The Fulcrum - Vol 76 Issue 13

VOL. 77 ISSUE 13

nov. 24, 2016

journalist surveillance must stop

PG. 4, 12.

In this week’s issue...

Privacy isn’t just a media issue P.4 On-campus event sees discussion on the far-reaching effects of police surveillance

How can your arts degree can set you apart in the job market? P.8 U of O arts alumni share their success stories at Arts Innovation conference Gees make statement right from the start P.10 Men’s and women’s basketball teams dominate season opener against Algoma Don’t sleep on the benefits of nap pods P.12 Universities should be doing more to help students get their valuable shut-eye Getting off on the right foot P.16 Di debunks the myth of “normal” sex

NEWS

NEWS EDITOR

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

U of O sued for racial discrimination

Law professor to take case to the Human Rights Tribunal Zainab Al-Mehdar associate news editor

O

n Nov. 1, Amir Attaran, a law professor at the University of Ottawa, filed a lawsuit against both the university and the Association of Professors of the University of Ottawa (APUO) through Ontario’s Human Rights Tribunal on the basis of racial discrimination.

Attaran, who is a former Canada Research Chair holder, was denied a renewal in the position, and he alleges that this was due to discriminatory practices.

Attaran is now seeking a compensation of $30,000 for lost income, along with $160,000 for loss of dignity and distress. In an interview

with the Fulcrum, Attaran said that suing both the university and the APUO is “a bit difficult for (him) personally,” since he was formerly a member on the APUO committee. However, he is choosing to go through with the lawsuit because “the university and APUO have collaborated in order to normalize discrimination.”

The APUO has not moved Attaran’s grievances to arbitration as of the date of this publication.

“If the union is not willing to do anything about an employee being discriminated against, if the union is not prepared to deal with it, absolutely they need to be accountable by an outside body,” Attaran said, explaining that he did not believe the discrimination issue would be solved internally.

The Fulcrum reached out to the U of O’s media relations department on the issue, but

because the case involves the Human Rights Tribunal they were unable to provide a comment.

Section 17.1.6 of the APUO Collective Agreement stresses the importance of employment equity in regards to employment of men and women where they are underrepresented.

The agreement also states, “the parties to the collective agreement may from time to time agree to designate as equity groups for the purpose of this provision, the following groups: Aboriginal peoples; persons with disabilities; and members of visible minorities.”

Attaran believes that the university, through their hiring practices, is committing “intentional discrimination to these three groups.”

Two weeks prior to filing the lawsuit through the Human Rights Tribunal, Attaran

urged other members of the equity committee to present information about the underrepresented groups—Indigenous people, visible minorities, persons with disabilities—and the committee did not present a concise timeline as to when such information could be obtained, according to Attaran.

“That was the last straw,” said Attaran. Following this meeting, the university and the APUO received an email from Attaran telling them that he was taking the case to the Human Rights Tribunal.

Attaran believes that the U of O and the APUO “have no mandatory equity provisions except for women and men,” and “do nothing to ensure equity among visible minorities.”

“This is a discriminatory culture, it is a discriminatory university, it is a discriminatory union,” he said.

“I spent years learning the law so that it be respected, not

Attaran alleges that his position on the Canada Research Chair was not renewed due to discrimination, rather than a lack of merit. Photo: CC, Natural RX.

so that I learn the law and simply smile at people when they violate it. No, when they vio-

late it I’m going to hold them accountable—that’s what a lawyer does.”

U of O experts discuss freedom of the press

Panel airs concerns about police surveillance in wake of Patrick Lagacé case Zainab Al-Mehdar

Associate News Editor

On Nov. 17, the Centre for Law, Technology and Society at the University of Ottawa, along with the U of O’s Law and Technology Student Society, held a panel discussion in Fauteux Hall on the topic of freedom of the press and surveillance.

The panel was held in light of police surveillance and the case of Patrick Lagacé and other journalists in Québec and Canada whose cellphone calls and text messages were monitored by the police.

Panellists at the event included: Amanda Connolly, a national security reporter for iPolitics and vicepresident of the National Capital Region chapter of the Canadian Association of Journalists; Tamir Israel, a staff lawyer at the U of O’s Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic; and Teresa Scassa, a U of O common law professor.

The discussion was moderated

by Michael Geist, also a U of O common law professor.

The panel featured two U of O law professors and was held in light of the Patrick Lagacé case. Photo: Remi Yuan.

In regards to the Lagacé case, the panelists highlighted the issues surrounding police force in handling warrants to surveil journalists for their sources.

The implications of living in a digital world and how technology affects democracy was also discussed, as panellists noted that people might be monitored without their knowledge.

Connolly said that for journalists, “The work right now is precarious.” She also discussed journalists not having the resources to protect themselves from being monitored.

“It makes me afraid for the next generation of people, who are at a disadvantage here,” said Connolly, noting that not everyone has the time and money to move forward with a lawsuit if their rights are

violated through spying.

According to Scassa, this issue also leads to the broader issue of privacy, where there is a breach of people’s privacy if a police officer can track all forms of communication.

Scassa said that citizens in democratic societies tend to take privacy for granted, and that courts have a major role to play in protecting this privacy.

“We all have been victims of crime, or we know people who have been victims of crime, or we are concerned with being victims of crime,” said Scassa on these privacy breaches.

She went on to discuss the ease at which a warrant can be obtained to track someone’s calls and texts, and how that person can be taken can be taken to court based on mere suspicion.

And this isn’t just in cases of fraud. “We might actually be talking about a reporter who has ticked someone off in a position of power, because they are asking questions about the exercise of that power,”

4 | NEWS

said Scassa, underlining that this is a larger issue of power, trust, and democracy in society.

Lastly, Israel discussed metadata—data that gives information about other data—and how it is often collected without any official grounds for doing so.

One example of this was when the Canadian Security Intelligence Service was criticized by the federal court for collecting large amounts of metadata from online data sources without any legal justification in the Lagacé case.

Israel explained that the Canadian government is proposing to place restrictions on encryption, along with implementing data retention laws, which will obligate search engines such as Google to keep track of who interacts with whom, which could affect individuals’ privacy.

“In the era of digital communication where you have mass interactions … you can paint very detailed pictures about people just from their metadata.”

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U of O alumna dead following highway collision

Father of late student said she “wanted to make a difference” graham robertson news editor

In the early morning of Sunday Nov. 13, a University of Ottawa alumna died following a collision on Highway 50 near Buckingham, Québec.

The woman, 24-yearold Amina-Sara Belahbib, is from Gatineau and studied international development and globalization at the U of O, according to the Ottawa Citizen.

Belahbib was hit by a 25-year-old man from Blainville, Québec who

was arrested on scene.

The Citizen further reported that police believe that the man had consumed alcohol prior to the collision, and police are currently awaiting toxicology results and the full investigation of the incident.

Two other passengers were in the vehicle with Belahbib, and sustained injuries which, according to the CBC, were not considered life-threatening by authorities.

Belahbib, who was sitting in the backseat of

the vehicle, was ejected from it upon collision and pronounced dead once she arrived at the hospital.

The man who hit Belahbib suffered minor injuries, and went to court on Nov. 14. He is expected to be charged with impaired driving causing death.

According to the Citizen, Belahbib’s father asked for privacy following his daughter’s death, and said that she “wanted to make a difference in the world.”

The family of Belahbib has requested privacy following her death.

Photo: CC, Tony Webster.

U of O hosts post-election discussion with U.S. ambassador

First Alex Trebek Forum talk tackles new Trump administration, Canada-U.S. relations graham robertson news editor

On Nov. 17, the University of Ottawa hosted Bruce Heyman, the United States Ambassador to Canada, for a discussion on Canada-US relations following the Nov. 8 presidential election.

The discussion, which took place in Tabaret Hall, served as a launching pad for the new Alex Trebek Forum for Dialogue, which was developed following a $5-million donation by Trebek himself, who is a U of O alumnus. The forum seeks to “discuss provocative, timely and constructive ideas on issues that matter to Canadians,” according to a media release by the U of O. Following introductory remarks by one of the event organizers, a video played of Trebek welcoming attendants, saying, “This is the first official event since we launched the forum in May.” Trebek said the forum will discuss “original ideas and unconventional perspectives,” and that it was especially timely following Trump’s election to discuss the changing relationship between Canada and the U.S., “two countries that have given me all that is good in my life,” he said.

The discussion that followed took the form of a question-andanswer format, first between Heyman and U of O chancellor Calin Rovinescu.

The first item addressed was the shift from President Barack Obama’s administration to the up-

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The United States ambassador to Canada paid a visit to the U of O to discuss Canada-U.S. relations post-presidential election.

coming Donald Trump administration, which will commence on Jan. 20, 2017.

“How does that transition work?

What should we expect?” asked Rovinescu.

According to Heyman, this change in government exists in three ways—firstly, the election phase, which ended on Nov. 8, then the current transition phase as Trump prepares for office, and lastly the governing phase, which will begin with Trump’s inauguration.

