The Fulcrum - Vol 77 Issue 5

VOL. 77, ISSUE 5

sept. 22, 2016

Flooded with folk Pg. 6

In this week’s issue...

In case of emergency P.3 U of O alert system to see updates this year

“Don’t tell us what to wear, tell them not to rape” P.6 Ottawa SlutWalk features U of O student speaker, powerful message ThINK about it P.8 The evolution of Ottawa’s tattoo scene Advocating for avocados P.11 The Fulcrum has the secret to your new favourite breakfast Finding a middle ground P.12 Why a mandatory Indigenous course is a feasable option The battle of the ball-shifting P. 16 How to tame your testicles Prescribe pills, not morals P.19 Morals in medicine restricts access, stigmatizes treatment

NEWS

NEWS EDITOR

Graham Robertson news@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0061 @_grahamr

Sept. 18 BOA meeting discusses electoral reform, U-Passes

Vice-president university affairs says U-Pass staff were insulted by students ing to Dorimain, and as a result many of the staff chose not to go on break despite being told to do so by the SFUO.

graham robertson news editor

T

he third Board of Administration (BOA) meeting of the 2016-17 year for the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) took place on Sept. 18, with discussions ranging from the recent U-Pass distribution to electoral reform to upcoming events for the semester.

The meeting began with updates from each member of the executive. SFUO President Roméo Ahimakin said that he had recently met with the University of Ottawa’s new president Jacques Frémont, and that Frémont is looking forward to working closely with the student federation to improve campus life for students.

Ahimakin and vice-president social Hadi Wess discussed the

The pros and cons of a “none of the above” ballot option Following the executive updates and question period, several motions were presented, all pertaining to electoral reform for the SFUO executive.

The first motion was to amend the SFUO constitution so that ballots would have a “none of the above” option for contested positions.

Those in favour of the motion, such as Faculty of Science representative Nick Robinson, believed that this option was more democratic, as students who disliked all the candidates running would not have to vote for anyone.

“The whole principle of democracy is power to the people … students don’t think they’re be-

The Sept. 18 BOA meeting saw discussion on changes to the SFUO voting system, among other topics.

Photo: Graham Robertson.

Everybody Love Everybody (ELE) Fest, which will take place at the U of O and feature local artists, with proceeds going towards Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Support Programs of Ottawa.

U-Pass staff receive criticism from students Vice-president of university affairs Vanessa Dorimain received a number of questions on the recent U-Pass distributions,

specifically with regards to the wait times. She clarified that the maximum wait time for students was four hours, contrary to statements by students saying they had waited up to six hours.

Dorimain reiterated that the wait was a result of the cards having arrived late from the distributor, and because there were fewer employees at the booths.

Many of the staff were subjected to insults and harsh comments from students, accord-

ing represented,” said Robinson.

All members of the SFUO executive were against the motion, except for vice-president of communications Francesco Caruso who said that students should not have to vote for candidates whose views did not align with their own.

Ahimakin said that with the adoption of this amendment, positions on the SFUO executive could be left vacant, possibly leading to an executive comprised of two or three members.

Vice-president of finance Rizki Rachiq also highlighted that this would mean jobs would not get done, such as budgeting or UPass distribution.

In contrast, Faculty of Social Sciences representative Iris Wong said that students should not have to vote for candidates they disliked, and that a “none of the above” option would make a “clear statement” of who students want and why they are opposed to the candidates.

Caylie McKinlay, also representing the Faculty of Social Sciences, stated that if the candidate was the best for the job, students would vote for them.

Mikayla Vattiata, a Faculty of Social Sciences representative, said that the “none of the above” option would mean that students are still voting and giving their opinion.

The motion was eventually voted on and failed.

Additional motions Other motions presented during the meeting included raising the quorum for referendums from five per cent to 10 per cent, along with abolishing the 1500 signatures needed to impeach any elected official and lowering it to 100 signatures.

Both of these motions also failed.

The next BOA meeting will be held on Oct. 16 at 1 p.m. in TBT 083.

Meetings are open to the public.

Changes made to U of O alert system

Text messaging, screen alerts now part of emergency features for students Zainab Al-Mehdar Associate News Editor

While the uoAlert program has been around for several years, the University of Ottawa has recently made significant changes to it, adding new features, tools, and troubleshooting to improve speed and efficiency.

The uoAlert notification system was originally designed to alert students and staff in the event of an emergency, explaining the steps to take to remain safe.

Some of the new features in this latest update include text message notifications and Alertus screen alerts.

The Alertus feature can be downloaded directly from the Are you ready? website, which was launched in October 2012 as an educational platform for emergency procedures on campus. “(Students) can opt-in to

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This year’s Are you ready? campaign will be held from Sept. 26 to Oct. 7.

text messaging by texting AUO to 770077,” said Isabelle Mailloux-Pulkinghorn, acting manager of the U of O’s

Photo: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

Media Relations. “Emails will also be sent to all uOttawa. ca email addresses and of course the University of Ot-

tawa website will display an emergency Banner anytime uoAlert is activated.”

According to Mailloux-

Pulkinghorn, the U of O is further developing their security measures to keep students and staff safe, with changes to be seen over the next year.

“We’re currently working on several new initiatives to continue improving upon uoAlert and to enhance our response capabilities on campus. Keep an eye out for us in 2017 for some special announcements.”

In addition to these new changes to the uoAlert system, an awareness campaign is being held at the U of O to promote the Are you ready? program, as well as to encourage students to subscribe to the university’s notification system.

“No matter what system you put in place, the success of any emergency preparedness approach rests with people involved. It is up to every individual—students,

staff, faculty members—to educate themselves about the various types of incidents and ensure they know what to do.”

This year’s campaign will run from Sept. 26 to Oct. 7, however there has not been any promotion for the campaign on the U of O’s website.

M a i l lou x-P u l k i n g hor n also told the Fulcrum that the best protection in an emergency is to know what to do before the emergency happens.

“Safety and security of our student population is a key priority for the university,” she said. “With over 40,000 students and 5,000 staff on our campus, we must keep in mind that an unfortunate event can happen. As members of the (U of O) community, we all have a role to play in keeping ourselves and those around us safe.”

NEWS | 3

U of O prof starts work program for refugees

Training, job placements all part of three-phase program for refugee women Zainab Al-Mehdar Associate News Editor

Now that Syrian refugees have made Ottawa their home for close to a year, many of them, especially women, are looking to transition into the workforce.

Dr. Sawsan AbdulMajid, a part-time engineering professor and a research associate and group manager at the Photonics Technology Laboratory (PTlab) at the University of Ottawa, is doing her best to make that transition happen.

In July 2016, AbdulMajid launched the Advancing New Canadian Women in Technology (ANCWT) program as a pilot project. Despite starting just two months ago, ANCWT has already garnered some success with finding work placements for refugee women.

“The program is progressing very well,” said Abdul-Majid. “So far, three candidates have been placed in Ottawa, and the efforts are continuing to attract the attention of the employers to welcome other students, especially engineers.”

Overall, the program is separated into three phases—training, matching, and job placement.

The first phase involved interviewing the candidates on skills such as computer and business skills. Successful candidates were then trained on job readiness for four weeks at the U of O. The second phase of the project matched the candidates with companies, with these placements overseen by an ANCWT placement officer.

Finally, trainees were

either placed for three months at an Ottawabased company, or they could start their own business.

In an interview with the Fulcrum, Abdul-Majid said, “I am a big believer of the important role that women can play in developed countries, such as Canada.

Helping them to find jobs in Canada will benefit them as well as the city that they live in—in our case, Ottawa.”

Abdul-Majid believes that her program will benefit refugee women who were educated in their home countries, but had to abandon their careers once they were forced to flee.

“Once the woman refugee will be trained via my program, she will be placed for co-op for three months in an Ottawabased company, to gain first Canadian work ex-

After just two months of her refugee work program, Dr. Abdul-Majid hopes to expand it across the country.

Photo: Courtesy of Dr. Abdul-Majid.

perience. This by itself will create a new lifestyle for the woman refugee—income, a happy life, social interaction.”

According to AbdulMajid, some of the challenges facing the women applying to this program are the responsibilities of a family and a home,

and more specifically, childcare. To combat this issue, Abdul-Majid is working to secure a daycare option for women with young children.

“That is one reason for a need of grants, which will definitely help cover some of the program expenses. The pilot project

was built completely on volunteer bases,” AbdulMajid noted.

Many of these women also faced minor setbacks due to a lack of co-op placement officers, said Abdul-Majid, who hopes to employ officers who are dedicated to the women in the secondphase of the program.

“We need to promote the program in order to attract the support of the employers, where they will agree to hire the students.”

Abdul-Majid plans to expand her program across the province, and eventually across Canada.

“I believe strongly that the upcoming runs of the program will achieve better success. I would like to expand the program to include other newcomers to Ottawa, not limited only to refugees.”

U of O prof creates “street-level” science lab

Lab’s projects look beyond campus to embrace risk, creativity eric davidson opinions editor

University of Ottawa associate professor of physics Andrew Pelling does more than just teach.

Outside of his day job, he also runs the Pelling Lab at the U of O, where he grows human ears using apples.

Pelling describes the operation as a “lab dedicated to creativity,” which “really thrives on working with a lot of different communities and types of people.”

However, Pelling acknowledged that being based at a university can be an issue for the lab.

“On a campus, we get this slim cross section of our community,” he said.

“On a campus you find students and you find academics, and that’s great, but it’s limiting.”

In response to this issue, Pelling has created a company autonomous from the U of O called Phacktory. The goal of

4 | NEWS

Phacktory will be launching its first project on Oct. 1 in the Byward Market.

the new company is to create innovative projects that involve people from all over the city of Ottawa.

