The Fulcrum - Vol 75 Issue 17

P.5

Hockey players sue

JHM Student

P.4

journalism awards

Battle of P.13 bytown

P.23

IN THIS ISSUE Petition for impeachment P.4

VP social Ikram Hamoud responds to critics

Profs of the highest order P.6

McRae and Andrew named to Order of Canada

Fuck buddies vs. booty calls P.7

U of O researchers define hookup culture terminology

Combining her passions P.10 Prof brings music and ecojustice together

JHM Student Journalism Awards P.13 The best from across Canada

Gees knock Ravens out of the sky P.21

Carleton loses first regularseason game in two years

Held to a lower standard P.24 Profs not bound by plagiarism policy

For a fresher tomorrow P.27 Government implements fart-free policy

NEWS Lawyer Lawrence Greenspon, and former player Andrew Creppin announced the lawsuit at a press conference on Jan. 13.

Team members launch class-action suit while two charged await February court appearance News Editor

A

lawyer representing former members of the University of Ottawa men’s hockey team announced they are filing a class-action lawsuit seeking a total of $6 million in damages from the university and its president Allan Rock.

Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi news@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260

"Sexual assault is a serious crime, but since offenders carry a huge stigma, it is particularly important to make sure that innocent people aren't accused." —Lawyer Lawrence Greenspon

Photo: Marta Kierkus

Former hockey players seek $6M from university in lawsuit Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi

NEWS EDITOR

Lawrence Greenspon, who represents more than half the former team, not including the two members currently facing charges, told reporters at a press conference on Jan. 13 that the university tarnished the reputations of all the players by suspending the team following revelations of an alleged sexual assault.

“Sexual assault is a serious crime, but since offenders carry a huge stigma, it is particularly important to make sure that innocent people aren’t accused,” said Greenspon.

News broke last March that some players had allegedly sexually assaulted a female Lakehead University student while the team was in Thunder Bay for two games.

In the wake of the news, the university administration fired head coach Réal Paiement, suspended the team for the current season, launched an internal investigation on the incident, and created a taskforce to report on the state of sexualized violence on campus.

In August, Thunder Bay police charged two men with sexual assault: captain Guillaume Donovan and assistant captain David Foucher.

The lawsuit states that when the university was notified of the allegations, president Rock “knew or ought to have known the identities of the two named team members,” and that his decision to suspend the entire team cast a “dark shadow of suspicion over all of the team players.”

The legal documents state the players suffered anxiety, harassment, saw their grades drop, and were barred from athletic functions. Several members were not allowed to attend their graduation ceremonies, and lost summer jobs.

Greenspon, also a U of O alumnus who gradu-

ated from common law in 1978, said the university has also hurt its own reputation by handling the situation the way it did.

He said he expects the lawsuit to take up to seven years to resolve.

Andrew Creppin, 24, the representative plaintiff in the suit, said he feels the way the university has handled the case has already negatively impacted his future success, and that he will forever be looked down upon.

“It was hard for us to even wear our coats out in public without being ridiculed,” said Creppin.

The documents state that on the night of the alleged assault, Creppin and three other members took teammate Stephen Blunden, who had fallen ill, to the hospital, and were not in the hotel. The documents say the illness could be due to excessive alcohol consumption, but Greenspon and Creppin refused to provide further comment.

When they returned to the hotel they learned they had missed a team meeting led by head coach Real Paiement at 4 a.m., where he informed the team about the alleged complaints, according to the documents. Blunden, alongside Donovan and Foucher, received three-game suspensions.

Reached for comment after the press conference, the university said it had not yet been served any documents regarding legal action and would review them when they do.

In a statement in August, Rock defended the decision to suspend the team, which he said was made based on recommendations from an independent report and not solely as a result of the police charges.

Foucher and Donovan last appeared in court on Jan. 13, when their case was pushed to a later date. Local duty counsel said the defence was still waiting for evidence to be made available.

Their next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 10.

Students petition for impeachment of Ikram Hamoud VP social responds to critics, promising more events Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi News Editor

Three vice-president socials of federated bodies have begun circulating a petition calling for the impeachment of Ikram Hamoud from her post as the vice-president social of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO).

Almost 500 students have signed the petition since mid-December, according to Hanna Fazal, vicepresident social of the Student Association of the Faculty of Arts.

The petition will needs at least 1,500 signatures in order to trigger a referendum, which would be decided by a majority vote with quorum set at five per cent of the undergrad student body.

Fazal began the petition alongside

4 | NEWS

Vice-president social Ikram Hamoud served a previous term on the SFUO as the vice-president of communications and services.

Photo: Sofia Hashi

Anne-Marie Cooke of the Science Students’ Association and Stephanie Meloche of the Undergraduate English Students’ Association.

“I think she should be impeached because she hasn’t been a good social,” Fazal wrote in an email to the Fulcrum.

“She hasn’t planned events, she’s made mistakes without taking blame or apologizing, she hasn’t proved herself and especially during the summer months (and) 101 week it was incredibly difficult working with her.”

Hamoud said she wasn’t aware of the petition for her impeachment.

“I didn’t even know that the vp socials were working on that,” said Hamoud. “I’ve always been open to feedback, I’ve always been open to communication with everyone that I

work with.”

She and SFUO president AnneMarie Roy said none of the executives have received formal complaints about Hamoud.

“My job is not to monitor what’s happening on Facebook and whatnot. I have to stay away from that … because a lot of people are really disrespectful,” said Hamoud.

Much of the criticism has taken place on social media, namely a Facebook group called SFUO Does Not Represent Me. “What’s happening on Facebook, typically, I like to take with a little grain of salt,” said Roy. The student reps initially planned to bring their petition forward at the next meeting of the Board of Administration on Jan. 18, but Fazal said it looks like they won’t have enough time to collect

enough signatures by then.

Hamoud said she has several events planned for the upcoming semester, including bar nights, the Winter Challenge, a Montreal trip over reading week, an anti-racism week, and a contest asking students to submit ideas for events they’d like to see happen.

The contest asks students to offer their suggestions for an accessible on-campus social event with a $9,000 budget.

On the other hand, some have used the contest as another way to criticize Hamoud.

As it currently stands, Hamoud’s term will conclude at the end of April, and she told the Fulcrum she doesn’t intend to run for an SFUO executive position in the general election next month.

thefulcrum.ca

U of O makes way for 24/7 dining hall—and mandatory meal plans

Student leaders label compulsory meal plans a cash grab Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi & Lindsay MacMillan

News Editor & Associate News Editor

T

he University of Ottawa’s Food Services is set to open a new buffet-style 24/7 dining hall, but student groups are concerned about the mandatory meal plans that, as of September 2015, first-year students living in all residences except Brooks, Hyman-Soloway, and the new Henderson residence will have to purchase.

Negotiations concerning the Friel residence are ongoing.

Both the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) and the Residents’ Association of the University of Ottawa (RAUO) have voiced their opposition to the mandatory meal plans as a means of paying for renovations.

RAUO president Gabrielle Read said firstyear students in residence “should not be the ones on which the financing for the new dining hall is relied upon.”

SFUO president Anne-Marie Roy denounced the university for funding the new dining hall “on the backs of the students.” She said she was “frustrated” by negotiations, because she feels the decisions had already been made.

“I also find it incredibly disrespectful to the students in the Friel residence that they would be forced to pay into a mandatory meal plan that’s not necessarily going to be fairly accessible,” said Roy. “Forcing students to eat in a dining hall that’s 12 blocks away from their homes is, in my opinion, absurd.”

The university will pay for 20 to 25 per cent of the renovation costs and Food Services revenue will cover the rest of the bill, according to representatives.

“All profits are reinvested into Food Services,” said Patrick Genest, director of Food Services, who added that the new system will be more cost-effective for students.

thefulcrum.ca

“I also find it incredibly disrespectful to the students in the Friel residence that they would be forced to pay into a mandatory meal plan that’s not necessarily going to be fairly accessible. Forcing students to eat in a dining hall that’s 12 blocks away from their homes is, in my opinion, absurd.”—Anne-Marie Roy, SFUO president

Myriam Hugron and Patrick Genest said they visited more than 20 campuses across North America, conducted 12 focus groups, and had 24 individual interviews with stakeholders on campus. Photo: Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi

A major change of the meal plan program is that students with meal plans will have unlimited access, “so you can go two times a day, you can go 10 times a day if you want,” said Genest. Currently students must buy all items individually from the dining hall at a set price.

“Already about 60 per cent of students buy meal plans,” he said, and if they don’t want to, “students do have the choice of changing from one residence to another.”

Construction has already begun on the dining hall and Jazzy restaurant, but disruptions will be minimal, with the bulk of the work being completed during the summer months, said Genest.

“It’s not about creating just a dining space,

it’s about creating a social living hub where people can sit and study,” Genest said of the new 650-seat facility.

The dining hall will also do away with disposal plates and utensils in favour of reusable dishes, much like the new Rideau Centre eatery opened this past summer.

“We’re getting rid of 95 per cent of our waste,” said Myriam Hugron, a marketing, communications, and special projects officer at Food Services.

Students will have a choice of a $3,400 five-day meal plan from Monday to Friday or Sunday to Thursday, which comes with $100 flex dollars. Students can opt to pay more for a seven-day plan. Food Services will also offer block plans of 25, 50, or 75 meals, with a

lower price per meal the more one buys.

Genest said his team is “currently exploring” kosher and halal options to offer to students.

Last year, several student groups asked Food Services to ban Sabra hummus products because of connections with the Israeli Defence Forces. “Sabra Hummus will continue to be sold on campus, but not in the new dining hall since we will not provide pre-packaged products in that location,” said Genest.

The specific details of the new meal plans will be released in the coming weeks, said Hugron, along with previews of the new facility.

Negotiations on the Friel meal plan are expected to be finalized by early February.

NEWS | 5

Two U of O profs awarded Order of Canada

Donald McRae and Caroline Andrew receive one of Canada’s highest civilian honours Chelsea McManus

Donald McRae

Staff Contributor

University of Ottawa professors Donald McRae and Caroline Andrew joined the ranks of the more than 6,000 people who have been inducted to the Order of Canada, when the Governor General of Canada, David Johnston, announced 95 new appointees at the end of 2014.

First established in 1967, the prestigious Canadian award recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community, and service to the nation.

Andrew was appointed to the Order of Canada, while McRae was deemed a Companion to the Order of Canada, the highest level of the Order, which recognizes international service or achievement.

A full professor at the Faculty of Law, McRae teaches contracts, international law, international trade law, and the law of the sea. His list of professional achievements includes consulting for the United Nations Secretary and providing legal counsel for the Government of Canada and the World Trade Organization.

During the negotiation of the Law of the Sea Treaty in the 1970s, while teaching at the University of British Columbia, McRae got involved in a multi-disciplinary major research project. “It was an intellectually fascinating time, an opportunity to work with people other than lawyers,” he said.

The experience helped focus McRae’s interest in the law of the sea. Later, he moved into

international trade law around the time of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.

McRae shows no signs of slowing. “I’m still doing work in the trade and investment area, I’ll still continue to do work on law of the sea, both writing about it and advising governments,” he said. “I don’t see any change.”

Caroline Andrew Andrew said she was shocked by the honour. “My research is very local, it’s around Ottawa and Gatineau, and so I never thought of it so much in a broader Canadian context, so I was totally surprised,” she said.

She has spent more than 30 years at the University of Ottawa, serving as the dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences from 1997 to 2005, and serves

as a full professor and the director of the Centre on Governance.

However, Andrew never expected to become a researcher in political science and urban studies. “I thought I was going to do a degree in history,” she said, but one of her professors told her she would be more suited to political science.

“Instead of saying, ‘What are you talking about, I’ll do what I want to do,’ I said, ‘Oh, OK, I’ll do political science,’” she said.

Over the years, Andrew’s research has focused on the question of how to create a more inclusive Canada, analyzing a variety of different factors including class variables, gender, and race.

“I think it’s really important for people to be able to come to an agreement to be allies around a project,” she said.

Andrew’s expertise on the role of women in society led her to be named the chair of the U of O’s task force on respect and equality last winter, charged with the task of submitting recommendations to the administration on how to combat sexualized violence on campus.

“The University of Ottawa

is delighted that two of its remarkable faculty members, Caroline Andrew and Donald McRae, have been named to the Order of Canada, an award which recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to community and service to the nation,” the university said in a statement.

“We are proud that these distinguished individuals are a part of the University of Ottawa community and we extend our sincerest congratulations to both of them for this well-deserved honour.”

—With files from Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi

U of O profs Donald McRae, top, and Caroline Andrew are among the 95 new appointees announced on Dec. 26. Photo: (Top) Courtesy of Don McRae Photo: Courtesy of Caroline Andrew

Navid Nasir was last seen near Tabaret Hall on Dec. 4.

Police release footage of missing Ottawa man last seen near Tabaret Hall 6 | NEWS

Photo:Courtesy of Ottawa Police

Ottawa police released video footage of 27-year-old Navid Nasir, who has been missing since Dec. 4.

Nasir was last seen near Tabaret Hall on the University of Ottawa campus at 10:30 p.m.

He’s described as Middle Eastern, 5’6” tall, and about 140 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes, and was last seen dressed in a black coat and pants, a black dress shirt, and black dress shoes.

Nasir is an Ottawa-based personal trainer, nutritionist, and martial artist. He graduated from the University of Ottawa in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ottawa Police Service East District Investigations Office at 613-236-1222 at extension 3566, the East Division Staff Sergeant’s Desk at extension 3212 or the Missing Person’s Unit at extension 2355.

—Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi

thefulcrum.ca

Social science defines difference between booty call and one night stand U of O researchers find women are better at labelling sexual relationships Aleks Kunarac Contributor

In response to the growing use of casual sex terminology in sexuality studies, a recent study from the University of Ottawa looks to identify strict definitions for the terms that are loosely used when we talk about hooking up.

“The purpose of this study was to verify, with a bigger sample: If we give people these definitions and we give them the terms, are they able to match up the right definitions?” said U of O sex researcher Jocelyn Wentland.

“And it turns out that, yeah, they very much (can).”

Recently published in the Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, the survey included 885 participants, mainly “highly educated” people under the age of 30.

The survey asked them about their own sexual experiences and had them identify the definitions for four terms: fuck buddy, friends with benefits, booty call, and one night stand.

Women proved to be more adept at defining the terms than their male counterparts.

That’s because of the greater risk casual sex poses to women, according to Wentland, such as pregnancy, social stigma, and violence.

“Women are just paying more attention to it because the names do matter, because they’re reflective of other behaviours, which are related to the costs for women in (ways that) just aren’t the same for men,” she said.

