The Fulcrum - Vol 76 Issue 11

VOL. 76 ISSUE 11

Nov. 12, 2015

“We need to change the justice system.” pg. 6

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This Week

IN THIS ISSUE...

Some faces change P.5 U of O names new chancellor, Days since the new president announcement join the fulcrum on fireworks have a tour of the ottawa not been used... by end of November. citizen on nov. 19, 2:30 p.m.

A Gee-Gee at Vimy Ridge P.9 email editor@thefulU of O student shares her crum.ca for more info thoughts at the Canadian National Vimy Ridge memorial.

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Grounded P.12 Why Canadian students are staying at home vs. going abroad.

Bronze isn’t always bad P.15 Women’s rugby has best season in history while soccer team loses in last minute.

Not Christmas music already P.18 Why you should keep your Xmas decorations packed up a while longer.

The base essentials P.20 Don’t be silly, wrap your willy.

NEWS Sitting down with the president NEWS EDITOR

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

Rock talks lockdown, construction, housing and his retirement plans Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi Editor-In-Chief

U

niversity of Ottawa president, Allan Rock, sat down with the Fulcrum at his office in Tabaret Hall to discuss changes made following the Oct. 22, 2014 lockdown, student housing, construction on campus, and his plans once he’s out of a job.

Lockdown one year later On Oct. 22, 2014, Michael Zehaf-Bibeau shot and killed Cpl. Nathan Cirillo before trying to storm Parliament where he was shot by Sergeant-at-arms, Kevin Vickers. Much of downtown, including the U of O, was under lockdown for most of the day.

At the time the U of O released a statement saying “we will do a thorough assessment of our procedures and look at ways to make improvements.”

Rock said they did perform a review of procedures and Protection Services “came forth with a number of recommendations. Some of which have already been acted upon.”

The U of O has already began implementing “widespread training across the campus,” said Rock, for “people in faculties, in the administration and among the student body to prepare them for events that present urgent circumstances.”

The university has also implemented simulations which require evacuation and shutting down buildings—The first

of which occurred on Sept. 30.

“Every year we’ll be doing that, trying to get people ready and also test our systems.”

Rock says that not everyone knew what was going on last year on Oct. 22. “Some people were in lockdown and for an extended period they didn’t know what was going on—they didn’t know could they leave, could they stay, were they in danger.”

“I think the major problem of Oct. 22, 2014 was that people were left in the dark,” said Rock.

“So we’ve tried really hard to put systems in place that will allow us to share that information more quickly and effectively.”

Construction campus With the U of O’s rapid growth, construction sites seem to be popping up everywhere on campus.

One particular eyesore on campus, the Faculty of Social Sciences parking lot’s conversion to green spaces, will not be completed until the spring, said Rock. “The most recent prediction is that it will be after the ice and snow melt that we’ll be able to put in the greenery,” he said.

The conversion was originally slated to be completed this fall. Rock said a large conference hosted by the U of O in FSS in May pushed back construction until the summer. “Work did start right after that,” he said, but all kinds of issues have since arisen. “At one point they found an old car.”

Another major project on campus, the new learning centre attached to Lamoureux Hall, is expected to be open by Dec.

2017, and is on time and on budget, said Rock.

Last March the university unveiled ambitious expansion plans, which means the construction crews will be here for a while longer.

Student housing The U of O is planning to open another new residence on 45 Mann Avenue, this one exclusively for upper-year and graduate students. This residence is the fourth built in two years, after the residences on Rideau Street, Henderson Avenue, and Friel Street.

Not only is the university trying to address the needs of first-year students, but also “the needs of an increasingly diverse student body, international students, a growing cohort of graduate students, married students, as well as students who are here on exchange,” Rock said. “Even visiting professors who come to the campus for three or four months.”

He says they are about to table a new comprehensive housing strategy with the Board of Governors.

On top of plans to build new properties, the university is also planning to rebuild some of the older residences on campus.

“You have buildings like Stanton, and Marchand, and LeBlanc… when I was student here they were new,” said Rock, who graduated from the university in 1971, “and that was way back in the ‘20s.”

“It’s time to replace Stanton, time to replace Marchand, time to replace Leblanc and frankly it’s time to replace the president of the university.”

16-year-old boy shot in Sandy Hill

A 16-year-old boy was shot in the back near Besserer and Chapel Streets in Sandy Hill around 3 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 9.

According to the CBC, the boy was taken to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario with

thefulcrum.ca

Outgoing university president Allan Rock talked about on-campus issues, plans going forward

New president announcement Rock, whose eight-year tenure as U of O president ends in June, says we’ll know who his successor is by the end of

“traumatic injuries.”

There have been no updates on his condition at the time of publication.

“The victim appears to have been by himself,” Inspector John Medeiros told the CBC. “I don’t have any information to determine motive at this point.”

November. “The selection committee has been working really hard,” he said.

The search was first launched last fall, and the new president will take the reins in January 2016 to allow for a smooth transition.

Rock says he’ll still remain on campus after the 30th presi-

Police are looking for at least three males in connection with the attack.

They are telling people to keep clear of the area for the time being.

Those with information are asked to call the police at 613-236-1222, ext. 5166. - Eric Davidson

Photo: Marta Kierkus

dent of the U of O takes over.

“Yes, I’m going to go to the law school and teach,” said Rock, who has a law degree from the university and held numerous portfolios under Jean Chrétien.

“But I have to take some time first to learn something I can teach,” said the former Justice Minister and Attorney General.

Photo: CC,Bull-doser

NEWS | 5

U of O student goes public with sexual assault story, saying police closed case on Nov. 4

Ottawa police say not all ‘avenues had been exhausted’, investigation ongoing “It always seems to end up being the victim’s fault, and this is something I find completely unacceptable, and I find it so frustrating.” — Mélodie Morin, former U of O student

Former U of O student Melodie Morin has gone public with sexual assault allegations

Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi Editor-in-Chief

Former University of Ottawa student Mélodie Morin has gone public with allegations that she was sexually assaulted by another student near campus on Sept. 26. She said she was told by the detective investigating the case that charges would not be laid because the alleged perpetrator “thought it was consensual.”

Morin said the Ottawa police closed the case on Nov. 4, but a statement from the police released the day after Morin went public said the investigation is ongoing.

Her story went viral on Nov. 5 after her friend, Margaux Hunter-Moffatt posted an open letter to the Ottawa police on her Facebook page detailing the sexual assault

6 | NEWS

of an anonymous friend, and tweeting at the police multiple times, calling on them to issue a response to the post.

Her story comes to light the same day that a study was released by U of O criminology professor Holly Johnson, which found that some Ottawa women who reported being sexually assaulted to the Ottawa police said they would never do so again due to their treatment (see next page).

Alleged assault near campus Morin said she was sexually assaulted in the early morning hours of Sept. 26 by a young man she had met on campus the week before. “I thought there was a great friendship that was going to be created and everything seemed fine,”

said Morin in an interview with the Fulcrum.

After going out with friends for her birthday on Sept. 25, Morin said she went to the man’s house alone after 12 a.m. where he invited her into his room because he told her he wanted to give her a drink.

“So I went in his room and that’s when everything happened,” said Morin. “So basically he was using physical strength to try and have sex with me and I did say, I said, ‘you know what this isn’t happening, I don’t want this to happen.’ I said, ‘no’ and I was trying to really pull away.”

Morin says the alleged perpetrator hit and choked her, and then proceeded to sexually assault her. “The sexual assault lasted for about two hours and during that time I thought that I was going to die,” she said.

Immediately after the in-

Photo: Kim Wiens

cident, Morin said she went home and called the police who took her to the hospital where they performed a rape kit test, and took pictures of her injuries. Morin’s friend, Hunter-Moffatt confirmed that she saw “bruises on her face, neck, torso, and thighs.”

Morin said she filed a report, and one week later spoke to a female detective. “I was very comfortable with her,” she said.

“I told her everything that happened, I told her the truth and everything seemed fine. Anyway so that was that, and the conversation went well and I came back home with hope of seeing justice.”

Case is ongoing Morin said she didn’t hear from the detective again until Nov. 4, when she called Morin

to say she was closing the case.

She said the detective told her that both stories “corresponded,” but the alleged perpetrator thought it was consensual, and Morin “was just playing hard to get.”

The Ottawa Police Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Unit released a statement on Nov. 6 saying that all concluded investigations are reviewed by their supervisor, but “In the case of a report of a sexual assault reported to Ottawa Police on September 26 — those conclusions had yet to be reviewed.”

The statement also said that a second level review by a Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Unit supervisor “determined that the conclusions of the investigator may have been premature, as not all investigative avenues had been exhausted.”

“As such, the investigation of a sex assault on September 26, 2015 remains under investigation.”

“The Ottawa Police recognizes that the investigator’s findings to date — that were conveyed to the victim on November 4 — may have further impacted her sense of safety and security.”

The Ottawa police did not wish to comment further, as the investigation is ongoing.

Lingering effects The alleged perpetrator has since tried to contact Morin three times, she said, with two texts and one phone call.

“It took about two weeks for everything to physically be OK,” she said, for the swelling in her internal organs to go down, and for the bruises to go away.

However she’s still feeling the mental effects of the incident including symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder such as trouble eating, disturbed sleep patterns, and

night terrors. “I wake up in the middle of the night, you know, sweating and shaking. I have trouble sleeping, so there’s a lot of those kind of things going on.”

Morin has dropped out of her music program at the U of O because of the incident.

Taking action Morin’s story first went viral with Hunter-Moffatt’s open letter which called on the police to “re-open her case and bring rapists to justice.”

“She asked me to publicize it and I was completely willing to do so because I think that it’s time that people realized how victims of sexual assault are treated within the justice system,” said Hunter-Moffatt.

“Beyond that we’re hoping that if we can garner enough attention it will prompt the police to re-open her case and take it seriously this time.”

They have launched a petition on change.org, titled “Justice For Rape Victims,” which has garnered 1,579 supporters at the time of publication. The petition details the story told on Hunter-Moffatt’s Facebook Page. “Tell the Ottawa Police Department that NO always means NO,” reads the post.

Both Morin and HunterMoffatt have said they’ve heard many stories similar to Morin’s ordeal since the post went up.

“I’ve heard a lot of stories really similar to mine,” said Morin, who believes women who report a sexual assault to the police end up feeling victimized a second time. “It always seems to end up being the victim’s fault, and this is something I find completely unacceptable, and I find it so frustrating.”

“This is just something that I hear about a lot and I want to do something about it.”

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U of O study shines light on violence against women Event features research analyzing police response by U of O professor Jaclyn McRae-Sadik Associate News Editor

Research by University of Ottawa Professor Holly Johnson found that a number of women who reported sexual violence were deterred by the Ottawa Police’s response to violence against women.

Johnson’s study was featured during the Shine the Light campaign, which aims to raise awareness of violence against women, at city hall on Nov. 4 Johnson presented, for the first time, results from her study Improving the Police Response to Crimes of Violence against Women: Ottawa Women Have Their Say, which the Ottawa police service intends to use as part of its initiative.

