The Fulcrum - Volume 79, Issue 7 - The Mental Health Issue

IN THIS ISSUE

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Taking the rivalry too far P.6

U of O student sues Carleton student for alleged defamation

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U of O women make gains P.9

Speeches, film sets, awards, oh my Apply today

The Mental Health Issue P.13

Amanpreet

Opening up about the realities of mental illness

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You win some, you lose some P.22

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One student shares his struggle with mental health, why profs need to be more understanding

Bad News! The U of O is calling off construction P.27

Students are outraged

Ty’s Tips P.28

Ty talks a reader through supporting a partner with mental health problems, while dealing with their own

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NEWS

NEWS EDITOR

Eric Davison news@thefulcrum.ca @NoSecondD

SFUO ALLEGEDLY TOLD EMPLOYEES TO EXPECT LAYOFFS STAFF CLAIMS SOME WERE GIVEN LESS THAN THREE DAYS NOTICE FOR TERMINATION

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Photo: Rame Abdulkader

Eric Davison News Editor

T

he Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) held a staff meeting on Feb. 25 to warn employees of the union’s businesses to expect wide-scale layoffs, an SFUO staff member told the Fulcrum. Their identity has been verified by the Fulcrum and made anonymous to protect their job.

SFUO acting president Paige Booth claimed in a public Facebook post on March 1 that the planned lay-offs came in re-

sponse to the University of Ottawa Students’ Union’s (UOSU) rejection of the SFUO’s transition plan that would see the two organizations merged into a single non-profit.

“We told UOSU that if a plan wasn’t in place very soon we have been advised that we have no choice but to start a process we want to avoid, which would include layoffs and other steps we don’t want to take,” stated Booth.

“In the all staff meeting they told us that everyone would be receiving termination notices,” the staff member said in an interview with the Fulcrum.

“They told us it would be sometime over the next month, and that they could not give us specifics since it would be individual to each person.”

This development follows accusations by the incoming

UOSU that the SFUO was liquidating assets and businesses instead of transferring them to the new union. Booth told the Fulcrum that the UOSU’s accusations were untrue, and that the SFUO had not liquidated any assets.

The staff member told the Fulcrum that at least two supervisory positions in the SFUO’s Foot Patrol had already been terminated, in addition to at least three other employees.

“Before reading week they held a meeting, and told us they didn’t want to lay anyone off. But then this Monday they told everyone they would be getting notice.”

However, the UOSU claimed that they received no contact from the SFUO between their initial transition meeting and the layoffs.

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“The UOSU team has repeatedly reached out to the SFUO since our initial meeting on Feb. 15 and did not receive a reply until Feb. 28,” a UOSU representative wrote in an email to the Fulcrum.

The SFUO remains the sole operator of student services at the U of O until April 30, according to their interim agreement. The agreement stipulated that they could not take any action that would reduce the availability of these services.

However, the SFUO staff member also alleged that the SFUO was drawing on money earmarked for specific student services including Foot Patrol and the Racialized and Indigenous Students Experience Centre to pay for employee severance, and the union’s various legal fees.

“We told UOSU that if a plan wasn’t in place very soon we have been advised that we have no choice but to start a process we want to avoid.”

—Paige Booth, acting president of the SFUO

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NEWS | 5

SFUO LAYS OUT POSTREFERENDUM PLANS

The union is set to dissolve soon after the end of the winter semester Eric Davison News Editor

“We were disappointed by the results, but ultimately the students spoke. We are going to work with the UOSU as best we can moving forward,” said Paige Booth, acting president of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) in an interview with the Fulcrum.

Phasing out the SFUO has proven to be a complicated process, due in part to the SFUO’s commitments to third-party institutions including the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS), OC Transpo’s U-Pass Program, and the GreenShield Healthcare Plan.

The University of Ottawa

Students’ Union (UOSU) has committed to signing new health plan agreements and continuing the U-Pass program.

However, the SFUO will need to continue to administer these plans until their contract runs out on Aug. 31.

The UOSU also committed to staying out of the CFS, to prevent the national association from interfering with their founding. However, this leaves the future of Local 41—the national designation for the U of O at the CFS—in question.

Booth stated that the SFUO could not remain in the CFS as they would not have the revenue to pay membership dues.

The change-over of student unions is unprecedented in

the history of the CFS, and it is unclear whether the organization will take any action to keep Local 41 operating in some capacity.

The SFUO’s role in this transition period was first laid out in their interim agreement with the University of Ottawa’s administration—they were to continue to run all services normally until they could be transferred over to the incoming UOSU. However, recent reports of mass layoffs at the SFUO have cast doubt on the union’s plans.

“We wanted to keep our staff informed of all potential things that could happen, what our status is,” said Booth. “We offered to merge. They said no …

so we are telling staff that these are steps that we might need to take, but we told people they would get sufficient notice.”

At least three SFUO staff members had their positions terminated with less than three days notice, an anonymous source told the Fulcrum. The SFUO’s Cafe Alt has also experienced widespread layoffs.

Booth explained that the SFUO planned a merger of the two organizations as a method of transferring services. She claimed the UOSU rejected this plan, forcing the SFUO to prepare for layoffs. However, the UOSU claimed they received minimal communication from the SFUO since the referendum.

“We reached out to legal

Paige Booth, acting president of the SFUO. Photo: Amy Yee

The SFUO’s role in this transition period was first laid out in their interim agreement with the University of Ottawa’s Administration. counsel to draft a plan on how that (transition) would be done.

Then we reached out to the (UOSU) because we wanted to give them everything they needed to succeed to fulfill their mandate to students,” she said.

The SFUO has continued to run services and events on campus despite staff shortages.

However, many events have been cut back, including several events related to Black History Month.

The SFUO’s interim agreement will run out on April 30, along with the current executive’s mandate. However, no plans for the union’s final dissolution have been decided.

U OF O STUDENT SUES CARLETON STUDENT FOR ALLEGED DEFAMATION

CFS SPENDS WEEK LOBBYING AT QUEENS PARK

U of O student union not represented at week-long event Jacob Hoytema

Associate News Editor The Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) sent delegates to the provincial Parliament at Queen’s Park for this year’s annual Lobby Week, which took place from Feb. 25 to Feb. 28.

CFS representatives met with members of provincial Parliament (MPPs) from all three parties, but ultimately were unable to meet with either Premier Doug Ford or Merrilee Fullerton, the Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities, despite attempts

to arrange a meeting.

The CFS outlined several policy goals that it would target in its lobbying, including the continuation of Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) grants to low-income students, the repeal of the Student Choice Initiative, and the reinstatement for funding for a Francophone university in Toronto.

“This year’s lobby asks are a little bit in response to some of the cuts that we’ve seen, but also still setting the direction for (the) future, as to what we can see happen with post-secondary education,”

Representatives from the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) met with lawmakers from all three parties during their annual Lobby Week.

Photo: CC, David Wheelan

said Nour Alideeb, chairperson of the CFS. The accompanying document for Lobby Week 2019 is called “We the Students,” seemingly in response to the provincial government’s “For the Students” branding on its policy changes.

In January, the Progressive Conservative provincial government announced a 10 per cent reduction to tuition fees, but also took away guaranteed funding for many student organizations as part of the “Student Choice Initiative,” instead leaving the choice up to individual institutions as to

The fundamental

Di Franco, U of O Students for Free Speech exec, claims $150,000 in damages

Michele di Franco (R) alleges that Michael Bueckert (L) defamed him.

Jacob Hoytema

Associate News Editor A University of Ottawa student is pursuing a lawsuit against a Carleton student for alleged defamation, claiming that the latter has incorrectly painted the former as a member of the “altright”.

Michele Di Franco, a U of O masters student in economics, is claiming $100,000

6 | NEWS

for defamation as well as $50,000 for “punitive and aggravated damages” from Michael Bueckert, a PhD student of sociology and political economy at Carleton.

Di Franco is the vicepresident of finance for the uOttawa Students for Free Speech (uOSFS), an organization which met with Premier Doug Ford and Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities Merrilee Fullerton

last summer.

In a series of posts on Twitter which Di Franco alleges are defamatory, Bueckert criticized the Ford government for meeting with the group, which he characterised as “far-right”, citing an event it hosted with selfproclaimed anti-feminist U of O professor Janice Fiamengo.

Di Franco also alleges defamation in a Medium post

Michele Di Franco, a U of O masters student in economics, is claiming $100,000 for defamation as well as $50,000 for “punitive and aggravated damages” from Michael Bueckert. and a podcast appearance by Bueckert, in which Bueckert makes specific references to Di Franco. In these, Bueckert was commenting on Di Franco’s 2018 appearance on the podcast of notable far-right commentator and Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes.

On Feb. 19, Di Franco’s lawyer sent Bueckert a ceaseand-desist letter, demanding the removal of the allegedly

defamatory posts as well as $2,000 to cover Di Franco’s legal fees.

In a response issued by Bueckert’s lawyer, Bueckert offered to retract his comments if Di Franco would publish a statement denying any affiliation with, and decrying the rhetoric of, a list of personalities including McInnes, Fiamengo, and Milo Yiannopoulos.

Di Franco instead went ahead with the lawsuit, sending the notice to Bueckert on Feb. 27.

In his response, Bueckert supported his earlier characterisations by pointing to Di Franco’s self-association with personalities that are frequently connected with the “alt-right” movement.

On his Facebook profile, for example, Di Franco styles himself “Milo on facebook: James Damore in real life,” referencing the well-known right-wing commentator, and James Damore, a former Google engineer who criticized the company’s policies

on diversity.

Di Franco has also tweeted a picture of himself with farright commentator and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones with the hashtag “#FreeInfowars”.

Bueckert is now raising money for his legal fees through a GoFundMe page.

At the time of writing, he has achieved more than $9,000 of his $15,000 goal.

The Fulcrum reached out to Di Franco and the uOSFS, but both declined to comment.

Bueckert gave an interview to the Fulcrum before Di Franco went ahead with the lawsuit.

He said that he views Di Franco’s legal actions as part of a trend, wherein “supposed advocates of free speech do a similar thing where they can provide a platform (for) or themselves promote extremist views, but as soon as they are criticized for it, they try to use legal threats to silence that criticism,” citing Jordan Peterson and Lindsay Shepherd as examples.

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which groups should receive automatic financial support.

In effect, this means that many student groups which now receive funding from their institutions may be dependant on the voluntary support of students, depending on what each institution decides.

The CFS is also asking for more reductions in tuition fees, including suggestions to chop off another 10 per cent per academic year starting in 2020-21.

Alideeb also highlighted the Lobby Week goal to implement a support system for Indigenous students, including

principle of quantum mechanics is superposition which states that a Quantum simulations can predict physics faster, and more reliably.

Photo: PixaBay

UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA UNVEILS NEW QUANTUM SIMULATOR

Ebrahim Karimi’s research is a new step forward for quantum computing Marissa Phul

Fulcrum Freelancer A team of researchers led

by Professor Ebrahim Karimi at the University of Ottawa has created the first quantum simulator designed to model ring-shaped or cyclic systems.

The new simulator will allow researchers to quickly model physics scenarios that

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used to require an impractical amount of computing power.

A quantum simulator is a category of quantum computer, but instead of processing calculations and spitting out a number, it simulates an exact model of a quantum system.

Karimi has been making steady progress on the simulator with his team since

2011. In 2015, they built a simulator for line-shaped systems which Karimi called an “easy” discovery. Ring-shaped systems remained a puzzle until the breakthrough suddenly came to Karimi while travelling in 2017.

Both ring and line-shaped systems appear in nature, but the more complex ringshaped systems create the

particle can exist in multiple places at the exact same time. foundation for most organic molecules. This breakthrough simulator opens the door for greater access to a detailed understanding of the building blocks of life.

The fundamental principle of quantum mechanics is superposition which states that a particle can exist in multiple places at the exact same time. Quantum computing relies on superposition to process large calculations and simulations. Normal computation operates by interpreting bits—a simple zero or one. However, by harnessing the power of superposition, quantum computing can model systems well beyond current computational power.

According to Karimi, phys-

researching Indigenous students’ access to post-secondary education in the province.

Despite not meeting with Ford or Fullerton, the CFS met on the morning of Feb. 27 with MPP and U of O alumnus David Piccini, who is Fullerton’s parliamentary assistant.

Speaking to the Fulcrum before the meeting, Piccini said that they would be discussing the tuition reduction, referencing it as a shared goal between the government and the CFS. He also said that the government is “not in a position … to fund a Francophone uni-

versity in Toronto,” saying that the funds need to be allocated instead to paying down the deficit. He maintained, however, the government was still committed to supporting existing bilingual education in Ontario.

The Student Federation of the University of Ottawa, which continues to represent U of O students on an interim basis until April 30, did not send any representatives with CFS to this year’s Lobby Week.

Alideeb said that there was a representative from Carleton University who could raise some Ottawa-area interests.

ics is all about knowing a system, any system—whether it be a solar system or an automotive system. Once physicists know the laws and physical properties of a system, they can predict what will happen.

In classical physics—the world of Newton and large objects—systems of two objects can be solved precisely.

