The Fulcrum - Vol 76 Issue 23

Leaping Forward

VOL. 76 ISSUE 23

mar. 17, 2016

Looking Back

25 Years of Gee-Gees Dance PG. 9

DISABILITY JUSTICE WEEK MARCH 21ST TO 24TH

MONDAY Brunch 11AM - 2PM UCU 211-F Le langage et la perception de l’incapacité (français) 3PM - 4PM, FSS 7035 Leah Lakshmi Opening Address (English) 7PM- 8:30PM MRT 252

TUESDAY Yoga 12PM - 1PM UCU Terminus Métis Finger Weaving (Bilingual) 1PM - 2:30PM UCU 301 Venus Envy: Everybody’s Doing It - Disability and Sex (English) 5:30PM - 7PM UCU 207

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Community Cooking w/ SDC (Bilingual) 11:30AM - 1PM UCU Terminus

Mental Health and Racism (Bilingual) 1PM - 2:30PM FTX 402

Sins Invalid Documentary Screening & Discussion Group w/ Pride Centre (English w/ French Subtitles) 4PM - 5:30PM, UCU 220

Mia Mingus Keynote Address (English) 7PM - 8:30Pm FTX 133

Disability Arts Night (English performances) 8:30PM - 11PM, 1848

Centre for Students with Disabilities

This Week

IN THIS ISSUE...

Grad students head to the polls P.6 Seven candidates run unapposed in GSAÉD elections You got change for a Red Bull? P.10 U of O students off to Europe to compete in Red Bull Challenge Basic income, basic rights P.12 Is guaranteed annual income the way to help Canadians below the poverty line?

Gee-Gees basketball from coast to coast P.14 Men’s team head to Vancouver for nationals, women’s to Fredricton Turn off your cameras, we’re going in-camera P.18 The lack of transparency at BOA and BOG meetings Which Canadian women should get on our currency? P.23 The Fulcrum’s five picks of women who’ve changed Canada

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NEWS

NEWS EDITOR

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

Motion to remove executive coordinator position denied

SFUO cites bylaw issue as reason for dismissal Eric Davidson News Editor

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he Student Federation of the University of Ottawa’s (SFUO) General Assembly will feature six motions—up from none at the last one—but there’s one motion that didn’t make the cut.

Justin Patrick, a third-year political science and history student at the U of O, along with others who asked not to be named, submitted a motion to abolish the SFUO executive coordinator position. He said when the group learned about the position, they grew worried by what they found.

“It got more and more mysterious, and it seemed worse and worse,” said Patrick, who is concerned that the position is not elected, calling it “undemocratic.”

Though no description of the position is available on the SFUO website, vice-president services and communications

Roméo Ahimakin described the executive coordinator’s duties, saying their role is mainly supporting the executives, and being an “institutional memory” for the team.

The executive coordinator position is currently held by Jesse Root, who was formerly the vice-president education at the Ryerson Students’ Union.

He took over this year for Amy Hammett, a former vice-president of university affairs at the SFUO. “He was there when we started our mandate, and he’ll be there for the next executive team as well,” said Ahimakin.

“He can bring continuity.”

The Motion The motion cited concerns that details about the position are “inaccessible to students, being absent from the SFUO constitution,” and that the holder of the position is not required to be a student.

The executive coordinator position is mentioned once in the SFUO’s constitution, but no explanation of its responsibilities are given.

The motion cited other

One GA motion looked to cut Jesse Root’s executive coordinator position, but the motion was denied. .

concerns as well, saying that the executive coordinator has control of hiring and that their role could be carried out using “alternative means that are less costly,” but the Fulcrum was unable to verify them in time for publication.

The motion resolved that “the executive coordinator position be abolished, and all its powers be deferred to the SFUO executive.” It also stipu-

lated that this be done by a Board of Administration (BOA) committee, “with the inclusion of as many uOttawa students as possible.”

Motion denied Although the motion was submitted on time with the required number of signatures, it was denied by the SFUO because it conflicted with a bylaw in their constitution.

Patrick was sent an email

by Katherine Giroux-Bougard, chairperson of the BOA, stating that the motion was out of order, because the constitution delegates “all aspects on the management of all employees of the federation” to the executive. She stated that a motion about human resources would first have to change that bylaw.

“There is an email sent to the

Photo: Eric Davidson.

student submitting the motion explaining why the motion is not in order, and they can do the work of making sure to address it at the right body, or correct any details that are not right,” said Ahimakin.

Patrick said he’s accepted the decision. “We can’t really do a whole lot,” he said. He declined to comment on whether or not he would bring the concern forward again.

U of O grad’s pirate-themed company sets its eyes on Dragons’ treasure Pirate-themed entertainment company featured on Dragons Den the Dragons were clearly impressed.

“Families in the summertime are always looking for something fun to do,” Slaman told them. “So last year I built a 45-foot pirate ship.”

Unfortunately, none of the Dragons came aboard, though all of them said they saw potential in the idea. But that didn’t take the wind out of Slaman’s sails.

“It was amazing,” he said.

“It was empowering to have all five of them validate the business model… there were a lot of good little suggestions in there as well.”

Before the episode aired, PirateLife set out on its maiden voyage, and Slaman said it was a success. “We’ve had

Eric Davidson News Editor

As the ice melts and the temperature slowly rises, students are finding all kinds of ways to prepare for the summer—although most of us aren’t outfitting a pirate ship.

Matt Slaman, who graduated from the University of Ottawa with a degree in international studies and modern languages, was recently featured on CBC’s Dragon’s Den for his business PirateLife, which is a “pirate ship/theatre” based at Toronto’s Centre Island that provides entertainment—including a treasure hunt—for families.

“As a kid growing up you always think about being a pi-

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PirateLife founder Matt Slaman poses with his crew and CBC’s Dragons.

Photo: courtesy of Matt Slaman.

rate for Halloween, you read Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island… and you think ‘why can’t we just do that in real life?’” said Slaman.

On March 9, he appeared on an episode of Dragons Den,

where he took to the stage in full pirate garb to pitch PirateLife. Behind him was a large, though not life-size, pirate ship—complete with four sailors who proceeded to sing a sea shanty. From the outset,

amazing feedback from the people who’ve come to see our ship,” he said.

He said a big part of the business is the actors who provide pirate-themed entertainment. “We have an amazing crew of actors from local colleges and universities.”

Slaman said one of the goals of his business is to make theatre more easily accessible, as a lot of theatre-based entertainment is expensive, especially in Toronto. “We keep our ticket prices low ($25 per person) because we want more people to go out and experience the arts in this way,” he said.

Slaman said he’s had a great experience with the business so far, and was also ready to

share some of the lessons he learned along the way.

“Ask a ton of questions,” he said. “What’s really important is that every product we sell has to solve a problem.”

The company is just starting out, but Slaman said there would be some changes on the horizon. He plans to increase the capacity of his ship, and eventually launch another one. Slaman also said that he’s working on a non-profit arm of his company, which would look to “help bring more dramatic arts workshops to kids who don’t necessarily get too much access to the arts.”

Until then, Slaman is focused on getting his company shipshape for their second year in business.

NEWS | 5

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Meet your GSAÉD executive candidates

Matthew Lafrenière is running for finance commissioner for the third year in a row.

A PhD student in chemistry with a Telfer undergraduate diploma, he says not only does he have the institutional knowledge but also the benefit of a finance background.

Lafrenière says there is still work to be done with regards to the financial organization of GSAÉD, and main challenges ahead will revolve around GSAÉD-owned businesses, like Café Nostalgica, being able to provide services effectively.

While this will be his last year as an executive, he hopes to improve engagement before he leaves. Lafrenière says that while graduate student involvement on campus is quite high, voter turnout is low. In addition figuring out how to get more graduate students engaged within the organization itself is an issue to address.

“I think the first step forward is really kind of surveying our students, getting an idea of kind of what they want us to do and then moving forward from there, and I think it’s absolutely critical,” said Lafrenière.

Lafrenière says while it’s okay to disagree on topics, it’s not okay to be disagreeable within the executive group, and keeping an open dialogue is an important part of collaborative work for next year.

As a big Star Trek fan, he most identifies with Captain JeanLuc Picard, who he describes as having a strong, moral underpinning.

Graduate Students’ Association election to take place March 22-24 Eric Davidson & Jaclyn McRae-Sadik News Editor & Associate News Editor

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Stéphanie Bacher is running for equity commissioner, one of the two new executive positions. She is currently completing her masters in international development and beginning a PhD in political science next year.

Bacher says that she feels many students are not participating in GSAÉD and hopes to change that by consulting the different groups that she feels are currently excluded, as well as increasing the organization’s transparency.

She says this push to increase transparency may be her greatest challenge next year, as it hasn’t been done in a long time.

Bacher says the elections weren’t well publicized, and intends to focus on increasing online visibility and pursuing better language equality for GSAÉD, like ensuring written material is properly translated.

“To see that groups that weren’t involved before are starting to just have some interest in the GSAÉD and to know a little bit more about what it does, human rights, about different resources—that would be my main goal,” said Bacher.

As for experience, she is a first-time candidate for a GSAÉD role but has worked with several non-government organizations involved in democracy and human rights.

While there isn’t any fictional character she identifies with, Bacher says in real life it would be Eleanor Roosevelt for her involvement with human rights.

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he Graduate Students’ Association (GSAÉD) will hold its elections from March 22-24. It will feature candidates for the seven GSAÉD executive positions, as well as candidates for seats on GSAÉD’s Board of Directors.

As all of the executive candidates are running unopposed, their election will be determined by a yes-no ballot.

Last year, only one position, University Affairs Commissioner, saw any competition, while the rest were decided by yes-no votes. Races for executive positions saw between 85 and 88 votes each.

There will also be a referendum question asking if full-time graduate students in a summer session should contribute $192.70 for a full-time summer U-Pass. The SFUO and GSAÉD have yet to determine what requirements students have to meet to be considered full-time summer students.

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Photos: Eric Davidson & Jaclyn McRae-Sadik

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Kaw t ar

Kawtar Jaanid is running for student life commissioner, and is currently completing a masters of communications.

Jaanid says she has around six years of experience in the field including volunteering, internships and working at event planning agencies. She currently works as an international student mentor at the university’s international office and feels her background in communications is a strength for this position.

“I think student life is all about communication,” said Jaanid.

As an international student herself, Jaanid says she hopes to make a difference in the experience of international students to ensure they feel more involved in the university lifestyle, and that their voices are heard.

“I would love to have events for them and then bring them together with the Canadian students,” she said.

As Jaanid is already familiar with the other candidates running for positions, she says she is looking forward to working with them and describes herself as a team player, working with a group of 14 mentors from different backgrounds in her current position.

Jaanid says Arya Stark from Game of Thrones would be her choice for a role model as a fictional character, because she’s smart and tough.