Johnson said the Ottawa police have a lot of work to do to end violence against women.

“What’s concerning is that we’re still dealing with some of the entrenched attitudes that are entrenched societal wide,” said Johnson, attitudes that believe that women bring sexual violence upon themselves.

“There are some pretty serious criticism of the police response I think that they need to take on board,” said Johnson. Her research found that only 37 per cent of sexual

assault victims felt the first officer was considerate of their feelings and opinions, while only 22 per cent felt comfortable talking with the officer.

“I think where we need to continue doing some more work is the front line, the first responders,” said Bordeleau.

“Our officers are very well equipped to understanding... all the dynamics around women that are victims, so to be sensitive to that, so that’s ongoing training.”

Recently a University of Ottawa student went public with her own sexual assault story, calling on the Ottawa police to re-open the case. The police released a statement on Nov. 6 saying the investigation is ongoing.

The event was put on by the Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women (OCTEVAW) along with representatives from the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Social Sciences and the Ottawa police.

The collaborative effort was in part due to police chief Charles Bordeleau’s initiative launched in 2014 to improve police response to crimes involving violence against women.

Erin Leigh, executive director of OCTEVAW, said the

U of O professor Holly Johnson unveiled her research on police response to allegations of sexual violence.

organization helped recruit Johnson’s survey participants and has previously worked with the university’s task force for respect and equality.

“We’re launching Holly’s results at this event because it’s so important, and we’ve been working with Dr. Johnson, the

Ottawa police and other community organizations on this research,” said Leigh.

Dr. Johnson is a member of OCTEVAW, and a member of the advisory committee to the Ottawa police which seeks to improve the response to crimes

News Briefs

bike lanes built between Rideau and Murray Streets. The new paths would also connect to existing bike paths on Sussex Drive, St Patrick Street, Alexandria Bridge, and the Eastern Rideau Canal Pathway.

Installation of bollards and bike lanes will be done simultaneously with the resurfacing forMackenzie due for completion in 2016.

Vehicle lanes at Wellington Street and Rideau Street intersection will remain the same.

The National Capital Commission (NCC) will contribute $875,000, while the City of Ottawa

Upcoming CFS meeting to cover a variety of issues

The Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) will be holding its 34th Annual General Meeting Nov. 22-25 this year, according to Studentunion.ca.

On the agenda are motions such as making it easier for student unions to decertify from the CFS, launching a campaign in support of a $15 per hour minimum wage, and expanding a preexisting anti-corporate campaign.

It also includes hosting a national summit against racism and colonialism, open only to racialized students and lobbying Elections Canada, and to make on-campus voting a permanent feature.

of violence against women.

The event comes in the wake of nearby Renfrew County’s recent murders of three women and the current trial of Howard Richmond, who is charged with the firstdegree murder of his wife Melissa in 2013.

The CFS is a national organisation that represents students in Canada. The Student Federation of the University Ottawa joined the CFS in 2008 after a tight referendum—52 per cent of students voted “Yes”.

The budget draft in the agenda shows that the CFS will collect almost $4-million in student fees and finish with a small budget surplus. Of that $4-million, about $760,000 will be spent on campaigns.

The CFS doesn’t publish information on its annual GMs online. No location was given for the meeting.

—Nicholas Robinson

will pay $825,000. The U.S. Embassy and the NCC plan to cover any additional costs. Cycling paths on Mackenzie Avenue is part of the City of Ottawa’s 2013 Cycling Plan and the NCC’s Strategic Plan for Canada Capital’s Pathway. The city says the plan will produce about $20,000 a year in revenue.

City council meets on Nov. 12 to decide if the plan will move forward.

—Lindsay Macmillan

Trudeau unhappy with Keystone cancellation

After United States president Barack Obama nixed the much-debated Keystone XL pipeline on Nov. 6, freshly elected Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said he was disappointed, but that he is still looking forward to working with the US. “We are disappointed by the decision but respect the right of the United States to make After 9/11, the U.S. Embassy installed roadthe decision,” he told the Ottawa Citizen. “The side concrete barriers on the east side of MackCanada-U.S. relationship is much bigger than enzie any one project and I look forward to a fresh Avenue. The proposed project will have the start with President Obama to strengthen our barriers replaced with bollards, with segregated

remarkable ties in a spirit of friendship and cooperation.”

While he supported the pipeline to export crude oil to the U.S., Trudeau said he also wants to improve Canada’s environmental record.

“We know that Canadians want a government that they can trust to protect the environment and grow the economy,” he said in a statement.

City approves new bike lanes The City of Ottawa’s transportation committee unanimously approved a plan to spend $1.7 -million on new segregated bike lanes. The bike lanes are planned for Mackenzie Avenue, near the U.S. Embassy.

thefulcrum.ca

Photo: Marta Kierkus

“It’s very rare that police will open the door in a public way about this,” said Johnson.

“They’re going to be under some pressure to do something with it because of the people around the table and because everybody’s given so much time to this whole initiative.”

—Eric Davidson

NEWS | 7

Activist Assembly addresses spectrum of student issues

Organizers of Black Lives Matter call on U of O allies to remain active Jaclyn McRae-Sadik Associate News Editor

Organizers of the Black Lives Matter movement from across Canada and the United States gave a keynote speech opening the second annual Activist Assembly hosted by the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) on Nov. 6.

“We think it’s really important to host this kind of event just because education is becoming more and more inaccessible for a lot of groups of students as it becomes continually privatized,” said SFUO campaign coordinator Justine De Jaegher.

“This Activist Assembly also had an important focus on anti-black racism and addressing that on our campus and our community, so I think it’s really important that students have come out to talk about it,” she said.

There were also numerous workshops held on campus throughout Saturday, Nov. 7.

The workshops covered climate change, racism, transphobia, mental health, Islamophobia, and more.

U of O students Kiki Brown and Jenny Meya discussed how to be better allies to marginalized groups in their work-

shop BlakCollectiv: Allyship.

Meya thinks that the workshop can go beyond its participants. “Hopefully they can go on and educate their community… and just be in support of us,” she said.

The Black Lives Matter movement has grown rapidly since its creation, following the acquittal of George Zimmerman in Trayvon Martin’s 2012 murder. However, deep seeded anti-black racism isn’t new.

In September, a mural in downtown Ottawa in memory of Sandra Bland, a woman whose death in a Texas jail cell sparked protests against racial violence, was defaced.

“I think the time period addressing anti-blackness is always. It’s very pervasive, something that’s invisible. No one likes to talk about racism, it makes people uncomfortable and specifically no one likes to talk about anti-blackness,” said Brown.

Brown and Meya encouraged allies to actively call out racism, regardless of whether a minority member is there to validate their allegiance, while not derailing the conversation or talking over them.

Meya emphasized why a university setting is a fitting place for these discussions.

Photo: Rémi Yuan

“I think it’s because we’re just part of an institution that grants us information,” she said. She continued that in such an environment it’s easier to “teach people who are willing to learn things that are difficult, things that are critical.”

Vanessa Dorimain and Al-

exandria Williams presented their workshop, Safe Spaces.

The session focused on how to make lasting safer spaces around campus, be it in relation to race, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability or other factors.

Dorimain is the vice-presi-

dent of university affairs of the SFUO and a founding member of BlakCollectiv, while Williams travelled from Toronto, where she is a co-founder of Black Lives Matter: Toronto Coalition, and is a student at York University. The two have previously collaborated on similar

workshops.

“If anything, what I always want from participants is to actively have questions,” said Williams. “That’s what keeps these conversations going and that’s what creates more information to be shared to make spaces more open.”

Outgoing chancellor is celebrated, new chancellor prepares for takeoff

Incoming university president Calin Rovinescu.

Eric Davidson news editor

The University of Ottawa has named a new Chancellor to replace Michaëlle Jean, who resigned from the position to

8 | NEWS

Photo: University of Ottawa

focus on her role as secretarygeneral of the International Organisation of La Francophonie in April.

Calin Rovinescu, president and chief executive officer of Air Canada, was named as the

I thank the members of the Board of Governors and the Senate, as well as the president of the University, for the trust they have placed in me,” Rovinescu said in a press release.

Rovinescu received a degree in common law in 1978 before going on to have a career in corporate law, becoming a managing partner at Stikeman Elliott law firm, and eventually becoming president and CEO of Air Canada. He also received an honorary doctorate from the U of O in 2014.

“It is a great honor to welcome Calin Rovinescu. He is an outstanding alumnus, who will engage with the university community and beyond to help propel the University to its next stage of accomplishment,” said university president Allan Rock.

The university also took the time to recognize Michaëlle Jean, outgoing university chancellor and former governor general of Canada, by announcing that it will rename

university’s 14th chancellor on Nov. 9. The chancellor is the titular head of the university, and represents it in a number of functions and events.

“I’m extremely honoured to accept this appointment and

its student volunteer centre the Michaëlle Jean Centre for Global and Community Engagement, in an event held on Nov. 5.

“I’m honoured by the university’s touching tribute,” Jean said at the event. “Rest assured that the University of Ottawa will always hold a special place in my heart.”

“To see my name associated with such a centre, one that fosters community engagement as well as a connection and openness to the world, makes me extremely proud,” she said.

The Michaëlle Jean Centre for Global and Community Engagement, which opened in 2011, was designed to improve the community in and around the university, largely by helping students find ways to volunteer.

Rock also used the event to reminisce on Jean’s time as chancellor, including one event during which students had the opportunity to meet with

her. “(Jean was) there until midnight that night speaking with students, and they were thrilled,” he said.

Rock shared a memory of the pair hauling boxes of university promotional material together. “The image is still clear in my mind,” he said, “Of Canada’s 27th Governor General pitching in to lug those boxes.”

“That’s just typical of the attitude and energy that Michaëlle Jean brought to that post,” said Rock.

Afterwards, Jean did some reminiscing of her own.

“The University of Ottawa is a reflection of Canada,” she said. “This campus is a place where we all come together to live, interact, and engage in the fabulous adventure that is the pursuit of knowledge, of new discoveries, and of solutions to the many problems that plague our society.”

Rovinescu will be sworn in as chancellor at a ceremony on a later date.

thefulcrum.ca

A&C EDITOR Allegra Morgado arts@thefulcrum.ca

ARTS&CULTURE Ready, set, whoa: A Gee-Gees’ guide to France

Ch. 5: Visiting Vimy Ridge Raghad sheikh-khalil staff contributor

I

began the day’s journey in search of a life-altering experience.

As Remembrance Day approaches, I thought it fitting to visit the Canadian National Vimy Memorial near Vimy, Pas-de-Calais, France, a site that represents Canada’s greatest pride and sacrifice during the First World War. It was 5:30 a.m. on Easter Monday, April 9, 1917. All 4 divisions of the Canadian Corps lined up, armed for battle against an experienced German army. The battle for

the ridge was paramount, as it provided an unobstructed view for several kilometres in all directions.

In a stroke of brilliance, a mixture of tactical ingenuity, machinery, extensive planning and training allowed the Canadians to win over the escarpment in a matter of three days. The battle represented a coming of age of Canada as a nation, and years later we still recognize the thousands of soldiers who lost their lives in the process.

