Travel Issue VOL. 75 ISSUE 11 | NOVEMBER 6, 2014
Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
IN THIS ISSUE News as a force for good P.5 Media linked to lower suicide rates
Activist inspiration P.6 Angela Davis speaks at Activist Assembly
Children in conflict P.9
Exhibit shows many sides of living through war
Bring the fall fashion P.11 Campus Style returns
The Fulcrum Travel Issue Exchanges, road trips, photos, and tips
Back in the game P.25 First football playoff win since 2010
Soccer success P.26
Women’s team takes eighth OUA championship
Religion at the forefront P.28 A place in the fight for human rights
When is it Tull’s turn? P.30 More rock greats left out of Hall of Fame
Ford set high standard P.31 Tory unlikely to reach same comedic potential
NEWS
NEWS EDITOR
Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi news@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260
U of O to build new Learning Centre by 2018 New facility to address space shortage
Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi News Editor
T
he University of Ottawa plans to develop a brand new Learning Centre to pick up the slack from Morisset Library by no later than 2018.
The Board of Governors (BOG) approved a motion to construct the new building at its Nov. 3 meeting. The U of O has planned to expand Morisset Library since 2012, but university president Allan Rock said the building is too small, and “nearing the end of its functionality.” “The Learning Centre will provide muchneeded state of the art classroom facilities and attractive study spaces to our growing and ever-evolving student population,” said Rachel Ouellette, chief of staff of the office of the vice-
president academic and provost. The new study spaces will seat more than 800 students. The Centre will entail two “technologyfriendly” 350-seat amphitheatres, as well several smaller classrooms, said Ouellette. The space behind Lamoureux Hall will soon become a student hub with its own food services, classrooms, labs, and library. The new facility will also provide more space for the Faculty of Education. Construction will begin as early as the spring and will be finished by either August 2017 or 2018, according to the board. It’ll come at a projected cost of $83 million, drawn from government funds, the university’s revenues, private funding, and, once the Learning Centre is up and running, food revenues from the building. Plans for a new Learning Centre are a step
SFUO takes aim at potential code of conduct
forward for one of the pillars of Rock’s Vision 2020 to improve the student experience on campus, but the university still needs to get moving on another leading goal to increase its research capacity, the board said. Board member Monica Gattinger, a professor of graduate studies in the Faculty of Social Sciences, said that to pump up research, the university needs to retain its graduate students. Only 40 per cent of PhD candidates at the U of O graduate, she said. In his report, Rock opened up discussion about proposals to the Ontario government to procure alternative sources of funding, and about potential research partnerships with various other schools. The board also announced that budget consultations would be suspended this year, as the university hopes to develop a new form of con-
Staff Reporter
The Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) has prepared a new campaign in response to rumours that the University of Ottawa may introduce a code of conduct. Rallying under the hashtag #DefytheCode, a play on the university’s new “defy the conventional” rebranding campaign, students are hoping to raise awareness about the possibility of a code of conduct and what it would mean for students. A code of conduct could place regulations on student behaviour both on- and off-campus. “I think the issue is here is where do we draw the line with the code of conduct?” said Chris Hynes, the SFUO's vice-president of university affairs. “It impacts everything that you do, even if you’re not on campus,” he said. The SFUO is also worried that the code could be used to censor students. Rumours surfaced in the wake of two incidents that occurred last winter: a sexually graphic Facebook group chat about SFUO president Anne-Marie Roy was posted online, and a few days later, members of the men’s hockey team were accused of sexually assaulting a young woman in Thunder Bay while in town for a game.
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In response, the university administration created a taskforce on respect and equality to combat sexualized violence on campus. At a press conference in June, University of Ottawa president Allan Rock, said the university would implement guidelines for coach and athlete behaviour. The U of O denied any intention of implementing a code of conduct in a statement, however they are awaiting a report from the taskforce that could recommend the implementation of a standard of conduct. “It's come to our knowledge that the taskforce has considered a code of conduct and has had discussions about it,” said Hynes. “We should all have a standard of behavior, we should all act like decent human beings,” he said. “But what right does the university have to impact students' academic careers when the majority of society is already controlled by the law?” The fact that the U of O does not have some sort of non-academic code of conduct is actually more of a rarity among Canadian universities. These sorts of documents exist at York, McGill, the University of British Columbia, Queen's, the University of Toronto, Carleton, and more. In 2011, two students at McGill were charged with violating their school’s code of conduct while demonstrating in solidarity with striking support staff work-
The new study spaces will seat more than 800 students. Rock also said he wanted to improve the university’s ranking on the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. The U of O ranked 188th in the 2014–15 report. —With files from Lindsay MacMillan
Good news coverage can decrease suicide rates
U of O research delves into surprising link between media and mental health
University says it has no plans to implement such a rulebook Spencer Murdock
sultation in the future. Anaïs Elboujdaini, the graduate student representative of the BOG, suggested splitting them up into several different budget proposals.
Mireille Gervais, Director of the SRC
Photos: Phones, Adrian Clark, CC. Microphones, Rusty Sheriff, CC
Photo: Rémi Yuan
ers. Joël Pedneault and Micha Stettin were accused of causing a traffic disturbance which violated the university’s code. “This was not an individual attack on (Pedneault or myself),” Stettin said then, according to the Charlatan. “It was an attack on activism… an attack on freedom of assembly, an attack on dissent.” In some cases, individual faculties will have their own specific behavioural guides, such as the Telfer School of Management. The U of O previously met vehement student opposition when it proposed a nonacademic code of conduct in April 2008. Mireille Gervais, director of the SFUO-affiliated Student Rights Centre (SRC) was one of the loudest voices during the 2008 protests. “The threat of punishment doesn’t change our culture, it simply adds a mechanism for control over students by the administration,” said Gervais. “That is not fostering a campus where there is freedom, debate, free expression, and student action in all spheres of your political views.” The Revolutionary Student Movement (RSM) hopes to call a student strike at next month’s general assembly, partially to voice opposition to a code of conduct.
Janoah Willsie
Staff Contributor A recent study conducted by a group of Ottawa researchers has found some surprising results regarding a potential link between youth suicide and subsequent media coverage. The team consists of Stephanie L. Leon, a clinical psychology PhD student at the University of Ottawa, and three researchers at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO): Paula Cloutier, Marc-André Bélair, and Mario Cappelli, who’s also an adjunct professor in psychology and psychiatry at the U of O. The study published in Healthcare Policy analyzed the response to two highly publicized youth suicides in Ottawa: the 2010 death of Daron Richardson, the daughter of then Ottawa Senators assistant coach Luke Richardson, and the 2011 death of Jamie Hubley, son of Ottawa city councillor Allan Hubley. The study examined the number of emergency department visits at CHEO concerning mental health issues and the severity of
the issues 14 days, 28 days, and 90 days after both cases. Researchers have extensively analyzed the link between media and suicide rates, but no other studies have looked at emergency room visits, according to the study. The researchers found an increased number of emergency room visits, but the severity of symptoms remained stagnant. This is a positive development, said Cappelli, because the media coverage has raised awareness about available mental health services. It has long been thought that intense media coverage of a suicide would cause an increase in the suicide rate of a population, a phenomenon dubbed the Werther effect. Media outlets have been hesitant to cover suicides, fearing a copycat effect. The death of Marilyn Monroe, for example, was followed by a spike in suicides. But another theory, the Papageno effect, proposes that media coverage can act as a preventative measure. Cappelli pointed to the death of Kurt
Continued on P. 7 NEWS | 5
Angela Davis ignites SFUO activist assembly
U of O workshops address social justice issues Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi NEWS EDITOR
“My entire activist life has been spent looking for connections between issues that are generally disconnected,” said outspoken American activist Angela Davis. Davis’ keynote speech was the top-billed event at the Activist Assembly, organized by the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) and the Graduate Student Association (GSAÉD). Her talk centred on the prison-industrial complex, weaved in with events from her own past and commentary on activism. Her interest in the prison-industrial complex has shown her how all social justice issues are interconnected, she said. “Prisons have become the sites where disposable populations are sent, all over the world,” said Davis, who was arrested and imprisoned before a jury acquitted her. “Prisons have become a way to avoid addressing a whole bunch of social problems.” She described an incident where a female guard followed her into the bathroom during a flight. “What was I going to do? Flush myself down the toilet?” said Davis. She was a member of the Communist Party and had ties with the Black Panther Party. She has a PhD in philosophy and has taught at many prominent American universities. In 1969, Davis was fired from her post at the University of California, Los Angeles under pressure from then California Governor Ronald Reagan. “They hired me to teach Marxism,” she said, “but then they fired me for being a communist.” Cerise Ross, a fourth-year student in economics and communications, said she was most impressed with how Davis related “the scholarly aspect with the actual real struggle.” “As someone who didn’t have the biggest background, I’m definitely inspired to become more well-read, (and) become more well-versed,” said Ross. Kaitlyn Caesar cites Davis as a major influence on her life. Caesar, a Women’s Studies
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Davis signed copies of her latest book after her speech.
Photo: Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi
“Prisons have become the sites where disposable populations are sent, all over the world.” —Angela Davis
major, was impressed by how Davis related classroom ideas to real life. “Just to see how it actually works through her stories and through her experiences, it’s amazing, it’s so inspiring,” she said. The student unions held the event to bring awareness to their various campaigns, according to SFUO president Anne-Marie Roy. “Activism is a very big part of the work that we do,” said Roy. “But I think we need to continuously improve and challenge ourselves in terms of who’s engaging in our campaigns.” The three-day event from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 included various other workshops surrounding the SFUO’s campaigns, encouraging students to engage in activism. “A lot of people who are try-
ing to be activists find it overwhelming with everything that’s going on and trying to be a part of everything,” said Caesar. “I think that’s something I’m going to take away … learning to focus on one thing that I can identify with.” The assembly was part of the SFUO’s anti-racism campaign called In My Skin, meant to discuss the “intersectionality” of racism, according to Roy. Last winter the campaign met backlash from students, who criticized the racial segregation of participants. But Roy said it’s still going strong. “There was clearly a misunderstanding with one of the events last year, however we’ve done our best to clarify that situation,” said Roy. “The In My Skin campaign is still a campaign that is going to be integrated in all of the work that we do.”
