The Fulcrum - Volume 78, Issue 2

VOL. 78 ISSUE 2

Sept. 5, 2017

E U S S I H S O R F THE

In this week’s issue...

U of O accepts law stududent accused of sexual assault P.5 Students say he should be denied entrance to the program Music to my ears P.10 Where to find the best live shows in Ottawa Oh my frosh, Becky, look at those articles P.13 Everything you need to know for back to school Check yourself before you Rec yourself P.23 Your options for campus Rec programs You give school a bad name P.25 Time to ditch John A. MacDonald’s name on schools Reckoning with roomie romance P.28 How to handle a fling with your housemate

NEWS

NEWS EDITOR

Zainab Al-Mehdar news@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0061 @ zainabalmehdar

Student charged with sexual assault accepted to U of O law school

Prison sentence would impact student’s future, according to defence lawyer Zainab Al-Mehdar news editor

A

group of students from the University of Ottawa’s common law program have recently formed a coalition asking the university to rescind the acceptance of a student charged with sexual assault and breaking and entering.

Charles Barrons, who completed his undergraduate degree at Dalhousie University, stood trial in February of this year for sexually assaulting his then girlfriend on Sept. 11, 2014. Barron was also charged with breaking and entering into his girlfriend’s apartment and making death threats to a man she was with at the bar.

Barron pleaded guilty to charges of breaking and entering and assault and received a three-year suspended sentence last month at the Nova Scotia Supreme Court of Justice of a nightly curfew and community service work.

Charges of sexual assault and uttering death threats were dismissed.

According to Barrons’ lawyer, “any prison term would cost (Barrons) his future as he’s enrolled to start law school in Ottawa (in September).”

In response to Barron’s admittance to the U of O, students in the Faculty of Law decided to send a clear message to the administration that they do not want Barrons on campus.

“This coalition, we are not trying to push an anti-in prison population agenda, we are not saying anyone with a criminal record should not be allowed to enter a professional program,” said Paula Ethans, a third-year student in the common law section. “What we are saying is that (in) this case you have a man with a violent criminal record, who has perpetuated gender violence and

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has not yet even served his sentence.”

According to Ethans, “the university has a responsibility to protect students and foster a positive learning environment. Further, the university has the ability to unilaterally take away someone’s acceptance.”

In response, the university told the students that the U of O has a “feminist” law school and listed courses on sexual violence. However, the students were not satisfied with what they were told.

“Frankly, we found the email was a complete avocation of responsibility. It didn’t even mention the issue that was at hand, let alone mention the name of Charles Barron,” said Ethans.

The coalition has since reached out to local media outlets “to show the university that not only do (they) disagree with (the decision), but (they) are not going to be quiet.”

“Now we are going to be sharing the halls with a known convinced criminal who has perpetuated gender violence, and that’s going to cause a lot of undue stress to a good number of our students.”

— Paula Ethans, third-year U of O common law student.

However, despite their dissatisfaction, the outcome of Barron’s sentence came as no shock to the students.

“This case is the status quo ... it is an upper middle-class

Charles Barron’s is said to start law school at the the Faculty of Law.

white man who comes from an educated family being privileged in our criminal justice system,” said Ethan.

“Its another example of a perpetrator getting a slap on the wrist for their horrific actions while the victims continue to deal with horrible trauma.

It’s a discussion of a white man’s future, and no discussion about the present state of women and survivors.”

However, some professors from the U of O’s Faculty of law believe that situations such as Barrons’ are more common for other reasons.

“Often rehabilitation of the offender is predominant when the offender is younger, has no past record, and prison could prevent him from pursuing a brighter future,” said Edward Ratushny, who

teaches in the Faculty’s common law section. However, he added that “where the crime has involved bodily harm or other shocking conduct imprisonment might be necessary to denounce the crime and set an example for others.”

Larry Chartrand, also from the common law section, said that “this is not an unusual sentence.” Chartrands believes that enrolling in higher education “is a good sign of future success” and of someone trying to contribute positively to society.

However, according to common law professor Elizabeth Sheehy, “the admission of such applicants, particularly in the context of the intense competition for law school places, raises significant pub-

Photo: Eric Davidson.

lic policy issues.” Sheehy also said it was unclear whether Barrons would be called to the bar given his record, despite attending law school.

On the topic of policy, Ethans believes that the U of O should live up to its own, specifically regarding sexual violence. Section 4.6 of policy 67 states that “the University is committed to a survivorcentred approach to addressing issues of sexual violence.”

“By prioritizing the ability of one man to go to university over the well-being and safety of students, especially survivors of gender violence and women, is not a survivor-centered approach,” said Ethans.

“It becomes far too subjective when we allow people to decide what is a good future and who has a good future.”

“We want people to know where they can go and who they can talk to and receive accessible and meaningful help,” Ethans said.

Ethans and the coalition also sent a letter to the interim dean and assistant dean of the Faculty of Law voicing their concerns on Aug 30., which has also been made available on Facebook.

The university said they can not speak publically on the case, and could not give any comments.

“Now we are going to be sharing the halls with a known convicted criminal who has perpetuated gender violence, and that’s going to cause a lot of undue stress to a good number of our students,” said Ethans.

—With files from Eric Davidson

NEWS | 5

Protesters descend on U.S. Embassy in wake of Charlottesville

Organizers say protest targeted racism, encouraged communities without violence eric davidson editor-in-chief

On Wednesday, Aug. 23, members of the community gathered on the steps of the U.S. Embassy on Sussex Drive to protest against the recent violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, and American President Donald Trump’s response to these events.

“Our message is pretty clear: don’t be racist,” said Aditiya Rao, a University of Ottawa common law student and one of the protest’s organizers.

“We want to build communities where folks can live without the fear of violence, without the fear of racism.”

Speakers at the rally included Rao, along with Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada, Rabbi Elizabeth Bolton of Orh Haneshama Congregation, and Yamikani Msosa, an expert in sexual violence and gender issues at Sexual Assault Support Centre of Ottawa.

The event lasted over an hour, with protesters marching around the embassy following the speeches.

“What you saw here today is a manifestation of the willingness to stand in solidarity of Ottawa,” said Rao. “We have unions present, we

have public servants, we have all kinds of folks who are standing here of all colours, of all sexual orientations, of all genders who want to stand together and say that this is something that we are not willing to tolerate.”

Alongside Rao, others from the student movement at the rally included Peyton Veitch, treasurer of the Canadian Federation of Students.

“The student movement has a long and proud history of standing up against islamophobia, against anti-semitism, against racism, that’s something that we’re continuing to do on campus and in our communities,” said Veitch. “It’s critically important.”

Members of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) were also present to show their support.

“It was really nice to see that even in Ottawa, in a place where we do see folks kind of fall under the thought process that Ottawa or Canada is a safer space, I like the fact that I saw a lot of people come out,” said Leila Moumouni-Tchouassi, vice-president equity of the SFUO. However, Moumouni-Tchouassi believes that the nature of such pro-

Ottawans protested in front of the U.S. Embassy on Aug. 23.

tests still need to improve moving forward.

“Racialized people are often forgotten in these conversations, especially while this was a rally to address issues that racialized folks are living around the world right now.”

According to Moumouni-Tchouassi, Ottawa needs to include racialized persons in this activist work

and provide them with a platform to speak on their experiences.

Both Veitch and Moumouni-Tchouassi encouraged students to get involved in causes they care about, whether by protesting or other means.

“There are a lot of different ways to access movements,” said Moumouni-Tchouassi. “Not everyone

Photo: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

is comfortable going out to protest; some people really like protests, some people like more behind the scenes work.”

Veitch said that students need to go beyond protests as well. “In your own daily life, with your family, with your friends, with your peers, it’s really important to challenge racism whenever it emerges.”

U of O hires Indigenous elder for Indigenous common law students

Students eager to welcome U of O alumna Claudette Commanda to her new role zainab al-mehdar news editor

The University of Ottawa announced they were hiring an Indigenous elder on Aug. 14, 2017 to provide guidance and advice to Indigenous students in the Faculty of Law. The elder, Claudette Commanda, is an Algonquin Anishinabe from the Kitigan Zibi First Nation and a U of O alumna. She is also the first person to hold the position of elder in residence at the university.

The U of O’s Indigenous Law Student Association (ILSA) first brought the idea of having an elder in residence to the Faculty of Law this past March, as a way to enhance and enrich Indigenous students’ experiences at the university through cultural, social, and career focused events.

According to Renee Martin, president of the ILSA, the university administration was

“proactive at making sure it happened.”

“With having an elder in residence ... it will give first years and the upper years someone to turn to when they need more of that emotional help,” said Martin.

Commanda was chosen for the position because of her vibrant presence in the Indigenous community. “I think when everyone was thinking of an elder in residence, she was definitely the first choice,” said Martin. “She’s great, she’s super enthusiastic.”

Aside from Commanda’s new post, the university also created an Indigenous affairs coordinator position within the Faculty of Law last year for students to help them navigate their classes, careers, and finances.

Also currently available to Indigenous students on campus is the Aboriginal resource center is located on 1 Stewart St., which “provides a cultural space where people can go and be immersed in a space they

know they’re gonna be welcomed,” said to Martin.

Despite these resources, it wasn’t until the request for the elder that the ILSA felt that they had a place to get emotional and culturally relevant support, specifically related to law school.

“We come from different experiences and circumstances than a lot of the other law students,” said Martin.

Moving forward, Martin and her peers hope to see the university and the faculty incorporate more Indigenous content into curriculums, to “enrich the conversation (they) are having.”

Martin believes there needs to be “a better understanding of anti-colonialism and anti-racism from the entire environment,” as “law school is very colonially driven environment.”

“There is still a long way to go to recognizing, from a legal perspective, that Indigenous people have laws and that they are worth learning,” said Martin.

Claudette Commanda Elder in Faculty of Law residence.

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Photo: Courtesy of the University of Ottawa.

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Less stress during pregnancy reduces risk of behavioural problems

U of O professor studied effect of various events on child outcomes Eric Davidson editor-in-chief

A new study by Ian Coleman, an associate professor of the school of epidemiology and public health at the University of Ottawa, has found that lower levels of prenatal stress can reduce the risk of behavioural issues in children. While this outcome has been hinted at before, this is the first initiative to examine a large cohort study to test the theory.