In an effort to reinforce our patriotism, and temporarily make our way back onto Canadian soil, a friend and I decided to purchase tickets from

Paris to Arras, a city just eight kilometres east of the memorial. We arrived at Arras station at around 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 8 and waited for a taxi to arrive to take us to the memorial. Alas, hours later and after many calls, no taxi came.

We then purchased train tickets from Arras to the town of Vimy, in hopes that we could make our way to the memorial by foot, however the three hour trek in the middle of the night meant we would miss our train home.

Defeated, we walked back to the abandoned Vimy train station to sulk at the failure of our adventure. We had missed the memorial, the trenches, and the names of the soldiers.

No tour guide or ceremonial horns awaited us at the station, however, in a spur of the moment decision, we decided to give thanks in the only way we could.

On a bridge overlooking the small town of Vimy, we stood in silence reflecting on the events that took place a century earlier.

War is loud. War is scar-

(613) 695-0062 @allietate

Illustration: Kim Wiens.

ring, painful and disastrous.

It is a monster that disregards the integrity of human life, kills millions, displaces millions more, and leaves the world mourning for the loss of its children, and questioning the humanity of everyone it leaves behind.

The aftermath of war, however, is silence. As we looked

on from the bridge onto the barren landscape of the town of Vimy, we instinctively felt like something big had happened there, but all we heard was the occasional gust of wind and the distant barking of a neighbour’s dog. One hundred years later a slab of stone and the blast of a horn may help us pay respects to

those lost, but in truth our notso-great adventure showed us that you need nothing more than a quiet minute to remember and be thankful.

So whether you find yourself in Ottawa, in Vimy or elsewhere this Remembrance Day, I hope you put aside a minute to remember.

Lest we forget.

Spreading compassion on campus Campus Cursive holds first TEDx-style Compassionate Conversations together to write positive and anonymous letters of encouragement that they hide around campus. They also create “love bundles” for those in need.

Abebe, a third-year nursing student, was inspired to plan the series by her interest in sparking compassion and unity at the U of O. “When you walk into a class with 300 other students, you don’t know what they’re really going through,” she said. “It would be nice to hear people talk about these things, and to let others know that they’re not alone.”

The guest speaker at the first Compassionate Conversations event will be Angela Koskie, who graduated from the U of O with her JD in 2005.

After graduating, she worked with the Royal Canadian Air Force, retiring in 2012 with the rank of Major, and now devotes much of her time

Natania Abebe is aiming to change the apathetic atmosphere on campus with the Compassionate Conversations series.

Photo: Allegra Morgado

carolyn mutis staff contributor

Natania Abebe, president and founder of Campus Cursive, is dedicated to bringing humanity and compassion into

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the cut-throat world of academia. On November 24, her club will host the first event in their series called Compassionate Conversations.

“Compassionate Conversations will be TEDx-style talks

where real students and real people from the uOttawa community will tell stories about the things that matter in life,” said Abebe.

Campus Cursive is a studentrun club where members get

“I feel like there’s a lot of apathy at our school, and a lot of misunderstanding, and I’d like to change that.”— Natania Abebe, president and founder of Campus Cursive.

to teaching yoga to veterans, at-risk youth, and others living with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Koskie has struggled with what she calls “the ups and downs of life” alongside the pressure to live up to ideals.

She got involved with Compassionate Conversations to share her stories and let others know that they’re not alone.

“I feel like if I can help one person, it means that all of these bad things didn’t happen in vain,” Koskie said. “I know a lot now that I wish I knew when I was younger, and I want to help people who are going through some of the same things that I did.”

The main thing Abebe hopes students take away from Compassionate Conversations is a cultivated sense of compassion for others, and the realization that everyone is struggling on some level, whether they express it outwardly or not.

“I feel like there’s a lot of apathy at our school, and a lot of misunderstanding, and I’d like to change that,” she said.

The first Compassionate Conversations event will take place on Nov. 24 from 9-11 a.m. in UCU 206.

The event will feature Koskie’s presentation during the first half, as well as the club’s regular activities during the second half.

Breakfast will be provided.

ARTS & Culture | 9

A fairytale opportunity for U of O alumna Ekaterina Vetrov

Ottawa theatre company chosen to represent Canada at international festival sia, and she later attended the U of O for degrees in theatre and theatre directing.

Although Vetrov always knew she wanted to work on the stage, her professors at the U of O encouraged her to try out different forms of performance, which continues to inspire her instructing at OUK. “Daniel Mroz was one of the really inspiring professors for me, I had lots of classes with him, and he teaches movement and I’m really interested in physical theatre,” said Vetrov.

Hélène Ducharme, a visiting professor during Vetrov’s graduate studies, was also a huge inspiration due to her unique focus on puppetry and shadow theatre.

“That really helped us to incorporate more of that into our theatre company. So now, for example, the show that we’re taking to the festival, one of the biggest things we’re doing there is the shadow theatre.”

The theme for this year’s festival is “My World, Our Planet”, which encourages the

allegra morgado arts & culture editor

Once upon a time, Ekaterina Vetrov and her team dreamed of getting chosen to perform at the World Festival of Children’s Theatre. Finally, after hours of tireless rehearsals and patiently awaiting the application process to be complete, this dream has officially become a reality.

Once Upon a Kingdom (OUK) is a local children’s theatre company founded by Vetrov, a University of Ottawa alumna, and staffed by other U of O alumni. This past October, they were chosen to represent Canada at the 2016 World Festival of Children’s Theatre in Stratford, Ontario in June 2016 with their production of The Legend of Parvana Lake.

OUK was founded by Vetrov in 2008 and has performed at numerous festivals around North America. Vetrov began practicing theatre when she was seven years old living in Saint Petersburg, Rus-

children involved to share their cultures and worldview with the other participants from around the world. The festival will feature theatre companies from six continents, who will spend their time in Stratford performing their plays, and attending workshops and special events.

As OUK does instruction in both English and Russian, many of the students in her advanced class that will be performing at the festival are of Russian origin. The play is also based on a Georgian legend, and Vetrov believed that these multicultural facets would fit to the theme of this year’s festival.

“They have the international jury that were selecting one theatre company from the whole country,” she said. “So it’s really, really exciting for us that we’ve been chosen, now we’re really working towards that to make the show happen.”

Even though the festival does not take place until June,

The cast for The Legend of Parvana Lake rehearsing for their big show next June. Photo: Courtesy of Ekaterina Vetrov.

the cast and crew are working hard to perfect the show before performing it in front of their international audience.

“It’s a very different energy right now in our group,” said Vetrov. “All of the students are extremely excited and they’re

working super hard, which with children sometimes it’s a different energy, and they really need to have a goal to work towards to be able to give all 100 per cent.”

OUK will be putting on an advanced performance of

their show on May 21, 2016 at Academic Hall.

And only a few weeks later, after over a year of practice, Vetrov and her team will finally get their fairytale ending and proudly represent Canada at the festival.

Shedding light on the Beautiful Destruction in Alberta deborah sogelola fulcrum contributor

Everyone knows there are a few topics you shouldn’t bring up in public settings—religion, politics, money, and, of course, the Alberta oil and tar sands.

However accomplished Canadian artist and photographer Louis Helbig, hopes to break down conversational barriers on the oil and tar sands.

On Nov. 19, Helbig will be visiting the U of O to do a talk based on his photobook Beautiful Destruction.

The book contains 200 aerial photographs of the Alberta oil and tar sands, and essays by 15 different contributors, including leader of the Green Party Elizabeth May as well as Globe and Mail journalist Eric Reguly.

The idea for Beautiful Destruction began in 2007 when Helbig noticed the effect that the tar and oil sands were having on the country and Canadian culture as a whole, as tens of thousands of people were moving out west to go to Fort McMurray. He noticed that despite the trend’s Canada-wide impact, there was

very little media coverage, political discussion, or environmental groups concerned with the issue.

“I went there knowing that there was a big thing going on because everybody was talking about it, but it was like hidden in plain sight,” said Helbig.

The discourse on the subject also tends to be polarizing and elicits strong reactions from both sides. “I found that a very divisive approach to not be very helpful, not very helpful in terms of us working together in any way to address the many issues and complexities of the tar sands or oil sands,” said Helbig.

“I found when I exhibited my photographs that I would get very strong and meaningful reactions from people from both sides of that oil/tar divide, and it seemed to create a space for people to think about and to reflect on the things they were seeing. ” The talk was coordinated

by U of O communications professor Patrick McCurdy, who is currently conducting research on a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) on the evolution of advertis-

10 | ARTS & CULTURE

ing for and against the oil and tar sands.

Although the talk will take place during one of McCurdy’s communications classes, it is open to the public.

“The only experience that most of us have of the oil sands … is through what we see in the media,” said McCurdy. “To have someone like Louis whose work is trying to offer aerial photographs of the oil sands to start a conversation then people who are interested in contrasting what they’ve seen and understood with a different experience, or who want to learn more about this issue, could go.”

Many Canadians have thrown their support behind Helbig’s photobook with a Kickstarter campaign, raising $43,170 for the project.

Helbig is hoping his talk and photobook will spark discussions between people about the sands and inspire more interest in a pressing Canadian environmental issue.

The public talk will take place from 7-9 p.m. on Nov. 19 in room 257 at Hamelin Hall. Copies of Beautiful Destruction will be available for purchase at the talk.

HOLLYWOOD NOV 12–14 Attention Full-time students

Get Live Rush tickets to this show $ Live Rush tickets available as of 10 a.m. the day before the show up to show time Visit liverush.ca to see what Live Rush eligible NAC shows are coming up!

15

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Discovering the ups and downs of love in Love’s Labour’s Lost Theatre dept. kicks off season with 1930s adaptation of Shakespearean classic anchal sharma fulcrum contributor

Although William Shakespeare’s name may bring back some painful memories of reading 400-year-old plays in high school, his influence on modern theatre and literature is undeniable. The University of Ottawa’s department of theatre showed off this influence in its first show of the year, with a fresh take on Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost.

The lesser-known Shakespearean comedy was chosen in honour of the 400th anniversary of his death marked in April 2016.

Love’s Labour’s Lost is set entirely in a park outside of the King of Navarre’s courtyard, where the main characters make their entrance. The plot surrounds the King of Navarre, a studious man, and three of his lords, who swear an oath to abstain from women and dedicate the next three years of their lives to education.

They take this oath at an inopportune moment though, as the princess of France makes an unexpected arrival which sets about a whirlwind of events that leave the King and his lords lovesick. Directed by Catriona Leger, the U of O adaptation offers a nostalgic early 20th century vibe to the classical play with the content staying the same, but with 1930s-

style costume and set design.

The costume, set design, blocking and script were all impeccably done to revive Shakespeare’s writing with a new era, while keeping its integrity. The romantic comedy is witty, in true Shakesperean manner, but also features a lot of physical comedy to help the audience fully understand the complicated language.

