VOL. 79 ISSUE 3
Nov. 7, 2018
FulcFit food series
Butternut squash soup It’s October, and that means we’re now well into autumn. Plants are dying, but our appetites are not. This means we’re going to need some recipes to warm us up throughout this cool transition to winter. One such dish I highly recommend is homemade butternut squash soup. I can’t take credit for the recipe, as it was something my mother always made for our family, and still makes sometimes when I visit. Here’s how you can make your own homemade, reasonably healthy butternut squash soup. Trust me, mom’s recipe is much better than that store-bought stuff at your local Metro.
It’s tough, but well worth the effort to prepare!
Photo: Andrew Price.
Andrew Price, Sports Editor
During the school year, it’s all too easy to let your eating habits slip. To get you back on track, the Fulcrum has some essential recipes so you stay full and fit all year long.
Directions
1. You need one large butternut squash. You’ll want to get this peeled and chopped, and in some places you can get it pre-chopped and peeled. 2. Put this in a large baking dish, and pour a generous amount of olive oil in, about half a cup. 3. Add ¼ teaspoon of coriander over the squash. 4. Add salt and pepper, again, being generous . 5. Place it all in the oven, setting it at 400 degrees C. Bake for approximately 40 minutes, making sure it’s mushy. 6. Now peel three apples and put this in a pot for the soup. 7. Add ⅓ of a chopped onion to the pot, and mix in a bit of olive oil. Sauté this for a few minutes. 8. Now add ⅓ a box of chicken broth, and bring the mixture to a boil. 9. When the squash is ready, add it in when the mixture is soft. You can then add the rest of the chicken broth if you want, and let it simmer. 10. Add a touch of cinnamon for a little extra flavour (optional). 11. Wait 40 minutes until all ingredients are soft, then take off the heat and let it cool a little. 12. At this point you can add a bit of purée to make it extra creamy, and stir. Now you’ve got yourself a bowl of irresistible butternut squash soup. Enjoy!
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In this Month’s issue... SFUO executives abandon ship P.5 Catch up on student politics with our coverage of the BOA meeting which saw the resignation of president Rizki Rachiq, and discussion on the forensic audit
news editor! The Fulcrum is hiring a at Check out our website ring/ thefulcrum.ca/were-hi um.ca or email editor@thefulcr to apply! for more details on how
The SAD-dest section P.9 Learn how to deal with the darkness of daylight savings, harsh Canadian winters, and Seasonal Affective Disorder The SFUO issue P.13 An extensive look at the past, present, and future of the SFUO, and its meme-loving critics Athlete spotlight P.22 Québec semi-pro athlete and current Gee-Gee talks traveling, teaching Too Fake: SFUO becomes a sitcom, Tomato gets called out P. 27 The Tomato has all the details on the SFUO’s move to CBS, while dealing with allegations of being fake news Cash is sweet, baby P.28 Ty talks you through the fine art of sugar dating
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NEWS EDITOR news@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0061
NEWS
BOA sees forensic audit in-camera, announces president’s resignation
SFUO’s board promises to release forensic audit results, implement PwC recommendations ANCHAL SHARMA Editor-in-Chief
O
On
n Sunday Nov. 4, the Student Federation of the University
of Ottawa (SFUO)’s Board of Admin-
istration (BOA) met to discuss the results of the forensic audit conducted by PwC in response to fraud allegations faced by former SFUO president, Rizki Rachiq, former vicepresident of operations Axel Gaga, and recused executive coordinator Vanessa Dorimain. Rachiq’s resignation was announced at the start of the meeting, along with the resignation of Gaga, and Emily Seguin, the board’s Indigenous representative. Other items on the agenda included executive updates, an emergency motion calling for the promotion of the fall General Assembly, amendments to the ethics committee motion from the governance motion package seen at last month’s meeting, and the results of the most recent by-election. Forensic audit Representatives from PwC, the auditing firm chosen to investigate the alleged misuse of funds by SFUO executives, presented the results of their audit to BOA members in an in-camera
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session that lasted over two hours. Vice-president social, Faduma Wais, clarified after the in-camera session that the redacted results of the audit, as well as a summary, will be made publically available to students pending approval from PwC. The date is yet to be determined, but the SFUO later tweeted that the report will be shared on their website, with links that will be posted on all social media platforms. In her executive updates, actingpresident Paige Booth mentioned that the university administration has a copy of the report, and that the SFUO will be meeting with them shortly to propose a new agreement. The board also voted to implement the recommendations of PwC, including, but not limited to, a conflict of interest bylaw, a policy in regards to regular fraud risk assessments, and a procurement policy.
“Be it resolved that the SFUO and all its official representatives consult with the Presidents’ Roundtable and gain 2/3 majority agreement before any signature of contract with the University of Ottawa or any external body.” Some BOA members argued that the resolution was too vague, and asked whether the motion will stand indefinitely. Booth clarified that while they haven’t started the negotiation process with the university yet, this motion is meant to refer to a potential proposal of a new agreement with the administration.
An amendment was proposed to change the word “contract” to “agreement” to clarify that. The amendment went to a vote, and was carried. Booth further amended the resolution to read as follows: “Be it resolved that the SFUO consult with the Presidents’ Roundtable before any signature of agreement with the University of Ottawa.” The motion passed.
By-election results The SFUO held a by-election on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 organized by online voting company, Simply Voting. Stations
were set up at Montpetit, Morisset, Roger Guindon, SITE, and the university centre. On the BOA, Elizabeth Lecours won the seat for Faculty of Health Sciences with 245 students who voted yes, and 71 who voted no. Voter turnout was 8.4 per cent. The Senate seat was claimed by Ryan Furlong, for the Faculty of Education. No one ran for the SFUO executive positions for vice-president equity or vice-president internal. A livestream of the November BOA meeting can be found on Facebook.
Emergency Motion An emergency motion was proposed to call for the fall General Assembly (GA) on Tuesday Nov. 7, to be held on Dec. 4 2018, as section 3.13.7 of the SFUO’s constitution states that GA dates “must be made available to members a minimum of four (4) weeks in advance.” The motion was passed. Motion for the Presidents’ Round table Booth proposed a motion pertaining to the federated student bodies’ presidents’ round table, that reads as follows:
The November BOA saw a two hour in-camera session discussing the forensic audit.
Photo: Jaclyn McRae-Sadik.
NEWS | 5
U of O student claims OCDSB school board trustee seat
Lyra Evans believed to be Canada’s first openly trans trustee, seeks sex-ed reform Sarah Crookall
Associate News Editor
Lyra Evans, incoming Rideau-Vanier and Capital school board trustee, says electing the first openly transgender school trustee should not have taken so long. On Oct. 22 Evans, a U of O chemistry student, became the first openly transgender person believed to be elected as school board trustee in Canada. Evans will represent ward 9 of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB), and won with 55 per cent of the vote. On being the first, Evans said “it shouldn’t have had to been me.” “I am disappointed because it reminds me of the AIDS crisis and a generation of people who would have died due to government inaction. Those people would have been 40 or 50, the age where most people are elected school board trustees, and they should
have been the first.” But Evans said she is also honoured to be school trustee, because it shows society’s willingness to look past biases and instead look at policy. One policy concern Evans has is restoring the 2015 sexed curriculum. In July of this year, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced a return to a 1990s version of the sex-ed curriculum, which does not address issues like sexual orientation, gender identity, and cyberbullying. The curriculum change is the reason Evans decided to run for school trustee after losing as Ottawa-Vanier’s NDP candidate in the provincial election. Sex-ed curriculum was also the number one issue at the door, said Evans. Ottawa residents appeared angry and frustrated about Ford’s decision, she said. “Right now the school board is looking at what can be done and what we can do to protect our teachers,” said
Evans. “I would like to see the OCDSB create a policy that says we can lobby the provincial government, or attempt to convince the provincial government, to perhaps reconsider their decision about repealing the 2015 sex-ed curriculum.” Another area Evans wants to look at is encouraging green policies in schools. She says her background in chemistry informs her concern for the environment. “As a believer in science— as someone who understands the damage we are doing to the environment—I take that with me,” she said. “I try very hard to limit my carbon footprint; I try very hard to encourage others to do the same.” Some ways to do that, Evans suggests, is to build more local schools so students can walk instead of using buses. Other options include installing light-reflecting glass to reduce air-conditioning use,
as well as solar panels. On childcare, the OCDSB currently offers an Extended Day Program. Though the program runs from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Evans says parents often drop their children off early or late because of the ever-changing nature of the workforce. “Making sure that those programs are accessible, and that there are enough spots, and making sure that people can afford to get them is something that’s important to me,” said Evans. But, the work doesn’t stop at the sex-ed curriculum, environmental sustainability, and childcare. School board trustees represent the educational concerns of the local community, create policy for the OCDSB, and inform the final word on appeals, including teacher and principal complaints. “School board elections matter more than people think,” said Evans. “I want to encourage university students
Evans will be sworn in as the Rideau-Vanier and Capital school board trustee on Dec. 3, 2018. Photo: Robyn Thane.
to vote in every election that they get the opportunity to.” Evans will be sworn in as
the Rideau-Vanier and Capital school board trustee on Dec. 3, 2018.
Alex Trebek Forum for Dialogue finds the future of protein Discussing the ins and outs of agricultural ethics and sustainability Sarah Crookall
Associate News Editor
Thirty food experts recently landed at the University of Ottawa to introduce nuance into the conversation on the future of protein production. On Oct. 25 and 26, the AlexTrebek Forum for Dialogue sponsored a two-day symposium, titled The Future of Protein, where six roundtable discussions explored sustainable agriculture, and the ethical implications of protein production. “There’s all of these debates happening, but they’re kind of in little silos,” said political studies professor and symposium organizer, Ryan Katz-Rosene. The aim of the symposium, Katz-Rosene said, was to look at the future of protein production from interdisciplinary perspectives and “steer away from singular solutions.” With an interdisciplinary focus, each round table featured four off-campus experts and one University of Ottawa
6 | NEWS
moderator. Experts included the New Farm author Brent Preston, the Mindful Carnivore author Tovar Cerulli, Sustainable Dish podcast host Diana Rodgers, and Greenpeace campaigner Éric Darier. A central debate at the conference examined the environmental and health impacts of protein-based foods, including animal, plant, and lab-created products. “A slight majority of the conference participants agreed that we need to eat and produce less meat and less livestock,” said Katz-Rosene. One of Greenpeace’s goals is to reduce current wheat and dairy production by 50 per cent. “More data won’t necessarily lead to more action,” said Éric Darier, ecological campaigner for Greenpeace. “I think we have to think of systemic solutions; I think that’s really the key element.” However, lab-created sources of protein also complicate food production by introducing capitalist motives and unknown ingredients, said
The Alex-Trebek Forum sponsored a two-day symposium hosting roundtable discussions on sustainable agriculture.
Katz-Rosene. “On one hand it gets rid of the ethical concern of human damaging and killing animals for sustenance,” he said. “(But) you just can’t wash your hands because there’s problems with the notion of shifting our entire production to industrialized methods.” Another concern raised was how farmers will supply food to nine billion people in 2050. “In farm country—if you stopped your car and walked into any particular field would there be anything there you
could actually eat?” asked Preston. “The answer is almost always no anywhere in North America.” Food produced by Canadian farms usually needs to be processed or fed to animals, he said. Panelists agreed that North American farms typically overproduce calories compared to dietary standards. Addressing ethical concerns around protein consumption, philosophy professor at Dalhousie University, Andrew Fenton, said agricultural ethics
Photo: CC, pixahere.
are “the reduction or elimination of the physiological markers of stress.” Fenton added that ethical practices include reducing the pain capacity of animals, exploring alternative protein sources like edible insects, and yielding greater production value from fewer animals. In contrast, Donald W. Bruckner, philosophy professor at Pennsylvania State University, said the harms and benefits of dietary choices should be viewed as part of a bigger overall picture.
Bruckner added that agricultural ethics become complicated by other factors, like the environmental effects of alcohol production. “Plant production required to produce alcohol takes up to 54-million acres worldwide,” he said. Though panelists were divided on how to approach protein production in the future, most voiced approval at the diversity of expertise represented at the symposium. “One of the things we want to do is to contextualize some of these issues so that when policy-makers are making some of their decisions they can be clearer on who is going to benefit, and who is going to lose, and what the potential outcomes (are),” said KatzRosene. To help guide future research, Katz-Rosene hopes to have students analyze the symposium for the main points of agreement and disagreement regarding the future of protein production.
Thefulcrum.ca
What to expect from your new city councillors What
municipal
SARAH CROOKALL Associate New Editor
On Oct. 22, the City of Ottawa hit the polls and decided on its local representation over the next four years. The city’s voter turnout increased by three points from the 2014 municipal election, at 42 per cent. The Fulcrum spoke with four winning city councillors in the surrounding areas of the University of Ottawa: RideauVanier, Rideau-Rockcliffe, Somerset, and Kitchissippi. In interviewing representatives, topics focused on studentrelated-issues including: accessible and reliable transit, cannabis use on campus, affordable housing, and engaging student-voters in order to increase voter-turnout. Though asked, all candidates declined to speak on the U of O’s decision to terminate its contract with the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa. Here’s what your representatives had to say: Mathieu Fleury, Ward 12: Rideau-Vanier Mathieu Fleury won his third term as City councillor with 68 per cent of the vote, and credited his win to active volunteers. He represents the immediate area surrounding the University of Ottawa in Rideau-Vanier. In previous terms, Fleury played a lead role in developing the U-Pass, increasing transit service during peak hours, creating landlord education
Catherine McKenney is the representative for ward 14.