Heyman highlighted that president Obama will continue working until his last day in office, and said that “It’s completely inappropriate to speculate what are the priorities of the new government.”

The issue of Canada-US relations was also raised, with some asking how the new administration would affect Canada.

Heyman noted that while the U.S. election saw a change in parties, from Democrat to Republican, the 2015 Canadian federal

Photo: Remi Yuan.

election also saw a change in parties, from Progressive Conservative to Liberal.

“In both elections there was a change in parties … but the relationship is strong. We trade things together, we build things together.”

“We provide our democratic ideas and values … more than all of that, we’re family. We invest in each other’s country,” said Heyman.

The forum then opened to questions from the audience, with

one member asking what the election results would mean for democracy.

“I’ve never seen a time when one side won and the other side was okay with it,” said Heyman in response to protests over Trump’s election.

However, Heyman also noted that these protests exhibit the value of free speech in democratic societies. “I have confidence in our system,” he said.

Recent cases of racist and antisemitic graffiti in Ottawa following Trump’s election were also addressed, with Heyman calling them “painful” and saying that the issue must be tackled “headon,” through methods such as community dialogue.

Another audience member asked what Trump’s first conversation with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would be like. While Heyman acknowledged that the two have already spoken, he said, “I only have one recommendation, and that would be to engage.”

Heyman also echoed the importance of world leaders understanding each other and their needs, and finding common ground.

“Americans love Canadians, Americans love Canada,” Heyman later said. “We need to study each other’s countries more.”

Heyman also acknowledged the importance of student voices in this ongoing transitory period, saying, “Students aren’t future leaders, students are leaders.”

NEWS | 5

National News

Homa Hoodfar shares her story

Retired Concordia professor who was incarcerated for 112 days talks feminism, Evin Prison, and Concordia’s support Nelly Sérandour-Amar The Concordian Homa Hoodfar, a retired Concordia University professor and researcher, sat down with the Concordian to discuss her 112-day experience in Evin prison in Iran.

The Iranian-Canadian anthropology professor was arrested while on a personal and research visit to Iran. Hoodfar has been back in Montreal since Sept. 26.

The Concordian: In an interview with the CBC, you said the guards arrested you because they thought you were trying to meddle in an Iranian parliamentary election and bring your feminism work and research into politics.

Can you expand on that?

Homa Hoodfar: In Iran, there’s less than three per cent women in the parliament. When I was there, which was during this election, women in Iran were questioning why there were so few of them in the parliament. In an interview I held on an earlier trip there, I said that the question is not that there are too few women but too many men in the parliament.

During this (recent) trip to Iran, there were women who were organizing to change the face of the parliament and make it more female-oriented. Somehow the guards said I had something to do with that campaign. I knew of the campaign, but I didn’t know a single one of these women. Yet, for the government, feminism is a form of soft revolution which tends to change the Islamic culture.

My argument to them was that any culture that doesn’t change is a dead culture. Our culture has changed and women are trying to voice their opinions like any oppressed group, but the guards want to believe that these ideas are coming from outside of Iran.

For them, I’m a self-declared feminist and it was enough for them to arrest me.

TC: What do you remember from the Evin prison?

Hoodfar: I was in a very tiny cell which was about two meters by a metre and a half. There was nothing except a carpet and three military blankets they give you. One you sleep on, one you use as a pillow and the other one to cover you.

I was on my own for a few days, but then they moved me to a room with three other women because of a prison inspection and so I suppose they didn’t want me to be in a solitary cell.

After that, they brought me back with another woman to stay in the tiny cell. There were no windows in this room, and lights were on all day and night. With the light, I was not able to sleep so they gave me sleeping pills. I would also receive my medication from my family, which was very important because my health wasn’t very good.

I would also demand that they give me newspapers or something to read because there was nothing to do besides going to the interrogations.

Until they brought the young woman to stay with me, there was also no one to talk to. Most of them were sex workers who were only 21 or 22 years old. I ended up chatting with them and collecting their life history. Then, I started to write on my wall with my toothbrush, treating it like field research, which made the time there easier.

Whenever I would go to the interrogations, I would take mental

notes and when I couldn’t sleep at night, I would write on the wall.

(The) young women thought I was crazy, but just the action of writing helped my mind stay active.

I had at least 45 sessions of interrogations, some of which would last all day. I also would hear when the guards were interrogating other people. They used different methods for the sex workers than they used for me.

TC: Was there a method of interrogation they used which was difficult for you?

Hoodfar: I knew of their methods. They kept on telling me that I was nothing, but I knew it wasn’t true. I also accepted the fact I would stay in the prison for a long time and, because I did, there was nothing that they could do to really bring me down.

What angered me the most was when they played the song used at my spouse’s funeral, which they found on my iPad. In contrast, young women were very frightened and cried a lot because they thought when the guards saw them crying, they might be more lenient towards them.

Of course, for me, the interrogators were younger than me which, in the Iranian culture, it gave me an upper hand. Initially, they were playing on the fact that I was the old woman, but I took their method and reversed it and used it against them. I was thinking to myself that I lived for 65 years the way that I wanted and reached my goals.

Therefore, I told them it didn’t matter if I had to stay in the Evin prison for the rest of my life.

TC: What was the process for them to release you?

Hoodfar: Two nights before the release, they took me where the interrogation took place and taped me for about five to six hours. They wanted me to say that I regret what I’ve done, to which I told them that I haven’t done anything illegal and therefore I don’t regret anything.

Then they told me there were three conditions on which they could release me on diplomatic ground: I had to say that I regret what I’ve done, that I won’t be doing networking in Iran, and that I won’t do any research on women in politics anymore.

I told them I don’t regret and, if

Homa Hoodfar has been back in Canada since Sept. 26.

6 | NATIONAL NEWS

I’m released, I will continue to do the same thing because I’m a researcher. I have never done networking in Iran anyway and doing research on women or women in politics is part of my work.

TC: After a terrifying and tireful experience, how are you feeling?

Hoodfar: Physically, my lungs are still not very well and I still get tired when I talk for a long time. I am hoping that, in a month or two, I get my energy back and start working more. Mentally, I still get upset about how the academic freedom is curtailed in Iran and how people can’t express themselves. Overall, I think I’m good.

It was great to know that so many people went out of their way to support me and secure my release—especially the Canadian government, my colleagues, the academic scholars, and my students from many years ago.

I try to focus on the positive things rather than thinking negatively. I hope the situation in Iran changes. There is a lot to be done, and I hope social science gets more space to be discussed.

Photo: Frederic Muckle.

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A&C EDITOR Anchal Sharma arts@thefulcrum.ca

ARTS&CULTURE

(613) 695-0062 @imtherocks

U of O students star in new YouTube webseries My Straight-Gay Friend aims to entertain and dispel stereotypes on sexuality Ellen Galupo

fulcrum Contributor

I

f the title doesn’t catch your attention, the offkilter quirkiness of My Straight-Gay Friend surely will.

This new YouTube web series follows a closeted homosexual named Max Amiri, and his roommate, Troy, who is heterosexual and his polar opposite in almost every way.

It’s a story about their riveting journey throughout university and their growth as individuals.

Max’s life is based loosely on the creator and writer of the series, Max Housany, a fourthyear electrical engineering student at the University of Ottawa.

The idea started last year in the summer of 2015, but the

New episodes come out weekly on Youtube.

webseries was initially unsuccessful due to a lack of equipment. Housany and his team, however, refused to relinquish the project, and applied what they have learned since their first run.

“When I read the script,

Photo: Via Youtube, My Straight-Gay Friend.

I loved it. I was vibing with it,” said Manisha Wanniarachchige, a third-year software engineering student and one of the series’ directors.

Throughout pre-production Housany was also introduced to Kerry Chalmers, who was

instrumental in breathing life into Housany’s vision, bringing valuable years of experience, technical knowledge, and filming acumen to the table.

The cast and crew for this series includes over 65 people,

which can make scheduling can difficult. Fortunately, Anne-Carolyne Binette, one of the series’ lead actresses and an entrepreneurship student at the U of O, said that they always find a way to make it work.

“When you do something that you love, the passion just explodes everywhere. It’s been a fun experience—it’s a fun crew. Lots of laughs. The cast and crews come prepared and ready to have a good time.”

James Raynard, a master’s student in counselling and spirituality who portrays Troy, recalls being contacted

by Housany for the role. Even with a non-paid position, Raynard is in it for the learning experience.

“It’s great because you make friendships with people you wouldn’t normally make friendships with. It’s how you overcome the differences.”

“Even though there’s been a lot of progress in the LGBTQ+ community, there’s still not enough representation,” Housany expressed.

“Especially when you look at the character of Max who comes from a Middle Eastern background. A character like him hasn’t always been portrayed in the media.”

Housany also wishes to portray sexuality as just one aspect of a person, as he feels it does not wholly define an individual.