Curtis Gough and Jon Dickey, who played the King and one of the lords, respectively, are both fourth-year theatre students at the U of O. Dickey, who had never read the play until this production, said that it wasn’t too intimidating to perform since it‘s not one of Shakespeare’s more famous works. He believes that not having read it beforehand helped him tune into the character and offer it his own interpretation.

“You go into it fresh, you’re creating, and not basing your creation off of something someone has already done. You can give your own organic take on it,” said Dickey.

Gough believes that it’s important to find and maintain a balance between staying true to the writing and giving it a new meaning.

“It’s easy and dangerous to dumb it down but there’s a reason why (Shakespeare) wrote what he wrote. We have to

The University of Ottawa’s theatre department kicked off their Shakespeare-themed season with an adaptation of Love’s Labour’s Lost.

cherish his work but not hold it so high above us that we can’t support it and show it,” said Gough.

One of the best things about this adaptation of the play, and of Shakespeare’s writing in general, is that despite its antiquity it remains fresh in the eye of the beholder. Shakespeare’s

writing still seems as relevant today as it was in the 1600s because of Shakespeare’s ability to understand the core of people’s nature and depict it in his complex characterizations, said Gough.

“I think his plays are so accurate on their depictions of how people are and how people deal

with love especially,” he said.

“There is something about love that is so difficult to grasp and to understand and to control, because people are so different and no matter how much smarter and how much more sophisticated humans become, we still have a knack to be illogical.”

Photo: Marta Kierkus

The U of O theatre department’s update on the classic featured outstanding performances from the entire cast.

Despite the dated jokes and the classical language, the U of O theatre department’s rendition of Love’s Labour’s Lost is a truly whimsical rendition of love at its best and worst.

Why it’s famous:

Zainab Al-Mehdar Fulcrum Contribut or

City of God, or Cidade de Deus, is a gripping novel that was brought to life on the silver screen by director Fernando Meirelles in 2002. It was praised for its organic portrayal of the grim circumstances in Rio de Janeiro, yet also depicting the subtle beauty of the slum. The movie takes you on a high speed rollercoaster of gangs, violence, drugs, money, hope, death and the struggle with identity in the beaten down slums of Rio de Janeiro.

Why you haven’t seen it:

Why you should watch it anyways:

Although critics had great things to say about the movie, it didn’t reach a very wide audience due to the fact that it doesn’t have any well-known actors, as much of the cast had never acted before shooting City of God. The movie is also completely in Portuguese, and having to read subtitles at the movies is not necessarily something everyone enjoys.

It’s an inspiring film that has received critical acclaim and been nominated for numerous awards, including four Academy Awards. Many students, who are trying to figure things out in their own lives, should be able to relate to the character and narrator Rocket, or “Buscapé”, played by Alexandre Rodrigues, who sees the hopelessness around him and tries to figure out where he fits into it. Rocket attempts to break through the barriers that come with his situation and rise above it to pursue his dream, without succumbing to the gang life that many of his peers get involved with.

Why it might be tough to get through:

Since it’s a crime drama, you’ll witness a lot of bloodshed and some brutal gang violence that can be intense and hard to handle.

There are also a lot of heartbreaking injustices that take place in the rough neighbourhood, which can be upsetting and difficult to watch.

Famous lines: Sandro Cenoura: “Have you lost your mind? You are just a kid!”

Filé-com-Fritas (Steak and Fries): “A kid? I smoke, I snort. I’ve killed and robbed. I’m a man.”

Rocket: “You need more than guts to be a good gangster. You need ideas.”

Barbantinho Adulto (Older Stringy): “Why return to the City of God, where God forgets about you?”

Fun facts: The main cast was from actual real-life favelas (slums in Brazil) and some were even from the actual Cidade de Deus itself. The director placed the actors in an actor’s workshop for months to train them on how to act in front of a camera.

The novel City of God written by Paulo Lins, was loosely based on a true story.

Although the director wanted to film in the actual Cidade de Deus they were unable to because it was too dangerous, and had to film in a neighbouring area.

The tagline is “If you run, the beast catches you; if you stay, the beast eats you,” a proverb similar to the English “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.”

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

ARTS & Culture | 11

Educational h

While the numb international students i Canadian university students s Veronika Cencen Staff Contributor

E

ven though the University of Ottawa recently experienced a significant drop in the Times Higher Education rank, the school remains an attractive prospect for international students.

In fact, based on information from a recent article by the CBC, it seems the inflow of international students is at its highest rate yet this fall, with 1,350 new international students registered by Sept 19.

Of course, this increase is not relegated to the U of O alone. According to the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) there were 336,497 international students enrolled in Canada in 2014, the same year then federal international trade minister Ed Fast announced a Canada-wide strategy to double international student enrolment. Citizen and Immigration Canada says this represents a 10 per cent increase over the previous year, an 83 per cent increase since 2008.

Unfortunately, Canadian students don’t seem compelled to return the favour.

According to the CBIE, despite the numerous opportunities and great programs that are widely available, only 3.1 per cent of fulltime Canadian undergraduate university students annually have a for-credit or not-for-credit education abroad experience.

When they do decide to take advantage of these opportunities, most Canadian students will choose the nearest possible geographic option. Of the 45,813 Canadians who are studying in full degree programs abroad, over half went to the United States.

But why is there such a significant imbalance between the inflow and outflow of exchange students from Canada? Now that International Education Week is among us, The Fulcrum has investigated some of the most common explanations in a bit more detail in the hopes of getting to the bottom of this educational unevenness.

Financial barriers: real or imaginary?

In early October, local Canadian students were given the opportunity to take a look at the international opportunities offered to them when the Study and Go Abroad student expo came to Ottawa.

Throughout this one-day event, Canadian students got to meet with top universities from around the world and talk about the ins and outs of studying abroad.

But how likely is the target audience to follow up on this one-day event?

The Fulcrum approached several random students for their feedback on these programs, and while many of them expressed interest, the majority admitted they were unlikely to take advantage of them because of perceived “financial barriers”.

The existence and predominance of this concern was confirmed

by CBIE, who identify factors like “waning interest” and “academic concerns” as runners-up.

However, despite these widespread concerns, worrying about the cost of studying abroad is largely a non-issue.

Education up to the end of a Master’s degree is actually quite affordable for Canadians and EU citizens in many European coun-

tries.

In fact, according to Minister-Counsellor Manfred Auster, Head of Political and Public Affairs at the European Union Delegation in Canada, “most study programs for European countries are either free or subsidized, so financial matters should not be the limiting factor.”

Unless you go for a pricey education in somewhere like Sweden, Denmark, or the Netherlands, tuition ranges from free to $4,500 Canadian per semester, something these countries manage with a little help from its loyal taxpayers.

This value extends to visiting Canadian students, who might be charged for tuition in English, but the value is still negligible compared to what they are used to in North American institutions.

Nobody knows this better than Gabriel Verret, who is a U of O graduate and current University of Western Australia postdoc in the field of mathematics. He also happened to obtain his Ph.D. by studying in the small European country of Slovenia.

“Obviously, there are costs involved with moving, staying abroad and so on, and these must be covered, either by the students themselves or through various subsidies,” said Verret.

“I think that overall, the benefits are well worth it. More people having studied abroad means more open minds, more understanding between people from different countries, and so on.”

This symbiotic cost-to-benefit relationship is increasingly acknowledged by both host and origin countries, who aim to increase international mobility through various opportunities for financial support.

The most obvious option are scholarships and fellowship opportunities from the host, which are plentiful.

Financial assistance for international endeavours can also be found in our home country. In 2012, The Advisory Panel on Canada’s International Education Strategy recommended that 50,000 study abroad awards will be offered to Canadian students per year by 2022.

So, if money isn’t quite the deal-breaker Canadian students often believe it to be, what else could possibly stand in their way?

Lost in translation A less common, but possibly more founded, worry among Canadian students is that they have to contend with being educated in a culture that is completely foreign to their own.

Adapting to a new language and culture can certainly be a very new concept to Canadian students, particularly those with no travel experience.

Having lived in a number of countries where English was not the predominant language, including Cameroon and India during his youth, Verret says that, in his experiences, these concerns are somewhat legitimate, especially when it comes to language.

“I never did learn much Slovene but, on the other hand, it was very easy to get by in English, especially in an academic setting.”

You may wonder, then, why so many non-English, non-French speaking international students choose to flock into Canada for a

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far less-affordable post-secondary education in the first place?

In Verret’s words, “I think that many students go abroad to learn or solidify their understanding of a language. English is very popuar for obvious reasons and this makes countries where English is a first language more attractive.”

In fact, this dynamic not only promotes broader notions of cultural understanding, but it also makes these programs more approachable for newbies studying abroad.

The increasing flow of cultures and desire to promote international exchange largely encourages several universities abroad to nclude English-language study programmes, although these are sometimes charged slightly higher.

According to Auster, this seems to be working. “There might be some language and culture-related concerns, but most European universities (now) offer programs in English.”

Closed-minded Canadian mindset

So if the top two barriers to stop Canadian students from studyng abroad are largely imaginary, why the widespread reluctance?

Well, possibly the most important factor holding back young Canadian study-abroad candidates is one that they aren’t aware of.

“It’s just not part of the (Canadian) culture to study abroad.” says Urs Obrist, who serves as a Science, Education, and Research Officer at the Swiss Embassy in Ottawa.

This idea is reinforced by Swedish Embassy communications staff member Maria Devlin who states that: “European youth (are) acquainted with the idea of travelling as an enriching and valuable experience from an early age. In Canada, travelling is not quite as much of a habit.”

Devlin’s children happen to be enrolled in the Canadian education system, so she is able to witness this cultural dynamic firsthand.

“Canadian schools, on the other hand, are very focused on teachng Canadian culture in every aspect of the curriculum,” said Devlin, stating that this mentality applies to subjects such as history, politics, and literature in particular. “This makes it difficult for youth to picture or even consider life abroad.”

Verret agrees with this concept, especially when compared to the programs on display overseas.

“In Europe, there are already many popular exchange programmes, like Erasmus,” he said, referring to a 27-year-old program that allows EU citizens to study at another European university partnered with their own for a part of their degree. Not only do they receive full credits towards their degree for the completed courses, they are also exempt from tuition fees, and receive additional funding to cover living expenses.

“Because of this (program), I think most European students already have the idea of studying abroad at the forefront of their mind. From there, it is not a huge mental leap to at least consider going to Canada.”

“On the other hand, I think that most Canadian students simply go to the closest university that has a program that they want to

study. The idea of going further simply for the experience is not very common.”

Of course, this limited mobility is exacerbated by the rising cost of tuition in Canada, which is scaring more and more students to study closer to home.

Promoting mobility From this exploration, it becomes clear that many of the deterrents that keep our youth from embarking on an international educational experience are largely imaginary or based on misconceptions.

But since there are already so many nation-wide efforts by our government to promote international student mobility, predominantly through financial and informative support, where is Canada falling behind?

Several other developed countries are taking concrete action to “internationalize” their next generation. These programs include the 100,000 Strong Initiatives in the U.S., the Erasmus program in the EU, and the 2014 New Colombo Plan in Australia.