Wentland said she wasn’t surprised when participants who reported having no sexual experience

were not as adept at correctly identifying the four terms.

“If you haven’t gotten into the sexual game, I don’t expect you to be able to figure out the nuanced definition between a fuck buddy and a friend with benefits,” she said.

The specific type of sex the participants reported having didn’t affect their accuracy in defining the terms.

“It speaks to the pervasiveness of these relationships in our society that you don’t ever have to (have) had one, but you can tell me exactly how it works,” said Wentland.

But while the terms one night stand and booty call were easily iden-

Profs use Twitter to determine Canada’s happiest cities

tifiable, matching the correct definitions for friends with benefits and fuck buddies proved to be a more daunting task, especially for men.

The study is the first of its kind as it looks to set a standard for how these terms should be used. The first part of the study used focus groups to lay out the definitions of the terms.

“Terminology used is very important. If you dilute what you study, your results are even more diluted.

In the worst case scenario, you generate wrong conclusions,” said Elke Reissing, Wentland’s supervisor.

Wentland will soon release the third part of the study, which offers a more detailed description of how these sexual relationships work.

She’s also working on another study analyzing modern relationships, including what leads to sex between two people and how sex changes things afterward.

Students can participate in the study by visiting datingandsexsurvey.com.

Edits: Marta Kierkus

“If you haven’t gotten into the sexual game, I don’t expect you to be able to figure out the nuanced definition between a fuck buddy and a friend with benefits.”

—Jocelyn Wentland, U of O sex researcher

Vancouver Photo: CC Ted McGrath. Montreal Photo: Marcell Katona

Lindsay MacMillan Associate News Editor

Ottawa is one of the happiest cities in Canada, according to a recent Twitter study done by University of Ottawa researchers.

By analyzing tweets from six major Canadian cities—Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, and Halifax—researchers determined moods in each city relative to each other.

The study was conducted by the university’s Multimedia Communications Research Laboratory, led by director Abdulmotaleb El Saddik, who also holds positions as the research chair in ambient media and a professor at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Fellow U of O researchers Benjamin Guthier, Rajwa Alharthi, and Rana Abaalkhail also participated.

“Social media is the natural candidate for research in multimedia communications,” said El Saddik. “The goal was to see how the mood of a smart or technologically advanced city develops, and rectifying negative problems on the fly.”

From Dec. 4 to 10, researchers collected 132,181 tweets, which they analyzed to determine the human emotion behind them.

“Tweets are usually rich in information because every

thefulcrum.ca

poster is obliged to have short, concise sentences, sometimes using hashtags to explain details,” said El Saddik.

Before the study began, tweets with 47 different “emotion-word” hashtags were collected and had features—including location, emoticons, hashtags, and the actual words—extracted from them. These tweets trained a neural network that then collected and analyzed the actual tweets used.

A four-dimensional vector analysis used elements of pleasantness, arousal, dominance, and unpredictability to analyze the emotions of the tweets.

“Every emotion has positive and negative values within this four dimensional space,” said El Saddik. “For example, a hashtag ‘proud’ has positive values in dominance and pleasantness, while the hashtag ‘disgusting’ has negative values in pleasantness and arousal.”

Tweeters in Ottawa and Montreal had “stable, constant happiness” compared to the other cities, said El Saddik, while Edmonton was the “least happy” city on average.

El Saddik said it’s “too early to determine the reason, but falling oil prices at the time may have led to people (being) afraid of losing their jobs.”

In the morning, Vancouver and Montreal had 13.8 per cent

happier tweets than Edmonton. During the workday, Ottawa and Toronto became the happiest cities, with 7.8 and 8.6 per cent more happy tweets than Edmonton.

One surprising result, said El Saddik, was that Halifax appeared to be Canada’s party city. On Friday nights and weekends, the city had 17 per cent more happy tweets compared to Vancouver, the second-closest city.

Events also triggered sudden changes in mood. On Dec. 9, researchers noticed an upswing in happy tweets in Montreal and sad tweets from Vancouver. The Canadiens had just beaten the Canucks 3-1.

El Saddik said the next project involves analyzing the tweets collected over a larger period of time. “Now that we start to understand this data,” he said, “we can move onto a longer collection period and compare the tweets to major events occurring during that time. Further analysis on how events trigger tweets would be useful.”

He noted that Twitter analysis can get the same results as a 500-person survey easier and faster. By seeing the happiness levels of a city, politicians could better serve the public by reacting in “real-time” to complaints, he said.

NEWS | 7

U of O Innovations: Sociable songbirds Traditions transmit for the great tit, study finds birds carry on customs

The experiment found that traditions were passed down to younger generations of great tits. Photo: CC Darrel Birkett

Natasha Lomonossoff

The project

Contributor

A recent study shows that human beings aren’t the only animals that feel the need to network.

Researchers from the University of Ottawa have collaborated on a study published in the scientific journal Nature that looked at how an English breed of bird forms traditions, cultures, and interacts socially.

“We were interested in trying to see if cultural behaviours and learning can be detected in other species, besides humans,” said Julie Morand-Ferron, an assistant professor in the department of biology at the U of O. There have been attempts to see if animals conform to social behaviours as humans do before, but “many of these studies were targeted towards primates, who learn socially and conform to traditions,” she said.

The study was carried out by researchers from the University of Ottawa, Oxford University, the Australian National University, and the University of Exeter.

8 | NEWS

The researchers studied eight populations of great tit songbirds, because of their natural disposition to social interaction.

Two male birds in five of the populations were trained to slide a door on a puzzle box either to the left or to the right, revealing a mealworm as a reward. The remaining three populations were used as control groups; the birds were captured but not taught to slide the puzzle door.

The test subjects, now equipped with electronic tags to track the spread of their foraging techniques, were then released back into the wild.

The result The researchers discovered that the great tits put their networking skills to good use, and passed on behaviour learned in the lab to other birds. The birds were more likely to push the puzzle door in the direction they had been shown.

“If birds learn and explore by themselves, then pushing

the door should have been equal,” said Morand-Ferron.

“However, over 90 per cent of birds pushed on the left side when they saw it being done, as well as birds who pushed on the right when they observed it being done in that direction.”

They also discovered that this copy-cat behaviour was passed down to younger generations, said Morand-Ferron, even though only 40 per cent of the birds were still alive in the following year.

What’s next?

The findings have opened up the field for further insight in “how birds are influenced by tradition and how it persists,” said Morand-Ferron.

Future research will also look at scrounging, the practice of stealing food from one another. This ability could also influence the social learning between birds, because the researchers observed that the birds became more adept at scrounging mealworms retrieved from the puzzle boxes.

thefulcrum.ca

National News

Financial aid boost announced for 2015–16

Students will see increase in OSAP, new option for outstanding loan repayment Tina Todaro

The Dialog (George Brown College)

Protestors rally to denounce Dalhousie University’s course of action after 13 male students were revealed to be part of a sexually explicit Facebook group. Photo courtesy Nick Holland/The Watch

Men in Dalhousie dentistry scandal to take separate classes as external investigation starts Rachel Ward

CUP Labour Bureau Chief HALIFAX (CUP) — The president of Dalhousie University announced on Jan. 9 that the 13 dentistry students who were members of a Facebook group in which some posted misogynistic and sexually explicit comments have been barred from attending regular classes.

The group had previously been banned from degree-required clinical work.

“No woman who has been harmed by this will be sitting in a class next to one of the Facebook page members,” president Richard Florizone said at a press conference that afternoon.

Those men have been barred from regular classes, but may take classes remotely or in a separate on-campus classroom.

When questioned, Florizone did not explain the logistics of this decision.

The president also announced the school has commissioned an external task force to assess the dentistry department’s culture and policy.

The revelations from midDecember of misogynistic Facebook posts, sometimes directly naming female dentistry students, shook the Dalhousie community.

Some expressed outrage through the social media hashtag #dalhousiehateswomen, a public statement and an online petition to expel the men, which almost 50,000 people signed.

One man not participating in restorative justice process The school is undertaking a restorative justice process, one of the informal options in the sexual harassment policy. Fourteen women and 12 men are taking part, Florizone said.

thefulcrum.ca

“I understand the 13th elected not to take part,” he said, refusing to explain further.

All men involved will be assessed individually by an internal committee of dentistry professors called the Academic Standard Class Committee (ASCC). This is meant, according to the Dalhousie website, to determine whether the students meet professional standards.

At the press conference, Florizone confirmed the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario had asked for the names of the 13 to be released, which Florizone refused, citing privacy reasons. Several other provincial organizations have joined the call by speaking with media outlets.

At the press conference, Florizone said he did not know how many of the 14 women in the restorative justice process had been named on the Facebook page.

Four dentistry students wrote a letter three days earlier to say they disapproved of the process and felt pressured into participating. Florizone released a statement saying the school is dedicated to just process. He echoed that in this latest development.

“We care about everyone who has been harmed in this, even if they haven’t chosen to take part,” said Florizone. “What we’re hoping is that some of the other measures we’ve announced today, and this week— the suspension, the work of the ASCC, the broader task force— starts to meet some of their needs just as well.”

Faculty complaint yet to be addressed The school has yet to respond to a formal complaint filed on Dec. 21 by four faculty members: Francoise Baylis, Joce-

lyn Downie, Brian Noble, and Jacqueline Warwick.

The group said it wants a formal investigation through the Student Code of Conduct, as the women impacted can remain anonymous and the findings—including a clear decision on guilt—will be made public.

Florizone said the school is “working hard” on responding and will make another announcement. “We are still waiting,” the group said in a statement on Jan. 9.

The faculty group said it worries about the lack of a formal investigation to identify those involved, beyond simply saying 13 students were members. It also said nothing has been done to protect the reputations of male students not involved but about to graduate.

“What steps will the university take to ensure that all men who were involved in the Facebook group are identified and held accountable through various institutional processes?”

The faculty group, in the statement, said it supports the external investigation in the form of a presidential task force and headed by University of Ottawa professor Constance Backhouse. It wants a broader review, as well. “The president has clearly listened and responded, at least in part.”

University commissions external task force Backhouse will lead the Task Force on Misogyny, Sexism and Homophobia in Dalhousie University Faculty of Dentistry, a group of herself and two other members, which she will choose with the president. Dalhousie chose Backhouse because of her extensive background working on gender equality, according to the release.

TORONTO (CUP) — Ontario’s continued development of post-secondary loan and debt reduction strategies have resulted in a loan increase and an additional loan repayment option for students.

Helping post-secondary students repay their loans is part of the government of Ontario’s economic plan, according to The investigation will review the dentistry school only, by considering documents belonging to the university, interviews with people involved and submissions from dentistry students and faculty, according to the terms of reference.

Goals include answering questions such as when the Facebook group was created and whether others have ever existed, what policies exist regarding misogyny, sexism and homophobia, and what training students and faculty receive.

Missing from the list is analysis of the individuals’ involvement.

The task force is scheduled to wrap up on June 30, 2015 with two reports on policy change recommendations for both the dentistry school and the broader university. Florizone said results will be made public.

—With files from Sophie AllenBarron

the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) in a Dec. 8 press release.

The Ontario Student Assistance Program will increase the 2015–16 student loan limit by $5, to $155 per week for fulltime students, depending on their marital status.

While Ontario is adjusting student aid amounts to compensate for inflation, in the 2015–16 school year, the province will cap student debts to no more than $7,400 for a two-term academic year.

“Ontario is committed to making post-secondary education accessible based on a student’s ability to learn, not their ability to pay,” said MTCU Minister Reza Moridi. “By taking important steps to increase the amount of financial aid available to students, improve flexibility in the repayment process and tie debt caps to inflation, our government is ensuring that our student assistance programs remain sustainable and can continue to help all qualified students attend college or university, regardless of their income.”

The debt caps will also increase with inflation each year with repayable debt remaining at 60 per cent of the maximum amount of financial aid available to students.

“By indexing Ontario’s maximum student aid levels

annually to inflation, this will provide students with more information to help plan for their post-secondary expenses,” said Matthew Stewart, president of the College Student Alliance.

“At the same time, the Ontario Student Loan Rehabilitation Program will allow past borrowers to restore credit levels to good standing.”

According to MTCU, the 30 Per Cent Off Tuition Grant helped almost 230,000 students save $1,780 in the 2013– 14 school year.

The grant is only applicable to students applying to college, university or a private college directly from high school, with special eligibility exceptions for people with disabilities or for fourth- or fifth-year co-op students.

Ontario also introduced the new Ontario Student Loan Rehabilitation Program this month, which will help students who have defaulted on prior loans bring their loans back into good standing.

“We are pleased that Ontario has joined the other provinces in offering a debt rehabilitation program for students, which is especially helpful for students who are returning to school after being in the workforce, providing a clearer path into higher education.” said Jen Carter, president of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance.

NEWS | 9

ARTS &CULTURE

A&C EDITOR Jessica Eritou arts@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260

Toxic torts have major tunes for justice U of O professor sings and strums for benefit concert at the Black Sheep Inn

Jasmine van Schouwen & Jessica Eritou

Staff Contributor, Arts & Culture Editor

B

y day, professor Lynda Collins is best known for her work with the Centre for Environmental Law and Global Sustainability at the University of Ottawa.

But on weekends, you’ll see another side of her.

When she isn’t inspiring tomorrow’s generation of young environmental lawyers to work in one of the most challenging fields of Canadian law, she’s playing her music all across the continent.

Collins combined both passions into one for the first time on Jan. 11, when she brought her sweet, earthy acoustic sound to the Black Sheep Inn as part of a benefit concert for the Ecojustice Environmental Law Clinic at the U of O. Later in the evening she teamed up with singer-songwriter Larry Pegg on guitar, and finished with a jazz quintet.

Collins is one of Canada’s leading experts in the

Professor Lynda Collins combines her love of music and environmental justice together.

law and policy of toxic torts and an expert in the domestic and international law of environmental law and human rights.

Her contemporary folks stylings are influenced by the likes of Joni Mitchell, Ani DiFranco, Hawksley Workman, and Lola Jones. She has

Courtesy of Lynda Collins.

one solo album, LOVE, released in 2011.

“I’ve been playing guitar and writing for about 20 years and singing for even more,” said Collins.

Throughout that time, she’s travelled to venues all over Canada and the United States.

From the east to the west coast, Collins says she

The sweet and sticky taste of success

feels lucky to say she’s played in some of North America’s most vibrant regions, like San Francisco, Toronto, and Alaska.

“I usually do a gig two or three times a year.

It used to be a bit more, but I’ve performed in interesting places,” she said, having been unable to play as much as she used to as she tries to balance her work and her music. But to bring them together was a treat.