“There’s been a growing body of research suggesting that what’s happening very early in life can affect lifelong health,” said Coleman. “We need a more solid evidence base on that, which is what’s unique about this study.”

The study was published in the Biological Psychiatry journal and conducted in collaboration with researchers from the University of Bristol, who examined 10,184 mother-child pairs from the U.K.-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.

The researchers adjusted for maternal depression and anxiety, which can contain unknown genetic components

that are hard to separate, and focused solely on exposure to stressful events.

“This tells us a little bit more about the origins of mental illness,” said Coleman. “The more we know about the causes of mental illness, the more we can do to try and prevent it.”

Coleman and his colleagues found that specific, stressful life events a mother goes through can influence whether or not her child develops certain behavioural issues. The survey data that the researchers used had 42 different stressful life events, ranging from minor to severe.

For example, whether someone in the family had died or become ill, whether one of the parents had lost their job or had problems at work, or a conflict between the child’s parents.

The presence of stressful factors in the mother made it more likely that the children would have a conduct disorder—a hot temper, fighting with or bullying other children, excessive lying or cheating—or be hyperactive—restlessness, overactivity, a short attention span, etc.

According to Coleman, the presence of such behavioural

Dr. Ian Coleman studied the effect of stress on pregnancy.

issues in children can lead to problems later in life as well, such as having more trouble in school and problems with social relationships.

In his earlier research, Coleman found that these children were also more likely to have problems later in life, being more likely to be unemployed, divorced, and have financial and

Photo: CC , Tawny Nina.

psychiatric problems.

Coleman hopes that further research can lead to happier parents and children in the future.

“The more we can do to support pregnant moms, the better chance a child’s going to get at a health life.”

As for what mothers can do to avoid the stress that can lead to these problems, Coleman says

the strategies can vary, though there are some common themes.

“I think the one thing that’s probably most important is being surrounded by a really supportive network,” he said. “That network is going to help the mom manage stressful events, and hopefully that same network is going to be around to help the developing child.”

SFUO Budget presentation goes in-camera Extra BOA meeting discusses policy and budget, finances to be released soon Zainab Al-Mehdar News Editor

On Wednesday, Aug. 30, the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) presented their 2017-18 annual budget, in a largely incamera Board of Administration (BOA) meeting.

The meeting also featured a discussion on the federation’s the policy manual, which outlines the general goals and stance of the organization.

SFUO vice-president of services and communications Kathryn LeBlanc opened the meeting by moving that one-third of the federation’s constitution

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be reviewed every year to efficiently revise the federation’s rules and regulations.

LeBlanc also clarified that the constitution is separate from the policy manual.

When motivating her motion, LeBlanc said that the constitution in its current form contained errors or other issues, and that this process would set them right.

There was no disagreement from the board on updating the constitution, just some minor discussion on the exact length of time to allot to the updates.

Following this, the board went in-camera for the budget presentation, closing the meeting to the public.

BOA members at the budget meeting in FSS on Aug, 30.

According to LeBlanc, if there were amendments raised at the budget meeting that would raise reasons for the budget presentation to be reviewed with the

accountants, as well as other reasons for revision. Those issues can delay the budget from being released to the public.

The SFUO’s current

Photo: Eric Davidson.

annual expenditures are approximately $18 million, according to their last budget statement.

The U-Pass is the biggest part of the budget, at around $12 million,

followed by the health plan at $4 million. Other important areas of the budget include money allocated to social events, campaigns, elections.

One expected change this year is that the SFUO will again start to fund clubs. While the SFUO stopped funding clubs last year, in the wake of its brush with bankruptcy, vicepresident finance Rizki Rachiq stated at a previous meeting that the SFUO would begin to fund clubs again this year, though not necessarily the same amounts as in previous years.

When released, the budget will appear on the SFUO’s website.

NEWS | 7

The Student Rights Centre (SRC) of the Student Federation (SFUO) is an advocacy service for all Uni University of Ottawa students. We provide guidance and support to students who require information on University regulations, wish to appeal decisions made by the University administration, or require representation in their dealings with the University.

• 85 University Private (University Centre), Room 101 Tel: 613-562-5800 x4752 • Fax: 613-562-5767 • rights@sfuo.ca

Student Rights Centre

A&C EDITOR Ryan Pepper arts@thefulcrum.ca

ARTS&CULTURE

(613) 695-0062 @pep_ryan

Cardboard Crowns to play Mavericks ahead of new release Band talks music-student balance, getting political, and returning to roots ryan pepper

Arts & Culture Editor

U

niversity of Ottawa alumni band Cardboard Crowns will be playing one of their favourite venues, Mavericks, on Sept. 14 in anticipation of new material out in 2018.

The band played in Ottawa in March 2016 in support of their second long-player, Hold On, and commenced a blitz tour through Canada and many parts of the United States. They write about the constant touring on their upcoming album.

“It’s going to be mostly about touring non-stop,” said Francois Cuningham, the band’s bassist and U of O master’s in economics graduate. “We want to call it Non-Stop, we have a title track … we’ve played it at our shows, we’ll definitely play it September 14.”

The forthcoming album will also embrace the band’s earlier political roots and their commitment to social justice causes.

Cardboard Crown’s social justice streak was present in each of the members before they came together, and their music gave them an outlet.

According to Cuningham, frontman Joel Kuehn “is trying to get a little more political again, which is (the band’s) traditional roots.”

“Back in our U of O days we were known as a political band, then went more as a party band, and now we’re trying to go back, a little more social justice,” Cuningham said. “When I joined the band, it was something that was so cool because I finally found a bunch of musicians who thought the same. A lot of the musicians and the music we would listen to at the time was about that.”

Though the Crowns have been living in Toronto for several years, they still love to play Otta-

Cardboard Crowns are playing Mavericks on Sept. 14.

wa more frequently than others in the music scene.

“Sadly, some bands skip it, some bands call it the sleeping town … it’s government, it’s boring. For sure that’s not what we think. We love it here … I can talk to the crowd in a mix of French and English and people will un-

Photo: Christopher Eades.

derstand me. You don’t get that in many other cities,” Cuningham said.

Cunningham also recalls his days as a student, where the members of Cardboard Crowns were able to manage a good student-musician balance. According to Cunningham, university

is one of the best times to be in a band.

“I think it’s quite trendy right now to have a band and be in school, and I think it’s a really good combo because school has so many resources, and you can find so many people to help you balance it,” Cuningham explained.

“Meet people and they will help you in your music or in your studies.”

Cuningham is also a big supporter of being involved in school outside of just classes, and thinks just going to class and nothing else gives you only a fraction of the student experience.

“Some people just go in and get out and that’s so sad when that’s what people get from their experience,” Cuningham said, “The clubs are out there looking for people all the time.”

The Crowns are also hoping to get a good student turnout at the show.

“I just love when students come out for their first time,” Cuningham said, “I think it’s so important for them to check out local venues and get to know their city.”

Cardboard Crowns are playing Mavericks on Sept. 14. Tickets can be purchased online. Follow them on Facebook for more information and check them out on Bandcamp.

101 Week 2017 to see French Montana perform live Students to make their mark with diverse cultural and social events Ryan Pepper

Arts & Culture Editor This year’s 101 Week promises to be a celebration that will offer a chance for all students to “make their mark.”

The week will feature perennial favourites such as Camp Fortune and FEDStock, this year being headlined by American hip-hop artist French Montana, along with a slew of other events such as a bike rave, club nights, and cultural celebrations.

“We are trying to offer students an unforgettable experience but also a positive experience that’s productive and going to set up the tone,” said Hadi Wess, president of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO). That line of thinking informed

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their choice to rename Frosh Week to 101 Week. “We believe that there is more of an educational value to the week than just running around partying and drinking.”

Of course, the stakes are high. “I tend to believe if you have a wonderful 101 Week you tend to have a wonderful academic journey or staying on campus because it gets a lot of students engaged and wanting to do more,” Wess said.

“It’s a week that’s designed to create opportunities for students.”

The week will also be packed with a variety of inclusive events representing the diverse experiences of the campus population.

Events are being hosted by the U of O Muslim Students Association, Indigenous

French Montana is headlining FEDStock 2017.

student groups, and there will also be a drag show, Be Present to Consent talks, and a social justice fair.

As for FEDStock, the concert that opens 101 Week, finding a bigger and better

Photo: CC, PhilLong2.

name every year can often become a challenge. But with French Montana, the SFUO feels they have secured a show that’s sure to be a crowdpleaser.

“We’re trying to move

forward in a way where we are keeping the traditions but we’re also bringing something unique,” Wess said, “It’s unforgettable and it’s going to leave a mark, absolutely.”

The SFUO had a lot of work organizing the over 20 events making this 101 Week memorable. Staff and execs have secured partnerships and sponsors, along with dealing with all the logistics such as licensing, medical emergency response, equity consultations, dealing with protective services, and securing headliners and speakers.

Although fun is a priority, health and safety come first. Bylaw 10 is the SFUO policy that governs 101 Week, and Wess has made sure to clear up discrepancies and prevent

any loopholes to make 101 Week as safe as possible for everyone. For example, they have added a portion to their guide training on how to deal with opioid overdose.

“This is a week that’s supposed to be fun, it’s supposed to be a good experience, but also we’re supposed to respect each other, respect our differences, appreciate our difference actually, make sure that we’re not harming each other,” Wess said.

Most importantly, Wess advises incoming students and guides to put safety first. “Remember that education is really important when it comes to fun as well, that we can all have different types of fun, and we can all have fun that does not harm others.”

ARTS & CULTURE | 9

The Fulcrum’s guide to the great venues of the Ottawa music scene From punk rock to indie, Ottawa isn’t the sleepy government town you thought it was Maitland Shaheen-Atkins fulcrum contributor To all incoming students, welcome to Ottawa. You made a good choice. Yes, people will tell you that it’s a boring government city.

Fair. But hidden in the corners of Ottawa are talented musicians and passionate crowds, and it doesn’t take much digging to find good music (and a great night) for $10. Most great venues are also within walking distance from campus. Here is your no-fail guide to Ottawa’s best venues to eat, drink, and listen—written by an Ottawa native.

BABYLON 317 (BANK ST.)

Babylon is a great option if you want to check out a show and party at the same time. This club is in the heart of Centretown and just minutes from the Byward Market. It’s a safe bet to see rock, punk and indie shows for reasonable cover.