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try to bring to light some issues for international students this year,” he said, noting that he is an international student himself. “In terms of services that are provided (to international students) here, I think there’s room for improvement.”

He noted that international students often come from a different educational background, and that it should be taken into account.

As for a fictional character he identifies with, Hatai chose Rocky Balboa. “The best thing about him is he never gives up,” he said.

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Victor Hatai, a masters in mechanical engineering student, is running for university affairs commissioner. “I’ve been here for just two semesters, but I think it gave me enough time to get to know their services and resources,” he said.

There are a couple of issues Hatai would like to address next year. One is better co-op opportunities for graduate students.

“There are many co-op programs for undergrad students, but not enough for grad students,” he said. He expects that implementing these co-op programs will be his biggest challenge next year.

Hatai said he also wants to focus on international students. “I’ll

Warsama Ahmed, a civil engineering masters student specializing in waste water treatment, is running for the newly formed resources commissioner position.

As a staff member of GSAÉD for over a year and a half as an administrative assistant, Ahmed says he’s acquired the experience necessary to improve the organization.

Before returning to his studies, Ahmed managed a team of 15 employees while working for the World Health Organization.

As for his greatest challenges this year, Ahmed says with the creation of two new positions, bringing the executive board from five to seven, testing this new model is a big one, as well as increased student intake and whether they might need to hire more staff to deal with the influx.

“We’re changing the whole structure of the GSAÉD,” he said. “So they took out tasks from the student life commissioner and the internal commissioner and they created this new position.”

His main goals for the upcoming year focus on environmental sustainability and trying to reduce the energy consumption and carbon footprint of the association’s resources. As this position is also responsible for Café Nostalgica, Ahmed intends to increase its catering capabilities.

Although he doesn’t identify with any fictional characters, Ahmed does like Jon Snow from Game of Thrones and Kvothe from the book series, The KingKiller Chronicle.

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William El Khoury, a masters of engineering student in chemical engineering, is running for internal commissioner.

El Khoury’s experience includes volunteering with several committees last year, including social and university affairs. This encouraged him to get more involved and El Khoury says while he considered university affairs commissioner, he chose to run for a position that was more straightforward and internal.

As internal commissioner, El Khoury says his platform mainly focuses on keeping better records and meeting minutes within GSAÉD, as well as making sure the organization is transparent and efficient.

Another big focus is ensuring students, especially international ones, are benefiting from the money they contribute.

“They are serving the universities with those research projects, with everything that they do they are actually helping out the country so they actually deserve these benefits and they need to know what the university is offering them,” he said.

El Khoury, a self-described Potterhead, says he most identifies with Sirius Black of the Harry Potter series.

“I have to say Sirius,” he said, noting his loyalty and his habit of “doing the right thing.”

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Lindsey Thomson, a masters of counselling psychology student, is running for external commissioner.

Thomson said a big issue she hopes to tackle next year is international student issues, especially health coverage. She said she’ll focus on dealing with municipal and provincial government to get international students on OHIP. “There will be a lot of lobbying to be done.”

She also wants to improve international student tuition. “My biggest goal is to get a freeze on their tuition, because that’s totally unregulated,” she said.

Also, Thomson wants to host a TEDx (independent TED talk) event next year, focusing on graduate issues and research. “It’s a big, big project that I’m really excited for,” she said.

As for previous experience, Thomson has filled the role of external commissioner since it was vacated in October. “I’ve had a really great opportunity to do a lot of student advocacy,” she said.

“I want to be able to continue that work, and work for grad students.”

As for which fictional character she most identifies with: “My immediate response was to say Superwoman,” she said. “Because she does a lot, and I find that I’m constantly multitasking and having to take on a lot of responsibilities.”

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NEWS | 7

National News UTSU health plan to include psychological care Members to receive up to $100 per session under new plan samina sultana The Varsity

Toronto (NUWire)—As part of a broader change to the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) health and dental plan, members’ coverage will be expanded to include psychological care. Beginning in September 2016, members will be entitled to up to $100 of coverage per session with a registered psychologist, for up to 20 sessions per year.

“Mental health on campus has been a prominent issue for as long as I’ve been at U of T,” said Auni Ahsan, UTSU director for Victoria University, who moved the motion to include psychological care in the health plan. “Students here face lots of challenges and stressors in getting their degree, and these unfortunately often compounded with mental illness.”

Ahsan cited a lack of resources for students dealing with mental health issues and the prohibitively expensive cost of psychological care among the reasons he wants to see the plan expand.

“The university’s resources are stretched very thin though, and it’s not necessarily (the) role of the university to care for the mental health of its students. I personally believe the impetus should be on the government to provide adequate psychological care,” Ahsan said.

According to Ahsan, the government-recommended per session cost of an appointment with a psychologist in the GTA is $220. “(O)ne hundred dollars is a significant subsidy,” Ahsan said of the funding. “Rates for psychologists vary to a degree, so students unable to afford $120 per session will still have options.”

Ryan Gomes, UTSU vicepresident internal and services, said that other changes include switching the UTSU’s insurance provider to Desjardins and changing the type of plan itself.

Gomes explained that the changes were made “in order to stabilize the plan financially and also save our students money by choosing a plan with a much smaller increase in overall cost.”

A recent UTSU Board of Directors meeting discussed what changes could be made to the health plan.

The UTSU recently changed its insurance broker to StudentCare, a firm that focuses exclusively on student health plans. StudentCare offers a telecommunication-based psychology service that students who are uncomfortable with a physical visit or are unable to travel to a distant location may use. Access to this network

costs $150 per session for students on the plan—a cost that with the new coverage, would be reduced.

Directors present at a recent UTSU Board of Directors meeting discussed what changes could be made to the health plan. Gomes and Ahsan felt that affordable psychological care was an issue of the utmost

Photo: Iris Robin.

importance.

“There was a long discussion about what could be included in the changes we underwent, but ultimately we decided that increased psychological care was the most pressing issue that we could cover,” Gomes said. “We’re hoping that this change will have the greatest impact on improving student

well-being moving forward.”

“With the recent changes, the largest student health and dental plan in Canada approved one of the most aggressive coverage options for this issue. It is my hope that this direct action helps to move Ontario into a position more supportive and aware of mental health and illness,” said Ahsan.

CSU and ASFA vote to make Reggie’s a ‘safer space’ after reported incidents Students allege staff did not effectively respond to safety concerns Laura Marchand The Concordian

Montreal (CUP)—The Concordia Student Union (CSU) and the Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) have voted in favour of implementing safe space policies at Reggie’s Bar, following a series of harassment complaints from students.

The votes were held after concerned students approached councillors on both bodies, citing incidents where they were concerned for their safety at the bar.

“Students were being harassed, or students who had previously sexually harassed (others) were in that space… I think it was mostly an issue of the staff not responding well,” said ASFA president Jenna Cocullo, speaking at ASFA council on March 10.

“There have been instances where there are Concordia students who are known for… putting GHB in drinks, and they

Students at Concordia University have expressed safety concerns at a campus bar.

have been seen at Reggie’s,” added ASFA vice-president external Lana Galbraith. “People were obviously very uncomfortable.”

The CSU and ASFA have agreed not to host any additional events at the venue until policies—such as additional training for the staff—are in place.

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Photo: CC, Marler.

When asked by a concerned Concordia student called “Robin”—whose real name the Concordian has agreed not to use out of concern for their safety—if there was a basis for safe space policy at the bar on already, CSU general coordinator Terry Wilkings said there was not.

“I don’t think we can declare that Reggie’s is a safe space on a permanent basis,” said Wilkings, addressing the CSU council on March 9. “We’re shedding light on how we’d like to work on developing a space that can be safer.”

But Robin said Reggie’s advertises itself as a safe space

despite a disappointing staff response.

“Me and my friends were there on the basis that there was some kind of understanding with management that if something happened, they would respond,” said Robin.

“They’ve crashed and burned in that area, quite severely—to the point that there are boycotts against the bar.”

But not every councillor was in agreement with the motions. “Why does this have to be brought up at council? Why can’t this just be kept at Reggie’s?” asked Alexandra Baird, ASFA councillor representing the Biology Student Association. “You can’t actually guarantee a safe space anywhere.”

Tensions rose at ASFA council when Frankie Sunnyshine, an ASFA independent councillor and employee of Reggie’s, took the floor. “I am pissed off because it is ridiculous,” said Sunnyshine, who said that Reggie’s was already closed down partially due to a lack of safe

space, and that the staff got two weeks of training before reopening.

“If you go to any other bar, you’re going to feel a lot less safe than you will at Reggie’s…

Saying ‘hey, let’s go to McKibbons’—you think that’s safer?” said Sunnyshine. “I’m letting you guys know that Reggie’s creates safe space.”

Sunnyshine also alleged that some of the incidents reported to councillors may not have occurred.

“People are just making up ideas,” Sunnyshine said, calling ASFA councillors “very dramatic” before storming out of the room. “You guys are supposed to be for the students, not for yourselves, not for personal gain.”

The Reggie’s motions passed through both CSU and ASFA councils, with amendments to exempt events that were already planned at the bar, and to exempt MAs from the motion although encouraging them to follow suit.

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A&C EDITOR Allegra Morgado arts@thefulcrum.ca

ARTS&CULTURE

(613) 695-0062 @allietate

Dancing their hearts out—for 25 years Gee-Gees dance team celebrates anniversary at captivating annual showcase Allegra Morgado arts & culture editor

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hey may not be the dancers you see while wandering through the University Centre in the evening, but the GeeGees dance team have an important and longtime presence on the University of Ottawa’s campus.

The competitive U of O dance club celebrated their 25th anniversary at their annual showcase, held at the Ottawa Little Theatre on March 13. The theme of this year’s showcase was “retrospect”, reflecting upon the team’s evolution over the past 24 years.

“This was our 25th year of having the dance at uOttawa… that’s why we did a slideshow at the end. We went as far back as we could finding pictures of old teams and old team members,” says Sidney Marshall, a thirdyear psychology and linguistics student at the U of O and the cocaptain and coach of the dance team. “A lot of them still come support us at showcase and do a lot of stuff backstage for us.”

The show opened abruptly at

7 p.m. with the dance “Say My Name”, choreographed by former dance team member and U of O M.Sc. candidate Angelica Blais. The powerful opening number was performed by the whole team to a Destiny’s Child remix, starting the show off with an upbeat and lively performance.

The showcase put the diverse talents of the Gee-Gees dancers in the spotlight, featuring an array of different solo and group pieces, with everything from tap to hip-hop. One of the most exciting numbers of the night was a spirited jazz piece danced to a cover of Lady Gaga’s “Applause”, featuring nine of the 18 dancers.

Although many of the dancers showed off their skills in solo performances throughout the show, they began and ended the night with full team performances—two of the strongest pieces of the showcase—featuring synchronized moves and lifts, demonstrating the power of the dancers as a unit.