“It seems like the entire city has gone crazy over this idea,” Pelling said.

“We’ve just been inundated with interest and

Photo: Courtesy of Andrew Pelling.

dacious ideas, ideas that are really likely to fail, super risky, but have some sort of kernel of possibility in them,” he said.

Despite this possibility of failure, many organizations are already showing support for the project. Currently, Phacktory

demand for creating an independent, street-level lab.”

The lab itself will be curating research projects around Ottawa, which Pelling hopes will be unique—even risky.

“We’ll be really looking for people to propose au-

has partnered with the Canada Science and Technology Museum, along with the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, with more partners to be announced in the coming weeks.

Many smaller businesses have also shown interest in the project.

“People across the city from law firms to different small business have been chipping in and donating goods and services just to see this type of thing happen,” Pelling said. “I think there’s a real need for a place like this to exist.”

Pelling said the idea originated when he was discussing his recent TED talk at Impact Hub, where talked about the possibility of a “creative coworking space” in Ottawa.

From there, public interest in the project continued to grow.

To galvanize further support, the lab will launch its first project on Oct. 1.

This project, in partnership with Manuel Baez, a professor of architecture at Carleton University, will explore the mechanics of shape-shifting buildings that could adapt to the people inside them, external conditions, and other stimuli.

“We thought, okay, we don’t have the budget right now to go build one of these, but what can we do on a smaller scale to test that concept?” Pelling said.

That test, called Starling’s One, would have Pelling’s team deploy a structure—made mostly of balloons and string—in the Byward Market. The structure can be shaped and manipulated by people, and will be launched off the top of a building.

Pelling hopes that this will be the first of many innovative and risky ideas. In the meantime, he is looking for volunteers to help drive the project’s opening appearance.

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National News

UBC explores possibility of mandatory Indigenous courses

Students, department heads cite logistical issues with proposed change to curriculum Sauder School of Business—where she taught and developed a course on Aboriginal joint ventures—requesting a mandatory course in Indigenous studies. In recent weeks, Wolf has given interviews to CBC that construed her as a “one woman campaign” for mandatory Indigenous courses at UBC. “I’m not engaged in an active campaign, but I am engaged in actively developing First Nations content to integrate into the departments across Sauder,” said Wolf.

Wolf believes that Sauder students, as future business leaders, should be exposed to Indigenous issues in the curriculum and outlined the problem that many of them— particularly international students— have not even heard of these issues before.

In Wolf’s own words, her request was met with the response that “First Nations studies (were) more of an arts elective and that if one of their students was interested, they should go to (the First Nations and Indigenous Studies) department.”

However, the department foresees

Julia Burnham the ubyssey

Vancouver (NUWire)—Since its release in June 2015, universities across Canada have been exploring how to employ the recommendations found in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

Given the University of British Columbia’s relationship with the Indigenous community and the campus’s geographical overlap with unceded territory of the Musqueam and Coast Salish nations, many faculty and students have been speculating about how the university can intertwine Indigenous issues into its curriculum.

Daniel Heath Justice, chair of the First Nations and Indigenous Studies department at UBC, believes that these courses should be about more than just responding to the TRC. “We also have to do it because it’s an issue of justice and intellectual integrity,” he said. “Indigenous content belongs in the curriculum and Indigenous peoples’ voices belong as part of the work that we do at UBC—in

UBC prof Amie Wolf is supportive of Aboriginal joint ventures.

fact, they belong everywhere.”

The First Nations and Indigenous Studies department is actively investigating the different ways that they can bring Indigenous content into the classroom. Currently, the Indigenous Curriculum Working Committee is being assembled to research different initiatives.

Students on Reddit have had mixed reactions to the idea of man-

Photo: Josh Medicoff.

datory Indigenous courses, with most being concerned about logistical issues.

“In some places, it might be through mandatory courses—it might be that way here—but we haven’t started with the idea that mandatory courses are the only possibility,” said Justice.

In 2015, adjunct professor Amie Wolf wrote a letter to the dean of the

its own issues pertaining to capacity, should UBC decide to instigate mandatory Indigenous courses.

“I think the bigger question is if we were to have such a course, how would we staff it?” said Linc Kesler, director of the First Nations House of Learning. “We have very knowledgeable faculty members on campus but there’s not a huge number, and they are all people who have research careers and want to be teaching advanced curriculum. They’re not really people that can be taking on the burden of teaching 9,000 students a year.”

Kesler also cites the forthcoming Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre as a location that will provide public information on Indigenous issues and could be an alternative to mandatory courses.

“Our mandate isn’t to actually decide on mandatory courses—it’s to decide what the best way of engaging the Indigenous curriculum would be,” said Justice.

Teaching assistant union negotiates new pay grades with Concordia

TAs now have simplified pay system, members to receive retroactive payment Jonathan Caragay-Cook & Miriam Lafontaine the link

Montreal (NUWire)— Since the fall of 2014, the union representing Teaching and Research Assistants at Concordia (TRAC) has been complaining about wage disparity amongst its members.

After two years of negotiation—which included internal union drama, alleged pay-cut offers, negotiation walk-outs, and a demonstration outside the university president’s office—TRAC executives announced that Concordia agreed to increased, more uniformed pay grades at a Sept. 14 general assembly.

The union finally came to an agreement with the administration to remove the disparity between the pay of teaching assistants (TAs), regardless of their level of study or faculty. The agreement, made in June, also

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includes a retroactive payment for TRAC members from the past academic year.

After a secret ballot count during the Sept. 14 assembly, members voted in favour of the agreement, according to a post on TRAC’s Facebook page.

“You need to make sure it’s implemented well and fairly,” said TRAC president Nader Jafari Nodoushan about the agreement. “It’s a great victory but our members need to make sure to keep track that their hours are not affected.”

Only TAs are affected by the new agreement. Research assistants (RAs) have a different payment system, which won’t be up for negotiation until May 1, 2017, according to Jerome Messier, one of the main negotiators for TRAC. Now, there are only two different classifications: TAs and markers. A marker only grades assignments and ex-

Photo: Courtesy of the Link.

ams while a TA does “anything other than marking.”

The new agreement says that TAs will make $24.93 per hour while markers will make $20.21, regardless of faculty or level of education.

Previously, pay-rates differed by one’s level of study,

job title, and faculty. For example, a tutorial leader in the Engineering Faculty was paid $24.68 per hour while a laboratory demonstrator received $18.53 per hour.

And in the other faculties—Arts and Science, John

Molson School of Business, and Fine Arts—a tutorial leader and laboratory demonstrator made $24.68 per hour. Within these faculties, more wage disparity occurred as positions became differentiated between “grade one” and “grade two.”

And for grade two tutorial leaders or laboratory demonstrators, their pay further differed by level of education—PHD, master’s, or undergraduate.

On top of the changes in pay grades, all TAs and RAs will receive one per cent of their earnings from May 1, 2015 to April 30, 2016 as compensation for the year of disparity and negotiations.

“We were asking more at the beginning but it was hard to go higher than that,” Messier said about the retroactive payment. “It’s not fair because it’s not at the living wage costs.”

He added that they were asking the university for approximately 2.5 per cent of earnings as compensation for last year.

A spokesperson from the university could not be reached by the time of publication.

NATIONAL NEWS | 5

A&C EDITOR Anchal Sharma arts@thefulcrum.ca

ARTS&CULTURE

(613) 695-0062 @imtherocks

Music lovers weather the rain for CityFolk

Basia Bulat, Vance Joy, and Marlon Williams dazzle crowd at Lansdowne Park Madison McSweeney Staff Contributor

S

poradic rainstorms weren’t enough to dissuade Ottawa music fans from flocking to CityFolk on Saturday, Sept 17.

The festival, which ran Sept. 15–18 at Lansdowne Park, showcased a diverse line-up ranging from traditional folk to hip-hop and rock.

Saturday’s itinerary consisted of 17 acts on three different stages, including Canada’s own Fred Penner, Basia Bulat, and The New Pornographers, along with up-and-coming international artists like Marlon Williams and Vance Joy. By the time The New Pornographers took the stage at 6 p.m., the crowd was wellprepared for the weather, huddled under umbrellas and ponchos as they bobbed along to power-pop favourites like “Brill Bruisers” and “Mass Romantics.”

The festival featured local talent as well as international acts.

The audience’s dedication did not go unnoticed.

“I would never stick around for any band in the rain,” said lead singer Carl Newman. “I’m kind of a fair-weather person.”

With equipment and keyboards draped in ethereallooking tarps, the evening must have been an audio tech-

nician’s nightmare. Luckily, the songs were so infectious that the inclement weather was all-but forgotten.

After a half-hour break, Toronto folk singer Basia Bulat took the stage with the intention of throwing “a dance party.” Switching between guitar and piano, Bulat showcased

Photo Marta Kierkus.

her musicianship and diverse vocal stylings with a set that included indie-pop, piano ballads, and an out-of-left-field jazz cover.

Although similar in format to Bluesfest, CityFolk brought a much more easygoing vibe to the Capital. The decently sized crowd swelled throughout the

evening, but the grounds were never packed, making it easy to score spots near the stage.

The park was lined with food trucks offering everything from Thai food to shawarma poutine. Additionally, festival-goers fleeing the rain could retreat into the Aberdeen Pavilion, which housed the indoor BMO Stage as well as dozens of booths from local businesses and craft breweries.

The downpour resumed towards the end of Bulat’s set, driving people indoors and creating a huge crowd at the BMO Stage for folk singer Marlon Williams and his band.

