The Fulcrum - Vol 76 Issue 7

VOL. 76 ISSUE 7

oct 8, 2015

Panda game upset proves that one player can’t do it all pg. 14

This Week Days since the fireworks have not been used...

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IN THIS ISSUE...

Women can have it all P.6 Network engineers new entrepreneurial talent

Creating culturally P.10 U of O film and fashion focuses on minority talent Turn out the lights P.12 Shedding light on where asexuality fits in the sexual spectrum We’ve got the blues P.15 Jays fever hits Canada as they start their playoff push Diverse new channels P.18 Why your favourite TV networks should show more foreign films Confusing queries P.20 This week Di details how to share your deepest secrets

NEWS Arts building renamed Hamelin

NEWS EDITOR

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

Hall after former U of O president Marcel Hamelin known for promoting bilingualism, international cooperation Eric Davidson News Editor

T

he University of Ottawa’s Arts building was renamed “Hamelin Hall” in honour of former president Marcel Hamelin at a ceremony on campus on Sept. 29.

The building was named after Hamelin “in recognition of his exceptional commitment and unparalleled contributions to uOttawa,” according to a press release by the university.

Hamelin graduated from Laval University with a doctor of letters in history in 1961, and started teaching history at the U of O in 1966. He then moved up the ranks, becoming chair of the department of history from 1968-70, vice-

dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research from 1972-74, and dean of the Faculty of Arts from 1974-90.

In 1990, Hamelin was appointed as president of the university, a post he held until 2001. He was succeeded by Gilles Patry, and then Allan Rock in 2008.

Hamelin is remembered as having promoted bilingualism as well as international cooperation between universities.

“In addition to his passionate defence of linguistic duality, he worked tirelessly to promote exchanges between international universities, attract brilliant students and researchers from every continent, and transform the University of Ottawa into one of the world’s top post-secondary institutions,” said U of O president and vice-chancellor Allan Rock in a press release.

Hamelin’s efforts in experience facilitating exchanges in

the Middle East led him to create the Chair of Arabic Studies. He was also appointed by the government of Canada to the board of directors of the Foundation for Educational Exchange between Canada and the United States of America.

Hamelin has also been involved in several organizations focused on Frenchspeaking Canadians.

He helped to create the Regroupement des Universités Francophones hors-Québec and Consortium des Universités de la Francophonie Ontarienne.

These organizations look to promote French-speaking universities in Canada.

“No other university in the country can claim to be as truly Canadian as ours, one that so faithfully reflects the linguistic, cultural and religious diversity of our country,” said Hamelin in a press release.

Hamelin also has a U of O

70 Laurier has been renamed Hamelin Hall.

scholarship named after him.

The scholarship is awarded to two students, one French and one English, entering the common law section of the Faculty of Law.

The newly renamed Hamelin Hall was built in 1996, while Hamelin was president, and houses six of the 14 departments of the Faculty of Arts, including English, phi-

Photo: Marta Kierkus

losophy, and classical and religious studies. According to the U of O website, the building “helps centralize a faculty that was previously dispersed across campus.”

Promote the Vote: You’ve got to fight for your right to party U of O prof offers fun twist on voting ahead of federal election Chris Zapata-Prado Fulcrum Contributor

One University of Ottawa prof is looking to change the meaning of the phrase “political party” by encouraging people to, well, party. The project works by encouraging people who already vote to bring their friends along too, with a party or celebration as extra incentive.

“The vote parties are parties just to celebrate voting and celebrate democracy,” said Jillian Leblanc, a media relations officer with Vote Party. “How good does that feel to contribute on such a big scale?”

“A lot of ‘get out to vote’ initiatives are aimed at people

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who already vote,” she said.

This, she says, is the wrong group to target.

A number of celebrities have already joined the party—Rick Mercer, the band Majic, and others have supported the initiative in a 30-second video.

Vote Party was founded by Duff Conacher, visiting professor at the U of O, and co-founder of Democracy Watch. The initiative takes a lighthearted approach to tackling a very serious issue.

With over 60 per cent of young voters opting to not cast a ballot last election, Conacher thinks it’s time to spark a change. He believes that an era of political cynicism and dishonesty has pushed youth away from the polls.

Jillian Leblanc, Duff Conacher, and Deborah Sogelola of Vote Party.

“A bunch of people would have been raised by parents who’ve been complaining a lot about politicians breaking promises, wasting money, acting unethically, and hiding

Photo: Eric Davidson

things from the public, or making decisions that the public doesn’t support,” said Conacher.

He says that a confusing system where some people are made to feel unimportant is at

fault.

“Essentially, with our system, a lot of our ridings are ‘safe ridings’, you can win the vote with 30 per cent of the vote and have done so for decades. There’s no real incentive whether you’re voting for that party or against it,” he said.

It’s for these reasons that Conacher formed Vote Party.

“It’s important for any section of society to vote if they want their concerns addressed,” said Conacher. “Youth do have particular concerns, such as education, that are not shared with other age groups directly.”

While its primary audience is students and young voters, Vote Party encourages voting for people of all ages.

“You can take your grandparents, aunt, uncle, anyone,” said Leblanc. “You can take them to the polls.”

The main goal is to get people to celebrate voting.

“It’s something to be happy about,” said Leblanc. “That’s the feeling we want to get across.”

While the Vote Party campaign was launched for the federal election, the goal is to carry the momentum forward to all levels of voting.

“We just want people to exercise their right to vote, whether that’s at a provincial, municipal, or federal level,” she said.

—With files from Eric Davidson For more information, check out http://www.voteparty.ca

NEWS | 5

New network helps engineers engage in entrepreneurship Professor-led project looks to offer new opportunities to female engineers

Women’s Startup Network wants to colse the gender gap in tech.

Alejandra Guzman Fulcrum Contributor

The Faculty of Engineering at the University of Ottawa has begun a new peer mentorship initiative called Women’s Startup Network—a project geared toward helping female engineering and computer science students explore opportunities in entrepreneurship.

The program began in response to the lack of female participants in engineering and computer science programs.

A Statistics Canada study that looked at participation in university science, technology, engineering, math and computer science (STEM) programs found that women are proportionately underrepresented among STEM graduates when compared to other fields.

6 | NEWS

It also found unemployment rates were higher for women with a STEM degree than their male counterparts.

Hanan Anis, an associate professor at the School of Information and Technology (SITE), and the faculty coordinator in entrepreneurship and innovation at the university, said she became concerned by this.

Women are going to start succeeding in engineering programs “when they participate,” said Anis.

The network was founded

by Anis alongside Catherine Elliott, a professor for the Telfer School of Management, and Catherine Mavriplis, who teaches within the department of mechanical engineering and is a part of the Pratt & Whitney Canada Chair for Women in Science and Engineering.

The peer mentorship pro-

gram trains 11 senior students in entrepreneurship and communications by working with mentors on a project that interests them.

“This experience that the program offers is one of a kind,” said Lethania Martinez, one of the 11 mentors.

“Being in the market and having access to these equipments and machinery, and amazing professors guiding you. That experience at the age that those students have is amazing.”

The mentors lead by example, such as Seedbase, a project started by two of the senior mentors.

Seedbase is a platform for early startup businesses looking for affordable resources, which helps them connect to specialized engineering students. The program offers

younger students the ability to learn and gain entrepreneurial skills.

Martinez said she believes that women in engineering

and computer science need to be able to cut it in the business world as well, because “technical is not enough anymore. Entrepreneurship is a must, now.”

Photo: CC Estratton Bailey

For more information on how to get involved visit, https://engineering.uottawa.ca/ entrepreneurship/women-startup-network

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U of O club to compete at international level in South Africa Enactus looks to show it has the most creative, sustainable business Eric Davidson News Editor

Enactus uOttawa, a University of Ottawa club that looks to create business solutions to social justice issues, is going to Johannesburg, South Africa to compete in the Enactus World Cup. There are over 15,000 Enactus member universities and colleges around the world, and almost 70 in Canada. The top clubs will compete to see which team has the most profitable and socially sustainable business model on Oct. 14.

At a national competition last May, a group of judges, comprised of prominent business leaders in Canada, named Enactus uOttawa national champions, ahead of 68 other teams in Canada.

“The World Cup is an amazing opportunity,” said Corey Ellis, president of Enactus uOttawa. “You get to see what’s possible and what students around the world are doing.”

The businesses presented at the World Cup are meant to be successful economically, but also perform a social and environmental good.

“We create social innovation projects that tackle some of the social and environmen-

tal issues that we see in our community using sustainable business,” said Ellis.

The Enactus uOttawa team is made up of 112 members, coming from seven faculties across campus, with the majority studying at the Telfer School of Management.

The group will present a number of businesses at the Enactus World Cup. According to Ellis, all of the projects being showcased are communitybased.

One such business is CigBins, which looks to reduce cigarette butt litter with specially designed bins, while also employing people suffering from mental illness.

Another, Canada Sports Officials, provides employment for homeless men and women by training and certifying them to become soccer referees.

“With all of our projects, the big thing that I notice is an increase in confidence with the people we work with,” said Ellis. “These people are in difficult circumstances, and our programs show them that they’ve got potential.”

The concept of competing to see who is better at helping people may seem counterintuitive, but Ellis sees it as an asset.

The Enactus uOttawa team at nationals.

“I think the whole competitive element of Enactus is what drives excellence,” he said.

As it turns out, Enactus uOttawa was formed after U of O students went to watch the 2012 World Cup in Washington four years ago.

“That’s where our founders

News Briefs

to capture the spirit of their previous World Cup journey when they fly to Johannesburg.

“We’re sending a team of uOttawa students that we see as up-and-coming business leaders,” said Ellis. “We want them to see what Enactus is

capable of doing, and really get inspired.”

Enactus uOttawa is also fundraising to lessen the cost for their members to go to the Enactus World Cup in South Africa.

If you would like to contribute, visit https://uottawa.useed.net/ projects/259/home.