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policies
will
sessions, as well as implementing Welcome Week Walkabouts. He also helped to create safety measures for high traffic student events, such as the Panda Game. Revitalization and beautification of Montreal Road is a concern on his most recent platform. Fleury aims to implement property standards, and redirect traffic of interprovincial trucks from King Edward Avenue by way of creating an underground tunnel. Fleury is also interested in increasing affordable housing and support services. On cannabis use, he responded that the University of Ottawa will decide on the oncampus policy, which currently states that students are allowed to smoke cannabis in designated cigarette smoking zones. To engage student voters, Fleury said speaking with youth at schools is the best way to involve students in local politics. He aims to see municipal representatives on campus more often. Tobi Nussbaum, Ward 13: Rideau-Rockcliffe Tobi Nussbaum, representing the Rideau-Rockcliffe area, won his second term with 80 per cent of the vote. Nussbaum is interested in increasing affordable housing and affordable transit. Both will give students greater access to the university, he says. Nussbaum says the U-Pass is affected by the high rates on the OC Transpo bus pass, which he hopes to lower. The Light Rail Transit (LRT) system is some-
affect
University
thing Nussbaum says should help alleviate an over-capacitated transit system. “That doesn’t mean we can let our foot off the gas when it comes to bus service,” he said. “There’s huge parts of our city where residents still rely on effective reliable frequent bus service.” For Nussbaum, solutions to transit include implementing transit priority measures, such as bus-specific traffic lights and lanes. “We have to make sure that buses are not stuck in regular traffic lanes.” Cannabis is an issue for the stakeholders at the university, says Nussbaum. “I think the question that I’m going to have to grapple with is what do we do with public property,” said Nussbaum. “Do we treat cannabis like we do tobacco, and treat it like a smoking product? Or do we treat it like alcohol because its a product that can cause intoxication?” Nussbaum is interested in balancing the rights of non-users of cannabis with safe-use. Engaging student voters is an important issue, Nussbaum said. He is interested at introducing ranked ballots at the municipal level and increasing the number of polling stations. Creating polling stations on campus is another way to engage students. He said he is interested in, “ensuring that students have the opportunity to vote for those who are off campus.” “People often say students come from different areas and don’t have an interest in local
of
Ottawa
politics,” said Nussbaum. “Well maybe, but lets see—let’s make it easy for them to engage in those issues.” Catherine McKenney, Ward 14: Somerset Catherine McKenney, representing the Somerset area, won her second term with 76 per cent of the vote. McKenney is interested in increasing transit and alternative transportation options, such as widening sidewalks and cycling lanes. She also aims to tackle affordable housing, rentals, and social housing. “I think it’s too late once the election is happening to try and run around and chase voters, and encourage them to come out to the polls,” McKenney said. “I think you have to be engaged with people all the way through.” Buses need to come off downtown roads, said McKenney. While the completion of the LRT is important, investing heavily in local transit matters too, she said. “The OC Transpo operate on a funding model that dictates transit users pay 55 per cent of the operating cost of transit while taxpayers pay 45 per cent,” says McKenney. “I think that at the very least that needs to be reversed so that we don’t continue to see rising transit rates.” As a member on the Ottawa Board of Health, McKenney says she is concerned with the health concerns associated with cannabis use. She said she wants to “ensure people are not exposed to more
students?
second-hand smoke than they are today.” “It’s a health issue and I worry that we’re going backwards a little bit.” Because the University of Ottawa and Carleton (University) are in Ottawa, the City is stronger, said McKenney. She added, “the university is growing and that’s having a lot of impact on surrounding neighbourhoods. “We have a lot of work to do together to ensure that those impacts are not negative.” Jeff Leiper, Ward 15: Kitchissippi Jeff Leiper, representing the Kitchissippi area, won his second term with 85 per cent of the vote. Leiper is interested increasing affordable housing near transit, safe cycling and winter-maintained cycling routes, changing the transit plan, and addressing gender-based violence, inclusivity, and poverty. Leiper says that OC Transpo currently suffers from a lack of resources, which can be addressed by adequate funding. “That’s on Council, not them,” said Leiper. “Many of the problems with reliability are unavoidable when we’re trying to push so many routes through congested downtown streets. It’s beyond capacity.” Leiper aims to add tax dollars to help keep fares low. The LRT will alleviate current transit strains and have spillover effects, he says. Now that cannabis has been legalized, he said, smoking is beginning to be viewed as a nuisance. “The particularly pungent smell of weed is very bothersome to some people,” said Leiper. “A smoke-free campus will help everyone breathe easier.” Leiper says the idea that student voting doesn’t matter because students aren’t property owners is “absolutely untrue.” Many day-to-day services impact students, he said, such as law enforcement. “Simply on transit and housing alone, the importance of municipal government is obvious for students,” said Leiper. “We need, as a government, to do more to get on campus and engage students with what we do.”
Photo: Courtesy of Catherine McKenney.
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A&C EDITOR Iain Sellers arts@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0062 @iainsellers
ARTS&CULTURE
Alternatives to SFUO shops Your go-to guide to a post-SFUO world Iain Sellers
Arts & Culture Editor As we approach Dec. 24, when the termination of the agreement between the U of O and SFUO is set to take effect, many questions remain about the future of federation bodies, student healthcare, and shops run by the SFUO. The Fulcrum has put together a list of alternative shops that students can go to if the SFUO ceases to be able to fund its businesses on campus—or, if you are just looking to support non-SFUO initiatives. The SFUO’s Pivik Located on the ground-floor of the University Centre, Pivik is a convenience store owned and operated by the SFUO. Offering everything from cheap sushi to limited electronics, the store is an accessible option for students who need something in a hurry.
The Fulcrum’s alternative: Circle K, located at 120 Osgoode St., provides shoppers with everything that Pivik has to offer at a similar price. Alternatively, if you’re willing to go for a longer walk, Metro and Loblaws have an even wider selection of goods than both former stores, and have a 10 per cent discount for students on Tuesdays and Thursdays. While they are situated at 245 Rideau St., and 363 Rideau St. respectively, adding a ten minute walk to your day, Metro and Loblaws boast even cheaper prices than both Circle K and Pivik. The SFUO’s Café Alt Café Alt, located in the basement of Simard, might be one of the biggest losses for caffeine-lovers on campus. The cafe, which promotes environmentally friendly initiatives, and hosts numerous campus activities, is at risk of
disappearing if the SFUO cannot secure student funding. The Fulcrum’s alternative: Fortunately, there are lots of alternatives around campus. For students who need a quick caffeine-fix, check out the Second Cup located at 153 Laurier Ave. E, if you’re on the north end of campus, or the various Tim Hortons locations at the south end, not to mention the forever busy Starbucks in Desmarais. Alternatively, if you are looking for more of an adventure, try going through Sandy Hill or the Byward market for a cup of joe—there are tons of great options that give Café Alt a run for its money. The SFUO’s 1848 If Café Alt will be the most missed place to grab a drink on campus, chances are, 1848 will be the least missed. The student bar, which has been the SFUO’s least profitable business in recent years, is lo-
While it may not always be convenient, there are alternatives to SFUO shops.
cated in the University Centre above the library. The Fulcrum’s alternative: While many students may be unfamiliar with 1848’s existence, you likely know another bar that sits outside of campus and has been a staple for after-lecture beer, and after-beer breakfast—Father and Sons. Father and Sons, which is independent from the U of O, has daily specials that include $6 doubles on Tuesdays and $13 pitchers on Fridays nights.
Plus, unlike 1848, Father and Sons can boast large crowds on its activity nights—like its Wednesday night Karaoke session. The SFUO’s Agora bookstore Agora bookstore, located on 145 Besserer St., is the last SFUO owned and operated business which may face an uncertain future in 2019. Unlike the student bar and cafe, however, Agora bookstore turned a profit in 2017, and may be able to sustain itself
Photo: Parker Townes.
without the student funding. The Fulcrum’s alternative: If students are looking for an alternative, they can find their textbooks at the campus bookstore, or even online at shops like Amazon. Since Amazon offers students a discount on their prime service, students who do not want to face a textbook monopoly at the campus bookstore, but also do not—or cannot—shop the SFUO bookstore, can take to the web to find their learning materials.
Ottawa Jewish community rallies following events in Pittsburgh
Students, community members gathered for evening of solidarity in response to shooting Iain Sellers
Arts & Culture Editor With the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, and the subsequent anti-semitic graffiti in a Brooklyn synagogue a few days later, this week has marked a tremendously hard time for members of the global Jewish community. In response to the initial incident, on Nov. 2, Jewish students and allies gathered at Happy Goat Coffee Co. for a Shabbat dinner, hosted by Hillel Ottawa, for an evening
of community, remembrance, and gratitude. Hillel Ottawa is a citywide organization that seeks to promote Jewish culture and community, and has two separate subsections—Hillel UOttawa and Hillel Carleton—that are both clubs on their respective campuses. The evening’s events, which began at 7 p.m., had around 100 attendees including students taking a Jewish cultural class in Carleton, Jewish students from both university organizations, and other community mem-
Friday Shabbat dinner featured more than just food.
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bers wanting to voice their support. Dovi Chein, a U of O alumnus, and the executive director of Hillel Ottawa, told the Fulcrum that he expected the night to be different from the regular dinners which they hold every month to foster Jewish culture across Ottawa’s university campuses. “I didn’t realize the full extent for how traumatic this is for students until I met students the next day (after the shooting), and I’ve never seen such sadness for something that didn’t hap-
pen to them directly,” he explained. “Friday night will be a dinner that I think will catalyse a lot of unity and a lot of deep meaningful relationships.” Shabbat is a weekly religious observance where, beginning at sundown on Friday and lasting for 25 hours, orthodox Jews refrain from technology and take a day of rest. While Hillel Ottawa organized their event to accommodate religious adherents, there were many attendees who came for the cultural aspect, and to be with community. “We decided that we wanted to bring all Jews together because a lot of people felt like they wanted to do something—like they wanted to be with their brothers and sisters,” explained Jordan Wise, a fourth-year management student at the U of O, and the VP for Hillel UOttawa. “There’s 11 people
who aren’t with their friends (and) family, so we wanted to be together.” The evening began with a dinner, followed by a brief prayer, and singing. After everyone had finished eating, members of Hillel Ottawa, and other supporters, gave speeches about their feelings about the events in Pittsburgh—and what it meant to be Jewish in Ottawa. Speeches ranged from organizers’ childhood memories to the pride, and fear, that students’ feel when wearing their kippahs—religious skullcaps that denote faith for practitioners of orthodox Judaism. “Shabbat is supposed to represent a day of peace and rest,” Lindsay Eiley, a fourth-year business student at the U of O and the president of Hillel Ottawa told the Fulcrum before the dinner. “Last Saturday, that peace was ripped away from all of
us, so of course this Shabbat will feel different and so will every Shabbat after that.” Indeed, Eiley explained that Hillel Ottawa was not alone in trying to promote solidarity through Shabbat dinners. “There is a hashtag being spread on social media this week— #show upfor sha bbat—to encourage people who wouldn’t usually go to synagogue to come in solidarity.” While the evening featured many moments of heart-wrenching sadness and speeches, many people managed to remain happy during the dinner as they laughed and enjoyed one another’s comradery. “Despite (the weekend’s events), I continue to feel nothing but proud and grateful to be Jewish,” explained Eiley, “and I will never hide that no matter what kind of target it puts on my back.”
Photo: Via Google Maps.
ARTS & CULTURE | 9
The Fulcrum’s tips for dealing with daylight savings Darker days don’t have to be dreary Sophie Miller
Staff Contributor
This article is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment guidance. If you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, call Good2Talk at 1-866-925-5454, or the Mental Health Helpline at 1-866-531-2600 for immediate support. For non-urgent support, you can access the Student Academic Success Service’s Counselling and Coaching service, or the UOHS mental health department. As we approach the winter equinox, and the hours of light in the day become fewer, many people living in the northern hemisphere might have to battle Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Nicknamed wintertime blues or seasonal depression, and defined as a mood disorder where one exhibits depressive symptoms in the winter, SAD is frequently triggered this time of year— as the dark cold mornings get to many of us.
While we can’t offer you a definitive way to lessen the effects of SAD, the following four tips might help to provide an outlet to limit and express what you’re feeling. Wake up early and keep a schedule Though most U of O students’ sleeping patterns are usually irregular—especially during the lead-up to finals season—waking up early might seem like a clear road to sleep deprivation. However, when combined with maintaining a normal sleep schedule, getting up with the sun truly does wonders to your energy levels and mental health. Instead of sleeping in, try getting active while the sun shines and provides rays of happiness, namely vitamin D—a nutrient that Canadians often lack this time of year. The added productivity might leave you with a sense of satisfaction and have you tired enough for an early bedtime after the sun has set. Exercise Whether you’re looking to
incorporate new activities or add an exercise routine to your morning, getting active may help you to stay positive during the depths of winter. A number of events are held year-round by U of O health services, including yoga, meditation, and reiki—a form of alternative medicine that originated in Japan. Alternatively, if you’re looking to go off campus for other up-lifting activities, there is also an array of things that you can do off campus, including puppy yoga. Socialize Chances are, you’re not alone if you’re feeling blue this time of year. As the sun goes down earlier and earlier, people feel sapped of energy. This can also mean that you’re losing opportunities to socialize and bond with others. Try organizing a simple activity, like meeting up for coffee or trying a new fall activity— as simple as it sounds, interacting with family, friends, or even strangers might re-
Running makes sure the sunset doesn’t get you down.
ally be the pick-me-up you need. Whether you’re extroverted and want to meet new people or introverted and keep to your limited social sphere, socialisation continues to be a healthy way to stay engaged. Creative outlets For inventive and creative minds alike—or even
just for people who want to try something new—a creative outlet is a great way to channel one’s thoughts and feelings into a personal project. Artistic mediums such as writing, drawing, painting, or music can help you deal with the overwhelming episodes brought about by seasonal depression. Afterall,
Photo: CC, Marvin Krause via US Air Force.
portraying raw emotions is one of the strongest and most effective ways to create a powerful and poignant piece. While a creative outlet can provide one with an enjoyable and expressive hobby, it can also help to better understand SAD and one’s mental health during the winter months.