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Student first responders gain official status SFUO referendum win adds service at cost of 75 cents per student per year Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi NEWS EDITOR
The University of Ottawa Student Emergency Response Team (UOSERT) will officially become the 12th student federation service after winning a referendum during the midterm by-election. The referendum, presented to Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) members in the Oct. 29–30 by-election, passed with 2,350 in favour and 410 against. The new service will cost full-time undergraduate students 75 cents per year, and part-time students 40 cents per year, which will be adjusted according to inflation. Starting in January, UOSERT will be dispatched 24/7 to respond to student emergencies. The team needs the extra funding in order to provide the service, said the club’s president, Imroze Shaheen, in an earlier interview with the Fulcrum. “It’s really important we become a service, since we’ll be really busy come January, with or without the student levy,” Sheheen said. In a statement UOSERT said they were “thrilled” with the outcome. “We are well aware that the voter turnout for this referendum broke the record for a first-semester referendum and truly believe that this demonstrates that (U of O) students care about their safety,” read the statement. During the two-day vote,
Good news Continued from P.5 Cobain, where one study showed the suicide rate decreased in the week following his death, in comparison with the year before. The media “didn’t create suicide contagion,” said Cappelli, “(they’ve) increased awareness.” He urges news outlets to report carefully, making sure not to sensationalize the death or discuss specific details. The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention has a set of specific guidelines for journalists. However, the researchers were not able to establish a causal relationship between the media coverage of each of the two prominent Ottawa teen suicides
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Photo courtesy of OUSERT
7.7 per cent of the undergraduate student body cast a ballot, the highest turnout ever for a first-semester referendum. Last year a referendum held in the fall semester proposing to implement general assemblies failed because it didn’t meet quorum (though it later passed in the SFUO general election). For a motion to pass, at least five per cent of the student body must vote. The general election in February saw an 11.6 per cent voter turnout. The SFUO’s Board of Administration (BOA) also welcomed a group of new members on Oct. 31. Sofia Morales beat out Emily McBain-Ashfield by a single vote to win the Faculty of Arts seat. Morales’ plan is “to get all the voices that make up our faculty heard,” she said. “I want to hear what the students need and wish for, I don’t want anything ever dismissed off for a later time.” Morales said she will lobby for increased funding for and the subsequent increase of emergency room visits. “We just don’t know,” said Cappelli. “We can only assume that with such huge media exposure, (the youth) would have heard this. That’s the only event that occurred that weekend that could explain it.” Both the University of Ottawa Health Services (UOHS) and the Student Academic Success Service (SASS) have seen an increase in the need for mental health resources in recent years. “There are more resources available and more acceptance for people accessing those resources,” said the UOHS executive director Christopher Fisher. “We see on average about a 10
the Faculty of Arts and an analysis of the SFUO budget to ensure student dollars are put to good use. The Faculty of Engineering elected Veronica Carpani, who ran unopposed. Julianna Scramstad, also unopposed, will represent the Faculty of Education. The Faculty of Medicine seat remains vacant. Students also elected Philippe Giguère from the Faculty of Law to the Senate. Giguère earned 105 votes, more than James Trougakos and Brandon Silver. “My first order of business is get everyone at the table and find ways to build a stronger relationship between both the civil law and common law sections,” said Giguère. The Senate, which comprises both student representatives and faculty members, administers educational policies. Engineering and education faculty seats remain vacant. per cent increase in the number of requests every year for the past 10 years,” said Donald Martin, manager of SASS’s counselling services. SASS has responded by expanding services such as providing full-time counsellors at student residences, and instructing professors on how to identify warning signs. This study encourages more research on the full extent of media coverage of youth suicides, and the necessity of intervention programs. “It’s really about helping kids and youth with mental illness so that their quality of life isn’t affected,” said Cappelli. “Ultimately that’s all our goals.” —With files from Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi
NEWS | 7
National News
Photo: Jane Lytvynenko/CUP
International students given greater work allowance Rachel Ward
CUP Labour Bureau Chief HALIFAX (CUP) — New Government of Canada regulations make it easier for international students to work while in school, but do little to help with employment after graduation. Under the new rules implemented this year, students can work 20 hours per week off campus while enrolled in classes during the academic school year, and in the summer they can work full time using their regular study permit. The new rules mean international students can work without an extra off-campus work permit, which had been the case since 2006. Study permits now expire automatically 90 days after graduation, not on the renewal date that could be as much as a year away, as was the case with the old. This means those who come to Canada as students have to switch to a new immigration category once they have graduated. The government’s worry is that under old regulations, foreign nationals could say they want to study simply to get the permit and remain in Canada until its expiry, says the regulatory impact analysis statement from Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Despite the new, shorter time limit, Minister
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of International Trade Ed Fast said in Canada’s International Education Strategy, the government wants more international students to spend money in Canada and fill empty skilled labour jobs with “highly qualified professional and skilled trades that sustain a technologically driven modern economy.” While in school, international students collectively spend about $8 billion annually. Changes come on the heels of a controversy at the University of Regina three years ago. Two students on full scholarship at the university received deportation notices after unknowingly working at Walmart illegally, the Sheaf reported in 2012. They spent 16 months hiding in churches in Regina before agreeing to leave Canada. Both women returned to Saskatchewan this June, when new rules came into effect. Mario Mazraany, an international student in his second year of engineering at Dalhousie University in Halifax, says he’s worried about the new regulations. He previously completed a bachelor of science at Saint Mary’s University, taking a gap year to work and save money. He recently attended sessions about work permits through his school’s international student advising centre, something he says not many students take advantage of.
“If you’re a shy international student with bad English, you’re not going to know stuff and you’re not going to understand what’s going on,” said Mazraany. More one-on-one sessions with university student advisors would be helpful, he said. Mazraany would like to stay in Canada to work and gain experience after he graduates as a chemical engineer next May. He said the new 90-day time limit after graduation would restrict the window to find a job. Luckily, he said, he’s covered under the old rules, so he can stay to apply for jobs until his study permit expires almost a full year after graduating. He could also try to find a company to sponsor him—possibly a tricky task with the restricted time limit and current job market. As of September, Statistics Canada numbers show youth employment sits at 13.5 per cent, unchanged from the previous year. Overall, there are 6.2 unemployed workers per job vacancy, according to numbers ending in July. The government’s education strategy says its goal is to increase international student enrolment, to encourage more to stay long term, and to double student spending over the next eight years. According to Statistics Canada, international students currently pay more than three times the average tuition of Canadian students.
John Tory
Photo: Alex Guibord, CC
Ryerson president to help John Tory’s mayoral transition Jessica Defreitas The Ryersonian
TORONTO (CUP) — Ryerson University president Sheldon Levy has been named a member of mayor-elect John Tory’s transition team, the Toronto Star reported. The mayor-elect announced that former deputy mayor Case Ootes will chair both the transition team and advisory council. They will feature key members from Tory’s campaign, former rival candidate David Soknacki, and a variety of business, non-profit, and academic leaders. Levy will sit on the advisory council, which will focus on three issues: congestion and gridlock, transportation planning, and housing. Other members of the council include Geoff Cape, founder and CEO of Evergreen, Saad Rafi, Pan Am CEO, and Marnie McBean, an Olympic champion. Members of the council will offer advice in confidence to the mayor-to-be prior to his swearing in on Dec. 1.
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ARTS &CULTURE War photography exhibit snaps its focus on victims A&C EDITOR Jessica Eritou arts@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260
U of O hosts gallery with Swiss embassy and Canadian Red Cross
Jessica Eritou
Arts & Culture Editor
T
here are two sides to every story. With the help of an internationally renowned photographer, the University of Ottawa is hosting an exhibition that explores a side of war we barely get to see.
A travelling war photography exhibition showcasing Swiss documentary photographer Jean Mohr, made its stop at the U of O on Oct. 30. War from the victims’ perspective is on display for students and the public through the Human Rights Research and Education Centre (HRC) until February. The exhibit was originally created by the Musée de l’Elysée in Lausanne, Switzerland to honour the 150th anniversary of the International Committee of the Red Cross’ efforts in humanitarian aid. “The Swiss government basically wanted to commemorate the anniversary, so the ex-
Onlookers examine a work by Swiss photographer Jean Mohr
hibition was the perfect way to mark (it),” says Viviana Fernandez, assistant director of the HRC. Mohr’s photographs capture images of several
Photo: Jessica Eritou
war-torn areas including Cyprus, Palestine, Pakistan, and Nicaragua. Many of his photographs are of children, and capture two striking differences throughout the
gallery: Mohr photographed numerous children showing sorrow due to their poor living conditions, but also cheerful children roaming the streets of their refugee camps. The gallery is divided into four sub-themes: “Portraits of Exile,” powerful shots of victims in refugee camps; “Temporary Landscapes,” long shots of terrain and towns; “The Children’s Diaspora,” how children spend their everyday life during times of conflict; and “Life Goes On,” a more uplifting segment showing victims as they adjust to their new life. Fernandez hopes the gallery can be a space for discussion, especially in the world of academia. “We would like people to come and enjoy a powerful exhibition,” she says. “We will be inviting professors and their classrooms to come and to have their classes in the context of our conference room, looking at the exhibition and perhaps taking advantage of the gallery to inspire conversation and pay attention to the issues the exhibition is showcasing.” You can see the exhibition at 57 Louis-Pasteur from now until Feb. 10, 2015.
Analog romance in the digital age
Student teams up with award-winning artists for love-struck poetry reading Jessica Eritou
Arts & Culture Editor Remember the days before romance became mass-produced and depersonalized by clogged dating websites and TV programs like The Bachelor? In a new collaborative work, two award-winning Canadian artists try to remember. Written by Gerald Lampert Award-winner Joanne Arnott and illustrated by Governor General’s Award-winner Leo Yerxa, Halfling Spring: an internet romance explores romance and the idea of love amidst our reliance on mechanization and technology. The book takes a quirky look at the early stages of an online relationship, juxtaposed against the romantic courtships of traditional cultures, like a Kwakiutl marriage. The poems feature cross-cultural, star-crossed lovers in a deep and entertaining love affair. It’s a storyline that should pique the interest of those
who’ve grown tired of the cheesy content so often found in today’s romance aisles. In partnership with the Department of English and the Institute of Canadian Aboriginal Studies at the University of Ottawa, two Canadians are celebrating the release of their collaborative new book with the help of a U of O English student. Arnott and Yerxa will host a reading of their new book on Nov. 10. They’ll be joined by fourth-year English student Rachel Fernandes, who is taking part to read excerpts from Halfling Spring as well. Fernandes, who’s also the vice-president of literary and publications of the Undergraduate English Students’ Association, hopes the event will help the authors gain new audiences: people who might stumble upon the event, find it intriguing, and then decide to stay to learn more. That’s why the reading will be at Café Nostalgica,
one of the most popular social hubs on campus. “That is always the most exciting thing—people who do not normally come out to these things and happen upon them,” she says. “I hope
had works published in The Quilliad and Deep Water Literary Journal. “I hope more poems will be published,” she says. “Eventually I would like to do a collection that I self-publish,
but I definitely think it’s a confidence builder … sending them out.” The reading of Halfling Spring: an internet romance will take place Nov. 10 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Café Nostalgica.
“That is always the most exciting thing—people who do not normally come out to these things and happen upon them.” —Rachel Fernandes
Rachel Fernandes, reading participant
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they get excited about what they hear.” Fernandes is also looking forward to being published this month in Joypuke, a student-run publication at Mount Allison University. She’s also
Photo: Rémi Yuan
ARTS & CULTURE | 9
Ukraine Day celebrates country’s culture Student club holds inaugural event to help others while educating
Club members Michaela Konken, Iuliia Zubrytska, Ivan Pityk, Michael Burchill, Masha Podeyko, Solomiya Ostapyk, Zoriana Priadka, and Han-chen Lin
Savannah Awde Proofreader
Ukrainian students at the University of Ottawa want to help out their brothers and sisters both here and abroad, and let others know what it means to be Ukrainian. On Oct. 28, the University of Ottawa Ukrainian Students’ Club (SUSK) celebrated their inaugural Ukraine Day with a charity bake sale and multiapproach cultural display. Since November 2013, Ukraine has faced major political changes resulting in violent protests and is now engaged in military conflict with Russia. According to Ukrainian chief military prosecutor Anatoly Matios, 953 soldiers have been killed and 3,627 injured in the Russia-Ukraine fights.