The Ecojustice Clinic, unique in Canada, allows law and science students to work on important issues in line with their values. The clinic has undertaken a few fundraising efforts to help mitigate the costs of running it.

But for professor Will Amos, the group’s director, the benefit concert was unique in its demonstration of professors’ commitment to the organization.

“We’ve done big fundraising events before, but we’re very excited about this one because it clearly demonstrates that the University of Ottawa professors are keen about ecojustice,” said Amos.

“They’re excited to keep it here. They wouldn’t be playing benefit concerts on the weekends if they weren’t.”

Creative writing professor makes history for her fantastical poems Jessica Eritou

Arts & Culture Editor Success comes in many forms. For Amal El-Mohtar, it’s come in the form of her favourite food.

The new University of Ottawa professor followed up her most recent book, an accidental creation called The Honey Month, with a record-breaking award win for her poem, “Turning the Leaves.”

El-Mohtar is the first woman to be a three-time winner of the Rhysling Award for Best Short Poem presented by the Science Fiction Poetry Association.

“Turning the Leaves” appeared in Apex Magazine, a monthly science fiction, fantasy, and horror publication. It

10 | ARTS & CULTURE

was the last issue with former editor-in-chief Lynne A. Thomas at the helm, and she had specially requested El-Mohtar to write a poem for it.

“There was something in the way she made the request that made me feel that I wanted to be writing a poem for her, in close of her tenure with the magazine which I thought she had done really spectacularly,” El-Mohtar recalls.

She says she was astounded to learn of her third win, since it helps break the mould of the award’s historical gravitation toward male poets.

“The membership (of the association) is quite balanced, but there is apparently quite a tendency for men to win. There

are a few names that just keep cropping up and those happen to be men’s names.”

She hopes her success will encourage more women to submit their work and prompt organizations to put more focus on women’s work.

El-Mohtar edits her own publication called Goblin Fruit, an online quarterly she cofounded in 2006.

“With Goblin Fruit I’m able to put more of women’s voices out there,” she says. “I can highlight them and showcase them by encouraging (them) to keep sending out their work.”

Goblin Fruit focuses more on genre and fantasy poetry rather than what she has seen in other science fiction poetry publications. “Space-

ships, space elevators … that’s cool, but we wanted to be doing something completely different.” Fantastical poetry treats history with an unusual perspective using mythic and surreal folkloric themes.

She’s not all about fiction and fantasy, though.

El-Mohtar published The Honey Month in 2010, the unintended result of a gripe with a sore throat while at a writer’s convention in New Jersey. She and another conference attendee bonded over their love for the sweet and sticky food and decided to swap gourmet honey samplings through the mail, comparing tasting notes for 28 consecutive days. The authors then assembled their notes

New U of O professor Amal El-Mohtar breaks a new record, while expanding her palette.

Courtesy of: Amal El-Mohtar.

into a book whose initial limited edition release was packaged with a special gift: a vial of honey, of course.

El-Mohtar says this winter will be an incredibly busy season. She’ll be writing literature reviews for NPR, editing Goblin Fruit, dabbling in podcasting, and collecting all of her work in hopes of publishing it in a single volume.

She’ll be doing this during her first semester teaching cre-

ative writing to third-year U of O students.

“I’ve chosen to teach a course that has a fairly strong fantasy focus because there are all sorts of reasons (that) genre literature is just fantastic, and has so much to offer in terms of both reading and writing it. So I’m really keen to get started on that.”

As for her sweet obsession with honey? “I can never get sick of it,” she says.

thefulcrum.ca

Why Sir John A. may be a tad overrated Happy 200th birthday to a man of many controversies Ganeshya Kaaneeshan & Jessica Eritou

Contributor, Arts & Culture Editor If you’re a history buff, you might already know that Canada’s first prime minister has about as many public perceptions as he has birthday candles this year.

Jan. 11 marked the 200th birthday of Sir John A. MacDonald, long regarded as the leading father of Confederation. That said, the man is perhaps more controversial these days than the majority of today’s world leaders.

According to Chris Pihlak, vice-president social of the University of Ottawa’s History Student Association, MacDonald was the architect that built up the Canadian Confederation—but one with many downfalls.

“I find him quite an interesting character,” he says. “His politics were detestable, but he remains oddly charismatic for myself, and statesmanlike in the eyes of most Canadians.”

By learning about MacDonald in history classes, Pihlak particularly remembers him to be a conflicted, complicated man.

“He was a complex character who may not have been particularly nice to others, and was an alcoholic. But he gained respect, popularity, and pride from people and was politically practical, while building up the Canadian Confederation. He doesn’t hold 21st century values.”

To see a different side of MacDonald, Pihlak recommends James Daschuk’s book, Clearing the Plains: Disease, Politics of Starvation, and the Loss of Aboriginal Life.

“It devotes a decent number of pages on the policies and actions that John A. helped to implement; it provides (an) explanation for what led to me characterizing him as a figure to which celebration of his life may be an overstatement.”

According to U of O history professor Damien-Claude Bélanger, “His legacy, to an extent, is a bit overblown, in the sense that if Canadians think about anything about the period, they can probably (only) name MacDonald, and many other significant figures are just forgotten. He’s assumed to be the principal architect of Confederation.”

Bélanger says MacDonald is one of many key players, in this time, but most go unnoticed.

“He was a successful political leader and at the same time he owes his success to the alliance he had with the conservatives of French speaking Canada.”

In fact, what he is known for historically should be looked at through a different lens.

“The fact that he turns towards the National

thefulcrum.ca

Sir John A. Facts: • He was a lawyer without obtaining a university education • His favourite alcoholic drinks were brandy and champagne • He saw his brother die in front of him by their family servant who struck him with a cane

Sir John A. MacDonald was the first to found what is known as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

• His portrait in the House of Commons has him depicted wearing royal uniform, while most Prime Ministers are painted wearing everyday attire Policy and economic protection, is a sign that he failed to negotiate (an) agreement with the US,” he says.

Bélanger suggests learning about other historical Canadian figures from MacDonald’s time period to get a better sense of what he owes his reputation to. George Brown, George-Étienne Cartier, and Joseph Howe are all great examples of people who helped form Canada politically.

Although some have harsh remarks about the first PM, he did help Canada tremendously by advocating the Trans-Canada Railway be built from coast to coast. MacDonald also founded the North West Mounted Police (now called the Royal Canadian Mounted Police) in 1873.

Even Sir John A. MacDonald’s birthday remains a matter of divisiveness. In his father’s journal, his birthday is recorded as Jan. 11, and his family celebrated that date as his birthday.

However, the registration of MacDonald’s birth is listed as Jan. 10, a day earlier.

In any case, for historians and all Canadians, it’s a time to remember John. A. MacDonald and recognize him for his contributions to the success of Canada, as well as reflecting on his scandalous reputation.

So, raise a glass to the founding father of Canada—or perhaps read up on the guy a little more before you decide whether to give him a toast.

ARTS & CULTURE | 11

Why it’s famous:

Jasmine Van schouwe n STAFF Contribu tor

Perhaps one of the most popular musical fantasy features and most-loved American films of all time, The Wizard of Oz is known for its innovative use of bright Technicolor. It remains a delightful and touching piece of American cinema, still adored to this day.

Why you haven’t seen it: This movie is often dismissed as a children’s movie. You figured you had better things to do than devote your time to a kid’s film about an innocent girl and her dog in a dream-like world with creepy Munchkins.

Why it might be tough to get through : If you’re not a Broadway enthusiast, the musical aspect of this movie, although not as hive-inducing as others, can get a little irritating. The not-so-subtle life lessons can feel a bit patronizing at times as well.

Why you should see it anyway: Not only is this an unavoidable movie for every child having grown up on this continent, it’s also profound and has had a vast cultural impact not only on the world of American film, but also on the LGBT community, having become a symbolic celebration of acceptance and community.

Famous lines: Dorothy: Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.

Dorothy: How do you talk if you don’t have a brain?

Scarecrow: Well, some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don’t they?

Dorothy: There’s no place like home.

Fun Facts: • Many of the Wicked Witch of the West’s scenes were either trimmed or deleted entirely, as Margaret Hamilton’s performance was thought too frightening for audiences.

• Judy Garland had to wear a painful corset-style device around her torso so that she would appear younger and flat-cheste d.

• The Scarecrow face makeup that Ray Bolger wore consisted of parts of rubber prosthetic with a woven pattern to suggest a cloth-like fabric. By the time the film was finished, the prosthetic had left a pattern of lines on his face that took more than a year to wear off completely.

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

12 | ARTS & CULTURE

thefulcrum.ca

thefulcrum.ca

| 13

The fulcrum picks

It’s easy to be apathetic about the state of the world. Much of what I’ve learned in university has made me frustrated about the persistence of ignorance, intolerance, and negligence among the decision-makers in whom we place so much of our trust and faith.

As a student journalist, it’s just as easy to feel helpless. With print readership dwindling and resources always stretched thin, so often it’s simpler to say the obvious, so much less of a hassle to share the story that everyone’s heard a hundred times before.

This special issue is meant to highlight the work of some of Canada’s most talented student journalists. Collected in the next seven pages are some of the Fulcrum staff’s favourite articles chosen from the finalists of this year’s John H. McDonald (JHM) Awards.

This year’s JHM Awards are being hosted by the Fulcrum as part of NASH, the 77th annual national student journalism conference, which runs Jan. 14–18 at the Ottawa Convention Centre.

What I find so inspiring about the work we’ve chosen to feature, as well as the work of all finalists, is that there was nothing easy about the work they created.

Rather than revert to pessimism or sarcasm, these journalists decided to do something about the issues and stories they saw around them. If nothing else, the JHM Awards are an annual reminder that there are many good people in this country committed to challenging the expected narrative and to risking the more difficult path.

The future of this country will be written not by those who summed up the problems facing us as unsolvable, but by those who had the courage to face these issues head on— those who took pencil and pad, a recorder or a camera, and decided to tell the rest of us a story.

These awards and this issue are a way of saying thanks.

—Jesse Colautti

FOR A FUll LIST OF FINALISTS sEE PG.20

RUNNERS UP

14 |

Nick Adams – The Ubyssey

I’m not much of a visual person. I prefer to connect to people through words, both spoken and written.

So, when something grabs at me visually, I can’t quantify it, I just know it’s hit a chord somewhere.

Nick Adams’ cover seems stark and defiant, and it draws me.

—Sabrina Nemis

SU P

Dramatic blue-lighting and a fantastic use of water make this an original and absolutely stunning portrait.

The stream of water being poured down and bursting in the diver’s hand is lit and executed perfectly, drawing one’s attention and tying everything together to create this powerful aquatic image.

—Marta Kierkus

cover

NER

The Diver.

Sean Trayner, The Gateway (SEE COVER)

RUN

Photo

thefulcrum.ca

HUMOUR

Breaking: Breezeway busy on Thursday night Laura Howells – The Muse

Howells expertly pokes fun at the comic absurdities that have come to define modern university life. Using broad archetypes like pretentious master’s students, overly politicized graduate students, and students suffering from alcohol dependency, this article paints a vivid and comedic picture of what it’s like to live (and drink beer) in an academic bubble.

—Kyle Darbyson

M

UN’s undergrad bar the Breezeway encountered an unexpected surge in profits this week after dozens of confused grad students stumbled onto the premises last Thursday.

With the temporary closure of the graduate students’ bar Bitters due to water damage, hundreds of masters and PhD candidates were left without shelter, fried food, or a space in which to discuss lofty ideas. Frightened, alone, and reaching dangerous levels of sobriety, several desperate students took to the streets, searching anywhere they could for a morsel of beer.

“It was such a surreal experience,” said one master’s student. “It was like no one cared about my thesis. It was like the world had forgotten that pre-medieval considerations of masculinity in prose

opinionS

even existed.”

Droves of grad students plodded through campus in search of refuge, before finally detecting the faint whiff of ale in the University Centre.

“At first I though I must be dreaming,” said one student. “Why would there be beer in a warehouse? But then I realized the baffling truth…this was an environment for complex patterns of undergraduate socialization.”

Several Breezeway bartenders experienced panic and shock when over 20 individuals entered the bar Thursday evening. Director of Student Life Dan Campbell himself was called down to help deal with the unprecedented traffic.

“I had never seen hats that weren’t backwards before,” said Breezeway bartender Matt Caul. “And so much tweed.

It flashes before my eyes when I go to bed at night.”

The grad students were initially overjoyed to consume alcohol of any form, however their gratitude soon faded to dissent.

“They kept screaming for Stella,” said another bartender. “I didn’t know what to do! They kept rebutting! I didn’t know students could speak!”

Several grad students began protesting what they called the institutional surrogating of the pool tables, with many presenting well-sourced arguments to Breezeway staff in a fit of outrage.

Breezeway regulars were equally disturbed by the unexpected disruption.

“I think I actually saw my economics professor,” said one undergrad in despair.

“I didn’t know he was allowed to leave his

office!”

“I tried to hit on this chick, and she tried to engage me in scholarly discussion,” said another. “Like, whoa, slow down. I’m not at the library for a reason, am I right?”

With Bitters set to be closed for at least another week, Campbell and the Breezeway staff are doing all they can to ease tensions at the bar. However, Campbell admits he is scared for open mic.

“If they want to complain about Iceberg, that’s their problem,” said Campbell. “But if they want to sing Leonard Cohen, that’s ours.”

To help aid the displaced grad students, the students’ union has started the campaign “Lager Education is a Right.” Non-Labatt beer items are gladly being accepted at the MUNSU office until next week.

Don’t call me inspirational Why we need to stop tokenizing disabled people Micaela Evans – The Peak

Outside of providing a much needed reminder of people’s patronizing attitudes towards the physically and mentally disabled, Micaela Evans’ article is subversive, scathing, and incredibly well-written; the common ingredients found in any worthwhile op-ed piece. Evans also succeeds by supplying her readers with a simple and common sense solution to a widespread problem.

—Kyle Darbyson

Y

ou don’t get to be called “inspirational” for living your everyday life. Inspirational is climbing Mount Everest, building a school in Africa, writing a novel, earning a degree — not completing everyday tasks such as going to school, brushing your teeth, hanging out with friends, or taking the bus.

Unless, of course, you happen to be disabled.

People with physical and mental disabilities get called inspirational on an almost daily basis, by strangers and friends alike. It’s happened to me countless times. It’s not as though most of these people have done anything remarkable to deserve such high praise — most of the time, they’re just living their lives, doing things that no one would think of calling inspirational were they done by anyone else. The word inspirational, and other words like it, are handed down to people like me in an attempt to congratulate us on how supposedly difficult our lives are on a daily basis.

