The Fulcrum - Vol 75 Issue 19

P.4-5

VOL. 75 ISSUE 19 | FEBRUARY 5 ,2015

IN THIS ISSUE SFUO elections P.4-5 Meet the executive candidates

Socially awkward P.8 Ikram Hamoud misses another roundtable

Black History Month kicks off P.10 Shaun Boothe mixes hip hop and education

Zombie theory P.12 Professor writes about math and the undead

On the download defensive P.14-15 How new legislation could affect you

GĂŠlineau retires P.17

Athletic director leaving after 20 years at the U of O

Do the Junos matter P.20 Point/counterpoint on Canadian music awards

Joining the 21st century P.23

SFUO discovers the Internet

NEWS

SFUO general election candidates 2015 PRESIDENT

David Gakwerere

NEWS EDITOR

Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi news@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260 4 | NEWS

Turnout and engagement are the cornerstones of David Gakwerere’s presidential bid. The fifth-year public administration and political science student wants to increase the visibility of SFUO execs on campus with face-to-face meetings and awareness of SFUO services available to students.

Gakwerere said he plans to work with the university administration by compromising and providing constructive criticism. He plans to continue working on the general assemblies initiated this year, calling them “a good platform we could use for the coming year.”

He also wants to put a spotlight on sports teams, clubs, and services. Gakwerere seeks to better manage SFUO funds, and lower tuition fees by reducing the cost of incidental and administrative fees.

Gakwerere has worked with IPPSSA and its predecessor, PIDSSA, along with playing intramural soccer, and serving as the ombudsperson for the French-language student newspaper, La Rotonde. Outside of the U of O, he has worked as a House of Commons page program supervisor.

Gakwerere said if he could be any fictional character he’d be either Aaron Hotchner from Criminal Minds or Phil Dunphy from Modern Family. “I love having a laugh, I love being happy,” he said. “But I also know there’s a lot of work to be done, and I’m ready for that work.”

Nicole Desnoyers An integral part of Nicole Desnoyers’ platform is building on accessibility and participation in general assemblies. The fifth-year women’s and aboriginal studies major hopes to work with the university to ensure on-campus venues for the assemblies, and to entrench academic amnesty into a student Bill of Rights so more people can attend.

Desnoyers wants to have more spaces for students on campus, especially multi-faith spaces. She said she will also continue advocating against tuition fee hikes.

She has spent four years on the BOA, first as a social sciences representative for two years, then as a part of the SFUO executive as the vicepresident of equity, and this year as vice-president of services and communications.

Desnoyers also sat on the Board of Governors for one year as an undergraduate student representative.

If she could be any fictional character, Desnoyers said she would be Dana Scully from X-Files, describing her as a strong, “super-badass” woman who stands by what she believes in.

VP of University Affairs

Vanessa Dorimain Fourth-year social sciences student Vanessa Dorimain’s motto is “no student left behind,” meaning all students should have access to all services offered at the U of O. Dorimain is currently the vice-president of external affairs of the Black Student Leaders Association, and previously worked with the BlakCollectiv.

She wants to lobby the U of O senate to introduce an African studies department at the U of O. She said the Racialized Student Centre is another priority, should it pass in the upcoming referendum.

Although she admits that getting the U-Pass for parttime, summer, and international students is a “stretch,” she aims to get a pass for all Quebec commuters during her term. Dorimain said she also wants all course syllabi to include a page that lists and describes all the student services and clubs on campus.

She chose Superwoman as her fictional alter ego because she tries to do it all, she said.

“I’m a single mom, and I’ve been attending school fulltime, and I work as well… I feel like all these things are empowering to me.”

VP Social

Roméo Ahimakin If elected, Roméo Ahimakin said he plans to further diversify the social events offered by the SFUO. His ideas include introducing weekly queer bar nights, running a campus Nuit Blanche, and hosting events during the winter break for students who can’t make it home. He said communication is a “crucial” part of the role, adding that he’ll prioritize input from federated bodies, clubs, and relevant university partners.

Ahimakin has been heavily involved with the International House this year as the service’s coordinator, and has previously worked as the activities supervisor. Now in his second year of a biology degree, he has spent the past five years at the U of O, having graduated from health sciences in 2013.

If he could be any fictional character, Ahimakin would be the Flash, so that he could be every place he wanted to be and get everything done at the same time.

Hadi Wess Hadi Wess said he wants to organize events that relate to student issues, including cultural and philanthropic events. Wess, who’s in his fourth year of psychology, with a double minor in French and Italian, said one event will not cater to all students, so he plans to host two major events per month to cover more ground.

Wess said he wants to improve communication on campus. His ideas for social events include hosting a homecoming during 101 Week, organizing a philanthropy day, and creating “Frost Week,” the winter session equivalent to 101 Week.

Wess is currently the president of the Italian Club, the student ambassador for Arabic studies, and president and founder of the non-profit Seek to Speak. Last year, Seek to Speak hosted the “uOttawa Think You Can Dance” event to fundraise for the United Way. He has also worked with Housing Service for the past three years.

If Wess could be a fictional character, he said he would be Daredevil because “he realizes he has a disability, but he still loves his life and lives better than everyone else.”

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Campus is plastered in posters and social media is buzzing with activity. It’s student election season at the University of Ottawa.

The campaign period for the 2015 Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) general election kicked off on Feb. 1 and students are set to see fresh faces, as only one member of the current executive is vying for another year.

Polls will be open Feb. 10–12 and students can vote either by showing up at a polling station on campus, or by emailing the chief electoral office to appoint a proxy.

Students will also be voting in a referendum on the creation of a Racialized Student Centre and electing members to the Board of Administration (BOA), the university Senate, and the undergraduate student seat on the Board of Governors.

Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi, Lindsay MacMillan, Chelsea McManus & Julia Riddle Photos: Marta keirkus VP of Services and Communications

Vacant If an SFUO executive position remains vacant after the general election, a selection committee chooses an appropriate candidate. The committee consists of five members of the Board of Administration (BOA), at least one but no more than three of whom are current executives.

According to the SFUO constitution, the selection committee must establish selection criteria, advertise the vacant post, conduct an interview process, and submit its recommendations to be voted on at the BOA. The candidate must receive more than 50 per cent of the vote to take up the position as an SFUO executive.

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VP of EQUITY

Roselyne Dougé-Charles Roselyne Dougé-Charles said she wants to “bring in new ideas” to the two-yearold position. The fourth-year women’s studies and psychology major said she wants to improve clubs by increasing funding and making more spaces available.

She also wants to work on the Racialized Student Centre if the motion passes in the upcoming referendum. DougéCharles wants to do her part in increasing awareness of pre-existing SFUO services and ensuring services are available in French. She said she’ll work closely with the vice-president of communications and services to ensure SFUO events are constantly promoted on campus.

Dougé-Charles has worked with intersectional urban youth in Montreal and currently works in the Women’s Interaction Network, ensuring people are aware of their rights. She is the French representative for the Black Student Leaders Association, and works with the BlakCollectiv.

Her favourite fictional character is Penny Proud from The Proud Family, since she was the first strong character on television Dougé-Charles felt she could relate to.

Nicole Maylor Nicole Maylor, a third-year international development and globalization student, said she wants to bring an opendoor policy to the SFUO by encouraging face-to-face meetings between students and their execs.

By time next year, Maylor said she wants to get a “fullout layout” of the proposed Racialized Student Centre.

Accessibility issues are also a priority, along with increasing the number of religious spaces on campus.

Maylor is a Canadian Future Achievers alumnus, a program that provides scholarships and resources for students of Caribbean and First Nations descent. She was also the student organizer for the People’s Social Forum held this past year at the U of O. She said if she could be any fictional character, she would be either Olivia Pope from Scandal or Annalise Keating of How to Get Away with Murder, “because I think that they’re strong powerful women of colour, and I believe that is what I am as well.”

VP of Finance

Dana Abu Hammad Dana Abu Hammad, who’s running alongside her brother Mutasem, is a second-year math and economics major who said she wants a better feedback system for students to communicate with the SFUO in order to make changes on campus.

Her main focus is to equalize the funding distribution for clubs and make financial resources more readily available. She hopes to encourage people to start clubs through a half-trust funding project, explaining that while there are more than 250 clubs on campus, a lot of them are not active due to a lack of funding.

Her experience with clubs will allow her to understand their needs.

She currently holds a Senate seat for the Faculty of Social Sciences, and she’s involved in multiple clubs, including University of Ottawa Muslim Students’ Association, Economics Students’ Association, and the Math Club.

If she could be any fictional character she would be Santiago the shepherd from Paulo Coelho’s novel The Alchemist, because he “gives a good outlook on life.”

Mutasem Abu Hammad Mutasem Abu Hammad said he wants to equalize and innovate club funding, expand philanthropy funds, and continue to ensure student businesses profit.

“Communication on campus needs to improve in order to enrich student life,” said the third-year international development and globalization student, adding that students make investments into university life and deserve “more than just a piece of paper at the end of their degree.” He said he hopes to develop a strong relationship with other executives and the university administration, saying “it’s a better way of demanding change.”

Abu Hammad co-founded the Nyantende Foundation to support education in the Congo in his first year and served as its vice-president of finance for three years.

He also volunteered with the Muslim Students Association.

He is currently in talks with administration to develop an app allowing for student feedback and greater awareness of events on campus.

He said he would be Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory because of his sense of humour and the way he breaks social norms.

Taylor Davidson Taylor Davidson said she wants to make the SFUO budget more transparent and accessible to students by translating it to French, providing visual representations of the budget online, holding town hall meetings and consultations on the health plan, and including students in budgetary planning.

Davidson, a third-year commerce major, said she hopes to address tuition fees for national and international students. She wants more childcare subsidies for all students, health insurance coverage for international students, and she aims to address food insecurity on campus.

If she could be any fictional character she would be Jane Grey from X-Men because “she had such a vast amount of power, and with that power an immense capacity for both horrible destruction and really, really amazing things, and every single day she woke up, had to choose to be good.”

NEWS | 5

Caroline Andrew, left, announced the recommendations which U of O president Allan Rock, centre left, said the university will adopt, alongiside Simon Lapierre, and Kelly Brown. Photo: Sabrina Nemis

University says it will implement all task force recommendations Report includes Sports Services gender audit, but no code of conduct Sabrina Nemis Editor-in-Chief

Work on the recommendations from the Task Force on Respect and Equality will start before the end of this school year, the University of Ottawa announced Thursday.

On Jan. 29, after a two-month delay in which the university extended the men’s varsity hockey team’s suspension for another year, the task force released their recommendations.

The recommendations include a gender audit of Sports Services; an education initiative based on “the bystander model”; mandatory training on harassment and sexual violence for campus leadership and university-run groups; an explicit sexual violence policy; a pilot project with relevant local community organizations; having the university clarify and publicize the role of the Human Rights Office; making relevant statistical data public; funding courses to address sexual violence from an interdisciplinary perspective; a mandate that the zero-tolerance approach to sexual violence is included on every course syllabus; and the formation of an action team to oversee the implementation of all recommendations.

The university said they will adopt all of them.

The task force was created in March 2014 in response to a sexually graphic Facebook conversation posted about Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) president Anne-Marie Roy, and allegations that two members of the varsity men’s hockey team sexually assaulted a woman while in Thunder Bay to play against Lakehead University.

The task force consisted of 14 members, including undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, and administration. They were mandated to make recommendations on how to promote respectful behaviour and prevent sexual violence and harassment at the university.