“We all love to dance and that’s why we’re doing it in university. A lot of people stop after high school, but everyone here, and even at our competitions that we go to where it’s

Andrea Niedermaier, member of the Gee-Gees dance team, danced her lyrical solo to “Put Your Records On” by Corinne Bailey Rae.

all university dance schools, everyone is so amazing because they just love to be on the stage and they love to dance and that’s why they’re doing it,” says Marshall. “It’s a good group of girls to have fun with.”

The finale “Lift Me” was a compassionate and emotional piece, with the team dancing

barefoot and in torn garb to fit the mood of the dance.

“We call it ‘desperado’. You kind of get to show different emotions on stage, which is also why it’s fun to dance. It’s like being different people in one night,” says Marshall.

The dance team performs at charity shows throughout the

year, including Dancers Give Back in February, and compete in two competitions during the year, which they prepare for by practicing for two hours, three times a week.

They also normally dance at Capital Hoops, but the cheer team performed instead this year. Marshall did say, how-

Photo: Allegra Morgado.

ever, that they have discussed doing a collaboration next year to allow both teams to cheer on the basketball teams at next year’s event.

On whichever stage they find themselves next, the team’s strong showcase suggests that the Gees will continue soaring to new heights.

Exploring Gerald Trottier’s wounded creatures

Cube Gallery remembers Ottawa artist with retrospective exhibit Virginie Harris

fulcrum contributor In a small, quiet room of the Cube Gallery in the Wellington West area of Ottawa, haunting pictures of plump, intermingled bodies, gaunt portraits, and deathly-looking paintings hang on the wall.

Don Monet, the curator, laughs to himself in the background.

Wounded Creatures of Earth is a powerful exhibit to visit, no doubt.

Monet has been exposing Gerald Trottier’s work at the Cube Gallery for years, and describes Trottier as an artist “who tackles very difficult

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subject matters. He isn’t afraid to show the ugliness of human condition.”

Denise, Trottier’s daughter, describes Wounded Creatures of Earth as an adjunct work to his well-known Easter Series. “(This exhibit expresses) how he felt about life, death and, ultimately, resurrection.”

As you walk around the exhibit, absorbed by the dark energetic imagery, you may be surprised to catch yourself feeling compassion for the subjects—Trottier’s energy reaching out to you through his artwork.

“He doesn’t act cynically when he looks at a human

in distress, or superior,” says Monet. “He has a loving and compassionate eye.”

Trottier, who passed away in 2004, was an important Canadian artist who has collections featured in galleries such as the National Art Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.

Active in his almost 60-year career, Gerald spent his last 20 years in L’île-du-GrandCalumet creating some of his most beloved works, such as his Easter Series and imposing self-portraits.

Trottier was an artist who mastered an impressive

amount of artistic mediums and loved to share his knowledge, teaching visual arts workshops at the University of Ottawa and drawing at the Carleton University school of architecture.

“My father was a prolific teacher,” says Denise. “He loved to teach.”

Wounded Creatures of Earth features important pieces from diverse periods of Trottier’s life. His own favourite work, “The Wrestler”, is featured, as well as haggard portraits of fellow patients he drew while hospitalized. “The Man in The Landscape”, a large, vibrantly haunting acrylic painting

from the Easter Series, centres the room of the gallery.

Denise says her father once told her that he would like to be most remembered for his drawings. When walking into the exhibition, you can understand why. His acrylic, gouache and watercolour works demonstrate his vast skill in visual arts. Dark themes, manifested in his works with twisted bodies and horrified faces, appear soft through his hand. For a somber exhibition, Wounded Creatures of Earth breathes compassion, and it leaves no doubt as to Trottier’s complexity and depth as an artist.

As the curator of a private

commercial gallery, Monet felt hesitant at first about displaying Trottier’s works—dark themes can be risky.

He says, however, that “art isn’t always about the lovely things for your wall. Sometimes it’s about facing ugly and important parts of your nature. Gerald was great at doing that. It’s very difficult to find somebody who can do that.”

Wounded Creatures of Earth is on display until March 27 at the Cube Gallery. For more information on the exhibit, check out the website at http:// www.cubegallery.ca/exhibitions/2016_03_01_gerald_trottier.

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Giving a whole new meaning to ‘living off of Red Bull’ U of O students compete in week-long European Red Bull challenge Celina Feng

fulcrum contributor With the declining value of the loonie, it may be time for Canadians to find a new currency to survive off of. Cans of Red Bull energy drinks, however, are probably not the first thing that comes to mind.

Three University of Ottawa students will be trading in their loonies (and toonies, quarters, nickels, and dimes, for that matter) for Red Bull “Can You Make It?” challenge in mid-April.

Fourth-year communications student Kendra Sellick, third-year marketing student Taylor Sudermann, and thirdyear international studies and modern languages student Taviana Macleod will be travelling to Europe to show that they have what it takes to survive a week in Europe by using only 24 cans of Red Bull as currency.

According to the competition’s website, the challenge will feature “165 student teams from 50+ countries around the globe.” The three U of O students, whose team name is JakPak, are one of four Canadian teams chosen to compete.

They will forfeit their money and electronics for the week, and armed with only 24 cans of Red Bull, a special smartphone to record their adventures, and their “bartering skills and

charm,” they will have to use the cans to secure travel, food, and shelter for the seven-day competition.

The challenge will end with all teams arriving in Paris, and one team taking home the grand prize—becoming Contiki Travel Ambassadors and spending their entire summer in Europe. “uOttawa’s motto is ‘Defy the Conventional’, and this challenge is exactly that,” says Matthew Speyer, a U of O student and Red Bull student brand manager.

JakPak, whose name springs from their “Canadian lumberjack” attire in their competition entry video, believe they were chosen to compete due to their successful social media marketing and the unconventional route they took in their video by incorporating a storyline.

“Anyone on there can post (videos of) themselves traveling, whereas we went a more artsy and unique way,” says Sudermann.

The young women all bring different strengths to their team, with Sudermann’s marketing background garnering them a large social media following and Macleod being fluent in four languages, something that is sure to give them an edge when trying to barter in different countries in Europe.

The three members of JakPak competing to win the coveted prize of becomingw Contiki Travel Ambassadors this summer in Europe. From left to right: Taviana Macleod, Taylor Sudermann, and Kendra Sellick.

Photo: Marta Kierkus.

“We all have different attributes that really would make our team stand out,” Sudermann says.

Although JakPak are now an inseparable team, they were not close friends prior to this competition, with Sudermann and Macleod being merely acquaintances and not meeting Sellick until Speyer introduced them to her when they were searching for a third team

member.

“We hang out four times a week… I honestly think these girls will be (my) friends for the rest of my life,” says Sellick.

JakPak will be starting in Berlin, one of the five starting points, on April 12. They will have to visit six checkpoints to complete mental and physical challenges to gain more points towards the grand prize.

In previous years the “Ad-

venture List” has included such tasks as getting a tattoo or going skiing. Their one smartphone will also be used to gain points by recording and sharing their adventures to get support from people back home through shares and likes of their posts.

Although using Red Bull as currency is a challenge in and of itself, Sellick believes that JakPak’s biggest challenge will

be getting to know her teammates better and figuring out how to best work as a team.

“We’ll (have to) learn more about each other and learn how to work together throughout the seven days.”

To see their videos and keep up with them on their travels in April, you can check out their team profile at www.redbullcanyoumakeit.com/en/teams/453/ or on Instagram at @thejakpak.

Singing it Out for charity

U of O club puts on original musical for Operation Come Home Anchal Sharma staff contributor

Members of University of Ottawa student club Unity For Action (UFA) belted it out at their fifth annual charity original musical Singing it Out on March 12.

The production was held March 12–13 at Academic Hall, with all proceeds from the tickets, food sales, and their silent auction going to Operation Come Home, an Ottawa charity that supports over 1,200 homeless and street-associated youth a year.

The original musical featured cast from UFA, which is made up of passionate performers dedicated to creating a positive difference in society.

The fundraiser is held every year for a different charity, and

10 | ARTS & CULTURE

The cast of Singing it Out at their performance on March 12.

this year they decided to keep it close to home.

“It’s easier to get the money to them and it’s nice to do something and know that the money is staying in the community,” says Emily Cortes, president of UFA and recent U of O commu-

nications grad.

Rebecca Mason, a U of O communications alumna, the vice-president graphic design for the UFA and director of the play says that the theme of the musical was lighthearted, but with an important message.

Photo: Jordan Rahim.

“Every year we try to tackle some sort of overall theme… this year it’s self acceptance and confidence and going after what you want,” says Mason.

“It’s university and we know a lot of people are going through very similar situations… we

want people to be able to relate.”

The musical stayed true to this theme with the main characters all dealing with studentrelated problems, ranging from the stress of schoolwork and pressure to make their parents proud, to issues surrounding sexual orientation and coming to terms with who they really are.

The cast was full of highenergy individuals, and a back and forth dialogue full of funny quips to keep the audience entertained. It also featured upbeat songs and emotional numbers such as “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk The Moon, “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga, and “Give Me Love” by Ed Sheeran.

The fundraising effort was made even more fruitful by the presence of Eric Bollman, secre-

tary on the board of directors of Operation Come Home, who offered a few words of thanks during the intermission.

“Our aim as an organization is basically to prevent homeless youth from becoming homeless adults,” said Bollman. “(The money raised) is going to go to the things that are most important in our program—addictions counselling and social services… job action programs, schools… thank you guys so much for being a part of that.”

Bollman also discussed other ways people could get involved with their cause, including ordering local beer Beau’s online, or signing up for vegetable delivery from a farmer’s market that they run in which the youth are active participants in farming and delivering in order to gain job experience.

thefulcrum.ca

Will VICELAND be able to bring millennials back to TV? TV is quickly becoming a sinking ship—so why is Vice climbing onboard?

Allegra Morgado arts & culture

Ian Daniel (middle left) and Ellen Page (middle right), the hosts of GAYCATION, exploring the LGBTQ+ culture in Brazil.

New York Times article from Oct. 2015, 75 per cent of millennials without children in their houses had cable, but 57 per cent of 14–25-year-olds reported that they watched television on devices other than on TV sets. This could mean that future generations won’t be buying cable, as over half of that age group are already turning away from TV sets to watch their favourite shows.

Kronish doesn’t seem worried though. He says that he understands why millennials don’t want to buy expensive cable packages when they can get cheaper and more curated content online—however, he’s confident that if VICELAND produces interesting and onbrand content, people will buy it.

“I do think that all people are willing to pay for con-

Photo: Courtesy of VICELAND, YouTube.com.

tent when they want it,” says Kronish.

“We’re not trying to appeal to every single person on the map, we’re just trying to look at our core audience and say here’s a… lifestyle channel that will speak to you. Even if you’re not interested in food shows on the Food Network, the food shows that we’re going to make are going to speak to you.”