However, three or more objects can become extremely difficult to predict, which is when a supercomputer is used to execute the calculations quicker. Once you move into the world of quantum mechanics, it only gets more complicated.

Karimi explains that in the quantum world, even two objects can be problematic for computers to calculate because of superposition. In these sorts of situations, physicists do not use computers but instead attempt to identically replicate the quantum system in question, allowing them access to the physical properties and hidden mechanics of the system. Quantum simulators, like Karimi’s are used to do exactly that.

Karimi’s team uses a technique known as quantum

walking to simulate the natural world. A classical walk is simply the generation of a random path by a ‘walker’ either moving left or right each step based on the outcome of a random event—like the flip of a coin. On the other hand, a quantum walk can generate all possible paths by exploiting the superposition properties of the walker. Quantum walks are currently used in various quantum computations and algorithms, but the U of O team applied the idea in a closed loop—allowing the team to run faster and more complete simulations.

Karimi and his team have their eyes on more than just simulating molecules.

They’re working towards applying the technology to microfabrication—the assembly of tiny structures at a molecular scale. The simulator is currently spread five feet by three feet in the laboratory, but they hope by next year it will be down to just three millimetres. This reduced space would allow faster, more frequent simulations that will give researchers information that used to take months to compile with conventional computers.

NEWS | 7

U OF O LAB BREAKS NEW GROUND IN PLACENTA RESEARCH Adamo Lab project found new benefits from exercise during pregnancy

ARTS & CULTURE

A&C EDITOR Stephen Cook arts@thefulcrum.ca @stephencooked

NEW CRITICAL ANTHOLOGY EXPLORES THE ‘WHERE’ IN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

COLLECTION OF ESSAYS EDITED BY FORMER U OF O PROF, FEATURES CAMPUS CONTRIBUTORS Ryan Pepper

Fulcrum Freelancer

O

n Thursday, Feb. 28 the University of Ottawa’s Department of English celebrated the launch of a new critical anthology on the geography and places of children’s literature.

Illustration: Rame Abdulkader

Eric Davison News Editor

The Adamo Lab, based at the University of Ottawa Lees Campus, is known to have pursued the first project of its kind—researching the relationships between physical activity during pregnancy in the regulation of gene expression and metabolic function of the placenta.

The Fulcrum spoke with the head of the research team, Dr. Kristi Adamo, to find out more.

“The concept that pregnant women are not sick, but going through a set of natural chan-

ges is something that really needs attention,” she said.

“These women have largely been ignored in research.

Thus our knowledge about how they respond to various exposures is unknown, and that needs to change.”

Adamo believes that there is much in the field of maternal health that could use improvement, some prominent ones being excessive weight gain during pregnancy and postpartum weight retention.

“I hope (our research) will advance the field by identifying what sort of healthy behaviours women can have

during pregnancy to decrease the health risks to their child, as well as potentially across their child’s lifespan.”

The team’s current project, called the PLACENTA study, looks at the role of regular exercise and diet on the longterm health of the fetus by analyzing the composition of a fresh placenta.

Adamo’s inspiration to pursue placenta research originally sprouted from her interest in childhood obesity. She noticed a correlation between childhood obesity and maternal obesity during her early research. “I often saw women that never had weight issues

until pregnancy, gained too much weight ... and were unable to lose (it) afterwards, causing them to become overweight. Then, I became interested in how the intrauterine environment leads to programming of the baby’s future health, which led me to placenta research.”

Lab technicians need to get to a new placenta within half an hour of birth to get all the information they need for their studies. To accomplish this, Adamo’s “placenta squad” is on-call with their mobile lab, waiting for the call from hospital staff to spring into action. The pro-

ject, in collaboration with local hospitals, is the only one of its kind in the world.

“It never ceases to amaze me that when you engage in a conversation about placenta with virtually anyone, they are fascinated,” said Adamo. “They know little about it but have a multitude of questions. On many occasions, I have drawn a picture (in crayon) of the placenta on the paper table cloth in restaurants ... with my daughter’s hockey team. Both parents and kids gather around to listen to my explanations.

It is quite fun.”

“The dream for this re-

search is to be able to inform all women of childbearing age how to maximize the health benefits for their future children.” said Adamo.

“This is particularly important for women with obesity, since healthy behaviours during pregnancy and early childhood years can contribute to ‘breaking’ the intergenerational cycle of obesity.”

Are you interested in learning more about placenta research?

Adamo is currently recruiting postdoctoral candidates and Ph.D. students to work at the lab. Visit The Adamo Lab website at www.adamolab.com to learn more.

“These women have largely been ignored in research, thus our knowledge about how they respond to various exposures is unknown, and that needs to change.”

8 | NEWS

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The collection of essays focuses on children’s literature, a major discipline in literature studies, and the places that authors create for their stories. As editor Aida Hudson, who lectured at the U of O for thirty-one years, put it, who can imagine Harry Potter without Hogwarts or Anne without Green Gables? The importance of place is hard to overstate.

“It’s a collection of essays and reflections on the ‘where’ in children’s literature,” said Hudson. “It’s about imaginative geography, how it’s imaged, how it defines character and action.”

“It’s about place in fiction.

When you read you forget that you’re reading, you see where the characters are, the world they move in, the place they are at … the place actually affects them,” said Hudson.

“I always thought that literature is another kind of painting, painting images, places … words are there to paint worlds for us.”

In addition to being edited by a former U of O faculty member, one professor and a PhD candidate also contributed essays to the book. Alan West, a part-time English professor, wrote about the natural en-

Yang said taking the opportunities on campus and combining them with the city’s vibrant poetry and small press scene is a great first-step for any poet.

The new critical anthology launched Feb. 28.

Photo: Dasser Kamran

vironment of The Wind in the Willows and PhD candidate Cory Sampson explored the quasi-British Empire undertones of Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass along with parallels to Canada’s residential schools.

Children’s literature may seem straightforward, being geared towards a young audience, but the subject is a large field with its own dedicated experts. For instance, Hudson said of West that nobody has figured out The Wind and the

Willows as well as he has. The U of O offers several courses on children’s literature. “(Children) are a harder audience to write for, because unless it’s really interesting they sign off,” said Hudson.

The book of essays has a Canadian perspective but features contributors from around the globe—an international book with a Canadian context, as Hudson called it.

Some essays bring an Indigenous worldview to children’s science fiction or analyze na-

U OF O ALUM WINS PRESTIGIOUS POETRY AWARD Chuqiao Yang’s chapbook deals with connection to Chinese identity Ryan Pepper

Fulcrum Freelancer University of Ottawa alumna Chuqiao Yang won the prestigious bpNichol Chapbook Award for her work Reunions in the Year of the Sheep, which deals with questions of Chinese-Canadian identity.

The bpNichol Chapbook Award is named after the late Canadian poet bpNichol.

Nichol was passionate about small presses and chapbooks, or small poetry books, and so was a logical choice to bear the name of the award.

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Yang gave a reading of her award-winning chapbook at the popular Tree Reading Series on Feb. 26 to a standing-room-only audience. Her poems touched on growing up Chinese-Canadian and her sometimes-complicated relationship with her heritage.

Yang completed her undergraduate degree in international development and globalization at the U of O and obtained a juris doctor from the University of Windsor. She now works as a lawyer in Toronto.

Yang started publishing around 14 or 15 at home in Saskatchewan and has been doing

Chuqiao Yang won the bpNichol Chapbook Award.

Photo:Courtesy of Baseline Press

readings for a decade. Her move to Ottawa to attend university got her publishing in Ottawa, and she received a lot of support from faculty at the university.

The impetus for Reunion

in the Year of the Sheep came about from a poem Yang published in Canthius Press, which was co-founded by U of O PhD candidate Claire Farley and others. The poem was noticed

ture through a very Canadian lens, like West’s piece about the woods in which the Wind in the Willows animals live. As Hudson explained it, the “wild wood” to a British audience is safe and tame by Canadian standards.

The collection of essays came out of a conference hosted by Hudson on the topic of imagined geographies. The conference papers were collected, edited, and compiled into the new book, published by Wilfrid Laurier University Press.

The U of O had been supportive from the beginning, said Hudson, which is why she chose to host the launch here.

“What I did in this book is really very new, doing imaginative geography in children’s literature, there’s never been a book about it … so (the department) put their necks out,” said Hudson. “I wanted the U of O people to celebrate it because if I didn’t have their support financially and creatively this book wouldn’t have happened.”

by editors at Baseline Press, who approached her about writing a chapbook.

“Reunions in the Year of the Sheep was really about my experiences going back to China having been kind of disconnected from China, which is actually where I was born,” said Yang. “So it’s kind of about the cultural divide I experienced going back there, and then growing up in Canada.”

“A lot of the poems I started when I was about 16 or 17 and gradually with time it evolved.

Sometimes when I start writing poetry it’s about three or four poems and with time I narrow it down (into one poem),” Yang said.

Her time at the U of O was instrumental in getting Yang to start publishing in Ontario. In university Yang found a writing community and received encouragement from faculty, particularly creative writing professor and poet Seymour Mayne, who pushed her to publish her first piece in Ottawa’s

Arc Poetry Magazine.

“I read a lot and I hung out with a lot of people in the arts community, and I tried to keep publishing and I had a lot of good mentors,” said Yang. “I would really say the Ottawa arts community is low-profile and you don’t really realize it, but there’s a lot of people who are not only open-minded but constructive.”

“I’d try to get involved in as many workshops as possible, and if there’s any poets in Ottawa that you really draw inspiration from … I would try to reach out to them because they are actually interested in engaging with the younger community.”

Yan also recommended that aspiring poets get to know the school’s writer-in-residence and take creative writing classes that the Department of English offers. She said taking the opportunities on campus and combining them with the city’s vibrant poetry and small press scene is a great first step for any poet.

ARTS & CULTURE | 9

BIOLOGY ALUMNA RESPONDS TO FINE ARTS DRIVE WITH DEBUT FILM

BLACK HISTORY MONTH ENDS WITH FINAL ANNUAL SFUO GALA

SFUO executive director Vanessa Dorimain gave a powerful speech at the Wednesday night gala.

Photo: Amy Yee

Event celebrating black Canadians included keynote address by Keke Palmer, speeches from SFUO staff Fulcrum Staff The Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) capped off Black History Month with its annual gala celebrating the culture and accomplishments of black Canadians.

University of Ottawa students filled the Sala San Marco Centre Conference Centre on Feb. 27 for a night showcasing cultural and artistic displays from the black community.

This year’s theme, “Surviving Violence,” was punctuated by a keynote address by Keke

Palmer on her experiences as a black woman.

Palmer is an actress and singer/songwriter, recently appearing on the Fox TV series Scream Queens. But besides her successful career in the arts, Palmer is also a sought-after speaker.

“We have amazing performances here as well,” said Faduma Wais, SFUO vice-president social, at the event. “We have cultural dancers, singers, musicians, poets, artists are here, celebrating black love, black liberty, black excellence in our communities.”

“And so it’s amazing to see all,

not just (University of Ottawa) students but Ottawa community members come together for such a beautiful event, to share stories with one another, to meet one another and just have this experience and memories as the black community come together on such a special month for all of us.”

“Black History Month is so important to me and many of my colleagues who have helped organize this event because of the experiences, that we’ve, you know, kind of survived, the experiences that we’ve learned, the experiences that we’ve grown from being black in this

community.”

In a speech, SFUO executive coordinator Vanessa Dorimain recounted the many ways violence had manifested itself in her own life and in the lives of others, including targeted attacks online and harassment by police.

“Violence is wanting something so bad and watching generations of your people fight for it just to have you living like you’re still in a cage,” she said. “It is dying inside and being forced to live.”

“Violence is the need to erase experiences for the sole purpose of maintaining an op-

pressive order and as much as it hurts, as much as we have lost and as much as we have yet to endure, we are surviving violence every day, which means we are constantly disrupting the oppressive order.”

“We are surviving through oppression and my hope is one day we will live without it.

We will live without violence because we will have learned that love is an everlasting solution, it is the already Godgiven tool to help us succeed and know happiness and peace.”

The gala was just one event related to Black History Month

on campus in February.

The history department hosted a networking event and conference-debate around the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) project on the General History of Africa that featured a representative from that organization.

U of O also screened Black Panther, which was nominated for Best Picture at this year’s Oscars but lost out to Green Book.

The SFUO had planned a number of other events but many were cancelled.

—With files from Amy Yee.

CATCH ME AT THE CLUB: EMPOWER’EM

Group aims to empower women through workshops, events, discussion “I think it creates a safe space for women.

They can talk about any issue, whether it be mental health or even everyday stresses that you might have being a university student.”

— Sara Asif, vice-president, Empower’em

Empower’em members Annette Kattackal, Romane Le Riguer, and Sara Asif.

Photo: Stephen Cook

Stephen Cook

Arts & Culture Editor When Nayaelah Siddiqui launched Modest Muslimah in 2013, the idea was simple: provide a safe space for Muslim women to talk openly.

“I didn’t actually know it was something that was going to grow into what it is now,” said Siddiqui, the club’s current

10 | ARTS & CULTURE

president. “But it was just like, well, let’s get a group of friends together and discuss some of the barriers we face.”