Brrr—ing on the freezing cold winters Ottawa, we’re ready
U of O International Office gives students crash course in Canadian winter and culture Eric Davison
Fulcrum Freelancer
International students face a host of challenges adapting to a new culture and a new country—and often with minimal firsthand experience to work with. However, through a series of workshops and lecture series, the International Office hopes to better prepare new students for their stay in Canada. On Oct. 31, the International Office hosted a session that looked at getting students ready for the oncoming Ottawa winter, specifically the more mundane parts of winter life that are often left unexplained to international residents. Topics ranged from the technicalities of choosing a proper coat, to the humorous breakdown of fashion—as Canada’s workforce becomes more concerned with keeping warm than staying professional. Saidouba Camara, the program coordinator for
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International Student Support Services, explained that information that often seems obvious is essential to properly preparing and integrating international students. “Throughout the year we organize a lot of events to help different parts of the international experience, and this workshop series is here to manage their expectations and give them some tips to make the most of their winter,” he explained. “It is important for them to be prepared and know what to expect because a lot of people come here with a wrong idea of what winter really is.” The presentation was interspersed with comedy videos and personal observations in an attempt to keep students comfortable, and lift some of the anxiety of going into their first genuine winter. Despite a casual atmosphere, the advice was real. Students were re-
With winter fast approaching, international students are in for a chilly reality.
minded to keep tabs on their own mental health and know the signs of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Regular outdoor exercise, Vitamin D supplements, and regular socialisation can all help alleviate the depression often experienced during winter. Organizers also dispelled the pervasive myth that alcohol will stave off hypothermia. Students die from hypothermia every year
after consuming alcohol, with many assuming that a few extra shots before a Friday night is a replacement for proper outerwear. According to Ajit Maheswari, an international student in software engineering, Canadians often misinterpret the needs of incoming international students. “I think a lot of Canadians get very fixated on languages and culture with
(international students). I can speak English, we can all speak English, we don’t need everyone to speak to us like toddlers,” he explained. “It’s the stuff (Canadians) think is normal that is hard for us,” he continued. “You can get resources for the big things, but no one is around to tell us how the recycling system works, or what long johns are ... I think that is where
Photo: Renaud via Flicker.
the school has been a big help.” Camara encourages students to use all the resources available to them at the International Office, including peer mentorship programs, academic support, and more events the workshop series. For more information about this seminar, and all other services that the International Office provides, check out their website.
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Campus creations: from poetry to prose (November 2018) Plain pasta with butter Jane Furlong
Fulcrum Contributor
As a child, Elizabeth was a very picky eater. Her diet was strictly confined to five foods: McDonald’s hotcakes, Kraft Dinner, jam on toast (white bread only of course), Oreo cookies, and plain pasta with butter. Plain pasta with butter was her preferred meal, the dish of choice on special occasions. To her, it was a delicacy! It was extravagant! Plain pasta with butter was the most magnificent thing she had ever tasted, it was her safe haven. Elizabeth looked out her tiny kitchen window as she waited for the water to boil. The windows of her apartment felt as though they hadn’t been replaced in a hundred years, there was no difference in temperature between the outside and the inside. She frequently resorted to observing her own warm exhales as they escaped her lungs, the cold air came in handy whenever
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she needed something to occupy her mind whilst on the toilet. As she tipped the box of macaroni over the seething water she caught a glimpse of her cracked, ashy hands. “Jesus,” she muttered to herself. “This is what I get for $900 a month in Brooklyn.” Elizabeth’s freelance work barely provided her with the sufficient funds for groceries and toilet paper, let alone rent. Her parents had been supporting her financially since she had graduated from university (which was a little over three years ago). Elizabeth was quite sure that they were beginning to lose sympathy for her situation. Elizabeth could not comprehend her lack of luck when it came to employment, she thought of herself as a profound thinker, intelligent but humble. She was most certainly a talented writer. Elizabeth had been trying to get into the
New York writing scene since graduation. All she had to show for three years of effort were a few articles published in a small, Brooklyn-based, jazz magazine. She was 25 years old, single, unemployed, and living off of her parent’s income. The stove top timer brought Elizabeth back to reality. Her pasta was done. A little bit too done. “Never trust the instructions!” she yelled. Elizabeth had a tendency to take her frustrations out on her roommate’s cat when she was home alone. The cat stared back at her with its usual unforgiving look. Elizabeth rolled her eyes as she reached into the refrigerator, “Don’t act so high and mighty, as if you could judge me,” she hollered. Out she pulled her roommate’s leftover butter. There were breadcrumbs and jam along the outer edges of the block, Elizabeth removed them carefully and went on to take her share.
Furlong explores the hardships of one’s 20s in “Plain pasta with butter.”
The butter glided over the freshly cooked pasta creating a wonderfully fatty, sauce-like, texture. Elizabeth retreated to her room, she took a seat in her unmade bed with her bowl of pasta held tightly in one hand. Elizabeth looked around her room, she saw the bottle of $11 rosé that she had emp-
tied the night before. The half-finished joint she rolled that morning lay peacefully on her windowsill. She took a long-awaited first bite of her plain pasta with butter and began to cry. “Plain Pasta with Butter” is a snapshot in time focused on feelings of nostalgia that takes place during
Photo: CC, pixabay.
the painful, and sometimes naive, years of one’s 20s. Furlong is a third-year English literature student at the U of O—who has never published a fiction piece—this being her first, and hopefully, not her last. For more of her work, you can visit her personal blog at janefurlongblogs.com
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Illustration: Kelsea Shore
A recap of the termination of the SFUO’s agreement with the U of O Aug. 9 In the beginning… La Rotonde and then the Fulcrum broke the news that Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) president Rizki Rachiq and executive coordinator Vanessa Dorimain were facing allegations of fraud, with mention of vice-president operations Axel Gaga. The allegations are tied to a police report filed with the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) following the submission of a report from previous SFUO president Hadi Wess. The report stated that Wess was alerted to the possibility of fraud in April by Andre Belanger, business development and risk manager at the SFUO’s bank (Caisse Desjardins), following unusual charges the bank flagged. Wess froze the account and then began investigating with SFUO finance director Nicole Labossiere. Wess’ report claims that Rachiq received more than $20,000 in cheques through a “faulty” club called Testing Restaurants UOttawa. He allegedly opened a separate bank account for the club that had two debit cards connected to it, one of which was in his name and registered under his past home addresses. Per SFUO protocol, all clubs must be approved by vice-president equity. But in an email to the Fulcrum, then-vice-president equity Camelia Touzany said she did not certify the club and a document recognizing the club as official contained “a forgery of (her) signature.” The report goes on to allege that a number of purchases were made with the club’s card, including a $950 pair of eyeglasses from Albert Optical, a $609.37 charge at Louis Vuitton, a $498.30 charge at J’aime Coiffure (a Montreal hair salon), $338.28 at Audi Lauzon, and $500 in ATM cash withdrawals. Additionally, five deposited cheques linked to the account totaled upwards of $20,000. Meanwhile, the allegations against Dorimain are tied to the SFUO’s Leader Action event. Wess alleged that just over $3,000 in food was supposedly ordered for the event from Dorimain’s mother’s catering company although he did not approve the order, and it was never delivered. Wess also alleged that Dorimain approved a $860 cheque for office cleanup,which is not a service the SFUO pays for, adding the cheque was made out to an alleged friend of Dorimain’s. No charges have been laid and the OPS would neither confirm nor deny whether a formal investigation is ongoing at the date of this publication.
Sept. 16 BOA meets for second time After missing the first BOA meeting post-allegations, Rachiq was present at the Sept. 16 meeting. The SFUO constitutional committee announced PwC had been chosen to conduct the audit, beginning on Sept. 17. It was revealed that Gaga sat on the constitutional committee in charge of choosing PwC despite being named in the fraud allegations. The board also discussed a letter from Wess in regards to the payment of $1,000 in legal fees, and decided to send him a letter in response reiterating his requirement to pay. It was announced the vice-president equity, Caroline Lu, had resigned for undisclosed reasons. Lu’s duties were shifted to the responsibility of vice-president external Paige Booth.
What brought the relationship between the SFUO and the U of O to implosion Matt Gergyek
Features Editor
Aug. 10 The U of O responds The U of O put out a press release and sent an email to students stating the university administration had met with the SFUO executive to request an external forensic audit be conducted immediately. They also froze the transfer of funds collected from students to the SFUO until such audit is complete.
Aug. 12 SFUO BOA meets in aftermath, signs of unrest The SFUO’s Board of Administration (BOA) met for the first time following the shockwaves caused by the SFUO fraud allegations. All executives were present at the meeting except for Rachiq, who did not send a proxy—supposedly to avoid the alleged appearance of a conflict of interest, according to an email he sent to the board—and retracted his signing authority with the federation. Dorimain chaired part of the meeting, despite concerns of a conflict of interest form several members of the board and gallery. The meeting saw two in-camera sessions to discuss the allegations and a forensic audit. Two motions were tabled to suspend Rachiq with and without pay, both of which failed. Two related resolutions passed, one preventing the results of the audit from being used in a potential prosecution unless approved by the board, and another requiring Wess to pay close to $1,000 in legal fees to the SFUO. It also became clear at this time that a group of students were organizing an SFUO impeachment campaign called “Un-Tied.”
Sept. 9 Students protest, call for impeachment of Rachiq Around 50 students gathered outside the SFUO office in the University Centre to protest executives named in fraud allegations and call for the impeachment of Rachiq. The protest was co-organized by Un-Tied, the University of Ottawa New Democratic Party, University of Ottawa Greens, University of Ottawa Campus Conservatives, and University of Ottawa Young Liberals. —With files from Anchal Sharma, Savannah Awde, Graham Robertson, and Marissa Phul
Sept. 22 U of O requests resignation of executives named in fraud allegations, threatens termination The U of O requested the resignation of all executives named in the fraud allegations until the forensic audit was completed, per a document obtained by the Fulcrum. The document, which contained three letters from the university to the SFUO, stated that in absence of “notable and rapid progress”, the university reserved the right to deliver a notice of termination for their 2012 agreement with the federation. The document noted that as of Aug. 31, the university had learned of “additional allegations of improper governance, mismanagement, internal conflict, and workplace misconduct.”
Sept. 24 U of O announces contract termination In a press release, the U of O announced its plan to terminate the SFUO-U of O contract. Come Dec. 24, unless a new agreement is signed, the university will no longer recognize the SFUO as the exclusive union representing the undergraduate student body. The university will no longer collect fees from students for SFUO use to fund and support service centres, businesses, clubs and federated bodies.
The U of O will be terminating their agreement with the SFUO come Dec. 24. Illustration: Rame Abdulkader.
An introduction to the Board of Administration The BOA sits above the SFUO, designed to “hold the executive accountable” When the news broke that three Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) executives were hit with allegations of fraud back in August, much of the blame centred on the executives of the student union itself. But the SFUO isn’t an organization without oversight, drawing into question whether the controversy leading up to the termination of the union’s contract with the U of O could have been prevented in the first place. Above the SFUO sits the Board of Administration (BOA) composed of 27 members, including representatives for each faculty (proportional to the number of students in that faculty), a special student representative and an Indigenous student representative. The six SFUO executives also sit on the board. The BOA is the highest decision-making body within the federation and is tasked with overseeing the affairs of the SFUO, meeting once month to debate student issues. They also approve the SFUO’s budget and annual auditor’s report. “One of (our main tasks) is to hold the executive accountable,” said Rachel Harrison, one of three engineering student representatives on the BOA. “As a board, we did fail.” “I think more checks, more transparency embedded in our constitution and governance structure could have helped prevent or bring these things to light earlier,” she added. Some major weaknesses students have pointed out with the BOA include inherent conflicts of interest, the slate system, and bias of the chairperson of meetings. But Harrison and Ben King, another engineering student representative on the board, noted the BOA has recently implemented a number of changes to mediate these concerns. “I want students to know there are members of the board looking out for their best interests and they are working hard to try to rectify the situation,” King said. One of these changes is a motion to trash the faculty director slate system currently in place wherein candidates for the board can run as a team (similar to the Canadian political party system), introduced at the BOA’s meeting on Oct. 14. This would not impact the SFUO’s executive slate system. “It does eliminate some of the potential partisanship,” King explained. “(BOA members will now be) coming in with their own ideas instead of voting with their friends for the sake of voting for their friends or working as a party, but instead they’re making their own conscious decisions for the best of the board.” A motion concerning employees of the SFUO also passed first reading, preventing any current employee of the student union from sitting on the board. “Employees might be put in a precarious situation where they’re voting on something that could affect their employment, depending on how they vote,” King said. Another significant motion passed at the Oct. 14 meeting would prevent any SFUO executive or BOA member from chairing a board meeting. Also passed at the Oct. 14 meeting was a motion to prevent any SFUO executive from sitting on the elections committee. “There was a lot of controversy about (SFUO executive) Vanessa Dorimain ... being elected as chair of the BOA for meetings,” King explained. Finally, two more motions were passed: the first would establish the General Assembly (GA), a body made up of all U of O undergraduate students that currently sits
above the SFUO and below the BOA, as the highest voting power within the federation, meaning the BOA could no longer overturn votes from the GA. The second involved federated bodies, which sit below the SFUO and represent undergraduate faculties and programs at the university. The motion would reserve a number of seats on the BOA for presidents of these bodies. “Fed bodies … support students in a much more grass roots level, they’re more directly involved in student life … so giving them more of a say is very beneficial,” King said. These are “good first steps,” Harrison acknowledged, but “I don’t think we’re going to restore the student population’s faith in the SFUO with these things alone … there’s a lot more that needs to be done.” On the other hand, King and Harrison said there are some problems with the way the SFUO communicates with the BOA that have led to transparency issues. “For example, the letters from the university, we only got those a couple days before the Fulcrum got them, so we didn’t know these things,” Harrison said. “The board, the highest decision making body, should know these things.” Harrison added they have yet to see a budget from the SFUO for this year. Once the university’s contract with the SFUO is terminated come Dec. 24, King said the board may well continue to exist, but in a different capacity. “We’d be dealing with the fallout of that potential decision by the university admin to not sign an agreement,” King said. “I would just encourage students, even if they don’t have any faith that the SFUO will exist after Dec. 24, to still tune in to (BOA meetings) to watch what’s going on until then,” Harrison said. The next BOA meeting will be held Dec. 2, time and location to be announced. — With files from Marissa Phul.