Although I’m currently loving GAYCATION, even Ellen Page isn’t enough to convince me to buy into a cable package—and I’m sure I’m not the only one.

As VICELAND is currently offering a free preview to audiences through cable and online, only time will tell if Vice Media’s content will be able to please its audience enough to sell them on cable.

Why it’s famous: Armando Iannucci’s Oscar-nominated British satire and spin-off of BBC series The Thick of It is about the political sphere in the U.S. and U.K. leading up to the Iraq War. The film received critical acclaim and stars pre- Doctor Who Peter Capaldi, and features the late James Gandolfini in a supporting role.

Madison McSweene y Staff Contribut or

With tens of thousands of people cutting the cord and trading in cable boxes for Netflix-and-chill, and the recent release of the Canadian Radiotelevision and Telecommunications Commission-mandated “skinny cable” packages, it seems that this may be the end of television as we know it.

Vice Media, however, seems to think otherwise. The American-Canadian digital media and broadcasting company currently works primarily in the online sphere, but is now moving their easily accessible content to the cable world to be consumed 24 hours a day, seven days a week—that is, if you have cable.

Although Vice Media has ventured into the cable world before with VICE, a Bill Maher-produced, news-focused show on HBO, VICELAND will be the first time the company will be producing original content for their own channel.

The channel features a host of VICE-esque, millennial-aimed content, from Ellen Page-hosted GAYCATION to marijuanacentric Weediquette.

Vice Media has successfully dominated online media with their diverse content, espe-

cially for Gen Y’ers, but with VICELAND the ultimate question that comes to mind is why TV? And, really, why now?

Besides the $100-million partnership with Rogers Communications that is helping back VICELAND, Michael Kronish, the executive vicepresident of television Canada at Vice Media, says that Vice’s move to branch out to television goes along with what Vice has always wanted to do—“be where the people are.”

“Most people do have cable, and most people do have television in their homes, and we don’t want to put ourselves in a position where we cannot reach most of the people,” says Kronish. “Our intention is to add to the experience and not to move away from digital arts.”

Kronish is correct. Although on a university campus it may seem like people are turning towards streaming over cable, the Television Bureau of Canada’s 2014 report on on the Canadian broadcast industry showed that 93 per cent of Canadians have “access to TV services” and 73 per cent are “multi-set households.”

However, as true as this may be, this may not be the case for long. According to a

In the Loop is simply one of the best satirical films of the modern era.

Following a group of American and British politicians and staffers in the lead-up to the Iraq War, the film juxtaposes life-or-death diplomacy with the absurd banality of politicking.

A Minister’s first foray into foreign affairs is continually interrupted by a constituent who wants him to fix a wall. An American General (Gandolfini) predicts the outcome of the war using a child’s talking calculator. A staffer struggles to corral his boss while dealing with the ramifications of his own one-night stand. And a vulgar communications director (Capaldi) wages a reign of terror over politicians and staff alike.

Sharp, profane, and contemptuous of idealism, In The Loop presents international politics as more Mean Girls than House of Cards.

Why you haven’t seen it: This black comedy from across the pond probably flew under your radar when it came out in 2009, as such smaller films are wont to do.

Why it might be tough to get through: With rapid-fire dialogue and multiple interweaving subplots, the movie can be hard to follow at times (making it ideal for multiple viewings).

While you don’t need to be versed in early 2000s history to enjoy the film, the plot does revolve around the minutiae of internal politics, so first-hand political knowledge is useful in order to get much of the humour.

Famous lines: Simon Foster: “Go on. It’ll be easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy.”

Toby Wright: “No, it won’t, it will be difficult, difficult, lemon-difficult!”

Why you should watch it anyways:

Simon Foster: “I was going to keep to the line! I was going to say, I don’t think war is unforeseeable-” Malcolm Tucker: “What is it then?”

Simon Foster: “I don’t know? Foreseeable?”

Malcolm Tucker: “No! Not foreseeable!

That’s fucking declaring war!”

Simon Foster: “In England we have a saying for very situations such as this, which is that it’s… difficult , difficult… lemon difficult .”

Fun facts: Director Armando Iannucci went on to create the HBO political comedy Veep, starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

The film received an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2010.

Most of the movies mentioned in Movies You Should Have Seen are available for loan at the Morisset

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Library!

ARTS & Culture | 11

Walking the poverty line

Proponents of basic income say the system can help Canadians cut themselves loose from the welfare trap—but is there a catch?

Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi Editor-In-Chief “All our social programs that currently exist were set up for a very different kind of world and we really do need to think about what these programs need to look like going forward.”—Evelyn Forget, professor of economics from the University of Manitoba.

In 1974 the poorest residents of Dauphin, Manitoba started receiving cheques from the government to help them make ends meet. Those cheques kept on coming each month for five years in an experiment dubbed “Mincome”, which sought to find out whether or not establishing a guaranteed basic income would disincentivize Canadians from working.

However, with changes of government at both the provincial and federal levels the experiment was scrapped in 1979, and a final report wasn’t released for more than thirty years. While Dauphin hasn’t seen any more efforts to revive the program, the project has gained popularity both at home and abroad.

In its latest budget, the Ontario government announced it would run a basic income pilot project in the fall of 2016, even though details surrounding this project are sparse and they have not yet picked which community will test it out.

Regardless of the outcome of the experiment, Canada’s current social security system badly needs to be reformed. According to U of O economics professors Gilles Grenier and David Gray, Canadians under this system are forced to pay extremely high tax rates, which disincentivizes them from working in the first place.

A variety of issues will have to be addressed before the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who walk this fragile economic tightrope every day can finally drop down to safety.

Minimum income, maximum impact In 2011, University of Manitoba economics professor Evelyn Forget, who was an undergraduate student when Mincome first started up, dug up the numerous boxes of disorganized files to find out whether the experiment found residents were disincentivized to work.

The results were an astounding ‘no’.

The only groups who worked less were teenage boys who took the opportunity to finish their high school education, and mothers who opted to spend time with their children.

“When you think about it, it’s sort of obvious. Basic income doesn’t provide a comfortable living,” said For-

get. “It provides basic necessities, and nobody leaves a good job because they’d really like to live around the poverty level. And so it’s kind of obvious that people with jobs aren’t going to quit those jobs.”

Both Forget and Gray emphasized that basic income should be designed to be a temporary fixture in the lives of Canadians.

“We only want it to be temporary. It’s nobody’s goal, I don’t think… even the extreme left (doesn’t) want people to be on the Guaranteed Annual Income (GAI) benefit forever,” said Gray.

Forget pointed out because of certain social and economic factors, certain populations will be more likely to benefit from basic income.

“Some people are going to be dependent for longer periods of time. Other people are going to be dependent on a particular point in their lives, maybe when children are very young and very dependent, for example,” said Forget.

But above all, basic income could help meet the changes that the current unstable economic system poses. Forget mentioned the plight of people in the 55-65 age bracket “who, for one reason or another, might have lost a job because of a health challenge.”

“They’re capable of working, but it’s not that easy when you’re 60 years old and have a limited skill set to go out and find a new job and (are) competing against guys who are 25 years younger and can work a lot harder usually for less money.”

Even younger workers, including millennials, are having trouble finding stable employment, which is a contributing factor to the public’s growing interest in alternative methods of social security like GAI. Many university students clock in hours at a parttime or even full-time job as they pursue their studies.

With continually increasing tuition fees, this trend is no surprise as students struggle to avoid debilitating debt.

Providing students a basic income would mean less would have to work, or work as many hours, potentially freeing up jobs for others seeking employment.

Students often don’t find relief post-graduation because of growing prevalence of short-term contracts or temporary jobs, noted Forget. Baby boomers used to be

able to lock down a job that they would stay in for the remainder of their career.

“Those kinds of jobs are getting increasingly difficult to find all around the world,” she said.

With arguments like these, it’s easy to see why Mincome was started in the first place.

Finding a balance The economic downturn of the 1970s fuelled a fire of increased social awareness before the austerity of the 80s settled in.

“I think what happened was that there was a lot of enthusiasm about poverty reduction at the beginning of the 1970s,” said Forget. “So everybody was very keen and as the decade unfolded there were a number of… economic challenges.

There was high inflation, high interest rates, high unemployment and so on.”

Now that similar economic hurdles are persistent in today’s society, basic income projects are popping up across the globe.

Finland plans to cut down on numerous social services and pay citizens 800 euros ($1,100) a month beginning in November. Uretcht, a city in the Netherlands is also kicking off an experiment to test the effects of basic income, and the Swiss will vote in a referendum in June on whether to implement a basic income of $3,200 a month.

In Quebec, Premier Philippe Couillard has charged his Minister of Employment and Social Solidarity, François Blais, with seriously studying the effects of basic income. At federal level, Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development has spoken in favour of the concept.

The Ontario Liberals were the latest to join in the fanfare with the release of last month’s budget.

Often considered to be a far-flung left-wing idea, basic income also appeals to more Conservative appetites, according to Grenier.

“There’s also some right wing arguments, if you want a government that’s not too interventionist then you say, ‘just give everybody a basic income and we don’t care, you can do whatever you want,’” he said.

One right wing proponent is former Conservative senator Hugh Segal, who has advocated for guaranteed income for Canadians for many years, believing it could save millions in tax dollars.

“Federal and provincial governments have argued for decades that poverty is a complex problem. ‘Complex’ is a code word for a problem no one wants to face directly,” wrote Segal in The Literary Review of Canada. “Poverty is a complex issue, but in the end it is about one thing—a person not having enough money to meet basic needs of food, shelter, clothing and transportation for self or family.”

Gray also spoke of ways basic income could simplify Ontario’s current systems, including Ontario Works which provides financial and employment insurance to those in need.

“The social assistance program called Ontario Works, is very, very complicated. And one of the things that the (GAI) program has working in its favour is that it’s a lot simpler.”

Holes in the social security net As Grenier pointed out, interest in GAI experiments have come and gone over the years.

However, despite the variety of tactics provincial and federal governments have used over the years, the poverty rate has hovered around 12.9 per cent in Canada for the past forty years.

While the pilot project is planned for fall 2016, it’s been clear for quite some time that Canada needs to rethink how to structure its welfare system.

In 2010 the National Council of Welfare, who were the first ones to advocated for Mincome in the 1970s, released a scathing report that found the Canadian welfare system actually makes it more difficult for people to get out of poverty.

Many provinces, including Ontario, force applicants to show need for welfare by draining their bank accounts, noted the report.

The federal government did not respond to the report, and shut down the council two years later.

Gray stated that if the Liberals want to effec-

tively roll out basic income, they need to avoid the “welfare trap” that is tying down Canadians in the current system.

“The welfare trap is a built-in feature of social assistance, whereby someone gets a job (and) almost all of their paycheck is basically deducted from their benefits,” said Gray. “So they’re practically working for free or they’re working for a very very low wage per hour.”