Hundreds of Canadians receive incorrect voter cards

Former Ottawa news anchor dies at 73

Max Keeping, a well-known broadcaster who anchored CTV Ottawa’s 6 O’Clock news for 38 years, passed away from cancer on Oct. 1, after fighting the disease for three years.

There were moments of silence held at the RedBlacks game, as well as at city hall.

got inspired,” said Ellis. “You’re watching presentations from teams from India, or the UK, or Morocco, that are doing these crazy innovative projects to tackle some of the toughest issues in their communities.”

Ellis said Enactus uOttawa is hoping that it will be able

Photo: Courtesy of Enactus.

“He put on a brave face and fought his cancer, but sadly today, he passed away,” said Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson to the CBC. “Max would be front and centre at an event like this, because, as we all know, it’s the kind of person he was.”

—Eric Davidson

An Elections Canada mixup has led to hundreds of Canadians receiving voter cards with incorrect information.

Some cards told people to vote at incorrect polling stations—in some cases almost 600km away. For example, some Yukon residents have received voting cards telling them to vote at a location 590 km away. Elections Canada has said that 300 people in the Yukon will receive new cards.

People in Saskatchewan and British Columbia have also complained of bad voter information cards.

Elections Canada told the CBC that it has

launched an investigation, and is preparing to send out new cards Oct. 13, which is the last day they can send them to reach voters on time for the election.

“If you get that voter info card, you’re registered, but you think that that address doesn’t seem right or the voting location doesn’t seem right, we certainly want to hear from you and we encourage you to contact the returning office,” said Diane Benson, a spokeswoman at Elections Canada, according to the CBC. Voters can check their polling station online at ereg.elections.ca.

—Eric Davidson

“Harperman” singer retires from public service, vows to keep singing

Photo: CC, Feliciano Guimaraes

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Tony Turner, a scientist in the public service who was suspended over his song “Harperman”, which criticizes the current government, has retired from the public service.

Turner told the Ottawa Citizen he made the decision so he could sing his song for the rest of the election campaign.

“I have been asked to perform at rallies and I will do that for the balance of the election. This election is too important to be silent,” he said to

the Citizen.

Turner’s former employer, Environment Canada, had launched an ethics investigation into the creation of “Harperman”, and it is unclear if his retirement will put an end to the investigation.

Turner’s suspension created a debate around whether or not public servants should be neutral in the nation’s political conversation.

—Eric Davidson

NEWS | 7

National News

Trudeau: Pot tax revenue not in the Liberal fiscal plan—yet Details of marijuana legalization blurry, but remains high priority BJ Siekierski iPolitics

iPolitics (CUP)—The Liberals didn’t include revenue they’ll generate from legalizing and taxing marijuana sales in their fiscal plan because they haven’t decided exactly how and when they’ll go about it, Justin Trudeau said on Sept. 30.

At a campaign stop in Surrey, B.C., where drug-related gang violence has made headlines this year, Trudeau acknowledged the legalization plan still needs to be fleshed out.

But a Liberal government would move quickly, he said.

“We are going to get working on it right away. The fact of the matter is, we didn’t book for tax revenues from marijuana, because we don’t yet know exactly (at) what rate we’re going to be taxing it, how we’re going to control it, or whether it’ll happen in the first months, within the first year, or whether it’s going to take a year or two to kick in,” he said.

“We know there will be revenues from it, but we can’t make any predictions at this point in terms of

the levels of those revenues. And the same applies to how much we will be spending on this. We see this as a responsible approach. Yes, we will legalize marijuana, and we will start right away by speaking to experts here in Canada and conferring with people around the world.

But we will do this responsibly,” he added in French.

In April, the City of Surrey held a community meeting attended by 700 people to discuss a turf war between Somali and South Asian gangs that had led to over 20 shootings and homicides in just six weeks.

The Conservatives responded by adding RCMP officers in Surrey.

“Our government is taking action to support the fight against gang-related violence,” Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney said in July.

“Earlier this year, the Harper government committed to providing 100 additional RCMP members to the City of Surrey to help fight against gang-related violence. The

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau holds up a maple leaf at a campaign stop Sept. 23.

deployment of officers has already begun and will continue until Surrey receives the full 100 officers requested.”

Trudeau also reiterated his criticism of the Conservatives’ commitment to the war-on-drugs approach.

Photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

“Mr. Harper continues to defend a system that endangers our children by giving them easier access to marijuana than to beer or cigarettes.

And at the same time, he is financing street gangs, organized crime and gun-runners,” he said.

Ryerson student Linh Nguyen runs for the Green Party Economics student wants to give millennials the voice they desperately need Laura Woodward The Eyeopener

Linh Nguyen, international economics and finance student at Ryerson University.

Toronto (CUP)—Green Party candidate Linh

8 | NATIONAL NEWS

seat in the 2015 federal elections, while completing an undergraduate degree.

But this balancing act isn’t the hardest part, according to Nguyen.

“Honestly, the most difficult part of running a campaign is that nobody cares,” she said.

“Elections are focused around male political party leaders, the middle class, the economy and more jobs. This is all important, but these have been the same issues perpetuated for decades,” said Nguyen. “No wonder there’s a growing number of youth who (don’t) care.”

Nguyen plans to get people’s attention by bringing issues like the missing and murdered indigenous women and food security to the forefront.

“It’s not that millennials don’t care. We definitely do care, there’s just no one representing us, providing a voice for us,” she said.

Nguyen graduated from Ryerson’s graphic communications management program in

Photo courtesy of Linh Nguyen

Nguyen is running for the Mississauga Centre

2009, and is back for her second undergraduate degree in international economics and finance.

She got involved in the Green Party two years ago, working as a political intern.

Mike Schreiner, leader of the provincial Green Party, urged Nguyen to run as an MPP after her internship and involvement with his platform.

“I was shocked. I thought, ‘I’m just a student,’” Nguyen said. But nonetheless she ran for the Mississauga East-Cooksville seat in the 2014 Provincial Election.

“You put yourself in a vulnerable position when you run,” she said. “You’re still trying to figure out your own identity, but also represent thousands of people.”

While Nguyen didn’t get elected in the previous year, she doesn’t see her loss as a setback—but as an experience that will help her find success in this upcoming election.

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A&C EDITOR Allegra Morgado arts@thefulcrum.ca

ARTS&CULTURE

(613) 695-0062

The Fulcrum tries to find our way out of Ottawa’s newest escape room

Room Escape Ottawa opens it’s multi-room venue on Bank Street 2006, the industry has exploded over the past two years, with thousands of venues opening worldwide—seven in Ottawa alone.

“I was looking for a business that I could own that would be something that I would love doing, and I love playing board games, video games… when I heard about this new concept called escape rooms, where you’re locked in a room and you have an hour to get out, and there’s all these cool puzzles inside, it was a nobrainer,” said Qi Hu, one of the co-founders of Room Escape Ottawa, which opened on Oct. 2.

With the industry growing, competition is stiff. There is even a website, that reviews escape rooms around Ontario and in Montreal. The rooms are evaluated based on three key categories—design, creativity, and puzzles.

These categories are further broken down into different elements, such as “surprises” for the creativity category, and “logic” for the puzzle category.

Allegra morgado arts & culture editor

A

s we waited in the in the front lobby of Room Escape Ottawa, our anticipation slowly grew.

Illustration: Courtesy of Sarouen Chith

The five of us were led, with our eyes closed, into the first room of the Boom Room escape game, where we would have one hour to solve clues in order to make it through an undetermined amount of rooms.

Although the room appeared simple at first, after 20 minutes and barely any clues solved, we realized that escaping would be more difficult than we originally thought.

Real-life room escape games are among the biggest crazes in the gaming world at the moment. Participants are locked in a room and given an hour to figure out clues that will lead them to freedom.

Although variations of the games have been around since

Even with the growing rivals in Ottawa, Ramsay Jackson, one of the other co-founders of Room Escape Ottawa, believes that their venue can outshine the competition for their multi-room concept.

“Many of the escapes in Toronto and Ottawa are single room escapes,” said Jackson.

“The advantage of having a multi-room escape is that you can tell a bit more of a story within the escape. There’s a really satisfying moment of going from one room into another and discovering a whole new look and series of puzzles to play with.”

“But really the great advantage is that you get to kind of continue building on a little narrative, a little story, while you’re inside those rooms,” he said.

Although the experience was fun, it was almost too challenging, and we’re not the only ones who thought so.

Jackson said that none of the trial groups had succeeded as of yet, so it’s not ideal for those who aren’t avid gamers or puz-

zle solvers.

The Boom Room, which has you stuck in a bunker that is set to explode, is currently the only room at Room Escape Ottawa, but they are currently working on new rooms, with the Serial Killer Charade room opening in November. They are also hoping to get more creative with the technology in future rooms.

“As we go along, we want to advance the genre too,” said Hu, who added that they’re interested in hiring actors.

“We’re providing entertainment at the end of the day,” he said. “Our next room is going to be our best room every single time.”

With the creative stories, challenging puzzles, and a massive space, Room Escape Ottawa is sure to make itself stand out in the competitive escape room market.

Although we lost, here’s a tip if you decide to try out the escape room for themselves— everything can be a clue. No matter how ridiculous it may seem, try it.

Geek out at the Ottawa Geek Market

Annual event introduces scholarship for Canadian students anchal sharma fulcrum contributor

Comic book lovers, whovians, potterheads, and trekkies alike came together Oct. 3–4 at the Nepean Sportsplex for the semi-annual Ottawa Geek Market. The event, which was co-founded by University of Ottawa alumna Stacey Young, began as a type of flea market for fan paraphernalia in October 2012 and has expanded to include the Capital Gaming Expo, formerly known as the Game Summit, as well as a scholarship fund for postsecondary students.