Being aware of the critically low international mobility of Canadian students, our federal government has made education abroad a priority in the Global Markets Action Plan and the International Education Strategy.

Other organizations, such as CBIE, are involved in a number of initiatives to support study abroad including public awareness, professional development, resources for outbound students, and other activities. CBIE’s efforts also include the establishment of an Education Abroad Advisory Committee in 2014.

But after a lack of any considerable change, it’s clear that more needs to be done.

Régine Legault-Bouchard, the manager and senior advisor at the U of O International office, believes that the answer lies in replicating what has already worked overseas.

“Europeans benefit from the Erasmus framework, which funds student mobility. It’s in their DNA. For many Europeans universities, an international exchange is mandatory as part of their program of study. Canada would definitely benefit from a nation-wide engagement similar to what Europe offers.”

Auster, on the other hand, puts some blame at the feet of EU countries as a host.

“I believe European institutions should be encouraged and make a bigger effort to promote their programs if we wish to attract more Canadian youth.”

As for Verret, he likes to think that the answer lies somewhere in the middle.

“Probably a mix of more publicity and visibility, as well as more actual programmes and options would be needed.”

Despite conflicting claims about who is to blame for this imbalance, Verret remains convinced of one thing: the positive influence of international exchange programs.

“Do it! Travelling and, even more so, living abroad is an experience that can make one grow in ways that might not be possible otherwise. It exposes one to different cultures, ways of thinking, and doing it as a student is arguably one of the best ways to go about it.”

SPORTS

SPORTS EDITOR Spencer Murdock sports@thefulcrum.ca

@SpencerMurdock @FulcrumSports

Welcome back basketball Gee-Gees men’s and women’s teams start strong Spencer Murdock Sports Editor

I

t was a long wait, but Gee-Gees basketball is finally back in full force.

The teams’ long-awaited shared home opener was an overwhelming success, and left its audience ecstatic to see garnet and grey on the floor at Montpetit Hall once again.

The men’s team, which is currently ranked as the number one team in Canada, got a unique opportunity that served as a final warm up for their season opener.

In front of 17,302 fans packed into the historic Assembly Hall in Bloomington, IN, the GeeGees went toe-to-toe with one of the best basketball teams in the United States.

Although the Gees couldn’t pull off a second upset in as many years over America’s 15th ranked Indiana Hoosiers, the team put in a valiant effort in the 82-54 loss.

Days later the team prepared for their matchup with the Nipissing Lakers, a team that struggled last season.

Home sweet home In the team’s first game, they would waste no time in pouncing on the Lakers, opening up a 26-4 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Gees wouldn’t look back for the rest of the match as they cruised to a 91-49 win.

L’Africain led all scorers with 20 points, while Agada added 17 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists.

Despite the convincing win, there are parts of the team’s act that need to be cleaned up before they reach their full potential.

“I thought we were sloppy tonight with the basketball,” said head coach James Derouin.

“In transition I don’t think we converted like we should.

14 | SPORTS

We were overthinking some of the passes. A little careless is probably the word. It’s pretty uncharacteristic for us so hopefully we clean it up by tomorrow night.”

For Caleb Agada, a budding superstar, the win was sweet for him and his team.

“It’s always great getting a good win in front of a huge crowd at the home opener,” said Agada. “It means a lot to the team, everyone got in, everyone played. We did some really good stuff but there are some things to work on, but I think everyone’s really happy with our position right now.”

Women win big twice The Gee-Gees women’s team is out to a fantastic start to the year following two big wins over the home opening weekend.

In the first game, the Gees overpowered Nipissing with their shooting, particularly in a fourth quarter push that sealed a 65-46 win.

The return of fourth-year swingman Catherine Traer proved to be a massive addition to the Gees’ starting five.

Traer lead the team in scoring with 18 points while second-year guard Ariane Lefebvre added 10 points off of the bench.

“If Traer wasn’t playing for us we probably would’ve struggled to win that one,” said head coach Andy Sparks. “Overall it’s a win but we’re probably playing the weakest team in the country today so we expect a lot tougher test tomorrow.”

The team would receive a tougher test the next day as they took on the Laurentian Voyageurs the next night in the Shoot for the Cure game.

The Gees weathered a hard push from Laurentian in the early goings but ultimately rallied to secure a convincing 8057 win.

Every year the Shoot for the Cure game is scheduled be-

Matt Plunkett (left) and Brandon Robinson (right) will be key contributers to the Gee-Gees this season.

tween the Gee-Gees and Voyageurs in memory of Carolyn Sturgess, a Laurentian sports Hall of Famer, Ottawa-native, and close friend of Sparks.

Sturgess lost her battle with breast cancer in 2009, and since then the teams play to honour her legacy and raise funds for breast cancer research. Her brother Shawn Swords is also the head coach of the Voyageurs men’s team.

“She left a family behind and certainly the Swords family is fantastic. They’ve been all national-level athletes and as good as they have been as athletes, they’re better people. This game is for everybody that goes through that stuff,” said Sparks.

lowed the Voyageurs to hang around in the game much longer than anticipated.

A fiery James Derouin rallied his team and ensured that they did not let their mistakes bury them.

The team responded with an emphatic second half, scoring 53 points to secure a 97-66 win.

L’Africain was once again the leading scorer on the night with 23 points, Matt Plunkett was also on fire as he put up a 19-point, 10-rebound performance.

“It’s been a long week but there’s no excuses,” said L’Africain. “The guys were a little bit tired but in the second half we just turned it up a little bit.”

“Every year they’re a pain in the ass to play against,” said Derouin. “They’re coming in here hungry playing hard and our heads are in the clouds a little bit. That’s what can happen.

Shawn (Swords) does a great job putting them in that position.”

Statement win closes weekend On Nov. 7, the Gee-Gees men’s team went up against a scrappy Laurentian team that always fights tooth and nail in can’t-miss games.

An early lull in scoring al-

Leadership switch

Photo: Marta Kierkus

Responding from early adversity will be a key for the team this year, and the burden will fall on the shoulders of their leaders to pull them out of trouble.

This year’s leaders are L’Africain and Agada, two of the nation’s best players that aren’t afraid to motivate their team by any means possible.

“We had the best guys setting examples for us in Johnny (Berhanemeskel) and Gab (Gonthier-Dubue),” said Agada. “Before they left they sat us down and talked to us, so we’re just trying to do exactly what they told us to.”

For L’Africain, taking a leadership role is nothing new—as the point guard he’s been leading the team on the floor for five years, and nothing will change this season.

“Maybe I have to shoot a little bit more and be more aggressive,” he said. “I think I’ve been a leader since I started playing, so I’m not really worried.

We just need to get guys to buy in and play harder on

defence and get better at rebounding and we’ll be fine. Caleb is doing a great job too.”

The Gees will take to the road next to meet with Lakehead and Guelph on Nov. 13 and 14. The games will be streamed on OUA.tv.

The Gee-Gees’ starting lineup has a fresh look this season as it features fifth-year senior point guard Mike L’Africain, who shares backcourt responsibilities with second-year shooting guard Brandon Robinson. Star fourth-year small forward Caleb Agada will provide significant scoring alongside fifth-year senior power forward Vikas Gill. Newcomer Nathan McCarthy, a transfer from McMaster, will provide height and strength in the post.

On the bench the Gees have perhaps their greatest wealth of talent they’ve ever assembled. Matt Plunkett, Brody Maracle, Mehdi Tihani, Mackenzie Morrison, and Noel Jones will provide an extra spark in the line-up when needed.

thefulcrum.ca

Women’s rugby wins national bronze medal

Best season in program history falls just short of team goal David Agbaire Proofreader

It was a day of heartbreak for the University of Ottawa women’s rugby team, who saw their hopes of becoming national champions come to an end in a 14-8 loss to the McMaster Marauders in the Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) national championship semifinals on Nov. 7.

The match, along with the rest of the final games, was played in Kingston at Nixon’s Field, at Queen’s University.

The Gees had initially qualified for the semifinal by defeating the very strong incumbent champions, the St. Francis Xavier X-Women, 29-7 on Nov. 5.

The Gees were cruelly eliminated by their rivals, who previously knocked the Gees out at the same stage of last year’s CIS National Championship tournament in Guelph.

In a tightly contested match dominated by tough defence from both sides, the Gees were unable to show up in their high-powered regular season form. A win would’ve secured a first national championship in the program’s history, and with the third seed coming

into the match, the team felt that this could’ve been the year they made it to the finals.

The first half of the match against McMaster was littered with possession changes as both teams tussled for an advantage. Fullback Irene Patrinos scored a penalty kick giving Ottawa the thin 3-0 lead at halftime.

However, the Maurauders came out firing after the break, surprising the Gees with a quick try two minutes into the half. Despite the fast attack, Ottawa applied intense pressure and fell just short of a try multiple times.

In turn, the Marauders managed to score another try against the Gees late in the match. Gee-Gees lock Alex Ellis scored a try that proved to be just a consolation for the Gees, who performed admirably against the team that would eventually become the national champion.

“The girls performed the game plan perfectly, but we needed to punch it in. McMaster had two opportunities to score and they made them count,” Head Coach Jen Boyd told Sports Services.

With their hopes of a

The Gee-Gees expected to run over their competition at nationals but instead they had to settle for third.

first national championship dashed, the Gees were to have no respite, as a bronze medal matchup against the familiar Concordia Stingers came the next day.

In a one-sided affair, the GeeGees found the endzone early

and often as they smashed their conference rivals 65-7.

The win perhaps tragically highlighted the special talent that this group of players has and the kind of game the team is capable of playing. “(It) was pretty special, the

girls bounced back from a tough loss yesterday and I’m really happy with the leadership of this team and they performed very well today,” Boyd told Sports Services after the win.

Nevertheless, a victory

Photo: Ian MacAlpine

means that the Gees were crowned the national bronze medalists, an improvement on last year and the highest finish in team history.

The performance was surely something to build on and it is likely that the Gee-Gees will

Gee-Gees win OUA bronze after heartbreaking loss to Laurier Strong close to great season and career for Francki, Khoury, and Leblanc

Pilar Khoury ends her Gee-Gee career on a high note defeating one of the nation’s best for bronze.

David Agbaire Proofreader

The Gee-Gees women’s soccer team suffered the pain of shocking defeat as they were downed 2-1 at home by the Laurier Golden Hawks in the

Ontario University Athletics (OUA) semifinals. The loss spells the end of Ottawa’s chance of making it to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) national championship.

The Gees had to make it to the OUA finals for a bid to na-

Photo: Marta Kierkus

tionals but instead, they were forced to deal with the heartbreak of an untimely end to their season. The sense of disappointment on the field was especially strong, because they led for a large portion of the game.

Ottawa came into the match unbeaten in the regular season and had previously secured their place in the semifinals with a hard-fought 4-3 overtime win over Carleton.

The Gees could not harness their goal-scoring ways in the first half as they probed the Laurier defence for an opening but found nothing.