While Roy was invited to participate in the task force, she

6 | NEWS

said she declined because she “already knew that rape culture was an issue on campus,” and did not feel that an investigation to prove its existence was necessary. She later met with the task force and recommended that students lead action on campus.

Roy said she supports what they’ve presented. “They’re certainly going to take the University of Ottawa in the right direction,” she said.

The sexual assault charges laid against Guillaume Donovan and David Foucher raised questions about the locker room culture present on the team, and in varsity sports as a whole.

The task force recommends a gender audit of Sports Services, looking at whether inter-university programs reflect gender demographics on campus, and giving priority to women in hiring practices.

“Student athletes are leaders on this campus,” said task force member Kelly Gordon, stressing the importance of training on harassment and sexual violence for athletes and coaches.

Two students and two senior administrators will receive funding from the university to attend training in Vancouver in May 2015 for an education initiative based on what university president Allan Rock called “the bystander model.”

“What it does, is distribute responsibility across the whole community,” he said.

The students and administrators will be responsible for implementing the program during the academic year, and the students will be paid an honorarium for their work.

The leadership of the university will also undergo mandatory training on causes of and solutions to sexual violence before Fall 2015. There will also be sexual harassment and violence prevention and response training available in both languages for many campus-run groups and services.

One of the biggest concerns on campus leading up to the task force’s recommendations was that a student code

of conduct might be included.

Students were concerned this would open potential for the administration to curb protests or facilitate sanctions for nonacademic infractions.

A recent report released by the U of O ombudsperson indicates that students are already being sanctioned for non-academic behaviour.

The task force recommended explicitly against a student code of conduct, instead calling for the adoption of a prevention program, including a campus educational campaign and a sexual violence policy. Unlike a student code of conduct, these will apply not only to students, but also staff, faculty, and administration.

The university will explicitly define and promote the values they expect everyone to adhere to in relation to respect and equality on campus. Rather than evaluating behaviour on an individual basis however, the recommendation stated the values should inform existing policies, procedures, and practices on campus, and primarily be implemented through those.

The sexual violence policy will include an explicit prohibition on sexual violence; implementation of a process for investigating and disciplinary action; enumerated sanctions; as well as a website resource for related information.

It also calls for “a commitment to respect the decisions and safeguard the confidentiality of those involved, as appropriate.”

An action team will oversee the implementation of all the recommendations. The members will include students, faculty, staff, and administration, as well as two task force members and a legal expert in the field of sexual violence policy.

This group is intended to ensure the recommendations are not merely for show, but will result in real change on campus. Members will receive an unspecified per meeting honorarium.

Information sessions about services to be implemented will be held on campus before May of this year.

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Students to vote on creation of Racialized Student Centre Referendum brings attention to racial issues on campus

“This time last year I had people tell me the only reason I’m on the SFUO executive now is because I’m black.”

—Maya McDonald, VP of equity Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi News Editor

A Racialized Student Centre could become the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa’s (SFUO) 13th service—and the second new one this year—pending the result of a referendum during the SFUO general election.

The referendum question asks students whether they are in favour of paying $1 per semester for full-time students, and 50 cents for parttime students, in order to create and run the centre.

“We need one because there are issues that racialized students face on this campus, because they are racialized and at this point there’s not really a place for them to go,” said Naomi Martey, who’s leading the “yes” committee for the referendum.

“It would be like a peerto-peer support space,” said Martey, citing resources such as medical and legal services tailored to address racial issues, events, and the availability of a drop-in space.

The shooting death of American teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. and other highly publicized shootings of black youth at the hands of white police officers in the past year has put a spotlight on modern day racism, and was a catalyst for Martey’s campaign.

She said she couldn’t book a space on campus to host a vigil for Brown because she was an individual student, not a student group. This led

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her to submit a motion to the November general assembly to hold the referendum.

“Racialized students needed a place to have that same power and that same leverage on campus,” she said.

Students weren’t able to vote on the motion because the GA didn’t meet quorum, so it was tabled to the December Board of Administration meeting, where the members voted overwhelmingly in favour to hold the referendum.

The referendum does not have an official “no” committee, though it’s not without opposition.

Josh Giesbrecht, a fourthyear political science and public administration student, opposes the creation of the centre, citing worries that such a service would be divisive.

“Having centres on our campus that celebrate and promote different cultures and languages is great. From what I have read and know of the Racialized Student Centre, I don’t see the same positive sentiment,” said Giesbrecht, noting last spring’s In My Skin campaign caused controversy over its separation of whites and nonwhites.

“Basically I saw it as drawing racial lines between students, trying to split people up based on skin colour alone,” he said.

Giesbrecht said SFUO services like the International House and the Student Rights Centre already address race issues.

Martey said existing SFUO services aren’t equipped with the necessary resources to deal with racism and discrimination on campus, and clubs on campus that do deal with racial issues don’t have adequate financial resources and personnel.

Vice-president of Equity Maya McDonald said she’s glad that discussions about race are happening on campus. “I definitely agree that we need spaces for racialized students. I don’t think that is exclusive to a service centre, but it is a viable option,” she wrote in an email.

McDonald said she can personally attest to how pervasive racism is on campus. “I have had interactions with faculty members and other students who are ‘surprised’ or ‘impressed’ by the vocabulary I use,” said McDonald. “This time last year, I had people tell me that the only reason I’m on the SFUO executive now is because I’m black.”

SFUO president AnneMarie Roy said she was in favour of the new centre.

“I’ve heard a lot of students’ stories that, unfortunately, definitely reflect there’s still discrimination and racism on our campus,” she said.

Roy said she has already informed the University Centre management board about the potential new service, with her eye on a third-floor space.

The SFUO general election will be held Feb. 10–12.

—With files from Lindsay MacMillan

NEWS | 7

Anti-social vp social

Ikram Hamoud garners more complaints about lack of communication Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi News Editor

Members of various federated bodies are fuming after Ikram Hamoud, vice-president social of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO), skipped out on the latest social roundtable.

Volunteer coordinator Sunny Bui said Hamoud asked him to chair the meeting two hours before the roundtable was set to start, without providing an agenda or an explanation.

“I have no problem chairing the meeting, but I was frustrated that she did not supply me with an agenda,” he said.

It wasn’t the first time, either. Bui has chaired the previous two meetings, the last of which he also wasn’t given an agenda. According to the SFUO constitution, the vice-president social is supposed to chair the monthly roundtables.

Hamoud said in an email to the Fulcrum that she couldn’t attend the meeting because she was “double booked for another event.” She said she intended to communicate to the rest of the members—other vice-president socials of student groups—that she couldn’t attend through a Facebook message.

“I left a message on our Facebook group but when I came back to my office the next morning I realized that it didn’t post on the group,” said Hamoud.

Christine Backs of the Engineering Students’ Society said she isn’t buying it.

“I wasn’t surprised she didn’t show up,” Backs wrote in an email. “We always get a date, then it’s cancelled within 24 hours (not giving us enough

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“I'm just really frustrated. It's been a long year because of her.”

—Christine Backs, vp social of the Engineering Students’ Society time to make arrangements) and then rescheduled to another date. A date that she never shows up to.”

She said Hamoud hasn’t tried to communicate with the other socials about what was discussed during the roundtable.

“She has refused to talk to us via social media since about September, essentially making group discussions impossible,” Backs said.

“I’m just really frustrated.

It’s been a long year because of her.”

Regarding the agenda, Hamoud said the other vicepresident socials are supposed to send her their agenda points.

Hanna Fazal of the Students’

Association of the Faculty of Arts said Hamoud hasn’t given out clear instructions about the agenda points.

Fazal, who has been a vocal critic of Hamoud, is leading a petition calling for her impeachment. Fazal said she’s collected between 600 and 700 signatures since mid-December.

“We as volunteers are expected to go to these monthly meetings, and she gets a salary to attend them,” said Fazal. “I work hard in my position and to be able to do what I need to do to give the best experience to students, and it’s sad that it’s not happening on a much larger scale like it should be.”

Muslim students to get ablution space on campus

The UOMSA has lobbied the university throughout the year, asking for more religious accommodations.

Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi News Editor

The University of Ottawa Muslim Students Association (UOMSA) has won a small victory in a fight to acquire more religious space on campus.

In a statement on their Facebook page, the group said they will be acquiring an ablution space by this coming fall in the University Centre.

It will be located in the hallway right next to the first entrance door of the Multifaith Prayer Space, which will lose eight or nine square metres to make way for the ablution space, according to the statement.

Muslims are required to perform ablution, an act of washing oneself, before every one of the five daily prayers.

Muslim students at the U of O have been using the washrooms in the UCU for ablution, but the infrastructure isn’t suitable, according to Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) president Anne-Marie Roy. “This is definitely an issue we’ve been pressuring the uni-

Photo:Lindsay MacMillan

versity on for a number of years,” Roy said it is certain that the said Roy. Board will accept the proposal, “While we’re happy with and they’re already working these small victories, I think with food services so their we’ll have to recognize that the plumbing renovations include University of Ottawa is definan ablution space. itely lacking and not respectThe UOMSA has lobbied ing the Ontario Human Rights the university to acquire more Code when it comes to religious religious space throughout the accommodations.” year, including submitting a Roy said she suggested the motion to the general assembly university add the ablution space calling for a prayer space on the when she found out the UCU south side of campus. would be undergoing renovaThe motion didn’t pass betions for a new dining hall. cause the assembly failed to “Since we’re already doing meet quorum, and was tabled plumbing work in the UCU why to the next Board of Adminisdon’t we also include an ablution tration meeting in December, space on the first floor?” she said. where it was passed.

The SFUO doesn’t have an estimated “While we’re happy with cost yet because these small victories, architects are still I think we’ll have to working on the prorecognize that the ject, she said.

In a statement, the University of Ottawa is U of O said the prodefinitely lacking and not posal has yet to be respecting the Ontario approved by the UniHuman Rights Code versity Centre manwhen it comes to religious agement board. The UOMSA declined to accommodations.” provide further com­— SFUO president ment until discusAnne-Marie Roy sions wrap up.

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Student voter engagement in focus at Maclean’s on the Hill Youth vote is hard work for little payoff, say experts Jasmine van Schouwen Staff Contributor

Politicians will have to hope for the best but expect the worst when it comes to voter turnout among post-secondary students in Canada, according to a panel of experts on Canadian politics.

The Maclean’s on the Hill podcast paid a visit to the University of Ottawa this past week, inviting the university community to attend a taping of their show as it celebrates a year on the digital airwaves.

Maclean’s invited Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, NDP MP Jean Crowder, Liberal MP Irwin Cotler, Equal Voice’s Nancy Peckford, and journalists Paul Wells and Susan Delacourt to debate women in politics, the new Conservative terrorism bill, and the looming federal election.

Wells, Maclean’s political editor, and Delacourt, the Toronto Star’s senior political writer, closed the show, offering up predictions for October’s election and discussed how student issues will play into the coming

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month’s politics.

“I think (the parties) feel burned by all the effort they put into trying to get out (the) student and youth vote, and then finding that only a third of them vote,” said Delacourt.

In the last federal election in 2011, only 38.8 per cent of Canadians aged 18 to 24 voted.

“The first thing you’re going to see in the next campaign is people trying to get those people to turn their passion for issues … into a vote at the ballot box,” said Delacourt.

Wells said the answer depends on “how you define student issues and how you define students,” citing examples of initiatives that catered more to college students than those attending larger universities.

He and Delacourt agreed that politicians tend to target the voters they know they can count on.

“Every political organizer is keenly aware of the sorts of votes that they can sock away because they’re almost certain to have those votes come out,” said Wells.