“We have tried to create an

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environment where people from all walks of life, fandoms, geekery can come together and just sort of celebrate what it is that they’re passionate about when it comes to sci-fi and fantasy, anime, horror, steampunk, and gaming,” said Young.

Keeping with the theme of the festival, students were able to apply for a $1,000 scholarship by submitting pieces of self-made art in one of three categories—visual art, sculptures, and costuming. Although it was not required, most of the art centered around fandom and geek related content, allowing applicants to share their

love for the things they are passionate about through art.

The finalists for the first scholarship competition were invited to attend the event and were then judged by a team of experts in the fields of the chosen category. The winner of the visual art category was Steve Woolley, who is studying animation at Algonquin College.

Although the categories for this year were more related to visual art, the scholarship categories will be changing for each festival in order to allow as many students as possible to participate. Future categories that are currently being consid-

ered include writing, performing arts, and graphic design.

The idea for the scholarship fund came during the process of selecting a theme for the event as well as choosing a charity, something that they do every year.

“When we were thinking of what we were going to do for this event it occurred to us that in October 2015, in the second Back to the Future movie, that’s when they go to the future,” said Young. “We were into October 2015, so we thought ‘hey, let’s do something to do with the future.’”

The Back to the Future theme

Steve Woolley, the winner of the visual art scholarship.

inspired them to choose a charitable effort that was related to the future. Young believes that the students of today are the minds shaping our future and that “it’s important to support local artists,” so a scholarship for Canadian students was a

Photo: Anchal Sharma

natural choice.

For Young, the Ottawa Geek Market weekend is an exciting part of the year because it allows the geek community to come together and celebrate the things that they are passionate about.

ARTS & Culture | 9

Mobilize shows a different side to Indigenous people

Former U of O student featured in largest Indigenous media festival in the world Allegra morgado arts & culture editor

Indigenous people often feel that they are poorly represented in the media, and stereotypes such as laziness can create a narrow view of what Indigenous people are really like. Fortunately, there are people like Caroline Monnet who are fighting against these images with films that show a different side of Indigenous culture.

Monnet, a former sociology and communications student from the University of Ottawa and filmmaker of Algonquin descent, will be showing her film Mobilize at the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival on Oct. 15 in Toronto.

Mobilize is a short film that features different clips from the National Film Board archives of Indigenous labourers from all over Canada. Monnet was commissioned to do the piece by the Board for Souvenir, a series of shorts by Aboriginal artists that was shown at the Pan Am Games in Toronto this past summer.

Monnet found the project of representing Indigenous identity to be an “interesting

challenge” as Canada’s Indigenous people are so broad and diverse.

Monnet’s film is just under three minutes long, and shows several different clips of Indigenous labourers. The work varies, from people chopping wood to construction workers walking across beams high above a city.

These images are juxtaposed with clips that have less to do with labour, such as children playing in a playground and a woman taking a walk around a city, all set to a powerful score by Tanya Tagaq.

“I really wanted audiences to feel kind of out of breath watching it, you’re bombarded with information and you don’t really know what just happened to you after watching the film, but you feel like you just lived an experience,” she said. “Your heart is pounding and you’re out of breath and I think you feel energized and you understand that Indigenous people are very, very active, beautiful, you know, they’re doing things.”

Monnet has been showing films at the imagineNATIVE festival since 2009. As

Caroline Monnet, a former U of O student, is breaking Indigenous stereotypes with her film Mobilize.

the world’s largest Indigenous film festival, imagineNATIVE brings together Indigenous people from all over the world to share their work in film, video, radio, and new media.

“It’s kind of the big test for your films. You make a film and it can screen at many fes-

tivals, but when it screens at imagineNATIVE it’s almost more nerve-racking because you’re showing it to your own people, to your family, she said.

“It’s easier to screen a film with people you don’t know sometimes. I think it’s an important audience.”

Photo: Courtesy of Eric Cino-Mars

For Mobilize, Monnet’s main focus was showcasing her people in a positive light.

“When we talk about Indigenous representation, I really wanted to focus on positive representation, showcasing a people that are constantly moving, not stagnant in time,

that were active, contemporary, modern.”

Mobilize will be showing in Home Fires: Canadian Shorts at the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, which runs Oct. 14–18 in Toronto. For more information visit http://www. imaginenative.org/home/.

Cultures come together for Safara Fashion Show Second annual event celebrates African print and style Serena Sodhi & Allegra morgado fulcrum contributor & arts & culture editor

On the evening of Oct. 3, the halls of Tabaret were buzzing with excitement. As fashionistas from all over the Capital filled up the Tabaret Hall ballroom, the sounds of drums drew everyone’s eyes to the stage and the Safara Fashion Show began.

The fashion show celebrates African print and style, with outfits created by a team of fashion lovers who are all of African descent. One of the show’s creators, and one of this year’s co-hosts, was Gwen Madiba, a University of Ot-

10 | ARTS & CULTURE

tawa alumna who majored in communications and sociology.

Prior to Safara, Madiba had been involved with other fashion shows in Ottawa. Safara, which is the first of it’s kind in the area, came from Madiba and her team’s love for different African cultures.

“We really wanted to bring all nations together to maybe make some people discover a culture, but also make people embrace our culture,” said Madiba.

Madiba was not the only member of the U of O community involved with the event.

The Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO),

as well as many clubs on campus, including the Safara Afro Club, helped with the show’s organization. A few of the designers featured in the show were also U of O students.

The ballroom was packed with over 300 people for the second year of the show, which was co-hosted by American model and actress Karrueche Tran. The usher rushed in extra chairs at the last minute as the show kicked off with a group of African drummers.

The headlining label at the event was Kaela-Kay Collections by Ghanaian designer Catherine Addai, who showcased a number of her vibrant

African print dresses. After the headliner was the We Are Kings menswear collection, which was designed by U of O international student King Hector Jr. The collection was full of standout suits and blazers, with floral designs that kept the audience captivated.

The event featured many different designers, who showed everything from African jewellery to handbags, and even a hair show which was done by Curly Hair Designs, a Nepean-based hair salon. The show also featured models of varying ages, many of whom were amateurs.

“What’s different about this show is that we have people

of different shapes, different sizes, different races coming together in respect and love,” said Madiba.

The hosts even encouraged audience members who were wearing African print to walk the runway and show off their unique style.

There was also a competition in which three young designers showcased their designs for a $1,000 prize, and the winner was chosen by who got the loudest cheers from the audience.

After the loss of Ottawa Fashion Week in 2014, Ottawa only has a few major fashion shows left, including Runway for Hope and Grande Première

Ottawa. But if Safara continues to draw huge crowds, it could join the rankings as one of Ottawa’s biggest shows.

For Madiba, Safara is more than a fashion show, but also somewhere where talented people can come together to encourage one another and build up each other’s self-confidence.

“We work also on each other’s self-esteem and every time, before every practice, we have a pep talk with all of the models to push each other, to better ourselves and to better accept ourselves and so it’s more than a fashion show, it’s a journey, it’s a beautiful journey.”

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#FULCRUMFOODREVIEW: Gooey goodness at mac and cheese fest Hungry crowds enjoy cheesy creations at inaugural Mac My Cheese Fest Holly Veale

fulcrum Contributor At Ottawa’s first ever Mac My Cheese Fest by St. Albert, city hall was filled with an eager crowd, live music, and tons of cheese, as food trucks from all over the city put their own unique spins on this well-loved classic. Yet the question remained—how does one pick from over 16 “mackers,” all offering creative twists on everyone’s favourite comfort food?

My samples were chosen based on whether the line was decently long, implying what was being served was in demand, and the reaction from the people taking their first bite as they were leaving the truck in question.

With this criteria in mind, I chose The Great Canadian Poutinerie Snack Shack and Smokin’ R&R’s BBQ for comparison.

The Wolf, offered by The Great Canadian Poutinerie Snack Shack, was comprised of cheddar cheese, macaroni, ground beef, bacon and pulled pork, all for $12. The Wolf was by far the superior dish, as the sweet pulled pork melded beautifully with the sharper taste of the cheese.

Upon first bite, it took some restraint to not demolish the plate and go back for another. The ground beef and bacon added more texture and body to the macaroni, which definitely took a back seat to the meat and cheese.

Although the price was a bit steep, its not abnormal for festival food, and the dish was tasty enough to

The Great Canadian Poutinerie Snack Shack’s The Wolf was our winning choice for the best creation at the inaugural Mac My Cheese Fest.

make it worth the money.

At Smokin’ R&R’s BBQ, the dish of choice was the Double Smoked Bacon Mac and Cheese, featuring double smoked bacon bits, cheese curds and macaroni, for $8. Although The Wolf

won out in taste, the Double Smoked Bacon Mac and Cheese was bigger and cheaper, and featured chewy cheese curds, something absent from The Wolf. The price difference of $4 definitely reflected in the quality,

but was much more student budgetfriendly.

The festival also offered glutenfree options to accommodate for those with specific dietary needs or preferences. The Mac My Cheese

Photo: Marta Kierkus

Fest came out strong in its first year, with thousands in attendance, and is promised to return next year for those who missed out. Can’t say we’re sorry, as any opportunity to gorge on mac and cheese is a welcome one.

Why it’s famous:

Devin Orsini Productio n Manager

This 90s cult classic was the launching point, both critically and commercially, for acclaimed actors and filmmakers Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn. Swingers follows the lives and aspirations of amateur actors Mike (Favreau), Trent (Vaughn) and their close-knit group of friends as they prowl through L.A.’s nightlife and sketchy bar scene.

Written by Favreau, Swingers sports several

Why you haven’t seen it: Even though it was a financial success, Swingers was easy to miss due to its low budget and limited theatrical release. Not as slapstick as most comedies of its time, Swingers only became popular with groups that appreciated its dry humour. Only after becoming available on movie streaming outlets and on demand services did this film became more recognized and appreciated.

cameos including Heather Graham and Ron Livingston.