Julia Francki and Pilar Khoury each had chances to pull the Gees ahead, but the Laurier goalkeeper Ashley Almeida would keep the game deadlocked at halftime.

The offensive pressure would eventually pay dividends in the second as Ottawa took the lead in the 58th minute after Faythe Lou fired the ball home on a scramble at the mouth of the goal.

A freak goal that bounced off of a Gee-Gee defender in the 83rd minute seemed to indicate the Gees would be playing their second overtime game of the postseason, until the Golden

Hawks scored on the last play of the game in another penaltybox scramble.

“We actually played really well (against Laurier),” said GeeGees head coach Steve Johnson.

“It was a bad six minutes. We didn’t finish the game off and because of that we’re not going to nationals.”

Deflated, the Gees set their sights on the York Lions, a team previously undefeated before being shocked by Queen’s in the other semifinal.

The Gees started strong and never let up on Nov. 8 to clinch the OUA bronze medal. They took the lead after a corner kick was deflected and found Julia Francki waiting in front of the net to drive it in.

A messy play that was equally a well-placed strike by the Gee-Gees and an own-goal by the York keeper in the 70th minute ensured the win. The team continued immense defensive pressure to close out the game, ensuring they would not

thefulcrum.ca

leave the season empty handed.

“We rebounded nicely today,” said Johnson on the win.

The game was even more important for the Gee-Gees as they said goodbye to their star seniors—Cynthia Leblanc, Julia Francki, and Pilar Khoury along with role players Mélissa Pesant, and Elisabeth Wong.

“We talked a little bit about what their careers meant, and in five years we’ve been to nationals three times and won the OUA championship twice,” said Johnson. “Over five years we won 67 league games and only lost three. So it’s been a remarkable achievement for them.”

Although it may not have been the storybook ending to a career, perhaps it was sweeter going out with a win in front of family and friends at home.

In the end, it was a fitting final chapter for three of the best soccer players to ever don a Gee-Gees jersey.

—With files from Spencer Murdock.

Sports | 15

The game before the game Athletes and the pregame rituals that are more important than you think

Preparation is key in sport and pregame rituals may be the most important of all.

CC, Jow Bielawa

Garry Balaganthan Fulcrum Contributor

With athletes consistently trying to achieve peak performance during competitions, they have to develop an allencompassing approach to preparing on game day.

You might be surprised to know that doesn’t just mean

stretching, and avoiding the poutine on the week of the big game.

Athletic rituals typically include mental, nutritional, and physical preparation. Although the nutrition and physical aspects are commonly always present an athlete’s life, it’s the mental aspects that are sometimes overlooked.

Photo:

The effects and consequences of a lack of mental preparation are still being understood in the sporting world, with more and more being discovered as athletes communicate to greater degrees about their mental tricks to get in the zone.

In almost every sport, level of ability, strength, speed, and skill are shared across the

board by top-level performers.

Despite this, in every sport perennial winners and champions emerge and become known as “clutch performers”. The pregame routine is often credited in understanding how athletes perform under high pressure moments.

FIFA Women’s Player of the Year Abby Wombach asserts

Quick Hits

dominate the remainder of the period with relentless pressure. Vickie Lemire scored to give Ottawa a convincing 3-2 lead.

The Garnet and Grey women carried their momentum into the final period, effectively putting the game away with a two-on-one goal by Roxanne Rioux, pushing Ottawa’s lead to 4-2.

The Ravens managed to make things interesting in the last minute of the game with several desperation plays on the power-play, one of which led to a goal but it was too late.

While the Gee-Gees should be relieved with their victory, they committed frequent turnovers and took too many penalties. In the end it wasn’t a picture perfect win, but a win nonetheless.

The next night, the Gees had an impressive showing against the newly top-ranked

Gees overcome defensive mistakes, down Ravens with powerful offence Dylan Yegendorf Fulcrum Contributor

The Carleton Ravens women’s hockey team proved to be no match for the potent offensive attack of their cross-town rival Gee-Gees, in spite of the Gees’ multiple mistakes.

With the last place Ravens hosting the first place GeeGees fresh off a shutout victory over a top-ranked McGill team, expectations were anything but high for Carleton.

Despite their hangups, the Ra-

16 | SPORTS

vens got off to a good start in the early goings on their home ice.

The Gee-Gees committed several defensive turnovers early, particularly one that led to a Carleton breakaway. Although the breakaway didn’t result in a goal, the Gee-Gees defence couldn’t clear the zone and the Ravens scored to take a 1-0 lead.

However, the strong start for the Ravens would be shortlived. The overpowering Gees

produced two quick goals from sophomore forward Shanie Deschatelets and fourth-year forward Carol-Ann Upshall in the final two minutes of the period.

In the second period, the Gee-Gees got off to another slow start. The Ravens capitalized on two successive Ottawa penalties, giving Carleton the two-player advantage and an easy game-tying goal.

However the Gees rallied once more and went on to

that mental preparation is key to achieving the highest possible results on the field.

“Coming into every game, I’m just trying to mentally prepare myself to leave it all on the field. Four hours before the game I eat a good meal—nothing too heavy. I hydrate all day long and I do a lot of mental imagery, I picture myself playing the game, I see myself doing all those things that my team is counting on me to do,” Wombach told ESPN. While all sports programs and teams at every level of professional competition have fulltime technical and conditioning coaches, few have full-time sport psychologists.

Moreover, when sport psychology is offered to athletes, its presence is usually vastly different from the physical conditioning and technical regimens that athletes benefit from.

Troubled NBA player Metta World Peace (formerly known as Ron Artest) attributed much of the reformation of his life to sports psychologists.

Sport psychologists can work with many professional athletes and teams, as well as Olympic and university teams.

Here at the University of Ottawa, sport psychologists are readily available to all athletes experiencing issues, but mental wellbeing isn’t seen as a funda-

mental component of the training itself.

Nicholas Wagman, Gee-Gee Clubs 2015 Male Athlete of the Year, of the fencing team uses a consistent routine to maintain confidence prior to a competition.

“Personally, I maintain the exact same routine the day of the competition from 6:30 a.m, when I wake up to the moment I compete,” said Wagman.

The use of steady routine for every game and competition, which has been known to border superstition by professional and amateur athletes alike, is how many atheletes maintain mental focus.

The pressures and excitement of gameday can provide many distractions to mental focus and confidence prior to competing. Effectively using pregame routines allows for players to diminish nervous anxiety while boosting mental toughness and positive energy toward achieving maximum performance.

When you’re only a yard short of winning that championship, your pregame routine might be the thing that can push you to the next level.

If this is the case, the mental pregame routine has an added importance for athletes seeking to gain an edge over their opponents.

Although the Ravens made it interesting they couldn’t handle the Gees’ scoring.

Photo: Marta Kierkus

Montréal Carabins.

For the majority of the game, the Gee-Gees hung with the powerful Carabins. Through the second period it was knotted at 1-1 until Montréal lit up the scoreboard in the third pe-

riod taking a 4-1 win.

The Gees are back in action on Nov. 15 where they look to exact revenge on the Carabins before traveling to Montréal the next night to take on Concordia.

“However the Gees rallied once more and went on to dominate the remainder of the period with relentless pressure”

thefulcrum.ca

OPINIONS

Point

No: a day off isn’t the same as real action Nicholas Robinson Staff Contributor

There’s been a lot of talk around the upcoming 150th anniversary of Confederation in two years. However, this year marks several dates of global significances—the 100th anniversary of numerous First World War battles, such as the battle of Ypres. Each Nov. 11, we remember these losses, and we mourn them.

Regularly, proposals are brought forward to make this day a statutory holiday. As noble as the sentiment may be, Remembrance Day shouldn’t be a holiday, because that wouldn’t be the most effective way to honour those who lost their lives in war.

That war, which signalled the end for the great European empires, the rise of communism and set the stage for an even bloodier war, holds deep significance for Canadians.

As Canada fought on the front lines from the beginning as a dominion of the British Empire, the war saw us gain greater independence but also saw deep divisions between our French and English communities on the issue of conscription. In all, over 60,000 Canadians died and 172,000 were wounded.

Let’s be honest, people don’t spend their holidays remembering the losses of a past century. They spend their holidays sleepingin and partying. Most people won’t spend the Remembrance Day holiday remembering—after all, how many people spend Labour Day thinking about the achievements of our workers?

A day off isn’t the best way to honour the sacrifice made by our soldiers. Instead let’s honour them through deeds, not through words. Soldiers die to make sure that we can

be safe. Let’s make sure they don’t have to do that often, and when they do, we support them on the home front.

Holidays and ceremonies can never replace real action. Rather than setting aside one day of the year to remember we should put public effort into ensuring proper medical treatment, especially for the 10 per cent of veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, and that our military is modern and well-prepared to defend us, year round.

As well, a holiday isn’t the proper way for the public to be exposed to and educated on the sacrifices made. We have to teach our children history, but we don’t need a holiday to do that. To promote better education, museums and private initiatives also need to be encouraged to educate more people throughout the year—such initiatives will reach out to people in a far more personal way than any bureaucratenforced rituals.

Above all, making Remembrance Day a holiday will only reinforce the idea that remembrance should only be practiced on a single yearly occasion. Our history should be remembered every day, not just once a year.

Making Remembrance Day a holiday would be nothing more than a symbolic gesture which ignores the current problems our troops and veterans are facing. Remembering once a year is good, but implementing real reforms and changing lives is better.

Yes: Making Rememberance Day a holiday is a no-brainer Paméla Bertrand Fulcrum Contributor

Every year, Canada observes Remembrance Day on Nov. 11. In the days leading up to it, we wear red poppies to honour all who have served Canada in the armed forces. In all areas of Canada except Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec and the Northwest Territories, Remembrance Day is a statutory holiday.

OPINIONS EDITOR David Campion-Smith

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

Remembrance Day is already an official holiday elsewhere in Canada, to help people commemorate this important event. Ontario recognizes Family Day as a holiday so it’s an easy leap to give a day-off for an event which is much more significant. Canadians are told that Remembrance Day is important yet many of us don’t have a day off to celebrate it.

In fact, in an interview with the CBC last November, former MP Dan Harris proposed a private member’s bill (C597) that would nationalize the holiday in all of Canada. He said, “All Canadians should have the opportunity to pay their respects and to participate in ceremonies if they choose.”

If Canadians did have the day off from work or school, they would have the freedom to pay their respects to our fallen soldiers and our current soldiers without facing any regulatory conflicts at work.

Canadians would be able to attend the ceremonies held at the National War Memorial here in Ottawa. As it stands in Ontario, for everyone except federal employees, Remembrance Day goes on like any other day, despite its importance.

According to a Global News article from November 2014, “82 per cent of Canadians would like to see Remembrance Day made a national holiday.” The poll also found that 90 per cent of the residents of Ontario “are most likely to observe two minutes of silence at 11:00 a.m. on Nov. 11.” So even if everyone is not in the office or the classroom, our veterans are still being honoured all across Ontario with at least the two minutes of silence they deserve.

