record recently set by

Western University with 813 tests—however, they didn’t register with the official Guinness World Records.

“Really the challenge is an excuse to raise awareness around the rates of gonorrhoea and chlamydia,” said Bouchard. In the last 10 years, the rates of both infections have increased drastically in people ages 15 to 29 and 77 per cent of all cases in Ottawa are within that age group, she said.

“What we’re really trying to tell people is, you know, this is out there, you can catch it easily—you don’t necessarily know you have it because there’s no symptoms. It’s easily detectable, you know, it’s just a urine test really,” said Bouchard. “Treatment is easy and it’s effective so there’s no reason not to get tested, right?”

Ottawa Public Health is partnering with the university’s Health Services and the Health

Promotion Team to provide oncampus testing, which will be carried out

by Ottawa Public Health’s staff.

The event will be held

Illustration: Jennifer Vo

from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Tabaret Hall’s Rotunda on Tuesday, March 29. Free, confidential testing is open to all—not just students—and does not require an OHIP card, making it accessible to students who are Quebec residents or from outof-province.

All services, including treatment for those who test positive, is free of charge. On the day participants simply have to show up, fill out a consent form, provide some basic information and pee in a cup. Anyone showing symptoms will be streamlined to Health Services to be treated immediately, said Bouchard.

“It’s fairly straight forward, you know? No news is good news, and treatment is free so that’s important to note,” she said.

Bouchard said the results will be available within two to three weeks and only those with positive results will be

contacted. Those using email as their point of contact will receive an email asking them to contact the public health team, who will discuss the results by phone as no results will be given over email.

She says because both gonorrhoea and chlamydia often have no symptoms, so those who are infected may be unknowingly spreading it, and if untreated both infections can have long-term complications.

Gonorrhoea and chlamydia are sexually transmitted infections (STIs) caused by types of bacteria. While both infections often have no symptoms, burning during urination can be a sign for men.

For those who aren’t able to attend the world record pee challenge, anyone can download a requisition form from www.gettestedwhynot.ca, go to any lab in Ottawa and be tested for free, without having to go to a clinic.

Executive Director of WFP interviewed by George Stroumboulopoulos on U of O campus

Ertharin Cousin talks food security in increasingly unpredictable world eric davidson News Editor

Ertharin Cousin, executive director of the World Food Programme (WFP), gave a talk at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Social Sciences building on Feb. 26. The WFP is an arm of the United Nations focused on fighting hunger and food insecurity all over the world.

Cousin was interviewed by George Stroumboulopoulos, the famed Canadian television host, and took questions from the audience, which was largely made up of U of O students.

The event was focused on food security in a time of conflict and climate change.

“We’re sort of old-school punk rock about this,” said Stroumboulopoulos to start things off. “There are a lot of challenges in the world and they can easily be dealt with by just going out and doing it.”

Some of the areas the WFP is most heavily involved in are Syria, Central African Republic, and South Sudan.

During her hour-long talk, Cousin covered a wide range of topics surrounding the issue of food security, from air drops to spreading better agricultural techniques, but her core message was that “Hunger is a solvable problem.”

However, she said, we still have a ways to go.

“What we need is people like you in this audience to say to their governments, ‘we need to ensure that no one is left behind.’”— Ertharin Cousin, executive director of the World Food Programme.

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Executive director of the WFP Ertharin Cousin (right) was interviewed by George Stroumboulopoulos (left) in the Faculty of Social Sciences building.

Photo: Eric Davidson

“What we lack is the global public will to support the multi-year investments that are necessary,” she said. “What we need is people like you in this audience to say to their governments, ‘we need to ensure that no one is left behind.’”

She did mention signs that the WFP is making progress,

such as Germany’s $623-million donation to help fight hunger in Syria—which prompted Stroumboulopoulos to call German Chancellor Angela Merkel a “baller”.

Cousin also talked about climate change agreements like the one established recently in Paris, and how they can im-

pact food security.

According to the WFP, the climate change has had a significant effect on the production of staple crops, and shifts in temperature are expected to further impact crop yields.

“What they do is provide attention and public will for the work that is necessary,” she

said. “It’s not just about fighting these crises, but also about supporting the livelihoods of the most vulnerable people.”

In an interview with the Fulcrum, Stroumboulopoulos said he was happy to help shine a spotlight on Cousin’s talk.

“If you don’t take the light that’s given to you and put it in areas where it’s needed, I think you’re missing the opportunity,” he said. “I have some profile, and it’s very overrated if I don’t do something with it.”

He continued that he hoped Cousin’s message would make an impact on the students who were present.

“Maybe something that happened here, something in the conversation, will stick in their mind when they go start their own business,” said Stroumboulopoulos. “Future leaders, future organizers are all in this room.”

To find out more about the WFP, go to http://www.wfp. org/

NEWS | 7

U of O prof takes in Syrian refugee family

Professor opens doors to family in transition to permanent Ottawa housing Andrea Zehr

Fulcrum Contributor During the Christmas season, professor Luise Flotow of the University of Ottawa’s translation department welcomed three Syrian refugees, a mother, Anya Noofoori, and her two daughters, Luna and Isis, into her home for six weeks.

Flotow was told about the opportunity by her daughter, who is involved with a group called Ottawa Centre Refugee Action (OCRA) that helps refugees with the transition to life in Ottawa. She was also inspired to take in the family by her experience growing up as a child of German immigrants, and by her experience living abroad, noting that she has often been “a stranger in other people’s countries.”

After Luna applied for scholarships in North America, in an attempt to study in either Canada or the United States, the Canadian government be-

came aware that the family wanted to immigrate to Canada and reached out to them with an offer to send them to Ottawa. “The embassy contacted them… and then told them on a Tuesday ‘you’re going to travel on Friday’. So between Tuesday and Friday they packed 20 kilos of luggage each, that was the limit.”

Coming to Canada from Damascus, Syria in the middle of winter is a difficult transition to make, with many surprises.

One of the biggest differences, for them, is the kind of clothing and footwear worn in Canada to stay warm.

“They were amazed at the kind of boots and shoes we have to wear here, and that they had to go and spend their precious money on… (Anya) put (the boots) on the floor and took a photograph of them, and sent the photograph around the world to all her brothers and sisters in various parts of the Middle East to show them.”

While staying with Flotow, the family shared some of their customs with her as well.

“What I enjoyed most, was the cooking,” said Flotow. “The mom put a lot of effort into cooking.” According to Flotow, Anya would also prepare Turkish coffee with cardamom in the mornings to remind her of home.

The family is no longer staying with Flotow and is now living in more permanent housing in Ottawa. This family is one of many that have been resettled in Canada, as the Liberal government recently reached its goal of 25,000 refugees resettled by February on the evening of Feb. 27.

However, there are still challenges for newly-arrived refugees. One is a difficulty finding affordable housing, especially in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa. “They are grateful to be here and they are eager to settle, to look for work and get their kids in school. But

they are in limbo,” Jenny Kwan, the New Democratic Party immigration critic, told the Globe and Mail.

There also hurdles for finding a job in Canada’s current economy. These difficulties are compounded when refugees don’t have full command of the English language. “English is a key for also getting a job,” Rouba Al-Fattal, a part-time professor of Middle East and Arab politics at the U of O said at a U of O campus event hosted by the podcast CANADALAND. So, what comes next for Flotow’s temporary roommates? Anya is looking to volunteer with a library or a similar organization, Isis is looking into continuing her education by pursuing an MA in Art History, and Luna will be attending university in the United States on a scholarship.

For more information on OCRA and ways to help refugees coming to Ottawa, visit www.refugeeaction.ca.

Anya Noofoori and her two daughters recently stayed with U of O professor Luise Flotow after immigrating from Syria.

Photo courtesy of Luise von Flotow

National News POWFit: Culture and fitness rolled into one

Keeping healthy active living and Aboriginal culture alive on campus Jaline Broqueza The Sheaf

Saskatchewan (CUP)—While the University of Saskatchewan continues to make moves to Indigenize the institution in various ways, one alumna is applying a similar mindset to her business, which combines Aboriginal culture with physical fitness and is currently available through Recreation Services on campus.

According to the business’ mission statement, AB Original Health and Fitness aims to promote active living and cultural inspiration to help First Nations people manage, battle and decrease the risk of diabetes, one of the most predominant diseases worldwide.

The inspiration for the business resulted from Brandy-Lee Maxie’s personal experience with Type II diabetes while she was in school, which she ultimately overcame through weight loss.

Maxie, member of the White Bear First Nation and founder of AB Original Health

and Fitness, is also the mother of three children, two of whom have been diagnosed with Type I diabetes, which prompted her to encourage people to lead a healthier lifestyle while also celebrating their culture.

“Right now, my focus is actually on diabetes prevention and I know that in First Nations communities, they have dietitians, they have health clinics that provide diabetes workshops and stuff like that.

They also have fitness facilities, but those fitness facilities don’t always have a fitness instructor,” Maxie said.

AB Original Health and Fitness is now offering the U of S community a unique fitness program called POWFit, which incorporates powwow dance moves into a fitness routine.

Powwows are celebrations that showcase Aboriginal music, dance, food and crafts and also promote cultural pride, respect and health for both young and old in an inclusive setting.

Maxie welcomes everyone and ensures that the class does

8 | NATIONAL NEWS

Brandy-Lee Maxie is a young entrepreneur aiming to help First Nations people and students battle diabetes.

Photos: Caitlin Taylor

not discriminate.

“I think sometimes people get the misconception that it might be just exclusive to First Nations participants, but it’s not. It’s open to everybody and I don’t use any kind of regalia or anything,” Maxie said.

She believes that it’s significant to promote Aboriginal culture within the education system as a way of honouring the original practices of the land.

“I think it’s important to understand the dance because we all have high respect for our dance styles. It’s kind of a way to educate people on the dance moves or various dance styles outside of just seeing all the regalia, the bells, and the jingles… There is a story behind each (dance). So I also wanted to spend some time to share what dance moves we’re doing that day or where inspiration comes from and what that dance is,” Maxie said.