Empower’em, as it is now known, has since expanded its membership to include all women and does much more than just host conversation circles (although those are still a core component). The group, whose mission is focused on em-

powering women of colour and Canadian newcomers, provides skill workshops and leadership training to foster personal and professional success.

“Our programming is focused on that,” said Siddiqui.

“That being said, we’ve never sent anyone home who’s shown up.”

Events and discussion centre on four categories: health,

community, identity and skill development. In the fall, the group organized its annual hike in Gatineau Park to encourage a healthy lifestyle and forge new friendships.

“I think it creates a safe space for women,” said vice-president Sara Asif. “They can talk about any issue, whether it be mental health or even everyday stresses that you might have being a

university student.”

But participants can also learn useful and sometimes unexpected skills. “(It’s) also a place where we really promote skill-based activities for women,” added Asif.

“It might be unconventional, like how to change a tire, which you don’t really learn in the school system or anything.”

For International Women’s Day on March 9, Empower’em is teaming up with University of Ottawa World Vision, Girl Up Ottawa and the Women in Management Network to host a conference called “Women in the World”, featuring speakers, workshops, panels and networking opportunities.

Empower’em also recently received a grant from the Inspirit Foundation to run mental health workshops starting in April.

“Basically it’s focusing on

women of colour to talk about the taboo subjects of mental health,” said Annette Kattackal, administrative director. “We’re trying to create a safe space for women of colour to understand mental health is very important and how to deal with mental illnesses or even just to understand the concept of mental health.”

She said they hope to have counsellors lead both in-person discussions as well as online sessions, providing a space for people to submit questions anonymously.

Empower’em is currently seeking volunteers to help run these workshops as well as fill out their roster for next year.

Saddiqui, in her final year of a commerce degree, hopes to continue her participation in a more advisory role as the group takes on a new mentorship mandate.

“What the direction we want to take in the next year is kind of starting this leadership and mentorship program that is for women of colour by women of colour as well as faith-bases that allow for discussions and dialogues,” she said.

More information can be found on the club’s website at empowerem.ca.

thefulcrum.ca

Movie exploring psychotherapy in 1980s Ottawa will be in both English and French Howard Lo

Fulcrum Contributor St. Paul’s University was briefly transformed into a film set in a production that should inspire campus film buffs and aspiring filmmakers.

Karolyne Pickett—actress, producer and University of Ottawa alumna—was there recently shooting her debut independent film Broken Waters/ Eaux Troublés. It tells the story of a young female psychiatrist in mid-1980s Ottawa, focusing on her struggle against the then-mainstream concept of chemical psychiatry with her own firm belief in humanistic psychotherapy.

The film is bilingual as Pickett hopes to reflect the diversity of Canadian culture.

“It’s important on many levels,” she said on set. “It’s important for the world and also for Canadians to realise and appreciate the existence of communities in the minority language in Canada.”

“My hope is that it will strengthen the social fabric of the country because this film shows how the languages are intertwined, it’s not about a clash between Anglophones and Francophones.”

Her inspiration to make a bilingual film mainly comes from her past. She was brought up in a bilingual household in Vanier with a highly influential Francophone mother and an Anglophone father.

“Thanks to both of them I’ve grown up to be a proud Frenchspeaking Canadian but also a fully bilingual Canadian and I think there’s everything to gain and nothing to lose by knowing more than one language.”

Unlike many filmmakers, Pickett did not study the arts— in fact, she studied biology at the University of Ottawa and has a Master’s from the University of Toronto. She said she often switches back and forth between her passion for the arts and sciences.

“Those two sides of me have been in struggle my whole life and I’ve struggled to balance them,” she said.

“I’ve often felt like I could only do one and I therefore had to give up the other and then as

thefulcrum.ca

I got older I realized that, you know, it’s not that black and white and that there will be periods in my life where one side of me subsides and the other one takes more dominance and then it’ll go back.”

“Right now, I’ll let my art side shine,” she added.

Picket said she is still making mistakes but identified the most important thing for any first-time filmmaker: passion for the project.

“Because this is what I think has enabled me to recruit the team that I have,” she explained.

“Because if the champion of the project doesn’t fully believe in it and is not fully passionate about it, why would anybody else join in? And as a first time you need the support a competent team that’s going to lift you up in your moments of need.”

Shooting began at St. Paul’s University late February and with plans to continue at various locations around Ottawa until March 4.

The film is inspired by Jocelyne Beaulieu’s play J’ai beaucoup changé depuis.

Parts of the film were shot on-location at St. Paul’s University.

Photo: Parker Townes

“My hope is that it will strengthen the social fabric of the country because this film shows how the languages are intertwined, it’s not about a clash between anglophones and francophones.”

—Karolyne Pickett

ARTS & CULTURE | 11

CAMPUS CREATIONS

(MARCH 2019)

More From OAR Library of Parliament by Manahil Bandukwala, as seen in Currents.

Photo: Courtesy of Ottawa Arts Review

By Fulcrum ContributorS

Time’s Promise

Patch of Blue

I

Gregg Dotoli

Eric Caouette

Time makes a solemn promise to us all: to bring us to this world, let us walk a while, to show us both of beauty and of truth, the ecstasies of pleasure, the agonies of pain, to let us fall in love with life’s very breath, then with neither rhyme nor reason, to introduce us to our deaths.

magnifying carbon dome spawns a sunblock accident a technical gift from Engine soon only a few patches of blue we perish, Engine sputters stops nature purges nature cleans without us Earth’s second birth Human-less pre-edenlike

Woke Up To Every Passing

Footstep, Hoping That

They

Would

Somehow

Be

Yours.

Peter Scheponik

12 | ARTS & CULTURE

thefulcrum.ca

S

tudents aren’t waiting for 420 to blaze it anymore—and it has some people worried.

On Oct. 17, 2018, the federal government legalized recreational cannabis and ushered in a wave of marijuana users hoping to consume the drug legally for everything from stress-management to personal pleasure.

But young first-time users are bombarded with warnings surrounding the negative effects of regular use of the drug. On the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS)’s website, the provincial organization warns consumers that there are risks to brain development if consumed before age 25—despite the legal age for purchasing recreational cannabis being 19 in Ontario and all other provinces and territories except for Quebec and Alberta, who opted for 18.

With different ages being referenced, a multitude of options available for purchase from the OCS, and falsehoods perpetuated by long and deeply held stigmas, it can be hard for university students to discern what the actual risks of cannabis consumption are on one’s mental health.

Joints, bong rips, vape pens—can cannabis hurt thAe brain?

U of O prof details risks of regular THC consumption Iain Sellers

Fulcrum Freelancer

Cannabis was legalized in Canada on Oct.17, 2018.

Illustration: Rame Abdulkader

How cannabis works The cannabis plant contains a number of different cannabinoids—a chemical compound that occurs naturally in cannabis plants and humans—with the two highly studied ones being tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).

If you’re buying cannabis, you’ll probably see measurements of both THC and CBD levels, as both cannabinoids are contained in most cannabis products.

THC is the component that gives people the high that they normally associated with cannabis consumption. CBD, on the other hand, doesn’t produce feelings of intoxication in users and can lessen the psychoactive effects of THC. CBD is also used by some people to treat a wide range of issues, from chronic pain and epilepsy to certain mental illnesses.

As Andra Smith, an associate professor at the U of O who researches executive functioning in the brain and how it is linked to cannabis use explains, when THC is consumed it mimics our internal cannabinoid system, leaving the consumer with a high. “(The THC) attaches to parts of our brain that are fairly widespread,” she told the Fulcrum. “So, it can have an impact on a lot of different components of our behaviour.”

More specifically, THC interferes with the regulation of dopamine, compelling the brain to produce more of the neurotransmitter that’s linked to the body’s reward system, reward-driven behaviour, and pleasure, producing feelings of a high.

Highs and lows For Alden Spencer, a fourth-year political science student at Memorial University of Newfoundland and a former U of O student, the impact that the drug has on mental health is exactly what she looks for when consuming cannabis.

“I have been having some troubles

in my living situation lately where I feel an abundance of anxiety all at once,” she explained. “I use cannabis to help and reduce my stress (and) anxiety levels, as well as (to) help with my (chronic) migraines and sleeping. I have also used it on a few occasions in order to increase my productivity—and of course socially—but mainly for anxiety, migraines, (and) sleep.”

But based on her research into regular cannabis use and its implications for the young brain, Smith said universityaged students should be careful when using cannabis to manage stress and anxiety.

“If you start in your teen years, and use it on a regular basis—so, anywhere from one use a week for a year or two— there could be long-term effects on motivation, working memory, impulsivity, other types of executive function, decision-making behaviour, and that sort of thing,” Smith said. “It can impact academic performance and relationships— so there are lots of things that can be impacted.”

These side-effects have been noticeable for Tracy, a fourth-year economics student at the U of O and regular cannabis consumer (about three times a week) who asked her real name not be used due to fear of disciplinary action from her workplace over some of the side-effects she experiences from using cannabis.

“Lately, I haven’t been using cannabis as regularly as I usually do … but I find (that) when I am smoking regularly, I do have some memory issues and a loss of motivation,” Tracy explained.

“In terms of forgetfulness, it’s more so forgetting trivial things, like where I put

my keys (and) if I’m smoking (heavily) every day, it definitely would affect my motivation to get my work done,” she continued. “On the other hand, if I’m smoking quite regularly, but not as heavily, I am actually able to function better—especially when working on assignments.”

Yet, for Spencer, who typically smokes on a daily basis, she reports having positive experiences with her cannabis use with few of the forewarned effects.

When asked whether she had difficulties with her memory, motivation, or felt the first signs of addiction, she denied experiencing these side-effects.

“Cannabis helps me de-stress and feel more calm, allowing my brain to have more room to process things properly and become more productive in the long run,” she told the Fulcrum. “I haven’t noticed any addiction symptoms—I don’t feel as though I always want (or) need cannabis, and have (successfully) gone a few days in between doses … to not develop habits.”

Smith told the Fulcrum that the addictiveness of cannabis varies from person-to-person, depending on factors such as genetics and previous drug history, but that anyone can become addicted using any form of cannabis consumption.

While Smith admits that there hasn’t been much research done on vaping cannabis yet, she does still consider it worrying.

“I think (vaping’s) perceived risk is lower than smoking a joint, and that’s not actually a good thing because the risk is the same for the person inhaling it,” she explained. “It’s better for the second-hand smoke, but not for the per-

son consuming it, (but) the research just isn’t there yet.”

CBD vs. THC One of the big factors affecting experience one has when using cannabis, in both short and long-term situations, is the quantity of THC and CBD one consumes.

While elevated levels of THC in a strain of cannabis give consumers the high that they tend to expect from marijuana, it is also the chemical compound that risks causing adverse effects on the body, Smith said.

“Over the years, the cannabis industry has grown,” Smith said. “I think they realized the higher the potency of THC, the more likely people will get addicted and enjoy it. So, they have increased the potency of the THC within the cannabis that is being sold.” “(The potency of THC in cannabis has) gone from four per cent in the 60s and 70s to upwards of—in commonly used strains now—20 per cent.” she continued. “For dabbing (inhaling a small amount of highly concentrated cannabis, usually resin or oil, by vaporizing it), it’s up to as high as 90 per cent.”

Smith warns cannabis users to be careful of high THC levels—especially with products marketing THC levels as high as 90 per cent.

“It’s not safe at all. You run the risk of having a psychotic episode, much more if it’s in the higher potency.”

Tracy said she believes the link between high THC levels and some of the negative effects that she has experienced—like her memory loss—makes sense. Tracy told the Fulcrum that she tends to buy strains of cannabis that have a high THC to CBD ratio.

Can cannabis be still be used to treat anxiety?

For some regular cannabis consumers, the immediacy of relaxation that cannabis brings on has been enough of a reason to consider it as a day-to-day treatment for anxiety and stress.

Ryan Arsenault, a third-year communications student at the U of O, uses cannabis products daily for medicinal purposes to help cope with general anxiety disorder and stress—as well as for recreational purposes.

“Since my consumption of cannabis is mainly to treat anxiety, it obviously helps with the diverse symptoms—(like) stress (and) nausea,” Arsenault said, “but I also find that I am able to focus better and be more productive after smaller doses of cannabis products.”

“I would not say that I have developed an addiction to cannabis, but perhaps a certain dependence in order to help deal with anxiety,” he explained, while mentioning that he had no other adverse long-term effects.

Smith, however, would still caution students from using the drug as a regular way to deal with anxiety—and highlights that it might actually be more detrimental to their long term anxiety-

This story contains accounts of emotional abuse.

I

remember the feeling of being a tenyear-old. Like other kids my age, I stressed about making the hockey team, the clueless but oh-so-cute desk partner who I passed notes with, and whether I would get a good grade on my solar system model.

But these aren’t the things that stand out about my days pre-adulthood—these are the things I hold close when I remember that while growing up I contended with some things that no ten-year-old should.