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Photo: Rémi Yuan
Proceeds from SUSK’s bake sale went toward helping wounded soldiers in Ukraine by fundraising for medical supplies and donating to the families. The Ukrainian army has had to rely on crowd funding for medical and war
disposal to give onlookers the full, authentic Ukrainian experience. “I thought at the university, why not bring a bunch of Ukrainian people together and show the whole university community what Ukraine
ment Hill this September. SUSK also links their members to information regarding international events, like how to vote through the Embassy of Ukraine for the country’s most recent parliamentary election on Oct. 26.
fighting supplies. The club also used the day to promote the Canada Ukrainian Parliamentary Program, which lets university students from Ukraine travel to Canada to work with a Member of Parliament alongside his or her staff. Along with piles of cookies emblazoned with blue and yellow, the country’s colours, the event was also a celebrative display of Ukrainian culture. Event planner Solomiya Ostapyk, a second-year communication student, said she used every resource at her
is,” she said. “We’re playing Ukrainian cartoons, slideshows, music, so it’s a whole multimedia event.” The group let students try on colourful Ukrainian dance attire, watch the Virsky Ukrainian National Dance Company perform on a giant projector screen, or pass on the cookies in lieu of some perogies. Founded in 2009, the club lets their members know about Ukraine-related events in Ottawa, such as the United for Ukraine rally on Parlia-
They also share resources and information about studying the language and taking culture courses. Although the club offers a sense of unity for those with Ukrainian heritage, Ostapyk said they welcome anyone who’s curious about Ukrainian culture—ancestry isn’t required. “It doesn’t have a political stance so we want to welcome everyone to join it, no matter your views,” she said. “It’s not just for Ukrainian students. It’s for anyone interested in Ukrainian culture.”
“It’s not just for Ukrainian students. It’s for anyone interested in Ukrainian culture.” —Solomiya Ostapyk thefulcrum.ca
Campus style: November edition
Menrika Christian • Contributor
The Fulcrum curated some of the most stylish students as they layer up for the cold weather
PhotoS: Shanaya Sarin Name: Sidney Pompa-Sidhu Program: Bachelor of criminology in French immersion Her style in her own words: She tries to be different and unique, she would describe her style as grungy Favourite fall colours: Maroon and green
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Name: Marwan El-Sayegh Program: Civil law Describe your sense of style: Experimental Wardrobe staple to have fun with: Shoes
Name: Nikk Tompkins Program: Biochemistry Accessory you like to have fun with: Sunglasses for fall, but sunglasses for every season are suitable, according to him Favourite thing about fall: Sweater weather
Name: Kira Lamont Program: International development Staple items for fall: Toque and Doc Martens are an absolute must for her Her style can be described as: Eclectic and experimental
Name: Cyrus Wu Program: Telfer School of Management Describe your sense of style: Functional Accessory you like to have fun with: Clean lined leather messenger bag
ARTS & CULTURE | 11
Why it’s famous:
Jasmine Van schouwen STAFF Contribut or
The film resonates as a dynamic, compelling, and absorbing drama about 12 jurors deciding the fate of an alleged murderer. In addition, the film offers a well-crafted and neatly presented commentary on prejudice, perception, and the unpredictability of the law. It offers a witty critique of the legal system, and a touching reminder of how an individual’s past can often affect their judgment and their perception more than you can imagine.
Famous lines: Juror #10: Bright? He’s a common ignorant slob. He don’t even speak good English. Juror #11: He doesn’t even speak good English. Juror #7: You a Yankee fan? Juror #5: No, Baltimore. Juror #7: Baltimore? That’s like being hit in the head with a crowbar once a day. Why you haven’t seen it: You started it, but figured you could probably predict the end five minutes into it, so you opted for a shameless afternoon binge-watching House of Cards.
Why it might be tough to get through : The screen adaptation of 12 Angry Men is not one of those movies that will keep you awake with explosions and bright lights. Chances are you will probably snooze through part of it the first time, watch it again, and end up just getting really annoyed by bickering jury members. Why you should see it anyway: Halfway through the movie, you will realize what you snoozed through in the slow half is actually pretty important. As you rewind through the film trying to understand what happened while you zoned out to check BuzzFeed, you will find yourself suddenly hooked. As a matter of fact, you will be sitting at the edge of your seat shushing your fellow house-dwellers, because suddenly the annoying jurors became interesting.
Fun Facts: • This movie is common ly used in business schools and worksho ps to illustrate team dynamic s and conflict resolutio n techniqu es. • Due to the film’s low budget, there were certain filming techniqu es that had to stay the same. For example, if the lighting was set up for a shot that took place from one particula r angle, all the shots from that same angle had to be filmed then and there. This meant that different sides of the same conversa tion were sometim es shot several weeks apart.
Most of the movies mentioned in Movies You Should Have Seen are available for loan at the Morisset Library!
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Fulcrum
Travel Issue
Magazine
PUCóN, CHILE • Anna Parker
THE FULCRUM TRAVEL ISSUE overwhelmed me to the point that I went and hid in my parents’ basement for an hour. These same feelings arose in me again when I decided to take a semester off to travel to South America in my second year at the U of O, and later during my 2014 summer semester when I travelled to Europe for a field research program. There’s never a shortage of reasons not to go travelling. Our lives at home seem to have a magnetic pull to them, and as we grow older, their ability to draw us back only strengthens. What I’ve learnt though, is that travel offers us something that trumps any of our reasoned doubts.
Merzouga, Morocco • Claudia Lee
—Jesse Colautti Features Editor
2nd place
I had an unhealthy amount of fear instilled in me about Morocco before I left. While I did come across a couple of scary situations, ultimately, I remember Morocco by new friends, unparalleled kindness, breathtaking beauty, and unforgettable adventures. Every foreign place is somebody’s home, the backdrop of someone’s childhood. Travelling has put faces to places I previously dismissed as “exotic.” I hope photos and stories in this issue inspire you to explore and experience a new corner of the world. –Claudia Lee
Mercedes Cant (PAGE 17)
(COVER)
Maxine Quenneville (PAGE 23)
1st place • CLAUDIA LEE
It offers us the unknown. It offers limitless opportunities and experiences that may forever change the way we understand the world and ourselves, so long as we open ourselves up to the risk of learning along the way. Travel enabled me to see that pulling force differently—not as something that should prevent me from seeking adventure, but as something that will welcome me home when I’ve inevitably had enough. Walking out your front door may be the hardest step to take, but with each new person met, each new horizon seen, each new fear conquered, it gets a little easier.
3rd place
The first step is always the hardest. When I was 18, I spurned my offer of acceptance from the University of Ottawa in favour of the now-defunct Katimavik program. For nine months, I travelled across Canada, living and volunteering with 11 other teenagers from all across the country. The experience taught me how to cook, look after myself, let loose, and work with others—quite simply, it made me who I am today. But,the advantages I gained through Katimavik are more easily appreciated in hindsight. When I close my eyes and go back to the moment I left home to begin that adventure, I could barely breathe. Crippling feelings of fear and self-doubt
Travelling as a student can seem impossible. With limited free time and cash, warm sun and wide beaches may not be doable anytime soon. But sometimes the best part of travelling is the feeling of being a tourist, and it’s a feeling that doesn’t depend on distance travelled or dollars spent. Here are three affordable options to live like a tourist for a few days.
on A Chelsea McManus Staff Contributor
Staycation in Ottawa: $100 Montreal: $500 You don’t always have to go far to live like a tourist. Treat yourself to a nice staycation right here in town. Rediscover your city, give your bus pass a workout, and enjoy what your environment has to offer. There are a ton of things happening in Ottawa during the winter that people travel from far and wide to see. When you spend the majority of your time on campus, you can forget that we actually live in the nation’s capital with lots of must-see attractions for any Canadian. Go take a tour of the Parliament Buildings and walk up the Peace Tower. Head over to New Edinburgh to see Rideau Hall, the home of our governor general. Take a guided tour of the Supreme Court of Canada, and get familiar with Canada’s highest court. Take some time to appreciate winter: skate on the canal, the world’s longest skating rink and a UNESCO World Heritage site; take in the beauty of the ice sculptures at Winterlude; and most importantly, get a Beavertail. That’s not even to mention the museums. Ottawa is home to the Canadian War Museum, the Canadian Museum of History (in Gatineau), the National Art Gallery, and the Canadian Museum of Nature. Each one is affordable and worth checking out, and they’re even free Thursday evenings after 5:30 p.m. For some offbeat adventure, take the bus to Chinatown for some pho, really cool independent coffee shops, and eclectic markets; or head down to Old Ottawa South, catch a film at the Mayfair Theatre, then walk across the street to House of Targ for some beer, perogies, and arcade games.
Marta Kierkus
Montreal is such a different city from Ottawa, it’s amazing they’re only 200 kilometres apart. Heading to Montreal for a few days is a great way to get out of the city for a bit and travel a short distance to somewhere that feels like it could be a European city. As long as you book your tickets a month in advance, the Greyhound bus will cost you around $35 round trip. You can stay in Montreal’s Hostel International, located downtown, close to Concordia and McGill, for $15 per night for a bed in a dorm. That leaves a lot of cash for going out and sightseeing. Montreal definitely has the best nightlife. Walk down StLaurent, St-Denis, or Ste-Catherine, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to have a great night. When you get hungry, invest in a bag of bagels from any number of bakeries, such as Dad’s, St-Viateaur, or Fairmont, for a great breakfast food and/or alcohol absorbent. Schwartz’s smoked meat is a must, as is poutine from literally anywhere. Want to get some real Montreal grub? Check out Chalet Bar-B-Q Rôtisserie, where the only thing on the menu is chicken and fries. During the day, Montreal has some incredibly beautiful attractions. Check out the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, St. Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal, Notre-Dame Basilica, and the Biodome for some cultural sightseeing. Walk around Old Montreal and the McGill University campus for exceptional architecture. Keep your eyes open and you’re bound to find an adventure.
Anna Parker
New York City: $1000 If you’ve somehow managed to save up a grand to treat yourself to a bit of a grander trip, head down to New York City. If you book now, you can get a round trip Greyhound ticket for $150 plus tax. If you want to hit up all the usual tourist attractions, invest in the New York Pass. It gives you access to 80 of the city’s most popular destinations, including the Empire State Building, the Botanical Gardens, NBC Studio tour, museums, and bike tours, to name a few. For a fiveday pass, it’ll cost you $219 with the hop-on-hop-off bus tours, or $180 without. Finding somewhere to sleep is what really kicks you in the wallet. A bed in a hostel dorm, if you’re lucky, runs between $45 and $75 a night. If you’re travelling with a few friends, see if you can rent someone’s apartment for the week on Airbnb. That way you have a kitchen and can split the cost of a room. This leaves you about $300 for food and other expenses. Eat street food, buy a dozen bagels, and remember they still sell Mr. Noodles in America.
If you’re looking to travel to New York for even cheaper, you should consider the Economics Student Association’s trip in early January. For less than $300 (all travel and hotel expenses included) you get to spend a weekend in the heart of the city. Tickets are on sale now in FSS 2044 and are available to all students.
Adriana Sgabellone
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Drew Ayotte • Contributor
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Programs make for a more enriching experience
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Travel programs are of vital importance to the young traveller because they let you experience a new location in a way that would be otherwise inaccessible to independent travellers. Local tour guides with extensive firsthand knowledge of local culture are a lot harder to seek out on your own. Through my own experience with a top educational travel company called Explorica, I’ve discovered that travelling with a structured program is definitely worth it. It has very few drawbacks and, for the most part, allows travellers the hassle-free vacation they’ve always wanted. I used Explorica as part of a big high school group of 12 people, including teachers, that travelled to Greece last March, and it was probably the best choice we could’ve made. The company arranged excellent hotels and flight times and worked with the tour guides to make the best use of our days. Amazingly, in the nine days we were in Greece, we saw much of the country and most of the iconic Greek sites: the Acropolis, the Oracle at Delphi, Ancient Olympia, and Corinth Canal, to name a few. We were exposed to Greek culture by a local guide who knew the country better than any free tour guide ever could. There were a few disadvantages—following a tightly packed schedule meant we were up very early every morning—but the benefits far outweighed the drawbacks. We ate authentic Greek meals, viewed ancient Greek sites with in-depth details by expert guides, and, should we want to visit something we didn’t have time to see on the tour, we were given a few hours of free time every day to explore for ourselves. If a program doesn’t sound like the right fit for you, or you want a more relaxed experience with the ability to choose the sites you visit, I’d highly recommend at least consulting a travel agent. They’re extremely knowledgeable and can help you plan a trip to suit your needs. You have less of a daunting process ahead of you because they do the dirty work. Seeing through the eyes of the Greek was an experience I’ll always cherish—and I couldn’t have done it by myself.