The BOA, composed of student faculty representatives and two special student representatives, meets once a month. Illustration: Rame Abdulkader.
Matt Gergyek
Features Editor
THE SFUO V Fighting to stay The U of O announced back in September it plans to terminate its agreement with the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) on Dec. 24 of this year following allegations of fraud and concerns of improper governance, mismanagement, internal conflict and workplace misconduct, but the union has no intentions of raising the white flag any time soon. Although four of the six SFUO executives elected for the 2018-19 school year have either resigned or recused themselves of their jobs with pay, including all executives named in fraud allegations from outgoing SFUO president Hadi Wess, two still remain: vice-president external Paige Booth, who is now actingpresident, and vice-president social Faduma Wais. In a sit-down interview with the Fulcrum, Booth, a political science and psychology student, explained her reaction to the news of the upcoming termination. “It’s extreme measures obviously (the university) took, but at the same time there are concerns,” she said. “It was difficult, considering how this is a body to represent the students and the students should be deciding the fate of their own student union.” Booth insists sticking with the SFUO is the best choice for students to make because of the federation’s longstanding ties to the campus through 12 service centres, four businesses, upwards of 250 clubs and about 20 federated bodies. “The current structure we have in place would be the most beneficial to students because of the amount of resources and services that we do provide,” she said. “We have such a good foundation and such essential services … to erase all that and start from new instead of just improving the existing structure we have … would be a loss for students.” It seems the SFUO is bargaining on the university changing its tune following the release of the forensic audit, opening up the possibility of the U of O agreeing to sign a new agreement with the SFUO. “I’m really hoping that we can reach a
new agreement with the university and we already have done a lot … to try to restore faith in the student federation,” she said.
But some students see the fraud allegations and upcoming termination as just one scandal in a union plagued with controversies.
It appears Booth is just as much in the dark as the rest of the student body on the future of the SFUO’s businesses and service centres following termination. Booth noted she has met with the U of O administration a number of times, but the fate of these services is still up in the air.
For example, in March of 2016 it was revealed that the SFUO was on the brink of bankruptcy, leading to the closure of service centres over the summer and the slashing of 24 staff positions. The SFUO has also been criticized for its relationship with student media, internal work environment and its approach to free speech.
Booth wanted students to know that the SFUO is hearing their concerns and is working to respond effectively. “We’re trying our best to make these changes, we’re trying our best to do more consultations, we want the students to be satisfied with their student union and to have faith in their student union,” Booth said. “We’re definitely open to listening and implementing new policies and new procedures and new ways of cooperating.” Booth pointed to a number of motions passed at the Oct. 14 BOA meeting to increase financial transparency, including a move to develop a financial task force to overhaul SFUO financial operations in collaboration with an external chartered accounting firm. Additionally, a number of motions passed to try to make the BOA less partisan, including a move to prevent SFUO employees from sitting on the board and the scrapping of the BOA slate system, where prospective members of the board can run as a team.
While the fate of the SFUO is up in the air, the UOSU is eager to take its spot.
“There has been controversy before all this happened and there has been concerns that need to be addressed and continued to be addressed,” Booth said. To read our full interview transcript with Booth, visit www.thefulcrum.ca.
Matt Gergyek Features Editor and
Safa Saud
Fulcrum contributor
VS THE UOSU
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contributor
Fighting for change While the SFUO struggles to stay afloat as the recognized undergraduate student union on campus, a number of other unions have risen to take its place. One of these is a union made up of students from across campus and the political spectrum: the University of Ottawa Students’ Union (UOSU). The Fulcrum spoke with Moe Abu Rouss, a fourthyear commerce marketing student, and Tiyana Maharaj, a third-year women’s studies student, who are among the team working to organize the union. “There was a line of democracy (the SFUO) crossed … the university had to step in,” Abu Rouss said of the upcoming termination of the federation’s agreement with the U of O. Initially, Maharaj said she had concerns with the university’s decision to intervene, but eventually came to terms with the move. “I was scared of (the decision) setting a dangerous precedent, with the university intervening in union business, but that being said I think it was necessary,” she explained. “There was nothing else they could do.”
The UOSU has a draft constitution available on their website and is collaborating with students and groups across campus. Over the past few weeks they’ve been holding consultations, round tables with federated bodies, and town halls with students. “We wanted first and foremost to bring power back to the students,” Maharaj said. “We want to make sure students have the voice and representation, that they’re the people who decide,” added Abu Rouss. The UOSU plans to do this by turning the current SFUO governance structure on its head. When it comes to the SFUO, the highest governing body in the organization up until the Oct. 14 Board of Administration (BOA) meeting has been the BOA, which could overturn votes from the General Assembly (GA). In contrast, the UOSU would establish the GA as the highest governing body from the start, meaning they could override a vote from the board, save decisions related to firing and hiring. The executive structure of the UOSU would also be quite different than the SFUO’s approach. The SFUO currently uses a system of president and vice-presidents. The UOSU plans to decentralize this structure, opting for commissioners instead that work for mandates such as francophone, equity and advocacy. “It prevents a hierarchy from coming into place,” Maharaj said. “Commissioners are just representatives of different sectors.” In terms of financials, the UOSU plans to hire an external and independent professional accountant to work with the GA to manage the union’s budget and finances. Abu Rouss added federated bodies would be granted more independence under the UOSU. If the UOSU is recognized as the official union of the undergraduate student body, the team plans to take over current services and businesses run by the SFUO. Members of the UOSU organizing team are not interested in running for executive positions if there is a new student union recognized, Abu Rouss and Maharaj added.
Students weigh in For the most part, the majority of students seem to side with the termination of the U of O’s contract with the SFUO, and are ready to embrace a new union. Students on both the U of O’s Board of Governors and Senate expressed their full support for the termination of the university’s contract with the SFUO in a statement put out on Oct. 18. They pointed to issues such as the BOA’s decision to keep the results of the forensic audit private and out of a potential court case without their approval, along with their reluctance to suspend SFUO president Rizki Rachiq, who is facing allegations of fraud. They also called for an online vote following termination date, including the SFUO and any other student unions that have satisfied negotiations with the university, to decide which union will be recognized on campus. In their statement they list out a series of recommendations for a sound new union, including a constitution that can only be amended at an annual GA with a majority vote, elections managed by an independent third party, a model of governance which includes mechanisms for punitive action should trust be breached, and accountability to its membership. “I think it would be a good idea to get a new group in that’s more trustworthy” to create “a more transparent relationship with the student federation” said Jennifer Affleck, a third-year human resources student at the U of O. “It would be nice to have input onto what they provide, and just more interaction and communication.” Mira Nemr, president of the Lebanese Cultural Club, said she hopes the new student union will better support clubs, noting her club has not received funding from the SFUO over the past few years. “Something (should) be done (so) clubs will actually be able to excel,” she said. “$200 goes a long way.” On the other hand, some students said work should have been done first to try to repair the SFUO, rather than tearing it down. “This was just a way for (the university) to really excitedly terminate an agreement they didn’t want to have,” said a third-year law student who asked not to be named. “Universities don’t want to have unions, so this was a way for them to get rid of that.” —With files from Marissa Phul and Raghad Khalil
Illustration: Rame Abdulkader.
A student union may fall, but its alumni stand strong
We spoke with eight SFUO executive alumni about their time with the federation
Matt Gergyek
Come Dec. 24, the University of Ottawa may well go forward with its plan to terminate its agreement with the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) following fraud allegations against three executives. But that doesn’t change the fact that the SFUO, formed in 1943, has been both a springboard and incubator for the careers and lives of hundreds of executive alumni. These are some of their stories.
Features Editor
Grath 79-80 Anne Mc 79, president 19 7819 ic m e d ca graduate sident a terature Vice-pre for English li g ground t trainin ale n m ta r fe o t p rs was an im ame one of the fi O U F S he bec rath, the e career. S For McG ces,” sh political rk a m other pla clearly d in . O d U n F fi her lan S k s, thin hard to ts of the ifference presiden rn skills that are across d a rk o le w u o r a “Y how to rking fo learned y.” erta, wo f educarl lb a A le c to said. “I lf e moved chelor o years ress mys McGrath btaining her ba and exp duating o for a few ra d g n g a r in , e h s c Aft ial cause Calgary,and tea c o s f o e the ity of number to becom f of e Univers ent on ie h w c tion at th d s a n a orking olitics after. e NDP, w k into p c th a f b o d r e to ec y She div tional dir secretar ayton. t and na P leader Jack L as the principal ber m te presiden D p y N e r a S f Calg ed in the late rks out o ey. She announc staff for ate in a now wo a candid otl N s l a e h n c McGrath u a r R r to ie n m o inati ta Pre . lto Alber NDP nom vincial election t the Fu king the pro editor a s w e n she’s see ing in the 2019 ly the rid previous Calgary th was ra G c M e Ann crum.
Gilles March ildon President 19 87-1988 Political sc ience grad uate A self-proc laimed join help bring er, Marchild the studen on joined t body toge the SFUO Perhaps M ther on co to archildon’s mmon goal greatest ac move to in s. troduce a hievement st w ud as en his team’s “My favour t health ca re plan. ite thing w dreams an as meeting d desires, st ud en ts, hearing (and) tryin tions or se their g to tran rvices After leavin ,” he told the Fulcrum slate them into acg the U of in an em cate for eq uality. He he O, Marchildon emerge ail. d as an ad ad group for voLGBTQ+ pe ed Egale Canada, a le ading advo ople in Can to secure cacy ada, during equal civil their campa marriage ri From there ghts ign he ing up head dipped his toes in a nu for same-sex couple s. ing one of m be r of in Ontario’s si health plan x mandated dustries, endning organi Fr zations, Ac “I hope go tion Positive ench-language od leadersh VIH/sida. ligent, and ip (t ha t is well-inte transparen t) will emer ntioned, in present a ge from th strong, unite e student bo teld, credible administrat dy to partner fo ion,” he ad r the univ ded. ersity
Christian Hyde President 198899 Political science and law gradua te Hyde had alway s been involved in different kinds dent activism sin ce he started at of stuthe U of O, so the SFUO was a role with a bit of a “natur al pr ogression.” For Hyde, his ro le as SFUO pres a sacrosanct po ident wasn’t ne sition, but a job cessarily like any other. “It deserved an d required the sa me diligence as tion,” he said vi any posia email. One success sto ry that came to fully campaigning Hyde’s mind is successto have U of O transit fare as hig students pay th e same h school student s in the region. “I got escorted by police from where I had go a mayor’s spee ne to heckle him ch event ,” he recalled. “G You can now fin ood times.” d Hyde about 5,5 00 kilometres aw Ottawa in Paris , where he runs ay from his own law fir Associates. They m, Hyde & work mainly w ith multinationa tions and globa l organizal NGOs to help them make sens munication law e of telecomacross the globe .
dy Patrick McCur 9, ternal 1998-9 in nt de si re Vice-p 99-2000 19 al rn te ex nt uate vice-preside inology grad ions and crim Communicat were ith the SFUO Agt memories w es of s nd fo or ’s do dy to open the te Two of McCur et ch pus Pi m k ca ic with Patr e camp on his initiative e to run a fre ov m s hi d an e ora Bookstor h. inside the vileged yout helped hold for underpri sive rave he as m e th d That, an l sheets and al in vinyl drop UCU. ch CU ea U le on ho the w iling DJs “We coated he said, deta ured lights,” opolis.” lo tr co ec El nt re it: ffe d di lle rnilding. “We ca pe before retu bu ro e Eu th in of r so es floor aof ic pr un a m ked as now a com McCurdy wor d the grounds. He’s ie ng ud pi st ly om al st d initi ing to his ol O, where he ia and the r at the U of and now med tary on t es ot tions professo pr d an en ia m ed cu m do of a book and intersection ’s working on s. He nd t. Sa en r Ta nm enviro ry called he said. C documenta h the SFUO)” a banned CB rson (throug pe a as t lo “You grow a Dean Haldenby finance 2007-0 8, president 20 08-09 Business finance graduate
Vice-president
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Anne-Marie Roy Vice-president commu nications 2012-13, president 2013-14/2014-1 5 French literature and com munications graduate Leading the SFUO, and for two years at that, wa s never in Roy’s original gameplan. “It just sort of fell on my lap and opened my eye s to political organizing,” she said in a message to the Ful crum. Roy was first introduced to the SFUO through the tion’s 2012 campaign to federalower tuition fees across the country, including a march to Par liament Hill. “It was clear to me tha t the SFUO played an imp ortant role in supporting students,” she said. After leaving the SFUO, Roy worked as the nat ional deputy chairperson for the Canadian Federation of Students. She now works as the com munications and resear ch officer with the Association of Profess ors of the University of Ottawa. “My time with the SFU O has been the most enriching experience in my life so far, and really sparked a passion in me to advocate for a pub licly-funded, high-qual ity system of post-secondary educat ion.”
Haldenby initia lly decided to get involved w SFUO to try to ith the enhance student life in an impactf he said. ul way, For Haldenby, some of his gr eatest accompli were laying th shments e foundations for services th essential to stu at are now dents, especially the U-Pass. One of the big gest lessons Ha ldenby learned time with the SF from his UO is patience. “Not everythin g happens im mediately: resu time,” he told th lts take e Fulcrum in an email. These days, Ha ldenby runs his own financial pla firm that works mainly with fam nning ilies and local bu Haldenby Finan sinesses, cial Group - Ho llisWealth, with throughout sout locations hwestern Onta rio. “Students mus t demand a m or e responsible he added. “The SFUO,” student movem ent … will find forward— it alw a way ays does.”
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The SFUO’s contract with the U of O will be terminated on Dec. 24 2018.
Illustration: Rame Abdulkader.