Starting softly and gradually increasing in intensity, Williams played an eclectic set that mixed original alt-folk with traditional country and folk music from Canada, the U.S., and his native New Zealand. The crowd was hooked, and by the time the rain stopped much of the audience opted to skip the headliner and

stick around.

Closing with a handful of killer bluegrass songs and cover of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “Portrait of a Man”, Williams left the stage to a standing ovation. After several minutes of applause and calls for an encore, the band returned for one final song.

It may have been the first genuinely spontaneous, crowd-demanded encore I have ever seen.

The storm let up in time for the evening’s headliner, upand-coming folk-pop superstar Vance Joy. Fresh off the success of his single “Riptide,” Joy drew the biggest crowd of the night.

The Saturday line-up struck a balance between catering to existing tastes and showcasing emerging artists that brought audiences out of their comfort zones. For CityFolk audiences, the thrill of seeing a great live act, whether it’s an old favourite or a new discovery, was worth a rainy evening out.

U of O ladies turn heads at SlutWalk with empowering message

Movement seeks dialogue on issues that perpetuate rape culture, sexual assault Navjot Waraich

fulcrum contributor On Sept. 18, a crowd of around 200 women took to Bank Street, defiantly reclaiming their right to express themselves without fear of retribution. Donning fishnet stockings, crop tops, bikinis, and some going topless, SlutWalk 2016 heralded a strong political message.

The opening ceremonies were filled with speeches and supportive remarks, complemented with giveaways of swag like pins, posters, safe sex supplies, and consent colouring pages.

The march was organized

by Kate Forman, who became a victim of sexual assault when they were seven years old.

“We are here to be together,” said Forman, underscoring the real driving force behind this

6 | ARTS & CULTURE

gathering. “I am not ashamed of my identity.”

Leila Moumouni-Tchouassi, a student of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Ottawa, has been a part of Ottawa’s chapter of the SlutWalk from the start and chose to participate as a guest speaker for this year’s festivities.

Moumouni-Tchouassi believes that women deserve the freedom to live their lives in the way they please. “To portray oneself is the basic right of every woman,” she said.

She also addressed how this is a problem more prevalent to the student community.

“I think it affects students in that we have a very big rape culture on our campus and it’s not something that’s been properly addressed.”

Moumouni-Tchouassi went on to say that in Canada issues like racism, sexism and rape

culture easily get silenced by the fact that we live in a country that offers a very safe environment compared to many others.

“I think that very often, a lot of the issues that our society faces, in Ottawa we don’t speak about these problems. (They’re) silenced by the fact that we’re in Canada … and to allow yourself to buy into that is allowing people to find better ways to creatively oppress people.”

Moumouni-Tchouassi explains that this can be a dangerous mindset, as it leads to the suppression of rape victims.

“There are people being oppressed everyday in Canada, whether people want to speak on it or not. These things are really important (as is) making sure that we continue to have a conversation about how to empower women and that people feel safe in this city.”

Women took to the streets with signs of protest.

The roots of SlutWalk can be traced back to January 2011 when Toronto police Const. Michael Sanguinetti held women accountable as victims of sexual assault by saying, “women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized.”

His comment gave rise to a

Photo: Allegra Morgado.

series of marches, starting in Toronto, where women dressed in clothing that society deemed “slutty” in an act of defiance against these sexist remarks.

This resulted in a rise of similar gatherings across various cities in the effort to raise awareness around the prevalent rape cul-

ture and sexual violence that exists in Canada. Subsequent rallies have been held across the globe, from London, England to Rio, Brazil.

Yamikani Msosa, a public education coordinator and support worker for the U of O’s Student Academic Success Service, said the Ottawa SlutWalk is not only a march for women standing in solidarity for their rights, but it is also a movement challenging the misconceptions regarding rape culture.

“The number one myth that we have is a person, what they wear, is what leads them to be sexually assaulted,” said Msosa.

At the end of the day, SlutWalks, like the one held on Sept. 18, serve as a platform that helps women find different and creative ways to express themselves and spark dialogue about issues pertaining to sexual assault.

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Pro gamer makes guest appearance at Morisset Media Centre

Stephanie Harvey talks games, careers, and bullying kyle bentley

Fulcrum Contributor On Sept. 15, professional gamer Stephanie Harvey sat down with some University of Ottawa students at Morisset’s Media Centre to talk game development, professional gaming, and bullying in the video game community.

Harvey is a five-time world champion of Counter Strike: Global Offensive and a game designer at Ubisoft Montreal. Having worked with the team that created the most recent entries in the The Prince of Persia and Far Cry series, she is in the unique position of being able to provide insight from within the games industry and the gaming community at large.

Driven by online harassment and bullying, she also co-founded Missclicks, an advocacy group lobbying for openness and acceptance within the gaming commu-

nity, specifically the acceptance of women, who are underrepresented in games development, gaming communities, and the medium in general.

With that in mind, the group seeks to provide a community of like-minded gamers a place to support one another, a platform for women in gaming to receive more exposure, and representation of positive female role models in the games community.

The talk began with Harvey offering students her experience with game design, careers in the video game industry, and how to work toward a career in games design.

To her, the key is learning the systems and processes at work inside of video games.

“Play games, and think about the features and how it’s designed. The more you do it, even if it’s for fun and just for you, will give you experience.”

The talk also consisted of her experience as a professional gamer. As an active member of Counter Logic Gaming’s Counter Strike team, she offered some advice to students interested in pursuing competitive gaming.

“There are easy steps you can take towards becoming a pro gamer—playing with your community, college, and local events,” she shared, noting that starting small and developing skill is important in the pursuit of a competitive career.

Harvey also took the time to address the ongoing issue of online harassment in the video game community, particularly towards women. In an age where everything is online, she said harassment in the online world is just as impactful as in real life.

She suggests that changing the negative attitude starts with individual players, and advises gamers to “start making a change with

Stephanie Harvey co-founded an advocacy group for women in the gaming community.

yourself, which will make a change with your friends, and a change with their friends.” “(Players have to) be aware of the problem, not just tell people to shutdown their computer.”

For Harvey, this is an essential step for the gaming community. However, she believes in uplifting geeks of all walks of life.

“Focus on your passion and continue working hard.

I really believe in the motto

Photo: Glynis Ellens.

that ‘you can do anything in life.’” she shared. “If it’s humanly possible, you can do it.”

To learn more about the work Harvey does as the cofounder of Missclicks, you can visit their website.

Enriched Bread Artists set to display home grown talent U of O alumna opens up about 24th Annual Open Studio exhibit Liya Huang

fulcrum contributor Are you an art lover who’s always on the lookout for an event where you can just stare at pretty things and be contemplative? Well, look no further than the Enriched Bread Artists’ (EBA) 24th Annual Open Studio on Thursday, Sept. 22.

Started by a handful of fine arts graduates from the University of Ottawa in 1991, this artist co-op has since taken over the local art scene for decades now, being the largest art studio in Ottawa and attracting crowds of 2,500+ during their weekend galleries.

All together, EBA houses 22 artists, many of which are U of O alumni. These talented artists have their paintings, sculptures, studios, photography, digital media, and drawings all on display at an old bread factory on Preston Street.

I had the pleasure of being able to roam around this charming art factory and I was nothing short of enamoured. With rustic floors, crisp white plaster walls, and specks of gold light mixed in with the different art pieces on display, the building radiates charm and a cheerful feeling.

Juliana Mcdonald, an artist with EBA and a U of O alumna, gave me a tour of the studio and answered some questions.

Her work conveys powerful messages through provocative oil-on-canvas paintings, centring around natural beauty found in and around Ottawa.

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The Fulcrum: How long have you been apart of the EBA? Juliana: I’ve been a part of the Enriched Bread Artists since 2000, after I graduated from (the U of O) with my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

What inspires your work? What themes and messages do you work with the most?

I love nature and try to spend as much of my time being in nature as I can. I draw a lot of my inspiration from it. I’m very concerned with what’s happening to our planet and our resources. We’ve been taking so much and have not been thinking about the consequences. We know we have to stop but we aren’t going to because of our deep-rooted greed.

Do you think obtaining your bachelor of fine arts at the University of Ottawa has helped you become a better artist?

Absolutely. It opened up my eyes to possibilities I have never considered before. It made me take risks.

There were things that I didn’t want to do but, of course, it turned out great and now I incorporate all those skills into my artwork. There’s a lot to know when it comes to creating art, the university does a very good job at teaching artists that.

What does the Enriched Bread Artists mean to you?

This is my place, my private space.

There’s always something happening here. I can come here, close the door and be enveloped in my own creative energy. But I can also open the door and talk to other artists, share new ideas, techniques, expertise and give each other support.

Can current U of O students use the EBA as a resource?

If students want to talk to a professional artist about process, balancing time making art with other commitments in life, approaching galleries, writing proposals, selling one’s own work, there are many EBA artists who can help students in answering those questions.

A sample of the artwork on display at the 24th Annual EBA Open Studio.

The gallery opens with various events starting on Sept. 22 and features local artists. It is free to attend and, if that’s not incentive enough to support U of O artists, beer and snacks will also be provided.

For more information detailing the gallery’s schedule, you can visit their website.

Photo: Liya Huang.

ARTS & CULTURE | 7

Getting inked in the nation’s capital Has the government city of Ottawa finally embraced the tattoo culture that has become mainstream?

Emily Cecchetti Fulcrum Contributor

From teenagers to adults, the phenomenon of tattooing has spread rapidly in popularity to people from all walks of life.

housie Street, has been a tattoo artist for almost two decades, and has seen the industry change a lot since she started in the 90s.