London, england • Katherine McCarron
Go it alone to save money and meet more people Katherine McCarron • Contributor
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Will the hostel be clean? Is the city easy to navigate? Will I be able to get around even if I don’t know the language? Is it safe to travel alone? Should I take a bus, train, or plane to get there? These are the questions that make us doubt whether we should attempt to plan an entire trip on our own, or just give in and book an organized tour with our nearest travel agent. I’ve done both, and the DIY approach is hands-down the way to go. First of all, it’s cheaper, and students will appreciate savings anywhere we can get them. So, unless you’re travelling with a really large group (think 15 or more), planning your own trip will be infinitely cheaper than booking one through a travel agent. You’ll be able to shop around various websites to get the best deals, or have the option to spend the night at the airport to catch a flight to your next destination at the crack of dawn to save a little cash. You also get to do what you want. When you sign up for an organized tour you’re basically signing away your freedom for the duration of your trip. Don’t get me wrong, you’ll be in an amazing place seeing amazing places, but your tour group will basically be herded around like sheep from one site to the next. If there’s anything I’ve learned throughout my travels it’s that the unexpected, carpe diem-esque (or, if you prefer, YOLO) moments throughout your trip are the best parts. These moments make the best stories. Another perk is that you’ll meet more people. You’ll probably be staying in hostels to save money, and hostels are the best way to meet people from all walks of life, many of whom you wouldn’t have met had you been confined to a small travel group and a lonesome hotel room. Travelling isn’t supposed to be easy. Planning a trip on your own and figuring your days out on the fly are sometimes challenging, but ultimately these things will make your experience more memorable. Forgoing formal travel programs will save you money, introduce you to more people, and leave you with a sense of ownership over the twists hydra, greece • Drew Ayotte and turns of your adventure.
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When I was in high school, my parents had my siblings and I classified as homeschoolers and took us travelling around the world for six months. During that time we spent two months in Australia and the Outback. One night, we were driving aimlessly when we rounded a turn and saw Kata Tjuta lit up in the sunset. Seeing this made me understand why people say travelling is an education. I took this picture to remember that feeling.
Kata Tjuta, Australia Mercedes Cant
I spent three months in Penticton during my time in the Katimavik program and fell in love with the place. Nestled in the Okanagan Valley, surrounded by lakes to its north and south, and mountains to its east and west, Penticton is home to some of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen in Canada. There’s a great local music and art scene, and dozens of vineyards within a 30-minute drive. My favourite thing about Penticton is the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, a hiking and biking trail that follows a former rail corridor through the mountains. There’s a bunch of massive wooden trestle bridges that cross high over canyons, and a few frighteningly dark old rail tunnels. —Jesse Colautti
There’s just something awesome about Winnipeg. It’s the sort of place that once I experienced its culture and communities for a few days, I wished I had grown up there. The city is bursting with culture. There’s Osborne Village, voted in 2012 as Canada’s best neighbourhood by the Canadian Institute of Planners. Then there’s the recently opened Canadian Museum for Human Rights, located in a strikingly modern building on the edge of the Forks, a historic and now thriving gathering place at the convergence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers. One of my favourite places in the city was the Winnipeg Free Press Café, a restaurant and coffee shop in the centre of downtown that’s a hub for journalists and local writers. —Jesse Colautti
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—Miriam Saslove
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Nova Scotia’s often forgotten Cape Breton Island is a can’t-miss stop on a trip to the Maritimes. Bursting with breathtaking ocean views and lush greenery, this picturesque region will quickly make the East Coast your favourite part of Canada. History buffs and nature lovers alike will find something to enjoy. I suggest visiting the Celtic music festivals, taking a hike on the famous Cabot Trail, or getting your photo fix at the national park. I was lucky enough to go horseback riding when I visited Cape Breton, and I highly recommend it. Whether on the beach or through the trails, it’s an excellent way to soak up the beauty of the island at your own pace.
eto r B e n p a
You may only know Stratford for being the home of Justin Bieber, but it’s much more than that. Stratford is home to the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, amazing restaurants, and a delightful downtown. It’s a special place with the perks and charms of a small Ontario town and the culture of a big city. Come down for a weekend and see a play or two, only $29 for guests under 29. Eat at Boomers for some gourmet poutine, get the best sushi you will ever have from the General Store, and grab a coffee from any one of the shops downtown. Most importantly, walk around the town and the river, and experience some small town beauty. —Chelsea McManus
Although my internship was unpaid, my accommodations were covered by the company, and the university granted me a mobility scholarship that covered some travel expenses.
Adjusting to the office culture was quite easy, since many of my co-workers were also interns, and they were really helpful and welcoming all throughout the duration of my stay. I was lucky enough with my timing to experience the World Cup in its full glory, as Porto Alegre hosted a total of five games.
The chance to experience a new culture, see world class events, and meet new friends makes international opportunities with the university completely worth it.
Rio de janerio, brazil • Rolando Ramirez
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Engla
While most students find jobs in or near Ottawa for coop, there are plenty of other opportunities across Canada and the globe. I ended up in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The trip not only offered me a great opportunity to learn about business development and international trade, but also a chance to pick up some Portuguese, and of course, enjoy the World Cup.
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As part of the co-operative education program at our university, this summer I took part in one of the most surreal experiences of my university career: four months in beautiful Brazil.
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There are plenty of ways to travel across the globe while still studying here in Ottawa. Three students share their stories of learning abroad.
—Rolando Ramirez
London, England • Clare Yacyshyn
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mmersing yourself in a new culture may seem terrifying at first, but that feeling fades quickly. It’s fascinating to be surrounded by people speaking with a different accent or language, trying new food, learning the history, and absorbing their pop culture. After living in England, I listen to more British music and watch more British TV shows. Overcoming any difficulties that come up during my exchange also furthered my personal growth. The process of getting over homesickness, however slowly, will make you realize that you are truly an adult capable of handling whatever is thrown at you. —Clare Yacyshyn
Fieldw ork in
One of the best parts of exchange is meeting students who you never would’ve met otherwise. Although I was living in England, I met many friends from far-off places ike Germany, France, Thailand, and Malaysia. Going on exchange allows you to have life-changing experiences with people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures.
Berlin
I spent my third year of university on exchange in Reading, England, and without a doubt it was the best year of my life.
On the first day of class, our professor taught us a very important lesson, one that I will never forget: History has two sides.
Before coming to Berlin for a field research course, my knowledge about the Cold War and the actions of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) government was very one sided. I was only taught, like most Canadians, the perspective of the Western allies. Never once did I ever stop to think, why did they do this? Or, what was it like for people to live in the GDR?
Our professor made sure to challenge us to think about the conflict differently, from a range of perspectives.
He brought us to various places of historical importance around the city like the Stasi headquarters, the secret police of the GDR; Hohenschönhausen prison, where prisoners of the Stasi were held; and Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer, a memorial of the Berlin Wall. Our visits were often accompanied by contemporary witness discussions where we spoke to people who had lived through different stages of the war and had very powerful and touching stories.
Field research courses offer a chance to experience and learn about the world in a way that simply cannot be captured in classrooms or textbooks. —Katherine McCarron
Berlin, germany • Katherine McCarron
Marbella, Spain • Chris Goldberg, CC
Backpacking and need somewhere to stay? Here are some tips Claudia Lee • Contributor Many young people consider living out of a backpack in foreign countries a dream, even a rite of passage. Country to country, hostel to hostel, new friends to newer friends. It’s an experience that makes places more than just destinations and nights more than just time to sleep. Hostels forfeit the luxury of a hotel for a social experience amongst likeminded people from around the world. But not every hostel is the same and they have some common drawbacks, so it’s important to find the right place to stay in order to maximize your experience.
Don’t go for the Hang out in the Bring rubber Ask your receptionist about everything cheapest lounge doorstoppers After a couple of terrible run-ins with bed bugs and sketchy neighbourhoods throughout my own travels, I decided cheaping out wasn’t worth the few euros I was saving. It worked out infinitely better: Hostels in prime locations saved me time finding them while carrying a heavy pack, and returning after a day of sightseeing or a night out was much easier.
Making friends in hostel lounges is as easy as it was on the first day of kindergarten. You can be proactive and talk to somebody, or just sit around long enough and somebody will approach you. The lounge is the perfect place to get information, find travel partners, and scope out dinner companions.
Crashing at someone’s house is a game of give and get Claudia Lee • Contributor
You’re paying for service, so you might as well use it. Ask reception for everything you think you’ll need, whether it’s maps, happy hour times, laundry services, or earplugs. Oftentimes, you can also keep your important documents in their safe. And if you ever lose your phone charger, ask the receptionist. Many hostels have a box of cords and chargers left behind by other guests that are all yours if you just ask.
Everything you need, in a backpack Following the global trend, Air Canada recently announced it will be introducing fees for travellers’ first checked bag. But don’t despair. It’s possible to travel with only carry-on luggage.
Remi Yuan
Couch surfing seems like it might be a little scary. Whether you’re a guest or a host, it takes some courage to crash at a different stranger’s house every day, or to have a stranger crash at yours. But there’s much to be gained from taking a look around CouchSurfing.com and trying it out.
If you’re not yet ready to take the full plunge, at least try the using the events section on the website. Most major cities host weekly pub nights; they’re the go-to place to get tips from locals, connect with other travellers, and even score a couch. On the events page, you can also find activities you won’t find in a guidebook, like cooking lessons in Rome, kite surfing in Stockholm, or a ride-share to a music festival in Split. Whatever it is, it’s probably better than your hostel’s walking tours and pub crawls.
Yes, rubber doorstoppers. Setting one of these bad boys inside your room by your closed door means nobody can come in without an invitation. Make sure, of course, your roommates are already in the room.
As a host, you have a chance to share your life and culture with a nomad, and perhaps live vicariously through your guests’ travels. As a guest, of course, you get a free bed, but you also get a sense of home and family when your real home is miles away. For everyone involved, it opens doors to different cultures, ways of life, and connections around the world.
Search at the last minute, but have a backup plan
Spend time with your host— it’s not a free hotel
Early bird doesn't always get the worm. Your travel itineraries can change, and so can your hosts’ schedules. While it’s safe to start early, I had more response to public requests on last-minute request groups (home > discuss > search: city + last minute couch). On this group, surfers can't post until three days before their arrival, so yes, it’s a bit of a gamble, but if I had plans fall through or got no response, I simply checked into a hostel.
One of the biggest pet peeves for hosts are guests who treat it only as a way to score a free bed. Hosts’ generosity is not an invitation to act like a guest at a hotel. Arrive with an open mind and offer your skills, talent, knowledge, and stories. Spend time with your hosts. Ask them about their lives and travels. You’ll get much more out of your time, and it’ll make their offer worthwhile.
Stephanie Piamonte Staff Contributor
Couch surfing: not just a free bed
Check for events and groups
Barefoot Hostel, Ottawa • Remi Yuan
My last trip was three weeks in Turkey, Greece, and Italy. I realized I had probably mastered the art of travelling light when I packed everything I needed into my backpack and it was only half full. Here are some tips to help you on your voyages:
1. Pick a single colour scheme for your clothes. That way you can mix and match outfits while reusing the same basic wardrobe. 2. If it’s not necessary, don’t pack it. If you end up needing a swimsuit, umbrella, antihistamine, or whatever, you can buy it wherever you are. 3. If you can’t squeeze it all into a single backpack, bring a messenger bag or purse. It’s generally considered part of your carryon, so it’s free. 4. Layer bulky clothes for the plane trip. Layers keep you warm, or can serve as a free pillow. 5. Pack unloved and well-worn clothes, then leave them behind. This frees up space for souvenirs and, depending on where you’re travelling, those clothes can enjoy a new life. 6. Remember, if you don’t check it, they can’t lose it.