Maxie also shared how important the preservation of Aboriginal culture is and recognized that there is an ur-

gency to keep the culture alive.

“I think it’s very important, like in the residential school system we’re actually designed to get rid of our culture and traditions and a lot of our elders, they’re getting older and they’re a lot of our knowledge keepers.” “ Our dance too, it goes handin-hand with our language and our stories so they’re all kind of interconnected,” Maxie said.

Running this business has taught Maxie a great deal, and shared some advice for students who are struggling to pursue their own careers.

“It may not be the easiest journey, but you can’t let the amount of time it takes to keep you from getting where you want to get. You can’t let that time intimidate you because time can pass anyways. You got to have patience and determination and you really have to know why you’re doing what you’re doing. Why you chose that business, why you have a passion for it, because that’s what’s going to keep you dedicated to it.”

thefulcrum.ca

A&C EDITOR Allegra Morgado arts@thefulcrum.ca

ARTS&CULTURE

(613) 695-0062 @allietate

How art and activism intersect for one Ottawa painter

Local artist paints mural honouring trans women of colour in UCU Allegra Morgado arts & culture editor

B

ack in July 2015, a mural of Sandra Bland, a woman of colour who was found hanging in a jail cell in Texas on July 13, 2015, and whose death has been speculated about as a possible act of racist police brutality, was painted in downtown Ottawa on a legal graffiti wall.

The mural was later defaced with racial slurs and the words “All Lives Matter”, an insulting reference to the Black Lives Matter movement.

One of the artists behind this mural was Kalkidan Assefa, an Ottawa-based artist also known as @drippin_soul, his Instagram handle and tag for his art. When members of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) decided they wanted a mu-

ral painted in the University Centre (UCU) for Black History Month, they knew exactly who to call.

Assefa’s murals can be found in numerous locations around Ottawa, one of which was painted for Ottawa’s Pride Week and was also defaced but later found a permanent home at McNabb Community Centre. Although the one located in the UCU is the same subject matter as some of his previous work, representing transgender women of colour, Assefa strived to make it unique.

“This time I did a completely different image, so it’s a new image, new characters, a new composition, everything,” says Assefa.

The women represented in the mural are not any real women in particular, but just characters in Assefa’s mind that are supposed to give “a visible representation of intersectional identities of colour.”

Although Assefa doesn’t necessarily consider himself a

political artist, many of his murals have become political, especially with the defacement of the two last year.

“I’m not trying to be like a political artist, I just do whatever is relevant to me, and so, you know, as a black man in Canada certain things are going to be my reality more than other artists, and some people consider that being political, but it’s just my life.”

Assefa does believe that art can be a power platform for activism, however, and that it “allows people to voice their opinions, speak truth to power, and challenge opposition where they see fitting.”

“Activism is not the end goal, my end goal is to create art, it’s just that my art and activism intersect because that’s my reality,” says Assefa.

The SFUO also reached out to Assefa in part because of the powerful representations he had done of people of colour in the past, and wanted the piece to have a strong message

Four of the five women who worked together to get the U of O to agree to the mural in the UCU. From left to right: Nicole Maylor, Mikayla Vattiata, Vanessa Dorimain, and Leila Moumouni-Tchouassi. Missing from photo: Danyka Ouellet.

Photo: Eric Davidson.

behind it that would help with representation of the black community on campus.

“The way I look at it is that art makes you feel something,” says Nicole Maylor, vicepresident equity of the SFUO. “What we really wanted was

for people to look at that mural, and feel reflected in it.”

Assefa is also involved in other parts of the arts community in Ottawa, participating in Art Battles, the House of PainT festival, and is a certified arts educator, occasionally do-

ing workshops and live paints in local schools. For his involvement in the community, Assefa was given the Community Organizer award at the SFUO’s Black History Month gala on Feb. 26 along with artist Allen Andre.

Get in line for local production of A Chorus Line

Long-running musical comes to Centrepointe Theatre, features U of O students and alum Carolyn Mutis staff contributor

A Chorus Line, one of the most successful musicals in Broadway history, will run at Ottawa’s Centrepointe Theatre March 4–13.

The production, put on by the Orpheus Musical Theatre Society, features a cast and directing team that is nearly half-comprised of University of Ottawa students and alumni.

Debbie Guibeault, the show’s director, U of O alumna and former principal at Canterbury High School in Ottawa, was no stranger to A Chorus Line when she decided to take her spot in the director’s seat. In fact, Guibeault has performed in the musical twice, which she confidently dubbed “the quintessential piece of musical theatre,” both times portraying the character of Sheila.

“I knew the show very well and thought that I could bring

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The Orpheus Musical Theatre Society cast rehearsing for their upcoming production.

something a little bit new to it,” said Guibeault.

A Chorus Line tells the story of 17 dancers auditioning for spots on—you guessed it—a Broadway chorus line. However, while members of the chorus are usually on stage only as backup for the stars of the show, A Chorus Line allows

Photo: Courtesy of Fabian Santos.

them to enter into the spotlight and share their personal stories.

“Some of them are funny, some of them are touching, some are downright sad,” said Guibeault. “All of the characters come from different walks of life and for different reasons, but what they all have in com-

mon is that they love dance.

That’s where they find their passion.”

Julia Redfern, a U of O graduate student, will play Kristine in the production, a scatterbrained but “sweet and super lovable” auditionee. Redfern has a similar passion for dance to thank for her career in musi-

cal theatre.

She began taking dance lessons at the age of three, and danced competitively until her last year of high school.

Her childhood dance instructor just so happened to be the choreographer at a local theatre company, and the rest is history.

Since making her debut at the age of 10 as young Cosette in Les Misérables, Redfern has performed in an impressive 28 productions.

“It was my dream to sing onstage by myself in the spotlight, and I got to do that when I was 10, so that’s what sort of instilled that love of theatre,” said Redfern.

She is thrilled to be back on stage in A Chorus Line, after taking some time off from musical theatre to complete her graduate studies research in biology at the U of O. She shared that this production might even become her favou-

rite to date, with this being her second time performing in the musical.

When asked what she thinks audiences will enjoy most about A Chorus Line, Redfern mentioned the musical’s unexpected comedy, its abundance of dance numbers and its talented cast of triple-threat performers.

“The calibre of everyone in the show is just crazy,” she said.

Guibeault shared a similar sentiment. “I think it’s going to be a spectacular piece of theatre because the people in it are just amazingly talented. I think it will be a must-see show.”

A Chorus Line runs from March 4-13 at the Centrepointe Theatre in Nepean. Tickets can be purchased at centrepointetheatre.com and range from $15-45.

Student rush tickets are available with valid ID for $11.25 at the box office on the day of the show, and in advance for the Tuesday and Wednesday productions.

ARTS & Culture | 9

Janet Mock gives refreshing talk at Black History Month Gala Author and transgender activist visits the U of O to discuss issues in black community ditional Haitian dance group and a speech by SFUO vicepresident equity Nicole Maylor. Maylor, whose speech outlined the challenges of growing up as a person of colour, set the stage for Mock’s keynote Q and A session conducted by Roselyne DougéCharles, the SFUO’s new racialized projects coordinator and a member of BlakCollectiv and the Black Student Leaders Association. Following her keynote, Mock stuck around to do a book signing and talk with attendees of the gala.

While the event was a celebration of black achievement and black unity, the theme of the night, it was also an honest discussion of the issues and challenges that people of the black community face regularly.

Mock was refreshingly open and honest about her experience as a transgender black woman, and shared insights from her book Redefining Realness. She began by explaining the genre of her

Anchal Sharma staff contributor

Year after year we hear a similar statement echoed during the month of February—black history should be a year-long celebration, not just something we focus on for one month.

Although some people question this sentiment, the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) expertly demonstrated the variety of black excellence that should be celebrated more regularly at their annual Black History Month Gala on Feb. 26.

The black-tie gala was held at Tabaret Hall on campus, and featured a variety of talented black performers and speakers, including American author and transgender activist, Janet Mock. Staying true to its purpose, the candlelit tables were adorned with names of important black figures in history instead of numbers.

Shortly after doors opened and guests took their seats, the gala was opened by a tra-

Janet Mock (left) and Roselyne Dougé-Charles (right) discuss issues facing the black community at the Black History Month Gala.

Photo: Marta Kierkus.

book and the way it helped her become more in tune with herself.

“A memoir... is a self reflective genre and a lot of myself I learned through my interactions,” Mock said.

Mock went on to discuss difficult issues that affect her as a black woman, as well as the black community as a whole.

She touched on her childhood and the difficult conversations she had with her parents about her gender transition, as well as the stereotypes associated with black masculinity, and how her father was “tasked as my father to be charged with raising a strong black boy.”

She also discussed the eurocentric beauty standards of

Western society, and how it affects the black community.

Mock discussed how people with more typical European features, such as lighter skin and hair, were viewed as more beautiful and treated better by others.

As a woman who comes from a mixed background, with her father being African-

American and her mother a native Hawaiian, Mock discussed how this preference of eurocentric features and valuing of lighter skin affected her while growing up in Hawaii. “(Although) there were a lot of people of colour, there was a hierarchy. My blackness was seen still as ‘other’, my brown skin was targeted because it was seen as ‘black’, which was seen as less than,” said Mock.

Mock, who works in the media as both a journalist and the host of So POPular!, a weekly digital series on MSNBC about culture, also discussed the lack of representation of minorities in her own field and the dichotomy of being either a well-respected famous black person or being policed for the colour of your skin as an average citizen.

Mock was able to tackle a myriad of difficult topics with unwavering confidence and grace, effectively addressing issues in the black community, and demonstrating the importance of black unity.

Music and social justice intersect with The Cardboard Crowns Ryan Pepper

staff contributor University of Ottawa alumni band, The Cardboard Crowns, are returning to Ottawa on March 11 to release their third album Hold On at Mavericks.

Although the self-described “ska-rockers” have relocated to Toronto, three of the members are originally from Aylmer, Que. and consider Ottawa their hometown. The group consists of four high school friends who pursued different routes in post-secondary, but continued to play together in bars and clubs in the Ottawa area in the summer before later getting serious about making it as The Cardboard Crowns.