In fact, according to a 2014 poll from NBC News and the Wall Street Journal, 40 per cent of households have someone with at least one tattoo living in them, a number that has doubled since 1999.

McGuire got started in the industry by working with her husband, who switched from a career in engineering to tattooing. Her love of drawing and painting helped her draw tattoo stencils for her husband to use.

But where did this practice come from?

Some date the first recorded tattoo back to ancient Europe, with a 5,200 year old tattooed iceman being discovered on the Italian-Australian border in 1991.

But in terms of North American history, First Nations people in Canada used tattoos to represent various aspects of their life. These ranged from representations of spiritual beliefs to tribal symbols.

Following the settlement of the Europeans and the rise of the popularity of tattoos across the world in the 1800s, the art form became more common among travelers and military men.

Fast forward almost 200 years later, and the art of tattooing is still evolving and growing in popularity here in Canada. The nation’s Capital has witnessed the many changes that have accompanied the art form first-hand. But what exactly does Ottawa’s tattoo scene look like today, and how does it reflect evolving attitudes towards body art?

The industry

Kathy McGuire, the owner of Living Colour Tattoo Studio on 412 Dal-

After working for six years in the front of tattoo shops and designing tattoos, McGuire did a two-year apprenticeship under her husband.

When McGuire and her husband started out, the pair were tattooing out of their apartment before taking over a shop on Gladstone and Kent.

McGuire explained that in those days, the process was pretty primitive. People would come in for a tattoo and pick a pre-drawn stencil.

Customized work was practically non-existent, which dramatically contrasts the tattoos being done today.

“Before, people would come in and choose a drawing off the wall,” said McGuire. “Now people come in and want customized tattoos, which is a lot more work for the artists because of the time it takes to ... research the art and the styles the customer wants.”

McGuire’s work, for example, centers on realism, which allows her to create a realistic replication of a photo on someone’s skin.

In this sense, tattoo artists today have to invest more time inside and outside of work in order to research the art, learn the style, find refer-

ences, and meet expectations. Tattoo artists, while they all have their own specialties, are also tasked with learning new styles and techniques to be able to create that ideal design that their clients are looking for .

When McGuire and her husband first started tattooing in the 90s, business boomed during the summer months, since people didn’t have to cover up to protect themselves against the frigid Ottawa winters.

However, it was significantly less busy during the remaining months of the year.

That was before the television show Miami Ink premiered in 2005.

Following the release of the TLC reality show, McGuire and her husband noticed a strong increase in business.

McGuire believes it has something to do with the fact that the show was finally able to demonstrate how much could be done with tattoos and tap into the vast possibilities people had at their disposal when trying to decide on a design or concept.

“After the show came out, it never stopped. We weren’t only busy in the summer, we were busy all the time.”

As the art form continued to grow, tattoo technology continued to update as well.

“The original machines used were based off of 1800s technology,” said McGuire.

As technology advanced, coil machines were invented and have become the machine of choice for many artists.

Rotary machines are quieter and operate using a small motor that moves the needle up and down. Alternately, coil machines use electromagnetic currents that pass through a set of coils to activate an armature bar, which then taps the needle.

Outside of technology and technique, the demographics of the tattoo industry have evolved as well.

Traditionally, tattooing was a male-dominated profession and McGuire noted that there was definitely a boys’ club mentality surrounding the industry when she started out.

“During the 1970s and 80s there were very few female tattoo artists. As the mentality changed more women have started to tattoo. Here in my shop I have four female artists, one female apprentice, and three male artists.”

Working professionals like McGuire have contributed to the tattoo industry, reinforcing society’s movement towards gender equality in the workplace.

The tattooed workforce

University students may be more interested in getting a tattoo since they are generally more accepting of the practice to begin with.

This is true at the University of Ottawa campus as well, since psychology professor Elizabeth Kristjansson has noticed that tattoos are becoming more and more common among her students.

However, since she started teaching at the U of O in 2003, Kristjansson believes that the same can’t be said for her co-workers. She attributes this reluctance to the widespread lack of acceptance toward tattoos in a professional setting.

“Tattoos have become more accepted in some regards, but generally I think tattoos are not accepted, really, in many fields.”

In fact, according to a recent study from the Illinoisbased skincare boutique Skinfo, 42 per cent of the people surveyed feel that visible tattoos are inappropriate for the workplace. To make matters worse, the study found that 37 per cent of hiring managers cite tattoos as being the third most likely physical attribute that limits career potential.

This may be disheartening to hear, especially for students who want to commit to body art and keep their future job prospects open at the same time.

Traditionally, Ottawa has been more conservative in terms of prevailing attitudes towards tattooing, and the small-town feel has made for slower progress in popularity, styles, and trends, according to McGuire.

For example, McGuire said that cities such as Montreal and Toronto saw a much earlier increase in full sleeve tattoo pieces than Ottawa did. McGuire mentioned that it now seems to be at a point in Ottawa where the reception towards tattoos is improving and the techniques and styles are more rapidly reflecting other cities.

Igraine Da Silva, a third-year political science student at the U of O, has seen a difference in the Ottawa tattoo scene compared to what’s happening in her hometown of Mississauga.

“The amount of tattoo shops downtown outnumber the number of shops I’ve seen in Mississauga,” said Da Silva. “I think people get tattooed here because of the number of options available, the excitement of seeing your friend with a tattoo, and the interest in wanting permanent body art. Tattoos are also all over social media, so that offers a lot of inspiration.”

In her second year, Da Silva got her own tattoo, a homage to her favourite book Le Petit Prince.

“I always liked tattoos from a young age—I loved that art could be on someone’s body. I wanted to find something that inspired me so I could turn it into a work of art.”

So far, Da Silva has not faced any difficulty finding employment with her tattoo and said that all of her previous places of employment had no rules against the visibility of tattoos. However, she hopes to be a lawyer one day, and worries that if she decides to get work done on a more visible parts of her body she may face difficulty in finding employment.

“I got the tattoo on my ribs because I wanted it to be hidden. I’m waiting until I figure out exactly what I want to do with my career before I get more visible ones, due to the fact that there are some fields of work that are more hesitant in accepting visible tattoos.”

Letting the ink dry

Regardless of what you’re looking for in terms of tattoos, rest assured that the nation’s capital is full of many talented artists that can turn your body into a living piece of art.

While reflecting on this, Kristjansson stressed that “Tattoos, much like any other aspect of someone’s appearance, should never be a reason to discriminate against someone in the workplace.”

While some employers may continue to be a little hesitant when it comes to accepting body ink in the workplace, Da Silva believes that “the younger generation seems to be fuelling the movement of tattoos and their acceptability in the work environment.”

While tattoos seem to be a preference among the younger generations, there is an increasing number of adults getting inked as well. McGuire’s shop sees a range in clientele, including students, teachers, mothers, fathers, and occasionally lawyers and dentists.

The question of how opinions will change regarding tattoos in a professional setting remains to be seen.

But as the conversation continues, tattoos will continue to challenge what is acceptable in professional environments.

“There is still a stigma and negative connotation around tattoos and the type of people that get them.

But as more and more people get tattoos, that’s changing,” said McGuire.

With Ottawa-based artists like McGuire at the helm, the tattoo industry is continuously evolving, and it is definitely an interesting time in the history of tattoos.

Photos: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

SPORTS

SPORTS EDITOR Spencer Murdock sports@thefulcrum.ca

@SpencerMurdock @FulcrumSports

Gee-Gees down Gryphons in double OT thriller Rain-soaked battle pushes team to 3-0 for the first time in six years

3-0 start to the season since 2010, one that ended in a Yates Cup loss. The defence and offence both seem to be clicking at the right time, leading the Gees to the top of the standings.

“In order for us to take the step forward, we had to play in a game like this,” said Gee-Gees head coach Jamie Barresi.

“We had to understand what it’s like to be in a heavyweight fight, get knocked down and come back and I’m proud of the way they did that.”

There was clear elation among players after the game, since it seems four years of rebuilding is finally paying dividends.

“I can’t even explain it right now. We haven’t been 3-0 since I’ve been here and this is my fifth-year, so that really says something,” said Wendel.

What this record will mean down the road is still unclear, but their roaring start is a great sign.

The team will travel to Windsor to take on the 1-2 Windsor Lancers on Sept. 24 at 1 p.m. The game will stream at OUA.tv. The following weekend is the annual Panda Game against Carleton at TD Place.

Spencer Murdock Sports Editor

D

espite the pouring rain, the Gee-Gees football team dug in their heels and ground out their toughest and most telling win of 2016.

The 31-28 victory in double overtime speaks to the quality of this year’s Garnet and Grey.

The Gee-Gees came into their second home game of the season with a fresh eighth-ranking in the nation. Meanwhile, the opposing Guelph Gryphons had just slipped out of the Top 10, despite still being a strong team coming off of a Yates Cup championship last year.

The game was a back-and-forth affair throughout. Guelph ramped up an early lead, only to be overtaken by the GeeGees for the majority of the final half.

With minutes remaining, Guelph scored a go-ahead touchdown, leaving the Gee-Gees in fight-or-flight mode with only seconds left on the clock.

Gees kicker Lewis Ward lined up and powered through a 51-yard field goal to tie the game at 22-22 and send it to overtime. The kick was the longest of the

Linebacker Khadim Mbaye anchors the highly improved Gee-Gees defence.

fourth-year’s career in garnet and grey.

“Once I hit it, I knew,” said Ward. “It’s kinda like a golf swing; when you hit that perfect shot it just goes and you know what you’re going to get.”

In the first overtime, Ward kicked another field goal to put the Gees on top. When the Gee-Gees defence took the field, fifth-year defensive lineman Sam Randazzo took over. Randazzo registered every tackle for the Gee-Gees

Photo: Remi Yuan.

in overtime, including a drive stopping sack that set Guelph back nine yards.