Delacourt, author of the book Shopping for Votes, brought up how the voter-politician relationship has begun to resemble the way corporations treat shoppers, but said this might not be the case in October.

“I think it’s going to be a real test for marketing-style politics,” she said, after the strategy failed in the Ontario provincial election.

The podcast taping is among a number of events and initiatives seeking to drive up youth voter engagement.

On March 25, NDP leader Thomas Mulcair, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, Green Party leader Elizabeth May, and Conservative MP Michael Chong will come to campus calling on young voters to get engaged, as a part of the iVote series that also took place on campus last year.

Last spring, former Liberal senators created the Your Question Period initiative hoping to appeal to Canadians across the country by giving them the opportunity to pose questions to their senators.

National News

Ryerson program helps internationally trained doctors find work New bridging program first of its kind in Ontario Sharnelle Kan The Ryersonian

TORONTO (CUP) — For 14 students at the G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University, the beginning of the new semester also marked the start of a new beginning.

The internationally trained medical doctors (ITMD) bridging program began in January as a first-of-its kind program in Ontario to integrate international medical graduates into the Canadian health care system for nonlicensed health care jobs.

Distinguished visiting professor Shafi Bhuiyan developed the program as an alternative for international doctors who are unable to practise as physicians, but are looking to remain in the industry through research and health management positions.

The program, which costs $1,500, consists of 11 weeks in class and four weeks of practicum placement at hospitals and other health organizations like Toronto Public Health. The most valuable part of the program,

according to Bhuiyan, is the internship opportunities.

Bhuiyan said he received 500 letters of intent and 180 full applications but was able to accept only 14 students.

Amir Ahari, a successful applicant, emphasizes how difficult it is for international doctors to succeed in Canada.

“Physicians are intelligent people. They go through lots of training and lots of hours of education. It’s a really good, respectful career so when you immigrate to Canada and you see all the doors closed, you lose your pride,” he said. “You see that what you did is useless here.”

Less than five per cent of international doctors who immigrate to Canada continue to practise medicine, according to Marie Bountrogianni, dean of the Chang School.

“We should be doing a better job in disseminating externally to foreign-trained physicians that coming here does not guarantee them any easy access to their profession,” she said.

Sadia Sohail, a pediatrician from Karachi, Pakistan, is another student of the program. She practised for five years as a physician until she moved to Canada in 2000. She

found it difficult at first to make ends meet.

“I actually walked into Canadian Tire and I said, ‘Please give me a job. Just basic, minimum wage,’ and I got the feedback that I was overqualified,” she said. This was a defining moment for Sohail, who then decided that she’d never give up trying to practise medicine in Canada. She has been working in the health-care field ever since.

Applications for the bridging program closed in November 2014 but Bhuiyan still receives calls from interested individuals.

The program is currently a pilot project. If it’s deemed successful, Bountrogianni will seek funding from the Ontario government to make the program a permanent part of the Chang School.

“It is a huge burst to your ego when you come here and you’re not even (able) to find a job at Canadian Tire,” Sohail said. “It really puts things into perspective, so I think this pilot program will be phenomenal once we move forward and we find jobs in our respective fields. It will really give the program a boost.”

Shafi Bhuiyan developed the bridging program as a way of integrating internationally-recognized doctors into the Canadian medical field. Photo: Courtesy Shafi Bhuiyan)

NEWS | 9

ARTS &CULTURE History retold through hip hop

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

SFUO’s Black History Month kicks off with rap bio series Christian Zapata-Prado

Contributor

M

uhammad Ali or Bob Marley may not have been mentioned in your history class, but they probably would have kept your attention— especially if they were taught in the form of a rap verse.

That’s the philosophy of Shaun Boothe, a motivational speaker and artist from Toronto who spoke at Back to Black, an art show and open mic event hosted at Café Alt as part of Black History Month.

Boothe performed part of his biographical rap series on cultural icons. His spoken word act documented the lives of Muhammad Ali, Barack Obama, Sean “Diddy” Combs, and Bob Marley.

He said people ought to find different ways to teach and motivate others to see a different angle of black history.

“Really it comes down to repackaging history through hip hop,” said Boothe.

“Hip hop is the most powerful youth culture of today, and history, as important as it is, it loses people, especially in education in schools and classrooms. So I wanted to use my talent to repackage it and make it engaging and connect with people.”

After stepping away from the music industry, Boothe decided he wanted to inspire others through motivational speaking and art.

“I was always the person who wanted to inspire others. I would always be the type of person who wanted put some knowledge or something in there and it wouldn’t necessarily be fully appropriate for the music industry,” he said. “Going into schools, these are the same things that propel me forward.”

Learning about black his-

tory is about more than just 28 days, said Maya McDonald, vice-president of equity of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) and lead organizer of Black History Month at the U of O. She said students should think of black history as more than just a month-long event. The #NotJustAMonth social media movement is a move away from the February celebration of black history toward long-term education of black people’s history, icons, and issues.

“What we perceive being black is, what black culture is, what other people and we see, and how we can make the public perception of black culture and black history reflect more of the narratives that aren’t being heard as much now,” said McDonald.

Emily Manns, a recent communications graduate who attended the event, said she was surprised by how she didn’t know nearly as much about the historical icons as she’d thought.

“They have very deep histories that I couldn’t even have imagined,” said Manns.

“I grew up in a very white community, to put it bluntly,” she said. “I never experienced black history or multiculturalism until I came to Ottawa.”

Prya Smita Selvarajoo, a firstyear philosophy and sociology exchange student from Singapore, says she went to the event to learn more about black history and left “inspired to take steps to be who I want to be.”

In the wake of the Michael Brown shooting and other police-caused deaths of black Americans, and the “Black Lives Matter” movement that followed, Boothe said he admires the movement’s passion and that people need to put themselves on the “frontlines” of change.

“It’s great because a lot of the time people feel like they have no power, but when you see that, that passion is power,” he said.

“You can’t ignore that. It’s them saying, ‘We will no longer be ignored.’”

Jessica Eritou

Arts & Culture Editor

Y

Long time pals Jenna Spencer, left, and Hilary Lawson practice once a week and work together at Café Alt.

Photo: Ming Wu

You’ve got a friend in me Bandmates share what it's like as a woman in Ottawa's music scene

10 | ARTS & CULTURE

ou might think Hilary Lawson and Jenna Spencer would get sick of each other.

The longtime high school friends and one-time roommates are both work colleagues at Café Alt and members of the indie rock group Baberaham Lincoln.

Lawson, a fourth-year conflict studies and human rights student at the University of Ottawa, sits behind the drum kit, while fourthyear aboriginal studies student Spencer plays guitar, bass, and sings in the fourpiece band.

Their team dynamic goes back to high school, when a mutual friend introduced them knowing they’d hit it off. Later, the pair moved to an old house in the middle of a Centretown parking lot in the summer of 2013. They drove the rest of their roommates crazy with Lawson's drum kit.

Artist Shaun Boothe shares a moment of history at Café Alt, kicking off Black History Month.

Photo: Allegra Morgado

When the band originally started, the two hoped for an all-girl band, but now have two male bandmates. Most of the talented women in the citywho wanted to play a similar style of music were already involved in other projects.

As female musicians, the two say they have dealt with double standards, such as being asked if they are holding their boyfriend’s instrument while on stage. “No, we just stand around and hold stuff,” Spencer will say.

Lawson has always hoped for more female-fronted bands in Ottawa's music scene. She says a lot of the time female artists tend to go the singer-songwriter route.

“That's fine, but that's not what we wanted. I feel like there's not enough girls playing rock 'n' roll,” she says.

Spencer and Lawson say they're thankful for Lesley Marshall from Bonnie Doon, who runs a zine called Small Talk. Marshall welcomed them into the music scene and even-

tually put together Baberaham Lincoln's first tape.

The band also gives kudos to Rachel Weldon, who runs a monthly music concert series called Fryquency featuring new Canadian tracks.

Weldon advocates safe space zones at shows, and making them accessible for all ages.

“I like going to shows, but I don't really like getting punched in the face,” says Spencer. “She's done a lot of great work (to make) anyone who wants to do that feel more comfortable.”

Just like their long-standing friendship, the ladies say they're in Baberaham Lincoln for the long haul.

“We've stuck together.

Those aspects of our lives are so interchangeable. If we're hanging out, that's what we talk about anyway,” says Lawson.

“It's less stressful," says Spencer, "… and we don't take ourselves seriously, which is why it works.”

Baberaham Lincoln plays on Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. at Mugshots.

thefulcrum.ca

The young and the fashionable U of O student unveils original clothing line at Her Campus fashion show Menrika Christian and Kimoko Lopez Contributors

• Model he would like to

use in his work: Coco Rocha,

Cara Delevingne.

• Fashion designer

inspiration: Mademoiselle

Coco Chanel. “She was revolutionary in fashion, she came from nothing and became an immortal icon.”

• Fashion Don’t: Fanny packs.

• If he had to wear one outfit for rest of his life:

Black suit, white shirt, and black tie.

• FavoUrite Movies: Devil

Wears Prada and Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

• Last song he listened to: Tchaikovsky’s “Sleeping Beauty Ballet.”

• Pet Peeve: Slow walkers.

• His idea of a perfect day:

Alone on the beach with a good book, sipping a cocktail.

• Favourite stores: Hudson Bay and Zara.

• Hobbies: Singing and playing piano (which he's done since he was nine years old).

• 3 things he would bring if

he was stuck on a deserted island: Laptop, case of

champagne and someone to keep him company.

Photo: Adam Gibbard

Various collections at Capital Catwalk.

Photos: Shanaya Sarin

For fashion designer Julien Boissonnault, time was of the essence. In 24 hours, he would be revealing his next collection for the first time for a crowd of 300 people, and he still had a few pieces to complete and get set up for Capital Catwalk.

“If you feel right about it, go for it,” he said.

That’s how it’s been for the style-savvy student, whose original fashion line was strutted down the runway for the first time at the Her Campus Capital Catwalk on Feb. 1.

Born and raised in the French region of New Brunswick, Boissonnault came to the University of Ottawa to study communication and business management in 2012.

Now in his fourth year, the 20-year-old runs his own fashion line called Julien|George, and has made a name for himself in Ottawa’s style scene.

It all started in the summer after his first year when he decided to stay in Ottawa rather than head back home. Knowing he wanted to do something related to the fashion world— and partially motivated by the boredom of the summer—he decided to send his resumé to Ottawa Fashion Week. They liked him so much that they made him a volunteer design

coordinator.

Soon after, a good friend and fellow designer turned him on to a business grant that helped him launch his business.

As the founder, CEO, and head designer, Boissonnault distributes his designs online on his website and hopes his business will continue to thrive and expand.

His fashion philosophy is to make clothes that are dressy, but still appropriate for everyday wear. “You don’t have to be formal,” he said.

“It’s about being classy with a twist.” His clothes allow clients to dress it up or mix in a more casual look.

Although his first collection had been very colourful, Boissonnault’s latest collection was inspired by the femme fatale image often seen in American Horror Story: Coven.

His newest pieces are an ode to the beauty and mystery of women.

With the way trends come and go in the age of technology, Boissonnault says it’s better for up-and-coming designers and fashion-forward folks to stick to social media for street style inspiration rather than wait for monthly publications.

“Look up to other people without copying them,” he said. “Look in the streets, make up your own outfit around it, and try things you find interesting.”

Getting to know Julien:

thefulcrum.ca

Julien Boissonnault used American Horror Story: Coven as an influence for his collection.