The men bring not only their affection for ska and classic punk to their unique music, but also a deep love of community service and social justice, which has been ingrained in the band members since they were in high school.

“We kind of started realizing that an important part of community is community

service—it’s giving back to the people around you, and even if you don’t really know them, you end up knowing them and becoming a part of their lives,” said Francois Cuningham, the band’s bassist and graduate of the U of O’s master’s program in economics.

The band have released two other albums prior to Hold On, both of which have heavy Sublime influences, and lyrically focus on the importance of being an active member in the community. Their new album focuses on similar themes, but isn’t quite as positive as their previous work.

“It’s a darker album. Hold On, the title kinda says it, is about hanging on through darker times. We still have some happy ska songs, well sometimes it sounds happy because it’s upbeat, but the lyrics are darker,” Cuningham explained. This darker touch stems from the relationships and connections that were broken when the band moved to Toronto.

This album is also another milestone for the band, as it’s their first recorded in an actual studio rather than vocal-

10 | ARTS & CULTURE

ist and guitarist Joel Keuhn’s basement studio, with much of the recording being done in London, Ont. at EMAC studios.

The band decided to hold a release party in Ottawa as it’s their hometown, but also because they view it as an essential city for Canada’s music scene.

“For us the music scene is a triangle in Canada. It’s all about Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal—that’s what we believe in,” said Cuningham.

“You can hit Ottawa on the Friday and Montreal on the Saturday then come back home to Toronto the Sunday.”

“Ottawa is the best crowd,” Cuningham said, noting how the band members being bilingual help them fully connect with Ottawa concertgoers. He says he’s excited for the high level of audience participation, which includes attendees making their own cardboard crowns to wear, a tradition at their shows.

The Cardboard Crowns release show will be at Mavericks on March 11 at 9 p.m.. Tickets are available at Vertigo Records at 193 Rideau Street in advance for $10 or at the door for $15.

thefulcrum.ca

(Almost) beating them at their own game

U of O improv team MI-6 host improv competition night Janoah Willsie staff contributor

Three improv teams entered Avant-Garde bar on Feb. 28. One team left victorious, crowned as the winner of the evening. The other two left defeated, with only the faint memory of their moment in the spotlight to hold onto.

Although the University of Ottawa’s English competitive improv team MI-6’s event on Friday may not quite have been a deathmatch, it was a close battle with MI-6 winning only by a small margin in a vote by the audience.

MI-6 competed against two other improv teams composed of members of the U of O’s Room for Improvment improv club. Each round of competitions consisted of a number of improv games, ranging from 30-second to 7-minute scenes.

The first few tests of the evening featured Team Yellow and Team Red, and challenged the groups to impersonate an object, with Team Yellow impersonating a lamp and Team Red impersonating a tree, and to act out a period in history, where Team Yellow showed off their interpretation of Ancient Greece and Team Red depicted the free love era of the 1960s.

The first round ended with

Team Yellow as the overall winner.

The second half of the evening pitted Team Yellow against MI-6.

One of the first improv games they performed was called “Bad Rap”, where each competitor had to create a line of rap on the spot, rhyming with “tie”, without reusing a rhyming word or missing a beat. There were lines such as “3.14 apple pie” and “my favourite type of food is thai”. MI-6 defeated Team Yellow in this round.

However, MI-6 are not the only improvisers on campus.

Each Thursday night, Room for Improvment holds meetings that anyone, from theatre and comedy lovers to complete beginners, can come to to play improv games.

The event, which was hosted by third-year U of O theatre and communications student Zachary Duval, gave two teams the chance to compete against MI-6 in an attempt to give members of the club who aren’t on the competitive team a chance to perform, with two of the players performing for the first time, according to Duval.

Although it was technically a competition, the event had a fun and upbeat vibe to it, and the winners had no physical

Members from all three teams performed one last game after the end of the competition. From left to right: Jennifer Constant, Sachin Sinha, Johnny Lebeau, Julie Dunleavy, Lindsay Mckeen, Zachary Duval, TJ Dhir, Claire Edrington, and Challian Christ.

Photo: Janoah Willsie.

prize, just a sense of pride to leave the bar with.

Sachin Sinha, a second-year Telfer student and member of MI-6, says that he believes improv is unique because “in improv if only one person succeeds, then no one succeeds,” showing that all of the performers supported each other,

no matter which team they were on.

“Improv is doing what you should be doing in life and putting it on stage, supporting the people that you’re with, doing things for the good of your group and not just for yourself,” says Sinha.

Other members of MI-6 also

spoke highly of improv, with Challian Christ, a second-year philosophy student at the U of O, calling it “an extended trust exercise.”

“Everybody should at least try improv cause everyone can do it,” said Claire Edrington, a fourth-year biochemistry student and MI-6 team member.

“In improv, anything goes and your idea is good. It’s such a confidence booster.”

MI-6 will be performing next at Provject Ex March 11–12 at Carleton University.

For more information, check out the Facebook event page at https://www.facebook.com/ events/1556848307975833/.

ALBUM REVIEW: The Zolas • Swooner | Light Organ | 7/10 Kim Wiens visual editor

Canadian indie rock band The Zolas have taken on a different style from their previous releases with their third studio album, Swooner. The Vancouver natives released this 10-track album riddled with infectious beats, reverberating guitar, and dark lyrical undertones. The album tells the story of a band’s slowly growing recognition, and the intoxicating pleasures and troubles that come with it.

The opening track, “Molotov Girls”, originally released on their EP, Wino Oracle, back in Oct. 2015, is an upbeat and unapologetic party song that touches on drinking, dancing, and danger—a departure from the more expressive and melodic rock sound of their earlier work.

“Get Dark” takes things down a notch, expressing the

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homesickness that comes with a lifestyle of newfound popularity. The track makes several reverential references to Toronto nightlife, a stark contrast with their West Coast roots.

“Fell in Love With New York”, another track previously released on Wino Oracle, condenses the sentiment of the album into a classic vignette of struggling to make it in a cutthroat industry. Despite breaking through internationally, a sense of belonging in a city like New York is still just out of their grasp. The allure of the city has captivated them as they beg for it to “open, oh open the door” for them.

The second half of the album takes the tempo down with the enticing intro on “Freida on the Mountain”, leading into a chorus reminiscent of their debut album, Tic Toc Tic. The following track wraps vocalist Zach Grey’s pleading

“The album tells the story of a band’s slowly growing recognition, and the intoxicating pleasures and troubles that come with it.”

voice in minimal percussion and sporadic synthetic beats.

The project culminates at the last and most emotional track of the album, “Why Do I Wait (When I Know You’ve Got a Lover)”. The vocals have

an empty, crushed tone, something uncharacteristic of Grey, which suits the lyrics about the hopelessness and cliché of lost love. This is an experimental sound for the group, but it’s executed well, and hopefully

is one they’ll explore further in the future.

Although several tracks on the album seem somewhat unpolished and lyrically repetitive, they still get the job done. The band’s foray into pop music is quite a shift from the haunting, atmospheric rock of their last album. Tracks like “Molotov Girls”, “Swooner”, and “Male Gaze” are undeniably catchy, however they still leave something to be desired.

At the end of the day, what The Zolas do best is melodic, reverb-heavy rock tunes, pep-

pered with irresistible hooks and inventive production like on “Get Dark”, “Freida On the Mountain” and “Invisible”.

Swooner combines elements of their previous albums that fans know and love, but also introduces a new pop sound they seem to be developing.

Whether this sonic shift will increase their popularity remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure—straying from the sound that brought you recognition is a bold move for a band that’s not quite yet in the spotlight.

ARTS & Culture | 11

The great divestment debate

Members of the local academic community chime in on one of the fastest growing environmental movements in the country.

Kyle Darbyson Features Editor

W

hen it comes to a lot of big world issues—like war, poverty, and disease—many young students feel like they are powerless to do anything.

This is especially true when the topic turns to fossil fuels and climate change, since influential decision-making regarding these hot-button issues are made behind closed doors here and abroad.

This is probably why the fossil fuel divestment movement has been picking up steam over the past couple years and why it has been so popular among university students—it seemingly puts the power back in their hands.

For those of you who don’t know, divestment is an economics term that means the opposite of investment, whereby you actively look to shed financial ties with an institution in the form of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.

The fossil fuel divestment movement aims to apply these principles for environmental purposes, persuading various institutions to stop investing in oil, gas, and coal, commodities that negatively contribute to our society’s global carbon footprint.

This movement is grassroots right down to its bone marrow, having started in Canada in 2012 by a group of students from McGill. Since then, the campaign has spread to more than 30 university campuses across the country. This includes the University of Ottawa, where local activists like Fossil Free uOttawa are hoping to convince the administration to drop the estimated $55 million that they have invested in companies like Suncor ($8.1 million), Enbridge Gas ($6.2 million), and Cenovus Energy ($5 million).

However, like most social phenomena, the fossil fuel divestment movement is not without its detractors.

Some say that it’s an impractical way of fighting climate change in an economic sense, while others characterize the movement as a bunch of whiney Millennials making noise over an issue that they don’t fully understand.

So is this divestment movement an effective way of bringing about meaningful change, or is it simply another shallow, moralistic crusade that is all flash and no substance?

Moral conundrum One of the biggest ideological pillars holding up this movement is a moral argument, with many believing that intellectual institutions like the U of O should not financially support the use of a commodity that is endangering the well-being of its students and society at large.

This belief is shared by over 100 present and retired U of O

professors, all of whom put their names to an open letter addressed to president Allan Rock and the Board of Governors (BOG), urging them to “divest the (U of O) endowment fund and the employee pension plan from fossil fuel companies.”

“The time is well overdue for us to make this transition away from a fossil fuel economy,” said Adam Brown, a U of O biology professor who is amongst the local academics who signed this open letter.

“Our window of opportunity is closing. So there’s no longer an argument to be made about ‘Oh, let’s just take our time and let’s do things slowly without big jumps.’

No. The time is now.”