“So we would have to define the benefit formula so that people don’t get caught in that welfare trap and have every incentive to get into labour markets and hopefully ascend to jobs which pay middle class wages.”

Grenier also echoed this sentiment, noting that many welfare recipients often have to pay extremely high tax rates, which disincentivizes people from working in the end.

“Whatever you earn, you lose in welfare so it’s like having a 100 per cent tax on your income.”

Forget points out the antiquity of some of the programs in effect, meaning they aren’t adapted to the current challenges of the 21st century Canadian economy.

“All our social programs that currently exist were set up for a very different kind of world and we really do need to think about what these programs need to look like going forward.”

Getting tied up Grenier, Gray, and Forget all spoke to the numerous factors that need to be accounted for before basic income eliminates poverty in Canada.

“To lift everyone out of a condition of poverty is a very, very tall order,” said Gray.

“This just alleviates their economic hardship. It certainly doesn’t do anything to try to get them attain some self-sufficiency, where they would earn their living from the labour market,”he said. “So it would have to be combined with other policies and measures and other programs to try to induce people to leave this program once and for all.”

In addition there are a variety of factors that put (and keep) people in poverty, factors that won’t necessarily be fixed with a government cheque. After all, according to Statistics Canada,

Indigenous Canadians, recent immigrants, seniors, single-parent households, and persons with activity limitations are more likely to live in poverty.

“Poverty is also about stigmatization and discrimination,” said Leilani Farha, executive director of Canada Without Poverty and acting United Nations special rapporteur on adequate housing in a Huffington Post Canada article. “You know, basic income is not going to address that.

No single policy is going to address that,” she said, criticizing the existing social assistance system as one that hands out “paltry, paltry amounts of money.”

Coordination between the federal and provincial governments will also need to be managed effectively, in order to make the system run efficiently, and prevent the waste of tax dollars.

“We always will have a problem with coordination when the federal government handles the unemployment insurance and the provincial government handles the social assistance,” said Gray.

Forget also mentioned that young people are susceptible to becoming dependent on a GAI if there’s few employment options available.

“We know that young people have a particularly hard time finding their way into the economy and into first jobs. And we know that if they don’t do that by a particular age they are going to pay for it throughout their lives in terms of lower wages and so on,” she said.

“And so I think a lot of people quite rightly fear that this kind of a program makes it too easy for young people to survive.”

However, as the system currently stands, Canadians from all walks of life are barely hanging on as they try to pursue an education, support their families, and find economic security.

With a continuously dynamic and shifting economy, Canadians will continue to struggle to find a balance as they walk a higher and higher tightrope.

The least we could do is try to give them a bigger safety net.

—with files from Kyle Darbyson

SPORTS

SPORTS EDITOR Spencer Murdock sports@thefulcrum.ca

@SpencerMurdock @FulcrumSports

Gee-Gees win second straight OUA bronze, advance to nationals Loss to Ravens in semis, statement win over Lancers proves Gees are still a force Spencer Murdock Sports Editor

E

ntering the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Wilson Cup Final Four in Toronto, the GeeGees men’s basketball team had good reason to be optimistic.

A less than ideal meeting with bitter rival Carleton Ravens in the semifinal was not as daunting this year after beating them twice in the regular season.

Ryerson eked out a win against the Gee-Gees in their one matchup earlier this year, but it was without Ottawa star Caleb Agada. The Gees had also handily beaten the Windsor Lancers in November.

On March 11, the Gee-Gees found out how hard it is to beat the Ravens three times in one year.

The lack of excitement on both sides rivaled that of last year’s national final. From the opening tip, both teams did not execute well and the Ravens simply won the war of attrition.

OUA Player of the Year, Gee-Gees fifth-year point guard Mike L’Africain was ice cold from the field and a complete lack of offensive flow stifled the Gees’ hopes of building a lead.

In the 82-74 loss, the GeeGees stayed within 10 points at halftime, but let Carleton’s lead grow to 22 in the third quarter.

While both teams did not

14 | SPORTS

Gee-Gees fall to Ravens but may have a chance to see them again at nationals.

shoot particularly well, the Ravens were more efficient and veterans Conner Wood and Gavin Resch led their team in the win.

In the fourth quarter, the Gee-Gees started to stage a comeback, but it was too little, too late.

Fourth-year forwards Agada and Nathan McCarthy led the Gee-Gees’ effort, with Agada scoring 22 points and

McCarthy adding 14.

Gee-Gees head coach James Derouin spoke on the disappointment in the loss, but the optimism going forward.

“You lose the right to play for the Wilson Cup, and that’s why you’re here,” he said. “Ultimately it resets next weekend anyways, the goal is to get to nationals and we have to start to play a little bit better.”

For the players, the confidence of two regular season wins over the Ravens may have affected their preparation going into the game.

“We can’t take anything for granted,” said Agada. “We came in with our heads and our egos a little too big and they took advantage of it… we got really comfortable and they were ready to kill.”

For the Ravens finally cracking the code on this version of the Gee-Gees gave the team validation that they could make a push to another national title.

“I feel like this win is just a

bonus because it’s Ottawa, but we’re focusing on winning nationals, that’s our goal,” said Wood, the fourth-year Ravens guard.

With the loss, the Gees were forced into a win-and-you’re-in situation in the bronze medal game. Similar to last season, the Gees fell in the semifinals, won the bronze, and earned the at-large berth to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport Final 8 tournament.

The top-seeded Ryerson Rams defeated the Windsor Lancers, giving the Gee-Gees their opponent in the bronze medal game.

On March 12, the Gees redeemed themselves in a gunslinging affair with the Lancers resulting in a 90-77 win and a second consecutive OUA bronze medal.

Windsor threw a haymaker at the Gees early, but the Gees were able to weather the storm and systematically dismantle the Lancers.

Agada played one of the best

games of his career, posting a baffling 23-point, 12-rebound, eight-assist, and four-seal stat line.

A key for the Gees was outrebounding the Lancers, causing numerous second chance opportunities that led to spotup threes.

Fourth-year forward Matt Plunkett had 16 points, 12 of which came from three-pointers.

L’Africain continued his shooting struggles, but managed to will in 11 points and pull down six rebounds.

The team played their brand of basketball much more than the previous night against Carleton. They ensured that they left no doubt to the voters determining what team received the nationals at-large berth.

“A loss like last night’s could change anybody,” said Plunkett.

“We knew our season was on the line and if we lost we might not get this wildcard… we knew we’d put ourselves in

Photos: Tyler Treasure.

the best position if we won today. We came in with a win or go home attitude and that was the difference.”

There was a complete shift in attitudes from the teams between nights, the Gee-Gees were much more determined in playing their type of game.

“We talked about getting back to playing that way that we play,” said Derouin. “From the opening tip you saw assists, you saw ball movement, and you saw us playing together offensively and that was good to see. It’s been a while and especially against a good opponent like Windsor for us to play that way, it was great.”

The Gee-Gees received the at-large bid and advanced to the Final 8 tournament in Vancouver as the third seed. Their first game is against ­­­the sixthseeded Dalhousie Tigers on March 17 at 6 p.m. EST. Games will be livestreamed on cis-sic. tv, with the semifinals and finals being nationally televised on Sportsnet 360.

thefulcrum.ca

Gee-Gees women’s hoops win OUA silver at home Team captures seventh seed at nationals in hopes of earning first national title David Agbaire Proofreader

The Gee-Gees women’s basketball team was in action this weekend in the inaugural Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Critelli Cup Final Four tournament.

The Gees secured home court advantage and the rights to host the tournament with a win over Guelph on March 5. Ultimately, the GeeGees settled for a silver medal, while Ryerson took the trophy back home to Toronto.

Montpetit Hall was filled with a vibrant and boisterous crowd as supporters for each team showed up to cheer their team on.

The qualifying teams for the tournament were the Ryerson Rams, the Windsor Lancers, and the McMaster Marauders.

The Gees came into the tournament with high confidence despite their injury woes, as they knew they would need at least one win to secure their place in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Final 8 tournament next week.

In the first matchup on March 11, the Gees took on the McMaster Marauders and ensured they would have a shot at the national title by turning in an excellent performance in the 56–42 win.

The game highlighted the ferocious defence employed by both teams and in the end it was a short-handed Ottawa team who turned up their defensive intensity to grind out the victory.

At halftime, the Gee-Gees held a paltry 19-13 lead, but

were able to get into their groove offensively and start pulling away midway through the second half.

Catherine Traer was the standout performer for the Gees as she posted 25 points and six rebounds, including three made shots from beyond the arc.

Kellie Ring recorded a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Both Traer and Ring had four steals each in the game, highlighting their stellar defensive contributions that were key in the win.

“We played eight players today, hopefully we’ll have a few more back next week,” said Gee-Gees head coach

foot for the Gees, who were able to storm to an early first quarter lead before losing the lead to a buzzer beating layup at the end of the first quarter.

Despite tying the game and taking the lead sporadically throughout the game, the GeeGees didn’t have enough in their offensive arsenal to ever establish a dominant lead.

The Gees also had an uncharacteristically poor shooting night, hitting just 30 per cent of their 75 shots throughout the game.

Numerous injuries limited the Gees to just seven players getting meaningful minutes, and the Gees were simply undersized and outmatched

Andy Sparks. “I think it’s very important for players to step up and in the first half those players didn’t make plays and in the second half they did and full credit to them for doing that.”

Sparks also pointed out the contributions made by the team as an entire unit.

“The defence was outstanding, so many of the unsung heroes,” he said. “Traer had a really good game for us and Ring did too, but it was the other girls who were doing a fantastic job defending that allowed us to stay where we were”.

The following night saw the Gees face the Ryerson Rams who had knocked out defending national champions the Windsor Lancers the night before.

The Gees may have been the favourite heading into the gold medal match on their home floor, but instead it ended in a 66–60 upset.

The game got off on a good

against both the OUA Player of the Year Keneca PingueGiles, and the previous night’s player of the game, Silvana Jez. “We had no answer to (the Rams’ size),” said Sparks. “We had to come off the perimeter to double a little bit and they hit a couple threes, we still had our opportunities but we tired out in the end.”

The Gees fought valiantly despite being severely shorthanded, and after the game Sparks was bullish about the team’s chances in the National Championship.

“If we were healthy I’d like our chances a lot more, but I believe we’ve got big heart on this team and that carries you a long way so we’ll see what happens,” he said. “We’ve shown we can play with anyone on any day. Nationals are wide open this year, this is a really important banner... but there’s a bigger banner than that so we’ll try to bring that

The Gee-Gees fought with Ryerson, but couldn’t overcome the Rams’ size and athleticism.

back next weekend.”

The first new CIS champion in five years will be crowned next weekend, as Windsor’s quest for a record sixth-

straight Bronze Baby Trophy came to an end against Ryerson.

Next up for the Gees, who’ve been ranked as a sev-

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Photos: Remi Yuan.

enth seed for the Final Eight, is a matchup with the secondseeded Saskatchewan Huskies on March 17 at 12 p.m. EST in Fredericton, N.B.