The club hosts local DJs and events such as Drake Night, A Tribe Called Red’s Electric Pow Wow’s monthly, and Shameless (featuring the songs you’re too embarrassed to admit to like). Best of all, since it’s on Bank St., there are plenty of food options around for late-night eats. Plan ahead with their calendar here.

BARRYMORE’S (323 BANK ST.)

Similar to Babylon, Barrymore’s is a classic in the Ottawa music scene. Just down the street from Babylon, this old, rustic building houses an always-busy club venue. They have regular shows of all genres, as well as themed music nights.

Check out their Facebook for a list of events.

BAR ROBO (692 SOMERSET ST. WEST)

Bar Robo is a fairly new spot in Chinatown, having taken over Raw Sugar’s old location. They’re part of the new breed of Ottawa venue—cafe, bar, and music hub. Their homemade cocktails are especially great, but they also serve a variety of beer and unique bar snacks. Their shows are inexpensive, too, and bring in a variety of genres and local

talent. One of the best parts about Bar Robo is that they seem to always be open— you can grab your morning coffee and croissant there and return 12 hours later for beer and a show. Check out their next events here.

PRESSED (750 GLADSTONE AVE.)

Pressed is a popular cafe and restaurant that doubles as a bar and venue.

They have a waffle-based brunch menu (yes, wafflebased), pub favourites, a selection of beer, and expert cocktails. Pressed hosts indie shows most nights of the week, including “Bluegrass Mondays”, trivia nights, and open mics. Admission ranges from free/ pay-what-you-can to $15.

Bonus: drink as much as you want on Friday night, because you can return for hangover brunch in the morning. See their packed calendar here.

IRENE’S PUB- (885 BANK STREET.)

Irene’s is a hub for Ottawa-based area artists, so it’ is a great place to meet people in the local industry.

While it’s largely a casual restaurant and bar, it has a strong commitment to the arts. Irene’s offers live music shows throughout most nights of the week, and shows are often free. The pub also hosts art shows, open mic nights, and special events like “Girls to the Front”—an all-women songwriting group. The location is great, too—It’s located on Bank St., near the Glebe, and a short walk to Elgin.

Check out their monthly calendar here and free weekly events here.

LIVE! ON ELGIN (220 ELGIN ST.)

LIVE! is fairly new and is located on the second floor of Dunn’s Diner on Elgin, just a short walk from campus. While their small stage usually hosts local artists of all genres, they also bring in touring indie and rock musicians. LIVE! also loves events, ranging from comedy shows and open mics to trivia nights, for affordable prices. As for wider Canadian cred, how’s this: the Arkells performed

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a secret show there during Juno Week 2017. Owned by local musicians, the venue and its bar are a welcoming spot to catch a great show in a cozy space. See their monthly calendar here.

HOUSE OF TARG (1077 BANK ST.)

House of Targ is completely unique to Ottawa, and functions as the epicentre of all things counter-culture in the city. By day, it’s an old-fashioned pinball arcade and pierogi restaurant (vegan option included), but by night, they boast live shows that bring in energetic crowds.

Targ usually hosts indie and punk musicians, and the venue has seen some popular names in recent months (think PUP and Surfer Blood). They also attract some of the best local artists such as New Swears, Elementals, and Mushy Gushy, so definitely check it out if you’re interested in the Ottawa music scene. If you’re there eating or playing, keep in mind that they start charging cover once shows begin. They also host free-play arcade nights on Sundays and love seasonal events, such as Season’s Beatings, their heavy metal Christmas party. Targ is a little far down Bank St. in a cozy area called Old Ottawa South, but can easily be reached by taking the 6 or 7 OC Transpo bus. See their calendar here.

MAVERICKS (221 RIDEAU ST.)

Mavericks is a moderatesized venue on Rideau St., a stone’s throw from campus, that plays rock and punk music three to four nights a week. Their shows run a bit more expensive, ranging from $10–30. The second floor of the building is Deckuf, which hosts occasional music events from a variety of genres for cheaper fare. Its interior is a bit rougher than some of the newer spots, but if you like loud music and authentic venues, Mavericks is for you. See their calendar here.

For monthly itineraries of shows in Ottawa, check out Ottawa Beat (available at many local retailers), or Ottawa Showbox for weekend round-ups.

Some of Ottawa’s live music venues.

Photos: Eric Davidson.

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New contemporary art gallery opens near U of O Director to plan programs to work with, fund Ottawa students Eric Davidson editor-in-chief

Summer may be over, but if you’re looking for a shot of art close to campus, you’re just in time.

The Sussex Contemporary, Ottawa’s newest art gallery, opened its doors on Thursday, August 24. The gallery is dedicated to emerging contemporary art, said Rosalind Breen, the gallery’s director.

The gallery mostly features paintings with some ceramics right now, but Breen says there could be more to come. “I’m excited to get sculptures in here, potentially even performances.”

Breen, a Toronto native, completed an undergraduate degree in art at Queen’s University and a Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) at the Rhode Island School of Design.

It was at school that she decided she wanted to run her own gallery. “I started focusing a lot more on other people’s work,” she said. “You’ll meet an artist and you’ll see and feel that it’s just the tip of the iceberg… that’s an exciting feeling.”

Before starting a gallery, Breen took some time to travel, and after working in a gallery in Germany, she decided she wanted to come back to Canada.

“This small little tick inside of me grew and grew and grew,” she said. “Ottawa has a lot of really interesting galleries, and I saw room for myself here.”

The gallery features artists whom Breen

had met along her way to Ottawa and who she knows well, which she believes is very important.

“I know their studio practice, I know what paint they use, I know if their studios are clean,” she said. “I can feel their work, I believe it, but I can also trust them.”

“I’m really excited about finding who’s coming up next. I’m really interested in people who are pushing ideas…

I want to see who’s reading crazy stuff, I want to see who’s reading science fiction.”

Rosalind Breen opened the Sussex Contemporary on August 24.

—Rosalind Breen, Director of the Sussex Contemporary The gallery hosts artists from across Canada, as well as a few from America.

Though only one Ottawa-based artist, Manon Labrosse, is currently represented at the gallery, Breen said she’s looking to expand the collection with more artists

from the national capital region, and even some university students.

“I’m really looking forward to getting to know and doing studio visits with the Ottawa fine arts and MFA programs,” she said, adding that she’d already met with one of the professors. Breen is planning to meet with more professors, and eventually do studio visits and talk to arts students to get to know them and their work.

“I’m really excited about finding who’s coming up next,” said Breen. “I’m really

Photo: Eric Davidson.

interested in people who are pushing ideas … I want to see who’s reading crazy stuff, I want to see who’s reading science fiction.”

Breen also said that the gallery is planning programs to assist local students. This includes a scholarship program aimed at helping students manage the cost of art supplies which, she notes, can really add up.

“People prepare financially for tuition, housing, food, books, and they have no idea just how expensive art supplies are going to be,” Breen said. She added that some art

students are forced out of certain areas of art, like painting, because they can’t afford the materials.

But even if you’re not an arts student, Breen says she wants everyone to come enjoy the gallery.

“I want people to feel like they belong, I don’t want anyone to walk into the gallery and be like ‘oh, I don’t even want to go in, I probably can’t afford it,’” she said. “Come in, look at the art … I just want you to enjoy the work.”

Theatre groups and Indigenous artist team up Workshop aims to build deeper connections between artists

eric davidson editor-in-chief

An upcoming workshop, called Culture Intersection, is aiming to forge stronger ties between Indigenous artists and others in the local art scene.

The event is being organized by Odyssey Theatre, an Ottawa company that specializes in masks and Italian comedia dell’arte.

“We’re looking to bridge the gap and meet people, and create a really positive environment for that to happen,” said Laurie Steven, Odyssey Theatre’s artistic director.

Steven said the group has been working closely with Susan Keeptwo, a Métis artist from Québec known for her writing, poetry, and advocacy for Indigenous rights.

The workshop will be broken up into three segments, beginning with a talk from Keeptwo, titled “The Exchange Experience:

THEFULCRUM.CA

Validating 500 Years of First Nations History,” which explores Indigenous history through a variety of media including tableau, music, choral work, poetry, and more.

After that, Steven will give an introductory workshop on mask theatre, where participants will develop a character using comedia dell’arte masks.

The end of the workshop will feature a general discussion period. “Everyone can share their experiences of the day and begin forging creative relationships going forward,” said James Richardson, Odyssey’s general manager.

“We started with this idea that we would do this as a first step, and then create a dialogue,” said Steven, explaining that Richardson then decided to get other artistic companies in the community involved.

“Communicating with

Suzanne Roberts Smith and David Warburton play Beatrice and Ottavio in The Amorous Servant.

Indigenous artists and the Indigenous community is something that’s really at the forefront in contemporary theatre in Canada,” said Richardson. “It gives an opportunity for all of us to collaborate together.”

As of right now, 12 other artistic companies will be

involved in the workshop, including A Company of Fools and the Ottawa Dance Directive. Several of the companies, like Evolution Theatre and Fireflood Entertainment, were started by University of Ottawa graduates. Odyssey Theatre also partnered with Arts Court

Photo: Odyssey Theatre.

to put on the workshop.

Richardson believes the workshop will prove beneficial to Ottawa theatre in general. “It’s very rare that you see this kind of collaboration in this city.”

Outside of the theatre groups, the workshop will also be open to any local and

Indigenous artists. Steven added that interested students would be welcome at the event as well.

Richardson and Stevens hope that they will learn from the workshop themselves.

“I think for me the biggest thing is to have a greater understanding of the worldview of the Indigenous community, and how we can collaborate,” said Richardson.

“I think any kind of experience like this can only broaden artists’ creative perspective,” he continued. “Not only will what they learn in the workshop aid in their future work, but it’s the connections and the relationships that are developed from it that will broaden the creative output.”

The workshop will be held on the second floor of the Ottawa Arts Court building on Sept. 10 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.

ARTS & CULTURE | 11

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NAVIGATING FROSH

Frosh week lessons learned

This 101 Week, make us Fulcrum staff proud—don’t repeat our mistakes!

Unfortunately, in my first frosh week (or “Fresher,” as they say in the UK where I was living) I learned the hard way not to drink too much on your first night out.

Half a bottle of wine and 13 raspberry cocktails later, my shoes and the street were a nice bright pink hue. Luckily, I somehow made it home, but those shoes were gone for good. So remember to pace yourself!