Photo: Shanaya Sarin

ARTS & CULTURE | 11

Zombies bring school back to life

U of O prof explores the mathematics of a zombie epidemic Eric Davidson Contributor

If you ever find yourself running away from a zombie horde, you probably won’t be thinking about math. But maybe you should be.

Lots of people think math is boring, and that’s a problem, according to University of Ottawa professor Robert Smith?.

(No, that’s not an error—the question mark is part of his name.)

Smith? studies infectious disease modelling, and as it turns out, a plague of the undead isn’t that different from, well, a real life one. And with that, he brings in zombies to further explain complex theories.

“They show you how infections might occur,” he says.

“If you think about physics, there are black holes, the Higgs boson … it’s exciting,” he says.

“And I think math could do exactly the same thing.”

His new book, titled

12 | ARTS & CULTURE

Mathematical Modelling for Zombies, aims to make math more accessible, using zombies as a hook. “I got emails from high school teachers saying thank you, finally my kids care about math,” he says. “It touched people’s imaginations.”

Not bad for a lesson plan modelled after Shaun of the Dead.

The book uses zombies as a lens through which to examine infectious diseases. It also analyzes the spread of news in the media and online, changes in government policy, and other factors that would be affected in the wake of a zombie breakout.

It’s far from his first foray into the world of undead academia.

In 2009 he published a paper on a similar topic. “I thought this (would) be amusing to me and no one else,” he said, but instead it prompted an enthusiastic response. The paper was featured by a number of major media organizations, including the CBC, the BBC, and the Wall

Street Journal.

In fact, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States even released a zombie preparedness plan based on the paper.

“I think they realized essentially the same thing that I realized, which is that zombies make things accessible,” says Smith?. “It’s ironic that this fictional disease makes people care more, but it does.”

So what to do in the case of a zombie apocalypse? “They’re not very good at moving around,” he says, so barricades are an effective tactic. “We need to work as a team,” he adds. “After all, it only takes one idiot to open a door, and the zombies are in.”

Our best weapon is our intelligence and creativity, he says. “You build a moat around the university and fill it with crocodiles to eat the zombies, and we’re good to go.”

It’s best we start packing for an apocalypse then.

For Dr. Robert Smith? his feedback on zombie mathematics and science has been nothing but spectacular.

Photo: Marta Kierkus

thefulcrum.ca

Making her mark in music Ambitious U of O student opens for Craig Cardiff Diyyinah Jamora Contributor

Whether you know it or not, you’ve probably seen Amanda Lowe. You may have seen her at various fundraising events on campus, or as the Gee-Gees’ national anthem singer last year. You may recognize her as a local musician or a fellow student.

The singer-songwriter, artist management agent, and full-time psychology student says her attraction to the stage—whether it’s at a bar, a coffee shop, or campus fundraiser—comes from a desire to push herself out of her comfort zone and into the spotlight.

Growing up, Lowe’s had her fair share of lucky charms to give herself motivation. “But not anymore,” she says. “Now it’s just more like ‘It’s all on you.’’”

Lowe’s music teacher recognized her talents at a young age. Lowe kept singing for fun, taking every opportunity to perform at school, with a band, or at Christmas concerts. She even started writing her own original songs when she was 12 years old.

Lowe has since performed at

venues like Ever Afters, Café Alt, Pressed Café, Umi Café, SAW Gallery, and multiple house concerts.

“I learned a bunch of instruments throughout every experience I had,” she says.

Along the way, she’s also developed a relationship with Juno Award-winner and fan favourite Craig Cardiff.

Lowe first met Cardiff two years ago when she opened for him at a Shinerama fundraiser.

She made a great first impression, and Cardiff asked her to work with him at Patrick Artists, a booking and artist management agency.

She even helped him with a last-minute scramble, when she filled in the opening slot at one of Cardiff’s shows at the Black Sheep Inn a year later, and then rushed to an exam immediately afterward. She says the chaotic experience was well worth it.

“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, is this really happening?’” she says.

This time, her hobby, schooling, and work have come full circle as she prepares to open for Cardiff again, this time at the University of Ottawa for a Relay for Life fundraiser.

Lowe says it’s a meaning-

ful show because she’s known people who passed away from cancer. “It’s something that’s dear to my heart, dear to whoever’s going to be attending,” she says.

The multi-instrumentalist learned to sing and play the guitar and piano on her own, learned the saxophone and clarinet in her school band, and picked up the glockenspiel and snare drum while she was a sea cadet.

Lowe hopes to encourage other artists to get involved in the music scene by performing at events like the open mic nights she hosts at Café Nostalgica on Thursday evenings.

“You never know who is scouting,” she says. “There are so many resources, especially with the Internet these days, it’s super easy to put yourself out there. You just have to give an extra push.”

Lowe dreams of going to medical school, but says she’ll still continue with her music.

“I’m always going to try to find a way to have performing incorporated into my life, no matter how busy it is.”

Lowe and Cardiff perform on Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. at 1848. All proceeds benefit Relay for Life.

Jonny Lebeau, left, Jonny Devaney, Sachin Sinha, and Tallulah Learn won their recent Toronto improv summit.

Photo: Rémi Yuan

Improving their improv

U of O improv group proves they are a laughing matter for third year running Janoah Willsie staff Contributor

Most people would rather not be laughed at in front of a crowd. For MI-6, that’s the whole point.

The University of Ottawa’s improv team, MI-6 found themselves in a three-way tie with Queen’s and Carleton at the University of Toronto Improv Summit on Jan. 16.

In each round, a team would get a suggestion from the audience and have 10 seconds to plan the scene. The next team could take the same suggestion and make a better scene, or pass.

“We did the story of a miner and his love travelling to the core of the earth, where if they got there they would find the key to immortal love,” explained Zac Duval, a secondyear theatre student.

The audience also got to choose the winner by way of applause but were indecisive enough to warrant three winners at this year’s competition.

With its second win in the last three years, the MI-6 team attributes their success to a sense of camaraderie. As first-year Telfer student Sachin Sinha explains, the group has such chemistry that MI-6 doesn’t have a leader simply because they don’t need one.

Jonny Lebeau, a third-year biomedical science student, says that as an improv actor, you get a lot of enjoyment from helping out a teammate if you see the scene is dragging.

It’s also a very different game than the seemingly similar act of stand-up comedy. There are no hecklers in improv, says first-year theatre student Jonny Devaney.

While those who take in a stand-up comedy show tend to expect an unwritten quota of laughs-per-minute, those who watch an improv performance are there just to be entertained, however that may happen.

Perhaps the biggest difference, though, is that each comic has a team to lean on.

“If we fail, we fail together,” says Lebeau. “But if you fail as a stand-up, you’re alone.”

The team is back to compete against Carleton for this year’s Cracking Up the Comedy festival.

“This one is more about entertaining the audience than winning a trophy,” says Duval. “It should be lots of fun for anyone watching.”

MI-6 and Carleton Improv will go head-to-head on Feb. 6 at 6 p.m. at Confederation Park.

“If we fail, we fail together. But if you fail as a stand-up, you’re alone.”

—Jonny Lebeau Student and singer-songwriter Amanda Lowe ‘s world collides as she plays at school for her job that’s also her hobby.

thefulcrum.ca

Photo: Rémi Yuan

ARTS & CULTURE | 13

W

hen Chelsea chose to download Vampire Academy last spring, she considered the innocuous act of online piracy as unmemorable as the movie itself.

Not so for the copyright holder. In August, she received an email from the company that produced the movie, forwarded

by Rogers, her internet service provider (ISP). The email said the company had evidence that she had illegally downloaded Vampire Academy—a movie about a teenage half-vampire trying to survive private high school— and threatened further action if this type of activity continued at her residence.

Chelsea, whose full name the Fulcrum has withheld, was bothered by the sudden realization that her online microactions were being monitored, but it was her mom who freaked out the most, suddenly frightened about her family’s activities landing them in a lawsuit pursued by a powerful media company.

Regardless of whether they illegally download digital content, Canadians ought to be concerned about the new Notice and Notice program that came into place on Jan. 1, a system that streamlines and formalizes the process that Chelsea went through.

The new anti-downloading laws are about what you do when you think no one is watching.

When you think no one cares.

Internet surveillance is personal, it’s creepy, and its stakes are well beyond the choice of what to watch on movie night.

The battle over online anonymity The Notice and Notice Provision is not a reflection of any new powers of copyright holders; it’s simply one aspect of a new law, the Copyright Modernization Act, that updates and clarifies the legal rights and responsibilities of copyright owners, ISPs, and Internet users.

Under this law, ISPs are now legally required to pass on notices of copyright infringement

to its customers who have been flagged for illegal downloading.

Before the provision, there was no clear legal requirement for ISPs to send out the notices they received from copyright holders to their customers, like the one Chelsea received from Rogers.

These notices, while quite intimidating in language, are not proof of any guilt or damage.

They are designed simply to discourage future illegal activity. Michael Geist, a law professor at the University of Ottawa and the Canada Research Chair in Internet and e-commerce law, says Canadians shouldn't panic over potential litigation arising from these notices.

“They should be aware of the fact that there’s been an allegation of infringement, but at the same time the likelihood of litigation or a lawsuit following is pretty low,” says Geist.

The low odds are due mainly to logistics, he says. Suing thousands of Canadians in individual cases would be difficult for our court system to handle.

“This is really designed to be an educational system to make people aware where the law stands, as opposed to an attempt to try to leverage this immediately.”

The reason notices are so important to copyright holders is that they do not know the identity of the customers illegally downloading their content.

They only know their Internet Protocol (IP) number, an address for a device’s online activity. The ISPs do know the names of their customers who are matched with particular IP addresses, but as decided in a June 2014 ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada, they are not legally allowed to give out this information to a copyright holder unless ordered to do so by a court.

There has only been one case in Canada in which a copyright holder has gone to court over the identity of downloaders.

Last February, TekSavvy, an Ontario-based ISP, was ordered by the Federal Court to hand over the personal information of 2,000 customers to Voltage Pictures, a small California film company that owns the rights to The Hurt Locker and Dallas Buyers Club, among many lesserknown films.

But the process is more complicated than TekSavvy simply handing over a list of customers.

The Voltage ruling stipulated that the transfer of customers’ personal information must be court-monitored to ensure how and when Voltage can use this information. The danger is that Voltage could use the personal

information to bully customers with threats of legal proceedings and damages that exceed what they would be legally entitled to under Canadian law.

The range of damages for noncommercial copyright infringement in Canada is between $100 and $5,000. According to multiple legal experts, if a case ever went to Canadian court the amount of damages would far likelier be nearer to $100 for a first-time case.

David Fewer, director of the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic, explains that Canada’s statutory damages system shields Canadians from so-called “copyright trolls,” whose business model is predicated on leveraging people and the court system to get more money than they’re entitled to.

The ruling in the Voltage case and the Copyright Modernization Act made such copyright troll tactics illegal.

“The system we have is a friend to ordinary Internet users, not something to live in fear of,” says Fewer.

Principled by profits It first appeared the privacy protections ordered in the Voltage case would set a precedent that would make it too costly and resource-consuming for copyright trolls to target Canadians.

However, the recently proposed Bill S-4, the Digital Privacy Act, would make it easier for ISPs to share personal information without consent. The proposed bill, which has already made it through the Senate, would allow ISPs to voluntarily disclose customers’ personal information to another company, without telling the person affected and without a court order.

“Certainly we’ve seen that many Canadian ISPs put shareholder interest ahead of customer or privacy interests.”