People are more likely to engage in the two minutes of silence if they’re in an environment where they feel pressured to, like at the office or in class.

However, making Remembrance day a holiday doesn’t mean that these ceremonies will stop, and people may be more inclined to attend an official ceremony if they don’t have to worry about school or work.

All in all, Nov. 11 is not just any other day. It’s a day to say thank you to those who serve our country. It’s a day to remember those who have fallen fighting for the safety of Canadians, and those who are still fighting for us.

Counter Point

Photo: CC, Jcart

thefulcrum.ca

OPINIONS | 17

How much can artists change before they’re selling out?

Musicians have to balance their sound, industry heads and customers Candide Uyanze Fulcrum Contributor

Musical artist Kid Cudi took to Twitter in early October to dissuade some of his fans from purchasing his upcoming release, Speeding Bullet to Heaven. “(I)f you dont like what Im doin now, please abort the train. Do not buy my music from here on out.

Its not for you. No hard feelings” (sic).

What led to this docile diatribe?

Was he being accused of selling out?

Not quite. Kid Cudi is best known for his early mixtape and Grammynominated debut single “Day ‘n’ Nite”. The alternative hip hop sound he crafted throughout his first two gold-certified albums, Man on the Moon: The End of Day (2009) and Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager (2010) earned him a cult following. Fans have been hoping for a third installment to the album series, but Kid Cudi has since experimented with a different genre, ditching rap for guitar playing.

While the former rapper feels his new direction is a better representation of his current self, many have argued that in pursuing this new genre he has alienated his original hip hop fan base. The struggle between musician and listener has

Photo: CC, Seher Sikandar

trying to calm their noisy kids by saying those fear-inducing words, “If you’re not good, Santa won’t come.”

This extension of the holiday season is toying with children’s and parent’s minds alike. This holiday has turned ugly, from an event where families can celebrate and share gifts and good wishes to a commercial overload that stresses out just about everyone.

The extension of the holiday season makes Christmas a lot more stressful than it should be. Worrying about the right gifts and the debt defeats the entire purpose of the Christmas holiday. Two weeks of stress is bad enough, but two months is ridiculous.

A premature start to the holiday season just encourages greed and frivolous spending among consumers, and invokes high stress levels which ultimately take away from

Christmas In November Brittany Maloney Fulcrum Contributor

18 | OPINIONS

Photo: Brennan-Bova

for next year, with no hard feelings.

Now, walking by stores on the day after Halloween, I see employees taking down pumpkins and witches and immediately replacing them with

thentic approach with the release of Jagged Little Pill, under her new label Maverick Records, which gave her the platform to pursue a new direction in the music industry.

While labels can help artists they can also hurt them, like when Geffen Records sued Neil Young after he changed his sound for two albums.

Labels aside, artists aren’t always so independent about the path they choose, as many have been known to solicit their fans for input. A notable case is Radiohead’s employment of the pay-what-you-want model for the sale of their critically acclaimed seventh album, In Rainbows. At the end of the day, catering to your fans is going to fill up concert venues.

With these examples in mind, the original question remains—should music be reflective of artists, labels, or fans? Well, in the aforementioned case of Kid Cudi, despite the backlash, many have expressed their support and open-mindedness to the artist’s new sound, and he’s even gained some new fans.

It appears that a good balance between the three groups is needed to create successful music. In any case, if it’s the product of genuine artistic innovation, a new musical direction should be welcomed with open arms.

Does responsibility fall on the artist, the industry heads funding the project, or the consumers buying the product? How much can artists cater to customers that might not like their new releases?

Heckle

Christmas. The holiday that gives the retailers wet dreams, and makes everyone else afraid to look at their bank accounts.

This holiday madness seems to have taken an unfortunate turn the last few years—a holiday season that used to encompass a few weeks, or a month at most, has recently been thrown into the spotlight as soon as Nov. 1 hits.

I remember when I was a child, and two weeks before Christmas the mall would start playing the Christmas tape-deck on a loop. At first it was intoxicating—it would be the perfect start to the excitement of the holidays. After a week, the music began to feel repetitive, stale and finally just annoying. Then on Dec. 26 the holiday CDs would be packed up

raised important questions—who should dictate musical content? Does responsibility fall on the artist, the industry heads funding the project, or the consumers buying the product? How much can artists cater to customers that might not like their new releases?

Examples of sonic transformation are abundant in contemporary pop, as many mainstream artists began their careers making different styles of music. For instance, Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado’s sexualized departure from her folksy beginnings can be traced back to her album Loose. The 2006 release was backed by a new set of producers and merged record label.

Each case garners similar criticism from detractors—the change towards more radio-friendly music was made to sell more records. Unfortunately, when artistic decisions lie in the hands of executives whose objective is profit, the quality risks being compromised.

Musicians can and have, in some cases, regained control of their content. When Alanis Morissette began her career, her first two albums were carved according to dance-pop sound that RCA Records had established for her. Morissette opposed this inau-

Santa and Rudolph. Neighbours on my street have their elaborate home decoration schemes up and ready within the first week of November.

At the grocery store I hear parents

family time.

There are a couple of things we can do to slow this holiday rush.

Christmas needs to become more like Thanksgiving—you invite people over, you spend time together, and material items play a minimal role.

Christmas should be held in a similar regard. It might also be time to re-think the concept of gift-giving.

The simple act of giving a gift is more important than the gift’s value. Baking cookies and giving them to all of your friends will make you feel much happier than buying an expensive Pandora bracelet charm for one person.

We are students after all, and no one should be expecting to receive a quarter of your monthly budget in that sparkly red and green gift bag.

Keep the exchange realistic, and start valuing the person and their effort over the gift’s price tag.

“Extending the season is equal to extending the stress. The extension of the season benefits only one kind of people, the retailers.”

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Online companies make the leap to storefronts Netflix and Facebook follow Amazon’s lead and build stores

Ellen Jane Galupo Fulcrum Contributor

Many online giants are following Amazon’s lead and opening storefronts after the company opened a brick-andmortar bookstore in Seattle on Nov. 2.

The most notable company to follow Amazon’s lead is Netflix. Earlier this week, Netflix’s CEO, Reed Hastings, announced in a press conference, that the company will be unveiling its first ever store in Ottawa.

When pressed on why the company has chosen Ottawa of all places, the press conference turned quiet as the CEO spoke almost inaudibly, with a hint of remorse in his voice.

“We feel that we have wronged the Canadian people in the past with limited access to content, and what better way to right this wrong than to establish the first Netflix

store in Canada’s capital city?”

Canadians can now visit the Netflix store to watch movies that aren’t available from the streaming site online.

“The store will feature a place where people can ‘chill’ and watch movies and TV shows with minimal buffering,” said Netflix’s public relations office Rod Maloney.

“This is such a new idea, providing videos from a central location, that we can’t find anywhere else that provides this service,” said Maloney.

Despite this good news, there are no indications from Netflix about expanding the online selections of movies and TV shows for Canadians.

Aside from these historic moves by Amazon and Netflix, Facebook has also leaped into the future by opening its first store in Nanjing, China.

Facebook is currently banned in the People’s Republic of China, but CEO, Mark Zuckerberg

conceived the idea of opening a store instead.

Facebook will offer foldable, mobile and fiber glass walls that people can draw on, for purchase in the store.

People can now carry these walls around, sit on benches and showcase their emotions, share pictures, and funny and inspiring quotations.

Strangers passing by can now “like” these statuses by purchasing the iconic white and blue “thumbs-up” stickers at the stores.

“I feel that Facebook has been an iconic method of expression for the modern world, and I thought that these (walls) could provide outlets for our fellow global citizens whose governments have censored Facebook.

It is my dream to make the world a better place by making it more connected to each other,” said Zuckerberg.

Internet-based companies

Photo: CC, Tim Green. Edits: Kim Wiens

are truly becoming more advanced as they make the leap

from behind your computer screens to behind storefront

windows.

Because its 2015 becomes stock answer All questions to Prime Minister now returned with generic answer David Campion-Smith Opinions Editor

Photo: CC, Alex Guibord

thefulcrum.ca

In a prime example of finding a good sound bite and sticking with it, Justin Trudeau has begun answering every question asked of him with “because it’s 2015.”

His response to a reporter’s question about why a gender equal Cabinet was so important became an oft-quoted signifier for the change in mentality coming with the new government.

Voter’s are overwhelmed by this response with first-year drama student Laura Mockett saying, “the real reason that our Cabinet should be half women isn’t because women represent half the population and deserve to have leadership roles but because it’s 2015.”

However, the answer “because its 2015” has been a stand by for many years, even before it was actually 2015.

An investigation by the Tomato has discovered that stating what year it is has been Trudeau’s stock answer

“When the Tomato reached out to the Prime Minister’s office for a comment on the apparent obsession with the phrase the only response we could get was ‘because it’s 2015.’” to questions dating back to his beginnings as an MP in 2008. In a CBC interview after that election, he is asked why he decided to run for office and answers “because it’s 2015.”

The CBC hosts appear to not quite understand the answer and the conversation quickly shifts.

Deemed a simple embarrassing slipup from our new Prime Minister, in newer versions of the interview the comment has been edited out completely.

When the Tomato reached out to the Prime Minister’s office for a comment on the apparent obsession with the phrase the only response we could get was “because it’s 2015.” Whether that proves there is a connection or not, we’re not quite sure.

Since the original use of the phrase

has proven so popular there is some debate about whether or not the answer will change in future years. Hopefully Trudeau will be able to tell that it’s no longer 2015, but no one is sure yet and we might be getting the same answer to any questions posed in 2017.

Other media outlets have also been getting the same answer to their questions about the new government’s objectives. When asked about any directions Trudeau has given her minister of environment and climate change, Catherine McKenna said, “He just told us ‘because it’s 2015’, over and over again.”

While the answer might not be helpful in answering many questions, it is a good sound bite and seems to be one that Canada should get used to hearing.

THE TOMATo | 19

DISTRACTIONS

FEATURES EDITOR Kyle Darbyson

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

Dear Di

Dear Di,

I don’t like using condoms with my girlfriend, but she isn’t on any sort of birth control. So, we were wondering how effective the good old pull-out method is?

-Riding Bare Back

Dear Di,

Dear RBB, The pull-out method is definitely the oldest form of birth control known to humanity, but its effectiveness depends on a variety of factors.

First of all, its success rate ranges from around 78 to 96 per cent if you perform withdrawal correctly. Men who have high self-control and are more experience are most likely to pull this off.

For those who haven’t clocked in that much quality time between the sheets, you should know that the right moment to shift into full reverse is when you’ve reached the point of no return— where you can no longer postpone ejaculation.

However, some experts still believe that even this strategy is extremely risky. Many are concerned with the reality of pre-cum, which may be able to pick up leftover sperm in your urethra from the previous ejaculations. You can decrease the chances of getting your girlfriend pregnant if you urinate between ejaculating, which should clear you right out.

Finally, make sure that when you cum you don’t get any sperm on your partner’s vulva, as it can still travel up the uterus and trigger pregnancy.