—Jaclyn McRae-Sadik, Production Manager

Oh, frosh week. If you’re lucky, you’ll get out of it hangover-free, but hopefully you’ll also do a lot of learning. I know what you’re thinking—save that shit for the classroom! But truthfully, frosh week will give you the chance to learn about yourself, as well as the people you connect with. You’ll also probably—scratch that, definitely— learn some things the hard way. With this in mind, our fabulous Fulcrum staff have shared their lessons learned at frosh week. So as you gear up with water bottles of liquor and handfuls of fast food for your big week, make us proud—don’t repeat our mistakes!!

—Savannah Awde, Features Editor

Playing beer pong on frosh week should never be a regret—unless you’re playing with vodka, that is. No matter how confident you’re feeling, or how much you seem to be channelling Steph Curry when you shoot that ping pong ball, the hard alcohol in your cup will always catch up with you. So when your friend thinks it’s funny to empty a bottle of Smirnoff into the cups, just find something else to drink. Trust me, the custodial staff who have to clean vomit out of the stairwell—and your basic sense of human dignity—will thank you for it.

—Eric Davidson, Editor-in-Chief

During my first week of university, I gave up on remembering countless people’s names and started using identifiers like “dude” or “man.” Unfortunately for me, there was a guy in my residence who had decided to do the exact opposite. In every conversation he would walk up to me as if I was an old friend, while I would be wracking my brain trying to remember who he was. After an unnecessarily hard week of brief encounters with him, I finally remembered his name. In hindsight, I probably should have learned it properly the first time!

—Iain Sellers, Fulcrum Contributor

To say that your first week on campus is busy would be an understatement—between a hectic move-in weekend, late nights, and a general lack of sleep, food, and water, you barely have time to breathe. I distinctly remember taking what was supposed to be a half-hour “power nap” on the first day, only to wake up 10 minutes before class with no idea where I was going. Moral of the story? Figure out where your classes are before the day of, so you aren’t running to a lecture in the basement of a building on the other end of campus.

—Graham Robertson, Managing Editor

I remember when I did frosh week last year—it was a fun time with lots of partying and new friends. But I learned a few lessons, like not to stay out too late when you have an early morning class. Seriously, don’t do it unless you want to look like an extra from the set of Warm Bodies. Even now when I have an 8:30 a.m. class, I’m about to pass out even though I did nothing the night before. I guess life is always more tiring when you’re in university. At least for some of us it is.

—Shazara Khan, Fulcrum Contributor

Illustrations: Christine Wang.

Best place to take a nap: Déjà Vu

CAMPUS AWARDS

Best thing to do in between classes

A comprehensive guide to all of the essentials at the U of O Ophelia John & Christine Tomlinson, Fulcrum Contributors

This space between Morisset and Thompson is usually empty and has some really cool (and comfy) booths.

Best of all, it’s only a short walk from Morisset library! Meaning that you won’t need to annoy the students beside you with your snoring to get those coveted Zs in.

If you’re like me, when you’re trying to survive long days on campus, you get bored, hungry, and occasionally low on caffeine. This academic year, make sure that when you’re killing time, eating, and getting coffee you’re getting the very best that the University of Ottawa has to offer! Read on for the Fulcrum’s first-ever Campus Awards, and don’t be caught eating that crappy sandwich ever again.

Best coffee: FSS second floor on a Monday morning

Bring a reusable mug and the Office of Campus Sustainability will bless you with free and fair trade coffee! The first floor always has fair trade coffee, but be warned that it’s a little pricey for students on a budget.

For those Sandy Hill dwellers, a close runner-up would be Timothy’s World Coffee on 234 Laurier Avenue East.

For $2, you can bring your own mug and have it filled with one of their delicious organic fair trade coffees. The people who work there are nice, and the coffee is good—for those wanting summer to last longer, they have a toasted coconut coffee that will make your taste buds sing. Oh, and it makes a great yet under-the-radar study spot!

Best room with a view: The 13th floor of FSS

Head up to the top of FSS, sit on a cozy bench, and bask in the glory that is downtown Ottawa.

But be warned—during the busier fall season on campus, finding a seat (even on the floor) in this area can be a challenge. Enjoy the view, but wait until you get to the library to crack open the books. Alternatively, you could hold out until later in the night for a study space with views that even Drake would envy.

Illustrations: Alina Wang.

Who says university students are too old to play with toys at school?

Go to the Makerspace in Colonel By and play with some 3D printers, a laser cutter, or virtual reality technology. Best of all, this on-campus playground is absolutely free.

Best grilledcheese: Café Alt

This on-campus cafe, organized and run by students and located in the basement of Simard, offers this delectable classic with bacon (yum) or without it (also very yum).

Another great part about Café Alt? You can grab your afternoon coffee with your grilled cheese on the cheap. They also have stamp cards, which will give you a free coffee after so many cups. There’s nothing like free caffeine to feed your addiction!

Confused about consent? All of your questions, answered

How the U of O can create a culture of consent on frosh week and beyond Savannah Awde Features Editor

To guide University of Ottawa rookies and veterans alike in all of their sexual endeavours, the Fulcrum sat down with Rukiya Mohammed-Nur, who has worked in the violence against women sector for many years, and the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa’s vice-president equity Leila Moumouni-Tchouassi. In this Q&A, we cover the basics of consent, how to navigate consent when alcohol comes into the mix, and what the U of O can do to foster a consent culture in a time where rape culture on campus remains a major issue.

The Fulcrum: How can students ensure that the sexual activity they engage in is consensual?

Rukiya: The question that comes to mind for that, is gaining knowledge around what consent really means. There’s a lot of misunderstanding around that, and the primary one is what consent actually is. Consent is really about enthusiastic consent. Consent to have sex is when people agree to have sex. But it’s not just allowing something, or giving permission, it’s knowing that you all really want and desire each other. Consent should never be coerced, implied or assumed, even if you’re in a relationship. Just because you are in a relationship doesn’t mean that you always have consent to have sex with your partner.

So what that means is if someone is saying no and you “wear them down” to say yes, that’s not consent. That is coercion.

And I think having that framework and that understanding really shifts the conversation so that students understand that consent should be something that someone is engaging in enthusiastically, that they are engaging in a sober way, they are not using drugs or alcohol, they’re in the state of mind to know what is actually happening, they are able to say “no” at any point and that is still be respected.

And all of those factors are part of consent, and it’s an ongoing process when you’re engaging in sexual activity.

It doesn’t mean just like when someone says yes the first time, and it’s not a blanket permission to do whatever you want, you have to constantly get permission.

F: How do you think students can navigate drug/alcohol use and consent?

R: It’s never okay to engage in sexual activity when someone is not in the state of mind to know what is happening or what they are really consenting to. This means that someone is not able to consent when Illustrations: Christine Wang.

they have consumed alcohol, or taking any kind of drug, because it does alter your state of mind, and that person may not know what they’re actually consenting to. You should wait until the next day when the person is sober and you can have a conversation about engaging in sexual activity. It’s better to wait until that person is actually able to give you permission in a way that feels good, in a way that is actually enthusiastically consenting to it, as opposed to someone who has no idea what is happening.

L: We usually say that consent cannot be given while under the influence. And obviously there will be some folks who are comfortable engaging in those sexual activities, but once again it’s also having conversations about what your boundaries and comfort levels are.

F: What should students do if they think they are witnessing non-consensual sexual activity or a potential for non-consensual activity?

R: I think bystander intervention is really, really important, especially around nonconsensual sexual activity, because you want to be able to feel like your community around you does have your back if something happens, and that students can feel safe enough to go up to someone and say, this happened, I need someone to intervene.

At the same time, if they don’t feel safe intervening on something, that is ok. If there are people around them and they don’t want to do it alone they should get a buddy. And I always recommend to intervene in a way that is non-confrontational, and it’s more like an informal check-in. You should be careful not to escalate the situation and further endanger the person you are trying to help.

L: I think it’s important for people to work towards all being active bystanders… it’s just making sure that when we see things that are not ok, or could potentially be not ok, that we’re always trying to intervene and ask everyone in that situation if they’re comfortable with what’s happening. And if you’re not comfortable intervening, on campus there’s always Protection, there’s a lot of resources in the Women’s Resource Centre, the Pride Centre, the counselling services, that can be there to help identify and stop those situations from happening.

F: How do you think the campuses could better serve people who want to gain a better understanding of consent and its importance on campus?

L: Make sure the administration and also services on campus are educated in sexual violence prevention, rape culture, consent culture, and everything in between. I think that what’s really crucial at the U of O is that the university refuses to acknowledge the fact that rape culture exists on our campus. I think it’s also creating relationships with community partners, because a lot of the time students will choose to go to community groups or to outside of the university when it comes to reporting.

R: I think that universities, from what I’ve seen, have the tendency to brush the problem under the rug. They believe that it doesn’t happen on campus, it doesn’t exist here, so we just don’t talk about it. And I think it really unfair to people who have experienced sexual assault and sexual violence on campuses. So the first thing is recognizing that this stuff does happen on campuses, that no campus is actually immune from this happening.

The second part is actually giving space for survivors to talk about it, and having policies that are informed by people who have survived sexual assault and sexual violence, and not informed by admin or the powers that be, because often times they decide to implement policies that aren’t actually taking people’s experiences into consideration. So having something that’s driven and led by survivors is really, really crucial.

And actually giving people the safety and the trust to be able to talk to professors, to administration, to campus groups, because you don’t want to have a problem where people feel like they don’t have anywhere to turn to, and that wherever they turn to they won’t be believed. Oftentimes survivors are blamed for the sexual assault that happened to them, and campus spaces should work to remove the blame and stigma so that survivors can actually come forward.

Finding your footing as an international student to Ottawa Former U of O newcomers share tips for adjusting to the nation’s capital Kiss your comfort zone good-bye Moving to a new city for undergrad is an overwhelming experience, and more so for international students coming to a new country, new city and, for many, a new way of life. My experience here has been positive, not only in terms of education and work-experience but also in terms of relationships and friendships built through school, work, and social activities.

I would strongly suggest that incoming students make use of the resources available to them, explore classes not strictly in their programs, and take full advantage of the CO-OP program to integrate into the Canadian workforce. But most of all, break free of your comfort zone and participate in extra-curricular activities both in school and in the community. Give this new city a chance. International students will face some unique hardships and struggles, but remember that all of your peers are also struggling through college. I have, and still am. Success and happiness is entirely up to your mind-set and the effort you put in. I am an international student, but Ottawa is home.