Beloved SFUO Overlords: The man behind the memes What do we do when student unions collapse? Turn to the meme page Anchal Sharma and Iain Sellers
Editor-in-Chief and Arts & Culture Editor Filling a need When I look up “SFUO” in the search bar on Facebook, the first result that comes up is Beloved SFUO Overlords, self-proclaimed “Religious Organization” and popular meme page. This is no surprise, given the fact that the page has 1,700 likes, almost 2,000 followers, and gets more student engagement than the actual Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO)’s Facebook page. And why wouldn’t it? Memes have become a popular staple in this generation’s coping mechanisms, getting us through the death of Vine, and the increasingly Nazi-filled Twitterverse; it only makes sense that we would resort to memes to deal with the fallout of our student union. Beloved SFUO Overlords has been around for much longer than that however, holding the SFUO accountable in ways that the Fulcrum simply cannot. On Oct. 30 2018, the Fulcrum sat down with the page’s admin, a thirdyear social science student at the U of O, in an effort to understand the page’s success. The Fulcrum has agreed not to publish his name, so we’ll leave it at Page Runner for this article. “I tell acquaintances, let alone friends (my identity)—the only reason why I don’t do it in a public way is because the success of the page isn’t due to me, it’s due to the hundreds of people who send in stuff, it’s due to everybody’s good ideas,” he explained. “I just facilitate it ... It’s more of a platform than anything.” Since its inception in February of this year, Beloved SFUO Overlords has consistently provided U of O students with much-needed political humour in the face of various SFUO scandals.
One of the page’s most popular memes.
“It came to be the night of the most recent SFUO election,” the Page Runner explained. “There is no way that I know of within my power to prove any wrongdoing, but when you see good friends from all across the political spectrum uniting together on the Solutions slate, (and) not knowing anybody in their real right mind who supports the other slate ... yet seeing them win catastrophically, and just continue the same ideas … I was a little upset.” “I don’t know if angry is too grandiose a word, but it was disillusionment that got that going,” he said. What’s in a meme? According to the Page Runner, memes were the best medium to tackle this disappointment. “The SFUO is a unique organization because they are both malevolent and incompetent,” he shared. “There have been many examples that have been “resistance” to the SFUO, that have either (not) been any good, or that took themselves way too seriously, or had questionable elements themselves. You can go around and find myriad Facebook groups that say ‘students arts, SFUO resistance,’ or things like that—and I know lots of people who have spent hours, and hours, and hours … (doing) this kind of thing, who have simply not gotten anywhere.” “To be absolutely frank—simple, slightly juvenile messaging is often the way to go, because lots of this is funny, lots of it is incompetent, and there’s no end of material to pick from.” Plus, the Beloved SFUO Overlords platform has also provided a unique platform for shaping political discourse. “It took those jokes that were made in backrooms and it simply provided a
Photo: Courtesy of Beloved SFUO Overlords.
Photo: Courtesy of Beloved SFUO Overlords.
platform for it. It is providing a need … students are able to use it to call out bizarre behaviour of their executives,” explained the Page Runner. Cyber bullying and white supremacy? While the memes that the Page Runner posts tend to have hundreds of likes and reactions, not all responses to the political commentary have been positive. SFUO executives have accused the hundreds of students actively liking, posting, and commenting on the Facebook page of cyberbullying, and engaging in white supremacist activities. Former vice-president operations, Axel Gaga, who was named in fraud allegations outlined in a police report, went so far as to claim bullying was part of the reason for his recent resignation, and former SFUO president Rizki Rachiq warned all those who participate in the page that they are being put on a list and that campus security has been alerted. “I really want to thank Rizki for that publicity because nothing gets people more interested in the thing than if it’s claimed to be banned,” the Page Runner laughed. According to the him, certain executives have taken to both privately messaging the Page Runner, and also engaged in arguments in the comments section of Beloved SFUO Overlords, none of which he has deleted. He “wonders if the SFUO could say the same.” “There’s little hints you can get as to the absolute and utter chaos that is happening within the SFUO right now. For example, one executive resigned after another after another. When one did … (the description under) her picture (on the SFUO website) briefly read ‘bullied too hard.’ That was quickly removed. You have good people going in there, getting harassed or disillusioned, and leaving. You have people who talk the talk but do not walk the walk.” In response to the cyberbullying claims, the Page Runner defended his
page. “These are elected paid officials, or they are officials who have lost their elections, but continue to be paid in a different capacity. They are fair game,” he said. But he agrees that the types of bullying mentioned in Gaga’s resignation letter—prank calls to his phone, and mentions that he fears for his life and that of his family—are inherently wrong. “That is an abhorrent practice, but (Beloved SFUO Overlords) is a page making fun of activities that are viewed as highly immoral, dangerous, and in some cases illegal, by elected officials. That is kind of the point.” “I will note that in a recent Question and Answer period (on Facebook), (Leila Moumouni-Tchouassi, coordinator of the Racialized and Indigenous Students Experience centre) changed her tune and said that the SFUO Overlords page is beneficial for the student body at large,” the Page Runner mentioned. The other accusation by the executives that has been charged against the Facebook page—that it is racist for satirizing the SFUO—is a claim that the Pager Runner takes seriously, but vehemently denies. “The common response from execs, is that you are targeting a black woman. I suppose, technically, that’s true—but, I would simply say that no, I don’t believe that that’s the case,” said the Page Runner. “I would say that everything has been very much above board, and that race has nothing to do with (the page).” In fact, the moderator of the Facebook page claimed that if there were charges of racism, that they should be laid against the SFUO. While he doesn’t believe them to be a racist organization at its core, he said he believes they did have questionable practices “in terms of withholding fundings from clubs because ... of the religion and race that (a) club professes.” What’s ahead for the Beloved SFUO
Overlords? Even though the SFUO is facing the impending termination of its contract with the U of O, the Page Runner believes that the Beloved SFUO Overlords will continue to play an important role in student politics. “There’s also a future ... to advocate for how that election is done,” he said. “At a certain point, students are going to have to vote SFUO or not. There’s still a danger of the SFUO winning that election—and I don’t think that people realize that.” “(The election) will, presumably, be administered by the university, which is a huge positive, but, ... if we don’t initiate spending caps in that election, (the Canadian Federation of Students) is going to come in here, like they did at Carleton, … and that narrative could really be turned against the UOSU (University of Ottawa Students’ Union),” asserted the Page Runner. “There’s a danger in that, and I think that my page has a part to play in that advocacy.” Indeed, even if the UOSU, or any other union, replaces the SFUO, the Page Runner is confident that the commentary will continue to hold executives to account. “If UOSU gets in, and they fall prey to some of these really big temptations of student politics—getting (its) own out of campus politics involved, the (misuse of) money, the activism, … (the page) will do the same thing for the UOSU,” he warned. So, for the foreseeable future, the moderator of the Beloved SFUO Overlords page believes that memes will continue to cover the controversy, engage students, and make light of the hardships ahead for student politics. “Anybody who has been involved in the campus political scene—at all, in any respect—as I was in a low level capacity, instantly gets depressed, the more they think about it. If you like this university, there’s nothing good. If people can laugh at it, that’s a little bit better.”
U of O students still left in the dark over future of SFUO services Uncertainty continues on fate of service centres, clubs and healthcare plan Matt Gergyek, Safa Saud, and Zoë Mason
Features Editor and fulcrum contributors Nearly a month-and-a-half after the U of O announced its plan to terminate its agreement with the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO), upwards of 36,000 undergraduate students are still in the dark on whether a number of key services and activities will continue to exist come Dec. 24. The SFUO declared in a press release signed by executives that it will continue providing services on campus, but it’s unclear how this would be possible. If the U of O does go through with its move to terminate the contract, money collected by the university from students would no longer be transferred to the SFUO for its use. This leaves the future of the SFUO’s 12 service centres, including the Peer Help Centre and Foot Patrol, and four businesses, Pivik, Café Alt, Agora Bookstore and 1848, uncertain at best. Paige Booth, SFUO acting-president, said she hopes the results of the audit will help clear the mist surrounding the fate of these services and businesses. “Through the new changes we’re going to make through whatever happens with the forensic audit and the recommendations we adopt, we’re hoping that will allow us to remain (on campus),” Booth said. “It’s important to have student-run businesses and student jobs on campus and we employ a lot of students, close to 200.” Several employees told the Fulcrum that the SFUO is not allowing employees of both service centres or businesses, who may have their jobs on the line, to speak to the media. They would say that they have yet to be given information on the future of their employment. Students who use these services shared their anxieties. “What’s going to happen to the services so many students rely on, like the Food Bank … the Pride Centre, the Women’s Rights Centre, the International House, the Centre for Students with Disabilities?” asked Emily McBain Ashfield, a firstyear common law student and former BOA member. “There are so many services of the SFUO that students are relying on every day.” The more than 250 clubs and about 20 federated bodies
the SFUO coordinates could also be caught in the crossfire of the SFUO-U of O contract termination. Clubs use the SFUO mainly for their room booking service, storage space and insurance. But another key benefit to registering as a club through the SFUO is a spot on the master club directory that students use to find and join clubs. Mira Nemr, president of the Lebanese Cultural Club, spoke to how her club is suffering. “Next semester, (we’ll) technically cease to exist,” she said. “We won’t be able to table for future events, sell tickets for future events.” The loss of funding from the SFUO is also taking a toll on Nemr’s club that is currently working to organize a gala. “We’re going around finding sponsors in the city that are hopefully willing to give us a little bit of money and we’ve also raised ticket prices,” she explained, listing off charges for a DJ, photo booth, rental hall, photographer, and food. “There’s so many expenses that add up.” Meanwhile, federated bodies, which represent programs and faculties at the U of O, use funds from the SFUO to organize events at the departmental level, especially their own unique 101 week. Taylor Sullivan, president of the International, Political and Policies Studies Student Association (IPPSSA), told the Fulcrum that federated bodies have decided not to comment on the potential termination and its impacts until the results of the forensic audit are released. Justin Abraham, a management information systems and analytics student, said his program’s federated body, the Telfer Student Council, told students they have money saved to support students for the time being. “In a way (the potential termination) won’t affect us now per se, (but) it might … a year or two down the line.” Another area of concern for students is the fate of the healthcare plan offered through membership with the SFUO. The university said it will cover the plan until the end of August 2019, but after that it’s unclear if the service will continue to be provided. The U of O media relations department declined to clarify, directing the Fulcrum to a press release that states the uni-
versity “will take steps to ensure that the health and wellness of our students is not compromised.” The plan covers prescription medication, professional services, vision care, medical items, emergency transportation, travel insurance, and dental services, according to the SFUO’s website. Students without workplace or family insurance could potentially have to carry the burden of these extra charges. “My parents don’t have coverage through work, so the dental and vision services have been a real lifesaver for me,” said Serena Dossani, a first-year commerce student at the U of O. “Student life is busy and having health care provided is just one less thing to worry about,” added Nadia Vladco, a first-year political science student. Other students questioned if the university should have acted earlier, or if it should have even intervened in the first place. “The university should have … monitored (the situation) so they had the chance to interfere before it (was) too late and lost all our money,” said Asma Dawod, a fourth-year biomedical science student. On the other hand, a third-year law student at the U of O who asked not to be named said the university’s move concerned her even more. “The SFUO is a mess, but terminating the agreement sets a very bad precedent for how unions and universities interact,” she told the Fulcrum in an interview. “The snowball effect of (the potential termination) is going to be really unfortunate for students.” “On a macro level it’s kind of a blow to student rights,” she said, pointing to other ways she thinks the university could have acted. “When a union self-implodes you can fire the people involved, you can redraft an agreement, you can work with the people involved in the system who are interested in student rights.” Transit passes will not be impacted by the potential termination, as they are governed by a separate agreement between the university and the City.
The SFUO runs 12 service centres and four businesses while coordinating upwards of 250 clubs and about 20 federated bodies. Illustration and photo: Rame Abdulkader.
SPORTS EDITOR Andrew Price sports@thefulcrum.ca @APricey47
SPORTS
Gee-Gees knocked out of playoff contention in semi-finals, 27-22
Guelph Gryphons make huge comeback from 18-0 to cut University of Ottawa’s season short Andrew Price
I
Sports Editor
t was another wet
and cold, swamp-
like atmosphere for the Gee-Gees football team’s semifinal showdown
against
the Guelph Gryphons. The Gees came in ranked fifth in the nation and seeded second in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) league, while the Gryphons were ranked eighth and seeded third. The Gryphons were coming off a high-scoring victory against the Waterloo Warriors in the quarterfinals the week before, and were fired up to make another Yates Cup championship appearance. The U of O were also poised to make another OUA championship appearance, but this time around, the Gryphons would spoil those hopes, knocking them out of contention by a score of 27-22. The last time these two teams played, it was a defensive struggle where a mere safety was the difference in the 12-10 win for the U of O.
This one proved to be a fairly strong defensive game on the part of both teams, with Guelph racking up under 300 yards of offence by the end, and U of O just over 320. Early in the game, it was a battle of attrition and hard-fought field possession, where the slightest slip-up could cost each team seriously. The first major slipup came after the Gryphons forced the Gees into a field goal, but took a roughing the kicker penalty that gave the home team another shot on first down. OUA second-leading rusher Dawson Odei made them pay on the next play to open up the scoring. The Gryphons slipped up again on their next drive when quarterback Theo Landers threw the ball into coverage, and it was intercepted by Cody Cranston. The Gees led the OUA in team interceptions throughout the regular season, and clearly were not interested in stopping there. They made the Gryphons pay again, going up 10-0 early. A second Odei touchdown gave them a comfortable, albeit far from insurmountable 18-0 lead going into the half. Landers had a hard time through the air early in this one, failing to gain any yards of passing in the first quarter. But he was able to seriously hurt the Gee-Gees on the ground
with over 130 yards of rushing, nearly as much as Odei and more than his own running back Jean-Paul Cimankinda. “They were clever the way they used him in the second half. He’s a runner, they faked and they established a decent run game, and they got him out on the edge,” Gee-Gees head coach Jamie Barresi said. “He didn’t have any intent to throw the
Following the 27-22 win, Guelph will move on to the Yates Cup final game, while the Gee-Gees finish their season.
thefulcrum.ca
Photos: Parker Townes.
ball. He was out there on the edge to run, to their credit.” The Gee-Gees had a strong run game of their own, with Odei once again gaining over 140 yards. However, it was the U of O who screwed up first in the second half, following a dropped snap on a punt, which was blocked and taken down deep into Ottawa territory, setting up a Landers touchdown to make it 18-7. This would prove to be the TSN turning point of the game. The wind would be in Guelph’s favour in the final quarter, as they cut the deficit to 22-11. They would not stop there, putting another touchdown on the board to make it 22-17, and then a field goal to make it 22-20. The play that would seal the game for the Garnet and Grey was a miracle 59-yard touchdown pass from
‘The U of O were also poised to make another OUA championship appearance, but this time around, the Gryphons would spoil those hopes, knocking them out of contention by a score of 27-22.”