-David Fewer

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What you need to know a downloading laws, and wh concerned with how their

Jesse ColauTti • Features Editor

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“Right now it’s good because Canada’s ISPs mostly understand that protecting users' privacy is still good business,” says Fewer. “But they don’t have to, and there’s always the potential for an unscrupulous ISP to say you know what, instead of you, the copyright troll, spending thousands of dollars on a court order, why don’t you just pay me a reasonable sum of money to cover our costs, maybe make a profit, and we’ll give over this information.”

He says it's particularly a concern with larger ISPs that have a vested interest in the content being illegally downloaded—as they are content owners and producers themselves—or who may look at online infringement as competition to their cable or satellite services.

The real danger for downloaders, and all Canadians concerned about their privacy, is the day when ISPs decide to turn on their subscribers and start cooperating in the sharing of data, a decision that would be all too easy to make should Bill S-4 become law.

“ISPs are businesses, and at the end of the day they will do what makes the most business sense, and that’s why I worry that if trolls make it profitable for ISPs to hand over subscriber data then that’s where they’ll wind up,” says Fewer.

“Certainly we’ve seen that many Canadian ISPs put shareholder interest ahead of customer or privacy interests.”

Finding the right person for the right activity Another major concern comes from the margin of error when equating a person with a specific IP address. Notices are sent to the email address provided to ISPs from each customer in the case of infringement allegations.

But the person receiving these emails may not be the same person responsible for the downloading. This is especially a concern for students living in a house or apartment with friends who share an Internet connection, and thus one IP address.

It gets even more complicated in a massive network such as the one here at the University of Ottawa. According to a U of O spokesperson, should the university receive an illegal downloading notice directly from Rogers, they would remit the notice to the individual.

But to do so the university

would have to take steps to associate your network activity with the credentials used to login into their system. To the content holder, all student activity would appear to stem from the U of O. This type of non-specific accusation may not be a serious issue when only non-binding notices are at stake, but it could be problematic in the event of the person whose name is linked to a flagged Internet account becoming the target of future litigation.

“They don’t know who the user is otherwise, so that’s who they are going to target," says Geist.

While due process in the court of law could mitigate the problem, an even greater danger arises if copyright trolls get a hold of customers’ personal information and begin suing.

“For these trolls, it’s not about getting compensation from the right person for the right activity,” he says. “It’s about identifying a subscriber and getting more money than they’re entitled to through a settlement, basically leveraging the fear of litigation and the cost of defending yourself.”

Privacy, not by default The best defence against copyright trolls and future litigation is obvious: stop downloading.

But the Copyright Modernization Act is troubling not because of who or what is targeted, but how. The pushback against downloaders reveals just how tenuously the value of privacy is respected in Canada.

The Supreme Court of Canada’s ruling last June stated that Canadians have the right to be anonymous on the Internet and that police would have to get a warrant before uncovering their identities. Current legislation put forward by the Harper government, such as Bill S-4, directly contradicts this ruling.

CBC News and the Intercept also revealed on Jan. 28 that the Canadian government is behind a massive covert operation that “taps into Internet cables and analyzes records of up to 15 million downloads daily from popular websites commonly used to share videos, photographs, music, and other files.”

Says Geist, “As we learn more and more about what’s taking place, it’s quite clear that virtually everything is being captured.”

“If you look at how the telephone evolved and how those kind of lines of communication

evolved, the privacy was on by default,” says Fewer. “And we didn’t take the view that you had to take extraordinary steps to protect your privacy. In fact, we took the opposite view that privacy was the default, and if the state wanted to listen in on your conversations, it actually had to go to court and get a wire to monitor all that stuff.

“The state apparently took the opposite view with online browsing.”

Protecting yourself and your privacy One such extraordinary step students can take to protect their privacy is purchasing a virtual private network (VPN). VPNs essentially create an encrypted tunnel that a device enters from a particular online location—an IP address—destined for some other online location, with no way to track the device to the original location.

This is how so many of your friends most likely get American Netflix: They make it appear as if their computer has an American IP address.

While both Fewer and Geist don’t advise students to get a VPN in order to continue illegal activity, they say it is one of the best tools available to those concerned about their fundamental right to privacy.

“Your business is your business and it’s nobody else’s business,” says Fewer. “If people aren’t going to respect those boundaries then you should use the tools to enforce those boundaries.”

It’s still unclear how antidownloading efforts will play out in Canada, and whether the associated litigation will ever be practical enough to make VPNs or other extraordinary efforts necessary for downloaders.

The problem with the cat and mouse game that copyright holders are currently engaged in with illegal downloaders is they always seem to be a step behind.

“The experience in a lot of other jurisdictions is that it’s not lawsuits that have proven effective,” says Geist. “It’s typically been in offering up compelling alternative services that are well-priced and encourage people to go in another direction.”

Chelsea says that despite the initial scare when she received the notice from Rogers, she hasn’t stopped downloading.

“I just avoid movies produced by the company that produced the movie I got booked for. And while it did freak me out a bit, I haven't stopped and don't plan to.”

SPORTS

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

Capital hoops classic Looking back at the history of the Capital Hoops Classic, the Ravens have defeated the Gee-Gees more often than not. With both Gee-Gee basketball teams winning against the Ravens earlier this year, they are set to have an

interesting match-up against their cross-town rivals. The Capital Hoops Classic is Friday Feb. 6, beginning with the women’s game at 6 p.m. and the men’s game following at 8 p.m. You can catch all the action with @The_Fulcrum on Twitter.

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With excellent goaltending from Maude LévesqueRyan and a third-period power-play goal by Melina Prevost, the women’s hockey team defeated the nationally number-one ranked Montréal Carabins for the second time this season.

The Gee-Gees won with a score of 4-2 over Montréal on Feb. 1, increasing their consistency with each game before the playoffs.

“We talked about consistency and bringing up our compete level. We did that today,” said head coach Yanick Evola after the game.

The Carabins played strong during the first two periods, but it was the Gee-Gees’ team leadership and effective defensive end that held them in the game.

“I thought, with the exception of a few minutes in the first period, we played almost a full 60-minute game,” said Evola.

Lévesque-Ryan made 45 saves for the Gee-Gees.

Ottawa’s record improved to 5-11-0 as the Gee-Gees move up four points to catch the final playoff spot in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec league.

The Gee-Gees return on Feb. 8 at 3 p.m. at home against the Carleton Ravens .

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thefulcrum.ca

“He left a good legacy and better than when he found it, from an athletic perspective, he accomplished a lot.”

—Andy Sparks, Head coach of women’s basketball Luc Gelineau is already relaxing in Europe, enjoying the retired life.

Photo credit: Annie-Claude Bastien-Lessard

Gee-Gees head retires after 20 years U of O sports staff reflects on Luc Gélineau’s legacy Sarah Nolette sports editor

On a campus often struggling to find space for its growing student population, Luc Gélineau leaves behind a legacy of sports facilities, services, and excellence.

His tenure at the University of Ottawa came to an end on Jan. 28 as he eased into retirement after 20 years as the top Gee-Gee.

thefulcrum.ca

Gélineau began as the Gees’ athletic director in July 1996, and since then helped build the teams to nine national championships.

These days, you can find him in Europe relaxing and travelling with his wife to kick off the retired life.

“I have mixed feelings, but it’s time to go,” Gélineau said in an interview with the Ottawa Sun last month, after announcing his retirement.

“My wife is retired. I enjoy working with my hands; my favourite toy is the chainsaw.

And I really enjoy the outdoors.

I’ll be doing some fishing in Temiskaming.”

His colleagues say he built a strong program from which the Gee-Gees can continue to grow.

His biggest strength was in his ability to set business plans in place, said assistant athletic director Colin Timm. Both the Minto Sports Complex and the

newer Lees Avenue facilities are the result of his long-term strategies.

“If we look at the success of our programs we have now, whether it’s our recreational program, our intramural program, or our varsity programs, they’re some of the most successful in the country,” said Timm.

“He had a plan all along to make sure the services are in a good business situation,” said

sports information and events officer Jen Elliott. “That was always his plan the last couple of years … It took a long time for things to come together and to act on the plans he was making.”

The U of O is one of the few universities in the country that has started to focus its attention on select sports programs. Instead of stretching themselves thin, Gélineau set an action plan in place in 2002 to establish

larger resources for the teams and facilities.

“We’re seeing now eight or nine of our varsity programs are in the top 10 of the country, and we’re challenging now for a national championship,” said Timm.

“His approach never really changed,” Elliott said of Gélineau. “But things are changing and happening quicker now because we are in a position to make those changes.”

Gélineau was also known by colleagues for his trust in delegation and recognition of staff talent.

“He was never the person to micromanage everything like some leaders,” said Andy Sparks, head coach of the women’s basketball team. “He hired the right people for the right positions.”

“He allows us as staff to develop, grow, make a mistake, and learn from it,” said Timm.

“I don’t think Luc has ever shied away from getting the best staff he can get.”

Timm said that over the years Gélineau grew to understand the impact of his decisions on student athletes.

“I think he’s been able to relax a little bit more, and engage with the staff and the student athletes,” he said. “They started to get to know who he was.”

For the next athletic director to come, Timm said the biggest challenge will be to find more funding to continue developing facilities and programs to serve all students.

“They need to be engaging alumni, they need to understand the corporate marketplace, and they need to understand the challenges the university is going to face in the next five years,” he said.

Gélineau left his mark at the U of O—one that coaches, athletes, and staff alike experienced in some way over the years.

“He left a good legacy and better than when he found it,” said Sparks. “From an athletic perspective, he accomplished a lot.”

SPORTS | 17

Men’s basketball survives first half scare in the Sault

Gees rally for 28-point win at Algoma, set sights for Carleton at Capital Hoops Spencer Murdock Staff Reporter

Women’s volleyball has not lost one set in the new year.

Photo: Marta Kierkus

Women’s v-ball smashes Kingston teams to close regular season

There was no bigger trap game on the Gee-Gees schedule than their matchup with the Algoma Thunderbirds. It was a classic example of the worst possible situation dealt to the team.

The previous weekend, the Gees went across the province to Windsor, only to turn around in a matter of days and depart once again for another 10 hours on the road.

Ottawa rode into Sault Ste. Marie first place in the country and face off against an Algoma team with only one win this season.

The Thunderbirds jumped at the opportunity to take advantage of the road-worn Gee-Gees, as they installed a harassing full-court press defence from the opening tip.

As Ottawa’s shooters worked to get their groove in the early minutes, Algoma seemed to hide in passing lanes and take every bounce in their favour. The Thun-

derbird offence was efficient enough to consistently deny the Gee-Gees’ signature score-in-bunches style. After the first quarter, Algoma held a 21-18 lead and would continue nagging at the Gees through the second quarter.

On the other side of halftime, Algoma’s inevitable fall came.

The Gee-Gees found their zone and began pulling away, before ultimately pushing their lead over 20 points to cruise to a comfortable 91-63 win.

The Gee-Gees were led by Johnny Berhanemeskel with 19 points, and the bench was anchored by a strong 12-point performance from Matt Plunkett.

With the team having to work harder than anticipated for the win, it may add extra pressure on the team as they prepare for their re-match with their second-ranked rival Carleton Ravens at the Capital Hoops Classic on Feb. 6.

Luckily for the Gee-Gees, the game gives them an opportunity to prepare as if they were playing at home,

despite being in a month-long road stretch.

After the team’s last clash, they will be looking to once again stop the Ravens, a team with much more to prove dealing with their two losses this season.

For the first time in the rivalry, the game is truly Carleton’s to lose as they could likely fall behind Ryerson and slip in playoff seeding.

The Gee-Gees will need the return of their starting point guard Mike L’Africain, as they’ll need Medhi Tihani to focus on defense rather than running plays.