—Sarwat Khan

“Show me your friends, and I’ll tell you who you are” The biggest advice I can give anyone new to Canada would be that as an international student you’re leaving you’re friends, you’re leaving a lot of things you’re used to… it’s very, very difficult. I’m Nigerian, and I was coming from my country where we’re all black, and I never really understood what it meant to actually be visibly different from people. I mean, Canada is very diverse, but I came here and I became one of the minorities. I’d never really felt that way before in my life. And being the minority, you know, walking on the street when it’s very obvious that you’re a minority can be very scary.

But what I would tell anyone coming here is they shouldn’t let that stop them from doing stuff. When I get to tell any of the international students what I’m doing right now, I’m working with the government, they say, “how is that possible? I always heard that international students couldn’t work in the government.” I heard that too, but the thing is, I applied. I wasn’t sure if I was going to get it or not, but I thought I’d try.

My mom used to say “show me your friends, and I’ll tell you who you are.” I found that being in a new country, that advice actually helped me a lot. I found that going to the Women’s Startup Network (WSN) here at the U of O changed my life. I’m an engineer, and growing up I always felt different. When I went to WSN, I found my tribe—girls from different countries, different races… it didn’t matter, there was a connection. Finding your tribe is very important—meeting the kind of people you’re comfortable with, and finding the people that push you.

School is not just about the classes, but the things that happen around school. Here in grad school, it’s given me a second chance not to just go through school, but let school go through me.

—Janet Audu

Don’t forget the importance of your social well-being It’s been almost ten years since I came here, and one of the main reasons I came here was education. Through high school and university I learned how to socialize with other people, and I think that’s one of the biggest take-aways of education. And in post-secondary I got to use that skill set.

There are a lot of great events, and I think it’s good for incoming students to go to some of those events and participate. Lansdowne has a lot of cultural festivals, they should enjoy the city. A university education is important, getting good grades is important, but first thing’s first, how do you fit into a society? I think learning a notion of compassion from people around you, I think in the end that’s going to help a ton.

—Sang Kim

Photos: CC, RobCA, abdallahh, Padriac Ryan, Skimel. Illustrations: Christine Wang.

DON’T BE THAT PARTY-GOER A must-read for those who want to stay on the guest list Dorm party or dance team practice?

University parties make those long nights of studying bearable, but there are certain people that can change that outlook completely. First are the choreographers. You are on a dance team and you’re amazing—but this is a party, not the international dance academy! Do us all a favour and keep the choreography outside. Meanwhile, those of us who aren’t part of a dance squad have to deal with the Snapchatters. We get it, guys.

Snapchat is lit and your makeup is fire, and you want everyone to know how much fun you’re having. But turn that flash off! Your blinding light is interrupting my kickass dance moves.

—Sope Oke, Fulcrum Contributor

The storybook singalong It’s never a good sign when someone steps into the middle of a party and calls for attention—especially when he’s holding a Dr. Seuss book. I’ll explain. It was a typical back-to-school party with drinks, games, and conversation. But it all took a turn for the douche. A lone figure—all I remember is the red t-shirt—strode to the middle of the room and called for attention, Dr. Seuss opus in hand. Oh no. Another guy, clad in blue, walked up as if to put an end to the madness. But no, the accomplice, for that is what he was, produced from the ether the ultimate party foul— an acoustic guitar. “May I accompany you?” he asked. It was a classic case of one douche two douche red douche blue douche.

Hands to yourself One of my friends had brought a friend up for the weekend, and we had a big night out at a frat party planned for Hallo-weekend. Unfortunately, my friend was a pretty seasoned drinker while her friend was not, and soon enough we all had to act like human crutches to help her walk anywhere.

We quickly realized a night out wasn’t in the cards for her, so we started walking back to our friend’s dorm room. However, she caught wind of the fact we weren’t going to the frat party, and started thrashing around, demanding for us to take her. In the heat of the moment, my roommate got a fist to the face. So if you’re at a party or headed to one, and your friends tell you that you’re too drunk to go, please don’t punch them! They love you, and they just want you to be alive for brunch the next morning.

—Savannah Awde, Features Editor

Did I say that??

Don’t be that party-goer who drinks too much. You don’t remember any of the funny stories people are sharing the next day, and have a nagging feeling that you owe people apologies. There’s a line between drinking too much and having fun.

—David Campion-Smith, Opinions Editor

—Eric Davidson, Editor-in-Chief

Illustrations: Christine Wang.

AVOIDING THE PITFALLS Savannah Awde Features Editor

In a bind and not sure where to turn?

1. YOU CAN’T AFFORD OUTERWEAR TO KEEP YOU WARM

2. YOU’RE BROKE AND MALNOURISHED

You don’t need to layer on three sweaters to stay warm as the days get colder! The Office of Campus Sustainability’s Free Store is a fantastic resource for anyone looking to pick up a pair of gloves, a scarf, boots, or even a jacket. For those of you who have more outerwear than you know what to do with, drop it off at the Free Store so it can get a new life with another student.

The Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) Food Bank offers a wide array of healthful, easyto-prepare foods, available right on campus in the University Centre basement! All you have to do is present your student card, and fill your grocery bags. This service helps ensure that you won’t have to choose between buying textbooks or groceries.

4. YOU WANT TO APPEAL AN ACADEMIC DECISION BUT DON’T KNOW HOW It’s almost never planned when you have to appeal an academic decision, so many people don’t know where to start when it happens to them. The SFUO’s Student Rights Centre provides student advocacy and information on regulations for appealing decisions made by the university administration. They are also a great resource should you need to make a human rights complaint about any event or institution on campus.

3. YOU’RE FEELING STRESSED, ANXIOUS, DEPRESSED, OR WORSE It’s easy to be overwhelmed during your studies. It’s so common in fact that the services at the University of Ottawa are often overwhelmed with students trying to access help.

Despite the wait time, the Student Academic Success Service’s Counselling and Coaching Service is designed to help students that are coping with non-life-threatening mental illness or personal problems. Especially for those who have never sought counselling before, this is a great first stop.

Illustrations: Christine Wang.

GET FROSHIN’!

Illustration: Christine Wang.

SPORTS

SPORTS EDITOR Nico Laliberté sports@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0062 @FulcrumSports

Women’s soccer off to strong start early in 2017-18 season

The Gee-Gees have been the better team so far, and the results are there Chad Ouellette Staff Videographer

T

he Gee-Gees women’s soccer team played their third game of the season on Sept. 1 against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues, taking home the win in a decisive 1–0 victory five days after losing a 1–0 decision to the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.

After a delayed start due to a miscommunication between the league and the referees, the Gee-Gees came out strong offensively with 13 shots against the opposing team. With the score still tied 0–0, the Gees were given magnificent chances but were turned away by the strong play of the Blues’ keeper Van-

The Gee-Gees have outshot all their opponents so far this season.

na Staggolis.

In the 20th minute, thirdyear midfielder Katherine Bearne capitalized on a free kick opportunity, which would eventually be the deciding factor. Dedicated

team ethic helped the GeeGees hold on to the slim lead throughout the remainder of the game.

“It felt good to score today,” said Bearne. “And it’s great to be out on the field with all

Photo: Eric Davidson.

my teammates after we had a good training camp and I got to know all of the girls. I think we’re starting to mesh as a team now.”

In just three games this season, the Gee-Gees have out-

shot the opposing teams 52– 22, and have outscored their opponents by a total of three goals. The majority of their opportunities have come in the first half of play, and it was no different against the Blues.

“I thought we started really, really well,” said head coach Steve Johnson. “The team looked they were ready to go right from the whistle, and I thought we put pressure on immediately. I was really happy with (the Gee-Gees’) first half. We had a lot of good territory and the passing looked fantastic and defensively we were good.”

The Varsity Blues pushed forward in the second half of the game, getting some great opportunities off a couple of Gee-Gees mistakes. However, the Gees played a solid shut-down game to come out with the victory. Johnson explained that the first half

demonstrated they are learning to play faster, but need to learn how to sustain themselves better throughout the entire 90 minutes of play.

“I think a lot of the things we did were right,” he said.

“We were fairly safe. We tried to get the ball forward and onto the wings. It’s just that we’ve got to make sure that we maintain our shape and don’t drop too many players too far back where can’t establish ourselves with the ball in position to play forward.”

The Gees have shown a lot of promise early in the season, and should continue to get better as their young core continues to gain experience.

The Gee-Gees played the last home game of a four-game homestand on Sept. 2 against Ryerson University before going on a seven-game road trip.

They won’t return to Matt Anthony Field until Oct. 7 against the Queen’s University Gaels.

Despite losing starting quarterback, Gee-Gees prove victorious Kicker Lewis Ward comes up huge for Gees for first win of the season in opener game zack goobie

Associate sports Editor On Aug. 27, the Gee-Gees football team had their season opener against the Gryphons at the University of Guelph. For the second straight year, the matchup between these Ontario University Athletics (OUA) rivals proved to be a very tight battle, again needing two extra frames to find the winner.

The Gryphons took the early lead 4–0 at 11:17 with a long 45-yard field goal and a rouge shortly after. The Gee-Gee defence, which they will have to lean on more this year after the loss of some of their big offensive weapons, came up huge with a blocked punt by Jackson Bennet at the end of the first quarter. Early in the second quarter the defence came up big once again, putting the Gee-Gees on the board with a safety.

The second quarter brought a big loss to the Gees, with starting quarterback Victor Twynstra com-

ing down with an injury and exiting the game early in his first start.

First-year play-caller Alex Lavric was called into action, proving successful by going 16–22 for 132 yards in his first regular season action in the OUA. Guelph would go up 7–2 five minutes into the second quarter by the way of a 46-yard field goal. With four seconds remaining in the first half, fifth-year kicker Lewis Ward made his impact felt by converting a 21-yard attempt to close the gap 7–5.

The Gees looked to go up by one, but Ward’s 42-yard attempt hit the right upright to rob the visitors of three points. Defensively, it was a great third quarter for the Gees as they forced two more safeties to go ahead 9–7 and added a sack on Guelph’s last possession of the third quarter.

Ward hit three fields goals in a span of less than five minutes to put the Gees up 18–7 and in the driv-

ing seat in the fourth quarter. The second field goal was made possible

by Cody Cranston as he picked off Guelph’s quarterback’s pass at their 44-yard line.