I remember climbing onto countertops to put the dishes away hurriedly, worried that my dad would yet again fling labels like “lazy ass” my way. I remember being five minutes late after soccer practice, only to be met with disproportionate rage and accusations of disrespect, followed by threats to pull me out of the very sports that brought me so much joy. I remember cowering in my closet or under my covers as I heard the heavy footsteps coming down the hallway, with curse words I’d never heard before hitting the walls around me. The fear that one day he would eventually snap and kill me, or worse, my whole family, was always top of mind.

Most of all, I remember being convinced explicitly through words or implicitly through violent flashes of anger that my actions were always inherently bad, that my perceptions were inaccurate—that I was constantly doing something horribly wrong.

What other explanation could there be? If my father was this angry at me all the time, it had to be because something was terribly wrong with me. If he couldn’t even look at me with love, if he screamed louder as my tears grew faster, I must have been born with an irreparable defect.

When we talk about abuse, many of us will immediately conjure thoughts of bruises, blood, scratches, or worse.

This is obviously horrifying and detrimental in its own right, but the insidious thing about emotional abuse is that there is little to no physical evidence. You feel crazy, anxious, depressed, or worse, nearly all the time. And especially amid the hormone-heavy time of adolescence, it’s hard to even recognize what’s happening to you in the moment.

I started having panic attacks when I was 11, but I barely remember a time I didn’t have severe anxiety. Between walking on eggshells to appease my father, to being convinced I had to tell my mom I loved her every time we parted ways just in case it was the last time and checking the locks on the doors obsessively each night, my house was never synonymous with comfort or safety. Darting from room to room, I looked for danger in everything—in a juice carton left on the counter, a pair of shoes not properly tucked into the closet, a sleepover party invitation I knew would be a point of conflict.

But these rituals never really paid off, and there was still always a trigger lying inconspicuously in the house. And I learned over and over again from this dreaded routine that I would never be good enough to keep him from flying into a rage.

Invisible bruises Emotional abuse from parental figures during childhood can have detrimental long-lasting impacts Charlie Grant

Fulcrum Contributor

Illustration: Christine Wang

I learned from my dad that my motives were bad, that I had secretly wanted to make him upset, that my ultimate goal was to disrespect him when I knew all I had truly wanted was to talk to him about how my day went. I felt insane when he would accuse me of these things, and then try to convince me that he had never actually said that. I felt like my thoughts weren’t my thoughts, that my perception was drastically off, that my actions never aligned with my intentions—do I ever wish I could have been acquainted with the term “gaslighting” earlier in my life.

Emotional abuse is horrible at any juncture of life, but experiencing it in

childhood and adolescence has shaped the way I’ve grown to think about myself and the world around me. As I moved through my teenage years, I brought the same assumptions to relationships beyond my family: That I was defective, that I had to be on guard at all times as to not upset anyone, that I wasn’t good enough, and, ultimately, that it was only a matter of time until the ones I cared about would leave me.

As a teenager I began self-harming, binge drinking with intent to numb, and struggled with increasingly bad panic attacks and depression. Outside the self-loathing noise reverberating through my brain was that same voice,

this time telling me repeatedly that he couldn’t wait for me to move out.

I’ve since taken on university and entered my 20s, participated in several rounds of intensive therapy, and I still haven’t found peace in my relationship with my father. Sometimes I wonder if cutting him off would be best, but in my heart I know I’ll never be able to do it.

Because that’s the unfortunate paradox of emotional trauma: Even if someone inflicts wounds that might last for a lifetime, it can be extremely difficult to hate them, to write them off and remove them from your life. Especially when the abuse is coming from a figure traditionally or culturally propped up as essential to our lives.

Ending a relationship with a parent is tumultuous business, and the effects usually domino through the family.

Although everyone will tell me that my mental health comes first, when I weigh my options it seems selfish to not just suck it up and spare my family the hurt and shame associated with estrangement.

For some these feelings might have roots in their cultural background. For me, it’s the paralyzing fear of hurting my family mixed with the misguided hope that one day I might be good enough to fix things.

My dad cheered me on and told me he was proud of me when I graduated high school, when I won hockey MVP, when I got my first job while in school.

He was chatty and charming with my first boyfriend, and occasionally will proudly say that I “get that trait from him.” He helped me learn how to drive, coached me in soccer, taught me how to skate, and quizzed me for biology tests.

Although the abuse would return like clockwork, there were moments of connection that I always wished I could make last just a little bit longer. I always wondered why I couldn’t keep up a good relationship with him, what I could have done differently. It’s a question I’ve wrestled with as far back as I can remember.

When I struggle with this, I try to remember that it is never a child’s responsibility to be the adult in a family dynamic. That even if there were times that I might not have handled things with my adult decision-making skills, that this isn’t a fair standard to hold a child to.

But now more than ever, I’m trying to come to terms with accepting my trauma, and to not see it as a personal defect.

This isn’t about blaming my abuser, but understanding that my childhood lacked the emotional stability that’s so crucial for healthy development. It’s not about carrying grudges, but setting boundaries with what I ask for and discuss with my father in adulthood. It’s about realizing and accepting, no matter how upsetting the thought may be, that I have to find alternate sources of emotional support and love.

It’s about growing into the idea that I am worthy and capable of healthy love, and finding support in those who will remind me of that fact until I believe it.

T

iyana Maharaj started seeing a counsellor when she was 14 years old in the Greater Toronto Area.

Now in her third year of the women’s studies program at the University of Ottawa, she continues therapy but notices things she hadn’t as a teenager.

“I’ve always had a white person treat me. I’ve never had a person of colour in treatment until last year,” she told the Fulcrum. “And even then (it was a psychiatrist)—they’re not there to provide therapy.”

Maharaj is a first-generation Canadian, with a West Indian background, and faced unique challenges that came with her identity.

“In my experience, I’ve never had a therapist that’s been able to understand the connection and the mentality of immigrant parents,” she said.

Finding mental health care providers of colour is a problem many students from diverse cultural backgrounds run into when seeking help.

“I think (white mental healthcare practitioners) do their best to understand, but I also think that a lot of times … it’s super difficult to have conver-

sations with parents that are immigrants, because there’s a mentality that’s like ‘you’ve been through worse, it’s fine, this is just a phase.’” Maharaj explained.

“It’s difficult in the sense that (white mental healthcare practitioners) can’t really grasp the type of divide between you and your family.

There are types of trauma that they can’t relate to.”

For Noella Kondo, a third-year Telfer School of Management student with Congolese parents, Maharaj’s struggle resonates.

Kondo first sought help in high school, with her guidance counsellor.

“Of course getting advice from someone that’s black versus someone that’s white when it comes to racial issues isn’t the same. I’ve never had the opportunity to have a guidance counsellor who was a person of colour,” she said.

“They didn’t always know what to do to help because they were never in that situation.”

While Kondo now sees a white therapist who she feels comfortable with, she says she often felt misunderstood by therapists in the past.

“You know when you go somewhere and you need help, you can see it in their eyes—you can see when someone can’t really understand or resonate with what you’re saying,” she said.

Still, the lack of diversity in the field hasn’t stopped Kondo from getting treatment.

“It’s just not allowing me to get the extent of help that I know I could receive if it was a person of colour (treating me),” she said.

The “littlest bit” of diversity In an interview with Global News, psychologist and educator Dr. Jeffrey Ansloos of the University of Toronto explained the lack of diversity in the field stems from little representation of people of colour in graduate programs themselves.

Neha Sindhwani, a fourth-year psychology and music student at the U of O agrees, both with the lack of representation in her classes, and in the field.

“Aside from being a psych student, I’ve gone to therapists before.

For a while my therapist was a woman of colour, h o w e ve r when I was in resi-

Finding solutions

The struggle of seeking help as a person of colour

A lack of diversity among mental health practitioners creates a cultural divide Anchal Sharma |

Editor-in-Chief

“It’s a responsibility I think as healthcare providers to be able to understand and to be more sensitized to the different backgrounds your patients are coming from. I’m sitting here in your office, you’re my therapist, it’s not my job to be like ‘Well no, this is how immigrant parents think.’ You need to step up and educate yourself.” —Tiyana Maharaj dence and I was seeing the residence therapist, I would agree with the fact that there wasn’t very much diversity,” she said.

For Kondo, the lack of diversity in the field has to do with cultural perceptions of mental health.

“I think it’s honestly the fact that’s it’s so frowned upon in our culture and that’s why there’s not many (people of colour) in the profession,” she said.

Sindhwani, a child of Indian immigrants, feels similarly, explaining psychology wasn’t something that was openly discussed in her household.

“I had a very good life,” she admits.

“It’s just the way my parents would talk about mental health in the house wasn’t the best because of the way they were raised and where they were raised.”

“I find when I talk about certain things especially with therapists who aren’t of colour or even Indian, they don’t really understand it as well— they still act the way therapists should, and it’s really great that they know how to tackle these ideas—but it’s almost like they’re trying to give you solutions or talk about things that wouldn’t be solved in the same way.”

Like Maharaj and Kondo, Sindhwani feels that the cultural divide between herself and her therapists results in a stalemate when it comes to finding helpful solutions in her day to day life.

“A lot of times therapists will say ‘maybe you should talk to your parents about how you feel,’ when in a lot of these cultures if your parents were raised in a very strict manner, talking to them wouldn’t lead to very great results,” she explained.

Sindhwani said she also noticed just “the littlest bit” of diversity in her classes.

“It’s one of those things where when somebody says it, you realize it,” she said.

“I don’t see many people of colour in positions of psychologists and therapists very often, even in terms of psychology professors or teachers in that area. It could just be being in Ottawa, because I’ve noticed there’s a lack of diversity in Ottawa itself, but when I go to my classes that are in psychology I notice it is mainly Caucasian students.”

Ansloos told Global News that one way of solving that problem would be “more strategic recruitment.”

“That means when we have conversations about family, mental illness, identity, religion, spirituality or culture, people need to see their life more fully in what’s being taught.”

Sindhwani says she’s also noticed a lack of classes that focus on cultural sensitivity training. While she’s currently enrolled in a cross-cultural psychology course, she says the material depends on the professor and how they choose to teach it.

“We talk a lot about (Indigenous) people but we don’t go into a mix of different cultures, there are very specific cultures that you can tell he created his lesson plan around rather than talking about a (variety) of cultures,” she shared.

Institutionally acknowledging a problem exists The lack of diverse representation in the field is almost an abstract issue. It’s especially hard to put a number on the demographics since no research on the topic is widely accessible.

While the U of O collects data on program enrollment for each faculty, it only compiles data on students’ age and gender.

In 2011, the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) published a report intended to examine the nature of health conditions faced by Canadians at a population level.

According to U of O psychology professor John Hunsley, who contributed to the report, there were three surveys conducted for the report: The first seeking demographic information of psychologists in Canada, the second using a subsample of those respondents and asking them to provide information about a randomly selected adult client they were seeing, and the third doing the same for a child or youth client.

While the second and third surveys both asked for information on the clients’ ethnicity, among other identifying characteristics, the first survey asked psychologists about their age, gender, degree, area of specialization in psychology and focused solely on practice characteristics such as practice setting, and types of services provided.

The CPA did not respond to a request from the Fulcrum asking why ethnicity was not a considered question for respondents in its 2011 survey, but Hunsley explained that learning about Canadian psychological service providers was not a primary goal of the CPA surveys.

“I don’t know why this was the case, but I can only assume that such a question was not included because (a) there were no national-level data on ethnicity of psychologists/psychological associates (i.e., this would not help in determining the representativeness of the survey sample), (b) prior surveys of psychological service providers had not included this question, and (c) the characteristics of the service providers were not the primary focus of the work to develop a sentinel surveillance system,” Hunsley told the Fulcrum in an email.

However, he explained that if he were currently involved in research focusing on the characteristics of psychological service providers, he would “most certainly want to obtain information on participants’ ethnic backgrounds as such information would be important for a multitude of reasons.”

While research is lacking, the Mental Health Commission of Canada acknowledges that there isn’t enough diversity in the field, and has sought to address the issue by means of “promising practices.”

These include cultural consultation services, international social work bridging programs at colleges and universities, and translation services, among other projects across the country. These projects aim to meet the unique challenges faced by racialized people seeking mental healthcare in each province.

For Maharaj and Kondo, this is the right idea, but it needs to be implemented more widely.

“I’m happy that there are services that are open, that are free, that are still excellent, I just wish they would do more research to be able to help a wider group of people, a wider demographic,” Kondo said.

“If you have time to get more knowledgeable in certain areas you don’t understand, you should have the time to do the same for people of colour, because we’re the same as everybody else,” she added.

While Kondo believes this can be done through training and workshops targeted towards white mental healthcare providers, Maharaj said she believes the onus is on individuals in the field.

“It’s a responsibility I think as healthcare providers to be able to understand and to be more sensitized to the different backgrounds your patients are coming from. I’m sitting here in your office, you’re my therapist, it’s not my job to be like ‘Well no, this is how immigrant parents think.’

You need to step up and educate yourself,” she said.

While workshops exist, and organizations like the Canadian Mental Health Association offer voluntary webinars to industry professionals for things like cultural competency, they are few and far between.