Landers to Thomas Bresciani off a scramble into one-on-one coverage with less than a minute to go. This made it 27-22, where it would stay after the Gee-Gees could not follow up on their subsequent drive. Guelph would complete the comeback and put the nail in the coffin. “It was kind of a flukey pass, and the kid made a play, and that’s what can happen,” Barresi said. “At the beginning of the half, I believe we had a punt and the punt was dropped, and they scored within a minute. We were still in control of the game. There’s a lot you can look at.” The Gee-Gees finish 6-2 in regular season play and 0-1 in the playoffs following the loss, while the Gryphons advance to the Yates Cup championship game. Meanwhile, U of O’s crosstown rivals, the Carleton Ravens, were playing the Western Mustangs in London in the other OUA semi-final game. Carleton was trying to get that coveted Panda Game rematch versus the Gee-Gees and make it to their first Yates Cup, while the Mustangs were trying to repeat their championship and extend their undefeated season. They would succeed, handily beating the Ravens 39-13, making sure both Ottawa teams would fall short this season. The Mustangs will now play the Gryphons in London to determine the Ontario champion on Nov. 10.
Sports | 21
Top-ranked Gee-Gees claim bronze medal beating Laval 20-19 University of Ottawa upset in semi-finals against Guelph Gryphons but still take third place Andrew Price
Sports Editor
U Sports will now have a new women’s rugby champion. The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees, ranked first in the nation and heavily favoured to repeat their national championship run in 2017, were upset in the semifinal round versus the Guelph Gryphons on Nov. 2, by a score of 15-12. The game was a nailbiter in tough, wet conditions at Acadia University, with the Gee-Gees managing to get on the board first following a try from Emily Gray, who led the team in scoring throughout the season between her try efforts and kicking conversions. From there on out though, it was the Gryphons who would take over, scoring three con-
secutive tries, at one point taking a stunning 15-5 lead over the powerful team from the nation’s capital. The U of O were hardpressed to gain significant ground all night, similar to their previous quarterfinal match-up over the Acadia Axemen, another game where they were heavily favoured and barely squeaked out the win, 26-24 the previous day. The Gees would put another try on the board to keep them in the game after Gray converted again in the 59th minute, but they could not keep the momentum up. It was the first and only loss in 2018 for the Gee-Gees, who went 7-0 in the regular season, defeating opponent after opponent on their way to a fifth consecutive Réseau du sport
The Gee-Gees played Laval for the bronze medal.
Photo:Parker Townes.
étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) title and nationals appearance. They were able to get some consolation on Nov. 4 when they defeated the Laval Rouge et Or by yet another close margin, in the bronze medal game. Laval was another team with an upsetting semifinal performance after being beaten by the StFX X-Women. The Gees had Laval’s number throughout 2018, defeating them once in regular season play and once to claim that RSEQ crown. This time however, the U of O was playing without the home field advantage, where they bested the Rouge at Or the last two times. Nevertheless, they were able to end their season with the 20-19 win and kept hopes up for 2019.
Athlete Spotlight: Joey McGuire McGuire talks student-athlete, semi-pro experience Andrew Price
Sports Editor
Joey McGuire has quite the schedule. The 25 year-old for the last few months had been practicing for the Gee-Gees’ men’s soccer club, going to teach as part of the teacher’s college program with the University of Ottawa, and then driving to Montreal every night right after to practice and play for CS Saint-Hubert of the semiprofessional Première Ligue de soccer du Québec (PLSQ). Then, he would drive back that very night to do it all again, and make it back for practice with the Gee-Gees in the morning.
I love the roadtrips, I love being in the changeroom with the boys, I like training five days a week. It’s part of who I am. “Being a student … you have not more free time per se, but
22 | SPORTS
you don’t have as many responsibilities, so there was that potential to do it,” McGuire said. “One week I decided I would do it, and we would see how it goes, and I just kept doing it.” He said this arrangement actually worked quite well due to early practices for the GeeGees, allowing him to squeeze in teaching and travelling to Montreal five days a week, then factoring in the weekend games as well. “Weekends were kind of crazy too because they’re usually two-day trips, and in the winter we play preseason games, so we’re down in New Hampshire, down in Maine, down in Manhattan,” he said. “So it was crazy this winter. Five days in a row, wake up, workout, go to school, drive to Montreal practice, come back, repeat. And then weekend games. So it was nuts. But it’s fun, and I’m happy with it.” McGuire, now playing his last season with the Gee-Gees under coach Chris Roth, said it’s understandably a different style of play between the two leagues. “On Saint-Hubert, we’re very closed defensively. So there’s a lot of coverage when you’re defending, there’s
a lot of support,” McGuire said.”Whereas (Roth) lets us play more open, but more aggressively up the pitch. It’s a more brave style of football, and it’s kind of cool because it’s a nice transition for me.” He said this allows him to play a more high-tempo game with the Gee-Gees than with Saint-Hubert. However, McGuire said he still prefers the conservative style of play these days. “For sure the Montreal style suits me better. I am getting older, and I don’t have the legs
I had when I was 18, and so for me … if you watch most senior professional teams, the way we play in Montreal is the way teams play,” he said. “That’s because teams don’t have the same legs they did at 18.” CS Saint-Hubert fared well in the PLSQ regular season, making it to the league semifinals, where they would be knocked off by FC Gatineau, who would then go on to fall just short in the Cup Final. As far as the future goes, McGuire said he’s looking at a few different options, as his con-
tract with Saint-Hubert lasts only a year. While he’s considered moving on to play soccer in England, he wants to continue to teach and coach. “Right now I want to advance my professional career as well, in terms of education,” he said. He plans to work in a Sportitude program, where he would teach soccer as his daytime job, while sticking with semi-pro soccer in Quebec. “I’ll still play semi-professional soccer for another four-
Joey McGuire poses for CS Saint-Hubert with the Première Ligue de soccer du Québec.
five years at least,” he said. “I love the roadtrips, I love being in the changeroom with the boys, I like training five days a week. It’s part of who I am.” As of this publication, the Gee-Gees men’s soccer team has finished the regular season, defeating the Bishop’s Gaiters in their last game, and are now onto the playoffs at the Université du Québec en Outaouais.
Photo: Courtesy of Dave Robertson.
thefulcrum.ca
University of Ottawa men’s hockey team down RMC handily Gee-Gees
continue
Charley Dutil
Associate Sports Editor Coming off a two-game Southern Ontario road trip, the Gee-Gees men’s hockey team was back in action at the Minto Sports Complex on Nov. 2 to take on the RMC Paladins. Anthony Brodeur got his second straight start following the Gees’ 3-1 win against the Guelph Gryphons, in which he played a pivotal part, stopping 33 out of 34 shots. The Gee-Gees started off slow, taking a couple penalties early, but their defence was solid on the penalty kill, keeping the game at 0-0. The Gees’ offence then turned on the jets when centre Brendan Jacome beat RMC backup goaltender Austin Hannaford with a bar-down shot 12 minutes into the first to give them a 1-0 lead. Kevin Domingue and Cody Drover were credited with the assists. A couple minutes later, U of O forward Antoine Pouliot would score his first goal, redirecting a Jacob Hanlon pass
successful
from the corner into the net to give the Gee-Gees a 2-0 lead. The Gees would take that lead into the dressing room. In the second, the Garnet and Grey would get a two-man advantage early for almost a full two minutes, but failed to capitalize despite numerous good scoring chances. A minute after the powerplay, defenceman Mike Poirier was left open at the edge of the circle, where Jean-François Plante fed him a nice pass, which he would convert into a goal. The Gees failed to capitalize on some golden chances following the Poirier goal, including a breakaway from Jacome, while defenceman Medric Mercier would hit the post on a shot from the point. Near the end of the period, the Paladins would fail to score on a pair of power-play chances. The third frame started with RMC forward Samuel Cameron getting a breakaway of his own off a big hit on Mongo, but Brodeur would make
season
with
whopping
6-1
Mongo, Jacome, Plante give Gees 6-1 win over RMC.
the save. In spite of that, the Paladins would score a minute later, with Deric Boudreau netting his second of the season off the rush to cut the Gees’
lead to 3-1. It wouldn’t last long, as two minutes later the Gee-Gees took back their three-goal lead when Nicholas Gibson beat
victory
Photo: Parker Townes.
Hannaford with a nice shot over the glove. Marc Beckstead collected an assist on the goal. Towards the midpoint of the period, the Gees, down a
over
Paladins
man, would intercept a pass off a cycling RMC team, giving Mongo and Jacome a twoon-one chance, which Jacome would bury to give the Gees a 5-1 lead. Beckstead would add another goal for the Gee-Gees with six minutes remaining to give them a whopping 6-1 lead, which they would carry to the end. Gee-Gees head coach Brent Sullivan was fairly impressed with his team’s effort. “Our game is based on speed, and when we play our game, nobody can beat us, and tonight we did just that and out-skated them big time,” Sullivan said. “It got rough at the end, but we kept to our game and that what we’ve got to do.” The Gee-Gees men’s hockey team will be in Northern Ontario next weekend for a Friday night matchup against the Nipissing Lakers on Nov. 9, and then a Saturday night in Sudbury against the Laurentian Voyageurs on Nov. 10.
THE BOXSCORe: : Playoff Season
thefulcrum.ca
Sports | 23
OPINIONS EDITOR Hanna Méthot opinions@thefulcrum.ca @HannaMethot
OPINIONS
The SFUO does not deserve to be on a voting ballot Students
can
do
Hanna M éthot
Opinions Editor
A letter released on Oct. 18 by the student representatives on the Board of Governors and Senate calls for an online vote to decide which student union should officially be recognized by the University of Ottawa administration, as well as a series of recommendations on moving forward. They also recommended that the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) be included on the ballot, regardless of ongoing negotiations.
better
than
The letter doesn’t recommend a date for when the elections should take place, but it does suggest that all student unions in negotiations with the administration should be included on the ballot, which, at the time of this article’s publication, is solely the University of Ottawa’s Student Union (UOSU). If this vote takes place, it shouldn’t be until the spring semester. A longer timeline would give other prospective student unions time to come forward with their ideas, so there aren’t just two options on the ballot. Additionally, students would have more time to reflect on the actions of the SFUO and what they will demand from their new prospective student union. Moreover, any prospective student union needs to regain the confidence of both the student body and university administration, since the SFUO essentially broke everyone’s trust. We don’t want any band-aid solutions.
scandal-led
union
Additionally, the SFUO shouldn’t be included on the ballot. What’s the point? They’ve already demonstrated time and time again that they are unfit and ill-equipped to represent the voices of students. Even when they released an apology statement that promises they will try to do better, they deleted students’ comments on the post. The SFUO is like a boyfriend who asks for grocery money, only to turn around and buy $10,000 worth of fireworks. He keeps asking for forgiveness, only to go out and buy more fireworks. When we said the spark was gone, this wasn’t what we meant. Frankly, it’s embarrassing. We need to stop giving them chances. We deserve better. Plus, it’s not like the executives jumping ship is a glowing recommendation of the SFUO; if they don’t have faith in the organization, why should we? Their executive page makes it seem like this is a talent show and we’re one ep-
SFUO? More like, please go.
isode away from finding out who’s U of O’s Next Top SFUO Executive. Or maybe it’s more like Survivor. Obviously, it shouldn’t be a ballot with just UOSU on it, there should be some healthy competition so that students can pick from a wide variety of different unions. By offering an appropriate amount of time for other prospective student unions to come forward, students will be able to
Photo: CC, pxhere.
pick a union they’re comfortable with. Some students have suggested that there shouldn’t be an undergraduate student union at all. The termination of the university’s agreement with the SFUO is unprecedented, leaving many options that should be assessed and explored more fully. The only way this can happen is if the vote takes place in the semi-distant future.