Brown is also compelled to participate in this campaign as a matter of professional integrity.

“As a biology professor, and particularly one with an expertise in ecology and environmental science, it is incumbent upon me to share that information with other members of the university community and the public at large.”

While this moral angle has been critiqued by some, it is not without historical precedence.

After all, the same kind of university-centred divestment activism was deployed in the 1980s to combat South African Apartheid, which many believe played a fundamental role in rallying public opinion against state-sponsored racial segregation.

However, some think that this same kind of moral outrage is not applicable to the fossil fuel industry.

U of O economics professor Gilles Grenier believes that this latest divestment movement is extremely short-sighted, especially when it’s put in an international perspective.

“I’m thinking from a humanitarian point of view,” he said, referring to third world countries, where a large chunk of their population have to settle for oil or coal, since they simply don’t have the means to access green sources of energy.

“If you’re very poor and you’re offered the possibility to have electricity in your house, maybe you’ll value that more than potential environmental disasters that will happen 100 years from now.”

Grenier states that this sort of activism becomes even more of a moral quagmire when one considers Canada’s international trading partners, some of whom have environmental priorities that are far below our own.

“Suppose the Chinese ask Canada to

sell oil… and we say no. What do they do? Th have a worse effect on greenhouse gases than

Taking them down from th

The short-sighted moralizing that Grenier a side of the debate as well.

According to Dr. Tessa Hebb—a responsible Centre for Community Innovation—divestme enacting concrete fiscal change, and that instit better position to help reshape the energy secto “What’s more effective, in my view, is for maintain their position in the company and us order to change the standards by which the co Hebb goes onto say that by divesting one’s stitutions would be giving away all their influ and will be left with no bargaining chips to sp putting their shares in the hands of morally du “When somebody sells their holdings, some son that buys, or the institution, doesn’t care. It vironmental) issues at hand and we’ve seen thi However, biology professor Jessica Forrest— ter to Rock and the BOG—counters this strateg “These are fossil fuel companies. It’s not like ing our fossil fuels in a nicer way. I mean thei traction and consumption of fossil fuels, so I d their business model, a way that leverage from Brown also dismisses this taking-them-dow that these investments won’t even be worth m eyes, “the fossil fuel industry is a dying trade.”

This idea is easier to believe now more tha the price of oil has slid to around $32 a barrel an est pen

hey just keep using coal, which will if they use oil.”

he inside

“If we’re going to be at the forefront I think you should look at the university’s campaign, ‘defy the conventional.’ I mean what could be more conventional than fossil fuel consumption.”—Jessica Forrest, biology professor at the U of O.

Pension Plan and the Ontario Muhave reportedly lost billions “It makes poor financial sense to Brown continues. “This is economtry we are throwing our money out

nicipal Employees Retirement System) through their fossil fuel investments. continue to invest in a dying industry,” ics 101. If there’s no future in the industhe window.”

alludes to is present in the financial

e investment expert from Carleton’s ent is largely ineffective in terms of tutions like the U of O would be in a or by holding onto their shares. r the shareholder or the investor to se their influence as shareholders in ompany operates.” investments in fossil fuels, these inuence and power in the free market, eak of. Plus, they also run the risk of ubious institutions. ebody else buys and usually the pert doesn’t have any interest in the (enis quite a number of times.”

—another signatory of the open letgy, saying that it is “incredibly naïve.” e you can pressure them into extractir business model is based on the exdon’t see, given the stakes and given m the inside can work.” wn-from-the-inside narrative, saying much in the near future since, in his

an ever, especially in a world where nd where some of the country’s largnsion plans (including the Canadian

Possible solutions The big elephant in the room comes up is: how do we keep a fossil industry has been dominated by tion?

In the eyes of many, renewable etc.) are at a point in their developthe burden that oil, gas, and coal were given a chance.

“What we lack is the political companies,” said Misha Voloaca, a uOttawa, when asked why these forever to get off the ground.

“One of the reasons why it’s been played a significant role in disruptmate change, especially in the Unitare pumping hundreds and millions and policies from being impleWhile Hebb also believes in the she states that these seismic shifts off, and recommends some more interim.

“I think that the investors should investment portfolio and seek to “This was actually a step that the of 2015,” she said, referring to the Carbon Pledge, thereby agreeing to

Being more of a skeptic on the subject of divestment, Grenier is content with sticking to the energy sources that have worked in the past, and states that we should continue to invest in the technology we have now and use them in a more environmentally friendly way.

“I think we will still need fossil fuels for a long time, so we should try to make the best of it.”

Divestment at the U of O whenever the subject of divestment fuel-free energy sector going when the fossil fuels since the industrial revoluenergy sources (think wind, solar, hydro, ment where they are ready to take up have carried for so long, if only they will. What we lack is leadership from PhD student and member of Fossil Free clean energy sources have been taking so slow is that fossil fuel interests have ing the public conversation around clied States and other places where they of dollars into campaigns to prevent laws mented.” potential of renewable energy sources, in the industry might be a couple years practical steps that can be taken in the measure the carbon foot print of their reduce that carbon footprint over time.”

University of Ottawa took in the late fall school’s decision to sign the Montreal publically disclose the carbon footprint of their investment portfolio.

Of course, the fossil fuel divestment movement extends way beyond Canadian university campuses.

Thanks in large in part to endorsements from religious institutions like the World Council of Churches, philanthropic juggernauts like the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and international groups like the United Nations, more than $50 billion in fossil fuel investments have already been divested globally.

However, Canadian university administrations are still hesitant to adopt these measures, as not one of them have taken the plunge in an official capacity.

“University administrations are, by their nature, conservative,” said Forrest.

“And, of course, they have a responsibility to safeguard their investments and make sure that their pension will be there down the line. So they can’t rush into things.”

With that being said, the U of O has been flirting with the idea of divestment for the past couple months. Not only has the topic been brought at the BOG meetings in January and February, but a series of on-campus, divestment-related panels have been scheduled for late March.

Additionally, the administration has also commissioned several fossil fuel reports to help them decided whether or not divestment is the right way to go, one of which was submitted by Hebb herself.

But despite these recent steps, Brown is not holding his breath.

“Talk is cheap and action is where we will see results,” he said. “Until we have a complete disassociation from investment in fossil fuels we are still a very big part of the problem.”

And while the debate still rages on about the validity of this movement as a means of bringing about meaningful change, Forrest testifies to the idea that this brand of activism is still a great way to spread awareness of the environmental issues plaguing our planet.

“If we’re going to be at the forefront I think you should look at the university’s campaign, ‘defy the conventional.’ I mean what could be more conventional than fossil fuel consumption.”

SPORTS

SPORTS EDITOR Spencer Murdock sports@thefulcrum.ca

@SpencerMurdock @FulcrumSports

Inside track: Gee-Gees track and field struggles to find exposure

Sprinter Brandyn Martineau speaks on his sport’s lack of visibility David Agbaire Proofreader

T

he University of Ottawa currently has 10 official varsity programs, however the prominence and recognition given to each team on campus is far from equal, says U of O short-distance sprinter Brandyn Martineau. Martineau, has competed in 60m and 300m events at a varsity level for five years.

He detailed some of his frustrations and achievements he’s experienced as a track athlete at the university.

“Over the past four years there’s been little to no coverage of the track and field because basically they cover the sports that bring in more revenue to the school.”

Much like with their Olympic counterparts, there isn’t a lot of interest afforded to track and

field athletes. Many may be unaware that the Gee-Gees have some of the nation’s best training facilities for budding track and field athletes, and boast a coaching staff studded with Olympic caliber tutelage.

Head coach Andy McInnis, who has led the team for the past five years, has five Olympic appearances on his resume, including a stint as head coach for Canada at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games. McInnis also has 10 world championships under his belt. Despite this, there seems to be a lack of coverage of the elite-level athletes within the U of O’s track and field program.

“They can sell tickets and make students come out to (other sports games), but track events are free and are technically hosted by the head coach, not the school. They treat it as if it’s a club sport,” said Martineau.

The Gees track and field team practice and host events far from campus at the Louis Riel Dome in Gloucester—a 50 minute bus ride away from the

university. The school has announced no plans of providing the teams an on campus hom e in the near future. Martineau believes this also has a big impact on the track and field team’s popularity on campus.

“90 per cent of the school has no idea where we even train, because they don’t really see us doing what we do, so if it was closer it would be easier for people to see what we’re actually doing and maybe would be interested in coming to watch us,” he said.

The school currently rents the dome for practices that take place 5:30–9 p.m., but Martineau believes that this can cause issues as student athletes are forced to organize their lives around this time period.

“Many of us work part-time jobs but it’s hard because there just isn’t any time to relax. If you practice every day, you’re going to be exhausted every day, but then you still need to study for your courses and stay on top of them. Trying to find the equilibrium is tough,” said Martineau.

Martineau turns a corner in a relay race at a Gee-Gees home meet.

Despite the downfalls, the experience is still rewarding, Martineau commented on how his unique experience has taught him many important lessons to take with him in life.

He says that time management is the most important skill he’s learned during his time as a student-athlete.

“In track, you learn to be more of an individual in that

Photo: Erica Roberts

you get what you put in. It helps you be a better student because, since your schedule is so tight, if you don’t manage (your time) properly, you’re not going to perform well in school or track.”

For Martineau, he expects to continue to train at a high level for the next few years of his life, but for others, the varsity track and field team represents the final stop of their athletic career.

Track and field may not get the shine it deserves on campus, but its athletes are dedicated, hard-working individuals who rightfully yearn for recognition from students and administration alike.

The lack of recognition likely won’t come to an end anytime

soon, but one day the team may get what they deserve—a little support.

Women’s hockey ousted from playoffs by McGill

Two-game sweep shows there is still some work to be done despite successful season Spencer Murdock Sports Editor

For the Gee-Gees women’s hockey team, a stellar season drew to a close after being eliminated by the McGill Martlets in the first round of their conference playoffs this past weekend The team began the best two-of-three series on the road in Montreal and they had a comeback opportunity in the third period, but were bested 4-2.