The film also features a stellar soundtrack from musical talents such as Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr.. Swingers was also voted as one of the best films set in L.A. in the last 25 years by the Los Angeles Times.

Famous lines: Trent: “Baby, that was money! Tell me that wasn’t money.”

Mike: “That was so demeaning.”

Trent: “She smiled, baby.”

Mike: “I can’t believe what an asshole you are.”

Trent: “Did she, or did she not smile.”

Mike: “She was smiling at what an asshole you are.”

Trent: “She was smiling at how money I am, baby.”

Why it might be tough to get through: Swingers provides plenty of laughs and easy-going movie watching but tends to slow down at some points. At times, it could leave its watchers annoyed or confused with the repetitive and shallow dialogue about social etiquette and interactions with the opposite sex.

Why you should see it anyway: Featuring some of Hollywood’s favourite actors before they were famous, Swingers reminds us why we enjoy the likes of Vaughn and Favreau. Swingers stands out amongst com-

edies as being unique and innovative in its subject matter and setting. It led the way for other comedies, like Seinfeld, being one of the first to be essentially about nothing in particular, but still being able to draw in audiences.

Fun facts: Several bar scenes were shot in actual bars during business hours. A sign was posted near where they were shooting warning customers that if they came any closer, they would be unpaid extras in the film.

Trent, Mikey, Sue, Rob, and Charles represent the five members of the original Rat Pack: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop, and Sammy Davis Jr. The word “Fuck” is used 95 times, “Bitch” 31 times and “Asshole” 13 times.

Most of the movies mentioned in Movies You Should Have Seen are available for loan at the Morisset Library! thefulcrum.ca

ARTS & Culture | 11

W

hen Melissa Salisbury, a former University of Ottawa English major, was in high school, the idea of having sex with her then boyfriend didn’t interest her in the slightest. She didn’t know what it was, but she knew there was something different about her.

Meanwhile when Stephanie Meunier, a U of O women’s studies student, told her friends she had similarly apathetic feelings towards sex, she got a lot of confusing questions about it.

These kind of experiences are common for people who, like Salisbury and Meunier, identify as being asexual.

Aces high In the simplest terms, asexuality describes someone who doesn’t experience sexual attraction.

According to a 2004 study conducted by Anthony Bogaert—a professor of human sexuality from Brock University—about one per cent of the population fits the definition of someone who “has never felt sexually attracted to anyone at all.”

When Salisbury was growing up, she had no idea that there were other people like her.

“I knew there was something different (about me) but no one could explain it to me because they didn’t know it existed,” she said. “I couldn’t go to my mom and say, ‘this is how I’m feeling’ and she could say, ‘that’s normal’.”

It wasn’t until her late teens when she did some research online and stumbled upon the term “asexuality”.

In all likelihood, Salisbury gleaned most of her info from sources like the Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN), which is the largest asexual community in the world.

Founded in 2002 by fellow asexual David Jay, the website aims to “create public acceptance and discussion of asexuality and facilitate the growth of an asexual community.”

After its inception, the website grew quickly and it now includes approximately 119,000 members from over 150 countries.

And it’s a good thing too, since there is a very limited amount of research available about asexuality. A lot of the current understanding surrounding asexual behaviour has been developed through this growing online community.

Not only do websites like AVEN act as great sources of information, but it also allows for asexuals (or “aces”, as they often call themselves) to develop their own sense of community and culture. For example, it was the AVEN forums that birthed the famous connection between asexuality and cake.

In the absence of any interest in sex, aces use images of cake to proclaim their admiration for certain things, since many in that community would agree that cake is a lot more enjoyable than intercourse.

While this is mostly done in jest, Jay explains that this image has become the informal representation of the entire movement.

“Cake became this sort of symbol of welcoming and of acceptance and of ushering people into the community,” said Jay in the 2011 documentary film (A)sexual.

“That experience of finding other asexual people and finding a new way to talk about this stuff has really been something that has united the community and brought us together.”

The illusion of choice “I knew there was something different (about me) but no one could explain it to me because they didn’t know it existed.

I couldn’t go to my mom and say, ‘this is how I’m feeling’ and she could say, ‘that’s normal’.”—Melissa Salisbury, U of O grad.

Despite the growing size of the online community, Meunier notes that misconceptions about asexuality are widespread, with most of the confusion stemming from the fact that there’s not a “one size fits all” model for aces.

“You can talk to twenty different people and they’ll give you twenty different ways how they experience it,” she said.

According to Meunier, this is emblematic of human sexuality in general, which exists on a spectrum similar to a dimmer on a light switch.

“The dimmer is sexual attraction, how someone experiences sexuality.”

She goes on to explain that the brightest light is a high level of sexual attraction.

The lower the light, the lower the strength of sexual attraction.

Asexuality is the light turned completely off.

However, Salisbury maintains that there is some fluidity with regards to aces and their personal relationships.

“There’s no true definition of asexuality. Some have no sexual relations, some get married and have children.”

Similar to other misunderstood sexual orientations like bisexuality, aces are often maligned by others for being immature, with many believing that their natural biological inclinations are, in fact, a lifestyle choice.

As such, asexuality is often confused with celibacy even though the two are not

U of O students talk about wha and the challenges that come h with this misunderstood br the same.

The difference has to do with the concepts of sexual attraction and sexual behavior.

Celibacy refers to the sexual behaviour of a person. Someone who is celibate makes a choice to abstain from sexual relations, despite experiencing genuine feelings of sexual attraction. Asexuality refers to the sexual attraction a person feels, or, in the case of most aces, a general lack of sexual attraction.

However, this does not necessarily mean they abstain from sex. Some people who are asexual do have sex.

Salisbury says that a lot of people mistreat asexuality as a romantic orientation.

Some believe that people who are asexual cannot fall in love.

But according to Salisbury, that isn’t t linked, sexual attraction and romantic att “Romance is a mental and emotional Salisbury explains. “A sexual (attraction) i Similar to how every person falls some tion, people fall differently on the spectru This means that a person who is asex then again, they also might not.

The term “aromantic” is used to describ of romantic attraction.

Terms like “demi” and “gray” are used

these two extremes.

In fact, there are many different combinations and permutations that exist on this spectrum. While such variety does fall in line with the world’s evolving attitudes towards sex and relationships, some are still reluctant to accept these new ideas wholeheartedly.

Another letter in the alphabet soup Since aces can be subject to snide attitudes from the general public, you’d think that they’d be welcomed with open arms by groups who have been similarly misunderstood.

However, for some, it isn’t easy to determine how asexuality fits into the LGBTQ+ community.

As in every large community that spans different ages, sexes, cultures, and income brackets, there are those who aren’t very welcoming to people they perceive as being outsiders.

Because the asexuality movement is defined by not desiring sex, it sometimes clashes with the very sex-positive narrative that people often associate with the LGBTQ+ community.

“In our western society we place a lot of importance on sex,” said Meunier, “and it’s acceptable for a lot of people to have sex without any attachment.”

But when someone doesn’t want sex at all, it becomes difficult for people to swallow—both gay and straight alike.

Jay encounters this kind of attitude all the time in his advocacy work. While promoting asexual awareness on an episode of The View, he was abruptly cut off by cohost Star Jones who said that “If you’re not having sex, what’s there to talk about?”

In addition to these kinds of dismissive put downs, there is a lot of discussion about whether aces should be able to participate in public LGBTQ+ events, like marching in pride parades.

Dan Savage, an American gay activist and journalist, scoffed at the idea in the past.

“You’ve got the gays marching for the right to be homosexual and then you’ve got the asexuals marching for the right to do nothing. You didn’t need to march for that right. You just needed to stay at home.”

For those who are asexual and who identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community based on who they are attracted to—like Meunier, who identifies as both asexual and queer—it’s much easier for them to fit into the existing community.

But as Meunier explains, it’s much more complicated for people who are straight and asexual, like Salisbury.

“You kind of fit in and you kind of don’t,” said Meunier. “There’s a history behind the word queer that doesn’t really fit with the asexual experience. It’s (about) who you have sex with.”

Quinn Blue, a coordinator for the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO)-run Pride Centre, explains that their organization is welcoming of everyone.

“We are societally expected to have certain types of relationships and a lot of people fall outside of that and that’s where folks find community and solidarity with each other.”

While asexuality does fall outside of the average social expectations within sexual relationships, Blue admits that not everyone who is asexual identifies as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

For Salisbury, she’s not as concerned about fitting into the LGBTQ+ community.

For her, spreading knowledge that asexual behaviour isn’t something to be ashamed of should be the most prominent issue.

“Then kids growing up (who are asexual) aren’t alone.”

at it means to be asexual, hand in hand with identifying ranch of human sexuality.

Photo: Kim Wiens

the case. Although they are often closely traction exist on two separate spectrums. and sometimes intellectual attachment,” is just physical.” ewhere on the spectrum of sexual attracum of romantic attraction as well. xual might have romantic attractions. But

be people who do not experience any kind to identify asexuals who fall in between

Asexual classifications according to AVENwiki Ace of hearts-romantic asexuals Ace of spades-aromantic asexuals (who don’t experience any romantic attraction) Ace of diamonds-demisexuals and demiromantic asexuals (who only experience romantic or sexual attraction with those they share an emotional connection) Ace of clubs-greyasexuals and greyromantic asexuals (whose chances of experiencing romantic/sexual attraction are dismal, but still possible)

Keeping an open mind Even though research surrounding this misunderstood branch of human sexuality is severely underdeveloped, there are still plenty of resources out there for rookie aces who are looking to find their place.

The SFUO Pride Center offers a variety of services to those in the LGBTQ+ community, including those who are asexual. U of O students can access services such as a drop-in space, peer support, a library, and different events.

Meunier, who has facilitated asexuality workshops at the U of O in the past, has noticed that there is a growing demand for this information on campus.

“People are excited and validated to find out (asexuality) is a thing,” she said.