The City of Ottawa should allow retail cannabis stores
The Ontario Cannabis Store sucks, we should bring back the good stuff Hanna M éthot
Opinions Editor
Ontario municipalities have until January 2019 to decide whether they want to allow retail cannabis stores inside their boundaries. The City of Ottawa released a survey on Oct. 25, giving residents the opportunity to weigh in until Nov. 7, the results of which will be taken into consideration by City Council. The only legal option of obtaining cannabis, the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS), has been inundated with complaints, leading many dispensaries to reopen illegally as OCS struggles to meet demands. Private retail stores must wait until April for the province to develop a retail framework, but many dispensaries are jumping the gun and risk being barred from the legal market. Although online shopping might be all the craze with
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the kids these days, cannabis stores should be allowed within Ottawa’s boundaries. Through opening online shopping instead of retail stores first, (especially when Canada Post is on a rotating strike) Ontario is putting the cart before the horse. People need to be able to see the product they intend to purchase, not wait five days for delivery. When the LCBO was established in 1927, we didn’t have people send away for their alcohol by mail and wait five to ten business days for it to arrive. I argue that fully developing the framework for physical stores, although a tedious process, is a lot safer than shutting down dispensaries and leaving people to turn to their local alleyway dealer. He’s gross and perpetually smells of Cheetos. Having safe, accessible, brick-and-mortar stores also might help shift some
The survey will be available until November 7th.
of the stigma surrounding this new legislation. Many are still uncertain as to what this change means for Canada, and having a clean, bright, physical store might help clear up some of the confusion. First-time users would be able to go into the
store and ask questions from experts on the product, instead of guessing online and waiting for delivery. Think of all the educational pamphlets Ontario could make! Many are criticizing the prospect of physical stores, with questions on the sur-
Photo: CC, Wikicommons, Wladyslaw.
vey going so far as to ask if we believe it will increase crime in an area, or smell. However, Ottawa police estimate that there were about 30 dispensaries before they forced them to shut down. Whether City Council wants to admit it or not, retail can-
nabis stores have existed within Ottawa’s boundaries for a few years now. Any associated uptick in breakins, or complaints of smell, would already be documented by the City. Not to mention that asking individuals for their perception on crime increases and smell is fed by bias, and therefore does not provide solid input for the City’s decision making. Another concern that’s been raised is our proximity to Gatineau. Quebec’s new provincial government has promised to raise the age of consumption from 18 to 21. Concerns that young people from Gatineau will cross the provincial lines to buy cannabis have been raised. Listen, if someone from Gatineau wants to reverse the trip all of us made firstyear, I’m all for it. It’s about time we offer our neighbours to the east something in return.
OPINIONS | 25
Heckle: Consecutive midterms render reading week worthless Hanna M éthot
Opinions Editor
When it rains, it pours. And when there’s midterms, they all have to happen within the same week, apparently. Reading weeks were originally introduced so students could have a mental health break. But due to its placement in the middle of the semester, a notoriously hectic time for students, the reading part tends to override the break. The week following reading week, I had a midterm or assignment due everyday. What should have been a relaxing time spent with friends going to Gatineau Park, or some obscure pumpkin patch, was really spent indoors, stress-eating Ubereats and crying over a stupid reading on Hume that made absolutely no sense. I left reading week feeling more stressed than ever, dealing with both mental health issues in the form of Seasonal Affective Disorder and just being overwhelmed with the plethora of assignments and midterms I was faced with. Three of my assessments this week were for my sec-
ond-year political science courses. I picked my schedule from the recommended course sequencing, and yet I still wound up with three consecutive midterms and a major essay. Currently, policies for deferring exams only apply to finals. Depending on your faculty, there are two to three exam conflicts that constitute deferring an exam, however, there is no formal mechanism to deal with exam conflicts for midterm exams. Instead, these must be settled with individual professors. This makes life for students harder than it needs to be. If professors are worried about losing a week of class and structure exams around that, they should take into consideration the fact that theirs isn’t the only class students are taking. A university-wide policy around consecutive midterms would ensure that students are able to spend their reading week wisely, and plan well for the week they return, rather than trying to cram for multiple midterms, or trying to haggle for more time with their
professors. This, in line with an application wherein students, would be able to access their midterm exam and major assessment dates on the uoZone website would help distribute the workload currently stressing out students. With something like this in place, professors of similar year courses in the same programs would also be able to get suggestions on good days for an assessment, in line with the suggested course sequencing found on the program’s website. Nothing would force them into picking dates that accommodate their students, but it would give professors who care about the wellbeing of their students something to think about. This might not work as smoothly for students taking multi-year courses, or students with electives in different programs, but it would help with the bulk majority. Then, students who still experience overwhelmingly closely scheduled midterms and assignments would be able to go to the professors and have
Hectic Heckle.
Photo: Brennan Bova.
the policy to back them up on getting the midterm deferred. The calendar would also be able to verify their claims. Regardless of how the
university wants to deal with it, the point remains that midterms shouldn’t all be grouped together, as it’s regressive to students’ mental health and renders
reading week pointless. The university needs to create mechanisms to spread out midterm exams and assessments, for students’ sake.
Yes, kidvertising is bad, but unaccountable parents are worse
Parents
should
Hanna M éthot
Opinions Editor
A study by University of Ottawa researchers from August has recently gained traction with news media outlets due to its relevance to a bill currently being passed through Parliament. At the time of this article’s publication, Bill S-228 is awaiting Royal Assent. The study found that 72 per cent of children and youth are exposed to food marketing on social media in a single 10-minute window, so Bill S-228 aims to prohibit food and beverage marketing towards children. The obvious concern about marketing unhealthy foods and beverages to children is that it could lead to obesity. But here’s an idea: maybe stop blaming advertisements, and start teaching your child healthy eating habits. Parents need to
26 | OPINIONS
not
rely
take accountability for their children’s health. If we shelter kids from Big Mac commercials until they’re 17, and then thrust them into a consumerist culture as adults, they won’t know how to make healthy choices. They also won’t have the judgement needed to consume unhealthy things in moderation or the knowledge that binge eating isn’t healthy. Taking away advertisements is not the first step, in fact, it might not even need to be a step at all. Instead of trying to take away advertisements from impressionable children, who will then grow into ignorant adults, teach your children about junk food—tell them why your family doesn’t eat those foods, and lead by example. Or else, your kid will go off to university and buy order after order of 10 piece Chicken McNugget Meals.
on
Health
Canada
Bill S-228 prohibits “unhealthy” marketing to children.
Although many students learn about Canada’s Food Guide in elementary school health class, it’s been a controversial topic for the past few years as Health Canada moves to revamp it. Over
the years, Health Canada has been criticized for perceptions that they have been heavily influenced by industries, such as dairy and meat. There have been talks of dairy being demot-
to
raise
Photo: CC, wikicommons, Eigenes Werk.
ed, but it’s uncertain at this point whether that means dairy will be identified as unhealthy. Ideally, the revised Food Guide, which is being released in two parts in 2018
your
kids
and 2019, would have been released to define healthy foods before this legislation was introduced. If Health Canada is passing legislation to ban unhealthy advertising to kids, but can’t yet release what healthy choices they want to promote, for now it’s up to parents to step up to the plate and fill that gap. Think about the firstyears that get blackout drunk at every party because their parents never let them have a drink with dinner. Parents who demand that their precious Hayley and Steve must be protected from unhealthy advertisements, and therefore all unhealthy advertisements should be banned, are going to get a similar result. I’m not telling you how to raise your kids, I’m just saying that Health Canada shouldn’t be expected to.
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The scheme of the century: SFUO cause of the tornado CBS picks up new sitcom starring student union executives Bribed engineering students were behind the Tornadorator 3000 Hit reality show Boardashians rebarnded with new cast Oasika Sharma Tomat GrahamoRobertson contributor Tomato Alumnus
This world has produced Following two successful some great schemers, Blair seasons the hitmoms realitywhen series Waldorf,of our Keeping Up with the Boardashians, they try to make us eat vegewhich and chronicles thethe antics of tables, recently, SFUO. the Student of the They are, forFederation lack of a better University of Ottawa (SFUO), word, absolutely brilliant. The and a brief hiatusinvestigated last DecemTomato recently ber LRT following a mishap with the scandal (wherein it fireworks, MTV has officially was revealed the construcannounced it willmaking be tertion is just that workers minating withfurthe noise), anditsit contract seems after ther that the SFUO.investigation Longtime supporters LRT actually beenhowevservhave has nothing to fear, ing as the a cover er, as showfor hassomething now been far more Thea sitcom SFUO picked up sinister. by CBS as has torand been will beconstructing rebranded asa Two nado to distract from and a machine Half Execs. their and will usedfollow it for Thescandals, new series the time on Sept. 21. the first remaining executives— Although it may sound Fais, silly Paige Table and Waduma to some, the Tomato has conalong with Keila Moumouninected the dots. “Construction” Tchouassi in a supporting on the LRT Confederation Line role—as they single-handedly began in 2013, with the first of the major SFUO controversies following soon after in 2014.
attempt to operate the student Fais sighed. “You’re right, union following allegations of you’re right. Hey, Keila, what fraud against their former col- do you think?” leagues this summer. Moumouni-Tchouassi popA teaser of the series pre- ped her head through the door. miere shows Table and Fais sit- “To be honest, I’m not sure stuting alone in the empty board- dents will even want to come to room, piles of paper littering a fundraiser in the first place. the room, as they bounce ideas I mean, the last guy we had in off each other for an upcoming here blew all their money on charity fundraiser at the univer- glasses and a haircut. Both of sity. which were mediocre at best, “We could do an outdoor in my opinion.” Another dismal carnival!” said Fais, eagerly laugh track. “Besides, don’t you rubbing her hands together. “A have more important things to dunk tank, face painting, live do, like meet the candidates for musicout…thewe could the our new 21. executive?” Turns SFUO is to host blameit forinthe tornado on Sept. concrete space outside “I completely forgot! Thanks that extended off the The SFUO has beenFSS!” saving tunnels rolled eyes. plan, “Wa- LRT for reminding me,” said Table. and followed along the theTable machine as aher back-up What theywas found may in caseit’s they a major duma, the need middle of fall.disNo path. “I heard Oprah planning readers’ traction, and it need leave one will want toseems go to athe carnival on running forheads—wait a position, for we had arisen. in this weather. This is Ottawa, it—spinning. can’t be late!” Covering the walls the The Tomato’s dedicated inafter all.” A pre-recorded laugh However, when the twoofexecs tunnel were elaborate schematvestigative team of journalists track played in the background. arrived at the university centre, what Tomato would intended to find outlaughing the truth Nothing was worth at. ics theyofsaw thatthe it was empty. No and so began their trek to the LRT construction site. There, they found a deep labyrinth of
soon find out is the Tornadorator 3000. In the corner, a small group of engineering student
one was running for the SFUO. In an interview with the Tomato, Table and Fais—starring as themselves—shared their hopes for the new series and ultimately why they decided to rebrand under the new network. “The Boardashians was great, but there was too much drama,” said Fais. “We wanted to get out of a work environment that was full of harassment and intimidation. It was too toxic.” Table added, “the fact that everything on the old show was too outrageous to be true, it made sense Photo: to switch over to a Rame Abdulkader. sitcom.” were hunched over scribbling According to the Mcdonald cast, Two designs; UberEats bags the floor. and a littered Half Execs will include all said we would finally the“They familiar SFUO shenanigans get funding our Hackthatthe students andforviewers are A-Thon we helped them,” used to, if minus the drama of exreplained one third-year ality television. This isstudent. student As the after teamall. conversed with politics, the engineers, they heard footsteps and saw fear shoot up in the students’ eyes. Thankfully,
the team was able to hide. us! What are we going to do? I A mask was covering the already booked the matching face of this person, but they Teslas, we can’t afford to lose had on a pair of Louis Vuitton the safety deposit.” shoes, and Audi car keys hung The masked figure with the from their belt loop. fancy shoes ripped off their Once the coast was clear, the mask in frustration, to reveal team continued down the path. none other than Richie Lachic. Along the floor were receipts “GET THOSE ENGINEERS IN from J’aime Coiffure. At the HERE! THE TORNADORAend of the tunnel was a large TOR 3000 DIDN’T WORK! WE blue door. Behind the door, they NEED A NEW PLAN!” he exsaw a maniacal figure laughclaimed angrily. ing over a panel of flashy butOne of his comrades replied, tons. The tunnels had led them “Sire, if a tornado didn’t work, Two and Half Execs airsoffices. Monday nights onmaybe CBS. Photo: wikicommons, Levi Rienstraight toathe SFUO a CC, particle accelerator deau, edits by Rame Abdulkader. Recorders were able to pick explosion might do the trick.” a catering company and “But we don’t have any monupTeasing the following exchange: at one of the “The epi- opened ey left toLachic buy offhad the LRT workTornadorator 3000 is“there just the moved to sodes, Table added, are Richie ers,”Nordik addedspaanother worker. what we Waduma have in Le full time,” said abeginning, couple scenes where “Maybe if made you cancelled your storeIwill ensure that no one has “He a killing from and go to test restaurants. It’s Wais. order for the new Balenciaga—” time to focus on the SFUO again. the old show. At least, I think definitely some of the best stuff “SILENCE!” said Lachic. Also,season.” did you book my hair ap- that’s where he got the money.” this “Don’t suggest such absurd pointment for next month?” the Two and a Half Execs preWhen asked about their forthings!onWe can setNov. up a Patreon figure asked his lackey. Monday, 12 at 7 mer cast members, the co-stars mieres account, but no one messes All of a sudden on CBS. simply shrugged. “Theanother last I p.m. masked person rushed into with my Balenciaga’s!” heard, Vanessa Dorislayin’ had A tornado to distract from the room. “Your greatness,” all the controversy? Genius. the female voice said, “The Simply genius. university has cut ties with
Former SFUO president Richie Lachic calls Tomato fake news
UEffects of ofOtrans students claim getting heart disease is their right fat ban on dining hall could be dire
The Tomato joins the ranks of the failing Barrhaven Independent, la Rotonde Keelan Buck Tomato Reporter
Nadia Helal Financial fraud, collaboraTomat o contr ibuto tive coverups, mass resigr nations, and total allergy to As of Sept. 17, Canada accountability: Faced with has banned the use of such realities over the last trans fat in food products. year and worse, beyond, imported students What’s at the University of Ottawa foods and items served at may feel that campus polirestaurants and cafeterias tics a under fragile will better also bereflects included pseudo-democracy in the the ban. third world at than official Students theanUniverstudent government at a sity of Ottawa have been major Canadian university. vocal about their disdain being said … well … forThat governments deciding Actually, the into Tomato what goes theirtends belto Yes. In fact,with we lies.agree. The Tomato spoke think these students would some of these students. have a brightbefuture “I should able in to poeat litical science. Go take that the fattiest and tastiest elective. food I want. What’s the Now,ofthegoing Tomato bepoint to ahas sugar come what can shack aware or a fastoffood restauonly the fatty next rant be if Iconsidered can’t get my logical step in both the utfix?” complains first-year ter democratic Natalia Nutella.degeneration and“This persistently implacableamusing law is decision-making of the Stulimiting our freedom of food Federation choice!” shouted an dent of the Uni-
angry student protesting
versity of Ottawa (SFUO) and its handful of execuoutside U of O’s dining tives. hall. The slightly overIn a late-night Halloween weight football player tweet, former SFUO presiHenry Gooseberry has dent Richie Lachic levelled been on a hunger strike accusations against the Tosince the ban was anmato for publishing “fake nounced, and has been funews.” Retweeted a whopeling himself on Monster ping five times since, LachEnergy drinks. ic’s“Ipost reads, should be able to get WOW! Can’t ifbelieve the heart disease I want to.” FAKE NEWS stories coming exclaims first-year law from U ofGregory O’s very Front, own. student Someone tell Besides, @TheTomat0 “It’s my right. this to a REAL JOB. Disjustget means the dining hall graceful. #Enfood will#2sp00ky4me only get worse, emyofthePeople the only thing they have This for comes following acgoing them is the fat. cusations by Lachic last How am I supposed to gain year, that the Tomato “just my freshman fifteen now? makes up.” That’s stuff an important mileWhile remaining constone.” scious of journalistic best Although the law banpractices for reporting on ning artificial trans fat will stories involving not come into fullone’s effectown unmedia thestudents Tomato til nextcompany, year, many reached out to Lachic by have already noticed a difemail ferenceforin further the tastecomment of cookon his claims. In his reply, ies and doughnuts served in
the former executive said, “You people know what Nutrition professor DonI’m talking about … I read ald Walnut advocates a that [expletive] about torbalanced diet, which he nado generators, trips to claims includes the trans Morocco during BUOA [sic] fat items: “The University meetings, even some whack of Ottawa needs to take story about me using stua firm stance on this nondent money for glasses and sensical ruling and show haircuts. Let the merest tellofyou, Ottawa and the that last one really country that we willgot notme. be The Fake News Media has no bullied.” respect.” “If companies start takSince August 2018,all thetheir Toing trans fat out, mato has indeed products will bepublished bland,” articles match two of reckons that U of O honour Lachic’s references. On student Malory Pinto. Aug. She 28, reporters detailed their adds, “The long-term goal investigation of what really of the government is to goes on inside an oatmeal in-camhave us all eating era and BOA boiledmeeting, chicken!”learning through trusted and that 100 farper Her theory is not cent real Many sources that thenfetched. scientifically president Lachic missed accurate films like The Mathe meeting for an overtrix and The Hunger Games seas trip. aOn Oct. in 1, reportportray world which ers published everyone eatsthethefindings same of their complex explorarationed flavourless food. tion of an LRTgovernment’s construction If this is the site: they discovered plan,there we can expect a ban
and around campus.