“Each play fed off of the next for me,” said Randazzo. “After that first play happened, it literally felt like an avalanche, just energy on energy.”

Guelph’s kicker countered stellar defence by the Gee-Gees twice in overtime, one to tie the first overtime, and one to open the second.

Quarterback Derek Wendel pump

faked and floated the ball to a wide open Trevor Kennedy on his way into the endzone for the walkoff Gee-Gees win.

“I think it says our team is willing to grind,” said Wendel. “In a game where it rains the whole four quarters and it’s not pleasant to play in, we worked hard and came up with play calls that would work on their defence and our defence really stood their ground.”

The win gives the Gee-Gees their first

U of O alum, Paralympic rower brings home the bronze in Rio

Andrew Todd adapts to injuries, represents Canada at Paralympic summer games savannah awde editor-in-chief

While no all-star athlete can claim they had an easy road to competing among the elite, this is especially true for U of O alumnus and Paralympic bronze medalist rower Andrew Todd.

In 2013, while working towards his goal of competing on the Canadian lightweight men’s world championship rowing team, he faced a major setback after being hit by a school bus while cycling.

In an interview with the Fulcrum Todd explained that his injury was extremely tough, both mentally and physically.

“Among other injuries, I had multiple skin abrasions that required skin grafting. I

10 | SPORTS

shattered my pelvis in multiple locations. Half of my knee was destroyed and I required a bone donor to repair it, so I was on a transplant list to get that for quite some time.”

Todd also noted that he sustained nerve damage in his lower right leg, and part of his right calf muscle was surgically relocated across the knee joint, leaving his ankle function weak.

However, misfortune didn’t shatter Todd’s ambitions for too long. After undergoing an eight-month recovery period and more than 10 operations, he still made his passion for rowing a priority—something that shows in his performance at the summer games.

With this bronze medal finish in the LTA mixed coxed 4

in Rio—alongside teammates Victoria Nolan, Curtis Halladay, Meghan Montgomery, and Kristen Kit—Todd has brought home Canada’s first medal in rowing since the event was introduced to the Paralympic Games in 2008.

Todd said being successful in his sport against adversity wasn’t a matter of overcoming his injury. Instead, it was all about making adaptations to his training and lifestyle. The boats used during the team’s bronze-medal run were also adapted to suit Todd’s needs.

“I have some modifications in the boat as well as on the rowing machine and in the gym … a shim on one of my shoes and in the boat to account for my lack of range of motion in my right ankle and

Todd pushed through major lower-body injuries to make an appearance at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio. Graphic: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

leg length discrepancy,” Todd explained.

Although it was difficult to mentally re-adjust his aim for the Paralympic games, and part with his original Olympic ambitions, Todd maintains that his experience in Rio

wasn’t one he will soon forget.

“It was an amazing opportunity to just be here, given that when I had my accident in 2013 I wouldn’t have initially dreamed that I’d make it here,” said Todd. “It is truly special to be a part of something that is

bigger than any one sport, and to be able to represent your country alongside other athletes.”

For students who have never even picked up an oar, but still face day-to-day challenges, Todd says his coach gave him important advice that he’s taken with him beyond his rowing endeavours: “You rarely will produce a result in a race that you haven’t already produced in practice.”

“If you don’t make every effort to do your best every day in practice or in life, you won’t know where your true limits actually are, and what you are truly capable of,” said Todd. “I believe this is an acquired and a practiced skill, and things rarely if ever happen by accident.”

thefulcrum.ca

Gee-Gees men’s hockey impresses in home exhibition debut

Team sets tone for season with solid win over OUA champs at Minto zach goobie

fulcrum contributor On Sept. 18, the Gee-Gees men’s hockey team hit the ice at home in the Minto Sports Complex for the first time in over two years.

The mark of a rebuilt team with plenty to look forward to, the Gees rebounded from a close overtime loss to McGill with a 4-3 win in their home debut.

Coming into the game, defenceman Mike Poirier said that the Gee-Gees envision themselves as “a hardworking team that wants to prove that they can play in this league.”

The team did just that when they took on Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), a team that won the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championship Queen’s Cup last year. The Gees were led by former NHL draft pick goaltender Anthony Brodeur, who got the start against the UQTR Patriotes.

The Gee-Gees got off to a shaky start as UQTR scored 18 seconds into the game on a

There’s plenty of optimism within the rebooted Gee-Gees team.

two-on-one breakaway.

Ottawa had multiple opportunities throughout the first period to even the score, but they were unable to capitalize as the Patriotes weathered the storm.

The Gees had a four-onthree power play chance pass by as they were unable to get

any good scoring chances and looked disoriented at times.

Brodeur made a few key stops in the first frame to keep his team in the game, bouncing back from letting in the first shot of the game.

Centre Mathieu Newcomb opened the scoring for the Gees, sneaking a well-placed

Photo: Remi Yuan.

shot inside the post on the glove side.

Following the game-tying goal, the Patriotes countered with a burst of energy, which put the Gee-Gees on their heels. Brodeur came up big again as he made a great stop off of a UQTR slap shot from the point.

FulcFit food series A toast to avocados There are only so many bowls of Cocoa Puffs that you can eat before you start to feel that sugar crash. Instead, try avocados, and start eating like a real adult. Despite what you might have heard, avocados are no food fad. Rich in protein, healthy fat, vitamins, and low on calories, there’s a reason why everyone still loves a good ol’ “avocado on toast” breakfast. The best part is that it’s easy to modify, so it never gets boring. Plus, it’s quick and easy to whip up in the morning so you won’t be late for that 8:30 a.m. class. And for those on the run, this tried and tested student recipe makes for a light breakfast that won’t have you feeling sluggish by lunch time.

Anchal Sharma Arts & Culture Editor

The big save sparked the young squad as veteran defenceman Gabriel Vermette, the only returning player from the 2013-14 year, scored from the point to give the Gees their first lead of the game.

At 36 seconds into the third period, the Patriotes squeaked a goal in from the corner. Defenceman Anthony Beaulieu responded immediately for the Gee-Gees after a scramble in front of the net to give his team the lead back.

The pace of game picked up midway through the third as the Patriotes started to press the Gees harder. The Gee-Gees countered with a crash to the net, leading to right winger Antoine Pouliot firing home a rebound to give the team a 4-2 lead with seven minutes remaining.

UQTR scored after pulling their goalie in the waning seconds of the game. However, this goal would be as close as they would get as the GeeGees officially picked up their first win at home in two years.

Despite it only being an

exhibition matchup, the win speaks volumes to the quality of team the Gee-Gees can expect to be this year. It’s no small feat to come out and defeat the OUA champion in only their second preseason game.

For the players, the prospect of excelling in fast-approaching regular season is enticing, but they have to remain levelheaded in their preparations.

“We hope to take it game by game,” said Poirier. “(The goal is) to bring intensity every game and hopefully the results will follow suit. We want to bring a good presence on the ice.”

With results like the win over UQTR, it’s clear that the team has potential to exceed expectations in the program reboot.

The Gee-Gees’ next home exhibition matches will be with the OUA west division’s Windsor Lancers and the AHL’s Binghamton Senators on Sept.

23 and 30 at 7 and 7:30 p.m., respectively, at the Minto Sports Complex.

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

Ingredients: • • • • • • • •

1 ripe avocado, halved and pitted 1 slice of multigrain bread ½ teaspoon of salt 1 teaspoon of black pepper 1 teaspoon of lemon juice Sriracha sauce 2 slices of tomato 1 egg

• 1 teaspoon of olive oil Directions: Step 1: Scoop the avocado into a bowl and mash it into a spread. Mix in the lemon juice and salt.

Step 2: Heat the olive oil on low in a medium sized pan. Crack the egg into the pan and fry it to your preference.

Step 3: Toast the bread to your liking.

Step 4: Spread the avocado mixture onto the toast, and top it with the tomato silces and eggs. Season with pepper and a drizzle of sriracha sauce.

Note: if you have an extra minute to spare, add a sprinkle of shredded cheddar

cheese on top of the egg and let it melt before taking that glorious first bite.

Photo: CC, Premshree Pillai.

thefulcrum.ca

Sports | 11

OPINIONS

OPINIONS EDITOR Eric Davidson

opinions@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0062 @eric_davidson93

Now is the time to lower the voting age to 16

Canada should follow suit in abandoning arbitrary age restrictions Nicholas Robinson Staff Contributor

E

dmonton City Council recently voted to push the Alberta government to consider lowering the voting age to 16.

As the Canadian government reforms our electoral system, it would be a good time for all our governments, federal and provincial, to lower the voting age, especially since the Liberals’ biennial convention earlier this year approved such a policy.

Consider what happened in Scotland a couple years ago. In the 2014 independence referendum, the voting age was lowered to 16.

In that referendum, not only did 16- and 17-year-olds vote, they did so in great numbers

and were among the most engaged demographics. The voting age has since been permanently reduced to 16.

In this year’s Scottish general elections, not only was voter turnout the highest it had been since the first election in 1999, but the elections went along just like any other. There are also other countries where the voting age is 16, including Argentina and Austria, whose democracies haven’t collapsed recently.

Fundamentally, the biggest fallacy in this whole debate is the idea that the voting age should be determined by the age at which some individuals in the population have the mental capability to understand the issues at hand, and the capability to form a reasonably independent judgement of those is-

sues.

If you restrict the vote to only individuals meeting those criteria, then you’d also have to use some sort of test, like an IQ test, which risks disproportionately affecting people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Not to mention that there are plenty of other adults who can’t really be called mature—think, for instance, of a certain orange-faced wannabe demagogue down south.