Véronik Samson and Camille Pauck-Therrien were the lone goal scorers for the Gee-Gees in the match. PauckTherrien’s goal cut McGill’s lead to 3-2, but the Gees’ hopes of an early upset were dashed when the Martlets scored only seconds later.

As the series shifted back to Ottawa, the second game was

14 | SPORTS

Gee-Gees fought hard but could not overcome the more powerful McGill attack.

much more exhilarating than the first. With their season on the line, the Gee-Gees fought tooth-and-nail to stay in the game and force a third and fi-

Photo: Marta Kierkus

nal game.

The Martlets came out of the gate firing, and found mesh first with Kelsie Moffatt scoring the first period’s only

goal.

The Gee-Gees responded by finding their offence early in the second, with two consecutive goals to take a 2-1 lead. In

response, McGill took to the attack and scored twice to regain the lead going into the final period of regulation.

Only 33 seconds into the final frame, Mélodie Bouchard scored her second goal of the game for the Gee-Gees and the game was headed to overtime.

The first overtime period was scoreless, and the crowd at Minto Sports Complex was raucous, with clear hopes of willing their team to victory in the second overtime.

Just under five minutes into the period, Melodie Daoust scored her second of the night for the Martlets, giving them the win and the series.

“I said it several times this season, this is an amazing group,” head coach Yanick Evola told Sports Services.

“The character of this team is above what I’ve seen in my life in women’s hockey.”

After a successful season, the women’s hockey program is in a strong place and has benefited from increased attention being the only hockey team at the U of O. Some things may change as the team will have to once again compete for attention when the men’s team returns in the fall.

The team will have the offseason to rebuild and retool, however many key seniors will be graduating, leaving unknown expectations for next year.

Perhaps the Gee-Gees weren’t quite ready for the long playoff haul, and perhaps it was just a bad first-round matchup. At the very least the team showed their will to fight to the end, proving that even though they finished empty handed the year was still a success.

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Gees women’s hoops come out strong in regular season wrap up Soriano, Ring, Traer shine in two final road wins in Northern Ontario David Agbaire Proofreader

The University of Ottawa women’s basketball team solidified their spot atop of the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) North division and secured a home court advantage for the upcoming playoffs with wins against Nipissing and Laurentian on Feb. 26 and 27.

These wins extend the Gees’ win streak to six games, and their final regular season record of 16-2 is the best in team history dating back 44 years.

The Gee-Gees are currently ranked sixth in the nation, and will host a home playoff game, and with a win, could host the OUA Final Four.

The first game of the weekend, the women took on the Nippissing Lakers. A spirited performance by the Garnet and Grey ensured the Lakers wouldn’t pull off an upset as the Gees clinched a comfortable 83-59 win.

A tough full-court defensive effort and high shooting percentage was the key to Gees’ victory. Julia Soriano scored

the team high for the night with 21 points, shooting seven of nine from three.

It has been a spectacular season for Soriano, whose electrifying and cerebral play has given her the opportunity to establish herself as one of the best point guards in the country.

Her teammates were also hitting from behind the arc shooting 50 per cent, finishing with 11 on the night.

Veteran guard/forward Kellie Ring had another strong statistical night, posting 16 points, eight assists, six rebounds, and three steals.

The next night, the GeeGees faced the Laurentian Voyageurs in the final game of the regular season.

Despite previously blowing out the Voyageurs by 20 points back in November, the Gees had to fight in a relatively tight game, combatting Laurentian’s speed and athleticism.

The Voyageurs finished the game with an incredible 13 steals, putting immense defensive pressure on the Gees throughout the game.

With Ottawa’s main post

Kellie Ring is prepared to lead the Gee-Gees into a long playoff run.

threat in Katherine Lemoine ruled out for the game, it was to be a battle of guards and forwards. Catherine Traer proved to be the difference for the Gee-Gees, scoring all four of her shots from distance on

the way to 16 points and seven rebounds.

Ring was also instrumental again for the Gees, recording a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

The victories secured a bye

Photo: Remi Yuan

for the team in the first round of the OUA playoffs. They seem to be meshing as a unit but will need to maintain focus heading into these crucial games. Only an appearance in the OUA finals will be good

enough to secure a berth in the National Championship tournament.

With this bye, the Gees will face the victor of Brock and Guelph on March 5 at 6 p.m. at Montpetit Hall.

Gee-Gees down Lakers and Voyageurs in regular season finale Led by Agada and L’Africain, Gees begin national championship push

“The following night, the GeeGees took on a familiar foe in the Laurentian Voyageurs. The game between the two marks the 71st time they have matched up since 1971.”

Spencer Murdock

Sports Editor

The nationally secondranked Gee-Gees men’s basketball team travelled to Northern Ontario to close out their regular season against Nipissing and Laurentian on Feb. 26 and 27.

In the first game against the Lakers, the Gees had a more impressive defensive performance than anything. Held to only 49 points on the night, Nipissing couldn’t get any of their shots to fall as Ottawa held them to an abysmal 31 per cent field goal average.

The Gee-Gees spread the ball out incredibly efficiently, as four of their starters scored in double figures. As always, Caleb Agada and Mike L’Africain were the leaders for the team in the 74-49 win.

L’Africain continued his scoring dominance by meeting his average with 20 points on the night, while Agada had 17, Nate McCarthy chipped in with 13, and Vikas Gill added 10.

The team goes into the playoffs with big game experience, enough to be a favouite for the national title.

The following night, the Gee-Gees took on a familiar foe in the Laurentian Voyageurs.

The game between the two marks the 71st time they’ve matched up since 1971. The alltime series was split 35-35 be-

fore the Gee-Gees took the advantage with a 102-79 victory.

The Voyageurs jumped out to an early lead against their rivals as they held a 26-25 lead after the first quarter of play.

They would continue to keep

the game close before halftime, only allowing the Gee-Gees to nab a one-point lead at half.

In the final two quarters, it was all Gees as a combination of Agada, L’Africain, McCarthy, and Brandon Robinson domi-

Photo: Marta Kierkus

nated for the team. The four led the Gee-Gees with 23, 22, 18, and 18 points, respectively.

Matt Plunkett also found his three-point shot once again, hitting four of six from distance for 14 points.

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With the win, the Gees capped off their season with a 17-2 record and a first round bye in the playoffs. The team will host the winner of Toronto vs. Queen’s on March 5 at 8 p.m.

Provided Ryerson wins their second-round matchup, the Gee-Gees will not host the Wilson Cup Final Four as the Rams own the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Sports | 15

Gee-Gees’ Bonomo makes a splash at CIS Swimming Championships Successful season in the pool comes to a close for teams in Quebec City Dylan Yegendorf Staff Contributor

Fourth-year standout Robert Bonomo swam his way to an impressive two medals last weekend at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Swimming Championships. Bonomo led the way in what was collectively an admirable Gee-Gees showing at the tournament— and an all-time best performance on the men’s side.

The best swimmers in the nation assembled at Université Laval in Quebec City on Feb. 26-28 for the nationwide championship tournament.

Although they were unable to compete with the powerhouse University of Toronto Varsity Blues—who claimed first place in the tournament in both men’s and women’s—the Gee-Gees held their own in the contest, due in large part to Bonomo’s fine efforts.

On Saturday, day two of the

tournament, Bonomo earned a bronze medal in the men’s 50m freestyle event with a time of 23.35s, only a second behind UBC’s Oleksandr Loginov who earned gold and set a CIS Championship record with a time of 22.63s.

Bonomo is no stranger to success in the 50m freestyle, having set a Gee-Gees record in the same event at the Ontario University Athletics tournament two weeks prior.

The bronze medal marked the third of Bonomo’s career in as many CIS Championship appearances.

On the following day, the last of the tournament, Bonomo looked to continue his impressive showing. He earned bronze again, this time in the men’s 100m freestyle, with a time of 51.26s, marking his second medal of the tournament and fourth of his now-decorated career.

It wasn’t all Bonomo for the Gees in Quebec City though, his teammates, Montana Champagne of the men’s and Audrey Prayal-Brown of the women’s side, each placed fifth in their respective events—Champagne in the 200m individual medley and Prayal-Brown in the 50m breaststroke.

Bonomo, alongside Champagne, Prayal-Brown, and the rest of the Gee-Gees swimmers helped University of Ottawa finish the tournament ninth in the men’s standing—matching a Gee-Gees record set in 2015— and thirteenth in the women’s.

This draws a successful year for the Gee-Gees to a close, as both men’s and women’s squads are improving and placing among the nation’s elite. Swimmers will return to Montpetit Hall in the fall in hopes of building on this year, in pursuit of even higher honours come next season.

Biswal and Gee-Gees have field day at OUA Championships

Track and field team has stellar performances before push to nationals

Dylan Yegendorf Staff Contributor

Solid year for Gee-Gees swimmers draws to a close.

Photo: Edwin Tam

As expected, fifth-year GeeGee sensation Devyani Biswal claimed gold in the women’s 60m hurdle at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Track and Field Championships in Windsor, spearheading a successful showing for Gees track and field athletes.

Coming into the tournament on Feb. 26-27 ranked first in the OUA and third in the nation, Biswal was a frontrunner in the women’s 60m hurdle from the get-go. She solidified her status as one of the nation’s very best with her

Photo: Grace Chung

8.45s personal best and gold medal run on day one of the tournament.

Day two of the tournament brought more triumphs for the Garnet and Grey, this time on the men’s side, in the form of two bronze medals.

First, Ottawa’s Jacob Powrie earned bronze in the men’s heptathlon with a score of 4813 points, followed by Yvan Ntivumbura’s bronze performance, and personal best 2.07m in the men’s high jump.

Ntivumbura entered the contest ranked sixth in the nation.

The U of O’s three OUA medal-earners qualify for the CIS

Championship and will be representing the Gee-Gees at the national tournament hosted

by York University two weeks from now.

Joining Biswal, Powrie, and Ntivumbura at the National Championships are Gee-Gees’ Scott Hancock for men’s long jump, Steve Nkusi for men’s high jump, and Charlotte Gardner in the women’s 600m.