What people don’t know when they use terms like this is that they aren’t compliments. People with disabilities don’t need to be congratulated for waking up in the morning or going to university. In fact, more often than not, these comments end up being more insulting than appreciative, because they imply that the disability is the defining factor in these people’s lives. It isn’t.

Those in wheelchairs, or with other physical or mental disabilities, receive these sorts of “compliments” all the time. People will often pat you on the head and tell you what a wonderful job you’re doing, just for living your life. One time, a teary-eyed woman approached me saying that she “also knows someone in a wheelchair,” and asking, “do you know them too?” Like there’s some secret club we all

thefulcrum.ca

belong to.

I’m used to being singled out in a crowd — seeing people’s eyes linger, feeling like an anomaly. Despite whatever good intentions people might have, it’s not okay to come up to someone with a disability and tell them how inspiring or courageous they are, especially if you don’t even know them. Though you may not realize it, doing this is just further objectifying people with disabilities, in order to make yourself feel better, not them.

One of the most prominent examples of this is a trend that comedian and disability activist Stella Young has termed “inspiration porn.” I’m referring to the countless photos across the Internet of socalled “inspiring” people with disabilities which end up garnering thousands of likes, comments, and shares. The captions are usually along the lines of: “What’s your excuse?” or my personal favourite: “The only disability in life is a bad attitude.”

The subtext at play here is that a disability — someone in a wheelchair, with an amputated limb, with a mental illness — is something to overcome, and a means of inspiring people who simply don’t have to deal with these issues. Disabilities here are portrayed as negative, and used by able bodied people to make them feel better about their own lives.

When viewing these images, the message seems to be that, no matter how bad you may feel your life is, at least you aren’t that person. At least you don’t have that form of a disability. At least you’re not one of them.

These images objectify disabled people because they assume that a disability is such a bad thing that anyone living with one is deserving of praise, just

for existing and continuing on. But, more often than not, the people in these photos lead regular, fully functional lives. Whether you like it or not, they don’t exist just to inspire you.

It’s almost an expectation at this point that a disabled person’s job is to inspire the people around them. It’s still uncommon for someone in a wheelchair to teach a university class or hold a high position in an office environment — instead, it’s become a stereotype that anyone in the spotlight or the media who’s in a wheelchair is there to inspire. As soon as we see their picture or hear them speak, we expect them to impart their own brand of powerful wisdom upon us.

I’m not saying you can’t admire someone in a wheelchair. Of course you can. Many of them go on to lead lives that impact others, and pave the way for those following in their footsteps, and they deserve all the praise they get. But we need to view these achievements like we would anyone else’s.

Disabled people are just as likely to be inspiring as able bodied people; it’s the distinction we draw that shows just how tokenized those with disabilities have become.

You should never let this line of thinking define how you see the people in your life with disabilities.

Disabled people are the same as anyone else in terms of our ability to accomplish daily tasks, make an impact, or inspire change; their disability is only one aspect of who they are.

After all, you wouldn’t approach a stranger, pat them on the head, and tell them that seeing them shop in the dollar store inspires you — so what’s the difference if that stranger happens to be on a pair of wheels?

| 15

News Protestors visit Laval immigration detention centre to commemorate Lindsay strikes Michelle Pucci — The Link

Pucci’s story stands apart in the news reporting category because of its wider scope. Her article addresses a widespread Canadian issue, how our government treats refugees, in addition to reporting on student interests and activities. Her story brought attention to an issue that otherwise would’ve been ignored.

—Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi

O

n Sept. 17, 2013, 191 immigrant detainees staged a peaceful protest after they were transferred from a Toronto detention centre to the maximumsecurity prison in Lindsay.

A few of them committed to a 60-day hunger strike.

The detainees felt isolated after being relocated more than an hour’s drive away from their families and lawyers.

“These are people who, maybe they had small charges, but most likely they just got picked up and didn’t have papers,” said Virginia Lee, one of the protest organizers. Lee is also part of the Prison Radio Show, which runs Fridays on McGill-based campus station CKUT. The strikers pointed out faults in Canada’s immigration detention methods, such as arbitrary detention. A working group of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights released a report calling Canada’s system “endless”—some migrants spend a decade in holding centres.

“The report basically says if you can’t deport them, they shouldn’t be in detention,” said Lee. “There isn’t any real way to plead your case and get out.”

The Lindsay strikers also demanded migrant detainees not be held in maximum-security prisons. These prisons offer less access to basic resources like showers, time outside and programs some detainees may need to complete before they can be freed or let out on bail. Migrants also have limited access to legal aid, including interpreters and pro bono representation.

The march Saturday in the east end of Laval was meant to also raise awareness of other issues linked to Canada’s justice system, including wage cuts felt by inmates working in prison-run factories.

The cuts last year

16 |

reduced wages by 30 per cent; before that, some inmates made up to $6.90 a day, but most received $3. A group of inmates in Ontario are suing the Canadian government for these cuts in a case that should be heard this fall.

“When the prisoner’s pay scale got set in the first place, room and board was factored into that $6.90 number, which hasn’t changed in over 30 years,” said Lee. As the protesters shouted these accusations through a sound system set up on the roof of a car, many inmates in one of the minimumsecurity buildings stood by their windows and waved.

In the yard behind a fourfoot chain-link fence, some of them even danced as AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” blared from the street. A young family stood on the porch of one of the centre’s “weekend homes” to watch the commotion.

“Part of the point of coming all the way out here is to let people know on the inside that we’re doing these protests,” Lee said.

Looking directly into the rooms of one of the minimum-security buildings—guarded by officers in colourful uniforms as part of their own protest against the provincial government’s pension reform legislation—it’s hard to imagine inmates enduring the depraved conditions often depicted on television.

Arash Aslani, an activist and former detainee, was held in the Laval centre for 11 months. He calls it a “human taming centre.”

“We’re not here to say the beds are dirty or the washrooms are not clean,” said Aslani. “My name is Arash, but nobody called me Arash, I was 205 Delta.”

Aslani, who left Iran in 2004, said he felt more like a criminal than a refugee.

“You left your country, you didn’t have a beautiful life in your country,” he said,

describing the situation of many migrants in holding centres. “And [guards] talk to you and say, ‘you are not allowed to do that,’ in a patronizing way.”

The visiting room of the immigration detention centre looks a lot like a public school cafeteria. Swivel chairs are bolted to round tables in a plain pink tiled room. While many joke about school being prison, there are fewer tears and hushed conversations in cafeterias.

Carlos Alfredo Gomez is a native El Salvadorian who came to Canada seven year ago. Gomez, his wife, mother-in-law and newborn son crossed the border in 2007 from the United States, where they had been living for two years.

After his two-year Canadian visa expired, Gomez continued to live in Canada without papers.

“We came to Canada for a better life, but here it’s worse,” he said in nearperfect French. “For us, who come from Central America, it’s impossible to get papers.”

Now he lives in the Laval holding centre with other illegal immigrants and struggles with family issues.

His wife died last year during surgery for a heart infection she couldn’t afford to get treated without health insurance.

And now her aunt, who immigrated legally to Canada during the civil war in El Salvador, is demanding custody of Gomez’s child.

“If I leave my son here, I will lose him completely,” he said. Gomez’s eight-yearold son has U.S. citizenship because he was born there, and has a better chance of staying in Canada than his father.

After spending three months in the Laval detention centre, Gomez was set to be deported this week, but will stay until at least next month for a court hearing on whether he can keep custody of his son.

ILLUSTRATION Lena Dunham Melissa Johns, Imprint

The use of black and white portions, blended with the bright hair and lips, is mesmerizing. The lines cutting off around the collar bone create an interesting, almost geometric look, and the overall image balances detail with simplicity, creating a beautiful portrait with a contemporary twist.

—Marta Kierkus

RUNNERS UP

thefulcrum.ca

Arts & Culture

Board Game revolution Collins Maina—The Gateway

Collins Maina’s Board Game Revolution piece was not only refreshing subject matter, but told in a great narrative that brings you right to what Maina was experiencing with Hexagon Board Game Café. It’s fresh, entertaining, and informative, all of which is crucial to arts and culture storytelling.

—Jessica Eritou

A

man strolls into the newly opened Hexagon Board Game Café and asks for a single- player game. Little does he know, he’ll be walking out those same doors, hours later, with a new friend by his side.

Café owner Randy Wong finds the man a game, and his solo quest sets off. Just moments later, another man walks in on his own with a similar predicament: none of his friends like playing board games.

Wong rapidly transforms into a board game matchmaker as he pairs the two up with a game to play together, and the two strangers are soon actively engaged in a blooming culture that’s quietly inching its way into North American society. As board game cafés are gradually becoming a thing of the past in parts of Europe and Asia, they are gaining popularity in North America — bringing with them the promise of a fresh social activity to Edmontonians.

This uptake of board gaming marks a similar journey for Wong and Kellie Ho, who together recently opened The Hexagon on Whyte Avenue after a year in Korea teaching English sparked their interest in starting a board game café. After many late nights playing Settlers of Catan with people from all over the world, they soon realized one thing they all had in common: their love of playing board games. These personal interactions forged them new social connections without the need of any swipes, posts or tweets. Meanwhile, in an age of widespread technology, people flaunt unbreakable fixations to their lit screens and relate with a sense of digital belonging. But, as people often forget to go back to basics, is the board game comeback a much needed wake-up call?

Not just for kids “You stole from me! Again! Who do you think you are!” Wong exclaims, imitating the emotional player.

Ho says some people still think that board games are childish, noting she has received a few confused reactions from some people when speaking about their new business.

“When I introduce people to our business…they will look at me like ‘What? That sounds so lame, do you just play Monopoly and Scrabble?’” she says.

That perception, however, is becoming more and more untrue as many re-connect with the activity.

“There’s always that stigma attached,” she says.

“Not so much these days because it’s sort of a board game revolution…board gaming is becoming sort of the cool thing to do now and I attribute that a lot to the games that are out there now.”

Ho says the rise of board game cafés and the development of more difficult games are challenging the stigma of board games being seen as something that’s just for kids. In fact, they’re now more dynamic than just a mere rolling of the dice, Wong explains. Carefully reading your fellow counterpart’s suspicious facial expressions or nervous demeanor could give you an edge and, maybe, a surprising lead.

“Sometimes you have to read people,” Wong says. “Sometimes you have to play the game like poker.”

What may seem to be a new social experience at face value is actually rooted at a more robust and diverse cultural core. Board game conventions are held across the world for the more devoted players, but games like the popular Cards Against Humanity provide options for people who want to have a light-

thefulcrum.ca

hearted, fun experience.

The illusion that many games are complex and difficult also turn some people away from engaging in this experience.

Brian Flowers, sole owner of Edmonton’s successful Table Top Café — Alberta’s first board game café — brings the friendly spirit, familiar to those who frequent board game conventions, back to his establishment by teaching and helping customers learn new games. Ho and Wong also follow suit alongside their small staff nicknamed the “Hexperts.”

Diverse games for diverse crowds When Wong and Ho think of board games they played growing up, the classics Monopoly, Scrabble and Clue come to mind. But a lot has changed since then with the rise of strategic games, as well as a wide variety of games that span across countless of individual interests. Farming, war, intergalactic domination, resource management and trade are just a few examples of the ample palette to choose from.

“Board games are for everyone. You can find a game for people of all ages,” Ho says, attributing the success of the growing culture to the diverse set of games being produced now.

The differences and unique nature of current board games has led to their perception as less boring, Ho explains. In a game such as Monopoly, playing it several times significantly reduces that beginner’s thrill as common patterns and predictability start to prevail. But, with ever-changing games such as Settlers of Catan — which arguably jump-started the current board game culture — there’s still a challenge retained even after countless times playing it, she continues.

Wong and Ho estimate they’ve each played around 1,000 games of Settlers of Catan in the past ten years with their friends.

“There’s a little bit of everything in that game,” Ho reflects, “It’s got probability, it’s got strategy, people always say there’s luck in it but I’d probably say there’s only one per cent luck based on your dice rolling.”

With the development of more “sophisticated and dynamic” games, Ho says, there is evidently not much of a generational divide in terms of board game players.

Even though Wong, Ho and Flowers have large amounts of twenty-somethings and university students for customers, they have also had families, children and elderly couples visit their establishments repeatedly.

Ho and Wong’s initial aim was to create a laidback space for university students and young professionals who have moved past the bar or club scene and are looking to interact in a more relaxed social setting. They encourage being social and meeting new people.

As the culture of board gaming transcends generations, it’s also providing an alternative for video game enthusiasts. Flowers says many video game testers from BioWare Corp., an Edmontonbased video game developer, retreat to his café looking for games they can play without a computer.

He claims the space he has created is a place where people can escape from the hustle and bustle of life and interact with the people in front of them.

But is technology really an outcast in the world of board gaming? Flowers doesn’t fully agree.

Innovation and persistence exist at the core of human ingenuity and so is our inability to fully let

go of our digital life-supports, he says. Technology doesn’t necessarily play the villain in this scenario, as it has taken on a more complementary nature.

“I think, if anything, that it is helping more than anything else,” Flowers says, noting how tech streamlines many things and gets people interested.

Social media plays a key part in his “word of mouth” promotion strategy, he says.

Android and iPhone application stores host numerous board game apps. With digital versions of favourite games just a swipe away, it’s easy to assume that people may play less physical board games. But a closer look may reveal the opposite.

“Although you can buy the app, it is never going to be the same as playing it in person,” Flowers says.

“It is blurring the lines.”

A new social experience The mood in the room resembles the teeter of a grandfather clock’s pendulum, unable to decide which side to take. Within the fun and friendly atmosphere, jokes and laughter abruptly turn into minimal conversation and tension without a moment’s notice. The noise of everyone’s mental strategizing pervades the silent room as winning tactics from the past are dredged up and dusted off for social combat.

For both Ho and Wong, board gaming is all about face-to-face social interaction. With large tables, a clean design and a heap of enthusiasm for what they call their “labour of love,” the two hope to create a space where friends can sit and interact in a low-key setting.

“Board gaming allows you to be more social,” Ho says. “You can communicate in ways other than speech or writing.”

Body language, the collateral damage of the 21st century’s technological rampage, has rebuilt itself within this low-tech arena. Body language brings back that physicality lost in video games’ isolation between human and screen. The presence of physicality, or the temporary withdrawal from our digital worlds, marks the return of social interpersonal competition, Ho remarks.

“It brings out a competitive edge that you might not normally have in a day-to-day setting,” she says.

Flowers, whose intimate home-themed business will reach the one year mark in October, shares similar views on this third medium of communication that board gaming gauges. Drawing from his own experiences, Flowers says he isn’t the best conversationalist — and neither are his friends.