Sports | 15

An essential guide to men’s and women’s CIS Basketball Final

What to watch for: Unlike the men’s tournament, the women’s Final 8 is more open, and really any team has a chance at going home with the Bronze Baby. Topranked McGill shouldn’t have much issue with UNB, and although Saskatchewan is a high-level basketball team they could have their hands full with the Gee-Gees.

If the Gees can down the Huskies, they have a much easier path to the final than the other side of the bracket.

OUA champion Ryerson will have a difficult time against fourth-seeded Regina, coming off of a 17-3 regular season and a narrow loss to Saskatchewan in the CanWest finals.

Of any team, the Gee-Gees have the most Cinderella potential with a low-ranking for amount of wins, good coaching, and tough attitude. The tournament promises excitement on the path to seeing who becomes the new national champion, as the action gets underway on the east coast.

Spencer Murdock Sports Editor

On both sides of the border, March Madness has arrived for collegiate basketball. Unlike the United States, where 64 teams make ‘the Big Dance’, only eight teams compete for Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) National Championship supremacy.

Both the Gee-Gees men’s and women’s teams have qualified for their respective tournaments, and if you haven’t been following the action closely, you’re in luck—here you’ll find a breakdown everything you need to know about both tournaments.

What to watch for: The Ryerson Rams are the favourites for the title, after defeating Carleton twice and Ottawa once this season. The Gee-Gees have an early matchup against Dalhousie that promises some excitement as Dal is a great team on defence many of their losses this season were in overtime thrillers. The marquee first-round matchup is Calgary taking on McGill, as both teams are explosive and are the top teams of their respective conferences.

Another interesting element of this year’s tournament is that there will be

Graphic:Kim Wiens.

a new pair of teams in the final for the first time in two years, as Carleton and Ottawa are on the same side of the bracket.

The Ravens will face a much easier test in the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack, who play in the less competitive Explorer division of the

“You can make as many excuses as you want, but at the same time you just need to show up and be ready to play.

Being at nationals is a gift, there’s a whole bunch of teams across the country that don’t have the chance… you have to suck it up because it’s better than being at home.”—GeeGees forward Caleb Agada on travel and time changes.

Canada West.

There is some upset potential in Ryerson’s first round matchup with the host UBC Thunderbirds. Playing in

front of a home crowd and coming off of a four-loss season might give the T-Birds enough confidence to take down the top-ranked Rams.

Regardless of how things play out, it should be an exciting tournament as a new (or returning) champion is crowned.

“I’ve always felt the OUA teams were at an advantage on their way to nationals because they got two really tough games against good competition… it’s the best preparation playing against good teams.”—Gee-Gees head coach James Derouin on the OUA’s advantage at nationals.

Gees’ Biswal wins gold at CIS track and field championships Fifth-year hurdler closes illustrious career with big win in Toronto Dylan Yegendorf Staff Contributor

Coming off a formidable Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Championships showing two weeks prior, five GeeGees athletes qualified and represented the University of Ottawa in the 2016 Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Track and Field Championships last week.

They were met by the nation’s best in the sport at York University for the two-day tournament.

Headlining an already strong Gee-Gees team composed of OUA medal-winners

16 | SPORTS

and nationally ranked athletes was women’s 60-metre hurdler, Devyani Biswal.

Ranked third in the nation and fresh off of an OUA gold medal win, Biswal entered the CIS Championships as a potential favourite on the Gee-Gees side.

In her opportunity Biswal didn’t disappoint, as she exceeded the lofty expectations set before her. She finished first in the women’s 60-metre hurdle and earned a gold medal, making Gee-Gees history in the process.

Her 8.40s gold-medal run marked a new school record,

and the first ever CIS medal for the Gee-Gees in the women’s 60-metre hurdle.

Biswal’s medal win, courtesy of her all-time performance, would unfortunately be the only taste of CIS glory for the Gee-Gees track athletes. The remaining four had strong performances but failed to qualify for the finals at their respective events.

Scot Hancock finished fourth in the men’s 60-metre hurdle preliminary round, narrowly missing the finals, while Steve Nkusi and Yvan Ntivumbura of men’s high jump each fell short of the

Biswal leaps to a new school record and a gold medal.

2.10m finals cutoff, finishing fifth and seventh place respectively. Jacob Powrie, the Gee-

Photo: Edwin Tam.

Gees only representative in the men’s heptathlon, placed eighth with 3,382 points.

The lack of medals won at the CIS Championships— beyond Biswal—comes as a bit of a disappointment for a Gee-Gees team loaded with top-10 nationally ranked talent (Nkusi, Ntivumbura, and Hancock entered the competition ranked sixth, seventh, and ninth in the nation, respectively).

Nevertheless, they represented the U of O admirably.

More importantly, the GeeGees track and field athletes, led by the nation’s best women’s hurdler in Biswal, represent a squad poised to make a lot of noise next season.

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OPINIONS

OPINIONS EDITOR David Campion-Smith

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

In-camera rules should promote accessibility, not confusion

Private sessions of public meetings should be used sparingly by governing bodies Eric Davidson News Editor

O

n campus, both the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO)’s Board of Administration (BOA) and the University of Ottawa’s Board of Governors (BOG) hold meetings that are open to the public—mostly.

These bodies can hold a vote to go “in-camera,” which, somewhat ironically, means that the meeting becomes closed to the public. During that time, no recordings (cameras included) are allowed and the minutes aren’t made available to the public.

To avoid undermining the value of holding public meetings, these bodies need to make sure they use in-camera sessions sparingly, and that they clearly justify its use to

attendees.

It’s important to note that there’s nothing inherently wrong with the practice of in-camera meetings. It’s used to discuss sensitive topics, like hiring, firing or disciplining members. There are, however problems with how it’s used, and how it’s explained—or not—to the public.

There’s a notable lack of regulations imposed on in-camera meetings, including how long a session can go, as evidenced by a recent three-hour session at a BOA meeting.

This isn’t to suggest there’s no place for confidentiality, but it’s important to recognize that there are other opportunities for these bodies to go in-depth on these issues.

These organizations have executive meetings or committee meetings, opportunities to discuss these matters other than their public meetings.

The potential obfuscation of information is only one issue

with the use of in-camera sessions—and, given the situation, one which would be hard to prove. It also has a more noticeable effect.

Simply put, most people have no clue what an in camera session is. Most times a BOA or BOG meeting goes incamera, looks of confusion are exchanged between members of the audience before they awkwardly shuffle out of the room, some out of the building entirely.

Even if nothing secretive is going on, it can certainly look that way.

In-camera meetings don’t always come at the end of meetings, and the length of the meetings is generally unspecified. So, if the in-camera session drags on for a long time with no specified end time, members of the public who showed up to the meeting will have significant incentive to leave, and miss the rest of the public meeting that they came

Photo: Kim Wiens.

to see in the first place.

So it’s a little harder for students to go to a couple of stuffy board meetings, is that really such a big deal? When those meetings are rare monthly windows into the operations of the university and SFUO, who take in millions of dollars of students’ money every year, it’s important they be made as accessible as possible.

That means using fewer incamera sessions—only when absolutely necessary—as well as using them at the end of meetings, so no one is discouraged from coming back to a meeting. Finally, it means explaining why you’re asking people to leave the meeting.

As suggested by the very low turnout at BOA and BOG meetings—to say nothing of SFUO elections and General Assemblies—it’s hard to get students invested in their university, and administrative bodies shouldn’t be making that harder.

Dress codes should not be dictated by gender

Sexualized dress codes create barriers to acceleration in, entry to workplace Nicholas Robinson Staff Contributor

Last week, the Ontario Human Rights Commission released a policy position calling for an end to sexualized dress codes. Dress codes requiring uniforms such as short skirts, tight clothing and short tops were denounced as being sexist and reinforcing stereotypes.

Shortly after, male employees at local Ottawa restaurant Union Local 613 all wore miniskirts and high heels for a day to protest against sexism in the restaurant industry.

Regardless of this expression of solidarity, discrimination is still a problem in Canada. A recent investigation by CBC Marketplace found that staff at several top restaurant chains were routinely pressured into wearing revealing uniforms.

This is a travesty, and this is why the policy paper’s recommendations should be adopted

Photo: CC, Stokpic.

as soon as possible.

Employees of any gender, be it male, female, transgender or other, should be held to the same standards as any other employee. There is no justifiable reason to discriminate against certain employees and, in the wake of this paper’s release, it’s unlikely employers will be able to defend the practice of enforcing a dress code that calls for sexualized uniforms. Under the Ontario

Human Rights Code, everyone is entitled to equal treatment in the workplace without regards to gender.

Not only do uniform policies create barriers to working women, they also create barriers for different groups of women trying to enter the workplace. For example, a devout Muslim woman may want to work as a waitress, however a standard of sexualized clothing may either deter

her from applying, or lead the manager to reject her application on unfair grounds.

Not only are we dealing with discrimination in restaurants based on gender, but with sexualized dress codes restaurants create potential barriers to entry for women that come from religious backgrounds .

As well as being morally wrong, the policy is also stupid.

People work better in an environment in which they feel

comfortable and empowered.

While branding is important, an intelligent employer should be able to find a balance between selling the brand and encouraging a healthy workplace. In fact, those goals should be mutually compatible.

Forcing employees to wear painful and revealing uniforms hurts business more than it helps. Sometimes, the uniforms can even cause longterm physical damage, such as when employees are forced to wear high heels for extended periods of time.

If these physical strains take a toll on the woman to the point that she quits, the company will be forced to go through the costly process of hiring again. Clearly, forced dress codes aren’t in the employer’s best interest either.

Not only do these dress codes contribute to enforcing sexist norms, they continue anti-employee norms, where employees are considered more

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as tools of the employer rather than individuals entering into a mutual exchange of goods and services. When we sign a contract, we consent to work with others towards a common goal, not to be an indiscriminate tool for an employer. Just as importantly, when we sign a contract, we should be doing so as an equal of the other party.

Of course, this issue shouldn’t take away the right of an employee to wear certain clothes if they choose to do so.

An employee should have the right to wear whatever they want, as long as their choice of clothing doesn’t create an unhealthy workplace environment.

It seems that sexualized uniform policies at restaurants are in no one’s best interest.

As such, adopting the recommendations set forth by the Ontario Human Rights Commission would be good news for the employer as much as the employee.

OPINIONS | 17

Lack of transparency in health-care system unacceptable QCIPA in current state hurts patient families and medical system at large Anchal Sharma Staff Contributor

Canadians are known around the world by our fiercely defended stereotypes—we’re just a bunch of hockey-loving, Tim Hortonsswigging, polar bear-riding, igloo-dwelling folk with a great health-care system. But we know better, none of those things are black and white.

Our national sport isn’t even just hockey, it’s also lacrosse!