After two years without seeing each other, I finally made my way to Western Canada to visit my first-year roommate and now best friend, Megan. Beginning in British Columbia, we embarked on a four-day road trip back to her home in Calgary. Along the way we stopped at Moraine Lake, which Megan assured me was incomparable. Although you cannot tell from the photo I took, the colour of Moraine Lake’s water is incredibly blue, as if someone had added a blue dye, and the mountains, trails and forests around us was exactly how I pictured Banff. I felt peaceful, grateful of the beauty around me, and was ecstatic that Megan took me to visit this incredible place.
Moraine Lake,AB Maxine Quenneville
Yangon, Myanmar • Monique Dhaliwal
Dunnottar Castle, Scotland • Natasha Lomonossoff RapaNui, Easter island • Stephen Cameron
tarangire, Tanzania • Annalise Mathers
Fort Erie, ON • Christine Tomlinson
Squamish,BC • SophiaSiedlikowski
Paris, France • Claudia Lee
Lake Superior, ON • Chantel Goodman Playa del Carmen, Mexico • Katherine McCarron
Grand Popo, Benin • Phil Spencer
SPORTS
SPORTS EDITOR Sarah Nolette sports@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260
Huge win puts Gees football in OUA semifinaLS Victory over Windsor Lancers points to promising Cinderella story
Spencer Murdock Staff reporter
T
he Gee-Gees football team made the long trek to Windsor on Nov. 1 to not only win their first playoff game, but also get reparations for a match they needed to win weeks ago.
The 10th-ranked Gees shook off their previous loss to the Lancers and the difficulty of making the longest road trip in Ontario collegiate football, to make a statement that they are serious contenders with a resounding 46-29 victory in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) quarterfinal. The Gee-Gees put points up early and often, despite falling behind by a safety in the first few minutes of the game. The Lancers’ time on top was short as the Gees stormed into the end zone on a pass from Derek Wendel. Before the half, Windsor scored once more on offence and once on defence following an Ottawa fumble. Fortunately, the Gees were able to punch in three field goals and tally another passing TD. The game was all but over for the Lancers as they kept fighting throughout the game, despite Wendel’s rushing touchdown to open the second half.
Although the lead was uncomfortable at times, it was never truly in doubt as the Gees’ defence smothered the home team all game and the offence picked apart Windsor’s linebackers and secondary. The Gees secured their first playoff win since 2010 on a short run from Bryce Vieira. Quarterback Wendel posted 264 yards through the air and 45 on the ground with three total touchdowns. All-Canadian linebacker Nick Lecour racked up over 13 tackles to continue his stellar season. The team will have a short time to prepare for a massive rematch with the first-seeded McMaster Marauders in Hamilton on Saturday, Nov. 8. A win in the semifinals would give the Gees a berth in the Yates Cup final for the Ontario championship. The Yates Cup winner will then host the Atlantic Canada champion at the Vanier Cup national championship. The Gee-Gees can also expect a rise in the last official national rankings this week following their strong showing, as well as unprecedented losses from both the number one Laval Rouge et Or and number two Calgary Dinos. You can watch the semifinal matchup on OUA.tv at 1 p.m. to cheer on the Gees.
OUA Playoff game
Photo: Courtesy Elisa Mitton of University of Windsor
Women’s rugby places fourth at first-ever nationals Tough competition ends Gee-Gees’ otherwise perfect season David Campion-Smith Staff Contributor
The Gee-Gees women’s rugby team’s perfect season finally came to an end at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) finals. The University of Guelph hosted the national finals, which brought in teams from the University of Alberta, Western, McMaster, Guelph, St. Francis Xavier, and the University of Ottawa. Each team played two games starting on Thursday, Oct. 30, which decided the tournament rankings before the fight for medals began. Going into this final tournament, the Gee-Gees were riding high after winning the Réseau du sport éducatif du Québec (RSEQ) championship. They scored consistently throughout their first game against the Guelph Gryphons to land a 21-15 win. Despite the big victory, the team was still the underdog Gee-Gees winning the ball in the lock agaisnt Guelph.
thefulcrum.ca
Photo: Courtesy of Karin Stepien
since it was their first-ever appearance at the tournament. “It’s unreal that we just beat a team like Guelph because they are a big team that has been part of this tournament many times,” said fullback Irene Patrinos. “A lot of people underestimate us in my opinion, because it’s our first time here, but that’s an advantage for us because we can take teams by surprise.”
“The success in this program is only going to get better and better.” —Allison MacCormak The team followed Saturday’s win with a 17-12 loss to the McMaster Marauders, the first defeat for the Gee-Gees’
otherwise perfect season. The defeat meant the Gees would be pitted against the Western Mustangs to battle it out for bronze. The Mustangs eased into third place with a final score of 17-5, leaving the Gees off the podium but still thrilled to be there at all. “Honestly, I told those girls in the circle that it has been an honour to play with them this year and accomplish everything that we have,” said flanker Allison MacCormak. “The success in this program is only going to get better and better.” The tournament ended with St. FX taking first place against McMaster, and the Gryphons in fifth place after a win over Alberta’s team. Having ended their first appearance at nationals just shy of a medal is a victory in itself for the steadily improving Gees team, and surely next year’s season will be one to watch.
SPORTS | 25
Alanna Fogarty captures silver at rowing nationals
Rower’s results put her on track to compete for Canada
Alanna Fogarty accepting her silver medal (right)
Sarah Nolette Sports Editor
Alanna Fogarty had a silver-lined week of rowing with two second-place medals at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) finals, and another at the Canadian University Rowing Championships. Though the Gee-Gees did not bring home a team medal at the OUA championship on Oct. 25 at the St. Catharines Rowing Club, the garnet and grey won five medals individually and raced exceptionally well. Fogarty placed second in the lightweight women’s category and in the lightweight doubles with teammate Dana Howell. In the heavyweight competitions, Kristen King won bronze in the singles category and in the doubles with partner Kate Klarer. “It was a very exciting day,” said Fogarty. “The Gee-Gees finished fifth overall, and I was happy with my results given the fact that the water conditions were not favourable.” The Gee-Gees’ head coach Stu McKenzie, who has been with the Ottawa Rowing Club since 2002, was also recognized as the OUA’s coach of the year. “He’s a very composed person,” said Fogarty. “He helps me stay calm, provides good goals and
26 | SPORTS
Photo: Austin J. Cameron
plans for the upcoming races, but most importantly, he reminds me to have fun.” Fogarty went forward to compete at the Canadian University Rowing Championships on Nov. 1–2 with teammates Howell and Klarer. Fogarty captured a well-earned silver medal in the women’s singles. During the time trials on Saturday, she finished second, which positioned her right beside the Western Mustangs, the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, and the Brock Badgers for the finals. In the championships on Sunday, Western was strong and pulled ahead quickly in the last 500 metres of the race. Fogarty was in the battle for second place against UBC, and in the last 250 metres, she broke and pulled a very impressive finish to pass. Fogarty finished only a second before her competition. Now that she’s won silver, Fogarty is training for the National Rowing Championship (NRCS) set to take place Nov. 7–9 in Victoria, B.C. “It is a very elite competition as it is intended for those who have aspirations to one day compete for Canada,” she said. And based on the results of her national showing, and from the upcoming NRCS, Fogarty may be able to do just that.
Women’s soccer off to nationals ‘Stressful’ win hands program its eighth OUA championship Garry Balaganthan & Sarah Nolette
Contributor & Sports Editor Pilar Khoury once again demonstrated why she was voted the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East player of the year when she helped the Gee-Gees punch their ticket to nationals. The semifinal match on Nov. 1 against the Laurier Golden Hawks, went scoreless through regulation—though not without drama, as both teams had penalty kick opportunities—so it went into overtime. Just four minutes in, Khoury was able to speed through the defence and chip the ball past Laurier goalkeeper Maggie Carmichael in an explosive individual effort that advanced them to the final. “I could hear Steve (Johnson, head coach) in the back of my mind telling me to chip it,” said Khoury, who was named player of the match. “We’ve been working on it all season, and it was the belief of my coaches that got me to do it.” The following day, the GeeGees took on the Western Mustangs in the OUA finals. Along with team play and con-
sistent aggressiveness, another goal by Khoury at the 57-minute mark was the game-winner for the U of O. Khoury was again named player of the game for her winning goal into the right side of the net past Western goalkeeper Tori Edgar. The game finished with the Gee-Gees holding the score at 1-0. “It’s pretty stressful to hold a 1-0 lead, but I thought we held it together and kept our shape, and our defensive responsibilities held,” said midfielder Katherine Bearne. “To get a chance to play with a great group of girls is such an awesome opportunity.” Winning more than 200 games as the Gees’ head coach, Steve Johnson has built a powerhouse of developing, but still
OUA Champions
successful players. With the confidence of his team, Johnson is often credited for bringing the best out of his players through positive motivation and dedication. “It truly was a team effort,” he said. “We are more of a team this year than perhaps other years. Other years we may have had more individual talent, but collectively this team has really performed well all season.” The 2014 gold is the eighth to be added to the program’s alltime championship banner, setting a record as the team with the most success in the OUA. The Gee-Gees will now look forward to nationals at the University of Laval on Nov. 6–9. You can catch all the games at CIS-SIC.tv.
Photo: Courtesy of Jen Elliott
thefulcrum.ca
Run in the cold, not from it It’s not just about layering up Raghad Sheikh-Khalil Contributor
As the chilling Ottawa cold creeps in, out come the Uggs and Canada Goose jackets and away go your running shoes, water bottle, and any trace of evidence that you run anywhere. Fitness motivation has an annual tendency to quickly dissipate when the winter sets in, and for good reason. It’s easy to succumb to the winter blues and forget all about that hardearned training regimen. Many of us hole up in our cozy rooms with some Netflix, hot chocolate, and articles about getting in shape that create the illusion that we are still on track with our fitness goals. While you may continue running on the treadmill, there are still ways to get outside for a run that just may keep you from cringing at the snow in the window.
By far the hardest part of a workout is lacing up your shoes and getting out the door. Motivation, unlike bad Christmas music, is very hard to come by in the winter. An easy and fun way to get off the couch and out in the cold is to run in groups. If you prefer to run solo, try running to a specific destination such as a classroom or a restaurant (there’s nothing better than looking forward to a meal after a good workout). Keep warm. Before heading out, a quick warm-up gets your blood flowing and makes for a less severe transition from inside to out. During your run, make sure you’re equipped with appropriate gear. Layering clothes will become necessary as temperatures drop. When the temperature drops below 5 C, wear a base layer, an insulating layer, a windproof jacket, and always
wear a hat, gloves, and a pair of thermal socks. A general rule of thumb is to wear an additional top and bottom layer for every time the weather drops five to 10 degrees colder. Another key is to be warm without sweating too much. After your run, quickly changing into warm, dry clothes and drinking a warm drink will prevent your body temperature from dropping and keep you from getting sick. If it’s windy, begin your run facing the wind and finish with the wind at your back so the breeze doesn’t hit you after you’ve broken a sweat. Running in the cold is very different than in the warmth, so you will need to adjust your usual running routine. Focus on your distance rather than your speed. Start slow and work your way up to a comfortable pace; this will prevent any
Getting ready to run in the colder weathers.