“It’s very diverse and reflective of the Canadian culture. The characters bring their ethnic background and add their own personal touches,” said Chalmers.

My Straight-Gay Friend is available exclusively on YouTube and new episodes are released weekly or bi-weekly.

Father and Sons and pugs, oh my!

IPPSSA introduces first Hug a Pug fundraiser to raise money for local dog rescue Emily Cecchetti Staff Contributor

With the end of the fall semester in sight and stress levels rising, University of Ottawa students had the perfect opportunity to unwind with some pug loving on Friday, Nov. 18.

The U of O’s International Political and Policy Studies Student Association (IPPSSA) hosted their first Hug a Pug fundraiser outside of Father and Sons, an event that brought joy to students and locals alike.

The fundraiser was brought to life by three philanthropic pugs: Max, Jozy, and Pierre.

The pugs greeted people as they passed by and won over the hearts of many as they were held and passed between students.

If one thing was clear about the event, it was that the students loved it. Energy was

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high, smiles were numerous, and any sort of collective stress about upcoming exams seemed to disappear as students got to enjoy hanging out with Max, Jozy, and Pierre.

“Most students don’t have dogs, so we thought if we brought dogs to campus it would be a huge hit,” said IPSSA president Matthew Don Trapp. “You can see the reactions and it has been super successful.”

Don Trapp and his fellow IPPSSA members partnered with Under My Wing, a local pug rescue organization, to raise awareness and donations for the organization.

Under My Wing, which was founded in 2006, has been responsible for relocating 417 pugs in Ottawa to their permanent homes.

“Our big hope with doing this is that we will increase exposure for Under My Wing, so more people will apply to be foster families or to adopt,

Money raised was donated to a local dog rescue.

as well as helping them raise money,” said Don Trapp.

Two high-ranking members of Under My Wing, founder and president Gen-

Photo: Remi Yuan.

evieve Boucher and vice-president Donnie LeClaire, also attended the event with their pugs Jozy and Pierre.

LeClaire, a huge fan of the

event, said “I think it’s a fabulous event because I have never seen so many happy smiling faces.”

The event’s success was

twofold. IPPSSA raised just over $750 in donations, all of which will go towards the Under My Wing foundation to assist with the medical bills and fostering of the pugs, and raised additional money through the sale of pug merchandise.

Not only did the event do well in terms of donations, but it also turned out to be one of IPPSSA’s most highly anticipated events to date. “In terms of pure social media engagement, it exploded and reached levels we haven’t seen before,” said Don Trapp.

Only time will tell if the U of O will be reunited with Max, Jozy, and Pierre, but with the pugs’ debut appearance garnering so much success, it wouldn’t be surprising.

If you are interested in donating to Under My Wing or adopting a pug, please visit their official website at www.undermywingpugrescue.com.

ARTS & Culture | 7

Don’t throw away your arts degree just yet

U of O alumni share their success stories at Arts Innovation conference Madison McSweeney Fulcrum freelancer

Despite what your friends in engineering might say, your arts degree could be more practical than you think.

The Faculty of Arts’ first annual Arts Innovation conference, held at the Desmarais building on Saturday, Nov. 19, brought together a group of professionals to discuss how students can leverage their arts education into successful careers.

“Students kept asking me, ‘what can I do with my arts degree?’ and I wanted to give them some options,” explains University of Ottawa associate professor in the faculty of arts Elena Valenzuela, who has been planning the conference for the past ten months.

The morning’s keynote speaker was Canadian Securities Exchange CEO Richard Carleton, a self-described “history nerd” who has worked in Canada’s financial sector for over thirty years.

Carleton, who graduated from law school at the University of Toronto, believes that his B.A. in history from the U of O prepared him for Bay Street. For instance, he credits his second-year history paper on public finance in Britain with helping him stand out in an early job interview with the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Carleton believes that a background in arts helps students hone their critical thinking and communication skills, as well as their flexibility, curiosity, and empathy—which is why many large corporations seek out arts grads.

Overall, he believes that students will be most successful if they follow their passions.

“I didn’t embrace my inner nerd soon enough,” he recalls.

“When you start to follow your heart, that’s when it gets easier.”

Following the keynote, attendees participated in a panel discussion on how arts degrees can be applied to a variety of

The workshop featured keynote speakers and U of O alumni.

fields.

Remy Attig from the David Suzuki Foundation explained how his background in languages allowed him to adapt to the world of corporate communications.

Likewise, panellist Véronique Rivest credits her degree in modern

languages and literature with helping her to become the world’s top female sommelier.

In university, Rivest was “one of those people who had no idea what they wanted to do,” which she now attributes to her innate curiosity. She sees creative people as being

Photo: Remi Yuan.

able to “evolve in a way that isn’t as linear,” and feels that being “ultra-specialized” can be a liability in today’s unstable job market.

You.I TV’s Sean Lynch, for example, has engineered a career in marketing by combining his theatre experience

with his life-long interest in computers.

Moving to Toronto during a “communications boom” exposed him to the potential for using new technology to tell stories. “All of the stuff I’d done as a theatre grad I could take into technology,” said Lynch.

He sees developing technologies such as augmented reality and artificial intelligence as creating opportunities for people to innovate.

Later in the afternoon, attendees were treated to presentations on “personal branding,” and given the opportunity to prepare and present a Dragon’s Den-style elevator pitch for themselves.

Being able to sell yourself is essential in the job market, explains Valenzuela, as is the ability to generate creative ideas.

“I’ve talked to many business professors and they say, ‘That’s what’s missing’—that creativity, that spark,” she says. “And that’s something we bring to the table.”

U of O trio spices up the Iron Chef competition

Science students set to represent U of O at inter-university competition Navjot Waraich staff contributor

Foodies came together at this year’s annual Iron Chef competition, hosted by the University of Ottawa’s Food Services in the U of O dining hall. The Iron Chef competition was launched in 2014, and every year it brings new faces and flavours to the mix.

Every year, teams made up of three compete against each other to improve tried and tested recipes in an attempt to wow the judges.

The winning team then goes on to represent the U of O in the inter-university competition and fight winning teams from other schools.

This year’s contest was held on Nov. 14, and among the contestants were three friends and avid food lovers: Lindsay Trottier, Courtney Azure, and Anna Weber.

The team, calling themselves the “Spice Girls,” are all third-year students in

the U of O’s Faculty of Sciences and have been friends throughout their university careers.

Trottier and Weber have known each other since kindergarten, while Azure later joined the group in their first year of university.

Since then, they have been honing their cooking skills together. Their journey to make the most of their culinary skills started when they first happened to notice a poster for the cooking competition in first-year, at which point they joined the contest.

In their second year, the girls won the U of O Iron Chef competition and went on to be finalists in the inter-university competition, facing winners from schools like McGill and University of Toronto, but they unfortunately couldn’t claim the top spot.

While the team was excited to participate in this year’s local Iron Chef Competition, they did not anticipate their win.

8 | ARTS & CULTURE

Students must create at least two dishes with the ingredients that they are given in the Black Box challenge. Photo: CC, Stu Spivack.

“There was only (an) eight-point difference between the first and the fourth place,” said Trottier.

“We started thinking of all the stuff that we did wrong.

But when they said our names, we were surprised

that it happened.”

To turn up the heat for this year’s competition, the team chose a more difficult dish—cooked scallops with celery root purée, olive tapenade, and sautéed mushrooms.

Ultimately, the three ladies believe that teamwork is what helped them grab the top spot.

Because of this surprise win, the trio has once again been chosen to represent the U of O at the 2016 inter-

university competition, which is set to be held at the U of T on Feb. 24.

An exciting component of the upcoming contest is the new and improved black box challenge. In the past, contestants were given ingredients in a black box without knowing what to expect and told to create something out of them. This year they will get the list of the ingredients a night before the date of competition, allowing for a little bit of prep time to decide on a recipe.

“We have a night to plan the dish. We can choose what we want to cook and we have to choose a number of vegetables,” said Azure.

But the trio don’t plan to walk into this new challenge unprepared. Until the date of the competition they will be trained by professional chefs working with the U of O. Hopefully with enough training and creativity, they can harness their group talent and bring home the title.

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Ready, set, whoa:

A Gee-Gee’s guide to the U.K.

Ch. 4: Trump, Brexit, and the media David Campion-Smith Fulcrum Alumnus

While the North American media played an undeniable role in the rise and then election of Donald Trump, what does media coverage look like across the pond? Can it help us unravel the mystery of how this could have happened in the first place?

First of all, it’s important to remember that the British media environment is very similar to what you would find in Canada and the U.S. The coverage doesn’t shy away from the outlandish parts of Trump’s campaign or the other offensive comments made by him or members of his prospective cabinet.

From what I’ve seen over the past couple months,

there seems to be fewer stories on the social cost of this election, such as how members of different ethnic groups are responding to Trump’s win. Instead, the British media is more interested in introducing readers to Trump’s potential appointees or providing a relatively standard story on what he’s being told by advisors.