Ansloos held a similar view to Kondo and Maharaj, telling Global News that “trust doesn’t require sameness, but a relationship,” although he also provided an alternative solution.

Ansloos disagreed that mental healthcare doesn’t exist in different cultures, claiming that it did, but presented itself in more holistic forms.

“It may not all look like psychotherapy, but I think there are natural helping roles that exist within every

culture,” he said, citing midwives as an example where Muslim women would find support for their mental health.

“We can do a lot even on the level of promoting mental health by really supporting diverse communities in elevating the value of these different roles that people hold.”

However, on campus, this may not be the best or the fastest approach for students seeking help within their university careers.

“I think especially on campus, this school has a role to play, and I understand that maybe it’s harder to find people of colour who are therapists and psychologists and so on, but I think … there needs to be some kind of training where they’re going to be more sensitized to the fact that they’re going to get so many people from so many backgrounds coming in for the first time, leaving home for the first time,” Maharaj explained.

She also explained the cultural differences that come with leaving home.

“I remember in first year seeing a counsellor and their tips for leaving home, or leaving your family were so basic, and (they) didn’t understand the culture of immigrant families of staying together,” she said.

“It’s not just ‘oh, I’m homesick.’

It’s much more complex than that.”

“I think if it’s hard to find people of colour to provide the care then I think there’s definitely room for the services to still be diversified,” Maharaj said.

Illustration: Kelsea Shore

I

t might just be the biggest narrative trope of any government town.

The young and driven from smalltown X make their way to the big city, where the sky’s the limit. A group of wannabe political hacks, aspiring public servants, lawyers, and diplomats, they soon learn the ropes of studying, working, networking, debating, socializing, balancing … and repeating.

Alex Verret is a first-year student at the U of O, and he can tell you all about the cycle. His story began in the state of Vermont, where he more or less stumbled into political involvement after meeting the right people.

But, he said he’s always had his eye on Canada, so he made the journey to the nation’s capital to study political science in French, discover a new com-

munity, and dive into a world of waiting opportunities.

It appears to have worked out.

Since the start of the school year, Verret has volunteered as a staffer with two members of Parliament (MPs), joined the University of Ottawa Young Liberals, and even earned important responsibilities with the model United Nations on campus.

Verret is only one of many other students around campus who have immersed themselves in various facets of the political sphere. It all seems made for the movies, but within each of their stories are things worth talking about that don’t usually make the cut.

Mental wellness is one of them.

The Fulcrum spoke to three students with different perspectives on youth political involvement to explore their insights and opinions into men-

The Fulcrum spoke to three students with different perspectives on youth political involvement to explore their insights and opinions into mental health. It became a brief but telling exploration of the challenges, supports, and lessons of staying healthy in the halls of power.

tal health. It became a brief but telling exploration of the challenges, supports, and lessons of staying healthy in the halls of power.

At one extreme Conversations around mental health need not—and should not— be limited to the worst of the worst.

There is much to discuss in the everyday balance of life. Nevertheless, it still seems to take a case at the extreme to spur anyone into action.

That’s what happened on Parliament Hill.

In June 2018, a high-level Hill staffer provided an eye-opening account of his battle with mental illness and how the demands of his professional life pushed him to the edge.

Paul Wernick, then-executive assistant to a Liberal MP, had his story covered by publications such as the Hill Times and Global News. He explained that the relentless stress of 60- to 70-hour work weeks, time spent juggling multiple commitments in a high-stakes environment, aggravated the mental health challenges with which he was already grappling.

Wernick had long struggled with depression, but on two occasions since beginning work on the Hill, one as recently as May 2018, he attempted to take his own life.

Following his ordeal, Wernick wanted to send a clear message about what was going on. As other media outlets reported, he said what he and other staffers faced was a complex problem for which nobody in particular could be blamed, but that there was an immediate need for solutions.

According to Wernick, the problem was a dangerous combination of too much work, a sense of expendability and insecurity in a non-unionized position, detrimental coping habits such as alcohol use (one which he nonetheless managed to avoid), and a general lack of leadership and awareness.

He called for staffers and MPs to work together to build a healthier atmosphere and a more open dialogue, also recommending the use of

educational tools—perhaps similar to those on workplace harassment—on how to support mental wellness on the job.

Wernick’s appeal received overwhelming support from fellow staffers, past and present, and his story remains a stark reminder of just how far things can go.

Work as a political student The fact of the matter is that most students making their first steps into the political world have lifestyles very different from that of Paul Wernick.

They are not executive assistants at the top of MPs’ offices, and it is likely that the serious issues brought to light by the seasoned Liberal staffer are far less threatening to beginners with fewer responsibilities, pressures, and independence. At least at this point.

So what is the working life of the politically involved student?

In terms of his volunteering on the Hill, Verret talks about doing simple but important work like mail logging and committee reports. As far as the workplace goes, he describes a highly variable and dynamic environment.

“I would say I’ve had two very different

Illustration: Rame Abdulkader

workplace cultures,” he said. “The first MP I worked for was a lot more formal—there was more separation between the boss and me. At the current MP office I’m at right now … I feel like I have a lot more contact … I would say I’m more productive.”

Of course, student work in the political sphere extends beyond partisan staffing, as well.

Donya Ashnaei, a secondyear student in economics and public policy, spent her first year in Ottawa as a page with the House of Commons.

Along with other students, she worked as a non-partisan assistant to the House personnel, getting an inside view on the machinery of Parliament. This year, she saw the flip side of the coin, beginning work for an MP as a paid staffer. This dual experience has allowed her to make important comparisons and contrasts.

“The workplace culture is … more fast-paced in the partisan side than it would be in the non-partisan side as a page,” explained Ashnaei. “Everything you do matters to MPs, staffers, and constituents, especially. So being on top of it, being present, and getting your job done is, I think, more intense on the partisan side.”

Whatever these positions entail, there is steady interest among students to fill them. Spencer Brickles is finishing his fourth year in political science at the U of O and serves as director of an internship program run by the International, Po l i t i ca l , a n d Policy

Studies Student Association (IPPSSA).

“We realized that, living in Ottawa, we have such great resources around us for opportunities of all kinds,” he shared. “So we launched our program, which aims to place students within IPPSSA in various offices in the political sphere.” Programs included in IPPSSA include political science, public administration, international studies and modern languages, and general social sciences.

Brickles said the kind of work assigned to students depends very much on the office, be it that of an MP, a senator, or a city councillor. He went on to explain that students can be asked to work anywhere between five and 20 hours per week, with their availability being an important factor.

“Once we place students in an office, a big part of my thing this year is ensuring we have regular follow-ups with both the offices and the interns, ensuring mainly that everything is going smoothly, that no issues have arisen, and just overall that they’re enjoying their experience,” he added.

And for students like Ashnaei, a comfortable work environment seems to be the norm.

“Your boss is there to mentor you and to guide you, and you’re accountable to them,” she said. “I just think in the partisan sector your boss brings you into projects more and you’re more a part of the idea-building.”

The push and the pull Norms are broken, however.

More importantly, norms become harder to define when the lives of political students become more complex.

If students are not facing exactly the same challenges as are higher-ups on the Hill and beyond, they must be facing others.

Brickles’ experience with the internship program has given him some insights.

“Students, often when they’re first placed, they maybe push themselves to the max … in order to put themselves ahead, and to show that they’re a valuable resource,” he explained.

Health in the halls of power

Young political workers and the dynamics of mental wellness Keelan Buck |

Fulcrum Freelancer

“Often I feel they take on more than they can chew.”

Furthermore, he acknowledges patterns of behaviour displayed by politically involved students that, despite their many advantages, can lead to problems.

“They’re people who do extracurriculars on campus, things like Model Parliament, and are more active socially,” he pointed out. “I think stress can be really compounded from taking on all these responsibilities … as well as from making sure you have good grades.”

Ashnaei confirms this culture and even offers a potential explanation.

“I think it’s the competitive nature of politics,” she explained. “A lot of young people are here because … they want to get ahead, and that can kind of lead to competition with each other, which then in turn leads to overworking.”

She is confident that she and other students manage to avoid that obsession. Still, she admits to a certain way of doing things that many students buy into.

“We play this networking game with each other, where all of our interactions have an undertone, a kind of message or objective. And there’s a lifestyle of who works for which MP or which office or which party.”

“We’re friends, but in a competitive way,” she added with a laugh.

For Verret, there are further challenges that he believes everyone in the political sphere can face.

“A big part of politics is trying to present a version of you that is appealing,” he noted. “There’s a lot that goes into thinking about what others think of you, your reputation, and that kind of stuff.”

He contrasts politics with other types of work where merit and stability are valued more highly.

“In politics, it’s all about making sure people like you,” Verret said. “I think you can be the best correspondence or speech writer, but if the person you’re working for doesn’t like you, you’re not going to continue having a job. That’s my opinion.”

Understandings and supports The people who understand what it means to be (and how to be) mentally healthy as a politically-involved student are probably the students themselves. It all comes down to the decisions they are actually making, and the help they are actually (or actually not) receiving.

Verret describes himself as an advocate for mental health. He shares that he was diagnosed with chronic depression at age 13, and that he has struggled with challenges ranging from bullying to academic stress.

“What it means to be healthy for me is still something I’m trying to figure out,” he explained. “This semester I’m taking six courses, I’m vice-president finance for model UN, volunteering on the Hill a lot more, working on campus, so I have to balance that a lot more,

and it’s taking its toll, it’s a lot.”

Ashnaei speaks of personal satisfaction and stability as the core elements of looking after her mental well-being.

“To me, it means being OK with yourself and your situation,” she expressed. “Maybe you’re having a bad day, but at the end of the day, it’s not going to be really harmful to you, or your state of mind, or your state of being, the thoughts that you’re having and the way that you’re feeling.”

In fact, she believes her work in politics has a net-positive effect on her mental health.

“Being occupied is definitely a positive thing for me,” she said. “In the nonpartisan role as a page, it was great, because I had somewhere to go and somewhere to be, and the partisan side even more so because I get to work with ideas and policies and thoughts.”

Brickles agrees with the importance of staying happy and believes the workplace is a significant determinant.

“I think that having a good mental state about a job means that you go into work wanting to be there, excited to help out, and any job where you see it as a burden … I think that’s a sign of a toxic work environment,” he said.

He said he believes the IPPSSA internship program is one of the supports that politically involved students can and should reach for.

“We ensure that that the intern is doing well, as much as we can,” he said.

“But I think a big part of it is making sure students feel comfortable enough to talk to myself or anyone that runs the program, anyone that’s involved. I think the more comfortable a person is with someone, the more willing they are to talk about it.”

From Ashnaei’s perspective, there are supports in many places, but they can still be made more available.

“Even as a political staffer you are technically a House of Commons employee, and you have all the supports available to you,” she noted. “There are counsellors and people to talk to on the Hill, confidential disclosures.”

“But one thing I noticed was that as pages we got that information, but as a political staffer, had I not previously known about these kinds of things, I would not have found out,” she added.

Never forgetting where he came from, Verret is clear about what—or who—his biggest supports are as he navigates his journey.

“For me, my friends and my family,” he said. “I find it’s my friends, more often than not, that I rely on. I have a couple of really, really good friends that I talk to a lot.”

The importance of companionship is not lost on the others, either.

“It gives you a community of people who are like-minded, who have the same goals,” said Ashnaei. “The same things that impact them in their lives are going to have an impact on you.”

After all, if there is one thing they know for sure, it’s that they are not alone in the spotlight.

Donya Ashnaei sits on the Fulcrum’s Board of Directors.

I

n the simplest of terms, life is hard.

There are so many great things that the world has to offer, yet it seems that the bad often outweighs the good. It’s nearly impossible to see the positives when it feels like everything being thrown at you is negative, like the universe and everyone in it is out to get you. There are too many factors: School, work, relationships, and everything else that a person attempts to balance. It’s stressful, it’s exhausting, and it’s downright overwhelming.

In a sense, it gets cloudy. It’s like you’re falling apart, as if you’re deteriorating. When it’s the act of living and breathing that gets too hard, it’s nearly impossible to stop yourself from giving in. You start to fade.

When things get dark, one can only be grateful for the people who bring them light.

Thank you to the people that pull us from the bad places that our minds wander to. The people who stick around in moments of weakness, sadness, and vulnerability are the people who give others strength. They are the ones that make things bearable, the ones who ease the pain.

Thank you to our parents, or those who stand in as mother or father figures. Thank you for giving us homes, places to feel safe, somewhere everyday problems can no longer reach us. From early on you’re the ones picking us up, whether it’s from a scraped knee in the playground or getting lost in a crowded grocery store. You’re the ones influencing us to make the right decisions.

You’re the ones who are there, raising us, supporting us.

Even though we’re older, and we may fight more, and we act like we don’t need you, you’re still an essential part of our lives. We wouldn’t have become who we are today without you. Although you may not understand all the problems we go through these days, you unconditionally want the best for us.

Thank you to the best friends, the ones we talk to about everything, the ones who have seen, heard, or been a part of every one of our shenanigans. Thank you for the endless laughs, spontaneous adventures, and the time you enjoy spending with us just as much as we enjoy spending time with you. There’s not much that’s comparable to our friendship.