Rambling on for hours happens from time to time, but there are many moments when discussions fail to take a life of their own. But any time they are playing a game there is always something to break the ice and get the conversation flowing, he reminisces. At the core of it all, it seems it’s all about social interaction and sharing moments with friends.

“Board games let everyone bring their friends in on it,” Flowers says. “There’s all these different ways of reaching people who were not reachable before.”

For Wong, it helped create friendships. “It was the one commonality we had in a group with people from all over the world,” he says. “We are so connected in this world… we just want people to get out and meet new people.”

With the latest addition of a second board game café in Edmonton, a promising — and possibly unexpected — series of events lie ahead for those friends, or strangers, willing to share a table.

| 17

Features

On the outside looking in Nick Faris — Queen’s Journal

CFaris humanizes a story that is too often told through stereotypes and statistics. What makes this article so compelling is the way Faris explores all stakeholders and facets of homelessness in Kingston, while still enriching the narrative with the very personal story of a frequently homeless man and his dog.

—Jesse Colautti

E

leven years ago, Scott fell off a 12-storey roof.

It happened in London, Ont., where he’d taken a covert roofing job to compensate for a lack of hours and pay with a landscaping company.

He survived the plummet, but shattered his entire left ribcage, smashed his solar plexus and cracked his left shoulder blade in half. Since then, the fall has led to far greater misfortune.

“That [job] was under the table, so worker’s comp wouldn’t cover that,” said Scott, who asked that his last name be omitted.

“I was on [Ontario Works financial assistance], and at the time, that wasn’t enough to pay my rent, so I ended up sleeping on the streets for a little while.”

Since his fall, Scott has been homeless on four occasions times. He now lives in a meager apartment in Kingston, and while his experience is somewhat stable for the moment, it’s hardly unique in town.

According to the City of Kingston, 818 individuals spent time in local shelters in 2012. With just a small monthly stipend from Ontario Works to rely on, Scott is essentially on the brink. He’s applying for funding from the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), but all his requests to date have been denied. For Scott and Kingston’s homeless, survival is a daily endeavour.

“If you want to get off the street, you got a choice: move into a small room for all your money [or] live with a bunch of drug addicts,” he said.

“Once you get into it, it becomes a friggin’ cycle.” *** The City’s goal is to eliminate long-term homelessness — and to do it soon.

Last Thursday, the City of Kingston approved the 10-Year Municipal Housing & Homelessness Plan, which represents a drastic shift in policy from Kingston’s previous approach to vagrancy.

It’s an ambitious set of objectives that, if successful, will provide 80 per cent of chronically homeless Kingstonians with stable housing by 2023.

The Plan defines chronic homelessness as a year-long absence of stable housing, or four separate bouts of homelessness over three years.

Perhaps the most notable change is an immediate ideological shift — one that seeks to eradicate homelessness, rather than simply manage it.

“Managing [means] that we’re offering services that are going towards those that are homeless, but they’re not getting at the root causes of a person’s homelessness,” said Sheldon Laidman, the director of the City’s housing department.

According to Laidman, external research suggests that 20 per cent of a city’s homeless population can be classified as chronic, and these individuals can cost the City and related services around $62,000 a year — over triple the cost of care for a regular homeless person.

Over the next decade, the Plan hopes to ensure that no Kingston resident is homeless for longer than a month.

“The plan isn’t naïve to think that there will be no homeless people, but it defines homelessness as a system where people are only homeless for a short period of time,” Laidman said.

The task of quantifying Kingston’s homeless population began on Oct. 16, when the City conducted its first-ever Point in Time count.

Over a hundred volunteers surveyed homeless people throughout the downtown area to gain demographic data. Laidman said the goal was to evaluate Kingston’s homeless situation on that specific evening.

On Oct. 18, the Journal reported that several volunteers, shelter workers and homeless individuals were concerned with the procedure and accuracy of the survey.

Still, Laidman said the City plans to conduct a similar Point in Time count every two years. Final results from the October survey are expected by the end of December. *** The dog at Scott’s feet is three years old, jet black with a shade of brown across his back, lying obediently among

18 |

a stream of pedestrians. He’s a Rottweiler and black lab mix. His name is Kon. Scott and Kon have been together since the latter’s birth, in and out of temporary and makeshift homes. Most days, Scott finds a quiet spot on Princess St., unfurls a tattered blanket and lays out two silver dog bowls.

The dog keeps Scott company, out of trouble, away from danger. Trouble and danger intercede in Kon’s life, like uninvited guests, and Scott does his best to shoo them away.

It isn’t always easy. Last year, Scott moved into a boarding house in Kingston with Kon, only to discover that their fellow lodgers were selling crack and meth out of the residence.

The police realized it, too.

“The door got kicked in and [Kon] almost got shot, so I left. I just walked out,” Scott said. “That was in the summertime, thankfully, so I spent a couple months camping out.”

Eventually, man and dog were taken in by Home Base Housing, which provides affordable living accommodation to needy Kingstonians.

When money runs thin, which it often does, they panhandle.

At first, Scott didn’t like the idea. It conjured images of a meek, undignified beggar pleading for a pittance of change, frail palm outstretched as the fortunate sped by, blissfully or awkwardly unaware.

That vision’s changed.

“For me, it’s actually a godsend,” Scott said. “I’m antisocial and stuff, so this is therapy. I talk to people that I would never talk to. You learn different stories and different things.”

When four hours on the street is too much to bear, there are other places Scott turns to for help. With limited income and a dog to care for, a cheap meal at Martha’s Table or the Salvation Army can be his best bet for sustenance.

“There is a lot of help out there,” he said. “There’s no reason to go hungry in this city, that’s for sure.” *** Help can be a conversation, a bundle of clothing or a meal.

All three are offered at Lunch by George, a drop-in food provider located in the upstairs wing of St. George’s Cathedral on Wellington St. The program operates every weekday morning, handing out cups of coffee at 9 a.m., a bowl of soup at 10 and a full lunch at 11.

Their clientele fluctuates week by week, according to board member Peter Gower, but daily numbers can get up to 70 based on financial circumstances. “We know that our numbers spike toward the third week of the month, which is when the welfare cheques run out,” Gower said.

“We’re assuming that most of our people have difficulty making either their welfare cheque or their pay cheque run for a whole month.

“I suspect that for some of our people, that mid-day meal is probably their only meal of the day — certainly their major meal,” he added.

The food service operates on a non-judgmental, anonymous basis. Any customer is welcome, and all sorts of Kingstonians take advantage.

“We try to give some sort of dignity to people that could well spend two, three hours in the morning wandering somewhere,” Gower said. “We bring them together — they can share information on where else to go.”

One regular customer is Gary, a former millwright who’s been homeless since moving to Kingston in 2009. He receives around $1,140 per month from ODSP, which isn’t enough to afford regular housing.

Instead, he lives in a motel, trekking to Lunch by George or a similar food provider for the bulk of his meals.

“You can’t let people starve on the street,” said Gary, who requested that only his first name be printed. “It’s good the churches are able to pick up.”

Most afternoons, Gary walks three blocks north to

volunteer with Peers of the Roundtable — the Kingston branch of the Mental Health Support Network South East Ontario Corporation.

It’s a peer support program located in eight Ontario towns, providing non-clinical assistance for mental health concerns.

“We provide a warm space for people to be at in the winter months and an air- conditioned place in the summer months,” said Michelle Way, support centre coordinator of the Kingston branch.

“We advocate with people about their homelessness issues. We just let people know what’s out there.” *** Tattoos and prison. The two have been entwined in Scott’s life since adolescence, from his first conviction at 12 years old to a month-long jail stint last June.

He’s 44 now, and Scott estimates he’s spent half his life behind bars. Thefts, break and enters and driving offences have cost him valued possessions and precious time — but in a small, roundabout way, they may have saved him, too.

“I got my first tattoo when I was 14,” Scott said. “When I was 21, I got a tattoo in the penitentiary and I watched the guy build his homemade [tattoo] gun. When I built my own homemade gun, I started tattooing myself.”

That spurred a lifelong pursuit, and after Scott purchased a professional tattoo set 12 years ago, he began offering his services to others.

“It’s just a chance to hang out, talk, get to know people and give a tattoo,” Scott said. “It’s something I enjoy doing, and it gives other people a chance to get a tattoo without paying friggin’ $600.”

Small sums of cash and a chance to connect. They keep Scott going, for now. He has a roof over his head, for now.

For those whose lives are spent drifting in and out of housing, every action is predicated on the short-term: the next client, the next donation, the next meal.

Scott hopes to be approved for ODSP in the coming months. The income would allow him to buy a month’s worth of groceries and dog food. It’d be a step up from mere survival.

“There are a lot of homeless people where part of the reason they’re homeless is because the only place they can get into is a crack house or a drug den,” he said. “For a minimum of $450, they’re living in a small closet.”

He points to old, forgotten buildings throughout downtown — a chemical building on Montreal St., and others. There are houses sitting empty, he said, that could be fixed to help those in immediate need.

“It’s something that bugs me because it’s a solution,” Scott said. “You don’t have the buildings sitting there abandoned and rotting, and you’re giving people more options than what there are out there.”

Yesterday, the Whig-Standard reported that Home Base Housing is currently constructing a new men’s shelter in the old chemical building, with space to accommodate up to 30 people.

“If I ever won the lottery, I’d buy one of these old buildings and fix it up,” Scott added.

Until that stroke of luck arrives, he waits. It’s late November on Princess St., and the temperature creeps towards freezing. In the afternoon, though, the sun still shines, and foot traffic remains steady. “Kingston has pretty cool people,” Scott said. As he speaks, an older woman stops on the sidewalk. She bends down, pets Kon on the head and pulls out a toonie.

The coin clangs in the dog bowl as she smiles and walks away.

“You get the odd person that gives you a snot face, but then you get people like that,” Scott continues. “You get people that don’t give anything, but they still want to say hello and talk and pet the dog.”

Raised from his slumber, Kon takes a sip of water and nestles himself back in his owner’s lap. Scott stares ahead.

“Sometimes, a smile and a conversation is worth more than a dollar,” he said.

thefulcrum.ca

Sports

Bouncing back from a scare Shelby Blackley—The Cord

Blackley’s writing gripped me right from the first sentence, and I happily stayed transfixed to her telling of Kerilynn Mather’s inspirational story until the last. I loved the pace and intimacy of her writing—I found myself more invested in an article about a curler than I had thought possible.

—Sarah Nolette

K

erilynn Mathers didn’t think anything serious was happening to her.

Last year during the 2013 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) curling championship, the women’s curling vice fell ill like the rest of her team. At the time only a second-year kinesiology major, Mathers experienced what she thought was the flu, but fought through it.

The week after the OUA championship in February 2013, however, her health took a turn for the worse.

“I left OUAs and went through reading week and things weren’t normal,” Mathers explained. “I saw a bunch of doctors and they came up with all of these things that were going on, but everything just didn’t seem to be lining up..”

The doctors diagnosed her with a migraine. Mathers played in a mixed zones bonspiel for a junior team during reading week and found herself in and out of the emergency room.

Despite countless visits to the hospital, the doctors never changed her diagnosis.

“So after about a week of that, [the doctors] finally decided they were going to do some more tests and see if there’s anything going on, because my parents said, ‘we’re not leaving until we get answers. She hasn’t had a migraine for

a week.’”

To rule out all possibilities, the doctors at Grand River Hospital in Kitchener decided to do more tests. And what Mathers found out would change her life.

“They came back saying, ‘you actually have two blood clots in your brain, and you’re at risk for a possible stroke,” she recalled.

Mathers avoided having a serious stroke, which could have resulted in paralysis or even death, by just 24 hours.

“If you look back and think about it, you don’t realize how serious things are when you’re going through them and you look back and realize how they were,” she said.

Upon hearing the news, Mathers’ life changed instantly. She found herself admitted to Grand River for three weeks following reading week in 2013 and on blood thinners. She lost 25 pounds and dropped her total weight to around 95 pounds. She could barely walk down the hallway of the ward, and her mother was considering flying in from Halifax, Nova Scotia to be by her daughter’s side.

After the first initial treatments, Mathers was transported to Hamilton General Hospital to be tested and helped by the health sciences department and the doctors in their

ward. Three weeks after her initial admission into the hospital, Mathers was released. But, even now, she doesn’t think it was the best thing for her.

“I was still going downhill. And that was when we were still trying to find the right doctor,” she explained.

Mathers was still losing weight. She was still getting worse. And the doctors in Hamilton said she was the youngest person they had seen this condition in. But that right doctor came along.

Mathers and her family found Dr. Brian van Adel, the stroke neurologist for Hamilton health sciences.

Mathers said she owes her life to him.

From there, with the help of the doctors at Hamilton and her family, friends and boyfriend, Mathers began her full recovery. She’s now on medication to help with the headaches and the symptoms she experienced just a year ago, from a rare case of blood clots caused by birth control medication.

“I had messages from my teammates asking, ‘are you okay?’ And the whole time I’m just thinking, ‘I can’t be out, I can’t be out of curling!’” she laughed.

“My family was amazing. My friends, my boyfriend … they never left..”

By summer of 2013, Mathers began to piece back together the parts of her life that were altered by her blood clots.

She also made the brave step of getting back in the gym and getting ready for

the 2013-14 year.

“It was hard just to get back even into the gym because I had the thought that I could still do what I had done before,” Mathers said. “If you were to go to the gym and go for a long run, [instead] I’d just be able to go for a small walk and that was all I could do.”

But Mathers isn’t one to give up. The third-year slowly regained her strength and got back on the ice in preparation for the 2014 OUA championship with her rink — and friends — at Laurier. Going into the OUA championship, Mathers said on a scale of one to ten, she felt like a ten — a big improvement from a year prior.

And after the year she went through, Mathers helped the Hawks to a perfect 6-0 record in the round robin and a dramatic OUA championship final finish, capturing the gold medal and a trip to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) national championships. She was even named an OUA second team all-star.

Despite what she went through and the setback she faced, Mathers has never been more thankful for everything she has in her life.

“I think I just kept going knowing that I had so much to still be thankful for,” Mathers said. “I think a lot of people can take those hard times and let it get to them.”

“It’s realizing you were given a second chance.”

Graphics

HERDING STUDENTS Indiana Joel, The Ubyssey

We’re all sheep at the end of the day. Mewing into our phones, chewing as we stare into screens or following thoughtlessly, as Joel has depicted here. Are students just electoral sheep or does it point to a deeper meaning of the way we are treated, like children? Outside of meaning the art is done very well.