With 2:47 left, the Gryphons scored the first touchdown of the game: a 74-yard bomb to reduce their deficit to 18–15. The Gees got the ball with 2:28, but failed to drain to clock. The ball switched hands twice and with 57 seconds left, the Gryphons had a chance to tie it up. With one second left on the clock, Guelph converted a 38-yard kick to tie the game.

In the first overtime period, both teams successfully converted long field goals leading to a second overtime. Ward hit his sixth field goal of the afternoon and the Gryphons’ kicker missed from 36 yards to give the Gees their first win of the year.

Moving forward, the Gee-Gees’ defence looks to be their strength going into their second game of the year. The team will have to hope

The Gee-Gees came out on top of an intense double-overtime thriller.

that Victor Twynstra’s injury is not too serious, but first-year signal caller Alex Lavric showed a lot of promise in his first game.

The Gee-Gees faced off against Queen’s University on Sept. 4 at

THEFULCRUM.CA

Photo: Michael P. Hall.

2 p.m. at Lees field for their home opener.

The Gees next game is on Sept. 9 at York University to take on the Lions.

Kickoff is at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on OUA.tv.

SPORTS | 21

THE BOXSCORE: SOCCER MANIA SOCCER

FOOTBALL

RUGBY

Fri. September 1, 2017 Gee-Gees 1

Sun. August 27, 2017 Gee-Gees 24

sat. September 2, 2017 Gee-Gees 17

vs

at

at

Toronto

0

21

guelph

laval

19

sat. September 2, 2017 Gee-Gees 6

Mon. September 4, 2017 Gee-Gees TBD

sat. September 9, 2017 Gee-Gees tbd

vs

vs

vs

Ryerson

0

Queens

TBD

concordia

tbd

For detailed game coverage check out the Fulcrum’s website at www.thefulcrum.ca.

U of O’s football player-tackling robot is the real MVP

New equipment aims to reduce contact, injuries sustained at practice eric davidson editor-in-chief

Imagine you’re the quarterback for the University of Ottawa football team at your first practice of the year. Ball in hand, you’re ready to throw—but time is running out. You see a dark figure zooming towards you at surprising speed.

Hurtling towards you is… a large, cylindrical robot.

Every year, new players join the Gee-Gees squad and add something unique to make the team better. The only difference this year is one of the players isn’t human— but it will make a big difference.

The Mobile Virtual Player—yes, its acronym is MVP—joining the Gees for practice will be the first of its kind at a Cana-

dian university.

Far from being a sign of a coming robot uprising, MVP’s mission is to keep players safe, and so far, it’s been a big hit—literally.

The Gee-Gees asked the university for the robot to reduce player-on-player collisions during practice.

“Rather than tackling our own guys, we want to tackle the MVP,” said head coach Jamie Barresi.

“It’s injury prevention.”

The idea was born when Barresi visited Dartmouth College in New Hampshire to watch a practice and saw their team using an MVP unit.

“He saw immediately how it would help us,” said offensive line coach Carl Tolmie.

In 2010, Dartmouth instituted a policy where there would be no player-on-player tackling in practice except on game

The Mobile Virtual Player will aim to reduce contact in practice.

day, which led to players being healthier and more effective. They introduced MVP devices into their practices in 2015, and now use multiple robots to prepare for games.

Less impact at practice, according to Tolmie, will

help avoid unnecessary concussions. “If you’re tackling another body, injuries happen. (MVP) reduces a lot of wear and tear and you can practice real-life game situations.”

Tolmie explained that the robot gets used for all

Photo: Eric Davidson.

the position groups. It can zoom around the field, cover receivers, take hits, and even rush a quarterback, while being directed by the coaching staff.

“Just like a remote control car,” he said.

While some people

22 | SPORTS

might be surprised by being told they would be training with a robot, Tolmie said the Gees squad is taking it in stride. “The players have been really receptive to it.”

The practice of using robotic tackle dummies is spreading, and several football teams—including National Football League (NFL) teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers and universities like Harvard— are using MVP units. The USA Sevens rugby team has also used the device.

While not widely used in Canada right now, Tolmie says that other universities would be wise to start using the MVP as well.

As the Gees kick off another season, we’ll see if the MVP is successful in reducing injuries and gives them the advantage they’ve been looking for.

THEFULCRUM.CA

Your guide to U of O campus rec sport services Fulcrum staff members share their favourite ways to stay fit on campus SQUASH COURTS If you’ve never played squash before, I highly recommend you try it out; it’s easy to learn and a lot of fun. The University of Ottawa offers two international-sized squash courts at the Minto Sports Complex.

While most people have to pay to rent one out, students can reserve a court absolutely free of charge. Whether you play with a friend or alone, squash is a great way to blow off some steam by smashing a ball at a wall as hard as you can.

To reserve a court, just visit the sports desk at Minto. If you don’t have your own equipment, you can rent a racquet while you’re at it.

Nico Laliberté — Sports Editor INTRAMURAL HOCKEY My first experience playing intramural hockey was nothing but positive. With the various skill levels available, there

is a league for everyone who can skate and understand the basics.

Having played competitive hockey growing up, the laidback approach was an adjustment; there is no need to show up in a suit or to bring jogging gear for a pre-game run. The referees controlled the games well, and never let the play get too out of hand. There is a strict no contact rule, which can be a big adjustment for players used to the elite division. Playoffs were straightforward with each team being ranked by their record during the season.

On the ice, it was fun and stress free with guys who were just playing for the love of the game. I highly recommend participating in hockey intramurals to continue having fun playing Canada’s game and to meet new people.

Zack Goobie — Associate Sports Editor

The Fulcrum discusses ways to keep fit on campus.

DROP-IN PLAY IN MONTPETIT If you’re looking for a way to get some exercise and meet new people without committing longer-term to an intramural team, then drop-in play at Montpetit Hall is for you.

Everyday at lunchtime the gymnasium is opened to various drop-in sports including

Photo: CC , ThoroughlyReviewed.

basketball, volleyball, and badminton.

Whether you’re by yourself or with a friend, you can always find some fellow students to play with.

You can find the complete list of drop-in sports and times on the Gee-Gees website.

Nico Laliberté — Sports Editor

RUNNING ON CAMPUS Classes, assignments, and late-night study sessions often make people want to run away from campus, but it turns out that running around it can be even more fun. With the ultimate Ottawa running spot—the canal— close by, running by campus is a great way to get some exercise in whenever you have free time, listen to that new podcast and de-stress while you’re at it.

Whether you want to add something new on top of your intramural games, or just want a quick and easy way to stay in shape for now, lacing up some running shoes is never a bad option.

And with no wait times to sign up and no fee, it’s a pretty attractive option for staying in shape during school.

Eric Davidson — Editor-in-Chief

FulcFit food series

During the school year, it’s all too easy to let your eating habits slip.

To get you back on track, the Fulcrum has some essential recipes so Nico Laliberté, Sports Editor you stay full and fit all year long.

Zucchini Bread

We all know how hard it is to get our vegetables in on a daily basis. But at last, the struggle is over! This zucchini bread makes an excellent breakfast and is a great way to start your day off with a good healthy serving of veggies!

Ingredients • 3 eggs, beaten • 1 1/3 cup sugar (or a little less) • 1/2 cup canola oil • 1/2 cup apple sauce • 1 tsp vanilla • 2 cups shredded zucchini • 3 cups whole wheat flour • 1/2 tbsp baking powder • 1 tsp baking soda • 2 tsp cinnamon • 2 tsp ginger Directions Step 1: Mix first six ingredients together in a large bowl.

Step 2: Sift baking powder and baking soda into flour and mix.

Step 3: Mix cinnamon and ginger in with dry ingredients.

Step 4: Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and combine well.

Step 5: Pour into two greased or lined bread pans.

Step 6: Bake in 325 °F preheated oven for 40-50 mins.

Zucchini bread is great to trick yourself into eating vegetables.

Photo: Nico Laliberté.

Enjoy!

THEFULCRUM.CA

SPORTS | 23

OPINIONS

OPINIONS EDITOR David Campion-Smith

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

Disorganization by committee, and how to fix it SFUO’s lack of coordination is slowing everything down Eric Davidson editor-in-chief

O

n Aug. 30, the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) held its third Board of Administration (BOA) meeting of the month. For context, the SFUO usually schedules one of these meetings a month, because they can last anywhere from two to nine hours.

There are many reasons that lead to emergency board meetings, but this latest one was caused by a lack of coordination with committees.

The BOA was supposed to review the SFUO’s 2017-18 budget proposal at their August 13 meeting. However, Tristan Lamonica, a Faculty of Arts representative who sits on the finance committee, asked that the presentation be pushed, because the finance committee had been given only one hour prior to the meeting to review the federation’s finances

The SFUO met on August 30 to discuss their budget.

for the upcoming year. The annual budget must be reviewed by the finance committee prior to its presentation to all members of the board.

One hour is not a lot of time, especially given the fact that the SFUO has had its fair share of financial problems recently. Because of this delay, the SFUO budget’s approval was pushed to a special meeting, which could easily slow down planning and even some action the fed-

Photo: Eric Davidson .

eration wants to take.

Unfortunately, this is only one of several cases of committees not being given proper support.

Maybe the problem is that, even in a land of eight-hour BOA meetings, committees seem boring. Given the craziness that can go on at a BOA meeting, it’s hard to spare a thought for the committees. But we really should.

The SFUO has committees to look

at finances, human resources issues, policies, and much more. Thirteen committees are currently listed on the SFUO website.

They have these committees because there are just too many issues for the BOA to go in depth on every single one of them. A committee can gather, come up with a nuanced opinion, and then present that to the board, saving everyone time.

But committees need the right conditions to work. First off, they need members, especially committee heads, to show up. Right now, there is little accountability to make this happen. While committees are supposed to be open to the public, their dates and locations are not easily found. There is also no public record of attendance, as there is for BOA meetings, which means people who consistently hold up the process might not face consequences.

Committees also need a manageable workload. At BOA meetings, as time starts to run on, there has been a tendency to send more and more motions to committees to review.

While this accomplishes the goal of ending the meeting sooner, thought

isn’t always given to how much work is being placed on a particular committee.

At least having the committee confirm that they will be able to handle the new work before motioning it away would be a good start. And if they’re too overloaded, pushing it to a future meeting and keeping everyone’s workload manageable will ultimately get more done.