And our healthcare, despite popular belief, isn’t always as great as it sounds.

Canadian healthcare has been under fire recently as complaints of withholding information under the Quality of Care Information Protection Act (QCIPA) have been steadily rising. What started out as a way to protect the privacy rights of hospitals has since been used under unethical circumstances. Hospitals are hiding behind the QCIPA to protect themselves against the threat of grieving fami-

18 | OPINIONS

lies after mistakes that they should be held accountable for.

The act was first passed in 2004 in an effort to keep inhospital investigations confidential and allow health-care professionals to divulge information at their discretion so as not to be threatened with a court case. It was intended only to be used in the most serious cases but institutions like St. Joseph’s and the University Health Network swear by the QCIPA. If Canada really is as free and accepting as our neighbouring countries believe it to be, there should be no secrecy in our health-care system its policies, or corrective actions taken when things don’t go as planned.

In one case, a woman named Pamela Minocha was admitted to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Toronto for pain in her tooth and was pronounced dead seven hours later. Her parents and brother were in-

Photo: CC, Rhonda Baer.

formed of her death upon arrival but given no further information under the act. Not only is the hospital’s reluctance to involve family in patient care a telling sign about their handiwork, it also suggests refusal to correct their mistakes.

At Brampton Civic Hospital, a man named Prashant Tiwari, who was staying in

the psychiatric ward, hung himself while staff members were allegedly at a potluck.

In this case as well, it took the hospital 15 days to get back to Tiwari’s family, who were given limited information regarding his death under the QCIPA. Such negligence speaks volumes about the priorities of our current health-care

system. With an act like this put in place, what we’re essentially saying is that a patient’s well-being comes second to the hospital’s reputation.

Both aforementioned cases lead to lawsuits for the hospitals in question, something that the act was put in place to avoid. It seems that cases like these aren’t just detrimental to a patient’s family but also to

the institution and the system itself. When hospitals hide the contents of their investigative reports they’re not only hiding them from family but also from other hospitals, increasing the likelihood that errors will be repeated elsewhere.

In light of these events, a review committee is considering standardized use of the act across the province. Other possible revisions include increasing fines for offences, reaffirming the rights of the patients and their families to information on corrective actions to be taken, and reviewing the act every five years to ensure it is not being abused.

Changes like these could greatly improve the current system and the trend of decreasing trust in our healthcare providers. If we can increase transparency with amendments to the QCIPA act, we may still have the right to boast about our health-care system that millions depend on so heavily.

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Motions on moving escalators, fireworks, and beer fountains fail at GAs U of O students use GAs to incentivize laziness, get beer on demand David Campion-Smith er Transport (SFT) also failed to Opinions Editor The most recent Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) General Assembly (GA) was held Tuesday March 15. Reporters from the Tomato attended the event and have compiled a list of motions that were struck down.

First off, a motion to create a long horizontal escalator from one end of campus to the other, in an effort to make it easier for students to get around, didn’t get enough votes to pass. The motion would have earmarked funding to build a constantly moving ramp from Desmarais to SITE, with each building along the route having its own exit for students to get off at.

A similar, but unrelated motion from the Students for Fast-

pass. The motion would have created series of tubes that would rapidly transport students directly into different buildings also failed to pass.

“Obviously we’re upset that the motion failed to pass but we’re working on rewriting the motion so we can try and pass it at the next GA,” said Nick Burgel, president of the SFT. Another student submitted a motion that failed which called for the SFUO to finally use the $10,000 worth of fireworks they purchased for last year’s 101 week. The motion, put forward by U of O Pyrotechnics club, specified that the fireworks be set off all at once and from the roof of the tallest building on campus.

Photo: CC, Jon Sullivan, Edits by Kim Wiens.

While it did get enough votes to pass, there was a debate around whether the

smokestack at SITE was taller than the roof of Desmarais.

Many believed that the smoke-

stack was taller but limited the potential audience for the spectacle. Amid this debate,

the motion was tabled until a decision could be made at a later date.

A third motion to create beer fountains in each building, capable of releasing perfectly cooled beer in a manner similar to a water fountain, also failed to pass. “I didn’t vote for it because I thought it would be too much of a headache to figure out what beers people would like, not to mention it would take about two years to get everything set up,” said third-year engineering student Angelo Fortin.

Despite the dismissal of these promising motions, it seems that this fourth installment of the GAs has inspired students to put forth their ideas to keep our campus at its best.

Justin Trudeau spends weekend in Washington with The Weeknd

Pandas, Rap and Haircuts may deter Trudeau from returning to Parliament

David Campion-Smith Opinions Editor Prime Minister Justin Trudeau got quite the welcome when he was in Washington for the state dinner last week.

While his relationship with American President Barack Obama was well documented, the real bromance was with Canadian musician, The Weeknd.

The two got into some certifiably crazy antics.

After meeting in Washington, the two apparently hopped on a plane to Toronto to hang out with the same pandas that the prime minister named just a few weeks ago. Zookeepers on the scene reported hearing Trudeau yelling “Shhh… be quiet man. Just lay low a second.

These pandas trust me, but I’m not sure if you’ve earned it.”

When authorities came to the scene, Trudeau was told to

put the pandas down and exit their enclosure.

After taking copious amounts of angsty selfies with security, the pair left the zoo to continue their day at a local recording studio.

“We just fired everything up, dropped some beats and did some freestyling over top of it all. He was really good at it, and let loose some fire. If this whole Prime Minister thing doesn’t work out he could definitely make it in the rap game,” said the Weeknd.

The duo then visited the Weeknd’s barber, who proceeded to give Trudeau a haircut that almost exactly resembled the Weeknd’s. When asked if he was worried about his new ‘do appearing unprofessional to Canadians, Trudeau scoffed and said “nah man, this is just for the party and the afterparty.”

Rumour has it that, de-

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Photo: CC, Kayla Johnsonw.

spite his public deflections, Trudeau is seriously considering abandoning all the stress of Parliament for a life of fame and fortune. A Toronto-based bartender reported hearing Trudeau yelling in an alleyway, arms linked with the Weeknd that “all that money is the motive!”

When asked for comment after being enlightened to the prime minister’s recent escapades, Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau turned pale and quietly uttered “Oh no, not this again…” before retreating from the media.

Only time will tell whether Trudeau’s time with the Weeknd will have a lasting impact

Photo: CC, RTVM.

on our nation’s political leader.

But one thing’s for sure—once

Trudeau can feel his face again, he might regret that haircut.

THE TOMATo | 19

DISTRACTIONS Dear Di,

Dear Di

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

Dear Di,

My partner and I are very adventurous in bed, and on our own. A lot of toys are involved, but there is a notable lack of toys for me (someone with a penis). This isn’t because I’m not interested in the idea, or that my partner is opposed. It’s a lack of variety.

Excluding anal stuff, the only options for cock possessing people are masturbation sleeves and cock-rings. Well, I’ve no desire for a cock-ring… as far as I’m aware they’re not gonna make me cum. As for sleeves, I’m not really interested in something that mimics sex (I have a partner, and that’s enough sex for me).

Do you know of any sex toys meant to give men orgasms? Is there anything like Lelo’s ORA for men? Please help.

-Toys II Men Dear T2M, I definitely feel your frustration. The range of sex toys available for men is lacking far behind that of women. Thankfully, there are a select few devices that can be incorporated in your sex life that pleasure both you and your partner.

For example, the We-Vibe couples vibrator can be a great addition to your repertoire as it slips right in your partner’s vagina, while stimulating your penis with vibrations at the same time.

You might be surprised to know that many female-centred sex toys can stimulate men as well. If your partner has vibrators, have them try to stimulate your balls on a low vibration while giving you oral. You can experiment using female sex toys to stimulate the rectum as well.

Also, I wouldn’t discount cock rings so quickly. You could always try something more sophisticated like Lelo’s Tor 2, which is a rechargeable, vibrating cock ring. The powerful vibrations from this toy is more than enough to make a lot of men cum.

In fact, Lelo’s has a number of other excellent sex toys for men. Two of the most popular are entitled Hugo and Bruno, slick and modern prostate massagers that claim to enhance male orgasms by 33 per cent.

The only real downfall for these products is that they are almost double the price of a standard female centred device like the Lelo ORA. So, while there are some premium sex toys available for men, we still have a ways to go in terms of making them accessible and affordable for the average Joe. Happy hunting!

Love, Di Keep it Spice-y (three easy ways to amp-up your sex life) 1. Practice Yoga—according to a report from thehealthsite.com, men who practice yoga are able to last longer in bed!

2. Talk during sex—a study from Medical Daily found that those who talk dirty during sex reported being more sexually satisfied.

3. Go to a comedy club—laughing increases your blood flow and heart rate, which has been known to improve your sexual activity later in the night.

20 | DISTRACTIONS

FEATURES EDITOR Kyle Darbyson

I’ve been dating my boyfriend for a while now and I used to want sex all the time! But recently I’ve found that I really don’t have any sex drive at all. It’s not that I don’t find my partner attractive, but I just don’t have the urge to be sexual with them. I mostly settle for platonic physical intimacy like holding hands or cuddling. Is there anything wrong with me?

-Wet No More Dear WNM, Sex drives tend to steadily decrease as your relationship evolves. As you grow closer together, your feelings of commitment and intimacy increase while erotic passion tends to decrease. That’s completely normal, but there could be a couple of other factors contributing to your decreased libido.

Many women are not aware that the birth control pill contains progesterone, which can decrease your sex drive over time. Other medications, like anti-depressants and beta blockers, can also affect your longing to get down and dirty.

But there’s nothing wrong with just wanting chaste physical intimacy instead of butt-slapping sex. A number of couples around the world remain in happy sexless relationships.

But if you do wish to shift your sex drive into a higher gear, here are a few things you can do.

Get off the pill and get on some birth control that doesn’t have hormones, like a copper intrauterine device (IUD) or a diaphragm.

Outside of that, be sure to ask your doctor if any of the medications you are taking can affect your sex drive and if there are any alternatives.

Lastly, incorporate some novelty in your sex life. Role playing can be a great way to introduce a whole new dynamic into the bedroom ;)

Love, Di

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

thefulcrum.ca

mar. 18 to mar. 24, 2016

THRYLLABUS

MUSIC arts Sports FUN Thinking

Friday, March 18

Ottawa 67’s vs.

Hamilton Bulldogs (Ontario Hockey League), TD Place—7 p.m.

Dala (Canadian folk duo), Shenkman Arts Centre—8 p.m.

Saturday, March 19

Genealogy: Back to Basics, Genealogical Resources in Eastern Ontario, City of Ottawa Archives—10:30 a.m.

34th annual St. Patrick’s Parade & Party, part of the Ottawa Irish Festival, starting at the corner of Elgin and Laurier Avenue West—11 a.m.

Ottawa Senators vs.

Montreal Canadiens, Canadian Tire Centre—7 p.m.