Politics meets a Studio Ghibli film. I like.

—Adam Gibbard

NERS UP

RUN

thefulcrum.ca

| 19

20 |

thefulcrum.ca

SPORTS

SPORTS EDITOR Sarah Nolette sports@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260

Gees hand Carleton first regular-season loss in two years Last-minute heroics keep men’s basketball season perfect

Eryn Weldon is excited for new competition in the Ontario Cup. Photo: geegees.ca

Swimmers set to make a splash at OUAs

Gee-Gees hold down top 10 in rankings ahead of provincial championships Garry Balaganthan Contributor

The Gee-Gees are back in the pool and expecting to make an impact on the podium this season, where both the men’s and women’s teams are nationally ranked in the top 10.

Swimmers from across Ontario will gather on Jan. 16 in Toronto for the Ontario Cup, a precursor to the much-anticipated Ontario University Gee-Gees men’s basketball team defeats Ravens in first regular home game of the season.

Spencer Murdock Staff Reporter

I

n front of a sold-out crowd, the Gee-Gees men’s basketball team did something no one else has done in the regular season since November 2012: They beat the Carleton Ravens.

In the latest chapter of perhaps the best rivalry in Canadian university athletics, the nation’s top two teams clashed at Montpetit Hall on Jan. 10. The Gee-Gees have been known as the second-best team in the country for two years and finally overcame the top-ranked Ravens.

The atmosphere was reminiscent of the hallowed “tobacco road” battles between Duke University and the University of North Carolina.

There was an omnipresent tension between players as the teams went through their pregame rituals. Warring chants from the GeeGees’ faithful overpowered those of the Ravens fans in attendance as the game got underway.

The game got off to a slow start as both teams’ nerves were clearly affecting their execution on the offensive end. The Gee-Gees opted to use only two of their bench players, both of whom share sixth-man duties. Forward Matt Plunkett has proven to be an elite three-point shooter, and guard Medhi Tihani is one of the only players in the country able to defend Carleton’s Philip Scrubb. Both players’ performance was essential to the longevity of the Gees’ starters in

thefulcrum.ca

Photos: Rémi Yuan

the match.

After a close first quarter, the Ravens forfeited a lead they would never win back, as Gee-Gees star Johnny Berhanemeskel propelled his team to a 17-point lead. Carleton would not go down easily as they stormed back behind the performance of the double duel of Thomas Scrubb and Philip Scrubb.

The game came down to the last minute as the Ravens knotted the game at 66, leading to an offensive position led by Berhanemeskel. As time wound down, he twisted around a defender and nailed a floater to give the Gees the lead with four seconds remaining. Thomas Scrubb of the Ravens would attempt a last-second layup that missed the mark as time expired, sealing the win for Ottawa.

The last-second go-ahead shot was yet another testament to Berhanemeskel’s importance to the team.

“It was a hell of a shot again. The kid is unbelievable,” said head coach James Derouin. “We’re going to see them in February (for the Capital Hoops Classic) and if it’s anything like this one it’ll be quite the crowd at Canadian Tire Centre.”

The win will make the Gee-Gees the numberone ranked team in the nation. The last time any team unseated the Ravens was when the University of British Columbia topped the list for just a week in 2012.

“It’s honouring, and a testament to hard work,” said Berhanemeskel on holding the top

rank. “At the same time, it’s all about who is number one come March. We know that, and it’s all about who can find the motivation and make the adjustments to come to play.”

This season has been undoubtedly the best the Gee-Gees have had and they look to continue their run in the second stage of the season.

“These players keep making history. They are rewriting it every weekend. It’s amazing stuff.

They’re doing a phenomenal job,” said Derouin.

The Gee-Gees will play against the rest of the league when they take on the Lakehead Thunderwolves on Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. in Montpetit. After that, they will take on Carleton again at the Capital Hoops Classic on Feb. 6.

Athletics (OUA) championship to be held on Feb. 5, which the Gee-Gees will host.

After their winter break training camp in California, the Ontario Cup will give the GeeGees an opportunity to test themselves against this season’s competition in both the long short course.

Given the change in the short competition schedule this year, the Gees have not had many opportunities to race competitors in a rested state. It will be a good test for the athletes with proper rest.

Eryn Weldon, a fifth-year human kinetics student who’s ranked sixth nationally, is looking to build on her record-setting performance last season at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) nationals in the 200-metre individual medley where she finished with a time of 2:7.43.

“I think Gee-Gees fans should be excited about this year’s team,” said Weldon. “We’re coming off a great Christmas training camp, and I think the Gee-Gees will surprise themselves with the improvements they’ve made.”

Ultimately the team is looking to send as many swimmers as possible to the upcoming CIS championships to be held Feb. 19–20 in Victoria, B.C. With many of the swimmers at the cusp of the time standard for medals, Weldon and the team will be looking to train hard in the next month in order to get to the championships.

“The women’s team will also be aiming to finish top three at the OUAs, which will involve all the members of the team stepping up to score points,” said Weldon.

“Personally, I look forward to continue training hard in order to be ready to race the fastest girls in the country at the end of February,” she added. “This weekend is our first opportunity to race long course metres, which will help me prepare for CIS long course finals.”

With the extensive work, training, and preparation led by coach David Heinbuch, a former Olympian, the Gee-Gees look to have their best season to date.

SPORTS | 21

contacted us over the past year, interested in helping SAMHI.” Robbi Daley, who captains the women’s basketball team at Dalhousie, put her school’s foot forward by reaching out to Van Slingerland to get involved.

“I initially wanted to hold the event because I lost a close friend who was a student athlete at Acadia to suicide last April,” said Daley. “So I came across the SAMHI and after reading Krista’s story, I talked to her to see if there was anything I could do at my school to Student Athlete Mental Health Initiative event: Make Some Noise is held on Jan 17. at the Gee-Gees basketball games.

Richard Whittaker

Getting loud about mental health for student-athletes

Make Some Noise fundraiser to take place at Gees basketball games Sarah Nolette Sports Editor

coaches, athletes, and admincan seek information, testimonials, and resources about

Mental health is an issue

mental health. Most of the

you don’t hear about as much

proceeds from the fundraiser

as the cuts, scrapes, and bro-

will go toward the creation

ken bones of everyday ath-

of a website that will be “the

letics. But now, two students

hub for student-athlete men-

want everyone to get loud

tal health,” according to Van

about it.

Slingerland.

Last year, two University of

“There are many valuable

Ottawa students began what

initiatives for mental health

they hope will be the “unify-

being undertaken, but we

ing” initiative for student ath-

want to be the unifying orga-

letes in need of mental health

nization for the special niche

resources.

population of student athletes

Women’s basketball shoot-

in Canada,” she says.

ing guard Krista Van Slinger-

The Dalhousie University

land who went through her

Tigers from Halifax and the

own mental illness two years

SAIT Polytechnic Trojans from

ago, and co–founder graduate

Calgary have also partnered

Samantha DeLenardo are now

with SAMHI for the event.

hosting Make Some Noise in

The organization reached

order to educate coaches, ath-

out across the country in the

letes, and sports administrative

year since it formed; the idea

population about Student Ath-

for Make Some Noise actu-

lete Mental Health Initiative

ally came from SAIT, says Van

(SAMHI).

Slingerland.

During the women’s and

“We ran with the idea and

men’s basketball games at

offered it as a volunteer oppor-

Montpetit Hall on Jan. 17,

tunity to individuals who have

22 | SPORTS

get involved in this initiative.”

Memorial University in St. John’s, Nfld. also ran a fundraiser for SAMHI earlier this year, led by Megan Robinson, another female varsity basketball player.

“We raised around $975, I believe. People were very eager to donate towards a mental health initiative because they really understood the importance,” said Robinson. “They were very impressed with SAMHI and were hoping to see it grow across Canada.”

The mental health of student athletes has quickly become a hot topic on the East Coast with the deaths of Alex

Devin Biocchi: one of Canada’s top track stars

Former Gee-Gee trains hard for a chance at an Olympic medal Sarah Nolette Sports Editor

The Olympic road has been long and lonely for former GeeGee runner Devin Biocchi —but maybe not for much longer.

Before he even started university, Biocchi was chosen for Canada’s relay team at the 2010 World Junior Championships in Athletics. He placed fifth that summer—not good enough for a medal, but enough to prove his worth on the international stage.

“Seeing my name on the Athletics Canada roster for that year was the best feeling an athlete could have as a junior,” says Biocchi. “It wasn’t the Olympics, but it was the first step towards it.”

He won his first two gold medals in collegiate competition while representing the Gee-Gees in 2012, when he won the 4x200-metre race with a record-setting time,

and the 4x400-metre race at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) nationals.

He only excelled from there.

In 2013, he won those two races again and added a 300-metre win for good measure.

“I realized the gravity of winning a national championship,” he says. “I realized the glory that comes from it and the responsibility of demonstrating how I should respectfully win and be a role model.”

Now a Gee-Gee alum, set to graduate in the spring in psychology and philosophy, Biocchi now trains solo. He’s self-motivated every day to overcome hard workouts and bad races. His training is intense and requires every last bit of focus to perform at his highest level during practice.

“Running sprints can be very mind-numbing, as the constant intensity to run at the highest speed puts a damper

McLaughlin from Acadia, and Jacob Ranton from Memorial, sadly calling attention to the problem.

For Van Slingerland, the most moving part of the experience

has

been

the

support her initiative has received by way of email, Facebook, phone calls, and Twitter. She hopes to move on with new partnerships to push forward innovative research and public policy that protects and promotes the mental health of Canadian student-athletes.

For more information regarding Make Some Noise or the Student

on your nervous system,” he says. “Your body can be OK, but your nerves and mind can be drained completely, making it easier to lose focus and commit an error that would end up in injury.”

So, his training has become a 24-hour process. Every aspect of his life affects his energy and his physical fitness.

“The food I eat to the hours I work—staying up late often affects the next day’s workout,” he says. “This affects the rest of the week’s workout, almost as though it’s a domino effect.”

Biocchi is hopeful as he sets out on the road to the Olympics. He’s confident that in 2016 he’ll have a good chance at making the team. At the moment, he’s in the top 10 in the country, and hopes to soon crack the top two.

“I would like to make it to the Olympics and wear the rings on my chest beside the Canadian flag,” he says. “Just to be considered an Olympian for me would be the greatest accomplishment.

Everything after that will be icing on the already very delicious cake.”

“Just to be considered an Olympian for me would be the greatest accomplishment.

Everything after that will be icing on the already very delicious cake.”—Devin Biocchi

Athlete Mental Health Initiative, go to facebook.com/samhi.ismea

Olympic hopeful will graduate this spring with a degree in psychology and philosophy.

Courtesy: geegees.ca

thefulcrum.ca

Women’s v-ball compete hard in mid-season games

Gee-Gees return to OUA opposition with focus Spencer Murdock Staff reporter

Women’s basketball shooting guard c Van Slingerland ends with game high of 16 points. Photo: Richard A. Whittaker

Gee-Gees beat Ravens in the battle of Bytown

Former Raven turned Gee-Gee finishes with game high of 16 points Sarah Nolette Sports Editor

The Carleton Ravens struggled for most of the game, as the U of O Gee-Gees took them down on Jan. 9.

Both the Gee-Gees and Ravens were five and three after the first half of the season. Carleton was hot off a three-game winning streak, but the Gees were the better shooting team with 41 per cent compared to the Ravens’ 36.

The two teams set out for the number one spot in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) North division.

During the first minutes of the game, the Gee-Gees came out of the gates on their heels, and nerves got the best of their offensive game. The Ravens had a 5-0 lead, but Ottawa went on a 13-0 run, and shut them out to end the first quarter.

Despite the Ravens’ height,

they were unable to get most of the rebounds for the majority of the game. The Gee-Gees came out with a full court press and played aggressive defence throughout the rest of the match. Carleton was limited to tough shots and passes, resulting in numerous turnovers.

Carleton’s struggles only continued as the majority of their starters got into foul trouble late in the third. This gave Ottawa the upper hand, as they were able to get the ball inside to their posts to extend the lead in the fourth.

The Gee-Gees won the game 53-48.

“I was really happy with the effort our undersized posts put in,” said head coach Andy Sparks.

“We worked really hard on the low post and the high post, and I think the pressure we put on those positions was really the difference in the game tonight.”

For former Raven and current Gee-Gees shooting guard Krista Van Slingerland, the game meant a lot. She was the difference maker in key situations throughout the game and finished with a game high of 16 points, seven rebounds, and two assists.

“My teammates were key for me in the past week,” said Van Slingerland.

“They never said it, but I knew they were rallying close around me to give their support, and that made a huge difference.”

“This is a great step forward,” she added. “Obviously now we’re top in our division. It’s really about us and not other teams. Us continuing to do what we excel at from here on.”

The Gee-Gees will meet up against Lakehead on Jan. 16 at 6 p.m. and Guelph the next day at 6 p.m., both at Montpetit Hall.

A long break for the GeeGees women’s volleyball team made for some valuable rest time. On Jan. 7 and 9, they came back prepared to take on some of the best teams in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ).

They first took on the RSEQ fourth-ranked McGill Martlets at an exhibition game in Cornwall, and made easy work of the 9-4 squad, putting them away 3-1. The game was key in regaining their confidence as they came into the second half of the year.

The second exhibition game was against the nationally third-ranked Montreal Carabins, whose strength would prove to be too much as the Gee-Gees dropped the match by a 3-2 margin.

Getting back into regular Ontario University Athletics (OUA) season play on Jan. 11, the Gees took on the Lakehead Thunderwolves in Thunder Bay. Left side Kaly Soro was key for the GeeGees as they swept the match 3-0 behind her 10-point performance.

Fifth-year stars Kelsie and Myriam English had solid performances with 8.5 and seven points respectively.

Myriam also tallied 11 digs in the match. The win improved the Gees to 9-3 for the season.

“Today was a very focused, consistent performance from the group,” said head coach Lionel Woods after the Thunderwolves game. “Lakehead played some great defence and pushed our defence to stay active and solid. We had to match their energy.”

The Gee-Gees are current-

ly in third place in the OUA East division, behind Toronto and Queen’s. The team will be taking on strong competition in the coming weeks that will determine playoff seeding.

After a disappointing performance at last year’s national championship tournament, the Gee-Gees are looking stronger this year and seem to be more focused on reaching their goal of a national title.

There is plenty of time left in the season for the garnet and grey squad to climb higher in the ranks as the games become more meaningful.

The women will take the court at Montpetit Hall on Jan. 17 at 2 p.m., where they meet the struggling 2-10 Waterloo Warriors. They face the 6-5 Guelph Gryphons the next day, also at Montpetit at 2 p.m.