Of course, there are times we fight. When the drama struggles to come between us, you’re still the person we count on. We trust you to hold onto our secrets, to give us the most honest advice, and to empower us. We need you to listen to us, even when it’s not just jokes or gossip anymore, but about the darkness that can start to consume us. You’ll be there for us, you’ll be by our side.

To all the people that give us light

A thank you to those who make things easier Jasmine McKnight Fulcrum Freelancer

When the only thing we can do is hate ourselves, you remind us of all the reasons to do the opposite. When we can’t love ourselves, you do.

Support systems are key when dealing with mental illness.

Illustration: Kelsea Shore

Thank you to our coaches and teachers, the mentors and veterans who guide us. Thank you for challenging us, for showing us the right way, the best way. You provide us with the tools we need to prosper. You give us a place to grow, creating an environment, mentality, and an opportunity to live to our full potential. There are times when we are too tired, too lazy, too discouraged to accept the help, but it never goes unappreciated. You want to help us find success in all the things we desire to do.

Thank you to our teammates, the people who challenge us. Thank you for making it through those tough practices, for sweating, crying, and losing with us.

You hold us up in more ways than one.

You make us better as athletes, but as people too. We have a bond that others don’t understand, we have the same goals, we face the same hardships, we do it together. From late nights in the hotel rooms to early morning practices, or the pregame speeches, we stay alongside one another.

We want to be the best, we want to compete. When it comes down to it, we make each other better: We want to win together. You push us to be the best we can be, even when you’ve seen us on our off days. You encourage us, congratulate us, and never leave us behind.

Thank you to the boyfriends and girlfriends, husbands and wives, the ones who love us in a way no one else can.

Thank you for holding us, protecting us from the most terrifying of nightmares and the most damaging of thoughts.

You are safety and comfort, confidence and reassurance. When the only thing we can do is hate ourselves, you remind us of all the reasons to do the opposite.

When we can’t love ourselves, you do.

Sometimes, you don’t know what the right thing to do is. Sometimes, you have no idea if you’re helping or not.

Really, the effort you put in is what counts. It’s more than gifts and fancy dates. It’s more than holding hands or cuddling in bed.

It’s the feeling you give us. The love you provide goes a long way.

Thank you to anyone who has given us a tiny bit of joy in the most miserable of times: The smile from that coffee shop employee, or the good morning from that bus driver. When our minds go to the worst of places, sometimes all we need is something small to help us keep going.

There are times where the problem will be too much for us to handle on our own. But when we fall into the depths of selfdoubt, anxiety, panic, depression, and whatever else may overcome us, that’s when we’ll be the most thankful.

We don’t always want to reach out—we don’t want to be the ones asking for attention or pity. It’s then that we realize we need these people, that we need their support.

So, to the people that give us light, thank you.

Features Editor’s Note: We want to thank each and every one of the sources who took the time to share their experiences with us for this important issue. Some of the stories inside this issue might have been challenging for you to take in as a reader, and that’s completely valid. Seeking help when faced with mental health struggles or a diagnosed mental illness is incredibly important, as is building support networks.

Below is a non-exhaustive list of some of the resources students at the U of O can access both on and off campus. Speaking with your family doctor or connecting with local therapists, psychologists and psychiatrists might also be helpful to you.

ON-CAMPUS (FREE OR COVERED

BY HEALTHCARE PLAN)…

UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA HEALTH SERVICES (UOHS), 100 MARIE-CURIE PRIVATE • Offers counselling, psychiatric services, individual, couple or family therapy, access to psycho-educational groups and referrals to specialists off-campus STUDENT ACADEMIC SUCCESS SERVICE (SASS), 100 MARIE-CURIE PRIVATE • Offers individual counselling, peer-counselling, workshops, online therapy and group counselling using new stepped model; referrals PRIDE CENTRE, 85 UNIVERSITY PRIVATE • Offers mentoring services and one-on-one consultation services FACULTY MENTORING CENTRES (LOCATIONS DIFFER BY FACULTY) • Specialized mentoring services catered to the needs of students in each faculty

OFF-CAMPUS… MENTAL HEALTH HOTLINES… • Drugs and Alcohol Helpline: 1-866-531-2600 • Fem’aide: 1-877-336-2433 • Good2Talk: 1-866-925-5454 • Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6668 or text CONNECT to 686868 • Mental Health Crisis Line: 613-722-6914 • Distress Centre of Ottawa and Region: (613) 238-3311 • Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre: 613-562-2333 • Tel-Aide Outaouais: 613-741-6433 • Trans Life Line: 1-877-330-6366 WALK-IN COUNSELLING CLINICS (SIX OTTAWA LOCATIONS)...

fill a gap in your program

• Somerset West Community Health Centre (55 Eccles Street) • South-East Ottawa Community Health Centre (1355 Bank Street) • Family Services Ottawa (312 Parkdale Avenue) • Jewish Family Services of Ottawa (300-2255 Carling Avenue) • Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (959 Wellington St. W) • CFS/SFC Ottawa (310 Olmstead Road) COMMUNITY HEALTH AND RESOURCE CENTRES (13 IN OTTAWA) • Carlington Community Health Centre (900 Merivale Road) • Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre (215-1980 Ogilvie Road) • Nepean, Rideau and Osgoode Community Resource Centre (1547 Merivale Road, Unit 240) • Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Health Centre (225 Donald Street) • Sandy Hill Community Health Centre (221 Nelson Street) • South East Ottawa Community Health Centre (1355 Bank Street) • Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre (2 MacNeil Court) • Centretown Community Health Centre (420 Cooper Street) • Lowertown Community Resource Centre (40 Cobourg Street) • Orleans-Cumberland Community Health Centre (240 Centrum Boulevard) • Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre (1365 Richmond Road) • Somerset West Community Health Centre (55 Eccles Street) • Vanier Community Service Centre (270 Marier Avenue)

Athabasca University has over 850 courses to choose from to meet your needs and courses start every month. AU has over 6,600 transfer agreements around the world (including with this institution).

SPORTS

SPORTS EDITOR Andrew Price sports@thefulcrum.ca @APricey47

WOMEN’S HOCKEY TEAM’S TOUGH SEASON COMES TO ABRUPT END

Gees will look to do better in 2019–2020

The Gee-Gees nevertheless will compete for the national prize.

Photo: Parker Townes

GEES DROP OUA CHAMPIONSHIP

U OF O WILL LOOK TO BOUNCE BACK NEXT WEEK AS THEY HEAD TO NATIONALS Associate Sports Editor

T

he U of O women’s basketball team took on the McMaster Marauders in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) women’s basketball championship game on Saturday, March 2 at Montpetit Hall in front of a nearly soldout crowd.

This marked the third time a women’s varsity team reached their conference championship game this year for the U of O. Andy Sparks’ team aimed to become the third to lift their respective

22 | SPORTS

league’s championship trophy after both the women’s soccer and rugby team did back in November.

Sadly for the Gee-Gees, McMaster would have the upper hand, capitalizing on most of their chances on the afternoon and beating the U of O with their speed. The final score would be 79-75.

Angela Ribarich and Sarah Besselink both collected 20 points in the losing effort. For the Marauders, Hilary Hanaka had 22 points while Sarah Gates had 20 to push their team over the Gees.

For the U of O though, this game was seen as more of a bump in the road on the way to the U Sports national championship.

After the game, Andy

Sparks talked about how his team would use this game to motivate themselves for next week’s game.

“If watching Mac win here on home court doesn’t motivate us, I don’t know what will,” Sparks said. “I thought it was a great women’s university basketball game—if we played like this we’d be packing the building every night, and will do good in the nationals.”

As for his team’s preparation for nationals, Sparks didn’t seem sure how he’d get back in the rhythm of things after the game.

“I may or may not give them the day off tomorrow, then we’ll see. But we have a couple things we’ve got to work on before we head to Toronto,’’

Sparks said.

In spite of her strong performance, centre Ribarich didn’t speak of her personal performance —preferring to discuss how they would seek revenge next week after losing on home court.

“We’re going to see this team again. We don’t take this lightly—we’re going to use this as motivation,” Ribarich said. “As we were lining up to watch the celebration, Coach told us all to remember this and not let it happen again.”

The Gee-Gees will be back in action on Thursday, March 7 at the Mattamy Athletic Centre, when they play their first game at the U Sports national tournament. It is unknown what rank the Gees will occupy coming into the eight-team tournament.

Associate Sports Editor

The women’s hockey team was swept in round one of the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) playoffs at the hands of the Montreal Carabins.

The Carabins easily won both matchups by identical 4–0 scores, ending a tough but resilient season for the Gee-Gees.

A team plagued by injuries early on and struck by tragedy with the loss of teammate Melissa Kingsley, they struggled to ever find a groove this season.

The red horses finished fourth out of five in the RSEQ— barely beating out the Carleton Ravens for the last playoff spot.

Facing the second-best women’s hockey team in all of U Sports, the Gees never really stood a chance against Montreal.

In what seemed to be stacked as a The Carabins easily big year for the U won both matchups by of O—coming out of a nearly perfect identical 4-0 scores, preseason—the team ending a tough but dropped their first three before winresilient season for ning an emotional the Gee-Gees. game against Carleton the day following the passing of Kingsley from cancer.

The Montreal series largely sums up the season for the Gees.

Photo: Parker Townes

Charley Dutil

Charley Dutil

“We’re going to see this team again.

We don’t take this lightly—we’re going to use this as motivation.”

—Angela Ribarich, Gee-Gees centre. thefulcrum.ca

But the Gees wouldn’t be out of the woods, losing six of their next seven, beating Concordia in a shootout at home for their lone win during that period in December.

Ending the first half last place in the conference with a mere four points and two wins, things looked grim for the Garnet and Grey coming into January and the second half of the season.

They would fare somewhat better in the second half—doubling their win totals from the first half, beating Montreal, McGill, and Carleton twice to leapfrog the Ravens and sneak into the playoffs through the backdoor.

It was also a tough year for the Gees’ offence. Mélodie Bouchard led the charge for her team with just 13 points in 19 games this season.

The McGaughey sisters also struggled to stay on the ice, with Taylor collecting four points in 13 games, while Meagan struggled mightily—scoring one goal on the season and being credited for one assist in 16 games.

One of the lone bright spots for the Gee-Gees was fourth-year goaltender Maude Levesque-Ryan, who had a .928 save percentage and a 2.48 goals against average, playing in all six Gee-Gees wins on the year and starting both playoff games.

NORDIQ SKIING COMPETES IN OUAS

Exciting things ahead for new competitive club Gustavo Silva

Fulcrum Contributor Nordiq Skiing, the University of Ottawa’s newest competitive club, made a big entrance at the Ontario University Athletic (OUA) championship.

The men’s team placed fourth overall, and the women’s placed fifth, with six men and five women attending the event for the U of O at Nipissing University.

The OUA has drawn plenty of positive attention from around the skiing community, as this is the first time the

thefulcrum.ca

event held the women’s track the same length as the men’s.

Zeke Williams describes the U of O’s first OUA event in over 20 years as “exciting and a very big opportunity for the team.”

“We didn’t know how we would fall relative to the top three teams (Carleton, Lakehead, Nipissing). So it was an exciting event for us to finally be sending a team after so long,” Williams said. “With that in mind we went in with no major expectations, but it ended up being quite competitive.”

Racing hard at OUAs. Photo: Courtesy of UOttawa Nordiq skiing

Williams placed 12th at the individual race on Feb.17, having recently returned to competitive skiing after a fiveyear break.

The avid skier is a master’s student at the University of Ottawa studying math and statistics with interest in theoretical neuroscience and artificial intelligence.

His skiing experience is just as impressive, as he started to compete in cross-country by the age of 11, with several tournaments and professional experience in Canada and across Europe.

The OUAs were held over three days within various track lengths and contest dynamics. The first day consisted of a 12-kilometer track with a mass start, which is where all the individuals start at the same time. Williams described this scenario as “super exciting” because the trail goes from an open field to a tight “bottleneck” situation, where all of a sudden everyone is bound together.

The second day comprised of individual races on a 7.5-kilometer track, where the U of

O’s Ben Milley placed sixth and Katherine Denis placed 10th.

In fact, Denis is currently in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, representing Canada at the FISU World University games.

“It’s in remote Russia. The competition is internationally known. Skiers in Europe see this event as a big opportunity, (unfortunately) there’s not as much hype in it in North America, but in terms of competition it’s very legit,” Williams said. “They have a whole athlete’s village for them.”

With the team’s success

comes harder work for the days ahead. Williams said the next step for the team is to train for the Canadian National Championships (CNC), which is being held at his home club Nakkertok.

The championship will start on March 13, where there will be five races in the course of 10 days.

Williams said he’s looking forward to skiing with Milley at the CNC. He said Milley is “somebody to look out for” in this event as his skills keep advancing, as well as the team as a whole.

SPORTS | 23

OPINIONS

MEN’S HOCKEY TEAM OUSTED EARLY

Gee-Gees stunned in playoffs after dreamlike regular season Charley Dutil

Associate Sports Editor The men’s hockey team lost to the Queen’s Gaels on Sunday, Nov. 24, ending an almostperfect season with a disappointing second-round exit from the Queen’s Cup playoffs.