on saturated fat in the near
Once again the SFUO has levelled accusations of Fake News against the Tomato.
the SFUO’s hidden grand the Tomato never published scheme to produce a tor- an article on the topic sugnado to distract from other gested by Mr. Lachic. I do affairs. The know The trans fat ban supporting will have a majorsciimpact onnot campus food where Mr. Lachic ence was flawless. came across the story, from but I future, then another one on sands of students As for Lachic’s third refwould guess in a newspaper sodium. If our world is any Ontario and Quebec are erence, the pretty one concerning mission and focus are reflection, much all whose expected to attend, espethe of student different from ours.” we’llmisallocation be eating in the future entirely cially lower-income stufunds, theand question put Meanwhile, the recused is cereal dietarywas suppledents who cannot afford to Editor-in-Chief of the To- president’s ments. the obscenely accusations expensive mato, Audrey Sherman. In have some supThere will be a protest foods garnered that do not include her official statement, she port among sympathetic outside Parliament Hill on trans fat. said, “AfterDoughnut reviewing Day our students. Postershas have been The Tomato also reNational archives I can that seen disceivedaround reportscampus of people to boycott thisconfirm law. Thou-
thefulcrum.ca THEFULCRUM.CA
Photo: CC: pixaby.
playing slogans such as “Stop the Trolling Tomato.” This does not appear to shake Sherman’s confidence Photo: Rhea Verma. in the paper. “We at the from the burger, french Tomato uphold the highfry, and pastry industry est standards of integrity. investing millions into Igetting could not even fathom a employees highly newspaper foeducated sowhose they sole can becus is the production ofmoles false come government content for rhetorical purin the agriculture and poses.” health sector. It seems this
ban will be vanquished sooner or later.
THE | 27 | 27 THETOMATo TOMATO
DISTRACTIONS
Dear Ty
FEATURES EDITOR Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi features@thefulcrum.ca (613) 695-0062 @nadsdeb
Dear Ty,
I had to quit my part-time job earlier this year thanks to my heavy workload at school and now I’m super short on cash—OSAP just isn’t cutting it. A few of my friends have recommended I try something called ‘sugar dating.’ I have to admit I’m lost—can you fill me in on how this works and what it means?
-Sugar Sugar
Dear SS,
You’ve stumbled upon one of the most intriguing forms of work many post-secondary students across the country are turning to to make ends meet, especially with rising tuition costs and massive increases in costs of living: sugar dating. At its simplest, sugar dating is a sexual and/or romantic relationship between a young person in search of money (a sugar baby), and an older person with money to give (a sugar daddy or sugar mommy). It works like this: a sugar baby and sugar parent sign up for websites that arrange ‘sugar relationships,’ such as Seeking Arrangement or even the classics like Tinder, Grindr or Bumble. Sometimes a sugar daddy or mommy may come directly to a sugar baby through their social media accounts. From there, a relationship is built. Sugar babies usually offer their company, emotions, and sometimes their bodies to a sugar daddy or mommy in exchange for money and gifts. Often times, the payout can be huge. Seeking Arrangement, perhaps the most popular sugar dating site, told Time the average sugar baby makes close to $3,000 a month. To make the same working a minimum wage job, you’d need to clock in at more than 50 hours of work a week. The realm of sugar dating has now grown into a universe, and it’s more common than you think. According to Seeking Arrangement, just over 700 students at the U of O use their site. The U of O was also the fastest growing university for sugar babies in 2017, with about 200 new sign-ups. There are a few tips I can give if you are interested in getting into sugar dating. First and foremost, I’d recommend sticking to actual dating sites (sugar dating sites, if possible) to keep things safe. Seeking Arrangement requires users to undergo background checks. It’s unclear how thorough or unbiased these background checks are, but at least it’s a start. When you do make the move to meet your sugar daddy or mommy for the first time, arrange to meet in a public space, preferably during the day. As with any time you meet a stranger, tell a friend or family member in advance and have your phone on you in case something does come up. If you find you enjoy spending time with your sugar daddy or mommy and are interested in building and continuing a relationship, set some boundaries: let them know what you expect from the relationship and in turn, let them tell you what they’re looking for. If something makes you uncomfortable, let it be known. Finally, let me address the big elephant in the room: sugar dating is not the same as sex work, and doesn’t necessarily need to even involve sexual acts at all. Many sugar daddies and mommies are looking for someone to take out on dates, show off and simply hangout with for a bit of company. Remember, sugar dating is what you and your partner make it. Just like in regular dating, if you aren’t feeling it anymore, there are plenty of sugar mommies and daddies out there, baby.
Love, Ty
28 | DISTRACTIONS
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November 2018
THRYLLABUS
MUSIC arts Sports FUN Thinking
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Wednesday, Nov. 7 Paint Nite, Hooley’s Pub on Elgin—6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 17 to Sunday, Nov. 18 Night Lights Art and Light Festival, Little Italy, nightly
Friday, Nov. 9 to Monday, Nov. 12
Saturday, Nov. 17
Jazz Cartier live at Barrymore’s Music Hall on Bank Street—9 p.m.
Yukon Blonde and the Zolas, the Bronson Centre—7:30 p.m.
Inside Out 2018: Ottawa LGBT Film Festival, National Gallery of Canada Sunday, Nov. 11 Annual Remembrance Day Ceremony at the National War Memorial—11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 16 Gee-Gees Women’s hockey team takes on Carleton in Colonel By Classic, TD Place Arena—7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16 to Saturday, Jan. 5 Magic of Lights holiday light show driving tour, Wesley Clover Parks and Campgrounds outside Kanata, nightly
Sunday, Nov. 18 Comedian Russell Peters at the Canadian Tire Centre—8 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 1 TedxuOttawaWomen, Social Sciences Building Room 4007—10 a.m. 613 Christmas marketplace, Carleton University Fieldhouse—10 a.m. A Taste of Expo 67, Canadian Museum of History—5:30 p.m. The Nutcracker, National Arts Centre—7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2 Yoga and brunch at the Dreamland Cafe—11 a.m.
Monday, Nov. 19 Data and Democracy policy panel, Chateau Laurier—5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 22 A Tribe Called Red at the National Arts Centre—7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 4 Alec Baldwin at the National Arts Centre—8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5 Christmas Lights Across Canada official illumination ceremony, Parliament Hill—7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 30 Nature Nocturne: Get Your Glow On, Canadian Museum of Nature—8 p.m.
DISTRACTIONS | 29
30 | LETTERS thefulcru.Ca
EDITORIAL Volume 79, Issue 23, Nov. 7, 2018 Holding the SFUO accountable since 1943. Phone: (613) 695-0061 | Fax: (613) 695-9006 631 King Edward Ave. Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Recycle this, or we’ll dissolve your student union.
Anchal “CFS” Sharma Editor-in-Chief editor@thefulcrum.ca Christine “UBCSU” Wang Production Manager production@thefulcrum.ca Savannah “DSU” Awde Managing Editor content@thefulcrum.ca News Editor news@thefulcrum.ca Iain “STU” Sellers Arts and Culture Editor arts@thefulcrum.ca Matt “CUSA” Gergyek Features Editor features@thefulcrum.ca Andrew “AMSQU” Price Sports Editor sports@thefulcrum.ca Hanna “SSMU” Méthot Opinions Editor opinions@thefulcrum.ca Rame “ASA” Abdulkader Visual Editor visual@thefulcrum.ca Christine “FAECUM” Wang Social Media Manager social@thefulcrum.ca Sarah “UPEI” Crookall Associate News Editor associate.news@thefulcrum.ca Charley “BUSU” Dutil Associate Sports Editor associatesports@thefulcrum.ca
Dear SFUO, we are never ever ever getting back together
With a vote to determine a new student union potentially on the horizon, should students consider giving our problematic relationship with the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) a second chance? The short answer? As hard as they may beg, we should be running as fast and far away as we can from this broken student union. But what about the established resources, the infrastructure, the long-held relationship with the university? Despite all of the practical reasons to stay, the Fulcrum believes it’s time for students to follow their hearts and leave this toxic relationship for good—and here’s why. First of all, let’s address the biggest elephant in the room. There are only so many times you can get away with financial mismanagement before enough is enough. Clearly, there is a need to re-evaluate the financial checks and balances of a federation that handles this much student money, and the SFUO has proven time and time again that they are unwilling or unable to do this. Responsible management of student funds should be a top pri-
ority—year upon year of financial turmoil indicates this has not been the case. Communication can make or break any relationship, and with the SFUO this is a major sore point. Their “apology” letter post-termination completely dodged responsibility for the entire situation, and their attempts to increase social media communications after that were quickly soured once it became clear they were deleting comments from unsatisfied students. Not to mention that before the termination decision came from the administration, their social media presence was minimal at best. In past years, the General Assemblies and motions to be voted on have also failed to make it to the SFUO’s social feeds in a timely manner. Let alone smaller events, such as those put on by the various service centres. Their Board of Administration (BOA) meetings have been so poorly publicized over the years that even the Fulcrum’s news team has struggled at times to find the location. And speaking of BOA meetings, why is it so darn difficult for the board to find a consistent process
for livestreaming the meetings? Time and time again, this seemingly simple process gets thrown to the backburner for who knows what reason, leaving students unable to easily tune in for these important meetings. If your partner isn’t listening to your needs, it’s probably time to go your own way. This federation has reduced power of the prime platform for student opinion, the GA, and only restored this power when the university threatened the contract, and a new potential union proposed doing so. In fact, the removal of power from the GA came shortly after students voted overwhelmingly against execute pay raises during the only GA to ever meet quorum at that point. The BOA ended up passing executive pay raises, against the student vote, at the next meeting. In addition, when fraud allegations against SFUO executives surfaced, students raised concern with conflicts of interest in these executives holding committee and chair positions. These concerns were not acted on by the BOA until the U of O announced their intent to terminate the contract.
This pattern shows a clear lack of recognition of student opinion and, frankly, these last resort attempts are too little too late. We’re not saying that the one option on the table, the University of Ottawa Students’ Union, is worth your support. But we do think that there’s only so much the SFUO can get away with before students should start looking for alternatives. Because at the end of the day, there are plenty of motivated students in the sea who would probably do a much better job than the current ensemble of BOA and SFUO representatives. The single life isn’t so bad, and students should take their time to explore what’s out there before hastily jumping into a brand new relationship. After all, U of O students aren’t like other students—we’re a damn privilege to represent. It’s time to build a federation that acknowledges through their governance, constitution, and behaviour that their position is not a right, or a power for their exploitation, but a privilege. When it comes to the SFUO, trust us honey, you deserve better.
Parker “LSU” Townes Staff Photographer photographer@thefulcrum.ca Dorian “MSU” Ghosn General Manager manager@thefulcrum.ca Kaylum “RSU” Bobal Advertising Manager ads@thefulcrum.ca Videographer videographer@thefulcrum.ca
Contributors
Sophie “CCSS” Miller
Eric “NCCSA” Davison Jane “TRUSU” Furlong Safa “TWUSA” Saud Zoe “VIUSU” Mason Keelan “OCSU” Buck Kelsea “RRUSA” Shore
Board of Directors Raghad “UOITSU” Sheikh-Khalil Katelyn “ECSU” Murray Graham “BCITSU” Robertson Jonathan “SAC” Rausseo Justin “GCSU” Turcotte Marguerite “ABUSA” Gollish Cover: Rame Abdulkader
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