The men and women of Gee-Gees track and field look to build off their sixth-place finish at the OUA Championships and make a statement at nationals in Toronto on Mar. 10-12.

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Quebec’s proposed ‘safe zone’ law protects women seeking abortion Women deserve the right to safe and calm abortions in Canada Allegra Morgado Arts & Culture Editor

I

magine going to the clinic for surgery and feeling anxious, the only thing keeping you together is thinking about how all of this will be over in a few hours and how much better you’ll feel after it.

As you approach the clinic, a mob of angry protesters run up and start screaming at you, telling you that you’ll regret this surgery and that you’re making an awful decision.

They begin shoving photos of surgeries in your face, gory photos that would make you sick even if you weren’t already feeling unwell.

This is the reality that many girls and women face when they make the decision to get an abortion, which is why Quebec’s opposition party, the Parti Québécois, has proposed a “safe zone” around abortion clinics in their province that would prevent “pro-life” protests from taking place within 50 meters of these clinics.

This law is one that should be common sense in a country where abortion is legal,

and thousands of women seek abortions each year. It is not completely stopping anti-abortion groups from protesting, it’s just making it safer for women to get these legal surgeries that they have full right to.

According to a VICE News article, the “safe zone” law is based on similar laws already in place in British Columbia and 13 American states. The article says that the law in BC was created after the attempted murder of Dr. Garson Romalis, an abortion provider, in 1994.

This law in Quebec would ensure the safety and wellbeing of women who are going to these clinics for abortions, many of whom are most likely already feeling anxious about the procedure, and who may have experienced traumatic events beforehand leading to the pregnancy.

The law would also ensure the safety of people who work at abortion clinics, especially following the mass shooting at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado last year, which Parti Québécois member Carole Poirier says inspired the Quebec law, according to VICE News.

Although some anti-abortion activists believe this law

jean Karl Peladeau, Leader of the Opposition in Quebec National Assembly.

is infringing on their right to “freedom of speech”, the article mentions that these protests can cause stress that increases risks to the procedure, not only affecting a woman’s mental health, but also her physical health.

If this law passes, Quebec will be taking a step in the

right direction, and other provinces should follow suit.

Ontario, which according to data compiled by the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada from Canadian Institute for Health Information, had the second-highest abortion rates in Canada, behind Quebec, in 2014. Therefore it should be the

first province to follow in Quebec’s footsteps to ensure the safety and well-being of the many women who seek abortions in their province.

Until Mifegymiso, better known as RU-486 or the “abortion pill”, is released in Canada later this year, surgical abortions will remain the best and

Photo: CC, Samounet

most often-used method by women seeking to terminate their pregnancy. While we wait for this less intrusive and easier-to-access pill to become available, women deserve to be able to have a safe and calm place to access abortion, something this law will hopefully ensure.

Government shouldn’t give in to corporate interest in cannabis legalization

Giving priority to corporations will reduce the potential positive effects of legalization Serguei Tabatchenko Fulcrum Contributor

The Liberal government has continuously pursued the decriminalization of marijuana and is finally on track to begin thinking about drafting legislation. This comes as no surprise since this change would be a large source of revenue for the government, and an opportunity to relieve the legal system of drug-related cases, which currently cost the government $2 billion dollars according to Statistics Canada.

It’s also a chance to engage local businesses, and improve the slowing economy. Unfortunately, all this will be lost if

Photo: Orims Yomi

the government gives big businesses the bulk of the market share for legalized cannabis.

Currently, large pharmacies like Shoppers Drug Mart,

Rexall, and London Drugs are looking to monopolize this upcoming market, arguing that they’re best fit to monitor trade, distribution and admin-

istration of the drug. However, this would undermine one of the key government incentives for decriminalization— decreasing crime rates.

The price of an illegal drug such as marijuana is greatly inflated, due to the risk of incarceration borne by the suppliers and distributors. Legalization means that cannabis could be farmed like any other agricultural product, which would drive down prices and outsource illegal sources, reducing crime rates.

This is exactly what happened in Colorado after decriminalization laws took effect in 2014. In just one year, marijuana prices dropped 40

per cent, violent crime rates in Denver decreased by 2.2 per cent and burglaries decreased by 9.5 per cent.

Creating a cannabis monopoly would mean that companies have an incentive to jack up prices to keep profits sky high. There’s no reason for corporations like Shoppers to lower their prices because they will not face competition from small business dispensaries.

In this situation, crime rates likely won’t decrease as much as they might otherwise, and tax revenue will not be nearly as high because people would still have reason to purchase from illegal sources as op-

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posed to taxable companies.

The market for recreational use would be limited, because there would be few local dispensaries that can satisfy personal tastes through various, more ‘artisanal’ strands.

If cannabis decriminalization is handled properly, Canada can finally break free of prohibition-era policies regarding consumption, and begin a new path that can inspire the future social changes our country desperately needs.

This is a golden opportunity for the Liberals to kill two birds with one stone: legalize a profitable recreational industry, and create a precedent for progressive social change.

OPINIONS | 17

The label ‘anti-Semitic’ is a tactic used to stifle debate stuart chambers U of O professor

What does one make of an academic who attempts to label all criticism of Israeli policy “anti-Semitic”? This is the favoured tactic of Dr. Henry Srebrnik, a political science professor at the University of Prince Edward Island. In a recent article submitted to the Prince Arthur Herald, Professor Srebrnik adopts a strategy more often employed by left-wing university activists obsessed with political correctness.

Dr. Srebrnik insists that if Jewish students at York University find overt criticism of Israel offensive then the speech or expression must be censored in order to provide a “safe space.” He is particularly upset over an acrylic painting on display over one of the entrance foyers to the Student Centre. The mural titled “Palestinian Roots” depicts Israeli aggression and occupation from a Palestinian viewpoint, which professor Srebrnik claims is an anti-Semitic statement, not a critique of the Israeli government. As his op-ed suggests, the painting demonstrates a “callous disregard for the feelings and

emotional welfare” of Jewish students.

Professor Srebrnik’s real motives, however, have less to do with sheltering Jewish students from hate and more to do with intimidating those who dare criticize Israeli foreign policy. It’s not “hurt feelings” he’s protecting but rather his own worldview. In other words, Professor Srebrnik is a bootlegger in political correctness concerning Israel.

However, it is the longterm implications of professor Srebrnik’s stance on academic freedom that are most disturbing. Suppose that a University of Ottawa professor were to provide required readings concerning the illegal invasion of Iraq. If a visiting American student found the material offensive, should the articles be removed from the syllabus? In Henry Srebrnik’s Orwellian world, the “insensitive” professor should be sanctioned for spreading anti-American propaganda.

Likewise, a death and dying course may involve a critique of disability rights activists, such as Not Dead Yet, and their anti-euthanasia mindset. A disabled student could take offence by claiming the

professor is spreading hate in the form of “eugenics” discourse. A “safe space” would then be required to protect the disabled from “harmful” ideas.

Furthermore, a prohibitionist feminist may find the idea of sex work oppressive, exploitive, and inherently violent, but a professor may posit the view that prostitution is just another form of labour.

Research may highlight how Liberals side with the autonomy of sex workers over state paternalism. Does this mean that the professor promotes misogyny if some radical feminists feel offended?

Now let’s apply this same logic to professor Srebrnik’s work. If he fails to discuss the Palestinian point of view in his political science classes, or if he presents a pro-Israeli bias, Palestinian students could claim their “safe space” was violated and accuse professor Srebrnik of spreading hate. Professor Srebrnik would have to explain to his administration how he knows better than Arabic students do as to what constitutes antiPalestinian rhetoric.

In all seriousness, no credible professor would enter-

University of Ottawa Professor Stuart Chambers

tain implementing the kind of politically correct ideology forwarded by Dr. Srebrnik.

This is because any setting that prides itself in academic freedom—including the University of Ottawa—would be undermining its own mandate by suppressing the free

Photo: Stuart Chambers

flow of ideas.

When students enter a classroom, a professor’s job is to make them feel uncomfortable about their own preconceived notions, not to make them feel comfortable or “safe” from competing claims. Campus life can have

the same impact on disrupting student thought, and the painting by a former York University graduate was effective in this regard—it made a few Jewish students and one PEI professor feel uncomfortable. Welcome to university!

Those feelings of discomfort mark the beginning of critical thinking. Dialogue will only accelerate this process.

For professor Srebrnik, however, the student’s artistic endeavour concerning the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict is not open for discussion. Instead, “safe spaces,” censorship, and accusations of anti-Semitism are more appropriate responses to expression Professor Srebrnik finds “disturbing.”

This form of political correctness has a single purpose in mind—erasing from memory the daily reality faced by Palestinians. While the mural’s intent was to bring that reality to life, professor Srebrnik would prefer we all be left in the dark.

—Stuart Chambers, Ph.D., is a professor in the faculties of arts and social sciences at the University of Ottawa. He can be reached at schamber@uottawa.ca.

Playboy isn’t leaving the porn industry, it’s changing it

Decision to move away from nudes allows magazine to again redefine itself “Whereas the new Playboy never seems to take away agency from its models and approaches contraception and masturbation with confidence.”

Feo P-S

Fulcrum Contributor It’s hard for a Millennial to call Playboy porn. When you’re a tap away from so many sites with no limits on what they can show, the often Instagram-acceptable centerfolds that awakened decades of sexualities just don’t have the same potency.

Yet, in 1953, Playboy opened the floodgates at a time when the conversation on sex and pleasure was just getting started. With the release of their first nudity-free issue, they may have just done it again, by removing that same nudity and focusing instead on the emotional side of sex, a welcome change from the hardcore pornography available online.

Now, free of any uncovered bodies, Playboy’s March issue can finally grace the shelves of supermarkets all around the world—the wet dream of any magazine.

But as soon as you see cover model Sarah McDaniel’s heterochromatic eyes gazing out

18 | OPINIONS

Photo: CC, Jason Scott

from behind a pseudo-Snapchat text bar, you realize there’s something that fundamentally separates this magazine from its “men’s interest” neighbours.