Nevertheless, fifth-year captain Eric Locke capped off his U Sports career with a bang, scoring twice in his team’s 6–5 loss. Brandon Jacome, Mike Poirier, and Jacob Sweeney also found the back of the net.

Goaltender Graham Hunt was pulled early after allowing three goals on the first 10 shots. The Gees then managed to muster enough firepower to tie the game up after two, but Queen’s would outplay the Gees in the third to take the game 6–5.

In a Facebook post published on Sunday night, head coach

Patrick Grandmaitre showed gratitude to his players.

“Truly devastated that this dream season has come to an abrupt end. Our players stayed true to themselves by fighting till the very end. We have great young men and a dedicated staff that deserved better. But that’s sports,” Grandmaitre wrote.

The Gees—who finished with an all-time programbest record of 22–2–4—began the season with a big 3–2 shootout win at the Carleton Ice House, thanks to a sweet deke from rookie Yvan Mongo in his first U Sports game.

He would go on to lead all rookie Gee-Gees in points.

Cody Drover also had an impressive year, collecting 40 points in his third season and finishing fifth in points in the OUA. Drover’s linemate Kevin Domingue also had a

FULCFIT FOOD SERIES:

PUMPKIN PASTA SAUCE A new take on an old classic

GETTING HELP SHOULDN’T BE THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THE HEALING PROCESS Hanna Methot Opinions Editor

M

Grandmaitre noted how proud he was of his team’s outstanding season overall.

Photo: Greg Mason

career year with 37 points, and in January became the all-time leader in goals scored for a Gee-Gee. In the nets, Hunt led all goalies in the OUA with a 2.13 goals against average, while on the defensive side of things Poirier had a breakout 2018–19 season—collecting 19 points on the year. The Moncton native led all Gee-Gees defencemen in points.

Hannah Rivkin

Fulcrum Contributor The pasta dish is an age-old staple among university students. Easy, filling, and affordable. Sauté, boil, repeat. There’s no reason to throw this age-old tradition away in the name of healthy eating. Why not just spice things up?

Now slathered in green mushy stuff—toast received its own upgrade two years ago.

As the avocado has elevated

• • • • • • •

24 | SPORTS

opinions@thefulcrum.ca @HannaMethot

ACCESS TO U OF O MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES MUST BE MORE CONSISTENT

Following the season-opening win against Carleton, the Garnet and Grey went on to win their next three games against McGill, Waterloo, and Laurier all at home. The Gees would lose in a shootout 4–3 to the Brock Badgers to end their win streak, but got back on their horse and won the next five games. In fact, they didn’t drop a game in regulation until Nov. 23 when

they were shutout 3–0 at the hands of the Carleton Ravens.

There were also many firsts for Gee-Gees’ players in 2018–19. Kyle Ward scored his first goal, and third-string goalie Nicolas Hodgins also earned his first U Sports win, beating the RMC Paladins 6–1 on Jan. 26.

Other players who improved notably on their numbers from last year included

Jacome—who had a careerhigh season in points, goals, and assists. Anthony Brodeur also had the most wins of his career with 11.

Despite the journey ending here, and losing some important players like the captain Locke, the Gees have many stars still hanging on, including Domingue, Jacome, and more, for the 2019–20 season.

the nutritional value on every millennial breakfast plate, we must ask ourselves what other traditions could also receive a one-food item boost?

This week’s healthy recipe is pumpkin pasta sauce—and before you run away in horror at the idea of an orange-splattered dinner plate, hear us out.

Give pumpkin (and this recipe) a spin for three reasons: 1. It’s healthy. Pumpkin is high in fibre, potassium, and Vitamin A — but

has a low caloric content. Due to its high fibre, pumpkin contributes to gut health. Another benefit of this high-fibre food—it makes you feel full longer! Nutrientdense food addition for the win!

2. With the right balance of flavours, it tastes pretty amazing. Pumpkin’s muted taste can be off-putting without the right balance of flavours.

On the sweeter end of the spectrum, pumpkin can be balanced out with sugar. But for pasta purposes, pumpkin should be balanced out with slightly acidic flavours like cheese, tomatoes, sriracha and of course salt.

3. You’ve done this recipe a thousand times, all we’re giving you is one extra step.

So without further ado, here is this week’s healthy recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

Here’s how to prepare a nice alternative dish that’ll make you long for Halloween to come.

Photos: Hannah Rivkin

OPINIONS EDITOR Hanna Méthot

Two tablespoons of chopped garlic ½ cup of chopped onion ½ green pepper ½ yellow pepper One zucchini One cup of tomato sauce One cup of pumpkin purée (if you already love pumpkin, two cups for a stronger flavour) • Grated cheddar cheese (optional—as much as you please) • Whole wheat pasta of your choice

DIRECTIONS: 1. Sauté your onions and garlic.

2. Add in your veggies of choice (pumpkin pairs well with veggies that don’t have strong flavours—feel free to add in things like cherry tomatoes and spinach).

3. Cook veggies to preferred texture.

4. Add in both your sauces.

5. Let simmer.

6. Add salt and pepper to taste—I recommend a little more salt than usual to complement the

y experience with the mental health services team here at the U of O has been overwhelmingly positive. I was able to go in person and schedule an appointment for the following day, and was seen and assessed immediately by a super understanding and caring counsellor.

Which is why it’s so odd to me, that when I suggested to friends that they see someone at the U of O’s mental health service, the experiences they conveyed are so different than mine. And I don’t mean in terms of what happened during their sessions, as everybody is different, but in terms of being

7. Last but not least, the garnish: salt, pepper, fresh basil, sriracha, and grated cheese.

8. And that’s it! Serve and enjoy.

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you’re screwed into a longer wait period. I feel the university should put a bigger focus on mental health services as they’re becoming more important in today’s society.”

“I started having some really dark days, and I actually tried to go to clinics before student services but I was told the wait time to see someone was a year. I contacted the school’s service multiple times and I got transferred and ended up at an answering machine. After trying once or twice, I left a long and detailed message. I never heard back from them so I gave up and decided I had to deal with my concerns on my own.”

“My experience with mental health services was not very good. I waited all of first year to see a counsellor and was never contacted. I was referred by my doctor. I finally

Mental Health training sessions should be mandatory.

Photo: University of the Fraser Valley

MAKE MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING MANDATORY FOR PROFESSORS Student outlines his unacceptable experience with U of O professor Daniel Perry

Fulcrum Contributor

pumpkin.

seen in a prompt manner and feeling taken care of.

The following quotes are testimonies from students about their experiences with the mental health services here at the U of O, both good and bad, to illustrate some of the inconsistencies that need to be fixed and possible solutions. All of the contributors requested anonymity due to the nature of their situations.

“My experience with the mental health services hasn’t been the easiest process.

Scheduling an appointment was a hassle due to the fact that I was told you need a doctor’s recommendation and the fact that mental health services are severely understaffed. In my experience, the wait period can take months and you need to schedule your limited eight appointments immediately or else

First year can be tough, not only academically but personally as well. During the first week of classes, the administration and professors promote the

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idea that it’s okay not to be okay, that if you need anything they will help you find the support you need. But compassion is something that is hard to come by, especially in the middle of a semester.

The University of Ottawa is

no exception to this, and students are too often left out in the cold. During my first year at university, the administration and one of my professors severely let me down, and I know I’m not alone. Currently, professors at the univer-

More consistent experiences please.

Photo: CC, Dennis Rogers, US Air Force

got an appointment second semester of second year. When I contacted them about my referral they never returned my calls. It was unprofessional.

At one point there was a Twitter thread going around about mental health services at universities and I added to it. Someone from health ser-

vices screenshotted the tweet and sent it to me via email giving me a list of other services around Ottawa. All of which I contacted and never heard anything more from. I eventually went to see a residence counsellor which was good, but she all of a sudden disappeared and I never heard from

her again when I emailed her.”

Access to mental health services in Ottawa needs to be far less difficult and way more consistent than it is now.

Going to see a counsellor in the first place takes a lot of strength, actually accessing help shouldn’t be the most difficult process.

sity are offered mental health training optionally alongside other members of the community. Professors at the U of O need to be given mandatory mental health sensitivity training.

In first year, I, like many students, was struggling.

I struggled with friends, I struggled with school and after a few months I knew that I needed to find help. I reached out to a counsellor, and after waiting a few weeks, I was able to meet to discuss my mental health. After a few sessions, I was diagnosed with extreme levels of depression.

Working together we created ways to help manage it, including deferring a midterm and classwork. I was provided a doctor’s note, but this note was not enough for one professor. They approved the deferral but moved the exam to a conflicting time and then simply ignored my emails.

As a student with a disability, I am registered with Access Service to write all quizzes, tests or final exams. My professor had the responsibility of submitting the midterm 10 days in

advance, which they failed to do. I went to see the professor during their office hours to discuss the issue. During this conversation, they were unwilling to accept the fact that it was for a personal reason.

To satisfy their demand for information, I admitted that I suffer from extreme depression and was receiving therapy.

Upon revealing this deeply personal and shameful (at the time) fact, they did not believe me.

The professor went on to claim that I seem “normal” to them and struggled to understand why a “normal” person would defer a midterm.

After this conversation, I was left in tears, as I was ashamed of my illness and saddened that someone would even think I would use my mental health to gain an advantage. As a result, my depression increased, along with my anxiety.

Access Service was unable to reschedule the midterm. Before class began, the professor called upon me to come to the front of the class to discuss the matter loudly in front of my peers, reversing their previous position and agreeing that there was

“something wrong” with me.

Following this humiliation, my counsellor agreed that I should drop the course.

Since the withdrawal date had passed, I wrote and asked for a refund. The university denied the request. There was no apology or inquiry into the actions of the professor. It was just a simple “no” and dismissal.

With the help of friends and loved ones, as well as my counsellor, I have been able to move forward, graduating earlier than many of my peers and attending graduate school in the fall, but that isn’t the point.

This story is not unique.

Countless friends across campus have had similar experiences, with little to no support from the university. It’s rich for the university to boast how they care about students’ mental health on the first week of classes but when it matters, they turn their back and do nothing. The University of Ottawa needs to stop the slogans and ensure that professors are provided with the right skills and tools to effectively support student mental health.

OPINIONS | 25

TACKLING THE GREAT DEPRESSION OF THE 21ST CENTURY

We need a New Deal of our own to tackle mental health problems Andrew Price Sports Editor

You’ve probably heard of the Green New Deal in the United States, and the federal jobs guarantee proposals that go with it. It’s been promoted by presidential candidates like Bernie Sanders, Senator Cory Booker, and newly-elected Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The Green New Deal is an action plan to radically alter the structure of the American economy to rely on renewable sources of energy, part of which includes a job guarantee that will go towards building green infrastructure. I say we should have a similar program to tackle the mental health crisis here in Canada.

How could we possibly find the money to guarantee a job to everyone in the country who wants one? It seems impossible at first, but actually we can. Not only that, we’re going to need a plan..

The Government of Canada—much like the United States federal government— has its own currency. In this case, the Canadian dollar, which can’t run out. It can purchase anything for sale in its own currency. This includes all the surplus labour that cur-

rently goes to waste as unemployment.

The question then becomes, when people are in the federal jobs guarantee program, what will they be doing?

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, 10-20 per cent of youths in the country are affected by a mental illness or disorder. To put it in economic terms: the cost to the healthcare system is in the billions.

The link between mental health issues and unemployment is also clear. The federal jobs guarantee program can assist students or recent grads who have had difficulty finding jobs in their particular field. It can guarantee them a job at a living wage with benefits, providing a de facto minimum wage, while forcing private employers to adhere to certain standards in their job conditions.

The program can include paying the wages of those who work in mental health centres on university campuses. It can include paying the wages of personal support workers and others. It can pay people to work in not-for-profits who are tackling mental health crises.

However, the job guarantee is only one facet of the broader

Canada needs a New Deal of its own.

Photo: Saffron Blaze via wikicommons

26 | OPINIONS

New Deal program. These jobs will not require too much in the way of prior training, experience, or education. The idea is to roll the recently unemployed into them quickly.

Therefore, the job guarantee program by itself won’t be able to staff facilities with doctors, nurses, researchers, and mental health professionals. For this, you need to fully utilize the federal government’s sovereign purchasing power to run potentially large deficits.

There is risk however that such an expansive program as a New Deal for tackling mental health—hiring tons of new doctors, staffing every mental health facility on campuses across the country with qualified professionals—could bring about inflationary pressures. Where once governments used the unemployed to control inflation, we are now using full employment. If inflation is still out-of-control, it may be time for tax increases or spending cuts. But not necessarily.

The original New Deal was in response to relief and reforms needed during the great depression. We can use this same approach for the war of the 21st century, the mental health crisis. All it takes is dedication and determination.

No construction for a year, U of O facilities announce

U-OTTA WANT THIS:

NEW PLAN MET WITH CONFUSION, OUTRAGE, AND A LITTLE BIT OF SADNESS

McGill University’s new wellness hub to open May 2019.