The thing is, the Ontario government already recognises that 16-year-olds can understand the issues and can form independent judgments on them. After all, civics class is taught in grade 10, not in grade 12, for a reason.

You can also get your first driver’s license at 16, work

Edmonton City Council voted to press the province of Alberta to lower its voting age.

Photo: CC Avsar Aras, Jim Holmes. Edits: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

full-time, get married, tried as an adult in court, and at 17 you can enlist in the Cana-

dian Armed Forces.

There are other arguments for lowering the voting age.

Voting is a learned habit— the more you vote, the more likely you are going to continue voting. The sooner that people start voting, the better the chance that they will be regular voters throughout their lives.

Some of the big issues in politics today are also issues that are going to end up affecting today’s youth the most—such as climate change, ever-increasing government debt, and the demographic crisis brought on by aging baby boomers.

In today’s rapidly evolving society, it is more important than ever to have democratic institutions that can keep up with change. For that to happen, more youth need to be given access to a fundamental democratic right—the right to vote.

U of O should institute a mandatory Indigenous history course

New curriculum would expose students to new viewpoints, create vital dialogue eric davidson opinions editor

This year, two Canadian universities, Lakehead University and the University of Winnipeg, are introducing mandatory courses on Indigenous history, culture, and experience for all of their students—and the University of Ottawa should follow suit.

There are already signs around campus that the university wants to increase awareness and dialogue about Indigenous issues. For example, the Faculty of Law is hosting a number of events this year that highlight issues faced by Indigenous people in Canada. Sarah Morales, one of the organizers, said she hopes that making law students aware of these issues would have an impact on the way they practiced law in the future.

The Student Federation of the University of Ottawa

12 | OPINIONS

The University of Winnipeg has a mandatory Indigenous history course.

is getting in on the action as well, as they hosted a minipowwow with Inuit and Métis cultural demonstrations during 101 week.

Is a full course too much, especially when students aren’t currently forced to take general Canadian history courses? Well, the fact is that by the time Canadian students get to uni-

Photo: Krazy Tea.

versity, they have already taken Canadian history throughout high school— content which, at the secondary level, often places inconsistent emphasis on Aboriginal issues.

Besides, by fostering understanding and dialogue, Indigenous history classes have the capacity to provide an important social

benefit.

Now, the initial conditions are different here than the other two universities. Ottawa does not have to contend with a colourful history of racism towards Indigenous people, unlike Winnipeg or Thunder Bay. However, racism isn’t contained to a few cities, and people come to the U of O from all over the country, so limiting the scope of the issue to Ottawa alone doesn’t paint the full picture.

Besides, the fact that the university is based in Ottawa creates a different kind of incentive. Ottawa is the capital of Canada, and many graduates will go on to have careers in politics and the public service. And we certainly want the future of our government to be conscientious of Indigenous issues, as it defines our nation’s character going forward. Not to mention the fact that the U of

O is on unceded Aboriginal territory.

Members of some disciplines may not feel that this situation applies to them. What about sciences, engineering, or business, for example? Science and engineering are parts of the issue as well. Just look at the current debates between Indigenous communities and the government over pipelines.

Business students will be providing goods and services to, not to mention hiring, people all across the country. With more information, they’re less likely to exercise discriminatory hiring practices, and more likely to develop an understanding of respectfully doing business with their homegrown cultural neighbours.

And no matter what major you take, chances are students will interact with people from Indigenous communities, and insight

into their history can only make for better dialogue.

Besides, there doesn’t have to be a single onesize-fits-all model for these classes. There can be multiple options available for students. For example, at the University of Winnipeg students are offered a variety of around 100 different courses.

But why should this responsibility fall on universities at all? Well, university is the perfect time for students to learn new things and new perspectives, since post-secondary education caters to that developmental sweet spot where people are receptive to new ideas right before they go out to start their careers.

Instituting mandatory Indigenous history classes would help ensure students are prepared to make equitable decisions as they start the next chapter of their lives.

thefulcrum.ca

Structural changes needed in SFUO clubs management

Student fed requires more staff, consultations to improve current situation Eric Davidson Opinions Editor

The University of Ottawa’s clubs week, where campus clubs set up booths in hopes of attracting new recruits, officially wrapped up on Friday, Sept. 16.

While it was a fun and informative week, it’s still hard to forget that things will be a little different for campus clubs this year, since the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) announced they will not be able to provide their normal level of funding.

The SFUO’s vice-president equity Morissa Ellis spoke at the recent Board of Administration (BOA) meeting about opening up discussion with clubs and setting up a plan to help them adapt to the new situation this year.

This is a good step, but it’s also important that the SFUO reforms how it deals with clubs in the years following as well. Even before this whole funding debacle happened, there have been issues

with how clubs have been managed by the SFUO. Last year, club members complained that their money was processed late, that they couldn’t contact the SFUO reliably, and that regulations about how club money could be spent were slowing them down, among other things.

Now that we’ve found out what doesn’t work, it’s the perfect time to make structural changes to the SFUO clubs policy.

The first step is revamping how the SFUO manages clubs, which could be accomplished simply by opening up a direct line of communication between club presidents and the vice-president equity to hear any other problems they have experienced.

SFUO clubs consultations should focus on pressing club issues that can make an impact next year, especially when clubs can get funding again.

Hiring more staff to manage clubs would also be a welcome change, as in recent years there have only been

The U of O’s clubs week wrapped up on Sept. 16.

two people in charge of running the clubs—the vice-president equity and the clubs coordinator.

The vice-president equity already has a lot of responsibilities on their plate without clubs management—they oversee SFUO services, work to ensure equity on campus, and have to deal with day-today operations of the student

Photo: Eric Davidson.

federation.

With all the work required to handle clubs—registering the over 250 clubs on campus, figuring out payment and registration, handling complaints, and more—the SFUO needs increased staff in this area. This seems like a tough ask given recent staffing cuts, but the goal here is to build a sustainable plan for the fu-

ture, and a growth in staff is absolutely necessary in coming years.

It’s also important for the SFUO to re-examine current club funding regulations. For example, clubs are currently not allowed to spend money on physical assets or gear, which for some clubs, like the rock climbing club, has not been an efficient setup.

At the end of the day, the reason why so many students on campus participate in clubs is because they help people connect, have fun, and create opportunities for themselves. Clubs are an integral part of the university experience, and this is why the SFUO cannot settle for poorly managed clubs going forward.

Heckle: Street interviews kyle darbyson managing editor

People’s faith in traditional mass media might be at an alltime low, but if “alternative” news sources continue to pull bullshit like this to get clicks, they won’t be far behind.

Of course, I’m talking about street interviews, the kind where a smug reporter sticks a microphone in some random guy or gal’s face with the sole intent of making them look stupid.

Normally these segments are designed to serve as harmless comedic fodder, but most of the time they come across as being condescending and mean-spirited.

Never afraid to shy away from a little yellow journalism, our good friends over at the Rebel Media thought that the start of the new school year would be a great time to pull out this tasteless tactic. In a video released on Sept. 6, reporter Lauren Southern can be seen scouring Ryerson University’s campus in an attempt to find

a single student who would support Republican nominee Donald Trump for U.S. president.

And surprise, surprise, most of the responses she gets from freshmen are shallow and inarticulate.

It’s almost like university students in early September are much more preoccupied with buying books, figuring out living arrangements, and signing up for classes rather than providing a hollow soundbite about a complete dumpster fire of an election.

But we shouldn’t place all of our ire at the feet of a sensationalist news organization like the Rebel.

After all, these kinds of tacky ambush interviews were made famous in this country thanks to our mom’s favourite TV personality, Rick Mercer.

We all remember “Talking to Americans,” right? It was the flagship segment from This Hour Has 22 Minutes, where Mercer confronts “uncultured” U.S. citizens and prompts them to answer absurd questions about the Great White North.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand why these bits are so beloved. After all, demonstrating intellectual and moral superiority over our southern neighbours is Canada’s third most popular pastime behind apologizing and buying milk in bags. But why on earth are you supposed to root for Mercer in these situations, especially when he has the power of misleading questions and selective editing on his side?

And thanks to YouTube, the template Mercer perfected has spread like a virus. Now, anybody with a camera, sound equipment, and an unyielding sense of entitlement can spend their days making complete strangers look like idiots.

Some of this content is even starting to overlap with prank channels, which are the absolute lowest of the low.

What’s worse is that these segments are totally indicative of our overwhelmingly hostile political climate. They show us that people are more willing to tear somebody down rather than trying to edu-

Illustration: Brennan Bova. Edits: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

cate them about the laundry list of problems that plague our country.

However, the one positive thing I can say about these street interviews is that they defy any kind of political bias.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a right-wing hipster like Gavin Mc-

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Innes, or if you’re a crusading lefty like University of Ottawa alumna Samantha Bee, these segments always reek of elitism and dishonest media manipulation.

Thanks, Rick Mercer.

OPINIONS | 13

Suggestion box magically fixes SFUO's problems

Issues around finances, transparency miraculously disappear overnight eric davidson Tomato editor They’ve done it. After years of stress, disappointment, and a summer full of layoffs, the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) has finally found the solutions to all of their problems.

It’s no secret that the SFUO had plenty of issues to contend with this past year—from financial insecurity to a flimsy excuse for a 101 Week, many students have their fair share of complaints. Fortunately for them, the student executives finally introduced their firstever suggestion box.

But this is no ordinary suggestion box. This feedback receptacle is composed entirely of state-of-the-art suggesto-

riam, a mysterious compound that is said to solve all problems put into it.