Maybe it’s just a pretty redesign, but it also seems to be Playboy’s even slightly more emotional focus.

This is still a magazine about sex. The women are still the

focus of sexual desire—in that regard, they are sexualized, in a very generic way. But unlike pretty much every popular culture instance of sexualization, they are not simultaneously dehumanized.

Rather than be objects of desire, they are subjects of desire.

The McDaniel photoshoot is less a visual shout of “it would

be nice to have sex with this!” and more a set of everyday scenes that make you wonder what waking up next to this woman would be like.

And while that’s not some major feminist victory in itself, having readers see a model as more than a thing is a step in the right direction.

It’s a surprisingly emotion-

ally present take on sex that appears throughout the magazine. Former Jezebel managing editor Erin Gloria Ryan’s piece on IUDs is a politically-charged call for “the next sexual revolution” and literary giant Karl Ove Knausgaard wrote a story about his discovery of masturbation.

It all stands in stark contrast to the disconnected sexuality of mainstream pornography.

The new Playboy never seems to take away agency from its models and approaches contraception and masturbation with confidence.

Playboy may just be joining an already existing trend, as feminist filmmakers and projects like the School of Life’s pornastherapy.com, which pairs explicit images with descriptions of the models’ fictional

life stories, have been working hard to approach porn more holistically.

They explore the relationships between sex, love, intimacy, and personality in ways that hardcore porn is seemingly afraid to. In doing so, these projects have begun to bridge the gap between sexuality and humanity that has so unnaturally been culled from our popular culture.

What makes the redesigned Playboy so special in comparison to those other efforts, then, is that as a long-time key player in the industry, it has the audience to recognize the new standard they’re developing.

And if that means our porn is going to get a little messier in the emotional department, perhaps that’s what our society needs.

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POTential bill has businesses ‘high’ on the future of customer satisfaction Companies come up with ways to get hit of legalized weed revenues David Agbaire Proofreader In light of federal court judge Michael Phelan’s recent ruling, which struck down a previous ban on medical marijuana patients growing their own plants, a new bill is being lobbied for in Parliament that would permit businesses to grow their own plants and provide their customers with ‘samples’ and ‘treats’.

Marijuana is currently legal for medicinal use in Canada, but there is both public and private pressure for a policy that allows businesses to reward their patrons with a free pot brownie to capitalize off of customers who’ll get the munchies in their store.

This initiative has been led by fast-food restaurants, grocery stores, and Shoppers Drug Mart, who all expect their sales of junk food to increase with the free brownie pro-

gram.

Patty Meltt, a representative for McDonald’s Canada said “It seems to be only a matter of time before the government legalizes weed for recreational use, so why not let businesses get a head start? I think our customers deserve the best dining experience, and studies show that marijuana is an effective digestive aid as well as an appetite stimulator.”

The bill seems to have created a united force amongst business in Ottawa, with many businesses signing a 100,000-signature petition.

Many business insiders see the potential bill as revolutionary, with Burger King going so far as to confirm their plans to install “coming down” beds in over 250 of their locations nationwide.

“We want to create the most comfortable environment possible for our customers, plus it creates jobs for staff specially

hired to tuck in our customers” said national franchise manager for Burger King Canada, Heinz Berger.

There was no response however from Menchies when asked to comment on plans to change the first ‘e’ in their name to a ‘u’ officially, and start serving a weed-flavoured ice cream called “highcecream”.

Some skeptics remain unconvinced about the economic impact that this could have for businesses country-wide, and believe instead it will simply create a domino effect where business stalls as people forget to show up to work.

Debbie Downer, spokesperson for the group Want Elimination of Every Drug, not to be abbreviated to W.E.E.D. she stressed, said “Just think about how this could affect lunch breaks! Employers won’t be so lenient on you just popping down the street to get a quick

Photo: Orims Yomi

bite, you could be there for hours!”

The idea is also gaining ground in some comedy circles, as clubs feel this would perhaps be a safer alternative to

fuelling patrons with alcohol.

Comedy Club Owner Joe King said “I’d rather have a bunch of laughing stoners than a bunch of drunk hecklers any day. I’m in full support of this bill.”

With what is sure to be a long and heated debate, the growing demand for marijuana’s place in the food services sector doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

‘Climate Change is real’ speech at Oscars shocks world

Leo’s long anticipated win awakens world to environmental phenomenon

David Campion-Smith Opinions Editor Leonardo DiCaprio finally did what so many people had thought was never going to happen for him—he managed to become even more successful and well known than he already was. The actor, and former dad bod and man bun ambassador, won Best Actor for his role in The Revenant.

Aside from finally being recognized as a talented actor by an Academy of old white people (mostly men), Leo’s win has spurred a movement that finally recognizes the environmental turmoil our planet is experiencing.

During his acceptance speech the actor took the time to comment on global warming and its impact on the environment, and everything rapidly changed from there.

For starters, both Canada and the United States’ lead-

Photo: CC, TonyPro

ers quickly declared a state of emergency in response to Leo’s prophetic words. Prime Minis-

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ter Justin Trudeau said that he didn’t have any idea why his Minister of Environment and

Climate Change had forgotten the latter end of the title, however he is hopeful that he can

snag Leo as a new addition to his Cabinet.

“Who could be better for the job?” said President Barack Obama when he caught wind of Trudeau’s plan to recruit Leo. “He did trek through the wilderness for like three hours in The Revenant. Obviously he’s very in tune with nature, so he knows what he’s talking about.”

Obama denied to provide comment to the Tomato on whether his administration had already secured the rights to Leo’s environmental prowess.

But it’s not just Parliament Hill that’s feeling the ripples of Leo’s impact. Cities around the world are in an uproar after the speech as citizens realize that climate change is real, and begin to panic about its effects.

“How am I supposed to calmly go to class, and do work, without worrying about this issue now that I know that islands like Kiribati, and the

Maldives are in danger of being completely submerged?” said Garth Bennett, a second-year geography student at the University of Ottawa.

Now that Leo has finally received a national stage, the world is finally aware of the impending danger of climate change. “We would have given him an award years ago if we knew it would have such a beneficial effect,” said Cheryl Boone Isaacs, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Student groups on the U of O campus are now desperately trying to reach Leo for comment regarding his stance on fossil fuel divestment, in hopes of finding leverage for their petitions against the university.

Only time will tell if Leo is correct about this phenomenon he calls “Climate Change”, but one thing’s for sure—his speech was a great ice breaker for such a heated topic.

THE TOMATo | 19

DISTRACTIONS

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

Dear Di

Dear Di,

My boyfriend and I have been dating for almost a year now (since freshman year), but it hasn’t exactly been what I envisioned my first relationship to be. My boyfriend doesn’t believe in monogamy and has convinced me to agree to an “open relationship”. The thing is, I embraced this open relationship wholeheartedly and have been with a number of men since we started dating, but it seems to have put a rift in our relationship. He gets very moody and annoyed if he sees me texting other guys. This was his idea in the first place, yet I haven’t noticed him with any other women! What should I do?

-Free-for-All

Dear Di,

I’ve recently begun a relationship with a wonderful woman even though I have only been with men previously. This really intimidates me, since I’m a little lost navigating a female body. In bed, I’m always self-conscious that I’m not pleasing her, as I have yet to make her cum. Is it normal to experience this much anxiety?

-Becumming Anxious

Dear FFA,

Dear BA,

I think it’s definitely time to have a conversation with your boyfriend.

Although it was his idea to initiate this new path in your relationship, it’s important to understand his side of the story. There’s nothing wrong with being in an open arrangement, and some couples swear by them, but they aren’t for everyone. You may need to ask yourself why you’re in this arrangement to begin with, and then re-establish this with your partner.

Establishing boundaries and rules is a key ingredient in making open relationships work. It could be that your boyfriend doesn’t mind your “extra-curricular” adventures, so long as he doesn’t see or hear about them. Having a conversation about potential tricky scenarios is also important. For example, you should discuss what happens if you, say, develop feelings for another man.

Unfortunately, many couples rush into open relationships without considering or discussing these kinds of rules. And that may be fine for some couples, but for others it leads to a lot of mixed and hurt feelings toward your partner, which can ultimately result in your relationship falling apart.

Finally, though this may sound trite, make sure this is something you and your partner really want to do. It’s possible that your boyfriend thought this might be what you wanted, since you were both in your “wild” and “adventurous” stage when you started dating in first year.

Just remember, open relationships can be the best thing to happen to you and your partner, or it can really put a nasty dent in your partnership if you both aren’t on the same page.

Many people experience performance anxiety whether it’s with a man or a woman, which is partly due to the socialized emphasis on orgasms rather than sexual pleasure. Just because you haven’t made your partner cum yet, doesn’t mean she isn’t deriving loads of pleasure from your time together between the sheets.

Orgasms for woman are a lot more than just physical stimulation, they are psychological. That holy climax might have eluded her so far because she isn’t ready to feel that vulnerable with you, and that’s okay too. Some things come (pun intended) with the development of the relationship over time.

Whenever you’re in doubt you can always bluntly ask your partner if you’re “hitting the spot”. Asking in a matter of fact manner can really kill the mood though, so try to incorporate it into your dirty talk and you can always debrief in the afterglow.

Really, as with most issues that relate to sex, it comes down to communication. Let your partner know about your anxieties, as she may share some of the same concerns about being with a new partner. Hopefully you can team up on figuring out each others’ bodies together.

Love, Di

Love, Di

The health benefits of an orgasm 1. It lowers a woman’s risk of heart disease, stroke, breast cancer, and even depression.

2. It relieves stress.

3. It’s a basic cure for insomnia.

4. It releases endorphins that increase your pain tolerance.

5. It keeps your brain sharp and focused. So be sure to pencil in some hanky panky time during exams.

20 | DISTRACTIONS

FEATURES EDITOR Kyle Darbyson

To get all your sexy and saucy questions answered, email Di at deardi@thefulcrum.ca ;)

thefulcrum.ca

mar. 4 to mar. 10, 2016

THRYLLABUS

MUSIC arts Sports FUN Thinking

Friday, March 4 Relay for Life, community fundraiser event, Canadian Cancer Society, Jock Turcot University Centre—7 p.m.