Photo: Tina Wallace
injuries, and slow strides will help your footing on icy roads. Most importantly, stay safe. Keep hydrated throughout your run, and keep your cell phone and cab fare with you in case of an emergency. Running in loops around your home is a safe way to start for beginners. If temperatures drop below –20, it may be worthwhile to take your run indoors.
Justin Dallaire Staff Contributor
Goodman discovers the intensity of water polo
“I thought I was a good swimmer until I tried water polo … my first game was a lesson in drowning.” —Chantel Goodman
Chantel Goodman
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Prior to starting at the University of Ottawa, fourth-year biology student Chantel Goodman knew nothing about water polo. But curiosity led her to a team that has since become her family. “Water polo was totally something new for me, but it has definitely been one of the highlights of my university experience,” she says. Goodman discovered the sport while swimming laps at Montpetit Hall, where the water polo teams practise. They seemed like they were having fun, and it looked really intense, so she decided to try out the following year. She quickly discovered how tough water polo really is. “I thought I was a good swimmer until I tried water polo … my first game was a lesson in drowning,” she recalls. “You’re constantly being pulled underwater by other people, people get in your face. There’s no bubble when you’re playing water polo.” Goodman says people often underestimate the athletic ability of those who play. She regards her teammates and coaches as the strongest of athletes. “They are strong and fit and have good endurance. They have everything you could ever imagine that an athlete should possess.” It’s the required mental and physical endurance that is, for Goodman, the toughest thing
about the sport. “Mustering that last bit of energy that you don’t have, it’s a mental thing that you need in order to keep on going,” she says. “When you’re swimming back and forth, it’s your mental energy that’s getting you back. It’s not only your physical energy.” Despite the challenges of the game, she says the teams invite people of all abilities to play with them. Some on the team have been playing their entire lives, while others joined at the beginning of university. “That’s what’s great about it, because everybody’s treated the same,” Goodman says. “Everybody has to try just as hard and is pushed the same amount.” Growing up, Goodman wanted to play on the national women’s hockey team. Fittingly, her athletic hero was, for the longest time, Hayley Wickenheiser. By the time she was in high school, Goodman had become an all-around athlete involved in hockey, soccer, and cross-country skiing. In part, her decision to join the water polo team two years ago is a reflection of her general attitude towards university. “I think it’s really important for first-year students, or students of any year, who want to get involved but are intimidated, to not feel intimidated and try out different things,” she says. “It’s the most rewarding thing.”
Photo: Marta Kierkus
SPORTS | 27
OPINIONS
OPINIONS EDITOR Kyle Darbyson
opinions@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260
Religion and human rights: a united front for progress Faith-based groups should not be excluded from the pursuit of worldwide equality Justin Dallaire staff Contributor
R
eligious groups have been, and can continue to be, a progressive force for good in modern society. But in an increasingly secular world, many people view religion as the ultimate obstacle facing human equality and progress.
It’s easy to see why, amid threats of extremist violence in the Middle East and the prevalence of oppressive practices of ultra-Orthodox sects like Lev Tahor. The Catholic Church’s recent decision to backpedal on plans for a more progressive outlook on homosexuality also doesn’t bode well for mainstream religious groups and their potential for being champions of human rights. While I am definitely disheartened by the thoughts and actions of these specific groups, we cannot fall into the trap of perceiving all religious organizations as being inherently conservative, bigoted, and intolerant to change. In doing so, we ignore what Larry Cox, former deputy secretary-general of Amnesty International, has characterized as the “inherent religious dimensions” of the human rights movement. In a post for the online forum Open Global Rights, Cox suggests that “when today’s human rights activists recognize and connect with those [religious] dimensions, they gain strength, new alliances, and the greater global legitimacy they so urgently need.” What we need today is a new approach to human rights that is not purely secular, one that does not exclude every appeal to religion or faith.
Pope Francis photo CC Catholic Church of England and Wales. Martin Luther King, Jr. CC Library of Congress. Malala Yousafzai photo CC Department for International Development (DIFD). Ghandi portrait public domain. Edits by Marta Kierkus
Historically speaking, faith and the human rights movement have, at times, been powerful allies. Take for example the American Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. The influence of black
church leaders is now widely recognized as fundamental to its success. Reunited in a common faith, its adherents believed “that their cause was right and that their pastors were called to a
divine task by God,” according to the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Moreover, the religious basis of the movement challenged the white Christian community in ways that secular movements never could. As scholars point out, it is not uncommon for people of faith to be at the forefront of the world’s struggles for freedom and equality. Figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, and more recently, Malala Yousafzai, the 17-year-old activist and Noble Peace Prize recipient from Pakistan, all fit under this description. Malala has never renounced her Muslim faith, and has chosen to pursue female equality within the context of Islam. These progressive attitudes are not limited to individuals. As Cox points out, entire religious groups are dedicated to advancing human rights within the context of religion; he lists organizations like the Network of Engaged Buddhists, the Jewish T’ruah, the Christian Faith in Public Life, and the Muslim Musawa, to name a few. Each one of these groups has succeeded in reconciling religious devotion with the prospect of a better and more equal future. To be fair, many religious organizations (like the Catholic Church) still have a ways to go before they can truly live up to their potential. However, this doesn’t mean we should issue a blanket statement that paints all people of faith as backwards and intolerant. The principles at the heart of any human rights movement—that every human life has value and that a common good is worth pursuing—are among the fundamental notions of religion. It’s time we started viewing religion as part of the solution, not just part of the problem.
Why firing Jian Ghomeshi was a necessary step
It’s not a question of guilt; it’s a question of identity Jesse Colautti Features editor
Jian Ghomeshi was my first-ever interview. Last year, I interviewed him for a profile piece for the Fulcrum. He was emceeing an event at the National Art Gallery, and near the end of the night I approached him about taking a couple of minutes to give me a few quotes. I’ll always be grateful to the man who, seeing a student journalist in jeans at a black tie event, gave up 20 minutes of his time from what was obviously a very busy night. For a long time fan-boy of Ghomeshi’s radio program Q, the interview was a dream come true. I had spent years listening to Q, and was delighted when the show became more popular and critically acclaimed. Because of this, the show eventually became one of the most reputable radio programs in North America. Such a large part of why I loved the
28 | OPINIONS
show, and why I think it earned such widespread success, had to do with Ghomeshi. He researched the work of every guest on the show, and demonstrated a thoughtfulness, restraint, and compassion that served as a reflection of who I wanted to be. The most noteworthy example of this came in 2009, when Ghomeshi went head-to-head with actor Billy Bob Thornton during a heated interview, eventually triumphing over Thornton’s bravado and rudeness with class and intelligence. When singer Michael Bublé appeared on Q later that year, he articulated how many of us felt after watching Ghomeshi’s handling of the encounter: “You made me proud to be Canadian.” Everything about being a fan of his work was personal. He was one of us. We trusted him. If the information that has come to light since the CBC’s dismissal of Ghomeshi on Oct. 26 has done
nothing else, it has eroded this trust. In his now infamous Facebook post, he defends himself against allegations of sexual violence that he allegedly committed against multiple women on the grounds that one’s private life should not have any bearing on one’s professional life. “I’ve been fired from the CBC because of the risk of my private sex life being made public as a result of a campaign of false allegations pursued by a jilted ex-girlfriend and a freelance writer,” he wrote. He claims he has “done nothing wrong.” Outside of the fact that the increasingly disturbing allegations of sexual violence filed against Ghomeshi seem to contradict this statement, the Q radio host seems to fundamentally misunderstand his listeners’ relationship with his work. This relationship was emotional
in nature, and it blurred the lines between who he was as a person and who he was professionally on Q. After all, what other radio show do you know of that begins each episode with a personal essay? Our relationship with Ghomeshi was even more personal than our connection to a favourite film director, author, or any other well-respected figure in the arts and culture community, because the radio host never hid behind works of fiction to define who he was. Now that this relationship has been irreparably compromised, Ghomeshi’s firing from CBC seems unavoidable. After all, the CBC has its own identity to consider. As a public broadcaster, the news organization is not only accountable for its internal affairs, but also for representing all Canadians through their choice of programming. Because Ghomeshi and his show no longer repre-
Jian Ghomeshi
Photo: Tina Wallace
sent pervasive Canadian interests and values, the decision to let him go is more than justified. We may never know the truth about the extent of Ghomeshi’s actions, but at this point the facts are irrelevant; we can no longer identify with him. For better or worse, we are all guilty of projecting ourselves onto certain celebrities, and for many Canadians that sense of self is no longer represented by Jian Ghomeshi. While Ghomeshi’s firing from the CBC is unfortunate, especially since it will most likely result in the loss of the best arts and culture program we have in this country, it was absolutely necessary.
thefulcrum.ca
Digital video is not the death of cinema Format simply offers new and exciting ways to shoot movies Kyle Darbyson Opinions Editor
This Wednesday, a select number of moviegoers in Canada and the United States got to see Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar two days ahead of its official release date. While early screenings of highly anticipated films are nothing new, the difference here is that the sci-fi epic was exclusively shown in theatres that still support 35-millimetre and 70-millimetre film. These early screenings (organized by Nolan) were meant as a big “fuck you” to a movie industry that has been rapidly converting to digital projectors over the last couple of years, with plans to eventually phase out film production altogether. According to old-school filmmakers like Nolan and Quentin Tarantino, traditional photochemical film is an inherently superior way to shoot movies, and this new obsession with digital video is a sign that the industry is going downhill. While it is sad to see such a rich art form slowly go extinct, the idea that digital video is the death of cinema is a ridiculous assertion, especially since this new format offers independent filmmakers a breadth of opportunity and gives seasoned veterans new and exciting ways to make movies. One of the only valid arguments in favour of film over digital is that the images captured using celluloid are of a remarkably better quality. While that may have been the case in the late 1990s and early
RED digital camera
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2000s, the picture quality of current digital film cameras is so good that most movie goers can’t tell the difference between the two formats. In fact, the latest version of the popular RED camera has been used to shoot recent movies like Gone Girl and Neighbors, which demonstrates that these digital cameras are capable of displaying an impressive pixel resolution without having to sacrifice cinematic colour texture, lighting, or dynamic range. Not only do these cameras capture amazing images, but the digital filmmaking process is also significantly cheaper than shooting on film. Without having to deal with the financial burden of developing film, new prospective filmmakers are being given the creative freedom to make the movies that they want to make. In the documentary Side by Side, indie darling Lena Dunham even claims that she would have never become a filmmaker had it not been for “digital video culture,” since this format allowed her the freedom to “experiment with making movies in a really small, private way.” As such, digital video is quickly becoming the go-to format for many recent film school graduates and for anybody else who wants to realize their artistic vision without having to sell their soul to a creatively bankrupt studio head. Outside of the independent circuit, tons of critically acclaimed directors have willingly abandoned film altogeth-
er, saying that digital allows them to shake up the conventional production process. Directors like Danny Boyle, Steven Soderbergh, and David Fincher say the physical lightness of digital cameras allows for more fluid and dynamic camera movement. Auteur Robert Rodriguez says digital video also eliminates much of the annoying guesswork often associated with the filmmaking process, since you can edit footage immediately after shooting it, instead of waiting for film to be developed overnight. Surrealist David Lynch even claims that shooting digitally can enhance an actor’s performance, since there is no overwhelming pressure for them to succeed while precious film is being wasted during a take. In this light, digital video should not be seen as some inferior product that’s threatening the integrity of cinema. Instead, it should be viewed as a new canvas or toolbox that will save the industry boatloads of money while attracting the attention of a whole new generation of filmmakers. Still, the growing irrelevance of an art form that’s more than 100 years old is certainly nothing to celebrate. But while traditional photochemical film is gradually on its way out, I’m at least comforted by the idea that it will be replaced by digital video—a format that will provide aspiring cinematic auteurs with a better and more efficient way to make movies.