With a win at Capital Hoops, the Gee-Gees could begin to prepare for their path back to the national championship, as the remaining four games in their schedule come against second-rate teams in the province.

The 2015 Capital Hoops Classic at the Canadian Tire Centre will begin with the Gee-Gees women’s team taking on the Ravens at 6 p.m., followed by the men’s at 8 p.m.

Gees steadily beat Queen’s, RMC on route to playoffs Garry Balaganthan Contributor

The Gee-Gees women’s volleyball team was able to nail down two more wins against the Queen’s Gaels and the Royal Military College Paladins (RMC) as they head into playoffs.

The wins continued the Gee-Gees’ January winning streak that gives them some good momentum for the playoffs. With six straight victories and an undefeated month, Ottawa has peaked at the right time.

On home court, the Gees beat an impressive Gaels squad to bring their record to 13-3. The win solidified their second-place ranking while pushing Queen’s to fourth in the Ontario University Athletics East division, giving them a slim chance of making the playoffs.

Alix Durivage and Myr-

18 | SPORTS

iam English led the women to victory, scoring 14 and 15 points, respectively. Senior middle Durivage had a season-high game with six service aces to go along with two blocks and seven kills.

“Alix has been ready to have a game like that all season,” said head coach Lionel Woods.

With chemistry being such an integral part of the starting six, Woods said that’s the key to the GeeGees’ success.

“We’ve been building our rhythm all month, and there is just so much comfort there with the starting six,” he said.

The Gees then easily dismantled the RMC Paladins, ending with a 14-3 regular season record. The perennially stronger Gee-Gees were able to capitalize, despite a third set charge from RMC. The Paladins were not ready to roll over in the final set,

with the Gee-Gees lead cut to one with two points to go. But in crunch time, the Gees were able to regroup to score two points to finish the game.

The Gee-Gees are set to play the University of Toronto Varsity Blues on Feb. 7 in Toronto for the first game of the playoffs.

“We’ve been building our rhythm all month, and there is just so much comfort there with the starting six,” — Lionel Woods, Head coach

Gabriel Gonthier-Dubue posting up against the Ravens.

Photo: Richard Whittaker

thefulcrum.ca

So, how about those New Year’s resolutions…

Five tips from an athletic trainer to help you stay on track Tatiana Hanlan CONtributor

January has come and gone. Most of the excitement about the New Year has passed. So, how are your 2015 resolutions coming along? If the answer is “not so well,” there are still 11 months left to reach your goals.

One of the most popular resolutions is healthy living. We touched base with certified trainer and fourthyear human kinetics student Ariane Lachance-Scantland for tips on how to stay motivated and keep your fitness resolutions.

1. Add it to your schedule For working out to be part of your lifestyle, it needs to become second nature. Write down training sessions in an agenda to make it become a habit. Treat it as an appoint-

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ment that can’t be cancelled to help keep it a priority. Convenience is key when introducing a lifestyle change.

Find practical training times such as before or after class to make them manageable.

2. Find a workout that’s right for you After scheduling times, determine the type of training you enjoy. The weight room is not for everyone.

Playing sports, taking classes, or circuit training at home are great alternatives to the dreaded crowded gym.

Lachance-Scantland also suggests including variety in your workouts. Not only is it beneficial for your body, it keeps workouts exciting.

Sports Services offers many options when it comes to staying fit. Montpetit Hall and the Minto Sports Complex offer fitness centres,

squash courts, gymnasiums, and dance studios.

3. Don’t make excuses Let’s face it: we all have our off days. School, time, and fatigue are all excuses that can deter us from going to the gym. But anything is better than nothing. A shorter or less intense workout helps to maintain fitness level. Besides, you’ll always be pleased that you completed a workout.

4. Educate yourself “The clients who see the quickest results are those who are implicated in the process,” says LachanceScantland. “Asking questions and learning about healthy living always helps to achieve your fitness goals.”

You have easy access to training material online.

Don’t be intimidated by big biceps and big weights.

Just make sure it’s from a reputable source. Knowing the benefits of an exercise helps to perform it better, and to appreciate it more. Not to mention, understanding the basics can come in handy.

When a gym is crowded and your station or materials are taken, knowing alternative exercises makes workouts go faster and smoother.

5. Focus on yourself Whatever you do, don’t look at others while you’re training. It’s so tempting to compare body masses and workouts. At this point, all you need to understand is your training and the benefits it brings to you. There’s no time to waste trying to copy others. Chances are you have a class to attend, assign-

Photo: Marta Kierkus

ments to complete, or a bus to catch.

These tips are useless if you aren’t being honest with yourself first. It’s more than the number on the scale; there are underlying reasons for wanting to lead a healthier life. And if you know accountability will be a problem, consider hiring a trainer, or teaming up with a buddy with similar goals and dedication.

SPORTS | 19

OPINIONS

OPINIONS EDITOR Kyle Darbyson

opinions@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260

Should we care about the Juno Awards?

Of course the Junos matter Madison McSweeney Contributor

T

he Juno Awards are one of the few times when Canadian musicians are given the credit they deserve.

Countless talented artists have roots in our home and native land, but it can be hard to break through the glass ceiling of the U.S.-dominated music industry. Award shows like the Junos give up-and-coming Canadian acts a much-needed boost in profile, while also recognizing the achievements of established artists who—by virtue of their nationality—may not fall under the Grammys’ radar.

Furthermore, in terms of sheer entertainment value, the Junos are one of the better award shows to watch. The ceremony tends to move along at a brisk pace and consistently features solid humour and impressive musical performances.

The announced line-up for this year includes Hedley and Arkells—one of the best live rock acts around—which should be enough to convince anyone that the Juno Awards are as relevant as ever.

So what’s with all the hostility?

A common gripe about the Juno Awards is that many of the winners reside outside of Canada. Scandalous, right? However, the eligibility requirements are fairly specific as to what constitutes a Canadian musical act.

Clearly defined citizenship and residency requirements must be met by 50 per cent of a group’s members in order to be eligible. These guidelines ensure the Juno Awards remain Canadian while giving enough leeway to prevent made-in-Canada artists such as Neil Young, who lives in California, from being shafted due to geographical location.

Controversy also surrounds

20 | OPINIONS

The Junos need to wake up and face the music

sales requirements for some of the major awards, including Album of the Year. However, these concerns are similarly misplaced.

Taking sales into consideration for some of the big awards only ensures that the nominees reflect, to an extent, what Canadians actually listened to in the past year.

So it turns out the procedures aren’t inherently flawed, but still many people complain about the quality of the nominees.

Arguing about the “artistic merit” of individual nominees is futile, because art is so subjective in the first place. Canadian acts that some would dismiss as “obscure” or “C-list” are often harbingers of brilliant music worthy of acclaim, and the Junos are the one stage where they get to shine bright.

With that in mind, how could anyone who purports to respect the arts declare that any particular artist is “unworthy?” The performers honoured by the Junos every year—musicians that span a variety of cultures, generations, and genres—are part of our national heritage and they deserve to be recognized.

Whether you agree with the field of winners, honouring Canadian achievements is still an inherently worthy enterprise.

Spencer Murdock staff reporter

T

hese days it seems like Canadian culture is less about what defines us as a nation as it is about desperately trying to differentiate ourselves from our neighbours to the south. In this sense, the Juno Awards are truly a Canadian creation, since they mostly exist as a futile effort to prove the country’s cultural exports can stand up to the United States.

Award shows like the Junos give up-andcoming Canadian acts a much-needed boost in profile, while also recognizing the achievements of established artists.

Ilustration: Jennifer Vo

The biggest problem with the Junos is the idea that Canadian music needs its own yearly awards show. Comparatively speaking, many of the country’s top musicians have already found success at the Grammy Awards, considered one of the highest honours in the industry. Recent years have seen Canadian Grammy wins by artists like Arcade Fire, Drake, and Michael Bublé.

It is undeniable that there is quality music coming from Canada, but when greater recognition exists, why settle for an award that lacks prestige?

The integrity of the Junos also starts to break down when you look at the categories in

It is undeniable that there is quality music coming from Canada, but when greater recognition exists, why settle for an award that lacks prestige?

which—all too often—the same artists are nominated every time they release a new album. In many cases the nominations are not based on merit, but simply because there isn’t enough deserving talent to fill out the category. Multiple artists considered to be well out of their prime—Bryan Adams and Sarah McLachlan, for example—have nominations at this year’s awards. Other nominations go out to Canada’s premier acts like Drake, The Weeknd, and Bublé, despite the fact that they did not even release a studio album in 2014.

From a broadcasting standpoint, television ratings are illustrative of the lack of national interest in these awards.

While the 2014 Junos pulled in 1.4 million viewers, it was the second-most-watched show that night, falling about half a million viewers short of an episode of The Amazing Race.

In January 2014, the Grammy Awards pulled in 28.5 million total viewers, good enough for the highest ratings in both the U.S. and Canada.

Appealing to the public is always a tough fight for the Junos, since most of their performers are C-list at best, hardly making it worth anyone’s while to tune in.

The Grammys, on the other hand, have a system that is successful: they award those who deserve to win regardless of their country of origin, and they book the best acts to perform. An award show live from Hamilton, Ont., where the biggest preforming act is Hedley, simply will not cut it for the average viewer.

It might be time for the Junos to stop pretending to be something they’re not. They will never become relevant until they stop pushing away international music and instead look to it for help.

thefulcrum.ca

Anyone can be a victim of domestic abuse

Hope Solo case highlights a dichotomy on how we view assault Moussa Sangaré-Ponce & Kyle Darbyson Associate Online Editor & Opinions Editor

Last summer, Hope Solo— one of the most recognizable faces in women’s soccer—was arrested on domestic abuse charges for allegedly assaulting her half-sister and 17-year-old nephew.

Last month, the charges laid against Solo were dropped. Throughout the entire affair, Nike and the U.S. national soccer team stuck by Solo.

The case stands in stark contrast to many of the highprofile domestic abuse cases that permeated the NFL last year. For example, when Adrian Peterson was accused of hitting his son with a switch, the media and the public condemned him immediately, resulting in a costly suspension and the loss of his corporate sponsors.

Even though organizations like the NFL are just now taking these cases seriously, the divide between the public reaction to Peterson’s and Solo’s case highlights the fact that there is a double standard on how we view domestic abuse.

When it comes to domestic violence, all victims should be treated equally. But for the most part, domestic violence against men—especially at the hands of women—is viewed as a myth or an urban legend. Many believe it simply doesn’t happen, or at least not frequently enough to be considered a significant problem. Research suggests this is definitely not the case.

A 2005 study by Statistics Canada found that approximately 7 per cent of the women and 6 per cent of the men they surveyed considered themselves to be victims of domestic violence in the past. A more recent report published by Parity, an equal rights charity from the United Kingdom, found that

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two in five victims of domestic abuse are, in fact, men.

However, even though there is evidence to suggest that a significant portion of domestic abuse victims are men, these incidents go largely unreported. While unreported cases of domestic violence are a harsh reality for women as well, police are still less likely to believe men when they claim to be victims of abuse.

Why? Because people treat domestic abuse against men like it’s a complete joke.

This is not surprising, since we live in a society that has a very narrow view of what constitutes being a “real”

According to the equal rights group Parity, more than 40 per cent of domestic violence victims are male.

Photo: Rémi Yuan

When it comes to domestic violence, all victims should be treated equally. man. We expect adult men to act like macho douchebags.