The Sleeping Beauty (performed by the Hong Kong Ballet), National Arts Centre—8 p.m.

Punk Rock Cover Night #12, House of TARG—9 p.m.

Saturday, March 5

2016 Tim Hortons Brier, Canadian men’s curling championship, opening day, TD Place—9 a.m.

Ottawa Drum Wars competition (with Joey Muha), Mavericks—6 p.m.

Gee-Gees Women’s Basketball, OUA quarterfinal, Montpetit Hall—6 p.m.

Gee-Gees Men’s Basketball, OUA quarterfinal, Montpetit Hall—8 p.m.

The Ottawa Sk-unk

Show (a night of Ska, Funk, and dancing) LIVE! on Elgin—8 p.m.

Sunday, March 6

Ottawa Interaction Healthcare Career Fair, free admission, Fairmont Château Laurier—10:30 a.m.

Ottawa Senators vs.

Dallas Stars, Canadian Tire Centre—5 p.m.

SHElarious Vol. II, celebrating women in comedy, Pressed Urban Gourmet Sandwich Bar—8 p.m.

Amy (Oscar winning Amy Winehouse documentary), Bytowne Cinema—9:05 p.m.

Monday, March 7

Chimes at Midnight (Orson Welles film), Shakespeare 400, Bytowne Cinema—8:35 p.m.

Tuesday, March 8

International Women’s Day celebration (activist fair, party, Femmy Awards ceremony,

and cash bar), free admission, National Library and Archives Canada—6 p.m.

Wednesday, March 9 Climate action after Paris: next step for faith communities, Centretown United Church—7 p.m.

While She Sleeps, Ritual Nightclub—6:30 p.m.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (stage adaptation), Ottawa Little Theatre—7:30 p.m.

Fast Romantics, Zaphod Beeblebrox—8:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 10

A Chorus Line, one of Broadway’s longest running musicals, Centrepointe Theatre—7:30 p.m.

Paint Nite, drink creatively and paint your masterpiece, Shenkman Arts Centre—7 p.m.

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DISTRACTIONS | 21

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22 | LETTERS

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Volume 76, Issue 21, mar. 3, 2016 Agreeing with Leo since 1942.

Phone: (613) 695-0061 | Fax: (613) 695-9006 631 King Edward Ave. Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Recycle this paper or we won’t save the animals.

EDITORIAL Province’s tuition funding is sign of potential change in politics

Nadia “Black-Footed Ferret” Drissi El-Bouzaidi Editor-in-Chief editor@thefulcrum.ca Devin “Wolverine” Orsini Production Manager production@thefulcrum.ca Savannah “Polar Bear” Awde Managing Editor content@thefulcrum.ca Eric “Caribou” Davidson News Editor news@thefulcrum.ca Allegra “Cheetah” Morgado Arts & Culture Editor arts@thefulcrum.ca Spencer “Sea Lion” Murdock Sports Editor, Rap Correspondent sports@thefulcrum.ca Kyle “Spotted Owl” Darbyson Features Editor features@thefulcrum.ca David “White Shark” Campion-Smith Opinions Editor opinions@thefulcrum.ca Reine “Orca Whale” Tejares Webmaster online@thefulcrum.ca Kim “Pacific Water Shrew” Wiens Visual Editor visual@thefulcrum.ca Jaclyn “Townsend’s Mole” McRaeSadik Associate News Editor associate.news@thefulcrum.ca Marta “Swift Fox” Kierkus Staff Photographer photographer@thefulcrum.ca Zach “Wood Bison” Verret Multimedia Coordinator multimedia@thefulcrum.ca Nicole “Pallid Bat” Rutkowski Associate Features Editor associate.features@thefulcrum.ca David “Ermine” Agbaire Proofreader Dayne “Eastern Wolf” Moyer General Manager & Advertising Rep manager@thefulcrum.ca ads@thefulcrum.ca

Contributors

Rémi “Woodland Vole” Yuan Feodor “Black-Tailed Praire Dog” P-S Sergui “Stellar Sea Lion” Tabatchenko Anchal “Harbour Porpoise” Sharma Dylan “Greater Praire Chicken” Yegendorf Janoah “Lear’s Macaw” Willsie Ryan “Horned Lark” Pepper Graham “Sage Thrasher” Robertson Andrea “King Rail” Zehr

Board of Directors

Mackenzie “Beluga Whale” Gray, President board@thefulcrum.ca Simon “Williamson’s Sapsucker” Gollish Vice-President Katelyn “Northern Goshawk” Murray Chief of Staff Jonathan “Basking Shark” Rausseo University Rep Lindsay “Ivory Gull” MacMillan, Fulcrum Staff Benjamin “Northern Leopard Frog” Miller Student Rep Carolyn “Lousiana Waterthrush” Mutis Student Rep William “Spotted Turtle” Hume, Student Rep Cover:

Students graduating after 2017 could be paying a little less in tuition if they come from $50,000-80,000 households in Ontario.

A

s students in Ontario, we’re all pretty familiar with the economic realities of studying in Canada’s most populous province. We have the largest classroom sizes on average, highest level of average debt (alongside students in the Maritimes), and the most expensive average tuition fees.

However news from the provincial government’s latest budget might make getting your degree a little easier. Beginning in the 2017-18 school year, if your parents make less than $50,000 a year, you will not pay any tuition, as well as receive funds to help cover books and other living costs.

That’s right, absolutely zero. And don’t go celebrate yet, it gets even better.

This program won’t cost the province any more, other than the $1.3 billion they’ve already set aside for student grants, according to The National Post. All Ontario university and college students attending a Canadian university can apply for the new

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grant program, including graduate students, a change from previous policy.

If your family makes more than $50,000, but less than $80,000 a year, you will likely pay little to no base tuition.

The 30 per cent student grant is still intact for those whose parents make less than $160,000, and apply for OSAP. The province estimates that this new policy will help 150,000 post-secondary students pursue an education and another 170,000 will pay less than they would under the current system.

No, you’re not dreaming, The Liberal government did unveil all these changes in one fell swoop last week, but there are a variety of economic barriers that the province, and country still need to address for post-secondary education, and substantial long term economic stability to be a reality.

If you’re graduating before September 2017, you won’t be cashing in, and so far, the province and federal government haven’t introduced pol-

icies to tackle Canada’s enormous student debt. In 2010, students in Canada were collectively $15 billion in debt because of their studies, the legislated ceiling of the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act. The federal government first responded by changing the definition of student loan, and then when that was ineffective, raised the ceiling to $19 billion.

Even after that costly degree is over, relief is not soon in sight. Most of us take on graduate programs, piling on the borrowed government dollars, or settle for jobs below our proficiency level.

A Canadian Labour Congress report took a look at the real changes our economy has seen since 2008. “Canada’s labour market recovered the total number of jobs lost during the recession by November 2010, leading to claims of a robust recovery for workers. A closer look shows that job creation has stagnated and hasn’t kept up with population growth among working age adults,” read the report.

“The jobs that have been recovered are disproportionately part-time and precarious,” it continues. Part-time jobs grew at twice the rate of full-time jobs between 200813 and accounted for 40 per cent of job growth.

Contrary to popular belief, we’re not bringing these issues up because we’re entitled Millennials who think we deserve the world, but because now is the best time to push for substantial change, when politicians are already including it in their talking points.

The timing of this Wynne for students isn’t accidental, it has come at a time of political disillusionment both North and South of the 49th parallel.

Discontent influenced the result of the Canadian election last October, leading Justin Trudeau and the Liberals to victory on a platform of change, transparency and positive politics. While the same can’t be said about “sunny ways” in the States, the vast support that polar opposite candidates, Bernie

Photo: CC, Jorge Royan.

Sanders, and Donald Trump have garnered, are almost guaranteeing that there is going to be a change come January 2017.

Canadians, not just students, are unhappy with the status quo, and are demanding significant changes in the way their government serves its people. Even though our economy has recovered since the 2008 recession, a sense of calm has not returned.

While our economy is “fixed”, secure jobs are still as elusive as at a time when the housing market crashed.

Low oil prices, and the economic instability that has come with it in the past year has us even more on edge, with no signs of letting up in the near future.

Students should use the recent changes as a precedent, not a victory, to push for more substantial policies across the country. In a country with the highest percentage of people with post-secondary education in the world, we know first hand the way an education can change a life.

EDITORIAL | 23

STudio ProceSS advaNcemeNT PoST-GraduaTe ProGram maY–auGuST 2016

Take Your STudio PracTice To The NexT LeveL ThiS Summer.

This unique, 15-week studio program is designed for recent visual arts graduates to examine and further develop their art practice.

Program highlights: – Develop and complete one or more considered bodies of work – Through individual and group critiques, guest lectures, exhibitions and gallery visits, you will be supported in the development of your work, portfolios, documents and submission processes for grants, exhibition preparation and artist talks – Learn from professional artists and diverse faculty in dedicated studio space

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for more information or contact Sandra Dupret, sandra.dupret@flemingcollege.ca 1-866-353-6464 ext. 3

Université d’Ottawa

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Build on your degree or diploma with one of Fleming college’s postgraduate programs. Get the skills you need for the job you want.

Program areas of study include the Environment, Arts and Heritage, Community Development and Health, Technology and Business. flemingcollege.ca

$13,500 YOUR STUDIES MATTER TO US! Eligibility, details and regulations are available on the website of the participating caisses populaires: Alfred, Nouvel-Horizon, Rideau-Vision d’Ottawa and Trillium, and at the caisse.

Application period: February 15 to March 18, 2016

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University of Ottawa

THREE MINUTES. THEY WON’T HAVE A SECOND MORE!

Featuring the brightest of our own graduate students rising to the challenge of presenting their research in front of a jury.

Be part of the crowd and vote for the best presenter!

March 15, from 8:30 am to 12 am at FSS4007.

Free event. Coffee and pastries will be served.

www.grad.uOttawa.ca/3MT