There are community resources as well. Local organizations like Kind and the Youth Services Bureau offer discussion groups for those who are asexual.

In addition, there’s a lot of great information available online, with AVEN being the most well-known discussion board about asexuality.

Having said that, according to Meunier there’s still a lot of learning and listening that needs to happen concerning asexuality.

“Keep your mind open,” she said. “There are so many intersections of how you experience asexuality… we need to talk more about it and not take for granted that we know what it means.”

While this movement is subject to a lot of misinformation and dismissive attitudes, perhaps sexuals and asexuals can start to understand each other based on one universal belief: that cake is freaking amazing.

SPORTS

SPORTS EDITOR Spencer Murdock sports@thefulcrum.ca

(613) 695-0062

Gee-Gees drop Panda Game thriller in double overtime

A record 17,956 in attendance for second straight shocking loss to rival Ravens

Spencer Murdock Sports Editor

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led to a Ravens field goal to ice the game, there was all silence from the Ottawa coaching staff.

The Ottawa Citizen reported that “GeeGees coach Jamie Barresi hauled his quarterback away from the scrum and barked at the media to talk to him later”, proving the effect a result like this can have on a team.

Although Wendel didn’t get to say much about his team’s performance, Ravens receiver Nate Behar had something to say when asked if he respected anything the Gee-Gees did. “Well they threw the ball well, I’ll say that,” he admitted hesitantly.

The season is far from over for the GeeGees as the they look to snap their losing skid against the 2-3 Laurier Golden Hawks on Oct. 9, a Friday night game in Waterloo. The matchup has massive playoff implications, as the victor is likely headed to the playoffs while the team on the losing end is likely to miss out on the postseason.

Following the trip to Laurier, the Gees will gear up to become the Western Mustangs’ first test of the season the following weekend. A soft schedule has benefited a strong Mustangs team, but if the Gees can muster a win, the team could regain much respect across the country.

Kickoff against the Golden Hawks is at 7 p.m. and will be broadcasted on OUA.tv.

—With files from Tima Hacini

Photo:Marta Kierkus & Remi Yuan

ometimes lightning strikes twice.

The heartbreak of a freak catch to end the Panda Game in 2014 was enough stress any Gee-Gees fan could handle in a day. The 2015 version, ending in a 48-45 double overtime loss, might’ve actually hurt more.

Popular opinion would suggest that the Gee-Gees football team is better than Carleton. The Gee-Gees have an experienced and talented team that was ranked among the top in the nation. Looking at the past two years it seems the Ravens have their rival’s number, and played their hearts out until the hearts of Gees fans were broken.

The game itself was a back-and-forth affair, highlighted by U of O quarterback Derek Wendel, whose staggering performance was overshadowed by a sub-par performance by Gees defence.

The fourth-year QB absolutely peppered the Carleton defence for 542 yards and four touchdowns through the air along with 61 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Wendel’s two mistakes were interceptions on forced throws, neither severely altered the game.

Carleton’s offence was jumpy at times with quarterback Jesse Mills lacking the intangibles of an elite passer. Despite this apparent advantage, poor tackling and

reads from the Gee-Gees defence enabled the Ravens to keep the game close.

Simply put, Carleton played the game like their season was on the line. It’s not to say that the Gee-Gees didn’t want the win, but it was a result of willingness to control the game and secure a win. For the second consecutive year, the better team lost the game.

“We played up to a really good team,” said Nate Behar, the Carleton Ravens’ star receiver. “I mean it’s almost better than last year’s, back-to-back feels pretty freakin’ special.”

Unfortunately, Derek Wendel’s special day was overshadowed by the defeat. Breaking the record for most passing yards in a game in school history is a pretty special achievement, but it was also good enough to tie for 11th all time in Canadian university football history.

“It’s a tough one,” Wendel told Chris Hofley of the Ottawa Sun. “We did what we could, it was a pretty decent offensive effort going both ways.”

Modesty is pretty commonplace for Wendel. Even after a career effort, it comes down to the pieces around him not executing fully.

Multiple drops killed drives on offence, and a banged up defensive line and linebacking core caused matchup problems on defence.

After a Gee-Gee third-down gamble

14 | SPORTS

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Blue Jays make Canada proud as they begin overdue playoff push

The AL East champs are uniting a city and rallying a nation Jodie Côté-Marshall staff Contributor

The Toronto Blue Jays clinched their first American League (AL) East division title since 1993 in Baltimore on Sept. 30. The boys in blue and white now sit comfortably in first place and are ready to enter the 2015 MLB playoffs starting Oct. 8.

Had the question whether or not the Jays would make the playoffs been asked at the beginning of this season, a fairly unanimous ‘no’ would have resonated throughout their fanbase. Toronto had gone 50-51 by the All-Star break and needed at least 90 wins in the season to secure a spot in the playoffs, which meant that they would have to win 65 per cent of their remaining 60 games.

But having the numbers stacked against them wasn’t enough to stop them. After successful trades in July, the Blue Jays welcomed star players David Price and Troy Tulowitzki, who immediately clicked with the Jays’ core of top-tier players like José Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, Josh Donaldson, and later, Marcus Stroman.

The addition of Price and Tulowit-

zki made the team unstoppable in late summer.

Fast forward to Sept. 30, the day Toronto played their decisive match against the Baltimore Orioles. The game only reiterated what Toronto fans already knew—the Jays were arguably the best in the league. With a whopping 15-2 win, clinching the AL East was nothing short of a miracle considering the state of the team a few months prior. A record of 42-14 to close the season put the Jays on the radar across the league.

Not only does the team now have a shot at winning the World Series, its players are also likely to win a few awards themselves. Josh Donaldson, starting third baseman, is currently the front-runner for the AL’s Most Valuable Player Award. Starting Pitcher David Price is also the favourite for his second career AL Cy Young Award, which is handed to the top pitcher of the year.

Although clinching the playoffs is great for the Blue Jays, the pride behind this recent win goes beyond the players and team management. People in Toronto are starting to feel more

proud of their hometown. After their victory, John Gibbons, the team manager, spoke of the fans in an interview with TSN. “If the team wins something the place would erupt and they’ve done their part,” said Gibbons, a Manager of the Year candidate. “They’ve shown up in droves the last couple of months and it’s cool to see. It’s just nice to be a part of something like that.”

Indeed, Torontonians and many Canadians are proud of their team. They wear their colours with much more reverence now that the Jays have been able to dominate within a sport ruled by massive American teams.

As Canadians, our neighbours to the south often overshadow us, and any escape out of that shade is considered a major victory.

The Toronto Blue Jays haven’t only allowed Canada to be more visible within sports culture in North America, it has also opened a door for the world to see Toronto and Canada once again on a massive stage. It shows that Canada cares about sports other than hockey, and that’s a great look for the nation.

David Price leads the Jays into their first playoff run in 22 years.

As the MLB kicks off the playoff season on Oct. 8, the Blue Jays will look to continue their magic. Maybe

Photo: CC, Arturo Pardavilla III

the Jays team will even earn a title that all Canadians haven’t heard in a long time—World Series champions.

Gee-Gees take UBC tournament by storm Men’s hoops heads West to gear up for season

Mike L’Africain will provide solid offence and veteran leadership at the point.

Tima Hacini

fulcrum Contributor With at least 14 players returning to the team this season, the pressure is back on for Gee-Gees men’s basketball

Photo: Marta Kierkus

to have yet another incredible season.

Before the official season opener on Nov. 6, the Gees will partake in nine exhibition games, which will allow the team to solidify their final roster. First on the docket was a trip West, where

the team set off to play three matches at the University of British Columbia (UBC) Invitational Tournament this past weekend. The team walked away with a win in all three games, making the trip a complete success.

On Oct. 2, the Gee-Gees defeated the University of Alberta Golden Bears by a score of 90-62. While the Bears placed fourth in their division and tenth in the country last season with a record of 14-6, those numbers fail to outshine the U of O’s 18-1 record.

However, with a new year comes new circumstances for the Gee-Gees, especially after the exit of star players Johnny Berhanemeskel and Gabriel Gonthier-Dubue.

Head Coach James Derouin said during preseason that their “big game is lacking without Johnny and Gab.” However, the team’s performance in the tournament showed him that he might not need to make many adjustments this year.

Although the Gees held the lead against the Bears in every quarter, the team truly surged after halftime.

Star guard Caleb Agada and Carleton transfer Brody Maracle spearheaded the team’s offence with 24- and 12-point efforts, respectively. The team stretched to a 30-point lead in the last minute of play, closing out the dominant win.

The next day, the Gee-Gees played the host UBC Thunderbirds, who introduced eight new players to their roster this year. Despite what would seem like an easy win for the Gees, they struggled to gain any kind of lead throughout the game. The Thunderbirds, coming off a win the day before, were able to handle the pressure from an experienced Gee-Gees squad.

With three and a half minutes left in the fourth quarter, down by seven points, Agada made a free throw which lead to a final scoring burst including two three-pointers and four consecutive foul shots—propelling Ottawa to a 84-77 win.

Fifth-year point guard Mike L’Africain scored a solid 23 points, Agada was just behind with 15, Maracle stood with 9 rebounds and 11

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points.

The Gee-Gees quickly learned from their struggles as they went on to face their last opponents, the University of Northern British Columbia Timberwolves, on Oct. 4. The Timberwolves finished second in the Canada West Explorer division last season with a 12-8 record.

The Gees showed no difficulty in holding the lead this time around, coming in strong from the tip. Sophomore guard Brandon Robinson and L’Africain propelled the Gee-Gees to a final win by a score of 105-72.

L’Africain continues to be a great leader for the team, putting up 20 points and five assists in the tournament, while Robinson’s maturity is showing with a 16-point effort over the weekend.

Starting Oct. 9, the Gee-Gees will face three new teams at the Queen’s Invitational Tournament. Following that, the team will then host the Jack Donohue Tip Off Tournament at Montpetit Hall during reading week Oct. 30–Nov 1.