“At first, I was kind of skeptical. I was like, ‘How can a suggestion box fix anything?’” said Dina Mite, a second-year chemistry student at the U of O. “But then I wrote ‘get better dental plan’ and shoved it in the box. The next day, the SFUO arranged a personal chauffeur to take me to the best cosmetic dentist in town to get my teeth cleaned!”

One of the most popular suggestions was to increase the student government’s transparency. To prove that the executives take all suggestions seriously, the federation has made it mandatory for all SFUO members to be physically transparent.

“It’s kind of a weird feeling,” said Casper Phantom, an SFUO representative. “Being completely see through is a whole new experience for me.

But, if it makes students feel at ease with our regulations, then I and the entirety of the SFUO stand behind this suggestion.”

First-year students who are new to the university scene also have some suggestions for their school.

“Yeah, university is dope and all, but I wish 101 Week was more lit,” said Neo Fresh, a first-year engineering student.

As soon as the suggestion was placed in the box, the U of O lit up, literally. The SFUO, with their legendary financial planning and foresight, decided to light up campus 24/7

The SFUO has started taking student issues seriously.

with portable spotlights given out to each student.

By the end of its first week outside the SFUO office, the suggestion box was overflow-

Photo: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

ing with student recommendations.

In response to another suggestion, the SFUO has updated its website, and here’s what it

has to say about the suggestion box: “Want more funding? Put it in the suggestion box and the SFUO will totally check it out, probably. A better health plan? Put it in the suggestion box and the SFUO will maybe potentially help you out.”

“Want a better study area without the threat of the mythical monster Cthulhu looming over you? Put it in the suggestion box and the members of the SFUO will first educate themselves on who Cthulhu is and then fix it.”

“Want real, measured consideration of problems that goes beyond a tiny box containing little pieces of paper?

Not a chance.”

Stephen Harper condemns Doge meme as anti-cat

Former PM claims canine memes responsible for growing “anti-feline sentiment” kyle darbyson Managing Editor On the morning of Sept. 19, former prime minister Stephen Harper took time out of his busy schedule of going on long walks, whittling flutes, and whatever else retired people do, to drop a bombshell on the world of Internet memes.

“Now that I’m no longer directly involved in Canadian politics, I can finally get this long standing secret off my chest,” wrote the former Conservative leader on his personal blog.

“Basically, every misfortune that happened to my administration during the last couple years can be tied back to one thing: Doge memes.”

For those of you who don’t know, Harper’s ire is directed at the widely shared image of a Shiba Inu that is known for its wide-eyed look and fractured inner monologue.

Since its rise to prominence in the early 2010s the image has been shared and re-mixed

Former PM Harper is calling out the Doge meme, once and for all.

millions of times, dwarfing the popularity of notable cat memes from the 2000s.

Most Internet users describe the Doge memes as being “adorable” and “dank as fuck.” However, Harper, an adamant cat lover, believes that this spread of “anti-feline” sentiments in Canada is tied directly to the Conservative party’s woes in the latter half of his run as prime minister.

“When I started out in of-

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fice, cat memes were all the rage and the country was better for it,” Harper wrote, nostalgic about the popularity of Internet felines of the Nyan, keyboard, and ceiling variety.

“Taxes were low, the economy was steady, and people actually said what was on their minds. But when that stupid canine reared its furry head, everything started to turn for the worse.”

While Harper admits that

Graphic: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik

Doge originated as an innocent meme that was enjoyed by children and adults alike, he says it was eventually coopted by Liberal supporters to fan the flames of partisan smear campaigns.

“It didn’t matter if I was dealing with that robocall nonsense or questions about Senate expenses, Doge was always crawling all over social media to spread more lies and mis-information.”

The former prime minister even blames Doge’s skyrocketing popularity with closing Parliament Hill’s cat sanctuary in 2013.

While he had ample opportunity to expose this conspiracy when he was in office, Harper claims that members of his cabinet pressured him to keep quiet, out of fear that he would be viewed as an outof-touch “normie” by members of the public.

“I was forced to bite my tongue and stay silent for the good of the party,” wrote Harper. “This topic was so hush-hush that my colleagues even went so far as to talk about it in code, referring to it as the ‘cat-sket of unmentionables.’”

Since its original publication on Monday, Harper’s blog post—titled “Doge, cats, and liberal bias: mass hysteria”— went viral and caught the attention of top players in the Tory leadership race.

This includes potential Conservative front runner Kellie Leitch, who believes cat

memes should be adopted as an “essential Canadian value.”

“When I was transitioning from medicine to politics, the ‘I can has cheezburger?’ cat was second only to maple syrup in terms of defining our national identity,” said Leith, laying out her proposed immigration policy. “So, if any incoming migrants can’t identify our country’s top ten favourite cat memes, then we should definitely turn them away.”

While there’s no word on whether or not the Conservatives will officially adopt Grumpy Cat as their new mascot, Harper remains vigilant about Doge’s “toxic” influence in today’s discourse.

“At the end of the day, I think this meme is sending a bad message to our youth. It teaches them that if they want to wield political influence, all they need is a cute face and a few empty buzzwords.”

He also added “Or, if you’re a Liberal, it’s all you need to become prime minister.”

THE TOMATo | 14

Study

Travel

Work

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SEPT 29

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EXPO • 2 pm - 6 pm

www.studyandgoabroad.com

SEMINARS • 1 pm - 6 pm

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DISTRACTIONS

FEATURES EDITOR Alexa-Eliza Carter

features@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0062 @aecart043

Dear Di

Dear Di,

Dear Di, I kissed someone at the bar the other night. I thought it was going great, but then they stopped abruptly to wipe their face and comment on my slobbery kissing. How do I make sure I don’t get that reaction again?!

I keep seeing guys shamelessly touching their crotches and moving stuff around in public, as if it were common practice. Why do they do this?

Can I ask my partner to avoid this socially uncomfortable tendency without being rude?

-Make-out Mortified

-Crotch Stuff

Dear MM, Not to worry. Believe it or not, the best thing that could have happened to you that night at the bar was to get some honest feedback you can work with.

But don’t let the learning end there! Here are some kissing tips you or a friend may want to consider.

If you have to wipe away excess saliva after a make-out session, it just means one or both of you need to close your mouths just a little bit.

To ensure that your noses or hat brims don’t collide, make sure to tilt your head slightly to one side first, following in the opposite direction of your partner.

Don’t forget to breathe. Even if the moment takes your breath away, breathing through your nose is always preferable to passing out.

Just like anything else in the world of love and sex, communication is a crucial ingredient to a good lip lock. As U of O professor and sex therapist Dr. Peggy Kleinplatz points out, research has shown that communication is key to great sex lives, a life that includes lots of kissing. Just telling your partner what your hottest kiss would be like can get you both in the perfect mood.

Contrary to popular opinion, there are more than a few ways to lock lips. For example, light kisses on the lips or in different places may be the difference between getting them in the mood and getting the cold shoulder.

While a lot of people have heard of French kissing, not everyone knows how to pull it off. The key to this one is that your tongue meets with the other person’s playfully—not aggressively. A gentle nibble of their bottom lip may be in the cards if the mutual intensity is there.

One last thing: be mindful of what your lips are wearing to the bar! Personally, I use lip balm or waterproof lipstick for the loveliest, carefree kisses.

Love, Di

Dear CS, In my experience, most men aren’t even aware that they’re doing this. To some, this reaction may be second nature when they’re confronted with a case of “sticky balls” or when their penis is stuck to their leg.

While there’s nothing wrong with trying to make yourself more comfortable, there are definitely some preventative measures that your partner can take to avoid this awkward situation altogether.

For one thing, it’s important for men to get properfitting boxers. Some people have found that properly fitted boxers or briefs can prevent unwanted movement during public outings.

Chafing of the balls to the thighs can be the most uncomfortable feeling when it starts to heat up down there, but using the right products can deter the need for impulsive public reorg.

There are numerous ball-drying products that can help men in the battle of the ball-shifting, including lotions, deodorizing wipes, and body powder.

And yes, it is OK to tell your friend or partner that if they need to reorganize their nether region to do it in private.

Love, Di

To get all your sexy and saucy questions answered, email Di at deardi@thefulcrum.ca ;) 16 | DISTRACTIONS

thefulcrum.ca

Sept. 22–29 2016

THRYLLABUS

MUSIC arts Sports FUN Thinking

Thursday, Sept.

22

Hell or High Water (Chris Pine and Jeff Bridges film), Mayfair Theatre—4:30 p.m.

Gee-Gees women’s hockey vs. Waterloo, exhibition game, Minto Sports Complex—7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 23

Gee-Gees men’s hockey vs. University of Windsor, Minto Sports Complex—7 p.m.

Ottawa Redblacks vs.

Toronto Argonauts, TD Place—7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept.

24

Gee-Gees women’s soccer vs. Nipissing University, Matt Anthony Field—1 p.m.

Open auditions for Other Desert

Cities, Ottawa Little Theatre—2 p.m.

Ottawa Fury FC vs.

Minnesota United FC, TD Place—7 p.m.

Glamour Profession performs Steely Dan’s Aja album, Shenkman Arts Centre—8 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 25

Ottawa International Animation Festival, last day, ByTowne Cinema—11 a.m.

Gee-Gees women’s soccer vs. Laurentian University, Matt Anthony Field—1 p.m.

Ottawa 67’s vs.

Barrie Colts, OHL hockey, TD Place—2 p.m.

Runway for Hope, promoting local fashion and supporting local charities, Lansdowne Park—5:30 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 26 The Seven Samurai, ByTowne Cinema—6:50 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept.