And finally, as the existence of the August 30 BOA meeting can attest, committees need to be given a reasonable schedule. More importantly, decisions like creating the SFUO financials need to be made with the committee’s timeline in mind.

I’ll admit, even as someone who finds student politics—eight-hour meetings included—fascinating, I usually don’t spend much time thinking about committees. But that’s a mistake.

Putting some thought into how committees are run will get more stuff gets done, and might even end up decreasing the overall workload on the SFUO as a whole.

Renaming schools is the right way to go

Education is more important in maintaining history than building names nadia helal

fulcrum contributOr

In mid August, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) approved a motion asking school boards to rename schools in Ontario that are named after Sir John A. Macdonald. While Macdonald is considered a Father of Confederation, serving as Canada’s first prime minister from 1867 to 1873 and again from 1878 to 1891 his treatment of Indigenous peoples in this country mean that his name should come off schools.

Many Canadians may have already noticed Macdonald’s reduced presence on the $10 bill.

Up until very recently, his face appeared alone on the bill, which he now shares with Sir GeorgeÉtienne Cartier, Agnes Macphail, and James Gladstone, a member of the Kainai First Nation committed to the improvement of the lives of Indigenous people in Canada.

Macdonald’s government was responsible for the execution of Louis Riel, a Métis politician, and Macdonald also restricted movement within Indigenous groups, requiring that they obtain permission prior to leaving reserves.

Considering Macdonald’s policies on Indigenous people, it’s likely he wouldn’t be too pleased about sharing a space with someone who actually has a Blackfoot name.

But Macdonald isn’t the only historical figure that Canadians need to reevaluate. Jeffery Amherst is a name that invokes disgust from people familiar with his tactics to extinguish Canada’s Huron population. In the late 18th century, Amherst sent smallpox contaminated blankets and handkerchiefs to local tribes, leading to an epidemic that wiped out the majority of Huron people in Canada. Sixteen places in eastern Canada carry the Amherst name, not to mention many others in

One of many schools potentially affected by the ETFO motion.

New England.

Jeffery Amherst is certainly another historical figure who brings shame to Canada and whose name should be removed from schools.

Both Macdonald and Amherst were considered Canadian heroes

of their time, but are viewed quite differently through the lens of history.

Meanwhile in the United States, the removal of Confederate statues and monuments has recently garnered significant negative at-

Photo: CC, Davidlharlan.

tention in the news after white nationalists killed a woman during a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

New Orleans removed its last Confederate statue in May of this year, and the mayor of Baltimore recently decided it was best to re-

THEFULCRUM.CA

move statues of Confederate generals overnight so as to cause as little disruption as possible.

Considering that these statues celebrate leaders of a state whose economy depended on slavery, it is shocking that so many were put up in the first place but are still standing in the 21st century.

There are many who argue that the past should stay in the past, and that removing such statues creates a false illusion that a certain history never took place, and a similar argument is being made about what we should now name our schools. But people don’t forget because of a name change, education ensures that people are aware of their history, more so than names on a building.

In the words of Maya Angelou “When you know better, you do better.” Therefore, the more that we learn about our history, the wiser we should become in dealing with our present issues.

OPINIONS | 25

Religious neutrality law does just the opposite

Quebec law singles out those who wear face coverings David Campion-Smith opinions editor

Remember the debate around Quebec’s “Charter of Values” several years ago?

The proposed bill aimed to prohibit government employees from wearing anything that could signal their religious beliefs. What you may not know is that a similar bill, Bill 62, was brought forward by the governing provincial Liberal party and is currently in committee. This bill would require that all those providing and receiving government services do so with their face uncovered.

The bill contains a broad definition of “government services,” including school boards, any bodies funded by public budgets, and organizations that appoint staff following the Public Service Act. This umbrella term could very well extend beyond just provincial government services,

possibly impacting someone’s day-to-day life. There are even questions around whether this definition includes public buses.

Candidates for the federal New Democratic Party (NDP) leadership race were asked about their views on this bill during their French language debate in Montreal on August 26. Each of the candidates gave vague assurances that they believe in the state’s ability to protect the rights of individuals from being infringed upon.

This is ridiculous behaviour from contenders for party leadership and they should be loudly condemning a bill that discriminates against any part of the population.

It is possible for politicians to ignore what is going on Quebec because it has been granted special treatment as a “nation within a nation.” While Quebec’s distinct culture and language earn it a certain level of leeway in con-

ducting its affairs, that does not extend to the ability to discriminate against its citizens and dictate what they can and cannot wear.

Instituting this law, and frankly even debating it, are overt indicators of a deeper fear of the “other” that exists not only in Québec but throughout Canada as well.

It is worth noting that a poll conducted in Québec on the NDP leadership race found 28 per cent of respondents wouldn’t vote for Jagmeet Singh for the sole reason that he wears a turban.

We need to take this opportunity as a society to look deeply and reconsider our own beliefs around freedom of religion. If freedom of religion means something more than talk in this country then we need to act on that belief and ensure that everyone has the same opportunities in our society, regardless of who they worship and how.

Federal NDP candidate Jagmeet Singh.

Photo: CC, Titulin.

Media’s response to disasters is a perfect storm

Disasters need a human face, but it’s still humans in desperate situations David Campion-Smith opinions editor

As the damage that Hurricane Harvey exacted on the state of Texas is fully realized, it’s a chance to celebrate the hard work and dedication of emergency crews and civilians who did all they could to help in the face of this natural disaster. There is, however, one segment of the population that should take this as a chance to reevaluate themselves and their work—the media.

A CNN interview highlighted just what’s wrong with how the media covers many natural disasters. In the interview a reporter questions a woman, who has just arrived at a shelter with her children, about their experience, and the woman grows upset with the lack of empathy from the journalist.

It’s a natural journalistic response to want to attach a human face to trag-

“However, journalists, editors, and even viewers need to acknowledge that these are fellow human beings they are watching. The homes that are flooded belong to people like you and me, the submerged streets could easily be your street one day.” edy, and use that to create empathy in viewers and

Hurricane Harvey damaged large parts of Texas

readers. But that desire for a human face also has to be balanced with the knowledge that these are human beings in a dangerous and desperate situation.

I’m not arguing that disasters and storms aren’t newsworthy or that they shouldn’t be covered.

However, journalists, editors, and even viewers need to acknowledge that these are our fellow human beings we are watching. The homes that are flooded belong to people like you and me, the submerged streets could easily be your street one day.

The media can also

Photos: CC, Gita Dhoj Karki.

take this opportunity to reevaluate its focus, and what stories it chooses to tell. While it’s natural to focus on the issues in your country and region, there has also been terrible flooding in South Asia.

The disaster has affected 40 million people across India, Nepal and Bangla-

desh, killing over 1,200.

Again the natural response, and the response that best serves your media consumers, is to report on what’s closest to you.

But also again that response must be balanced out with the need to educate on global issues.

Natural disasters bring out the best in humanity, as average people rally together to do what they can to help neighbours and strangers. The media can help share those incredible stories with the world. But in sharing these stories, there has to be recognition that all those passing by are involved in some of the worst times of their lives, and aren’t mere props for an interviewer. Asking people being interviewed more sensitive questions, as well as being understanding of their ordeal are ways the media can improve.

26 | OPINIONS THEFULCRUM.CA

U of O admin delays classes due to campus construction

Some classes to begin end of September, continue through winter break David Campion-Smith not a university that fails its students,” said U of O opinions editor The University of Ottawa recently announced that they will be delaying the start of classes by at least a week due to the unfinished construction around campus.

While the first day of school is now set to begin Sept. 13, students whose primary faculty buildings are affected by the construction will start their courses even later, at the end of September. This delay will result in classes continuing over the winter break, with exams taking place in early January.

“We made a promise to students that we would have construction finished by the time school started in September, and this is

president Jacques Frémont, while shifting uncomfortably at a desk made of stacked two-by-fours.

University admin and professors are currently busy clearing away construction sites, while staff from campus facilities are working through the night to finish by the end of September. Some reports suggest that any debris or remaining equipment at the sites are being hidden away in vacant rooms around campus, including classrooms. The items being tucked away include everything from power tools to planks of wood.

“I don’t know why but there was a small axe and a power saw in the campus bookstore while I was shopping for course materials,”

said third-year biology student Amy Blue. “I think the saw was actually plugged in and on.”

To deal with any open holes in classroom walls, the U of O is doing what countless students have before, and will be covering them up with posters. “I’m confident that this map of Westeros will fit in nicely with this geography room,” said Frémont “I wish it didn’t have the Baratheon crest on it though.” The president was later seen running around campus with a large pile of posters of black and white cityscapes, Banksy pictures, and scenes from popular television shows.

Students who are vocal about the inconveniences caused by the construction have been asked by the administration to remember that the U of O only took

One of numerous construction sites on campus.

over the keys to the property 150 years ago. “We just haven’t found the time for our big IKEA run and even when we do get out there every path just leads back

Photo: Christine Wang.

to home office,” said head of decorating Dwight Anvil.

The finished construction promises to be a welcome improvement to campus, but that won’t be much

comfort to students forced to attend classes in December. Until it’s done there’s nothing to do but wait out the construction, and avoid running into any saws.

When cynicism meets optimism at the U of O

Upper year students in despair over excitement of new students thing they do with their faces?

Is it smiling? I remember that…” said fourth-year engineering student Eric Martin.

Many students reported pain from their first attempts at smiles in months as they watched incoming students explore campus.

When asked about whether this lack of enthusiasm for school was a problem for the administration, U of O president

David Campion-Smith opinions editor As 101 Week kicks off, upper year students at the University of Ottawa are reporting feeling uncomfortable with some of the new ideas being brought forward by incoming freshmen. This includes the radical notion that education can be interesting and not just a source of cynicism and exhaustion.

“I can’t believe it, they’re actually excited for this, studying something you’re passionate about with other like minded people. How long until they’re addicted to coffee and barely sleeping?” asked third-year economics student Justine Bennett.

Some students reported feeling frustrated that incoming students are still awestruck by the freedom of being on their

Jacques Frémont seemed surprised that there was a problem at all. “Is the university so out of touch? No—it’s the students who are wrong on this.”

Whether you’re excited about the upcoming year or already questioning every decision that could have possibly led you to this point, it’s worth taking some time to reconsider that there are some things good about university. Maybe.