Of course, this kind of historical vote in the U.S. is intrinsically connected to political happenings here in the U.K., with their referendum to leave the European Union (EU) back in the summer.

And just like Trump, Brexit seems to be growing in complexity day-by-day.

Even though they voted stay and leave respectively, it was announced recently

that the Scottish and Welsh governments will now be having some form of a say in how the exit is implemented.

There are several Brexitrelated cases going forward to the Supreme Court, with the Scottish government arguing that leaving the EU is unconstitutional and a case from Northern Ireland arguing that the U.K. can’t leave until a majority of Northern Ireland falls in line.

This runs in direct parallel to some of the fallout happening over Trump’s campaign, with many voters not recognizing his win as legitimate. This is especially true once it was revealed that democratic nominee Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, with

David Campion-Smith explores the similarities between Brexit and the U.S. presidential election.

current polls putting her at 1.3 million votes ahead of Trump.

The linking of Brexit and the U.S. election takes root in the emergence of a seemingly reinvigorated far right politics in other parts of Europe, including Austria and France. One potential French candidate is Marine Le Pen, whose Front Nation-

al is one of the most right wing parties in Europe, and is no doubt feeding off of recent conservative victories in the U.S. and here in the U.K. Many of these incidents seem eerily similar, and all share overlapping themes like racial tension, nationalism, and widespread disillusionment with the current

Illustration: Yomi Orims.

state of Western democracy.

In all honesty, the only way you can properly connect these dots is to indulge in as many different news sources as you can—American, Canadian, British, whatever.

Only then will you be able to make sense out of this madness. Maybe.

The surprising history behind your favourite NES characters Villains to heroes and lawsuits abound Eric Davidson Opinions Editor

This holiday season Nintendo is really looking to cash in on gamers’ collective 80s nostalgia with the release of the NES classic, a reprise of their earlier Nintendo Entertainment System.

The system comes preloaded with 30 classic titles featuring characters like Link, Mario, and Donkey Kong. The system came out on Nov. 11 and has been sold out in stores since its release.

So while you wait to get your hands on one, why not dive into the rich, strange history of some of your favorite Nintendo characters?

It’s on like Donkey Kong Before the era of Mario, Nintendo’s last hope to make it in the North American market was Donkey Kong.

In the late 1970s, Nintendo was having major problems.

Their launch of the arcade game Radar Scope had failed miserably, and the company was running out of time. As

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a last hail mary pass to stake a claim in the fertile North American video game market, Nintendo’s CEO at the time, Hiroshi Yamauchi, reprogrammed the game units, and Donkey Kong was born.

While Donkey Kong is a beloved Nintendo character now, he started his life as a villain. Inspired by a love triangle from the popular Popeye cartoons, Donkey Kong stole the girlfriend of a certain mustachioed carpenter—known then as Jumpman—who was tasked with rescuing her.

The game was a hit, but not everyone was happy. Universal Studios sued Nintendo over the game, alleging they stole the name from King Kong. An American lawyer named John Kirby defended Nintendo, the judge threw out the suit against Nintendo, and Donkey Kong lived on.

And yes, Nintendo has since tried to copyright the phrase “it’s on like Donkey Kong.”

Kirby: The placeholder Many fans of the NES will be excited to play as Kirby, the

beloved pink fluffball who absorbs his enemies and steals their powers. But Kirby as we know him almost didn’t exist.

When the game Kirby’s Dream Land was being created for the original Game Boy in the early 90s, the designer, Masahiro Sakurai, used the spherical pink character as a placeholder while the game was being developed. But in the end, Nintendo decided they liked Kirby just the way he was.

If the name Kirby seems familiar to you, there’s a good reason for that. Remember that lawyer who helped Nintendo keep the name Donkey Kong?

That’s who the character was named after. Before that, he was referred to as “Popopo.”

Zelda: Art imitating life Nintendo’s original The Legend of Zelda (released in 1986) is a game that focuses heavily on exploration. Its creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, said the game was inspired by his own wanderings around local forests, caves, and secluded lakes—ironically providing millions of kids with

a reason never to go outside.

Zelda, a princess and the game’s namesake, was named after the wife of American novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald, whose name Miyamoto found “pleasant and significant.”

Speaking of inspiration, the main character Link and the fairy Navi that accompanies him in the franchise’s 1998 entry Ocarina of Time were based on Peter Pan and Tinkerbell, respectively. Nintendo didn’t get sued over these characters, though.

Wait a second, what kind of name is Link? According to Miyamoto, the game was initially to take place in the past and the future, with the main character being the “link” between them.

One of the most important objects in the Zelda games is the Master Sword, which, as it turns out, was modeled after the original master sword, Excalibur of Arthurian legend.

Mario: The prodigal plumber In today’s world, Mario is the face of Nintendo, known to

Nintendo brings back old favourites just in time for the holidays. Photo: CC, Jared Young.

gamers all over the world. But it wasn’t always that way.

As mentioned before, Mario started his career as Jumpman in the first Donkey Kong game in 1981. After a brief stint as a whip-wielding villain in Donkey Kong Junior, Mario would jump out of Donkey Kong’s shadow to become the star of

the show.

As he garnered more attention, designers decided the “Jumpman” moniker just wouldn’t cut it anymore.

And when an angry landlord named Mario burst in on a Nintendo board meeting to demand overdue rent, they had their answer.

ARTS & Culture | 9

SPORTS

SPORTS EDITOR Nico Laliberté sports@thefulcrum.ca

(613) 695-0062 @FulcrumSports

Men’s and women’s basketball come out on top in season openers Strong efforts from Pierre-Charles and Besselink leads both teams to victory Zack Goobie

associate Sports Editor

O

n Saturday, Nov. 19, the University of Ottawa’s men’s and women’s basketball teams made short work of their Algoma University counterparts in their season opener.

Men’s opener

Going into their first game of the year, the men’s team ranked fifth in the country. They dominated both offensive and defensive rebounds on their way to victory.

Backed by great defensive plays and 18 points from fourthyear forward Jean-Emmanuel Pierre-Charles, the Gees were dominant in all facets of the game. The Algoma University Thunderbirds, conversely, were coming off a Friday night loss to the first-ranked Carleton Ravens, and they could never quite get it together.

Defense was at the forefront early on, as both teams struggled

to score. Caleb Agada would finally put the Gees on the board four minutes in, with a great drive right into the paint which he finished elegantly.

A nice tip by Pierre-Charles tied the game up with three and half minutes left, and the Gees never looked back, leading 21–15 after the first quarter.

The Gee-Gees carried their momentum into the second quarter, getting basket after basket. The Gees kept feeding their big men down low, and the home team couldn’t do anything to stop their success in the paint. Good rebounding generated opportunities for the Gees.

The Gees’ defense was a wall, giving up very little to the Thunderbirds. The score stood at 47–26 going into halftime.

The Gees continued their excellent work down low in the third quarter. Rebounds continued to propel the Gees’ advantage, and they finished the quarter up by 31 points.

The game tightened up in the fourth, with the Gees only outscoring their opponents by one point in the final quarter. The game would end 91–59, with the Gee-Gees eventually taking their foot off the gas pedal in the later

minutes.

The Gees’ field goal percentage was off the charts all game. They shot 57.1 per cent from the floor while limiting their opponents to only 34.5 per cent shooting. The Gees also held a 21-rebound advantage over the home team.

Already ranked fifth at this point in the year, this victory should give the men’s team some added confidence moving forward in the regular season.

Women’s opener While the women’s game against Algoma was not quite as lopsided, the Gees managed to come out on top of a Thunderbirds team that had just bested the number one-ranked Carleton Ravens the night before.

The U of O spoiled Algoma’s bid to win more games in their opening weekend than they did all of last season. The Gees’ bench came up big in their first game on the road.

The Gees showcased their speed throughout the first quarter, notably when fifth-year guard Julia Soriano stole the ball halfway through the frame, resulting in an Ottawa basket off the fast-break. Ottawa would end

Photos: Remi Yuan.

the quarter up 21–14.

Algoma pushed back hard to start the second quarter. However, the Gees managed to regain control, keeping Algoma hemmed into their half with an effective full-court press. The Gees rattled off eight quick points to take a 29–21 lead midway through the second frame.

Algoma would fight back again, before Ottawa pulled away with a 13–0 run. The Gees ended the half ahead by 14 points.

The U of O’s defense was all over the court in the third, and it seemed to tire out the home squad. Fourth-year guard Sarah Besselink connected on a nice jumper to make the score 49–27.

The Gees showcased some serious shooting and muscle down low in the quarter, demonstrating their skills in all aspects of the game. The Gees led 53–37 heading into the final quarter.

A big block by the Algoma defense early in the fourth put

10 | SPORTS

some life into their squad. The Thunderbirds fought back to within ten of the Gees, but Soriano hit back-to-back threes to bring the score to 62–47 with less than two minutes left, effectively sealing the game.