27

Open Mic TUNESday nights, free admission, LIVE! on Elgin—8 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 28

Yoga on Parliament Hill, last session for 2016, Parliament Hill— 12 p.m.

Gee-Gees women’s rugby vs. Carleton, Matt Anthony Field—7 p.m.

Thursday, Sept.

29

Study and Go Abroad Fair, Ottawa Conference and Event Centre—1 p.m.

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DISTRACTIONS | 17

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor,

For many students, walking to class may take you through Morisset Terrance. On a regular day, the plain concrete surface is home to cigarette butts and abandoned pieces of gum.

It’s nothing special—simply a part of a student’s route to class. Tuesday, Sept. 13, the plain and boring slab of concrete was a stage for a rather excitable group of communists and prospective revolutionaries. The comrades in question were (ironically) selling radical books for profit to the student population.

I usually pay no attention to such things; people have different views and campuses must continue to be a space where different ideas are shared and debated. However, hidden off to the side of a table, part of the “Radical Book Fair”, I noticed a disturbing symbol. The symbol— which represents to millions nothing but suffering and death throughout the world—is the hammer and sickle.

According to Tribute to Liberty, an organization backing the upcoming Memorial to the Victims of Communism project, “in Canada, over 8 million people trace their roots to countries that suffered under Communism.” The hammer and sickle, a symbol used by countless communist dictators, drips in the blood of its millions of victims: decent people who faced persecution for refusing to adhere to a radical ideology. It represents for millions throughout the world, the face of an evil state which suppressed individualism, human rights, and democracy.

Canada stands tall in the free world as a country of hope and opportunity, values which are inherently incompatible with the toxic ideology of communist sympathizers. Ironically, once again, these “communists and prospective revolutionaries” use their constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech to boast about regimes where no such rights exist.

I’ll be the first to say, Communist radicals should continue to enjoy their right to speak about their ideas, no matter how baneful they are.

However, their activities must be on their own dime. Through an organization called OPIRG (The Ontario Public Interest Research Group), communist groups that proudly wave the hammer and sickle, look up to villains like Stalin and Mao, and defend the unlawful persecution of millions, continue to enjoy healthy funding. OPIRG, in turn, receives a per-student levy enforced by the SFUO. Although students have the opportunity to receive a refund for their share of the levy, the period to do so is short and poorly advertised.

Students don’t know what OPIRG is and are therefore unknowingly supporting radical causes.

I therefore call upon the SFUO executive to revisit their constitutionally guaranteed OPIRG levy which, without proper consent, forces thousands of students to support political radicalism on campus and across Ottawa.

—Marcus R. Mattinson, fourth-year Public Administration/Political Science student at the U of O

18 | LETTERS

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EDITORIAL Volume 77, Issue 5, sept. 22, 2016 Demanding encores since 1942.

Phone: (613) 695-0061 | Fax: (613) 695-9006 631 King Edward Ave. Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Recycle this paper or we’ll send you Doge memes.

Savannah “Lord Huron” Awde Editor-in-Chief editor@thefulcrum.ca Kim “Iron & Wine” Wiens Production Manager production@thefulcrum.ca Kyle “Joni Mitchell” Darbyson Managing Editor content@thefulcrum.ca Graham “The Lumineers” Robertson News Editor news@thefulcrum.ca Anchal “Noah and the Whale” Sharma Arts and Culture Editor arts@thefulcrum.ca Spencer “Bon Iver” Murdock Sports Editor sports@thefulcrum.ca Alexa-Eliza “Kathlene Sauve” Carter Features Editor features@thefulcrum.ca Eric “Paul Simon” Davidson Opinions Editor opinions@thefulcrum.ca Jaclyn “The Renegades” McRae-Sadik Visual Editor visual@thefulcrum.ca Allegra “Ani DiFranco” Morgado Social Media Coordinator social@thefulcrum.ca Reine “Bright Eyes” Tejares Webmaster webmaster@thefulcrum.ca Zainab “Okkervil River” Al-Mehdar Associate News Editor associate.news@thefulcrum.ca Remi “The Tallest Man on Earth” Landry Yuan Staff Photographer photographer@thefulcrum.ca Syed “Fleet Foxes” Zeehad Multimedia Coordinator multimedia@thefulcrum.ca Lucas “Bob Dylan” Ghosn General Manager manager@thefulcrum.ca Shanèl “Cat Stevens” Dear Advertising Representative ads@thefulcrum.ca

Stop injecting morals into medical care

The University of Ottawa recently implemented a change to the medical school curriculum, in light of the new assisted dying legislation brought forth in June 2016.

In a recent interview with the Fulcrum, Dr. Jeff Blackmer, U of O professor of medical ethics and vice-president of medical professionalism at the Canadian Medical Association, explained that the changes at the U of O will be in how the concept of assisted dying is taught.

“Until now, teaching has focused on other aspects of care at the end of life, such as palliative care and withdrawal of life-sustaining interventions. When assisted dying was discussed previously, it was in the context of court cases or failed government bills.”

Later in the interview, Blackmer noted that “(Students) will not be forced to observe or participate directly if it is against their moral conscience to do so.”

While the Fulcrum applauds the U of O’s Faculty of Medicine for updating their curriculum to reflect modern medical legislation, we believe it sets a bad precedent to suggest that doctors in training can brush over important medical procedures, simply because they have moral reservations about performing them.

The first thing to note is that Canada’s physicians are paid through our tax dollars. If a tax-paying Canadian wants to receive a legal medical service, no matter how morally controversial, it is the doctor’s duty to perform that service.

If you are against assisted dying, and you are a physician, it is still your duty

to bring an objective lens to your practice and perform the services that ensure Canadians are living healthy lives. It is not your job to treat somebody based on your own moral compass.

We can look to a plethora of examples, aside from assisted dying, to model why prescribing morals has a decidedly adverse effect on Canadians seeking healthcare.

In July 2016, an Ottawa-based woman carrying twins sought a selective abortion procedure after being told that, due to her age, the risk of losing her entire pregnancy was high. However, after being referred to Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto for the procedure, the woman received a vague email saying that the procedure was available in the United States, although failing to specify where.

A representative from Mount Sinai later revealed that the “conscience of the clinicians” at the hospital would not let them eliminate one of the two twins. It was only after the woman filed a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal that she was directed to the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, where she received the operation.

While it’s appalling that an established hospital like Mount Sinai would make a woman seeking medical aid go through such a labyrinthine referral process, this entire obstacle course could have been avoided if the doctors had simply put their patient’s care ahead of their personal morals.

Even abortions that don’t involve the painful choice of terminating one fetus

Dayne “Rae spoon” Moyer Outgoing General Manager dayne@thefulcrum.ca

Contributors

Nick “Mount Desolation” Robinson Madison “Simon & Garfunkel” McSweeney Celina “Grizzly Bear” Feng Kyle “The Avett Brothers” Bentley Zack “The Mountain Goats” Goobie Emily “The Acorn” Cecchetti Yuxin “The Almanacs” Wang Tommy “Doc Watson” Nguyen Navjot “Daughter” Kaur Liya “Other Lives” Huang Holton “Neutral Milk Hotel” Shulman

Board of Directors

Mackenzie “Peter, Paul and Mary” Gray Kate “Laura Marling” Murray Carolyn “Holly Near” Mutis Jonathan “The Civil Wars” Rausseo Raghad “Leonard Cohen” Sheikh-Khalil Will “Tom Waits” Hume Maggie “Woody Guthrie” Gollish Niharika “Sufjan Stevens” Namulla Julia “Feist” Miraflores Thivya “Alexi Murdoch” Naganathan Cover: Marta Kierkus.

Perscribing morals can be detrimental to Canadians.

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Photo: CC, Calvinnivlac. Edits: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

over another are routinely restricted due to moral reservations of physicians or of the hospitals in which they operate. In Ontario, only 17 per cent of hospitals provide abortions, and all abortion clinics but one are located in Ottawa and the Greater Toronto Area. Access wouldn’t be a huge problem if hospitals were more commonly providing abortions, so why the hesitation? Is reproductive rights still such a taboo topic that even Ontario hospitals aren’t willing to touch it?

South of the border, a similar debate ensued when Andrew Cash—a former counseling graduate student at Missouri State University—sued the university for discrimination, since they did not allow him to continue his co-op after Cash refused to counsel LGBTQ+ couples at his placement. One can easily imagine the damage that would be caused by mental health therapists refusing to provide services on the basis of personal homophobia or other discriminatory “morals”.

Both of these situations serve as warnings that must be heeded during Canada’s implementation of assisted dying services.

When physicians can arbitrarily decide that providing assisted dying to a suffering patient is against their morals, there are a slew of consequences other than a minor inconvenience to the patient.

As seen with the current state of Canada’s abortion services, when doctors can base their medical practices on their personal morals, the procedures deemed legal in Canada’s legislation are not necessarily accessible. If the rollout of this service follows the pattern seen with abortion services, rural areas may suffer from a lack of assisted dying options. If someone is in a state of extreme suffering, and has been approved to receive an assisted dying procedure, can you imagine how traumatic it would be for them and their loved ones to travel in order to retain that service?

Assisted dying is a newly approved procedure in Canada, and there is still time to prevent the inequalities that have littered the path to receiving other controversial procedures, like abortion. Canada stands on the precipice of a new service’s entry to the mainstream, and ensuring it is equally available and stigma-free across the nation will depend highly on the ability of physicians to leave their morals at the doorstep.

This revised mindset begins with the education received by incoming physicians. And the U of O, along with other Canadian medical schools, can be a driving force in destigmatizing and improving access to politically controversial procedures—starting with assisted dying.

EDITORIAL | 19