HEROES WANTED! The difference between new and old students.

own and having more control over their lives. This, in contrast with years of built up resentment over how much laundry they have to do and how few

dishes their roommates clean.

It seems that much of the reaction stems from jealousy that older students don’t feel the same positive emotions.

Photo : Christine Wang

“I was hesitant to approach new students at first, their optimism and general enjoyment of life seemed vaguely threatening to me. And what is that

THEFULCRUM.CA

2hrs/wk! Volunteer with Ottawa's children.

Give literacy and life-skills help. sageyouth@hotmail.com I 613-838-5539 www.excellenceinliteracy.org www.sageyouth.org

THE TOMATO | 27

DISTRACTIONS DEAR DI Horny homework: Another spoonful

Here’s a quick and easy way to turn cozy cuddles into orgasmic delight. Start in spoon-position with your partner. Have them thrust inside of you with their finger or penis, and keep them there. Guide their hands towards your clitoris or another sensitive spot for maximum closeness.

Dishing with Di Humans aren’t the only members of the animal kingdom who go down on their partners. Animals who give their partners head include the notoriously sexual bonobo, as well as bats, walruses, goats, kangaroos, hyenas, and sheep.

28 | DISTRACTIONS

FEATURES EDITOR Savannah Awde

features@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0062 @s_awde7

Dear Di, I’ve just moved into a new apartment with completely new roommates, and well, I’ve been getting along really well with one of them. I mean, one minute we’re trying to figure out whose ketchup bottle belongs to who and the next we’re going at it on the kitchen table. I really like him, and I really like getting laid without having to leave the apartment. Should we tell our other roommates? Should I try to find another apartment?

-Romping Roomies Dear RR, Don’t worry, your relationship with your roommate isn’t completely doomed. Although it makes things complicated, you can keep boning the guy in the next bedroom without ruining your home dynamic.

First thing’s first, you need to figure out what kind of relationship you two have. Are you just friends who fuck while waiting for the next Stranger Things episode to load? Or are you going out one-on-one? For example, if you brought someone else home for the night, would your roomie be jealous? Unclear boundaries are a sure-fire way to cause your sexy hook-up to descend into a drama-infested nightmare.

In terms of telling your other roommates, that depends on how long and serious your relationship with your roommate ends up being. If things start dying out after a few weeks, then you might be able to get away with not letting your other roommates know. If, however, you keep going at it, it’s best to let the others know what’s going on, and reassure them that things won’t get weird at home. Don’t try to keep it as a secret for too long, however. Student housing usually has pretty thin walls, and living in such close quarters means your roommates will probably figure it out sooner or later.

Also, try to be respectful and avoid having sex in communal areas. That way you’ll avoid awkward conversations about cum in the shower drain or lube left out on kitchen counters.

That being said, there can be a lot of perks when you’re hooking up with the hottie down the hall. You don’t have to venture out to expensive bars or clubs in the dead of winter, or engage in super awkward small talk with Tinder duds. Sex can also be more fun when it feels a little illicit (as long as you’re not doing anything illegal), so revel in the naughty nature of your relationship. As long as everyone is on the same page, there’s no reason you shouldn’t have fun!

Love, Di

THEFULCRUM.CA

SEPT. 4–10, 2017

THRYLLABUS

MUSIC ARTS SPORTS FUN THINKING

Monday Sept. 4 Northern Lights show on Parliament Hill, last day, free admission—9 p.m.

Gee-Gees football home opener vs.

Queen’s, Gee-Gees field—2 p.m.

An Inconvenient Sequel (follow-up to An Inconvenient Truth, Oscar-winning 2006 documentary), ByTowne Cinema—6:30 p.m Tuesday Sept. 5 Urban Legends Slam #1 feat. Nasim Asgari, Urban Legends Poetry Collective, LIVE! on Elgin—5:30 p.m.

Hintonburg Dog Pack Walk, dog owners come together for a community walk, meet at Global Pet Foods Hintonburg—6:30 p.m.

Wednesday Sept. 6 Diamond Head, Mavericks—6:30 p.m.

Comedy Party + Open Mic Night, free event, Café Nostalgica—8 p.m.

Thursday Sept. 7 UOShow, featuring Koriass and A Tribe Called Red, tickets $6 online or $10 at the door—8 p.m.

Parks and Recreation Trivia, hosted by Toasted Theatre Company, $5 per player, LIVE! on Elgin—8 p.m.

Friday Sept. 8 The Only Living Boy in New York (from the director of 500 Days of Summer)—9:10 p.m.

Let’s Break A World Record!, help break the world record for the longest human electrical circuit,

hosted by the Science Students’ Association, Tabaret Lawn—2 p.m.

Saturday Sept. 9 Arcade Fire, Canadian Tire Centre—7:30 p.m.

Masquerade for Mental Health, “take off your mask” to combat the stigma, Rideau Hall—6 p.m.

Ottawa Redblacks vs.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats, TD Place—6 p.m.

Sunday Sept. 9 Ladies’ and Enby Night, featuring special guests and artists, The Comic Book Shoppe on Bank Street—6 p.m.

Welcome Back Student BBQ, free barbecue at St. Albans Church on King Edward Avenue—11:15 a.m.

THEFULCRUM.CA DISTRACTIONS | 29

30 | LETTERS THEFULCRUM.CA

EDITORIAL Volume 78, Issue 2, SEptember 5, 2017 Being fabulous since 1942.

Phone: (613) 695-0061 | Fax: (613) 695-9006 631 King Edward Ave. Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Don’t Fulc around; recycle this paper!

Eric “FSS” Davidson Editor-in-Chief editor@thefulcrum.ca Jaclyn “Desmarais” McRae-Sadik Production Manager production@thefulcrum.ca Graham “Lamoureux” Robertson Managing Editor content@thefulcrum.ca Zainab “Fauteux” Al-Mehdar News Editor news@thefulcrum.ca Ryan “Hamelin Hall” Pepper Arts and Culture Editor arts@thefulcrum.ca Savannah “Tabaret” Awde Features Editor features@thefulcrum.ca Nico “Matt Anthony Field” Laliberté Sports Editor sports@thefulcrum.ca David “SITE” Campion-Smith Opinions Editor opinions@thefulcrum.ca Christine “Montpetit” Wang Visual Editor visual@thefulcrum.ca Dmitri “Colonel By” Bakker Social Media Manager social@thefulcrum.ca Ellie “Simard” Sabourin Associate News Editor associate.news@thefulcrum.ca Nadia “Seraphin-Marion” Drissi ElBouzaidi Associate Features Editor Zack “Hagen” Goobie Associate Sports Editor associate.sports@thefulcrum.ca Parker “Sports Complex” Townes Staff Photographer photographer@thefulcrum.ca Chad “Roger Guindon” Ouellette Videographer videographer@thefulcrum.ca Lucas “The Cube” Ghosn General Manager manager@thefulcrum.ca Kaylum “Smyth” Bobal Advertising Representative ads@thefulcrum.ca

Contributors

Alina “Stanton” Wang Nadia “Brooks”Helal Ophelia “Hyman Soloway” John Christine “Thompson” Tomlinson Shazara “90u” Khan Iain “Lees” Sellers Sope “Gendron” Oke Maitland “D’orio”Shaheen-Atkins

Board of Directors

Raghad “ARC“ Sheikh-Khalil Katelyn “Leblanc” Murray Jonathan “Louis-Pasteur” Rausseo Mackenzie “Perez” Gray Fadi “Laurier” Azzi Spencer “Morissett” Murdock Kim “UCU” Wiens Maggie “Marion” Gollish Cover Credits: Christine Wang.

A SPLITTING HEADACHE: RESTRUCTURING INAC COULD LEAD TO BIGGER PROBLEMS

Although there could be many policy implications that stem from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent cabinet shuffle, one of the most hotly debated was the decision to split Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) into two new ministries.

The first of these is Indigenous Services, to be led by Jane Philpott, which will focus on programs like education, health care, and access to clean water. The second, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, led by Carolyn Bennett, will focus on land claims and fostering self-governance.

It’s easy to understand the motivations behind the shake-up.

Many projects designed to help and improve relations with Indigenous peoples in Canada, especially in the areas of health care and education, are facing problems and delays.

However, splitting the department may only serve to worsen the problems it was designed to create, costing the government money and, most importantly, time to get important projects done.

To start with, INAC had a lot of moving pieces It had over 4,500 employees, and a budget of of 9 million dollars. It will be a lot of work to untangle that into two new departments that can each get their work done effectively.

Lose flexibility if one of the two areas needs more money one year, setting up an inefficient and just bad situation where the two departments compete for resources.

It could even lead to less communication between people involved in separate departments, further slowing things down.

Proponents of the move note that the decision to split the department was laid out in the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, a 1996 report that evaluated the relationship between Indigenous peoples in Canada and the government, and outlined steps that could be taken.

Unfortunately, it seems like the government just isn’t in a position to make a split work well at this time. While tweaking the departmental structure is an important long-term goal, there are pressing issues that need to be dealt with right now, and it’s not worth put-

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ting them in jeopardy to restructure the department.

The government can put its focus into funding First Nations education on reserves, which critics and even some government members say is underfunded and a broken system, following up on a Human Rights Tribunal order to close gaps in spending on child welfare and health services.

What could very well end up happening is the ministry designed to focus on things like education and health care doesn’t get as many resources, or as much focus to help complete its mission. If that happens, these programs and others that need to be improved now will continue to suffer.

Another problem is that we can’t be sure that after initial hurdles the new system would level off and become beneficial to everyone.

Given all the potential liabilities, the government needs to be open to reversing this decisions if the split departments start to cause issues, which is not unlikely. In the meantime, putting some muscle behind one larger department could mean it has more influence over the rest of the government’s decision-making.

Even though splitting INAC has risks, some are saluting the fact that there is an attempt to move things forward. But it’s important that the government doesn’t rely

Carolyn Bennett.

only on feedback from the announcement. It’s easy to announce a systematic change like this, but it’s much harder to follow through on it. But if, as could very well happen, this shakeup leads nowhere, it will lose its shine quickly, and it will not improve the situation long-term.

And by better funding and getting results from important programs are struggling now, those same people who saluted this attempt at progress can only have a similar reaction.

Moving forward with these other actions, and planning to restructure departments based on the situation these changes create makes a lot more sense.

Photo: CC , Robert Thivierge.

EDITORIAL | 31

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