The Thunderbirds started fouling with 32 seconds on the clock, which was a unique tactic considering the game was definitely out of reach. The game would end with a Gee-Gees victory, 64–50.

The Gee-Gees put in a good effort to beat the Thunderbirds easily in their first contest of the year. Besselink was key for Ottawa, as she finished with 20 points, the most of any player.

Both teams will be in action next on Nov. 25 at Laurentian University. The women tip-off at 6 p.m., while the men begin at 8 p.m. The Gees play their first home games on Dec. 2, with the women starting at 6 p.m. and the men at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased from Sports Services.

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Gee-Gees win shootout thriller at home

After two straight victories against Carleton, U of O sits atop RSEQ Kyle Darbyson

managing Editor

The Minto Sports Complex played host to a real nailbiter on Sunday, Nov. 20, with the University of Ottawa women’s hockey team managing to sneak in a 4–3 shootout win against Carleton.

This latest victory came hot on the heels of a successful outing at the Carleton Ice House on Nov. 14, where the Gee-Gees thoroughly trashed the Ravens by a score of 5–1.

However, Sunday’s matchup proved to be much more of a challenge for the Gees, since the Ravens were out for blood.

The visiting team made their intentions known throughout the first period, picking apart the U of O’s defence with ease and scoring two unanswered goals.

Luckily, the Gees were able to regroup from the onslaught in the second period.

They started the period with goaltender Sarah-Maude Labrecque replacing Maude

Levesque-Ryan in net, and with the change came a renewed sense of purpose.

They soon managed to close the gap to a respectable 2–1, thanks to a wicked wrist shot from team captain Vickie Lemire.

“We got a lot of scoring chances. Even in the first period we could have scored at least six goals,” said head coach Yanick Evola, reflecting on the resiliency of his team’s offence and the necessity of capitalizing on these scoring chances. “We have a team that believes in each other right now and it shows … so that’s really exciting.”

The real turning point in this game came in the third period, when the Gees successfully killed off a twoman advantage, despite the fact that their defensive game had been pretty shaky up until that point.

The Gees were able to generate a considerable amount of momentum from the kill.

Forward Roxanne Rioux tied

The Gees bested Carleton in an exciting back-and-forth matchup.

the game up with a powerplay goal of her own, and then Shanie Deschatelets gave the U of O a 3–2 lead with a swift wrap-around on Carleton goaltender Summer Roberts.

Unfortunately, the Gees’

Photo: Kyle Darbyson.

sloppy defense would come back to haunt them. With less than two minutes to go in the third period, Carleton forward Delaney Ross scored a shorthanded goal to send the game into overtime.

Despite dominating the

majority of these five extra minutes, the Gees couldn’t find the back of the net and both teams were forced to settle the score in a shootout.

After five missed opportunities, Rioux decided to step up for her team, sneaking the

puck through Roberts’ fivehole and winning the game 4–3 for the Gees.

Despite the fact that this tremendous comeback victory propels the Gees to the number-one spot of the Réseau de sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ), Evola cautioned that his team shouldn’t start celebrating just yet.

“We’ve got to show better consistency on the road of course,” he said, citing the team’s less-than-stellar 1–2 record in away games thus far. “We need to get some points on the road if we want to finish in a good position for the playoffs.”

The Gees will get their chance to salvage their away game record by taking on the Montreal Carabins on Friday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. They’ll also get a second crack at taking down the Concordia Stingers at home on Sunday, Nov. 27 at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased from the official GeeGee website.

Women’s volleyball splits weekend series against UQAM, Montréal Gees hope to finish 2016 strong heading into final two games before the break Nico Laliberté Sports Editor

The women’s volleyball team split their games this weekend, losing 3–0 to Université de Québec à Montréal on Friday, Nov. 18, before defeating Université de Montréal 3–1 on Sunday, Nov. 20.

This weekend served as a microcosm of the Gees’ uneven 2016-17 season. They lost to last-place UQAM for the second time this season, but came out on top against first-place Montréal for the second time this season.

Head coach Lionel Woods responded to the weekend showing by saying that some teams just match up better against others. “(There was) no lack of effort on Friday, no lack of intent. (They were) just uncomfortable. And then today: comfortable,” said Woods after the win against Montréal on Sunday.

The game against top-

ranked Montréal was an exciting back-and-forth affair. The Gees were solid in the first two sets, winning them 25–22 and 25–23, respectively.

They lost momentum in the third, generating very little offence, and giving Montréal a chance to get their hitting going. The Carabins got the early lead and never looked back, winning the set 25–19.

The fourth set started right where the third left off. Montréal got off to a quick start, and lead 16–8 halfway through the set.

That’s when Ottawa began to mount their comeback. Down 18–12, the Gees rattled off six consecutive points to tie the score.

The Gees didn’t let go of their momentum, winning the set 25–22.

Fifth-year setter Kira Tome led the way for the team again. She contributed offensively with 37 assists and six kills, as well as defensively with 10 digs and a

team-high three blocks.

Kaly Soro led the team offensively with a seasonhigh 13 kills, including four key points during the Gees’ fourth-set comeback.

Woods credited the team’s serving game as being a key difference-maker in this match-up.

“When our serving was in, we had a chance to make them uncomfortable. When our serving wasn’t tough, they pass well. They’re too physical for almost anybody in our conference. So you’ve got to make them (go) out of system, and I thought we did that well today.”

Woods stressed that the team’s goals haven’t changed during the season.

“The message is the same.

We’ve been the same every week. You’ve got to show up every week in this conference and play tough.”

Currently, the U of O’s record stands at 4–4, and the squad holds the thirdbest win percentage in the

The Gees defeated the Montreal Carabins for the second time this season on Nov. 20. Photo: Remi Yuan.

Réseau de sport étudiant du Québec. This weekend, the Gees will play back-toback games against Laval, who shares first-place with Montréal.

For Woods, Laval should present a brand new set of challenges for the team.

“We haven’t seen Laval.

We haven’t seen them in exhibition. We haven’t seen them in preseason. We’ve only seen video. They haven’t seen us. They’re a brand new team,” said Woods.

While Laval will be a new test for the Gees, this team has demonstrated

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they still have what it takes to compete with the best of their conference.

This weekend Ottawa is in action against Laval on Nov. 26 at 6 p.m. and Nov. 27 at 2 p.m. Both games will take place in Montpetit Hall. Tickets can be purchased here.

Sports | 11

OPINIONS

OPINIONS EDITOR Eric Davidson

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

Spying on journalists is unacceptable

Society needs people to speak out, and free journalism serves that purpose Nicholas Robinson staff contributor

N

ews recently came out that the Montreal police had been spying on la Presse journalist Patrick Lagacé in order to find out which member of their department was leaking information to the media. It goes without saying that this is completely unacceptable.

Remember, freedom of the press is enshrined in the second article of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Police spying on journalists is a clear violation of that fundamental freedom. It sets a dangerous precedent that the press is just a tool that the state can use for its own means.

Journalism also requires trust. A source needs to be able to give information to a journalist and trust that that person will use the information

Police forces should not be able to spy on journalists, especially with weak evidence. Photo: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

properly and protect the source’s identity. Police spying on journalists is nothing less than an invasion into that sphere of trust and harms the ability of the journalist to do their job properly.

As well, this espionage also targets whistleblowers, and a healthy society needs these brave individuals

to function. Public officials, heads of businesses and the like often want to hide information, claiming national security, legal requirements, or internal policy. While transparency should have some limits, when it comes to corporations and governments it should be almost unlimited.

Far too often, organizations use

whatever flimsy excuse they can muster to hide information that the public should know. This is especially true for organizations that are supposed to serve the public good and for a democratic society. Pretending to have people’s best interests at heart and then refusing to let them know what you do is hypocrisy to the highest degree. Whistleblowers help prevent abuse like this, which is why we need more of them, not less.

A healthy civil society is one where information flows freely, not where information stays hidden from the people it affects. This kind of police spying attacks whistleblowers, and it only serves to maintain an indecent shroud of secrecy that ultimately makes a mockery of our society and the people that the police are supposed to serve.

Despite this gross invasion of civil liberties, Philippe Pichet, Montreal’s police chief, said that all the necessary laws were respected during their monitoring of Lagacé. But just because you follow the law, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re

doing a good thing. In this case, it only shows that the laws should be changed.

Canada needs to have much stronger laws protecting not only the freedom of press, but other key elements of a healthy civil society, including whistleblowers.

On top of that, it doesn’t appear that Lagacé did anything wrong or illegal. This means that the police targeted an innocent man. It’s not a good sign for our society if the police can intrude into our lives whenever they want. Again, the right not to suffer from unreasonable search or seizure is protected under Section 8 of the Charter.

Policing by consent—the idea that the police are just citizens with powers trusted to them through the consent of their society—should be a fundamental principle of any police force. Spying on journalists is not just an attack on the freedom of the press, nor just a symptom of an unhealthy society—it is also a failure to abide by the most basic principles of policing.

It must stop.