Because of this, any man who is caught being abused by his wife or girlfriend—as documented in several social experiment videos that can be found on YouTube—is automatically deemed a wimp or some kind of weak-willed individual who “had it coming.”

The Jay Z and Solange Knowles fiasco back in May shows that the general public is not above extending this logic to a high profile celebrity. The now famous video of Solange physically lashing out at Jay Z in an elevator led

to more sniggering and joke memes than actual serious conversations about assault.

Imagine if the genders were reversed, this security cam footage—much like the Ray Rice video that came about four months later—would have become another catalyst for nationwide discussions on domestic abuse.

Domestic violence should be taken seriously, no matter who the victim is. We simply cannot turn our backs on victims of abuse because they don’t fit into our pre-conceived notions of what abuse is supposed to look like.

OPINIONS | 21

Heckles

How are

beauty pageants still a thing?

Omar Abdikader Staff Contributor

Today beauty pageants are one of many talent competitions that dominate primetime television. But unlike singing competitions, dance competitions, or trivia competitions, beauty pageants involve the evaluation of one of the most subjective human traits: physical attractiveness.

These competitions have been around since antiquity, and many nations hold beauty

contests every year. But what makes a beauty pageant like Miss Universe baffling is that the winner is considered to be the most beautiful woman in the world.

It’s ridiculous to label someone the most beautiful amongst a population of nearly 7 billion people, with countless different ethnic groups and cultures idealizing various standards of beauty. The criteria used to evaluate these contestants, especially with their emphasis on thinness and light skin, is defin-

itely not representative of all the diverse kinds of women in the world.

Furthermore, the standard of beauty advertised by these events is unattainable for the vast majority of women, and the pressure to strive for this unreachable “perfection” can lead to depression, eating disorders, and poor body image.

Although these competitions also involve the evaluation of intellectual traits or “inner beauty,” it seems like these segments are set up to

intentionally make the contestants look as dumb as possible.

For instance, in the interview portion of the most recent Miss Universe pageant, Miss USA Nia Sanchez was asked to deliver a 30-second message to global terrorists.

Even though this is an utterly absurd thing to ask, Sanchez kept her cool and responded by saying: “As Miss USA I can only spread the message of hope, love, and peace.” Of course, countless people mocked Sanchez on social media for this “clichéd” answer, despite the fact that the best terrorism analyst in the world wouldn’t have been able to provide a satisfactory response in that short time.

Even though pageants like Miss Universe make this kind of shallow effort to judge con-

testants on more than just their beauty, the bottom line is that these women are still being judged primarily for their sex appeal. Not only does this reinforce the idea that women should be valued primarily for their physical appearance, it totally ignores how the public perception of gender roles has been evolving over time.

Women in the 21st century shouldn’t derive their

self-worth solely from their physical appearance. Instead they should use their self-confidence, intellect, and life experience to accomplish the goal they set out for themselves.

Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. We don’t need a crummy beauty pageant to tell us what is and isn’t worthy of our attention.

The criteria used to evaluate these contestants, especially with their emphasis on thinness and light skin, is definitely not representative of all the diverse kinds of women in the world.

22 | OPINIONS

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SFUO finally discover s the Internet Student fed stops using carrier pigeons to communicate Jamieson Aelick

Contri butor

The Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) has finally come into contact with the Internet.

On Tuesday, one SFUO exec said she was out walking when she stumbled upon a brand new iPhone 6.

“Honestly, it was just lying there, bright and shiny,” she said.

“After fiddling around with the device for a couple of minutes, I came across something called the ‘World Wide Web.’” The exec immediately called an emergency meeting to inform the rest of the SFUO of the momentous discovery. After some confusion, they came to the conclusion that they could use this system of interconnected computer networks to effectively advertise student

events.

Before this historic finding, many deemed the communication between the student federation and students as non-existent. The SFUO has traditionally relied on archaic, outdated, and sometimes bizarre methods to inform students about upcoming events.

“I didn’t know about the General Assembly. No one did,” said Jon Stefan, an engineering student. “No wonder they didn’t meet quorum. Who checks Western Union for telegraphs anyway?”

More recently, $10,000 worth of fireworks was used to advertise this year’s Winter Challenge and snow fort building contest.

Unfortunately, the elaborate pyrotechnics were set off during the day, which minimized their effectiveness.

In lieu of this communica-

tions failure, the SFUO’s tin can telephone line was clogged with confused students looking to register.

“We tried really hard to get involved, but the tin cans distorted everything,” said Laiosha Burns, a team leader from the Faculty of Arts. “I couldn’t tell if they were saying ‘carts lean pin leaf’ or ‘starts the 19th.’”

Furthermore, this year’s student elections have been plagued by confusion surrounding the SFUO election guidelines because the carrier pigeons the student federation traditionally use to deliver this information have fallen ill.

“Somehow the birds got into the chili they serve in the cafeteria,” said the federation’s staff bird keeper. “They’ll be out of commission for at least the next two weeks.”

Now armed with the instant messaging power of the Internet, the SFUO plans to do great things.

“This is huge step forward for our student government,” said the SFUO’s vice-president of services and communications. “With this technology at our fingertips, we are definitely going to explore new opportunities like online voting, email, and maybe even MySpace.”

One question remains: Who’s been running the SFUO website until now?

Starting next year, SFUO will no longer rely on carrier pigeons to deliver elections guidelines.

Photo and edits: Marta Kierkus. Pigeon photo: Carolyn Lehrke, CC

“With this new technology at our fingertips, we are definitely going to explore new opportunities like online voting, email, and maybe even Myspace.”

—VP Services and Communications

Maroon 5 set to release new track ‘Vegetables’ Follow-up to ‘Animals’ aims to eroticize salads everywhere

amonte Stephanie Pi St aff Contri bu tor

Maroon 5 is set to release a follow-up to their controversial smash hit, “Animals.”

But after receiving a lot of criticism for literally treating women like meat in their last hit single, the band decided to take meat out of the equation this time around.

“Our new track is going to be called ‘Vegetables,’” frontman Adam Levine said in an exclusive interview with the Tomato. “It’s about a lonely horticulturist’s obsession with finding the perfect salad, and claiming it for himself.”

In the same interview, Levine admitted he has a whiteboard set up in his basement

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for ideas about a third song entitled, “Minerals.”

“Coming up with the title is always the hardest part,” he said.

Despite widespread criticism, “Animals” has been praised by some critics for its psychotic lyrics, violent imagery, and for the way it glamorizes stalker-like behaviour.

Levine promises that “Vegetables” will also push the boundaries of artistic expression, and delve deep into the realm of completely healthy and normal human-on-plant relationships.

“I feel like this song is going to really highlight some important themes, like how taking out your personal aggression and frustration on collard greens will, in the end, turn out to have a happy end-

ing,” said Levine. “Just like in ‘Animals,’ where the creepy stalker got the girl. That’s the new American Dream.”

When asked how he could possibly top the controversy associated with the “Animals” music video, Levine said he already has something in the works.

“We’re tentatively thinking of filming this music video in a cornfield at night, which is pretty much as creepy as the ‘Animals’ video, except it’s more vegan-friendly,” he said.

Given the popularity of “Animals,” the band is thinking of recycling the same melody for all three upcoming songs, at least for the chorus.

“After all, the titles of all three songs are three-syllable words. It’s like it was meant to be,” said Levine.

Doctor Beverly Smarts, a professor of musicology at the

University of Ottawa, agrees.

“The melody for the chorus is particularly inspired, and it is mathematically well-suited to repeat the same title word over and over again in a ridiculously high falsetto.”

Jane Chords, a graduate student at the U of O, is less thrilled.

“My master’s thesis was intended to prove that hypnotic melodies in modern pop music are designed to disguise idiotic lyrics. Now Levine has basically proven my thesis right, rendering all my well-reasoned arguments and charts redundant.”

When asked if he thought that writing song-sequels that re-use popular melodies would become a hot new trend in the music industry, Levine admitted he didn’t know.

“I guess we’ll have to see if Pitbull ever releases a follow-up to ‘Timber’ called ‘Lumber.’”

Human on vegetable relations have been legal in Canada since 2009. Photo: CC Jazills. Edits: Marta Kierkus

“We’re tentatively thinking of filming this music video in a cornfield at night, which is pretty much as creepy as the 'A nimals' video, except it’s more veganfriendly.”

—Adam Levine, Maroon 5 frontman

THE TOMATO | 23

DISTRACTIONS

Dear Di

FEATURES EDITOR Jesse Colautti

features@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260

Dear Di,

I get off by watching porn with and without my boyfriend, but I’ve been finding that I orgasm much better from watching and thinking about porn than I do with my boyfriend. I My penis has two holes. I’ve been more aware of it since I started masturbating, feel like such a jerk, because he’s really not making the cut anymore in my sex life. How but since entering university, and getting some action other than my hand, I’ve can I tell him that he needs to get a little more frisky between the sheets to keep me comreally become more conscious of it. My parents have never mentioned anything ing as strong as my daily porn views? to me. I can pee and ejaculate just fine. What should I do about it? Is it some—Lights, Camera, Action thing to mention to my partners? I don’t want people thinking I have some kind of freaky STI. If your sex life with your boyfriend has been less consistent than your porn —Holey Fuck views, it’s possible that you’ve just discovered a little something new that better suits your sexual desires. If your libido is higher than his, you might need to tell him you need more sexual feeling on the weekly (or daily) to stay satisfied.

Two might not seem like better than one, but you actually have no cause What would make your sex life with your boyfriend just as tempting? Maybe for concern. Your dick’s double hole is a non-serious birth defect known as a experimenting with some new moves, role play, or toys will be just the change hypospadia that approximately five in 1000 boys will be born with. of pace you need to get back in the sack with your man off-screen.

The reason you have two holes is because the opening for your urIs your boyfriend comfortable with porn himself, and with you watching ethra, from which you pee and ejaculate, is located on the underside of it? This might be a cause for a little coital concern if your boy is feeling inadyour penis shaft. Usually this will be corrected at birth or at a young age, equate. There’s no bigger shutdown than feeling like your partner is getting which is why your parents never mentioned your extra endowment. This their sexual fill from the shows on screen and are trumping your own sexual corrective cosmetic surgery simply extends your urethra to the tip of your abilities. Talk to your boyfriend about what you enjoy the most about porn— package where it should be, and often the original hole on the underside of what is it that makes it so much more tantalizing and stimulating? your penis is left as is. This might be the case for you; since the original openInvite your partner to slide into the sheets with you next time you sit ing now is non-functional, you have two holes, but only one is working. You down for a show on screen. This might help him open up and become more have no worries or need to take action—as long as your stream and penis responsive to what makes you hot and heavy. Better yet, maybe he’ll find are working just fine, you’re all ship shape down there. something that gets him going too. Talk it up! Your partner should be open It can be a little embarrassing to talk about genital abnormalities right with you, and you with your partner, about how you can fulfill each other’s off the bat with new partners, but hey, we all have a little something that wildest fantasies and maximize your pleasure. make us unique. You don’t have to mention it, especially because there are absoWith a little commitment to your quest for the bangarang in bed with your boyfriend, I lutely no STIs or problems associated with your dual hole. If a partner asks about your shaft’s hole, you can easily explain this. Maybe they’ll have a little surprise have full confidence that you’ll hit the jackpot. Good luck to you and your boyfriend looking for the moves that speak (or scream) to you! of their own!

Dear Di,

Dear LCA,

Dear HF,

Love, Di

Love, Di

Distractions

Sex Researcher Profile

Getting the goods: The U of O’s research on sex

24 | DISTRACTIONS

r. Ashley Bickerton is a PhD D student at the University of Ottawa's Women’s Studies Institute,

having completed research in a number of university departments.