Sports | 15

Quick Hits

David Agbaire proofreader

Soccer makes trip to Kingston, draws Queen’s, blows out RMC

Gee-Gees working on their scoring troubles after two scoreless draws this season.

The Gee-Gees continued their impressive form in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East women’s soccer division, coming out undefeated this past weekend. The Gees earned a hard-fought point in a 0-0 draw with the Queen’s Gaels, before claiming all three points with a 6-0 thrashing of the RMC Paladins.

With these results, the Gee-Gees have won seven of their first ten games this season along with some welldeserved prestige for their current second-place national

ranking. The Gees currently sit atop the East conference with 24-points from their first 10 games (7-0-3). However going into Sunday’s game against the RMC some worries had begun to creep in with supporters as the Gees had failed to score in their last two games.

The Gee-Gees were determined to dispel any of these pre-game jitters and got off to a quick start with the goahead goal coming as early as the first minute. After the first half ended the 1-0, the GeeGees completed the rout by

Women’s rugby continues tour de force in win over Carabins

The seemingly unstoppable Gee-Gees women’s rugby team extended their undefeated season with a dominant 33-7 win over conference contender Université de Montréal Carabins.

The Gees have now won six games in a row and looked in good form on Saturday afternoon as they handed a loss to the only other undefeated team in the division. A strong wind in their favour only added to a blistering start by the Gees as they scored 26 of their 33 points in the first half.

The win was supported by a sturdy defence in the second half, with centres Dria Bennet

Photo: Marta Kierkus

adding a remarkable five goals in the second half.

There were five different scorers in the game. Pilar Khoury led the scoring with two goals to bring her season total to nine in just 10 games.

“It was a much better performance,” head coach Steve Johnson told Sports Services.

Next up for the Gee-Gees are two home games against Ryerson University and the University of Toronto on the Oct. 10 and 11 respectively.

Both games are scheduled for a 1 p.m. kickoff at the Matt Anthony Field.

and Ashley Strike producing standout performances.

“Our defence was very good in the second half,” said head coach Jen Boyd to Sports Services. “We’ve been getting too many penalty yards in past games, but we were much more disciplined today.”

Danielle Erdelyi scored three tries, while Danarae Sommerville and Emma Sandstrom grabbed one a piece.

The win means that the Gee-Gees have consolidated their position as the numberone women’s rugby team in the country, a position that they hold for the first time in the

program’s 22-year history. The Gees have now won 15 Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) division games in a row.

Next up for the Gee-Gees is a potentially tough matchup against McGill in the final division game of the season on Oct. 18 at Matt Anthony Field.

McGill has had a mixed season, with two wins and three defeats, but are sure to fight hard to stave off the rampant Gees.

Before their last regular season game, the women’s rugby team has an exhibition game with fourth-ranked St. Francis Xavier (5-1) to attend to on Oct. 9 at Matt Anthony Field.

Undefeated #1 Gees are riding their undefeated streak into the playoffs, following next weekend.

Photo: Hannah Clarke

B12 benefits: the vitamin to keep in mind

Ensuring you’re diet is right can have more positive effects than you think

Suppliments can be a great way to keep up your B12 intake.

staff contributor & sports editor

16 | SPORTS

Photo: CC, Colin Dunn

Remember being lectured about the importance of milk for your bones? Our parents probably should’ve nagged us a little more about vitamin

Maitland shaheen & spencer murdock

Vitamin B12, or cobalamin, is one of eight B vitamins, and is important for brain function, immune strength, and more. “The human body needs vitamin B12 to make red blood cells, nerves, DNA, and carry out other functions,” says Patrick J. Skerrett of Harvard Health.

Keeping this in mind, it would be advantageous for students to up their B12 consumption.

According to the Dieticians of Canada, it’s recommended that men and women aged 19 and above should ingest 2.4 micrograms of B12 on a daily basis.

What does that look like exactly? For example, a 250mL chocolate milk carton can give you 1.0 micrograms of B12, and if you also crack open a few eggs you’ll have racked up a total of 2.5–2.6 micrograms in that meal alone. With this

B12 consumption as well. B12 deficiency has been linked to a myriad of health issues from everyday illnesses to longterm brain degradation.

in mind, even on a student budget, there’s no reason to skip out on your daily dose of B12.

Regular consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy products will make sure you get your daily fix of B12.

However, things get a little trickier if you’re vegetarian or vegan. Luckily, you can receive B12 from other foods including organic vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables. Even fortified cereals and energy bars can provide a boost of the vitamin. If all else fails, the vitamin can also be found in supplement form, and even as a vaccine. Supplements shouldn’t cost more than $1012, and are found along with any other vitamins in a store.

If you notice symptoms of B12 deficiency, or eat plantbased and are worried about your intake, a blood test can determine your levels.

Some symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include weakness, tiredness, or lightheadedness, heart palpitations and shortness of breath, and mental issues like depression, memory loss, or behavioural change according to WebMD. A functioning immune system and brain is crucial for young adults enduring demanding studies or workloads. If you’re looking to boost your everyday and long-term health this school year, ensuring you’re stocked up on B12 might just be the place to start.

Looking to measure your B12 intake? Check out more foods loaded with B12 here: http://www.dietitians.ca/YourHealth/Nutrition-A-Z/Vitamins/Food-Sources-of-VitaminB12.aspx Please note that we are not health professionals, if you have further questions please see your doctor.

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OPINIONS

OPINIONS EDITOR David Campion-Smith

opinions@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0062

Is constructive debate possible on social media?

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croll down your newsfeed on Facebook and chances are you’ll see political news, a new pumpkin cheesecake recipe, and maybe a meme or two. Social media sites represent some of the largest variety of content from around the web, and along with all the articles come opinions. With the sheer amount of conflicting ideas floating around, one has to wonder whether or it’s possible or not to partake in constructive debate using social media sites.

No, social media isn’t designed to encourage constructive debate David Campion-Smith Opinions Editor

Whether we’re actively involved or just looking for some entertainment, we’ve all seen arguments play out on social media at some point or another. Someone will share, post, or retweet something, and another person or people, who disagree will make their feelings known with excessive capitalization and exclamation marks.

After that comments fly back and forth, with an everincreasing number of curses and a decreasing amount of actual discussion, until finally both parties give up, exhausted at not having made any progress.

Constructive debate means that both parties have their views on a topic challenged, and walk away with a better understanding of the views of another group as well as with questions about their own views.

That is what social media fails to provide—the lens is not turned inward, and instead most debates slide

into name-calling, with both people blindly touting their own views.

One reason for the lesseffective discourse is that social media platforms inherently limit debate by the way they’re designed, as seen with Twitter’s 140-character limit. It’s hard to be constructive when you’re enraged, let alone when you have to cut your arguments down to 140 characters.

From behind a screen it’s a lot easier to justify abandoning common courtesy as well, so people often say things in online debates that they never would in person.

Some sites, provide anonymity to their users which means that there’s no way for users to be held accountable for what they say. Even when not anonymous, being online gives people the confidence to use harsh words they wouldn’t dare utter in the light of day.

Social media simply isn’t designed to be a debating platform. Instead it’s designed for people to share ideas, connect with friends

and stay up to date on information. There are some spaces online for people who are looking for a debating space, like Reddit or Debate.org.

The people on social media who go around looking for arguments are the trolls, people looking for disputes for the sake of disputes. They’re barely going to read any responses given, so there is no possibility of a constructive d e -

bate.

T h e p e o ple that are looking to engage in an intelligent and lively exchange of ideas should do so in other areas of their lives, with friends, coworkers or relatives.

Social media may supply a steady stream of debate topics , but it simply doesn’t encourage progressive discussion in its current form.

Yes, social media provides inclusive spaces Curtis Rafter

Fulcrum Contributor The evolution of social media is fast-paced, as its uses are determined by the ever-changing abilities and the mindsets of the people using it. Social media’s capacity to enable constructive debate is determined by the individuals involved.

A key el-

ement of social media is inclusivity. With so many users from such a broad range of backgrounds, social media’s ability to be used for expression is enormous.

However a study from the Pew Research Center indicates that opinions—especially on social media—are becoming increasingly polarized due to a phenome-

non called the “spiral of silence”, which proposes that individuals who believe their opinion to be in the minority will not join into a conversation.

By connecting different groups of people together social media can provide communities for people whose views may be in the minority, such as sub-reddits or Facebook pages.

This still allows for debate by making sure that even though your views may not be among the most popular, there is still a path for you to talk about your views.

An added benefit of debati n g

f r o m behind a computer screen time.

People aren’t put on the spot, meaning they’d theoretically have plenty of time, and resources,

to formulate well-written responses.

This is the power of social media as a debate tool—to give people the time they don’t have in face-to-face arguments to find references, to reflect on their ideas and ultimately to find responses to opponents’ arguments.

So while Facebook and Twitter weren’t necessarily developed for the purpose of debating, it is intriguing to use them that way. To do so effectively, web designers should continue developing mechanisms that work to regulate the quality of posted content.

The existence of a ‘like’ and upcoming ‘dislike’ button on Facebook and the retweet option on Twitter, already filters content based on whether it is received well.

Moving forward, the implementation of a Re d d it- e s q u e framework, complete with p o s t i n g guidelines and conduct for discussion, might help ensure constructive, informative debate via social media.

Illustration: Jennifer Vo

thefulcrum.ca

OPINIONS | 17

More diversity, s’il vous plait Branching out to different language programs Moussa Sangaré-Ponce Fulcrum Contributor

We are in the golden age of television with channels like HBO, Showcase, AMC, and Netflix vying for the top awards year after year.

Netflix has found yet another successful formula in Narcos.

The captivating drama focuses on drug lord Pablo Escobar, and the war on drugs in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.

One thing that distinguishes Narcos from some of its counterparts is that 75 per cent of the dialogue is in Spanish. This isn’t the first time Netflix has aired shows that feature other languages aside from English.