Bring on the nap pods

Universities should explore new way to help fight student sleep deprivation Eric Davidson opinions editor

Recently, Algonquin College has taken an unprecedented step towards helping its students succeed— buying nap pods.

While these spherical lounge chairs might seem like something from the future—or Google—it’s about time post-secondary education woke up to the benefits of helping students nap on campus.

Currently, the only real option for a productive siesta on campus is passing out in the library with your face in a book, which is less than ideal.

Even though buying nap pods would be a large expense for the university, with one device costing anywhere from $8,000 to $13,000, the considerable benefits outweigh the costs.

After all, not getting enough sleep can be a serious problem, especially for university students.

Not least of these issues is impaired cognitive abilities—which is

12 | OPINIONS

a problem if you’re trying to write a 20-page essay, or learn differential calculus.

Sleep deficit can also contribute to the onset of mental health disorders, and for students already suffering from anxiety or mood disorders a full night’s sleep can be rare. Since a quarter of university-age Canadians will experience mental illness, nap pods are ideal for this demographic, and encouraging extra sleep may even help prevent certain mental illnesses from becoming worse.

Lack of sleep also compromises your immune system, and being sick only makes it harder to succeed in school. Another fun fact: sleep deprivation magnifies the effects of alcohol on the body, which is something students don’t really need.

A simple solution to these issues is getting a little shut-eye. Even short naps can help counteract the drop in cognitive ability and weakening of the immune system, as well as reduce stress levels—always a boon as finals season approaches.

But wait a second, why can’t stu-

More universities should bring nap pods to their campuses.

dents just go home to sleep? Well, even though there are students who live on or near campus, there are many others who need to commute.

With such busy schedules, many such students also can’t take the time to go home and back to school on top of attending classes, doing homework, working, attending extracur-

Photo: Tristain Pollard.

ricular activities, or even being a parent. Leaving school to nap often isn’t an option, meaning it’s left out of students’ schedules entirely.

But why do students need to nap?

They can just sleep at night, right?

Well, most students know that between studying and doing assignments in the evening and waking

up early for morning classes, a good night’s sleep is more of a cute idea than an actual possibility.

But remember, while many students won’t have time to leave campus to nap and come back, what most students do have is blocks of empty time on campus in between classes.

This is why having nap pods on campus is actually ideal, since gaps between students’ classes will leave an ideal time for rest, without wasting time travelling.

Now, as mentioned before, this will require a heavy investment on the part of universities and colleges everywhere. However, if these bodies are willing to invest in computers and online programs to better the student experience, why not invest in technology that will improve their productivity in other ways, like getting more sleep?

When you consider the benefits to health and cognition, nap pods, as silly as they may sound, emerge as a very viable option for universities to improve the lives of their students.

And that’s nothing to yawn about.

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Lowering quorum is not ideal, but it is necessary

If you want to foster engagement, make sure students get a voice every time Eric Davidson Opinions Editor

After the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa’s (SFUO) latest General Assembly (GA) failed to meet quorum for a fifth consecutive time, it’s time to look at ways to make changes so that these events can succeed in the future.

One of the motions presented at the GA suggested lowering quorum at future events, so that they could succeed even if a smaller amount of students show up. But is this really a good idea?

When it comes to student governance at the U of O, we’ve had a serious problem with student engagement.

Many don’t keep up with student politics, and even fewer participate. Levels of student voting have been dropping slowly and have become shockingly low, with each candidate receiving fewer than 100 votes in the recent fall by-election.

The GA is a potential remedy for this, but only if enough people show up. The ability for any student to bring motions and see them voted on to actually change the SFUO mandate, even a little bit, is a powerful enough reason to participate.

The problem is, since the GAs have never succeeded, there are no examples to point to that could get students excited about the event. Being able to say something like “at last year’s GA, students implemented policies to establish a student court and make voting easier,” would go a long way in motivating people.

With this in mind, lowering quorum could significantly raise the chance of such success stories happening, which would create a positive feedback loop.

Of course, lowering quorum is not a perfect solution.

Quorum is already relatively low for GAs—one per cent of the student body, or around

Lowering quorum for GAs would drastically increase their chance of success.

325 people. Lowering this number would mean that an even smaller number of students could control the fate of the entire student population, which is far from ideal.

However, there are two reasons that lowering quorum is a good idea despite this fact.

Firstly, while it would lower the floor, it would not lower the ceiling, meaning that the potential number of students who can show up to the event is just as high as ever.

Secondly, if you don’t like the idea that a small number of people could control policy

Photo: Eric Davidson.

for all students, then you should really want quorum to be lowered. Because if quorum is set too high, then no students get to vote on new policies, and it all falls on the 30-member Board of Administration (BOA).

I know what you’re think-

ing, the BOA was democratically elected, so this isn’t a huge issue. But how many people were involved in this selection process? One newly elected representative received all of 10 “yes” votes to three “no” votes running against no opposition. And how educated were those voters? Many candidates didn’t have available platforms posted, and there were no debates.

In essence, very little vetting was done by the student body before electing them.

In such a situation, there is no guarantee that a BOA member will be better better suited to direct policy than your average student. In such a case, you want as many people involved as possible to maximize the chance of success.

It becomes more and more important that a greater number of students be given an effective voice—that means being able to vote on policy—and not just a passive role every year.

Now is not the time for mandatory voting

Uncertainty, strain on SFUO resources would be too great a challenge

Eric Davidson Opinions Editor

Voter turnout at the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) elections has been dropping precipitously—one Board of Administration (BOA) director was elected with only 10 votes in the recent byelection.

One suggested solution, which was brought forward in a motion to the recent General Assembly (GA) is the idea of mandatory voting. This would mean that all students at the University of Ottawa are required to vote in the SFUO elections.

Clearly the low voter turnout levels need to be addressed, and the sooner the better. A lack of participation hurts everyone, since elected officials receive less scrutiny, and relying on a small sample of the U of O population is not a reliable way to reflect the true wishes of the full student body.

To solve these and many other problems, getting most students involved in student politics is absolutely necessary.

However, mandatory voting rules is more of a superficial fix, since there’s no guarantee this method

would actually increase how much students care about school politics.

As opposed to actually caring about the result, students would more likely choose randomly just to prove that they voted — especially if they’re just doing it to avoid a financial penalty. This would essentially mean that random chance determines who is elected.

Now, the flip side to this argument is that by building a habit of voting among students, they will eventually care about the process over time.

However, this doesn’t address the fact that this whole mandatory voting proposal would be a logistical nightmare.

It’s been suggested that the SFUO could charge all students a fee at the beginning of the year and refund it when students have voted. At the surface level, the SFUO would have to keep track of who’s voting and go through a procedure to make sure they get their reimbursement.

This might be simple in concept, but, given the state of our student union right now, it would never work in execution.

Currently, the SFUO is working with a lower budget and fewer

Mandatory voting would create many administrative hurdles for the SFUO.

staff than usual as it sorts out its finances. It still has lots of administrative work on its plate, from businesses with management problems, to clubs applications that are overwhelming the vice-president equity.

Simply put, the student executive doesn’t need more administrative work to deal with, especially if it

involves keeping track of the entire student body.

It’s a bit of a catch-22 that the SFUO can’t take a step to fix some of its problems because of other problems it’s facing, but there you have it.

At this stage, it would be far more effective to focus on other ideas for increasing engagement. For exam-

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Photo: CC, Dwayne Bent.

ple, making the GAs more accessible to students or releasing more information via social media.

Mandatory voting is certainly something to study for the future, but given our current lack of information and resources at the U of O, the discussion should remain theoretical for the time being.

OPINIONS | 13

SFUO to lower quorum at GAs to one student Student union says there is now a chance the events will get off the ground Miguel Marchildon Tomato contributor In a desperate bid to organize at least one successful student-run event this year, the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) passed a motion to lower the quorum for General Assemblies (GAs) from one per cent of the student body to a single student.

The SFUO made the announcement on their Twitter feed earlier today.

When asked about specifics of this new stipulation, SFUO president Romeo Ahimakin said “This new quorum requirement was our only option left, and it will come into effect for the winter 2017 GA.” However, Ahimakin was quick to add that “there is no guarantee that even with

this new requirement we will meet quorum.”

Jean Mark, a third-year criminology student, commented that “It’s about time that the SFUO proposed a real solution to the ongoing failure of the GA.” When asked if he had ever attended a GA he replied, “No, but I always thought that those students with plenty of free time would be attending in large numbers.”

Emily Smith, a third-year economics student, thinks it’s a good thing that the SFUO is finally taking steps to turn things around.

But she also added that “This might not be enough.

The SFUO should seriously consider handing out free puppies and lattes to get students involved at GAs.” “There was some push back on this motion,” admits

The SFUO will lower quorum to one student in the hope of having a GA succeed.

SFUO vice-president communications Crancesco Faruso. “I was not convinced at first that this motion would achieve anything. Given that GAs are long, protracted af-

fairs that can last hours on end, finding even one student to attend among 32,000+ undergrads is a Herculean feat.”