Pierre Lapointe, Canadian Museum of History—8 p.m.

Sunday, March 20

Ottawa Nostalgia &

Collectible Show, Nepean Sportsplex—9 a.m.

Ottawa Farmers’ Market, TD Place—10 a.m.

Ottawa-Gatineau International Auto Show (showcase of the latest models, exotics, hybrid, and electric vehicles), last day, Shaw Centre—10 a.m.

Ottawa Tibet Film Festival, Mayfair Theatre—12:30 p.m.

Versefest (Ottawa’s International Poetry Festival), last day, Knox Presbyterian Church—1 p.m.

Cabaret LIVE!, monthly live-band burlesque party, LIVE! On Elgin—7 p.m.

Monday, March 21 Playwrights’ Circle, aspiring playwright meet and greet, Ottawa Little Theatre—7 p.m.

Forbidden Planet (sci-fi adaptation of The Tempest), Shakespeare 400, Bytowne Cinema—8:40 p.m.

Tuesday, March 22

Canadian Improv Games-National Tournament & Festival, opening day, National Arts Centre—11 a.m.

Archgoat (black metal group), Mavericks—7 p.m.

Ottawa Senators vs.

Washington Capitals, Canadian Tire Centre—7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, March 23 One Man Star Wars Trilogy, Centrepointe Theatre—7:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 24 Neil Hamburger live, Yuk Yuk’s Comedy—7:30 p.m.

Classic Albums Live: Pink Floyd-The Wall, Centrepointe Theatre—8 p.m.

thefulcrum.ca

DISTRACTIONS | 21

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Re: The label ‘anti-Semitic’ is a tactic used to stifle debate While not an unreasonable article, after reading University of Ottawa professor Stuart Chambers’ op-ed in a previous issue, “The label ‘anti-Semitic’ is a tactic used to stifle debate”, I felt obligated to respond and make some things clear.

Professor Chambers took issue with an op-ed by University of PEI professor Henry Srebrnik in which he pleads for the censorship of a York University mural painting that depicts a Palestinian protest of Israeli occupation. Essentially, Srebrnik argues that the mural, titled “Palestinian Roots”, is anti-Semitic, evokes discomfort and hurt feelings amongst Jewish students, and ought to be removed.

Distasteful or not, the painting does not elicit hate and thus falls under the fundamental freedom of expression protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms; so nothing can come of Srebrnik’s—or anyone’s—desire to take it down. It’s a nonissue.

Chambers’ criticism extends even further, alluding to the sanctity of academic freedom and the free flow of ideas on university campuses, and the threat Srebrnik’s attitude poses on those virtues.

Chambers argues that proIsrael supporters like Srebrnik use the term “anti-Semitic” as a tactic to stifle any debate concerning Israel, but that just isn’t true. In fact, evidence shows the opposite to be true.

Anti-Israel movements on campuses, most notably BDS, time after time have shouted down pro-Israel voices—sometimes accompanied by anti-Semitic taunts and even threats of violence.

Where I continue to take issue with Chambers is in the hypocrisy of his claims.

He begins by accusing Srebrnik of highlighting instances of anti-Semitism on campus as a means to advance his own pro-Israel agenda: “It’s not ‘hurt feelings’ he’s protecting but rather his own worldview.”

However, in his concluding statement—“This form of political correctness (concerning Israel) has a single purpose in mind, erasing from memory the daily reality faced by Palestinians,”—professor Chambers blatantly contradicts his initial claim and exposes his use of a nearly identical form of rhetoric as to that which he has accused Srebrnik of using.

It’s not “academic freedom” and “the free flow of ideas” he’s protecting, but rather his own world view—one which opposes Israel.

While there is no harm in criticizing the Israeli government’s policy as you would any other country’s — Israel is surely not immune to criticism, nor should it be—Chambers refers to a “daily reality faced by Palestinians” that is of “Israeli aggression and occupation”.

This highlights my second

issue with Chambers’ comments: to state one’s opinion on a highly controversial and debatable topic, like the IsraelPalestine conflict, without providing any support to said opinions seems irresponsible, particularly for an academic like professor Chambers.

Finally, for me to state that anti-Israel sentiment is inherently anti-Semitic would be a troublesome task, so instead one must ask: why is the UN Human Rights Council, the BDS movement, and others like it so singularly obsessed with resolutions against Israel?

While its neighbour Syria kills hundreds of thousands of civilians; while Saudi Arabia unapologetically bombs civilians in Yemen; while thousands are held political prisoners as democracy disappears in Egypt; and while nearly all of Israel’s other neighbours criminally violate human rights on a daily basis; why the obsession with criticizing Israel?

There can only be one reason for that obsession: the oldest hatred in the world, antiSemitism.

The reality is, not all antiIsrael critics are anti-Semitic, but all anti-Semites are undoubtedly anti-Israel; and they have taken refuge in that movement.

The good professor is either naive or willfully blind to that unfortunate fact.

—Dylan Yegendorf, U of O student.

22 | LETTERS

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EDITORIAL Volume 76, Issue 23, mar. 17, 2016 Feelin’ like dancin’ 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 ask you to dance.

Nadia “Thriller” Drissi El-Bouzaidi Editor-in-Chief editor@thefulcrum.ca Devin “Kathak” Orsini Production Manager production@thefulcrum.ca Savannah “Moonwalk” Awde Managing Editor content@thefulcrum.ca Eric “Fist Pump” Davidson News Editor news@thefulcrum.ca Allegra “Funky Chicken” Morgado Arts & Culture Editor arts@thefulcrum.ca Spencer “Sick Cat” Murdock Sports Editor/Rap Correspondent sports@thefulcrum.ca Kyle “The Robot” Darbyson Features Editor features@thefulcrum.ca

Which amazing Canadian woman should be on our currency in 2018?

M

arch 8th was International Women’s Day and among the usual flurry of inspirational quotes from our favorite female icons, and ignorant calls for an International Men’s Day (Which already exists) came interesting news from the federal government.

Canadians would have the chance to help pick an “iconic Canadian woman” to grace the issue of 2018 banknotes, announced finance Minister Bill Morneau.

In light of the news we picked five fabulous Canadians women from all walks of life who have changed Canada in significant ways.

Emily Murphy

Emily Carr

“The Famous Five” of the early 1900s were a major driving force in the Canadian women’s suffrage movement, and none more influential than Emily Murphy. The Five famously launched “The Person’s Case” after Murphy and other women were not allowed to attend a trial of a woman accused of prostitution. She protested to the provincial Attorney General who approved her request, making her the first woman police magistrate of the British Empire. In her first case, Murphy found the prisoner guilty, but then their lawyer challenged her authority to pass sentence, saying she wasn’t legally a person. She continued her fight to have women to be legally considered persons until 1929 when the Privy Council declared that women were indeed “persons” and were eligible for appointment to the Canadian Senate.

Emily Carr was, and still is, Canada’s most famous female artist. Born in Victoria in 1871 to English parents, the majority of her work reflected the breathtaking B.C. scenery as well as paid homage to the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest. Carr was also one of the first Canadian painters—male or female—to adopt Modernist and Post-Impressionist styles. She best known for her paintingssuch as Big Raven. In 2013 Her painting The Crazy Stair (The Crooked Staircase) sold for $3.39 million, a record for female Canadian artists. Like the rest of the women on this list, Carr didn’t limit herself to one craft, as she had a prolific career as a writer, chronicling life in British Columbia. To this day numerous places in B.C. bear Carr’s name including Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, and the Emily Carr House in Victoria.

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Contributors

Rémi “Cha Cha Slide” Yuan Celina “Capoeira” Feng Nicholas “Aerial” Robinson Anchal “Celestial” Sharma Dylan “YMCA” Yegendorf Virginie “The Twist” Harris Madison “Macarena” McSweeney

Board of Directors

Mackenzie “Texas Two-Step” Gray, President board@thefulcrum.ca Simon “Samba” Gollish, Vice-President Katelyn “Single Ladies” Murray, Chief of Staff Jonathan “Ambush” Rausseo, University Rep Lindsay “Gangnam Style” MacMillan Fulcrum Staff Benjamin “Electric Slide” Miller, Student Rep Carolyn “Tango” Mutis, Student Rep William “Lean Back” Hume, Student Rep

Leaping Forward

VOL. 76 ISSUE 23

mar. 17, 2016

Looking Back

Cover: Allegra Morgado.

Beverley McLachin Our legal system is integral in upholding evolving Canadian values, and Supreme Court Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin has been at the forefront of this vital task since January 2000—serving the longest term of any Chief Justice in Canadian history. Not only is she the first woman to be appointed to this role, but she has been involved in monumental rulings that have recognized the changing nature of Canadian values. In 2005 she became Administrator while Governor General Adrienne Clarkson was hospitalized, and gave royal assent to the Civil Marriage Act, which was instrumental in the legalization of same-sex marriage. In 2015, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled against the prohibition of assisted suicide, overturning a 1993 decision in which the dissent was written by McLachlin. Although McLachlin has been a force in Canada’s justice system for a long time, she has consistently adapted to social movement and continues to ensure our legal system is representative of that national progress.

Roberta Bondar Roberta Bondar had a thriving career as a neurologist before she decided to switch gears and begin astronaut training in 1984. She would later become Canada’s first female astronaut, and the first neurologist in space. Bondar flew on the NASA Space Shuttle Discovery during Mission STS-42 in early 1992. But her accomplishments don’t stop there. Bondar later led an international team of researchers at NASA, focusing on how the body is affected by exposure in space. And for those who think science types like Bondar don’t have any artistic talent, they’d be wrong. Bondar is also a celebrated photographer, specializing in landscapes of natural environments.

Margaret atwood Margaret Atwood is one of the most beloved Canadian authors—male or female Her works have covered a variety of issues including a women’s role in society, the potential impacts of technology, and more. She’s best known for novels like The Handmaid’s Tale, Oryx and Crake, Cats Eye, Alias Grace, and The Blind Assassin. In addition to writing novels, Atwood is also an essayist, poet, environmental activist, and inventor. Despite her popularity internationally, Atwood has also made significant contributions to the body of Canadian literature, most notably for her theories on the ever-elusive Canadian identity. Atwood deserves to be put on Canadian currency because of her works on Canadians ideas, values, and issues.

25 Years of Gee-Gees Dance PG. 9

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EDITORIAL | 23

Université d’Ottawa

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University of Ottawa

2016 Symposium – Thursday, March 24

Learn about research opportunities at the undergraduate level!

More than 300 students will present their findings during the sixth Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) Symposium.

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Poster presentations from faculties: Education, Engineering, School of Management, Medicine, Social Sciences

Jock Turcot University Centre 85 University Ground floor FREE ADMISSION

For more information, visit www.research.uOttawa.ca/urop

1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Poster presentations from faculties: Arts, Law (Common Law and Droit civil), Health Sciences, Science