Attack on Titan, an extremely popular anime show, has made

its way on Netflix and is completely in Japanese with English subtitles. Another example is the now cancelled Lilyhammer, a Norwegian comedy.

So why should Netflix make more of an effort to appeal to non-English speakers? Having a diverse repertoire of shows can help a network gain a greater following, and gives actors, directors and producers outside of Hollywood more exposure. It also introduces different themes to audiences who are sick of the cliche cop drama, high school saga, and the same recycled subjects.

North American talent has dominated the market since televisions entered people’s homes en masse in the 1950s, so why not give a chance to people

“I thought that my favourite, artists, shows and actors weren’t as cool as English ones, who were more well known than the French ones. At times it made me question if they were as talented, but in hindsight it’s clear that they just had a smaller audience.”

outside the North American bubble, or those within it who speak a different language?

Growing up in a Francophone household, I often faced an inferiority complex when it came to pop culture. I thought that my favourite, artists, shows and actors weren’t as cool as English ones, who were more well known than their French counterparts. At times it made me question if they were as talented, but in hindsight it’s clear that they just had a smaller audience. Netflix now features very popular Quebec dramas like 19-2 and Unité 9.

If Netflix had streamed these shows or other French shows as I was growing up, it would have encouraged a feeling of acceptance for myself and other Francophones. Pop culture tends to dictate many people’s perceptions of what’s cool, and when you can’t find ties to your own culture within it, it’s pret-

Placing Midterms over Panda Game

Photo: Courtesy of Netflix

ty easy to feel like an outsider.

Whether it’s by providing an original show like Narcos, or one from another country like Lilyhammer, Netflix and other streaming services can only gain from having more international shows.

More viewers will opt for Netflix shows if it helps them connect to their own languages and cultures.

These other markets could also prove to be very profitable. There are 41 million native Spanish speakers in the United States, according to Reuters, who now have quality programming provided in their native language.

Some shows in Quebec have tried the multilingual approach recently and so far have met nothing but success. Ces Gars

Là, a comedy featuring comedian Sugar Sammy, has dialogue in four languages; English, French, Punjabi and Hindi. The show’s first season has been streamed over 800,000 times and averages over 500,000 viewers per week.

Having options in different languages will help Netflix and other streaming services tap into even larger audiences.

Serena Sodhi

Fulcrum Contributor This year’s Panda Game drew a crowd of close to 18,000, however, because of poorlyscheduled midterms, many students couldn’t attend.

There have been displays set up in the campus bookstore, multiple tweets from the official University of Ottawa handle as well as flyers and contests to give away tickets.

For certain classes, professors are allowed to schedule midterms on Saturdays, however no exception was made this year for the Panda Game.

While some students covered themselves in garnet and grey to cheer on the Gee-Gees, other students were faced with a dreaded midterm.

The Panda Game is a missed opportunity on the part of the university to create a homecoming-like atmosphere and give students the chance to show off their Gee-Gees pride.

Homecoming at the University of Western Ontario, for example, is a chance for graduates to return and reconnect with fellow students while also pro-

18 | OPINIONS

Photo: Serena Sodhi

viding a wide variety of entertainment for those who aren’t crazy about football.

This isn’t to say a sporting event should come before academics, but a lot of a student’s best experiences will happen outside of the classroom.

University is so much more than taking tests and handing in assignments.

How many times in your life can you hate another school solely because they’re the other school in town? The Panda Game is a chance to stand by your school and make lifelong memories. Events like the Panda Game also increase the sense of community within an

academic institution, which ultimately improves the student experience.

If the Panda Game is going to be built up as an important school event, then the university needs to stand by that message, rather than giving mixed signals.

There needs to be a unified message about the Panda Game, either it’s a big school event similar to Western’s homecoming ceremonies or it’s just another football game.

To some, becoming engaged in university beyond a classroom environment is important and football is so much more than just a game.

thefulcrum.ca

Student begins living in the new dining hall Staff lets him stay, despite sanitary concerns an

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Fulcrum Contri butor Liam Cook, a first-year communications student, has moved into the new dining hall the second week of classes after seeing all the new amenities the all-you-can-eat, 24/7 cafeteria offers.

Cook gave the Tomato an exclusive tour of his new home, after he’d been living there for more than two weeks. He took our reporters to his makeshift bed, which is a bench facing Morisset Library. The table was covered with plates of food, to serve as snacks or pillows depending on the time of day.

“That’s why I love the pancakes so much, they’re soft enough for pillows but still delicious enough to eat after a few days when they’re stale,” said Cook.

Cook originally lived in Friel

Residence, one of the residences that doesn’t have a mandatory meal plan. “I met a bunch of people from 90U during 101 Week,” said Cook, “and they have to eat here. I thought I’d come along for dinner, just to see what the new dining hall was like.”

Upon arrival, the students were able to eat as much as they wanted, with a wide variety of foods available. Eventually, his friends wanted to leave for the night, but Cook did not move.

“I could either walk all the way back to residence, or I could stay here.” Cook said, punctuating his sentence with a bite of pizza. “It seemed a pretty obvious choice to me.”

What started as an overnight snack fest turned into a permanent new home.

Originally, Food Services opposed the student moving into the hall, but opinions eventu-

ally changed on the hall’s newfound resident. Thomas Oxford, Director of Food Services, noted that it’s a good marketing campaign, and that “seeing students enjoying the dining hall makes the months of renovations worth it.”

“Besides the food, it has a game room which is good for long nights. Constantly having an Xbox nearby is better than living at home, let alone my room in residence,” Cook said.

Emma Torres, a first-year geology student, is one of the students who accompanied Cook on that seminal first visit. “I like the dining hall,” she said, “but not enough to stay there forever like him. Gets too crowded for me.”

Cook manages to keep up a high CGPA using a collaborative system that he has perfected. He passes food over to students who do not want to pay the fee, and in return they

Photo: Kim Wiens

take notes and hand in Cook’s assignments.

“I’m not going to leave for a while,” Cook said, moving onto a generous portion of carrot cake. “I was going to go home

for reading week, but I think I’ll just invite my parents to stay here instead.”

Cook also plans to contact Access Service to try and arrange to take his exams in his

new home. “I’m happy in here,” he said, finishing his third plate before continuing, “and I won’t have another $11.25 to pay the fee to get back in after I pay tuition for the second semester.”

Facebook asks users to provide videos proving worth Stunt videos needed to keep ownership of user content

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This week Facebook announced its decision to collect user photos, videos and information beginning early next year to steal users data for their own use.

This move has lead to a high volume of legal declarations on Facebook feeds, in what appears to be a widespread attempt to ensure drunken selfies and overly emotional statuses never see the light of day. The most popular of these preemptive posts contains simply a slew of random numbers and legal jargon.

This new policy is laid out in a statement issued by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

“Those who want to retain

Photo: CC, Ed-Gregory, Edits by Kim Wiens

their privacy settings on Facebook have to post a video showing us why they are essential to the planet. We’ll accept any-

thefulcrum.ca

thing from athletic abilities, academic skills, or any creative works,” said Zuckerberg. “Post a ten minute long video so we

make a copy of you, er, so we can better understand our users.”

Zuckerberg went on to say

that anyone who did not post a video or did not show enough talent in it “would not have any legal protection,” and that all of their private information would be “disclosed, copied, and distributed without warning.”

“Facebook has the power to decide who can and cannot use their platform,” said Zuckerberg. “People who can’t tell the difference between an actual privacy change and an Internet joke shouldn’t be on Facebook.”

Thousands of students at the U of O are contemplating ignoring the new rules and seeing what happens.

“I don’t have any special skills,” said second-year English literature student Chris Taylor.

“I can write scripts and understand Shakespeare, but that is apparently not enough. I guess I’ll just have to run the risk and

keep using Facebook.”

Some students are deleting their Facebook accounts altogether, while others are taking action and performing whatever wacky stunts they can think up in order to meet the talent mark. Police have already noticed a spike in accidents that they believe is linked to the production of these dangerous videos. The new laws take effect Jan. 1, 2016 and will be applied to all Facebook accounts.

An open-house information session will take place on Oct. 31 in FSS 2012 outlining the differences between rules, information rights and online hoaxes, for those still needing some clarification on the matter. Whether this is an actual privacy scandal or just a cruel joke by Facebook staff remains to be seen.

THE TOMATo | 19

DISTRACTIONS

FEATURES EDITOR Kyle Darbyson

features@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0062

Dear Di

Dear Di,

Dear Di,

-Sex’R’Us

-Coming out

I’ve always wanted to experiment with sex toys, but I’m not sure how to bring this up with my girlfriend. Honestly, I’m afraid the idea will freak her out. How can I suggest bringing toys into the bedroom without scaring her off?

This is my first year at the University of Ottawa, and I am a closeted gay man.

I find it difficult to constantly pretend to be someone I’m not, so I’d like to come out but I’m afraid of how my male friends will react. Will they still like me?

Dear CO,

Dear SRU, It can be daunting to suggest new forms of play in the bedroom, since we never know how our partners will react.

But most of the time people are surprisingly open to hearing suggestions. Plus, being so open about your sexual fantasies can really show your partner just how comfortable you are in your current relationship.

My first suggestion would be to directly tell your partner about your interests. Make sure you use “I” phrases (i.e. “I’ve always wanted to experiment with sex toys, would this be something you’d be willing to try?”). Your partner will certainly appreciate your openness, and this gives them the opportunity to express their own interests or disinterests as well.

If you are uncomfortable with directly asking for your partner’s thoughts about sex toys, I find it’s always useful to subtly gauge your partner’s attitude using implied suggestions.

Sometimes it’s easier to joke about these kinds of things initially. For example, you can send your partner a funny online article about different sex toys, or you can make up a story about the sexual escapades of your “friend’s friend” just to break the ice. If your partner is clearly unimpressed, then they are probably not going to be down to use dildos or butt plugs anytime soon.