The idea for the new quorum requirements came to

Photo: Erin Husband.

vice-president social Wadi Hess during the last GA. “It seemed that there was only one, maybe two students, that ever contributed to the discussion, so why did

everybody else’s presence have to count towards the quorum?”

When asked if the new quorum requirements would encourage him to attend GAs, Mark was undecided.

“If the assembly conflicts with my aimless web browsing, then probably not.”

Inevitably, some overly politically correct left-leaning students raised concerns regarding the transparency and democratic nature of the motion.

But an optimistic David Smith, a first-year political science student, stated that the new quorum requirement is good news for students.

“After years of wanting to monopolize the debate and get my petty concerns on the agenda, I will finally have my chance.”

SFUO turns to Obama-Biden memes for guidance Student union hires meme interpreter to decipher valuable information eric davidson tomato Editor The Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) has been facing a lot of challenges this year: a significant drop in funding, low student engagement numbers, and—worst of all—a lack of free cookies from PIVIK. Luckily, while browsing the Internet at 1 a.m., SFUO president Roméo Ahimakin found the answer to all of their problems—ObamaBiden memes.

“To be honest, I was just putting off doing an assignment,” said Ahimakin. “But as I was scrolling through funny Obama-Biden memes, I realized just how powerful they really are.”

When asked if American political memes were really relevant to Ottawa student politics, Ahimakin looked shocked.

“If Obama and Biden can govern a country for eight years, I think their Internet likeness can help

our student union flourish,” he said, brushing over the fact that these were in fact only images of the pair with words photoshopped over them. “At first you think the memes are just about U.S. politics, but if you go deeper you will see that they apply to local student politics as well.”

And it appears he’s correct. On page 300 of Google results, one meme features Joe Biden with the caption “I’m going to make U of O students wait four hours for a UPass,” and Obama replying, “Joe, that’s a bad idea.”

Another meme reads “Let’s set all the fireworks off in the green space and see what happens.” As always, Obama shuts Biden down with a sober, “No, Joe.” To make the most of this newly uncovered treasure trove of wisdom, the SFUO will be hiring a meme interpreter to really examine the photos and tell the student executives how to proceed.

“I’ve never worked with a stu-

thefulcrum.ca

The SFUO has discovered a useful policy tool, Obama-Biden memes.

Photo: CC, The White House, Pete Souza. Edits: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

dent union before, so this should be fun,” said Good Guy Greg McDoge, the SFUO’s new meme interpreter.

“Lot’s of these memes have more policy meaning behind them than meets the eye,” he said, pointing to one as an example.

“Biden: Just let me play it once.

Obama: Joe, we’re not playing Hotline Bling at the graduation ceremony.”

“What this really means,” said McDoge, “is that the school is clamouring for more spirit, and

the SFUO should start planning more social events to get students excited.”

“It’s very obvious, I don’t know how you didn’t get that.”

McDoge said the memes can even help with the SFUO’s budget concerns.

For example: “Biden: Come on, it’ll be fun!” Obama: “Joe, we’re not blowing the rest of the SFUO’s general fund on a drone.”

“What this clearly means is that while many people are advocating for financial conservatism in the face of current budget constraints, an investment in future productivity is what will need to succeed in the long-term,” said McDoge. “Duh.” Ahimakin said he’s been blown away by the results so far.

“Since we started consulting the memes, the SFUO’s Board of Administration hasn’t disagreed with our actions once,” he said. “Our policy meetings have had more drive and direction than ever before.”

“Thanks, Obama-Biden memes.”

THE TOMATo | 14

combat the exam stress:

hug a pug

Photos: Jaclyn Mc

Rae-S adik and Rem

i Yuan.

DISTRACTIONS

FEATURES EDITOR Alexa-Eliza Carter

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

Dear Di

Dear Di,

Dear Di,

I’ve been on a few dates with this guy, and he seems to really like my feet. I mean, sure I have cute feet, but now he’s revealed that he’s actually turned on by feet. Is this normal?

My boyfriend is really critical of my behaviour. This started out innocently enough with simple observations about my time management skills, but lately it’s morphed into something a lot more mean spirited. Instead of just asking me why I’m late, for example, he will just get really angry with me. It doesn’t feel like he cares anymore.

-Foot Fetish

-Combating Criticism

Dear FF, Fetishes aren’t anything to be afraid of, since they basically boil down to a person having erotic desire for a body part or inanimate object. In other words, if there’s an object out there that turns you on, you may have a fetish.

There are a few common ones that come to mind, namely lingerie, high-heeled shoes, leather, tattoos, feet, or someone’s butt. For example, if someone is erotically charged by the sight of feet, they may want to lick, suck, or touch them.

There is debate about whether a fetish stems from early life experiences, or as a learned behaviour adopted from one’s environment.

But in terms of what is “normal” when it comes to sex, that’s an entirely subjective term. So long as there is no harm being done to anyone and there is mutual consent, then is there really such a thing as “normal” sex?

Exploring your sexuality is a big part of life.

While helping somebody explore their fetish can be an exciting way to discover new things about yourself, remember that both of you need to be comfortable with this idea. Who knows, maybe your new guy will be open to trying out a sexual fetish of your own.

Love, Di

Dear CC,

Constructive criticism should always be welcome in any healthy relationship, but something tells me that this isn’t the case with your boyfriend.

Someone that criticizes your every move in such a harsh fashion is not interested in helping you improve yourself. Instead, they are only interested in themselves. Their needs are the only thing that’s important to them, and when they are not met this kind of person tends to lash out at those around them, which is quite toxic for any relationship.

You may not be familiar with the term emotional intelligence (EQ), but it refers to one’s ability to understand your emotions as they are happening.

This metric is broken up into five categories, including self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills.

If your boyfriend comes up short in any of these categories then he might be unable to understand his emotions and have a lower EQ, which would explain why he is so quick to tear you down whenever he gets the opportunity.

One of the best ways to combat this kind of negativity is to confront the issue head-on. It goes without saying that you need to talk to your boyfriend, preferably in an environment he is comfortable in and at a time when he is not stressed out. It is important to use “I feel” statements during this dicussion rather than accusatory, judgemental “you” statements.

But beyond that, commit yourself to learning about how each of you are feeling. It’s the only real way to move forward as a couple.

If your partner is not willing to listen and work through these obstacles, be confident that you deserve someone that shows they respect and care for you. As the old saying goes: “there’s plenty more fish in the sea.”

Love, Di

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

thefulcrum.ca

Nov. 24-dec 1, 2016

THRYLLABUS

MUSIC arts Sports FUN

Thursday, Nov. 24

Sunday, Nov. 27

Wednesday, Nov. 30

Ottawa Senators vs.

Boston Bruins, Canadian Tire Centre—7:30 p.m.

Gee-Gees women’s hockey vs. Concordia, Minto Sports Complex—2 p.m.

Rally for Indigenous rights at the Supreme Court of Canada, solidarity with Clyde River and Chippewas of the Thames, Supreme Court of Canada—11 a.m.

U of O Wind Ensemble, Tabaret Hall—8 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 25 Pet Therapy, Stanton Residence—11 a.m.

Ottawa 67’s vs. Windsor Spitfires, TD Place—7 p.m.

Ontario Registered Music Teachers’ Association master class with Christiane Riel, free admission, Pérez Hall— 7 p.m.

Good Lovelies Christmas Concert, National Arts Centre—7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 26 World Arts Film Festival Short Films, free screening, ByTowne Cinema—2 p.m.

Gee-Gees women’s volleyball vs. Laval, Montpetit Hall—6 p.m.

Gee-Gees women’s volleyball vs. Laval, Montpetit Hall—2 p.m.

Have Yourself a Scary Little Christmas (mystery game), The Velvet Room—6:30 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 28 Magic Monday with Bill Abbott (magic show), LIVE! on Elgin—4 p.m.

Masters Recital with Jordanne Erichsen (soprano), free admission, Tabaret Hall—7 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 29 Soldering workshop, free admission, Makerlab in Colonel By Hall—5:30 p.m.

Elle (Paul Verhoeven film), ByTowne Cinema—6:45 p.m.

The Three Musketeers, opening night, Ottawa Little Theatre—7:30 p.m.

Ottawa Family Christmas Concert, in support of the Huntington Society of Canada, Bromley Road Baptist Church—7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 1 Meet and greet with winners of this year’s Governor General’s Literary Awards (including U of O writerin-residence Madeleine Thien), Canada Council for the Arts—11:45 a.m.

Ignite! science talks, free admission, Canadian Museum of Nature—7 p.m.

Thinking

thefulcrum.ca

DISTRACTIONS | 17

LETTERs TO THE EDITOR Re: Proposed CFS motion to be voted on at BOA meeting

Dear Editor,

At the next Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) Board of Administration (BOA) meeting, a motion will be put forward to launch a review into the relationship between the SFUO, and the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS).