Alix Durivage stays focused as the No. 10 women’s volleyball team beat the Lakehead Thunderwolves.

thefulcrum.ca

Photo: Marta Kierkus

SPORTS | 23

OPINIONS

OPINIONS EDITOR Kyle Darbyson

opinions@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260

Professors cheat, too The U of O currently has no specific regulations for dealing with staff who commit plagiarism.

Photo: Rémi Yuan.

University staff should be held to the same standard as students The problem, in other words, is acting as though profs are beyond reproach, when in reality, they too will occasionally break the rules.

Justin Dallaire STAFF Contributor

“B

eware of plagiarism!” reads the University of Ottawa’s official handout on academic fraud. “It’s easy, it’s tempting… but it can be very costly!”

It’s a warning that all students have heard before, if not a thousand times.

But what about professors, arguably the most distinguished members of any university? If you give them the chance, do they not bend the rules? And if they are caught committing academic fraud, do they get expelled?

More often than you think, the answer is no.

Last year alone, three different cases revealed the difference in the way plagiarism is handled when the perpetrators are university staff.

In April, assistant professor Vanessa Ryan from Brown University was caught for having plagia-

24 | OPINIONS

rized materials more than 30 times in her 2012 book Thinking Without Thinking in the Victorian Novel. According to the Brown Daily Herald, Ryan called the incidents of plagiarism “inadvertent errors of attribution,” even though lengthy passages were used verbatim from the original source without quotation marks. In the end, a review committee deemed Ryan’s mistakes unintentional, and as punishment, she later was named associate dean of the university’s graduate school.

In May, Matthew C. Whitakes, a history professor from Arizona State University, was accused of plagiarism for a second time. Despite being a multiple offender on this front, the university eventually decided not to pursue punitive action, despite massive protests from students and professors alike.

Another case was made public in November, when former University of Regina engineering student Arjun Paul accused professor Shahid

Azam of having plagiarized passages from his master’s thesis. Even though a CBC investigative team found that as much as 24 per cent of the article had been plagiarized, Azam insists he wrote most of Paul’s thesis himself. Despite Azam’s claims, his publisher decided to retract the plagiarized article. But the school? Nothing so far.

How can this be? What would have been done to a student who had committed similar errors in judgment? He or she would have certainly been treated as having committed a crime of the highest order, punishable by death of reputation or banishment from the land of academia. So why is an erring professor offered clemency when it comes to plagiarism?

In a recent article for CBC News, professor Benson Honig of McMaster University’s business school said this double standard is a matter of administrations trying to save face: “My observation is the institutions have much more

interest in pursuing student ethical violations than faculty violations because the faculty violations reflect on their institution.” But doesn’t a university’s reputation also suffer when it tolerates academic fraud from its staff?

These recent examples of professor plagiarism reflect a larger lack of transparency and accountability on behalf of post-secondary institutions.

Most of us will have seen the “Beware of Plagiarism!” document, and its contents are widely discussed on the U of O campus. But there exists no specific regulations for staff regarding plagiarism at this university, nor is there a set disciplinary process for professors who are caught cheating.

The problem, in other words, is acting as though profs are beyond reproach, when in reality, they too will occasionally break the rules. And when they do, there’s no reason that the cost of plagiarism should be any less for them.

thefulcrum.ca

A reasonable manager should know there’s a limit to how much of one’s job you can delegate to others.

SFUO exec crowdsources her job

Has the SFUO gone too far with their new campaign?

Edits: Marta Kierkus

Nothing says incompetency quite like asking others to do your work

Jesse Colautti

I feel like a kid left alone

the SFUO will claim that

in a candy store: Where do

this contest is the most dir-

In all too predictable fash-

I even begin with the sheer

ect way of giving students

ion, our student federation

audacity and ignorance of

exactly what they want.

has decided that the best

this idea?

Features Editor

way to douse a flame is by pouring gasoline on it.

should know there’s a limit

obvious: This contest is prob-

to how much of one’s job

vice-

ably the worst way Hamoud

you can delegate to others.

president social of the Stu-

could have responded to her

We vote for political figures

dent Federation of the Uni-

critics.

based on their ability to rep-

Ikram

Hamoud,

versity of Ottawa (SFUO),

The contest calls on stu-

resent our interests and to

came under fire last semes-

dents

with

carry out these tasks on our

ter for mismanaging 101

event ideas that are access-

behalf, based on an innate

Week funds and for plan-

ible, don’t exceed a $9,000

understanding of what the

ning noticeably few events

budget, and which would

voters want.

for students—the main re-

take place close to campus.

At best, Hamoud’s search

sponsibility of her job.

to

come

up

In other words, Hamoud’s

for event ideas is a well-

of

contest is asking students

meaning but poorly-timed

Hamoud’s job performance

to complete a major part of

attempt to democratize the

has become so bad that ac-

her job description, a job

student

cording

she

In

fact,

to

criticism

the

Facebook

makes

federation’s

event

approximately

planning. At worst, it’s a

group SFUO Does Not Rep-

$30,000 of student money

clear indicator that the char-

resent Me, a petition has

per year to do. Not only is it

ges behind her detractors’

begun circulating to im-

illogical, it’s insulting to our

calls for impeachment hold

peach her.

intelligence that the SFUO

water. It’s hard to tell wheth-

Hamoud

brain trust thought this was

er Hamoud and her ilk are

and her SFUO associates

an appropriate contest to

fearless, ignorant, or both.

faced down this mobilized

market to students.

Spectacularly,

thefulcrum.ca

But a reasonable manager

Well, let’s begin with the

By now most students

criticism with a “Best Event

Don’t get me wrong, a

should clue in to the fact

Idea Contest” that promises

large part of any manager’s

that the SFUO executives

no reward for participants

job is delegation. Being able

have more important things

other than the pleasure of

to distribute responsibility

to do than plan student

seeing an idea that “might

across a hierarchy plays a

events or respond appropri-

just happen with the help of

huge role in almost every

ately to criticism—they have

the SFUO!”

organization’s success. And

elections to win.

OPINIONS | 25

Financial aid shouldn’t be a black mark Underclass are still subject to a lack of empathy, understanding Kyle Darbyson Opinions Editor

I grew up with the crazy idea that you should treat your fellow human beings with respect, especially if they need a helping hand.

It seems like most politicians didn’t learn or retain that lesson. According to much of North America’s public policy and even the upper and middle classes’ public perception, poor people or those seeking financial aid are social degenerates who should be treated with nothing but the utmost contempt.

Take places like Florida, Utah, and Tennessee, for example: American states that have taken up the shady practice of drug testing welfare applicants. Even though these drug testing programs have all been colossal failures historically—with severely flawed testing methodology and low positive test rates—American lawmakers seem

Most of these welfare critics seem to be completely unsympathetic to the bleak economic realities that are financially crippling people of this current generation. content with continuing this trend. And in late December, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder enacted a brand new $500,000 drug testing pilot program in an ongoing effort to characterize the less fortunate as irresponsible criminals.

Thankfully, no such legislation exists here in Canada. But this kind of condescending attitude toward people in need transcends national borders.

A lot of the time, this ire is directed at millennials, mostly because they have the gall to seek out financial aid. One need only examine the cavalcade of self-important op-eds from a news organization like

Philosophical Sh*t The idea that we live in a digital simulation is being taken seriously by a number of academics.

Are we living in

Chelsea McManus Staff Contributor

The summer between elementary and middle school, I invested an unhealthy amount of time playing The Sims on my computer. Throughout this time, I created virtual families who lived their virtual lives in a completely virtual world.

Because of this, I became obsessed with the idea that I too was being controlled by a greater being, constantly wondering if what I was doing was my own free will or part of a master digital plan.

As it turns out, my pre-teen imagination was not too far off from what physicists are now questioning about our universe. The idea that we live in a digital simulation is being taken seriously by a number of academics.

Physicists are trying to test

26 | OPINIONS

this theory by finding technical glitches in the universe’s operating system. Led by John D. Barrow, a professor of mathematical sciences at Cambridge University, a number of scientists have put forward a test for this hypothesis.

They plan to test the distribution of cosmic rays coming to Earth from far-off galaxies.

If space is continuous, as it is thought to be, then rays should come from every direction equally. However, if we live in a simulation, then space would be more like a grid.

Moreover, considering the technological advances of the past century, it is not inconceivable to think that life is a digital simulation. Silas Beane, a nuclear physicist at the University of Washington, stated that within this century, scientists might be able to put humans into simulation boxes. For all we know, our lives could be a much larger version of The Truman Show for an alien audience.

But not everyone is in agreement with this theory. In 2001, a quantum-mechanical engineer from MIT, Seth Lloyd, calculated the resources needed for a computer to create a

Studies show that the wealth gap continues to widen in Canada, with the bottom 50 per cent owning just 6 per cent of the wealth, Photo: CC, Public Domain

the Globe and Mail to see the extent of this generation smear campaign, where young people are constantly depicted as being lazy, self-entitled leeches who are constantly looking for a handout.

Outside of the smug and curmudgeonly tone of this kind of rhetoric, most of these welfare critics seem to be completely unsympathetic to the bleak economic realities that are financially crippling people of this current generation.

Most baby boomers and gen Xers never had to deal with the severity of modern student loan debt, which, in Canada, currently averages around $25,000. This staggering debt isn’t at all helped by a rather grim job market, where high level figures like Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz are so disconnected from reality that they are under the impression that the country’s up and coming workforce can get ahead by just

working for free.

Moreover, these critics seem completely unmoved by the fact that the wealth gap is the highest it’s ever been in modern history. A recent report from Statistics Canada found that the bottom 50 per cent of Canadians own just 6 per cent of the wealth, while the net worth of the country’s top 10 per cent continues to grow.

There isn’t some obvious or easy solution to eradicating poverty in Canada and the rest of the world. But treating society’s most vulnerable members like they are untrustworthy criminals or shiftless sloths is definitely not the answer.

Besides, if Canada’s dubious economic prospects for 2015 are any indication—which include more lost jobs and an increase in youth unemployment—very many of us are going to be looking for a helping hand in the not-so-distant future.

a virtual world? universe-sized simulation. He eventually concluded that this simulation would require more energy than the universe has, which, in his opinion, proves that the idea is impossible.

More to that point, the idea that humanity is actually a digital simulation is troubling for a number of reasons.

Our laws, legal and criminal systems are based on self-determination—that people have intentions to commit crimes and should then be punished.

What if there is no free will?

What if we discover that our actions have been decided for us? What does that mean for law, crime, and punishment?

What would happen to humanity if we found out that we had no say in what happens in our lives? In a society that is so built upon individualism, this knowledge could completely shatter our notions of self and devastate our entire society.

With this in mind, is it even worth knowing if we are living in a digital reality?

Unfortunately, medical professionals recommended that I no longer play The Sims. Maybe I was getting too close to the truth.

thefulcrum.ca

Hollywood decides to get real

“Russ is a prophet of the new Hollywood. We want to carry out his vision and revolutionize the entertainment industry.” —Anonymous industry insider

Actor’s suggestion to ‘act your age’ now an industry standard

Stephanie Piamonte Staff Contributor Actor Russell Crowe’s recent suggestion that female actresses should only act in age-appropriate roles has been widely criticized in the media.

Over the past week, sites like Jezebel and the Huffington Post have called out the Oscar-winning thespian for not going far enough to curb the disturbing creativity we have come to expect from the entertainment industry.

“Russ is a prophet of the new Hollywood,” said one industry insider who is associated with a major studio. “We want to carry out his vision and revolutionize the entertainment industry.”

Last week, members of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) were in talks with large studio bigwigs to help make this kind of sentiment a reality. On Wednesday, they finally came to a decision.

In addition to putting a ban on age-inappropriate roles (here’s look-

ing at you, cast of Expendables ), from now on, actors will be required by law to take on roles that closely correspond to their gender, socioeconomic status, sexuality, and temporal designation.

According to the same anonymous insider, “We wanted to include singing prowess on the list, but we thought that would have reflected poorly on Russ.”

According to the SAG, failure to abide by these new rules and regulations will result in grave consequences, including, but not limited to, a loss of seat filler privileges at the Oscars.

To announce these sweeping changes on how the movie business is going to be run from now on, Hollywood decided to organize a red carpet extravaganza hosted by Ellen DeGeneres.

DeGeneres has promised that the star-studded event will be “long, torturous, filled with self-congratulation, and will feature an overdue apology

from Dustin Hoffman for stealing a role from a woman in Tootsie.”

For the eagerly anticipated roast period of the extravaganza, a list has been drawn up of actors who deserve censure for playing roles that required an inappropriate suspension of disbelief.

Rumoured to be included in this roast are Jared Leto, for convincing us he was a transgender woman in Dallas Buyers Club ; Jennifer Lawrence, for demonstrating that she can easily morph into a blue, shape-shifting mutant; Dev Patel, for pretending to be a slum dog; Daniel Day-Lewis, for winning three best actor Oscars while masquerading as historical characters; and Pinocchio, for claiming to be a real boy.

“The message we’re trying to send is that it’s not alright for actors to ‘make believe’ anymore,” said the insider.

“From now on, Hollywood is going to devote itself to producing excellence in reality television.”

Russell Crowe was the first Hollywood actor to trailblaze the ‘act your age’ method. Photo: CC AHeron (wikimedia commons)

Provincial government wants you to hold it in Fart-Free Ontario Act has people clenching their cheeks on Kyle Darbys

Tomato Editor

In a bid to improve provincial health standards, the Government of Ontario passed new antifarting legislation that came into effect at the start of 2015.

According to the Fart-Free Ontario Act, anyone caught passing gas outside their own private residence—at restaurants, bar patios, playgrounds, sports fields, or inside any non-domestic building—will be subject to hefty fines and public shaming by local law enforcement, who are now equipped with stateof-the art methane detectors.

“This new bit of legislation has been a long time coming,” said Associate Health Minister Dipika Damerla, who is credited for rallying support to pass the new bill.

“According to recent studies, public farting is the number one cause of sensory displeasure in Ontario. Other reports suggest

thefulcrum.ca

“If they won’t hear our words, they’ll definitely smell our farts.” —Dr. Hugh Gassman, gastroenterologist

secondhand methane gas exposure affects hundreds of thousands of Ontarians every year.”

Some Canadians have welcomed the new law with open arms, hoping it will help them get a better handle on their own bodily functions.

“I’ve been meaning to quit farting for a while now,” said University of Ottawa sociology student, Lou Stools. “Hopefully this new ban will encourage me to hold it in, which will spare my girlfriend any more public embarrassment.”

However, others are not so happy with the government’s restrictive stance on communal air biscuits.