Old Sanyo film camera
Photo: Steve James, CC
Photo: Rsgdent, CC
OPINIONS | 29
Waiting for some Rock Hall action
Photo: Brook Ward, CC
Honour thy rock ‘n’ roll
Music pioneers overlooked in Hall of Fame nominees Madison McSweeney Contributor
Last month, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame named this year’s potential inductees, honouring 15 influential artists including Joan Jett, Nine Inch Nails, Lou Reed, NWA, and… er… Green Day. Greeting the Hall of Fame nominations with skepticism has become something of an annual tradition for me and many other music fans. This year, I winced at the snub of British rock group Jethro Tull, undoubtedly everyone’s favourite flute-playing folkprog act. It’s somewhat inevitable— “rock and roll” is such a vast genre that the Hall cannot possibly accommodate everyone’s specific tastes and preferences. Even though their inductees are almost always talented and deserving, persistent egregious omissions of seminal artists have definitely hurt the Hall of Fame’s reputation. The nomination procedures are simple enough. Artists are eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first album. Nominees are chosen based on their “influence and significance” and are voted on by hundreds of music industry professionals and fans. But despite this extensive process, genre pioneers are consistently overlooked while more derivative acts are inducted sooner. For example, iconic shock rocker Alice Cooper, who has been bestowing us with brilliant albums every few years
30 | OPINIONS
since 1969, was not deemed worthy until 2011. Rush, despite their substantial commercial success, technical virtuosity, wide influence, and rabid fan base, were not inducted until last year. The Pixies have been overlooked altogether, while Nirvana, who openly imitated their style, were inducted in their first year of eligibility. The Sex Pistols were inducted against their will (frontman John Lydon famously wrote an incensed letter and refused to attend the ceremony) while their primary influence Richard Hell remains excluded. But don’t worry punk purists—Green Day may be there soon. Legendary heavy metal bands Judas Priest and Iron Maiden also haven’t been inducted, despite being eligible since 1999 and 2005, respectively. Meanwhile, Metallica, who was heavily influenced by Priest and Maiden, was in-
ducted in 2009. Interestingly, while many deserving acts languish in obscurity, musicians such as Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney have been inducted twice, both as members of bands and as solo artists. That seems a bit excessive—why not save some Hall of Fame real estate for other greats? Current members of the Hall of Fame certainly deserve this honour, but too many other inspirational artists have been ignored for far too long. For an institution that’s devoted to rock music, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame doesn’t seem to reflect the views of the fans and musicians it purports to represent. But as much as I may disapprove of their decisions, they are ultimately a private organization and are entitled to induct (and exclude) anyone they want. But I still hold out hope for Jethro Tull.
Even though their inductees are almost always talented and deserving, persistent egregious omissions of seminal artists have definitely hurt the Hall of Fame’s reputation. thefulcrum.ca
Pitbull virus spreading throughout the world Rapper’s new online release could lead to global tech crisis Kyle Darbyson Tom ato
Editor
Although many have already described Pitbull’s music as a cultural virus, that idea has taken on a whole new meaning after Apple decided to automatically add the rapper’s new album to iTunes. Besides containing painfully unoriginal club music, the new online album (titled Globalization) came bundled with some bad code that’s causing technical malfunctions worldwide. Apple decided to carry out this recent music update in order to make up for their previous online album launch debacle. On Sept. 9 U2’s Songs of Innocence was automatically added to their iTunes library on Sept. 9, much to the frustration of 500 million iTunes users. “We learned a lot from the previous album launch,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook. “After weeks of consultations, our research team eventually came to the conclusion that in order for an album launch to be successful we needed to headline a much more credible musical act. After we realized this, Pitbull was an obvious choice.” Unfortunately, as soon as Globalization was released online, reports of glitches and software malfunctions began to flood Ap-
ple’s customer service department. Some complained that their entire iTunes library was replaced by Mr. Worldwide’s music. Others said their Apple products were taken over by the rapper’s likeness, rendering the devices completely inoperable. “Now, I can’t even make a phone call,” said U of O English major Calvin Conrad. “All of my apps were replaced with booty-shaking simulators and I can only text people using cheesy Spanish pickup lines.” Even more bizarre is that female iPhone owners have reported that their devices have started addressing them directly, openly showering them with creepy compliments and encouraging them to “get down to da club.” “It’s gotten to a point where I can’t even use my iPhone without getting borderline sexually harassed,” said sociology student Amy Gillen. “I swear if my iPhone tells me to ‘put my hands in the air’ or ‘shake that boom boom’ one more time, I’m going to send
blog. “In 2004, he was attached to the crunk and reggaeton movements. By 2011, Mr. 305 was all about EDM. Last year, his influence spread as far as country music with ‘Timber.’ As a computer virus, he would be unstoppable.” Tech expert Bruce Pike explains that
it down the garbage disposal.” Even though the nature of this virus has baffled many, music critic Lance Matthews explains why Pitbull is the perfect model for a computer virus. “Pitbull’s greatest attribute has always been assimilating into, or invading, new genres of music, whether it suits his musical talent or not,” Matthews wrote on his
of computer science, and that we are actually witnessing the birth of freethinking artificial intelligence. “My theory is that the douchiness and mediocrity found in Pitbull’s music is so powerful that it is actually becoming selfaware,” he said. “If this virus is allowed to spread, there’s no telling what it could do to our global telecommunications systems. We
“I swear if my iPhone tells me to ‘put my hands in the air’ or ‘shake that boom boom’ one more time I’m going to send it down the garbage disposal.” —Amy Gillen, U of O sociology major
could have another Y2K on our hands here.” In order to combat the spread of this potentially world-ending computer virus, Apple is suggesting that iTunes users simply ignore the problem and it will go away. “At this point, we’re pretty sure that this virus runs on Slender Man rules,” said Cook. “So, the more you believe in Pitbull’s music, the stronger it becomes. Our advice: listen to literally anything else.”
Photo: Rémi Yuan, edits by Marta Kierkus
these events are unprecedented in the field
Photo: Eva Rinaldi, CC, Edits Marta Kierkus
End of Ford mayoral dynasty leads to nationwide anxiety Financial, cultural capital in Canada expected to nosedive on Kyle Darbys
Tomato Editor
During last Monday’s municipal elections, the world watched in shock as the Ford mayoral dynasty came to an abrupt end in Toronto. This election result sent shockwaves throughout the country, prompting at least one Ford supporter to claim “it’s like ISIS coming to Toronto.” While factually inaccurate, recent reports suggest that this kind of sentiment is not unwarranted, as the Fords’ recent election loss is expected to have a sizable negative impact on segments of Canada’s financial and cultural institutions. For one thing, financial experts claim that the production of Rob Ford jokes, Canada’s number one industry in 2013, is expected to take a big hit in the coming months. Even though the younger Ford brother managed to retain his old seat on Toronto city
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council, certain key figures in the industry point out that making jokes at the expense of an obnoxious, selfdestructive city council person is not nearly as funny (or profitable) as making jokes about an obnoxious, self-destructive big city mayor. Malcolm Kenneally, the owner of a dozen Rob Ford joke factories all over the country, says demand for Toronto mayor related humour by American talk shows and Canadian sketch comedy troupes has plummeted by at least 60 per cent over the last couple months. “Because of this, we’re expected to lay off several thousand employees by year’s end,” said Kenneally. “I guess I should have seen this coming back in September. Once Rob was diagnosed with cancer, making fun of him was never the same.” Canada’s tourism revenue is also expected to take a dive in 2015, mostly because people from around the world seem to collectively agree
that, without the bombastic presence of Rob Ford in Toronto, Canada is “boring” again. “We’re really going to have to bump up our promotional campaigns if we want to get these tourists back,” said Rachel Lee, chief marketing officer at the Canadian Tourism Commission. “Instead of highlighting Canada’s natural geographic beauty and diversity like we usually do, our new promos will resemble the cover of a tabloid newspaper. That should grab people’s attention.” In order to stem the tide of encroaching economic and cultural despair, newly elected Toronto mayor John Tory has told Canadian citizens that he is willing to shape up and become a much more interesting political figurehead. “My staff and I have devised a plan to get me hooked on painkillers and crystal meth immediately,” Tory told the press. “Moreover, we have
Closed down Rob Ford joke factory
been working with a language coach around the clock in the hopes that I will adopt a more lewd and crude vocabulary. You got that, you fucks?” Despite Tory’s assurances, many are skeptical that the mayor will be able to regain the world’s interest in Canada’s cultural and financial
Photo: sabotrax, CC. Eidts Marta Kierkus
institutions with his newly adopted persona. “I sincerely doubt that Tory can generate the same kind of business that Rob Ford did,” said Kenneally. “Besides, there’s nothing funny about a politician who’s trying way too hard to be sleazy.”
THE TOMATO | 31
Dear Di,
My good fortune in frosh fornicating has continued until now, but with more girls entering my man cave these days, I’m getting more iffy about where they’ve been and what they’ve done. Is it rude to ask if they’ve been tested for STIs? I don’t want to kill the vibe but I know it isn’t always easy to know if you have something down there or not.
—Bangin’ Round the Block
Dear BRB,
Paying close attention to your health down under is as important as being careful about who you let into your cave. There are many kinds of STIs, and lots of differences in how and when they can appear, if at all. Regular checkups, ideally after each partner, are the only tried and true way to stay safe in the sack. Many STIs may not appear for four to six weeks after intercourse, or may lie dormant for a longer period of time. This exposes you and any of your erotic partners to problems. A checkup usually involves questions about your sexual history and blood or urine tests, so it’s a little invasive but definitely worth the trip. When we’re talking about your health, I don’t believe it is ever rude to ask your sexual partner about their history. But make sure you know the context. If it’s 3 a.m. and you’ve waited to ask the girl from the club, your sexual desire may trump your inquiry pre-intercourse. And if your partner says they haven’t been tested, you have a decision to make, my fornicating friend. You have two heads to guide you—in this case, the head up north will serve you better. While I wish you fortune, be careful and keep your penis protected at all times. I’m hoping you’ve used protection with all your female friends and I encourage you to continue to do so. However, condoms don’t protect against all STIs–like HPV and herpes–so regular checkups and sack smarts will keep your member feeling mighty.
Love, Di
32 | DISTRACTIONS
Dear Di,
I could swear that I’m living in the Sahara Desert. I’m in the middle of one of the driest, no-sex seasons of my life and my sexual frustration has me wanting to blow off more than just steam. I’m really not down for a quick one night stand, so I want to buy a sex toy. My friend recently got a vibrator and she loves it. I’m a little intimidated by the thought of going to a sex store though, because I have no experience in the world of adult fun. What do you suggest to relieve a little sexual frustration?
DISTRACTIONS
DISTRACTIONS
FEATURES EDITOR Jesse Colautti
features@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260
Your pain threshold increases during sexual arousal, which is why spanking and hair pulling can give some people those wicked good feels. Layer on the lube! Fifty per cent of people say it’s easier to orgasm when their engine is well-oiled.