Upon looking into the records of the CFS, it is very murky and hard to see where the money they get from the SFUO, and many other student unions, goes to. They don’t release their expenditures and revenue in a way that is accessible to the general public, they don’t send back reports to the SFUO explaining how our money is being spent, and they certainly don’t act in a way that is transparent to the many universities that send money to the CFS. When a government or bureaucratic institution doesn’t release information to the members of the association, do the members then choose to embrace complacency and do nothing? Of course not. They choose to demand accountability and transparency. So why shouldn’t we do the same, the members of the SFUO? The BOA should pass the proposed motion and therefore approve that a review of the relationship between the SFUO and CFS is launched. This would ensure that we can gain information to see whether or not we are getting the best quality of services and resources from the CFS. The committee would be tasked with ensuring that we are getting a good deal

out of our student federation’s relationship with CFS, and that the money is being used to advance the causes that matter to U of O students. The SFUO executive would report back to the student body at the General Assembly that will be held sometime over the winter.

Given the SFUO’s current financial crisis, I believe that this committee is needed to make sure that we are getting value out of the fees that we as students send to the CFS. Some people will ask whether there is precedence for pursuing this motion. The answer is “Yes, there is!” We aren’t the only student union in Ontario facing these issues.

The Ryerson Student Union (RSU) conducted a review and discovered that the CFS was not benefitting the students at Ryerson by not providing transparency and by concluding that the nearly $500,000 the RSU was sending to them would be better spent elsewhere.

Isn’t it high time for the SFUO to launch a similar review? If the SFUO wishes to be more transparent, perhaps they should look at other student unions for guidance and advice.

I strongly encourage every member of the SFUO executive and the BOA to vote in favour of this motion. Students at U of O want accountable, democratic, and transparent governance, which would benefit all of us.

After all, a thorough review would help strengthen the relationship with our student federation.

—Jordan Kent, first-year political science student at the U of O.

18 | LETTERS

thefulcrum.ca

EDITORIAL Volume 77, Issue 13, nov. 24, 2016 Chasing puppies since 1942.

Phone: (613) 695-0061 | Fax: (613) 695-9006 631 King Edward Ave. Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Recycle this, or we’ll eat your guac.

Savannah “Corgi” Awde Editor-in-Chief editor@thefulcrum.ca Kim “Golden Retriever” Wiens Production Manager production@thefulcrum.ca Kyle “Boxer” Darbyson Managing Editor content@thefulcrum.ca Graham “Teacup Pomeranian” Robertson News Editor news@thefulcrum.ca Anchal “English Toy Terrier” Sharma Arts and Culture Editor arts@thefulcrum.ca Alexa-Eliza “Beagle” Carter Features Editor features@thefulcrum.ca Nico “Labrador” Laliberte Sports Editor sports@thefulcrum.ca Eric “Pun Dog” Davidson Opinions Editor opinions@thefulcrum.ca Jaclyn “Siberian Husky” McRaeSadik Visual Editor visual@thefulcrum.ca

News year in review: It wasn’t 100 per cent awful

In honour of our last regular issue of 2016, we remember the (few and far between) bright spots in this year’s news This just in—Mike Pence

♥s Planned Parenthood

For anyone who isn’t already fuming about United States president-elect Donald Trump’s Vice-president pick, try imagining what it would be like for a rape survivor to have reduced reproductive freedoms, or what it would feel like for her to be forced to have a funeral for her aborted child if she managed to terminate the pregnancy. Scary picture, right? Well, vice president-elect Mike Pence doesn’t think so. In fact, in his work he advocates for both of these things. Luckily, some Americans aren’t taking his ignorant attitude lying down. Since Trump’s election, Planned Parenthood has received an estimated 46,000 donations from across the country in Pence’s name, meaning Pence has received 46,000 “thank you” letters from Planned Parenthood. While this story doesn’t outweigh the horrible reality that this imbecile has taken the vice president seat, it is heartwarming and amusing to see people band together in the name of defending America’s progress in reproductive freedom—and to remind Pence that women won’t be going down without a fight.

—Savannah Awde, Editor-in-Chief.

Allegra “Border Collie” Morgado Social Media Coordinator social@thefulcrum.ca Reine “Pug” Tejares Webmaster webmaster@thefulcrum.ca Zack “German Shepherd” Goobie Associate Sports Editor Zainab “Poodle” Al-Mehdar Associate News Editor associate.news@thefulcrum.ca Remi “Pit Bull” Landry Yuan Staff Photographer photographer@thefulcrum.ca Syed “Shih Tzu” Zeehad Multimedia Coordinator multimedia@thefulcrum.ca

Breaking: It’s easier than ever to eat your feelings As this year comes to a dismal end with Brexit and the election of Trump—among many other gloomy outcomes—2016 seems to have been a bit of a mess. The one redeeming news article I recently read was that the price of avocados will drop sometime after October. Thankfully, now we can eat our feelings in a delicious and semi-healthy way with more affordable guacamole.

Lucas “Pitsky” Ghosn General Manager manager@thefulcrum.ca

—Jaclyn McRae-Sadik, Visual Editor.

Sports fans say no promise is too big to bear In case you missed it, on Nov. 2 the Chicago Cubs won the World Series for the first time in 108 years. While a number of notable stories came out of their historic victory, perhaps the most touching is that of a boy who made a pact with his father that when—not if—the Cubs finally made the world series, they would watch the games together. That boy is now 68-year-old Wayne Williams. On Nov. 2, he drove 650 miles to Greenwood, Indiana cemetery, where his father is buried. He sat beside his father’s grave with the game on his smartphone, and listened together with him as the Cubs won the World Series in overtime.

—Nico Laliberté, Sports Editor.

North America seeks solace in the stars With all the horrible shit that’s happened on planet Earth in 2016, I wouldn’t fault anybody if they felt tempted to look to the stars to find hope and inspiration. For the last 25 years, the Hubble Space Telescope has facilitated that very function, providing us with astonishing images of stars, planets, galaxies, and other cosmic anomalies to spark our imagination. But rather than resting on their laurels, NASA has just finished construction of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which puts the Hubble to shame. On top of being able to see infrared images, the JWST also sports 270 square feet worth of hexagonal beryllium-coated mirrors, which makes it effectively 100 times more powerful than its predecessor. Because of these new technological advancements, the JWST can give us a peek into previously undiscovered regions of both space and time. So sure, the last 11-anda-half months may have been terrible, but NASA is showing us that, even in 2016, scientific innovation is still out of this world.

—Kyle Darbyson, Managing Editor.

Shanèl “Chow Chow” Dear Advertising Representative ads@thefulcrum.ca

Contributors

Yomi “Great Dane” Orims Tristain “Yorkshire Terrier” Pollard Erin “Maltese” Husband Miguel “Dachshund” Marchildon Nicholas “English Mastiff” Robinson Madison “Akita” McSweeney David “St. Bernard” Campion-Smith Navjot “Greyhound” Waraich Ellen “Pekingese” Galupo Emily “Jack Russell Terrier” Cecchetti Ryan “Alaskan Malamute” Pepper

Board of Directors

Mackenzie “Papillon” Gray Kate “Shiba Inu” Murray Carolyn “Basset Hound” Mutis Jonathan “Bichon Frise” Rausseo Raghad “Shetland Sheepdog” Sheikh-Khalil Will “Pointer” Hume Niharika “Havanese” Namulla Thivya “Miniature Pinscher” Naganathan Julia “Cocker Spaniel” Miraflores Maggie “French Bulldog” Gollish

Brain research gets a boost across the globe

New study shows that memes are in fact the best medicine

Much of how the human brain works is a still a mystery, but this year scientists took a big step towards shining a light on how our brains work. In June, a team of neuroscientists led by Matthew Glasser and David Van Essen at Washington University in St. Louis published a paper in the journal Nature, detailing how they had mapped out 180 distinct areas of the human cortex, up from 83. This could have huge implications for finding markers for all sorts of neurological diseases and mental illnesses, and even help neurosurgeons be safer and more precise. These researchers have even developed an algorithm to make their data available to doctors all over the world.

​Amongst the shock and worry of the U.S. presidential election, it’s stress-relieving and humbling to see President Obama and vice-president Joe Biden’s friendship on display. Numerous funny memes have been released with Biden playing the role of the mischievous child and Obama as the older and wiser sibling.

There were memes about toying with Trump and memes about Pence seeing Hamilton. With the great upset of the U.S. election, at the very least Obama and Biden memes poke fun at Trump and provide some much-needed comic relief!

—Eric Davidson, Opinions Editor.

—Alexa-Eliza Carter, Features Editor.

Cover: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.

thefulcrum.ca

EDITORIAL | 19

Jobs you didn’t even know existed Are you a student looking for work or simply in-between jobs?

Today’s New Car Dealerships in Ontario need drivers for shuttle

buses, lot attendants that can help to move inventory around and

more. Find a career in the automotive sector on CarsAndJobs.com.

It’s not what you think.

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11/8/16 9:36 AM