At the end of the day, the advantages of the pullout method are that it’s simple, easy, and free (you don’t have to buy condoms). However, this method is still not ideal in the long run since it can be unreliable to prevent pregnancy, it interrupts the natural flow of sex, and it requires you be sexually experienced and self-aware in order to pull it off successfully.

It’s very important to remember that the bare back nature of the withdrawal method does not protect you from STIs. So, unless you and your partner have been checked out lately, contraceptives for both parties are always recommended.

Love, Di 20 | DISTRACTIONS

Last night I met a man in a bar, and we hit it off right away. One thing lead to the next and we ended up doing the beast with two backs at my place. Then, during intercourse, I started to queef… a lot. It’s never happened to me before, so needless to say I was mortified.

Is there any way to prevent queefing during sex?

-Madam Queefs A Lot Dear MQL,

Sex position of the week: the Glowing Triangle

This position is classic missionary, but with a twist that gives women all the power. Get your partner on all fours above you, enter him, and be sure to tilt your hips upward. Place your hands around your partner’s neck for added support and to give yourself better positioning. Ladies, you are in the driver’s seat. Go wild! And your man has the added bonus of watching your breasts bounce up and down.

P.S. This position can easily work for two lady lovers as well ;)

For those of you who aren’t in the know, a queef is a vaginal fart. However, since it’s caused by air that is pushed into the vagina through the act of thrusting, it isn’t accompanied with a foul odour that’s normally associated with gas from the anus.

While queefing might feel a little embarrassing, it’s still a natural part of sex and there’s very little that can be done to eliminate it entirely. If it really makes you uncomfortable you can ask your partner to not thrust as hard (focus on grinding instead). The less air that’s pushed inside you, the less it will occur.

When it does happen, you can easily soften the blow by doing some crisis management. Either ignore it and carry on, or acknowledge the moment and laugh it off.

You can also politely explain to your partner that a queef isn’t a fart in the traditional sense, if you think they’d find that reassuring.

But honestly, queefing is so common in the act of love making that trying to stop it from happening may actually detract from your overall pleasurable experience. Instead, it’s best if women and men embrace queefing as a part of everyday sex.

Besides, everyone’s sexual history is built on awkward moments, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself to make it picture perfect every time.

Love, Di

thefulcrum.ca

nov. 13 to nov. 19, 2015

THRYLLABUS

MUSIC arts Sports FUN Thinking

Friday, Nov. 13 Hear Me (Taiwanese romance), Taiwan Film Nights, Carleton University—7 p.m.

Boobyball presents: Planet Booby, sci-fi themed fundraiser, organized by ReThink Breast Cancer, Lansdowne horticultural building—8 p.m.

Hollywood: the Epics (music from Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, BenHur, and more), live orchestra, National Arts Centre—8 p.m.

David Gogo, the Rainbow Bistro—9 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 14 Ottawa Pet Expo, opening day, EY Centre—9 a.m.

Victoria (crime thriller shot in one take), Bytowne Cinema—6:20 p.m.

Sam Roberts Band, Rock for Public Services concert, free admission, TD

Place—6:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 15 Sandy Hill’s One & Only Arts + Crafts show, free buffet and admission, Sandy Hill Community Centre—10 a.m.

Signatures Show (featuring over 170 of Canada’s most talented artisans), last day, Shaw Centre—10 a.m.

Cooking with Wine, Sunday brunch series, Canadian Museum of Nature—10:30 a.m.

Gee-Gees Women’s Hockey vs. Université de Montréal, Minto Sports Complex—2 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 16 Guided walk through the U of O’s historic quad, free admission, Tabaret Hall—3 p.m.

Playwright’s Circle, meet and greet, Ottawa Little Theatre—7 p.m.

Ottawa Senators vs.

Detroit Red Wings, Canadian Tire

Centre—7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 17 Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Marilyn Monroe film), Bytowne Cinema—4:45 p.m.

Laugh and Let Die (a comedy tribute to spy movies), presented by Elgin Street Improv, LIVE! on Elgin—7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 18 United Way Benefit Show, featuring performances by students and employees from the U of O, Tabaret Hall—12 p.m.

Head of the Herd, Zaphod Beeblebrox—8:30 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 19 TD Ottawa Jazz Festival Auction, featuring Basia Bulat, Library and Archives Canada—6:30 a.m.

Louis Helbig lecture, public talk on the Canadian oil sands, Hamelin Hall—9:30 a.m.

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DISTRACTIONS | 21

22 | LETTERS

thefulcrum.ca

EDITORIAL Volume 76, Issue 11, Nov. 12, 2015 Looking for the remote since 1942.

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

Nadia “Babar” Drissi El-Bouzaidi Editor-in-Chief editor@thefulcrum.ca Devin “Duck Tales” Orsini Production Manager production@thefulcrum.ca Savannah “Arthur” Awde Managing Editor content@thefulcrum.ca Eric “Are You Afraid Of The Dark?”

Davidson News Editor news@thefulcrum.ca Allegra “Pippi Longstocking” Morgado Arts & Culture Editor arts@thefulcrum.ca Spencer “Magic School Bus” Murdock Sports Editor, Rap Correspondent sports@thefulcrum.ca Kyle “Dexter’s Laboratory” Darbyson Features Editor features@thefulcrum.ca David “Care Bears” CampionSmith Opinions Editor opinions@thefulcrum.ca Reine “Reading Rainbow” Tejares Online Editor online@thefulcrum.ca Kim “Pepper Ann” Wiens Visual Editor visual@thefulcrum.ca Jaclyn “Rugrats” McRae-Sadik Associate News Editor associate.news@thefulcrum.ca Marta “Angela Anaconda” Kierkus Staff Photographer photographer@thefulcrum.ca Zach “Johnny Bravo” Verret Multimedia Coordinator multimedia@thefulcrum.ca Nicole “Recess” Rutkowski Associate Features Editor associate.features@thefulcrum.ca David “Art Attack” Agbaire Proofreader Deidre “Blues Clues” Butters Advertising Manager ads@thefulcrum.ca Dayne “Dragon Ball Z” Moyer General Manager manager@thefulcrum.ca

Contributors

Raghad “Goosebumps” Sheikh-Khalil Nicholas “Rolie Polie Olie” Robinson Anchal “Spider-Man” Sharma Deborah “Sailor Moon” Sogelola Carolyn “Madeline” Mutis Candide “Animaniacs” Uyanze Brittany “Boy Meets World” Maloney Zainab “Pinky and the Brain” Al-Mehdar Dylan “Zoboomafoo” Yergendorf Garry “Guise” Balangathan Veronika “Cow and Chicken” Cencen Patricia “Johnny Bertrand” Bertrand Ellen “Inspector Gadget” Galupo Remi “X-Men” Yuan COVER PHOTO: Kim Wiens

Social media is more than an online vanity mirror

“(Social media) is contrived images and edited clips ranked against each other. It’s a system based on social approval, likes, validation in views, success in followers. It’s perfectly orchestrated, self-absorbed judgement.”

Surprisingly, this narrowminded take on the intricacies of social media didn’t come from an old, out of touch baby boomer who likes to lug around a shotgun full of rock salt on his front porch.

Instead, the source was 19-year-old Essena O’Neill, a former web model and lifestyle personality who made headlines around the web last week after her very public exodus from all of social media. Not only did O’Neill choose to give up her legion of fans on Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and YouTube cold turkey, but she also went out in an unconventional fashion—re-tagging her most famous photos with new captions that exposed the superficial and “fake” nature behind them.

Following this media storm, O’Neill went on to establish the website letsbegamechangers.com, so that she could spread her gospel about more noble pursuits such as veganism and body positivity, all the while asking people to submit videos, poems, pieces of artwork, and monetary donations to help her expand on this new enterprise.

Hopefully submissions about the proper definition of words like self-awareness and hypocrisy are forthcoming.

Despite the obnoxious salivating from keyboard activists all across the Internet in response to these developments, the whole concept of young people rebelling against the alleged evil clutches of social media is not new or revolutionary in the slightest.

Everyone knows that one friend who claims that they’re “quitting social media forever”, only to have

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Photo: Kim Wiens

them come crawling back to Facebook a couple weeks later once they realize how impossible it is to organize and promote a big event these days by just handing out flyers.

This extends into the mainstream media as well, since we live in a world where celebrities like Lena Dunham and Kanye West seemingly quit Twitter every week, and where publications from the Huffington Post to Wired post “How to live without Facebook” manuals on what seems like a semi-regular basis.

Hell, the first annual “Quit Facebook Day” was established way back in 2010, long before O’Neill had the brilliant idea to decry social media using social media.

But the very fact that O’Neill’s message went viral so quickly shows that this kind of overriding philosophy, which frames social media as an empty wasteland of vain self-indulgence, is inherently flawed. If it wasn’t for the instant visual messaging power of Instagram and the video sharing capabilities of YouTube, people around the world wouldn’t

be praising O’Neill for her stance on unattainable body standards for women in the first place.

At the end of the day social media is a tool, and how this tool is wielded is entirely up to the user. And despite what people like O’Neill and that drunk first-year psych major who cornered you at a party might have told you, not all people are shallow and self-indulgent.

In fact, according to a recent study by the Global Web Index, the top two functions that people use social media for is to stay in touch with friends and to stay up-to-date on current events, while more egotistical pursuits such as sharing personal photos taking up the lower tier on the list.

The latter part of this equation is especially important, since the widespread distribution of information and news stories on sites like Facebook and YouTube has helped bring about something that people in O’Neill’s camp allegedly say they want—meaningful social change.

This dynamic was definitely at play in the recent

federal election. Publications like the Toronto Star found a strong correlation between a spike of electionrelated Tweets and the surge of youth voters, something that many believe helped Justin Trudeau’s Liberals topple the long-reigning Conservative government.

On a wider scale, sites like Twitter are also responsible for thrusting important news stories or issues into the forefront, since most mainstream news sites were unwilling or reluctant to cover topics like police brutality (#Ferguson), women’s issues (#YesAllWomen), or xenophobia (#IllRideWithYou).

It’s also worth considering the myriad of content creators on social media on sites like YouTube, who are constantly re-defining how we digest our entertainment and are forcing film and TV companies to re-think their outdated distribution models.

Of course, this isn’t to suggest that social media doesn’t have a dark side. Far from it.

New forms of personalized communications can be extremely addicting and

invasive, which makes it easier than ever to harass fellow human beings and to sacrifice our personal lives in favour of an online avatar.

But of course, that’s just what happens when a populist tool like the Internet is made available to the majority of the earth’s popular—it sheds a light on the complex moral spectrum of humanity.

And it turns out that this world is filled with people who are vain, stupid, and mean-spirited, and others who are charitable, compassionate, and progressive thinking (and everyone in between).

In many ways, the method with which you use something like social media can be used as a litmus test to gauge your own personal issues and hang-ups.

So if someone like Essena O’Neill thinks that sites like Facebook and Twitter can be used for nothing but to feed people’s egos and to attain a shallow definition of fame, it would probably be more constructive to look in the mirror rather than to point the finger at a social media feed.

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