Dr. Hugh Gassman, an Ottawa gastroenterologist, has been openly critical of the law, arguing that the act of repressing natural

biological functions can be catastrophic for the human body.

“Not only can it result in bloating, indigestion, and heartburn, but prolonged buildup of intestinal gas has been proven to result in accidental excremental discharge,” said Dr. Gassman. “So, basically, the government is encouraging us to shit ourselves in the streets.”

To protest what they see as an unjust law, Dr. Gassman and a group of a couple hundred fellow fart enthusiasts are planning to storm Parliament Hill armed with a large supply of beans, cabbage, cheese, eggs, and gas masks.

“If they won’t hear our words, then they`ll definitely smell our farts,” reads a call-to-arms post on the group’s Facebook page.

In order to prevent what they see as a large-scale act of chemical

warfare, the provincial government is now considering amending the original law to make it less harsh.

“After much d e l i b e r at i o n , we’re now in the process of setting up designated public ‘fart zones’ all over Ontario’s major urban areas,” said Damerla during a press conference. “These small areas will allow the most backed-up Ontarians to let loose for 30-second intervals every day.”

No word yet on whether or not this new amendment has dissuaded Dr. Gassman and his group from carrying out their gaseous protest.

Public farting is the number one cause of sensory displeasure in Ontario. Edits: Marta Kierkus

THE TOMATO | 27

DISTRACTIONS

Dear Di,

I occasionally get cold sores on my lips and around my mouth. I usually use Abreva or other oral herpes medications to help manage it, but I tend to become a bit of a hermit because I look like I’ve been attacked by a wild animal. I developed a cold sore last week, and although it was in full force over the weekend, I decided to rekindle a past friend-with-benefits relationship. During our “rekindling” I went down on him, and it wasn’t until later that I freaked out that I could have given him herpes too —but on his penis! Is this possible? What is the contagion factor when it comes to oral herpes?

—When Sharing Isn’t Caring

Dear WSIC,

Herpes are indeed quite contagious, especially in the active form of the virus when you have visible sores.

When the virus is active, it’s in your best interest and your partner’s to avoid direct contact with open areas, such as kissing on the lips or more southerly regions.

Herpes is also transmissible even when you have no active form of the virus. Oral herpes are caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus I, such as in your case, whereas genital herpes are caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus 2.

However, it’s important to know that HSV1 can be passed on to another person, including onto their genitals. This would mean that the person would carry HSV1— oral herpes on their genitals—but not HSV2. Fortunately, most people develop the antibodies to HSV1 in childhood, so their immune systems are able to fight off the virus.

It might be comforting to know you’re not alone: Lots of people get cold cores, and herpes itself is more common than you think. It just calls for a little sex education on your part and those you are intimate with, whether it is a new relationship or someone who you are planning to hook up with that night. Being honest and upfront with your sexual partners will keep everyone’s nether regions healthy. I think most people will appreciate you telling them.

Love, Di

28 | DISTRACTIONS

Dear Di,

I went home over the winter break and caught up with a good friend who has been seeing an almost-50-yearold man since October. This guy is divorced and has two kids, but my friend, who’s only 20, is still pursuing him. While I was home, she was telling me that they have great sex, and she even bought his kids—who are almost her age!—presents for Christmas. The age difference between them really bothers me, and I’m concerned about how deeply invested in the relationship she’s becoming.

Although I don’t want to tell her what or who to do, I feel like she’s crossed a line. Is there a way I can help her get back into the game with some people our own age?

—All About That Age

Dear AATA,

The wonderful thing about relationships is that we all have different tastes, so what gets one person’s engine roaring might be quite blasé (or even taboo) to someone else. Although your friend’s choice of male partner might not be your own, the best thing you can do in this situation is to support her. For example, if she’s living at home, she might be feeling really lonely if all of her friends are away for school; this man might give her energy a focus, sexual and otherwise.

As a close friend, you should be honest with her. Let her know your feelings and concerns that the relationship might not mean the same thing to her as it does to her partner.

You can suggest that she talk to him before she does start investing herself in his life, especially if he isn’t giving back what he’s getting.

Ultimately, if she’s in a blissfully happy place with her older man, let there be love! Even though you might not be home now with your friend, encourage her to spend time with her other friends. You could even invite her up for a weekend here at university and show her a fun night on the town with men her own age. It could open her eyes to another perspective or reaffirm her (and your) faith in her current relationship.

Love, Di

FEATURES EDITOR Jesse Colautti

features@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260

Distractions Sex Researcher Profile Getting the goods:

The U of O’s research on sex Dr. Patrick O’Byrne is an associate professor at the University of Ottawa’s school of nursing. His research focus is on sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV, and public health prevention. He’s involved in work concerning legal cases where HIVpositive persons are accused of not telling their partner of their HIV status. He also collaborates with other Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) funded projects that involve gay and bisexual men and adolescents.

Dr. O’Byrne has taught NSG4134: Political and Economic Contexts of Health Care, along with graduate-level courses. thefulcrum.ca

Jan.14 to Feb. 7 2015

THRYLLABUS

MUSIC arts Sports FUN Thinking

thefulcrum.ca

Wednesday, Jan. 14 Faith, Fear and Fair Trade: An Embattled History of Global Trade from GATT to the WTO, Faculty of Social Sciences Building — 3 p.m.

Best of the Banff Mountain Film Festival, Bytowne Cinema — 7:30 p.m.

NASH 77: Canada’s Student Journalism Conference hosted by the Fulcrum begins at the Ottawa Convention Centre

Thursday, Jan. 15 Clear Writing Seminar, Vanier Hall, Room 1026 — 9 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.

Professional development workshop for graduate students. Registration required.

Official reopening of Grande Allée, Tabaret Hall front steps — 12:00 p.m.

Food trucks and hot chocolate to celebrate the reopening of Tabaret’s new front lawn.

Planning Your Career and Transition to the Labour Market, Simard Hall, Room 125 — 10:00 a.m.

Workshop offered by Faculty of Arts.

Ottawa Senators vs. Montreal Canadians, Canadian Tire Centre — 7:30 p.m.

Balance and Composure, Ritual Nightclub — 8 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 16 Mr. Turner begins playing at Bytowne Cinema Men & Women’s Basketball vs.

Lakehead, Montpetit Gym — 6 & 8 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 17 Mommy begins playing at Bytowne Cinema Women’s Volleyball vs. Waterloo, Montpetit Gym — 2 p.m.

Men & Women’s Basketball vs. Guelph, Montpetit Gym — 6 & 8 p.m.

Cellphone + Durs Coeurs, House of TARG — 9 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 18 Women’s Hockey vs. Carleton, Minto Sports Complex — 2 p.m.

Blade Runner: The Final Cut, Bytowne Cinema — 9:20 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 19 SFUO Winter Challenge begins across campus

Daily challenges with daily prizes. There will also be an opening concert on campus, a snow fort building competition, and a snowboarding competition.

Snow Festival begins across campus Free beaver tails and maple taffy on snow offered all week on the FSS terrace.

Tuesday, Jan. 20

Monday, Jan. 26 Candice Sand, The Daily Grind — 9 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 29 August Burns Red w/ Miss May I and Northlane, Bronson Centre — 6 p.m.

Les Miserables, Centrepoint Theatre — 7:30 p.m.

Ottawa Senators vs. Dallas Stars, Canadian Tire Centre — 7:30 p.m.

Lowell, House of TARG —9:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 30 Still Alice begins playing at Bytowne Cinema Fast Romantics + Repartee, Zaphod Beeblebrox — 8 p.m.

Dark Realism: Confronting the Dark Side of Global Governance, Faculty of Social Sciences Building — 12 p.m.

Mental Fix w/ Dead Weights and Police Funeral, House of TARG — 9 p.m.

Annihilator, Mavericks Bar — 9 p.m.

Philippe B, National Arts Centre — 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 21 Ottawa Senators vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, Canadian Tire Centre — 7 p.m. dj Oddity, Father & Sons — 10 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 22 Northlander, The Rainbow Bistro — 4 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 23 Royal Winnipeg Ballet, National Arts Centre — 8 p.m.

SHAMELESS, Babylon Club — 10 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 31 Death From Above 1979 w/ Metz, PS I Love you, Bronson Centre — 7 p.m.

Ottawa Senators vs. Arizona Coyotes, Canadian Tire Centre — 3 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 3 Cracking up the Capital Comedy Festival begins at TD Place Arena

Thursday, Feb. 5

Frontier Ruckus w/ Wierd With Cats, Zaphod Beeblebrox — 8:30 p.m.

Ottawa Senators vs. Washington Capitals, Canadian Tire Centre — 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 24

Saturday, Feb. 7

RAW RAW RIOT w/ Slumlord and Death Stare, House of TARG — 9 p.m.

Stars and Hey Rosetta, National Arts Centre — 8 p.m.

Ottawa Senators vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, Canadian Tire Centre — 7 p.m.

DISTRACTIONS | 29

30 |

thefulcrum.ca

EDITORIAL

Volume 75, Issue 17, January 15, 2014 From sea to sea since 1942.

Phone: (613) 562-5261 | Fax: (613) 562-5259 631 King Edward Ave. Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Recycle this or we’ll throw you up on the wire.

Package size matters

staff Sabrina “The Watch” Nemis Editor-in-Chief editor@thefulcum.ca Adam “The Plant” Ashby Gibbard Production Manager production@thefulcrum.ca Adam “The Ryersonian” Feibel Managing Editor content@thefulcrum.ca Marta “The Griff” Kierkus Visual Editor visual@thefulcrum.ca Nadia “The Cascade” Drissi El-Bouzaidi News Editor news@thefulcrum.ca Photo and Edits: Ma

Jessica “The Aquinian” Eritou Arts & Culture Editor arts@thefulcrum.ca

rta Kierkus

Jesse “The Campus” Colautti Features Editor features@thefulcrum.ca Sarah “The Sputnik” Nolette Sports Editor sports@thefulcrum.ca

W

Kyle “The Nugget” Darbyson Opinions Editor opinions@thefulcrum.ca

alking into The Beer Store is like walking into a warehouse. There are lists and conveyor belts and a sense that you need to order what you want as quickly as possible and get back out.

Spencer “The Phoenix” Van Dyk Online Editor online@thefulcrum.ca Spencer “The Baron” Murdock Staff Reporter Remi “The Eyeopener” Yuan Staff Photographer Lindsay “The Quill” MacMillan Associate News Editor Moussa “The Mark” Sangaré-Ponce Associate Online Editor

Buying beer at the LCBO is more relaxed. It’s well-lit, and there are rows of foreign, domestic, and local craft beers to choose from. You can peruse the shelves, deciding whether or not to try something new or stick with an old favourite.

It’s got a standard layout, so if you know exactly what you want you can grab it and go.

Annalise “The Argosy” Mathers Associate Features Editor Savannah “SPEAK” Awde Staff Proofreader Chantale “The Sheaf” Streeting Webmaster Deidre “The Omega” Butters Ad Manager ads@thefulcrum.ca Andrew ”The Athenaeum” Hawley General Manager manager@thefulcrum.ca

Contributors L. A. “Fiscal” Bonte Jasmine “The Vandoo” van Schouwen Natasha “The Cadre” Lomonossoff Chelsea “The Interrobang” McManus Deborah “The Gradzette” Sogelola Ganeshya “The Dialog” Kaaneeshan Garry “Golden Ram” Balaganthan Justin “The Navigator” Dallaire Stephanie “The Caper Times” Piamonte Aleks “The Lance” Kunarac

Cover art A) Marta Kierkus B) Marta Kierkus C) Sean Trayner D) Richard A. Whittaker

thefulcrum.ca

On Jan. 7, The Beer Store announced that they are making changes in response to recent criticism of the Framework Agreement, a deal that was struck between them and the LCBO in 2000.

a

b

The main reason that people shop at The Beer Store at all is package size. They have bigger offerings and in the beer business, as in many things, size matters. It matters to brewers and it matters to you.

C

D

Now microbrewers can buy

into the company and pay the same fees as Molson, Labatt, and Sleeman, which means that smaller brewers won’t have to pay a fee at two of the five locations closest to their brewery. There will also be two seats on the board of directors for large craft breweries and one seat for smaller ones.

Molson and Labatt will retain five seats each, and Sleeman will have two.

One thing entirely ignored in the new proposal is package size. And that’s the main reason people still aren’t happy.

The deal also affects restaurants and bars that choose to purchase from the LCBO, as they cannot buy any major brands not carried in regular LCBO stores. This means they are unable to support local microbreweries who stock only at a small selection of locations. Without competition, the major beer brands are able to set high prices, making it more expensive for everyone.

The revenue collected from the LCBO funds hospitals, schools, and other infrastructure that benefit the province.

According to a study by UniNone of the revenue from The versity of Waterloo economist Beer Store goes to the Ontario Anindya Sen, a study that government. The Beer Store compared The Beer Store with isn’t even owned by CanQuebec Costco stores, Ontaradian companies anymore, ians pay 17 per cent more for because Labatt, Molson, and their beer.

Sleeman are part of multiThis is because of the deal national brewing companies: made in 2000, supported by Anheuser-Busch InBev has the Progressive Conserva- headquarters in Belgium and tive government in power at Brazil, Molson-Coors in the that time, and upheld by the US, and Sapporo in Japan. present Liberal government.

So, why would the governThe deal prevents the LCBO ment prop up The Beer Store from selling beer in anything when they make revenue larger than a six-pack, forcing from the LCBO? Because The the consumer to pay more to Beer Store has provided all purchase the popular and afthree major parties in Ontario fordable 12- or 24-packs. with significant election cam-

paign funding.

By selling 12- and 24-packs in the LCBO, Restaurants Canada estimates the province could take in $515 million a year. They also estimate that an additional $500 million could be made by allowing the LCBO to sell 24-packs of all brands to restaurants.

Size matters because small packages mean you pay more.

Size matters because buying bigger packages from The Beer Store means your money goes to internationally-owned The Beer Store and provincial election campaigning, rather than infrastructure that benefits you as an Ontario resident.

Size matters because small business owners are being limited in how much they can grow their brewery, as they are restricted either by the size of their packages, or the fees they need to pay The Beer Store to expand.

Size matters because bigger isn’t always better, but restricting competition to prop up a monopoly isn’t something that’s serves our best interests as consumers or as Ontario

EDITORIAL | 31

Win a pair of tickets to see the Sens take on the Dallas Stars on Jan. 29 at 7:30 p.m.

To enter: Email senators@thefulcrum. ca

by Jan. 27 at 5 p.m. and name one of the U of O profs named to the Order of Canada in December