Her current research looks at the oh-so-controversial portrayals of sex

scandals involving Canadian, U.S., and Australian military personnel and police.

If you're interested in learning more about her research, her email is abick034@uottawa.ca.

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Feb.5 to Feb.26 2015

THRYLLABUS

Thursday, Feb. 5 Catriona Sturton, Jill Zmud & Kristine StPierre, Raw Sugar Cafe — 3:30 p.m.

Pay-What-You-Can concert as part of MEGAPHONO—a music festival taking place from Feb. 3-5

Jeremy Fisher, Amanda Rheaume & Mehdi Cayenne Club, Pressed — 4 p.m.

Pay-What-You-Can concert as part of MEGAPHONO—a music festival taking place from Feb. 3-5

Shaping Sound, Centrepoint Theatre — 8 p.m.

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

Killers, Mayfair Theatre — 9:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 6 Red Army begins playing at Bytowne Cinema M &W Swimming: OUA Championships, Montpetit Gym —10 a.m.

Capital Hoops: M & W Basketball vs.

Carleton, Canadian Tire Centre — 6 p.m.

MUSIC

Izlaiduma Gads (The Lesson), Carleton University, River Building Theatre — 7 p.m. $13 tickets available, part of Bright Nights: BalticNordic Film Festival

arts Sports FUN Thinking

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Independent Filmmakers Co-operative of Ottawa Inc. (IFCO) Presents COOL, City Hall — 7 p.m.

Free viewing of ten Super 8mm short films shot in 24 hours

Saturday, Feb. 7 Stars and Hey Rosetta!, National Arts Centre — 8 p.m.

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

M &W Swimming: OUA Championships, Montpetit Gym — 10 a.m.

Trespassing Bergman, Carleton University, River Building Theatre — 9 p.m. $13 tickets available, part of Bright Nights: BalticNordic Film Festival

Thursday, Feb. 19 Florida Georgia Line with Thomas Rhett and Frankie Ballard, Canadian Tire Centre — 7:30 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 9

Friday, Feb. 20

Walking The Camino: Six Ways to Santiago begins playing at Bytowne Cinema

M &W Basketball vs. Nipissing, Montpetit Gym — 6 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 12 Terrorists, Guns, and Drugs: The Application of Social Network Analysis to Illicit Transborder Networks, Faculty of Social Sciences Building — 3 p.m.

Pierre Kwenders, National Arts Centre — 7:30 p.m.

EFT-up Comedy Show, Pressed — 8 p.m.

Presented by Experimental Farm Theatre

Friday, Feb. 13 2014 Cannes International Advertising Festival, Bytowne Cinema— 6:55 p.m.

Hyvä Poika (The Good Son), Carleton University, River Building Theatre — 7 p.m. $13 tickets available, part of Bright Nights: BalticNordic Film Festival

Bryan Adams, Canadian Tire Centre — 8 p.m.

The Mohrs + The Mandevilles, Zaphod Beeblebrox — 8 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 21 M &W Basketball vs. Laurentian, Montpetit Gym — 6 p.m.

Veterans of SNL: Rob Schneider and Jon Lovitz, Centrepoint Theatre — 7 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 22 Beer ‘N’ Board Games, The Hintonburg Public House — 7 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 23 Toward a Cultural Political Economy of Canadian Foreign Policy in the Americas, Faculty of Social Sciences Building — 11:30 a.m.

Saturday, Feb. 14

Tuesday, Feb. 24

Nickelbrook Brewery Tasting Session, The Hintonburg Public House — 3 p.m.

Tara Holloway, National Arts Centre — 7:30 a.m.

$25 to sample the brewery’s tasty wares.

Wednesday, Feb. 25

Casablanca begins playing at Bytowne Cinema

Project Wild Thing, Mayfair Theatre — 7 p.m.

Sarah MacDougall, National Arts Centre — 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 26

Tuesday, Feb. 17 Nickelback, Canadian Tire Centre — 8 p.m.

For those who don’t enjoy music.

Trevor Ferguson on the Art of Writing, Good Companions Centre — 6:30 p.m.

The Agonist, Ritual Nightclub — 7:30 p.m.

Comedian Jeremy Hotz begins his 4 day run at Yuk Yuk’s

DISTRACTIONS | 25

The Fulcrum is looking to elect an Editor-in-Chief for the 2015-16 publishing year To be considered for the election: Submit a platform to general manager Andrew Hawley outlining your relevant experience and plans for both the newspaper and the editorial board should you be elected.

Pass both a written knowledge and editing test with a score of 50 per cent or higher.

All platform submissions are due no later than 5 p.m. on Feb. 25, 2015.

The election will take place at the weekly Fulcrum staff meeting on Thursday, March 5 at 1 p.m. in the Fulcrum offices (631 King Edward Ave.).

Staff members eligible to vote: Omar Abdikader, Savannah Awde, Varsha Carpen, Menrika Christian, Jesse Colautti, Justin Dallaire, Kyle Darbyson, Chloee Detchou, Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi, Jessica Eritou, Adam Feibel, Adam Gibbard, Tima Hacini, William Hume, Marta Kierkus, Annalise Mathers, Lindsay MacMillan, Emily Manns, Chelsea McManus, Allegra Morgado, Spencer Murdock, Sabrina Nemis, Sarah Nolette, Stephanie Piamonte, Moussa Sangare-Ponce, Miriam Saslove, Jasmine van Schouwen, Spencer Van Dyk, Jennifer Vo, Janoah Willsie, Remi Yuan

26 |

thefulcrum.ca

EDITORIAL Volume 75, Issue 19, February 5, 2015 Avoiding partisanship since 1942.

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

staff

Sabrina “Nepali Congress” Nemis Editor-in-Chief editor@thefulcum.ca Adam “GERB” Ashby Gibbard Production Manager production@thefulcrum.ca Adam “Front for Victory” Feibel Managing Editor content@thefulcrum.ca Marta “Radical Change” Kierkus Visual Editor visual@thefulcrum.ca Nadia “Dominica Labour” Drissi El-Bouzaidi News Editor news@thefulcrum.ca Jessica “Justicialist” Eritou Arts & Culture Editor arts@thefulcrum.ca Jesse “Georgian Dream” Colautti Features Editor features@thefulcrum.ca Sarah “New Azerbaijan” Nolette Sports Editor sports@thefulcrum.ca Kyle “Democratic Labour” Darbyson Opinions Editor opinions@thefulcrum.ca Spencer “Struggle” Van Dyk Online Editor online@thefulcrum.ca Spencer “Citizen Left” Murdock Staff Reporter Remi “New Flemish Alliance” Yuan Staff Photographer Lindsay “Independent Greeks” MacMillan Associate News Editor Moussa “Patriotic” Sangaré-Ponce Associate Online Editor Annalise “Agrarian” Mathers Associate Features Editor Savannah “One Bermuda” Awde Staff Proofreader Chantale “Independence” Streeting Webmaster Deidre “Gibraltar Socialist” Butters Ad Manager ads@thefulcrum.ca Andrew “National Awakening” Hawley General Manager manager@thefulcrum.ca

Contributors

L. A. “Polisario Front” Bonte Brennan “Pillars of Truth” Bova Stephanie “Unity” Piamonte Madison “Order and Justice” McSweeney Omar “National Forces” Abdikader Jamieson “The Greens” Aelick Diyyinah “Revolutionary” Jamora Julia “Rally of the Republicans” Riddle Chelsea “Civil Will-Green” McManus Tatiana “Maori Party” Hanlan Eric “Chongu” Davidson Garry “United Future” Balaganthan Menrika “Progress” Christian Kimoko “Patriotic Salvation” Lopez Christian “Colorado” Zapata-Prado Janoah “United Russia” Willsie Shanaya “Citizens’ Action” Sarin Allegra “Self Reliance” Morgado Jennifer “People’s Conscience” Vo

Cover art Adam ASHBY Gibbard

thefulcrum.ca

Slated to forget Q

uick. Name the three slates running in the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) election this year. …

Now try naming someone from each slate. Bonus points for naming a student running independently.

Trick question—there aren’t any candidates running independently.

Aside from current vicepresident equity Maya McDonald, independent candidates tend not to do very well in SFUO elections. It’s not enough for those students to have better ideas than their individual opponents; they also need better marketing than an entire team. Voters may not even remember which slate members are running for each position, so an independent candidate is running against the powerful forces of the whole slate’s marketing initiative.

With poster season upon us, if you’ve been on campus, you’ve seen the efforts of the three slates: ABC, Here for Us, and Impact. If you’ve been paying careful attention, you may have even looked into what some of the candidates are promising to do with your student fees next year.

The power of repetition in advertising is well-documented. It’s part of the reason you keep getting commercials in your head, and

the force behind ad nostalgia binges on YouTube. Smallbudget ads that only run a couple of times don’t do as well as the sheer quantity of ads put out by large corporations.

In this way, slates function as the General Electrics and Wal-Marts of the world.

Much like the small number of independent retailers in our current marketplace, this year’s SFUO election has shown that no one was willing to run as an independent.

It’s hard to compete with a monopoly.

At their best, slates allow students to pool resources to reach as many potential voters as possible. Through colour-coded branding, slogans, and teams of supporters, campaigning together can help reach more people on campus. With low voter turnout since the abandonment of Internet voting, this seems like a good thing.

The drawback is that while students may become familiar with a particular slate, this style of campaigning makes it more difficult to remember we’re voting for individuals. More importantly we’re voting for each of them to do a particular job. Each slate member’s individual goals are lost amid branded posters and Facebook posts.

Slates also play into voter apathy. The posters and social media posts put so much focus on simplistic slogans and bright colours that it seems like a vote for a slate

is a vote for a cool-looking group of Photoshopped students. In short, a popularity contest.

It may be advantageous as a winning strategy to distract from the platforms created by each candidate, but ultimately it does them a disservice. Each person running for a position has put time and thought into what they will do should they win. Some people have better ideas than others, and the only way to know is to pay attention to what individuals are saying. The slates distract voters from the ideas presented by their members.

You’ll remember the colours are purple, purple and blue, or black and gold before you remember how they intend to work with the administration next year.

Slates also encourage limited debate. While a lot can be accomplished by a group of people who have already stated they want to work together, if the entire slate wins, there doesn’t seem to be any system of check and balances. The Board of Administration has some power, but they too are often affiliated with the SFUO slates. Who will ensure that the diverse range of campus needs are represented if everyone on the executive thinks there’s only one right way to do things?

The slates encourage and uphold an echo chamber of ideas that only represent a small faction of the student body. If you’re wondering

how small, consider that voter turnout last year was 11 per cent.

There are a lot of things to pick at when it comes to student elections and the University of Ottawa. We could be focusing on the poor communication on campus or the refusal to consider a return to online voting even though voter turnout with online voting was at 30 per cent in 2009.

Instead we’re looking at slates because even with increased awareness of the election or easier access to voting, this near-requirement for winning is flawed.

It’s a system set up to distract us from anything real. This is why we’ve chosen not to include slate designations in our election coverage this year.

The student body can’t be expected to engage with candidates and their plans while we’re being sold on a well-edited marketing campaign in place of substance.

It hurts voters and it hurts the candidates who are trying to bring real and positive change to our campus.

As you read the platforms and listen to the debates-and as a student paying fees that fund their positions and programs, you really should--try not to get distracted by what looks nice on paper. Remember that each of these candidates has a plan for the coming year and take the time to decide if it’s what you want at this school.

EDITORIAL | 27