Just remember to respect your partner’s choice.

Some people just aren’t comfortable with sex toys, and that’s okay too.

Love, Di

20 | DISTRACTIONS

Coming out to your friends shouldn’t really impact your pre-existing relationships. That being said, it can come as a shock to your friends and sometimes people need a little time to process this new information. They may have questions and, if you’re comfortable with the idea, you can sit down and answer them.

There’s also a chance that some individuals may not be so accepting, and you need to be prepared for that outcome too. If that does happen and you need someone to talk to you can head over to the Pride Centre. They would be more than happy to hear your story and share their own experiences.

Just remember that the decision to come out is a very personal decision. In the end, it’s no one’s business who you love, and you should never feel that you have to justify that to anyone.

Love, Di Sex position of the week: The G-Whiz

Lay your female partner down and place her legs over your shoulders. The more you raise her legs, the narrower the vagina becomes and the closer you are to her G-Spot. In this position, you can rock your woman sideto-side and up-and-down to really make her melt in your arms ;)

thefulcrum.ca

oct. 9 to oct. 15, 2015

THRYLLABUS

MUSIC arts Sports FUN Thinking

Friday, Oct. 9

Splash Run, 4.5km race, reach the finish line covered in the most paint, FSS Terrace—12 p.m

This Changes Everything (climate change documentary), Mayfair Theatre—6:30 p.m.

Beauty’s Awakening: drawings from the PreRaphaelites and their Contemporaries from the Lanigan Collection, opening day of exhibition, National Arts Centre—10 a.m.

Saturday, Oct. 10

Gee-Gees Women’s Soccer vs. Ryerson, Matt Anthony Field—1 p.m.

Incident at the Bunker: A Zombie Adventure, Haunted Walk Ottawa, the Diefenbunker—3 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 11

Ottawa Farmers’ Market, TD Place—8 a.m.

Sunday Brunch, Harvest Season theme, Canadian Museum of Nature—12:30 p.m.

Gee-Gees Women’s Soccer vs. University of Toronto, Matt Anthony Field—1 p.m.

Ottawa Senators vs.

Montreal Canadians, home opener, Canadian Tire Centre—7 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 12

The Greeks: Agamemnon to Alexander the Great, last day for exhibit, Canadian Museum of History—9:30 a.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 13

Apu Trilogy: Aparajito, newly restored 4k print, Bytowne Cinema—8:55 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 14 Tech Policy and the Election, panel discussion, free admission, Fauteux Hall—11:30 a.m.

Traces of Sandalwood, Festival of New Spanish Cinema, Bytowne Cinema—6:55 p.m.

Toronto Raptors vs.

Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA Canada Series, Canadian Tire Centre—7 p.m.

Tommy Fleming in concert, Centrepointe Theatre—7 p.m.

City Lights, film’s score performed live with screening of movie, part of Roaring 20s Festival, National Arts Centre—8 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 15

Misfits, The Bronson Centre—6:30 p.m.

Can Humans Really Move Mountains?

(The case of industrial agriculture in California), lecture by Pacal Audet, Alex Trebek Alumni Hall—7 p.m.

Paint Nite, drinks and painting, Shenkman Arts Centre—7 p.m.

Alvvays, Algonquin Commons Theatre—7 p.m.

Beer and Botany, discover the natural history behind beer, onsite tastings, Canadian Museum of Nature—7 p.m.

Nitro Circus live, freestyle motocross, Canadian Tire Centre—7:30 p.m.

thefulcrum.ca

DISTRACTIONS | 21

22 | LETTERS

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EDITORIAL Volume 76, Issue 7, October 8, 2015 Bein’ money baby since 1942 Phone: (613) 695-0061 | Fax: (613) 695-9006 631 King Edward Ave. Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Recycle this paper or we’ll go Kerouac on all your asses.

Nadia “Dial” Drissi El-Bouzaidi Editor-in-Chief editor@thefulcrum.ca Devin “Dogwood Dominion” Orsini Production Manager production@thefulcrum.ca Savannah “Queen’s ” Awde Managing Editor content@thefulcrum.ca Eric “Eclipse” Davidson News Editor news@thefulcrum.ca Allegra “Molinex” Morgado Arts & Culture Editor arts@thefulcrum.ca Spencer “W.P. McGee” Murdock Sports Editor, Rap Correspondent sports@thefulcrum.ca Kyle “Darlington” Darbyson Features Editor features@thefulcrum.ca David “Golden Spike” CampionSmith Opinions Editor opinions@thefulcrum.ca Reine “Twyman-Stokes” Tejares Online Editor online@thefulcrum.ca Kim “Clare Drake” Wiens Visual Editor visual@thefulcrum.ca Marta “Sprint” Kierkus Staff Photographer photographer@thefulcrum.ca Zach “Elite 89” Verret Multimedia Coordinator multimedia@thefulcrum.ca Nicole “Heart & Hustle” Rutkowski Associate Features Editor associate.features@ thefulcrum.ca David “All-Iron” Agbaire Proofreader Deidre “Blue Water” Butters Advertising Manager ads@thefulcrum.ca Dayne “Ironman” Moyer General Manager manager@thefulcrum.ca

Contributors

Nicholas “Art McNally” Robinson Maitland “Silver Slugger” Shaheen Alejandra “Jennings” Guzman Janoah “Velma Springstead” Willsie Moussa “Sam Lacy” Sangaré-Ponce Nadia “Dauvray” Helal Lindsay “Norris” MacMillan Curtis “1910 Chalmers” Rafter Mark “The Bowerman” Lofichenko Serena “Steinfeld” Sodhi Tima “”Temple” Hacini Holly “Trench” Veale Jodie “Porter” Côté-Marshall Jennifer “The Flying Wedge” Vo Anchal “Art Rooney” Sharma Tabetha “Scanlan” Sheppard

Time to rip off the duct tape T

wo and a half years ago, the University of Victoria Environmental Law Centre and Democracy Watch filed a formal complaint to Information Commissioner Suzanne Legault. They alleged that the government was prohibiting scientists from sharing their tax-funded findings with the media and public.

Federal scientists have become more and more open about the governmental pressures they’re facing— despite possible negative ramifications.

The federal government stopped Environment Canada scientist David Tarasick from speaking about his research on the ozone layer, and prohibited Department of Fisheries and Oceans scientist Kristi Miller from speaking about her research on declining salmon stocks in the country.

According to a 2013 report from the Public Service of Canada, 37 per cent of federal researchers said they had been directly stopped from sharing their expertise with the media or public within the last five years. Nearly one quarter of the scientists surveyed said they had been forced to modify the conclusions of their research for non-scientific reasons.

Information from the government in all forms has become increasingly harder to get, according to Sean Holman, a journalism professor at Mount Royal University in Calgary in the National Observer. “It’s not just about our ability to access scientists. It’s not just about our ability to access scientific information. It’s about our ability to access government information writ large.”

The information crackdown stems from a 2007 “Media Relations Protocol” introduced into Environment Canada, about a year after the Conservatives were first elected. The new protocol required reporter’s questions to be vetted by “the Privy Council Office for approval.”

“It became obvious to me as I phoned civil servants and asked, ‘Hey, how does your regulatory system work on dealing with carcinogens?’

You used to be able to have a conversation— citizen to scientist, and they would tell you,” said Calvin Sandborn, a law professor with the University of Victoria Environmental Law Centre, to the Observer.

“Now (they) tell you... you’ll have to file a written request, and then they give you a big runaround. Then it goes to (handlers)... to see if there’s going to be some political angle on whether or not Joe Citizen can have information, that Joe Citizen paid for!” Sandborn added.

The list goes on and on—and has even inspired a catchy folk song. Tony

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Photo: Adam Feibel

Turner, a former federal scientist, wrote “Harperman,” a protest song criticizing the Harper government’s tight-grip on information. Turner has since retired, after an investigation was launched.

The National Observer says they’ve inquired several times to the Information Commissioner on the status of the “potentially explosive” report, but to no avail. The report will not be released in time for election day.

“Voters need to know what the result of that investigation has been,” said Sandborn, to the Observer. “I think the public needs to know the extent of the muzzling… Our submission is that it runs very deep in government.”

Information Commissioner Legault is looking into complaints from seven different government institutions.

The spokesperson, Natalie Hall, did say to the Observer that the commissioner’s investigations are conducted

independently from the government.

With the scores of complaints of government gag orders, it’s time that the research becomes independent too.

We need to make the distinction that this tax-funded research isn’t meant to produce reports that politicians can cite during a political debate. Instead, this kind of research should be greenlighted under the premise that it will benefit all Canadians. Well-funded, unbiased scientific research will only become more important as we shift to a more technological society, and as climate change becomes more prevalent.

A democratic society will only function according to several important principles, such as freedom of speech, freedom of the religion, and freedom of the press. With such freedoms in mind, it becomes clear we need provisions that protect the integrity of scientific research in Canada as

well.

While the topic hasn’t made its way to the debate podium, several parties have pledged to reverse the Harper government’s actions. NDP MP Laurin Liu has made a pledge, supported by the Greens, to establish a Parliamentary Science Officer position.

“When we get elected into government, we will un-muzzle scientists,” Liu said according to the Observer.

The Liberals have also said they will create a Chief Science Officer for Canada, and will let federal scientists speak about their work.

But campaign promises aren’t enough. We need tangible legislation that protects scientific research in Canada, no matter what party forms the government.

It’s time that our tax dollars be put towards honest scientific research, and for that to happen we need legislation that allows our scientists to be free of political influence.

EDITORIAL | 23

Fulcrum ticket giveaway Enter our contest and you could win two tickets to the following games: Women’s hockey, Oct. 16 womens’s rugby, oct. 18 women’s volleyball, oct. 23 Tweet @fulcrumsports with #fulctix and tell us your favourite Gees-Gees player. contest ends oct. 15 at 5 p.m.