—Getting the Right Vibes
Dear GRV,
This is a common conundrum among my fellow gals, and I sympathize with your feeling that there’s still a stigma attached to women’s pleasure toys. Believe me when I say there’s no need to worry. The great thing is that sex store employees are some of the friendliest folk around. My favourite store is Venus Envy, but there’s also Wicked Wanda’s, Adult Fun Superstore, and a few others in the Ottawa area. No matter your level of sexpertise, go in and ask some questions. They’re there to help. Most importantly, don’t be embarrassed; the journey of 1,000 great orgasms starts with a single touch. If you want some company, ask one of your close friends if they’d be down to come with you. Sex toys are really about what works for you. What’s best for one doesn’t work for all. Knowing a little bit about yourself and what you like will help you out a lot, so get friendly with yourself before you go shopping. For your first toy, it’s best to try something with different speeds and on the inexpensive side. You may also want to consider how discreet (noise, colour, etc.) your toy is. There are a variety of prices, materials, sizes, colours, and speeds to sample. You won’t know till you try it, so get vibrating! The pleasure will be all yours..
Love, Di
thefulcrum.ca
Nov. 6 to Nov. 23 2014
THRYLLABUS
Thursday, Nov. 6 David Marin, National Arts Centre — 7:30 pm Cheap tickets available for students through Live Rush.
The Supersuckers w/ The Red Rails, and In Heat, Mavericks — 8:00 pm O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Bytowne Cinema — 9:20 pm Ethnic, Linguistic and Religious Minorities in Europe: Rising Intolerance?, FSS Building — 12:00 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 7 Men’s & Women’s Basketball Home Openers vs. McMaster, Montpetit Hall — 6 p.m. & 8 p.m. Pride begins playing at Bytowne Cinema The Making of the Room & Live Script Reading, Mayfair Theatre — 9:30 p.m. Followed by the Room at 11:30 p.m., widely considered to be the worst movie of all-time.
Young Lady in White begins its 8 day run at the Arts Court Theatre
MUSIC arts Sports FUN Thinking
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$20 dollar tickets for students available
Saturday, Nov. 8 Men’s & Women’s Basketball vs. Brock, Montpetit Hall — 6 p.m. & 8 p.m. Electric Pow Wow, Babylon Club — 10 p.m.
Ottawa Senators vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, Canadian Tire Centre — 6:00 pm
Monday, Nov. 10 Debate: Should Canadians be compelled to vote in federal elections? FSS Building — 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 11 Betraying the Matyrs with Reflections, Invent Animate, and Greylights, Mavericks — 6:00 pm ($15 advance tickets available) The 32nd Annual Signatures Show begins at the Ottawa Convention Centre A juried artisan show featuring a collection of over 175 of Canada’s finest artists, artisans, and designers. Tickets available for $10
Thursday, Nov. 13 Lisa Leblanc with The Steamers, Ritual Nightclub — 8 p.m. Human Rights in Decline? Redefining Dignity in a World of Extremes, Faculty of Social Sciences Building — 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 14 Whiplash begins playing at Bytowne Cinema Fair Trade Fashion Show, 1830 Kilborn Avenue — 3 p.m. The Shape of a Girl begins a 3 day run at Avalon Studio. $10 tickets available for students.
Sunday, Nov. 16 Mod Club, Babylon — 10 p.m. (free) Sandy Hill Craft Fair, Sandy Hill Community Center — 10 a.m. (free)
Tuesday, Nov. 18 Social Animals, The Rainbow Bistro — 9 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 19 The Skeleton Twins begins showing at Bytowne Cinema High Ends w/ Close Talker, Mavericks — 8 p.m. The Extremely Short Play Festival begins at the Arts Court 10 short plays all performed by 4 actors playing the various different characters.
Friday, Nov. 21 The Theory of Everything begins showing at Bytowne Cinema Chris Hadfield Live at the NAC — 8 p.m. Fiddler on the Roof begins its run at Centrepoint Theatre
Saturday, Nov. 22 Women’s volleyball vs. Nipissing, Montpetit Gym — 2 p.m. Women’s Hockey vs. McGill, uOttawa Minto Sports Complex — 7 p.m.
Julian Taylor Band and Farewell Davidson, Zaphod Beeblebrox — 9 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 15
Buck 65, National Arts Centre — 7:30 p.m.
Ottawa Senators vs. Winnipeg Jets, Canadian Tire Centre — 7 p.m.
Just for Laughs Comedy Tour, National Arts Centre — 7 p.m.
Ottawa Senators vs. St. Louis Blues, Canadian Tire Centre — 3:00 pm
Eastern European Bloc Party, 1848 Bar — 9 p.m.
Eric Church, Canadian Tire Centre — 7 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 23
Sunday, Nov. 9
Amos the Transparent, Neat Coffee Shop — 8 p.m.
Toughen Up! Freeplay Pinball & Vids, House of Targ — 9:00 pm ($5 cover)
Alex Silas & The Subterraneans, Ritual Nightclub — 8:30 p.m.
Women’s volleyball vs. York, Montpetit Gym — 2 p.m. Checkers Club, Hintonburg Public House — 3 p.m.
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR “Free will” does not exist Dear Editor, The Philosophical Sh*t section of the Fulcrum is a thoughtprovoking addition by the staff to this year’s issues, and Natasha Lomonossoff’s article of last week is a positive contribution. However, her core thesis that “free will” guides the behaviour of us all is mistaken, as evidenced by the difficulty for anyone in defining what “free will” actually is. Of course we all free to decide and act upon whatever our intentions may be—but our intentions themselves are conditioned by biological and life circumstances. As the late philosopher Bertrand Russell said, you can choose what you will, but you cannot will what you will. Lomonossoff asserts that we are all responsible for our own actions, including how hard to choose to study, and she is correct. However, the concept of “responsibility” should be understood as one’s capacity to be adjusted towards new and better intentions, not as the idea that we all control our own intentions as if our minds existed apart from the material world. You are “responsible” for your poor grades to the extent that circumstances or people should be altering your intentions, but not if your nature is beyond all possible help. All these arguments may seem semantic or so abstract as to be meaningless, but the concept of “free will” actually has harmful impacts in the real world. Lomonossoff does not argue so herself, but notions of free will intrinsically justify “revenge” as a legitimate public policy in the eyes of millions of Canadians. Consequently, enough politicians advance increased incarceration to punish “bad souls,” even though revenge is only an intuitive feeling that denies the reality that every criminal is the product of bad genes, bad upbringing, or bad ideas. A rational justice system punishes only to the extent that punishment will transform a person with criminal intentions into a citizen with non-criminal intentions, but not to the extent of punishment for the sake of giving bad souls what they “deserve.” We do all have our own choices to make, but we must understand that the course of history constrains the kind of choices that come to our minds. Those who should have known better in their choices are those who needed the most help but did not get it.
Stefan Klietsch Fourth-year political science
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EDITORIAL
Volume 75, Issue 11, NOVEMBER 6, 2014 Jet-setting since 1942. Phone: (613) 562-5261 | Fax: (613) 562-5259 631 King Edward Ave. Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Recycle this or we’ll lose your luggage.
Getting what you pay for
staff Sabrina “Andorra” Nemis Editor-in-Chief editor@thefulcum.ca Adam “Antarctica” Ashby Gibbard Production Manager production@thefulcrum.ca Adam “Austria” Feibel Managing Editor content@thefulcrum.ca Marta “Poland” Kierkus Visual Editor visual@thefulcrum.ca Nadia “Namibia” Drissi El-Bouzaidi News Editor news@thefulcrum.ca Jessica “Eritrea” Eritou Arts & Culture Editor arts@thefulcrum.ca Jesse “Togo” Colautti Features Editor features@thefulcrum.ca Sarah “Japan” Nolette Sports Editor sports@thefulcrum.ca Kyle “Isle of Man” Darbyson Opinions Editor opinions@thefulcrum.ca Spencer “South Africa” Van Dyk Online Editor online@thefulcrum.ca Spencer “Maldives” Murdock Staff Reporter
People came out in droves for the Panda Game
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Remi “Romania” Yuan Staff Photographer Lindsay “Lesotho” MacMillan Associate News Editor Moussa “Macau” Sangaré-Ponce Associate Online Editor Annalise “Azerbaijan” Mathers Associate Features Editor Savannah “San Marino” Awde Staff Proofreader Chantale “Seychelles” Streeting Webmaster Deidre “Bolivia” Butters Ad Manager ads@thefulcrum.ca Andrew “Hong Kong” Hawley General Manager manager@thefulcrum.ca
Contributors L. A. “Bhutan” Bonte Brennan “Bouvet Island” Bova Janoah “Jamaica” Willsie Menrika “Malta” Christian Maxime “Liechtenstein” Le David “Cape Verde” Campion-Smith Raghad “Reunion” Sheikh-Khalil Garry “Guernsey” Balaganthan Justin “Jordan” Dallaire Madison “Malaysia” McSweeney Chelsea “Chile” McManus Stephanie “Palau” Piamonte Claudia “Comoros” Lee Miriam ”Senegal” Saslove Rolando “Russia” Ramirez Clare “Yemen” Yacyshyn Katherine “Kenya” McCarron Drew Elizabeth “Ecuador” Ayotte Shanaya “Saint Lucia” Sarin
Cover art A) CLAUDIA LEE winner of the fulcrum travel issue photo contest see travel issue for photo story
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his year, for the first time, there is a cost of admission for students to all GeeGees games. Initially, the fee seems appalling given the low game attendance over the years. One of the things Fulcrum sports reporters have noticed is that compared with other schools, our teams don’t seem to generate the same level of school pride, regardless of how well they’re performing.
The University of Ottawa, being an intercity school, has a reputation for not having the strongest sense of community. Sports games are just one of the ways that manifests itself, but with half-empty rows of seats to cheer on a winning team, it can be striking. Even across town, the first-ranked Carleton Ravens often sell out their men’s basketball games, while our second-ranked team never comes close to accomplishing the same. Not charging for admission must have seemed like a way of encouraging people to come out and build up a sense
Photo: Marta Kierkus
of community by cheering together. However, there seem to be more people out at games this year and Julie Tam, assistant director of communications, marketing and information technology for sports services, confirms that attendance increased this year. Is it possible that charging admission has helped to increase the perceived value of our athletics? According to the endowment effect, a hypothesis put forward by behavioural economists, people are more likely to value something they own. By paying for a ticket or a season pass, students have ownership over the games they attend. The current cost for students to attend most Gee-Gees games is $4. Football is $8, and a student can join the Stampede for $25 and attend all games for the year—excluding the Panda Game and Capital Hoops—as well as receiving some swag and members-only deals. The Stampede is probably the biggest difference between this year and previous years. In the past, the biggest coordinated group going out
to games was the Jockey Club. It was a social club that organized parties, painted their faces, sold “Hung like a GeeGee” T-shirts, and cheered our teams on. Their attendance at games tended to be inconsistent and was centred around drinking alcohol. The introduction of admission fees would make it harder to organize a group of rowdy GeeGees coming to and paying for a game. The Stampede allows for all of this revelry at an affordable price, but it also makes room for those who want to cheer their teams on without being part of that particular scene. With the same group of people coming out, it creates a sense of familiarity for fans that can eventually create visible community. Tam confirms that not only has there been an increase in attendance over last year, but the audience is more engaged. She wrote in an email that sports services “(attributes) this to the efforts of the Stampede leaders to bring more students to games and to engage them more in cheering on our teams.” Paying money can create a sense of value, as long as the
price remains low. Students are likely to spend more than $4 going out to almost any other social gathering, and more than $25 going out for even one or two meals in the Market. The new Gee-Gees tickets are also comparable with other schools. Carleton University charges students between $3 for soccer and rugby games and $11 for football. While they do have a Varsity Pass that allows registered students to attend games for free, it doesn’t include football games. McGill charges students $5, while Queen’s offers free admission except for football playoffs, when students pay $10. While charging students to attend games is likely turning off some of the more casual fans, it’s provided a way to bring more dedicated fans together and show off the sense of community that can be found at the U of O. The entire student body rarely seems to come together, but there are pockets of community. We may not love paying for something that used to be free, but it is great to see more students out supporting our teams.
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