Photo: CC, Paul Lowry via Wikicommons

A DEDICATED BUILDING TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES Opinions Editor

In February, McGill University announced a major investment into the university’s mental health services in the way of a mental health hub.

Construction of the $14-million Rossy Student Wellness Hub is expected to be completed May 2019.

According to the McGill Tribune, the Hub will have 11 staff members trained in check-in procedures, hire four more general practitioners, and will train its six nurses on dealing with mental health crises. The new building will have desks and outlets accessible within the waiting area.

This new Hub was largely planned in response to growing concerns over substance abuse and self-harm in McGill students, according to one interview in the McGill Tribune.

The Hub’s website lists early intervention as a major priority. Additionally, 12 local wellness advisors will be added to departments across campus.

This centralized model for mental health service access is something that is desperately

needed here at the U of O. The U of O’s entire mental health service team consists of one receptionist, twelve counsellors, and four residence counsellors, all crammed into the fourth floor of Marie-Curie. Patients are asked to triage appointments online, which often leads to long wait times.

Recently, Student Academic Success Service (SASS) added a walk-in option, stepped care model, and group therapy.

Nevertheless, a dedicated centre for mental health services would be a welcome and much needed addition to U of O’s campus. The cost of not having one far outweighs the cost of building one, in my opinion. With long wait times at the U of O’s current mental health clinic, students tend to fall between the cracks. Many of my friends have had to wait months to see a counsellor while experiencing some pretty dire situations due to online triage.

In Ottawa Public Health’s Status of Mental Health report from 2018, the need for a dedicated centre for mental health services became apparent. There was a significant

Tomato Editor

A press release from U of O’s facilities has revealed that, for the first time in the university’s history, there will be no construction for a year. This revolutionary new idea comes as a shock to many students, who have grown accustomed to service interruptions, construction noises, and using that “It’s going to suck not other entrance being woken up to the at Tabaret. sound of heavy machinery The press release states, right outside my window,” “We know this claims Roberta Pebble, a may come as second-floor resident of shock to mem90 University. “There’s bers of the really nothing like the c o m m u n i t y, sound of tons of gravel but the University of Ottawa being poured on LRT has decided track. I’ve grown to like that refraining it, I guess I’ll have to buy from construcan alarm clock now.” tion for a full year is the only way to achieve our primary obConstruction workers jective of not spending money— happy with we mean, meeting the student’s announcement. needs.”

Photo: CC, Jonny Goldstein “We kind of went crazy with via Flickr spending these past three or

Mental Health Hub Hanna Methot

ethot Hanna M

increase in the number of hospital visits and hospitalization by students aged 15 to 24 years of age in regards to mental health and addictionrelated conditions. Self-harm rates among female students in this age group also went up a staggering 49 per cent from 2012 to 2016.

With a new mental health building located somewhere central on campus, say, where Brooks residence is, students will have quick access to services when they need it, as opposed to being triaged online and being put on a wait list.

The walk-in option can still be available, with more space and counsellors to help facilitate concurrent appointments.

With the upcoming tuition cuts proposed by the Ford government, the university may not be able to allocate the funds necessary to make this centre happen. However, it should be noted that the U of O has a $15 million surplus set aside for “future projects”.

Although it may be costly, this investment in students is vital, and should be considered as a future project that would help students across the board.

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four buildings, so we’re just going to take a quick break.”

The Tomato spoke with several students to see how this announcement will affect their student experience.

“It’s going to suck not being woken up to the sound of heavy machinery right outside my window,” claims Roberta Pebble, a second-floor resident of 90 University. “There’s really nothing like the sound of tons of gravel being poured on LRT track. I’ve grown to like it, I guess I’ll have to buy an alarm clock now.”

“Wait, so they’re going to just leave the sixth floor of CRX unfinished?” asks Jonah Alexander, the founder of U of O’s conspiracy club. “I have a new club idea.”

“So you’re telling me I’m going to be able to get to class on time without being delayed?” asks part-time professor Julian Dozy. “This is insane, preposterous. Do you know how many seminars I missed due to cement trucks? I missed three final exams last semester because I was stuck behind dump trucks. Now I’m not going to be able to use construction as a viable excuse!”

Construction on the new STEM building has been underway for so long that many students have reported that it’s become a fixture of their dayto-day lives.

“They started planning STEM when I first got here in ‘16, or was it ‘06? I can’t seem to remember, when was the Vancouver Olympics?” asks custodian Martha Maywell.

“It’s weird to think there won’t be an entirely new building to learn the layout of next year.

Kind of boring.”

“I always love getting stuck behind construction workers in the line for Tim Horton’s,” claims Andrea Chatty. “It’s the only social interaction I get all week.”

“I’m actually really happy with this announcement,” claims Robin Nest. “I’ve started fostering this possum family in the closed Brooks residence, and this just means they get to stay in their home for a little while longer. With any luck, the university will just forget that it’s there.”

The university’s plan of not building anything for a year is revolutionary, and a first for the campus.

SFUO has been crashing on couches since break-up with the university SPLIT COMES AFTER 50 YEARS WITH THE U OF O Hanna Methot Tomato Editor The Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) sent out a Facebook message to all her friends following a break up of mass proportions.

After 50 years, the University of Ottawa and the SFUO broke up after a fight that was anything but amicable. The lease on their current apartment was coming up in April, but after relying financially for so long on the U of O, it was time for the SFUO to move.

The message, which was sent at 1:05 a.m. the day following the split, went as follows. “Heyy I really need a place to stay for the next little bit. It’ll only be just for a few days. Couches are fine. Lmk, thx.”

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The SFUO is a mature undergraduate student at the university, who has managed to stay enrolled by taking one class every semester for 50 years and changing her major twice.

The apartment it previously inhabited, a central location in the heart of campus, is now being inhabited by the university and his new girlfriend, the University of Ottawa Students’ Union (UOSU).

The apartment boasts an all-inclusive price, including services, businesses, and other amenities. Additionally, the listing was advertised as furnished, but upon learning of her imminent eviction, the SFUO decided to try selling some of the university’s furniture, which they notably did not buy, to put towards a new place.

Currently, the SFUO is crashing on different friends’ couches and futons throughout the city until she can “get back on her feet.” According to one friend who wishes to remain anonymous, the SFUO is not a great roommate.

“She’s been here for weeks and is constantly borrowing money to spend on some pretty stupid stuff,” says the unnamed friend. “She leaves pamphlets and voting cards all over the place and keeps crying over old pictures from her ‘glory days’.

I get that she’s in a tough spot right now, but it’s been almost a month. It’s time to move on.”

“She’s been commenting on all of the UOSU’s new facebook posts, it’s quite frankly embarrassing,” claims concerned friend Keila Moumouni-

The SFUO has relied on couch-crashing since its big break-up.

Photo: CC, Flickr, edits, Rame Abdulkader

Tchouassi. “It’s over, done, no point in getting yourself riled up over losing something good.”

The SFUO has reportedly gotten back together with her ex-girlfriend, the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS).

In response to a request for comment, the UOSU stated they and the university are “doing fine” and are “very happy with each other so far.” The university did not respond to requests for comment.

“She’s been here for weeks and is constantly borrowing money to spend on some pretty stupid stuff,” says the unnamed friend.

THE TOMATO | 27

Dear Ty couples and mental health

DEAR TY, My partner and I have both been struggling with some mental health issues lately due to the stress of school and a few other unexpected life events.

We’re both getting the help we need, but my partner and I are unsure of how to best support one another while also managing our own mental health struggles. How can we be good partners to each other while both of us are coping with our own mental health issues?

— LOVE AND MENTAL HEALTH

Illustration: Rame Abdulkader

28 | DISTRACTIONS

DEAR LMH,

tough days, weeks, or months, and can involve several relapses in progress. Don’t get frustrated if there are days your partner can’t get out of bed or others where you need to cancel plans.

Thanks for your really important and timely question. I want to start by addressing your honesty and openness: When it comes to mental health, it’s always helpful to ask questions, get advice, and build support systems. Now, let’s talk about your relationship. I want to address a sadly common and stigmatizI want to go through some of my guidelines ing misconception head on before I give on loving someone with mental health issues some advice on how to build and maintain a before I lay out some tips on how to maintain healthy relationship: Just because two people a healthy relationship when both of you are in a relationship are mentally ill, doesn’t mean dealing with mental health issues. that relationship (nor you or your partner) are defective, or destined to fail.

We often preach about practicing “self-love” while dealing with mental health issues, but Seeing your loved one in pain is really receiving love from others is just as helpful. tough and you’ll probably feel like you Many mental illnesses can lead to social iso- want to devote all your time and energy to lation and withdrawal, and feeling love and/or helping them feel better. This may well be being in a relationship combats this directly. very helpful to both you and your partner, Treatment for mental health issues can but there comes a time when you’ll need include building support systems and strong to balance your own mental health and the interpersonal relationships, also achieved mental health of your partner. through love and/or relationships.

Caring for someone (especially a loved one) First and foremost, always keep empathy and can be extremely physically, mentally and validation top of mind. Whether your loved emotionally draining. While we’re devoting one is dealing with a bad panic attack or a our love and time to helping loved ones, we depressive episode, validate their feelings and can often forget to take care of our own what they’re going through. While you might well-being in the process. This means taking not be able to understand the feelings they’re some time each day to check in with your having, let them know that you’re sorry own mental health and having the courage to they’re hurting, and love them either way. realize you might need some time to yourself to care for your own health.

Secondly, get educated on your partner’s specific mental health issues. If your partner A good option is to set time each day or each suddenly came down with an unexpected week to spend some time apart. This also physical illness, you’d likely be scanning means following the treatments your mental websites, reading books, and maybe even health expert has given to you and maybe speaking to experts about how to best care also joining support groups. Also keep in mind for and support them. We need to do the that some of the symptoms your partner same for mental health issues too. Remind could exhibit might be traumatizing or trigthem as much as you can that they are gering for you, and that’s valid. not their mental illness, nor are they its symptoms: Just as if they were dealing with On this point, it’s important to keep in mind that autonomy for people dealing with mental a physical illness, it does not define them.

It’s simply one facet of their life that you can health issues is important, but depending on the severity of your partner’s mental support them with. health issues you also need to understand Third, be patient. Like physical illnesses, that there’s the possibility you might need mental illnesses don’t disappear with the to step in and get them the help they need snap of a finger: They take time, and deal- in times of crisis. Talk to them openly and ing with mental health issues can involve honestly about setting up an emergency plan

in times of need: This could include places to go, people to call, or professionals or services to visit.

You also need to understand that it’s not your job to be your partner’s therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist. This is a tough pill to swallow but please leave the treatment and counselling to an expert who is trained in this area. This way, you won’t accidentally cause them more harm than good or take on more of a load you can carry.

Not only will this help you best understand the behaviours and practices you can encourage and participate in that might be helpful to them, but it will also help you understand some of the symptoms they might direct towards you, which can be challenging if misunderstood.

This way, you’ll be less prone to take them personally, and more likely to understand that these feelings and urges are hard for them to control.

As with any relationship, open lines of communication are so key. Work together to create an environment where both of you can honestly discuss what you need (and don’t need) from each other. This will help both of you understand when you might need to back off and give your partner space. It might also be helpful to discuss some of the non-verbal cues you and your partner might exhibit that could be difficult to decipher.

MAR. 6 TO APR. 3, 2019

DISTRACTIONS

features@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260 @mattgergyek

THRYLLABUS

FEATURES EDITOR Matt Gergyek

MUSIC ARTS SPORTS FUN THINKING

THURSDAY, MARCH 7

THURSDAY, MARCH 14

Bloody Hilarious: An Evening of Menstrual Storytelling, St. Alban’s Church—7 p.m.

The future of education and research at uOttawa consultation, Desmarais Building — 10:30 a.m.

Mother Mother: Dance and Cry Tour, Algonquin Commons Theatre—7 p.m.

SATURDAY, MARCH 16

FRIDAY, MARCH 29

SATURDAY, MARCH 9

Beau’s St. Patrick’s Day Party, Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne Park — 12 p.m.

Nature Nocturne: Unicorn or Narwhal?, Canadian Museum of Nature — 8 p.m.

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

FRIDAY, MARCH 29-SATURDAY, MARCH 30

613flea, Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne Park — 10 a.m.

2000s Dance Party, The 27 Club — 10:30 p.m.

The Accountant of Auschwitz screening, the Canadian War Museum — 9:30 p.m.

SUNDAY, MARCH 10 Ottawa Japan Festival, Carleton University Residence Commons — 1 p.m.

SATURDAY, MARCH 23 Ottawa Coffee Fest, Horticulture Building at Lansdowne Park — 10 a.m.

TUESDAY, MARCH 12 Ottawa Job Fair, Shaw Centre — 1 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13 Public Panel of Free Transit, Carleton University library — 4 p.m.

Opening- Multitude, Solitude: The Photographs of Dave Heath, National Gallery of Canada — 6 p.m.

SUNDAY, MARCH 24 Ottawa Vintage Clothing Show, Carleton University Fieldhouse — 10 a.m.

TUESDAY, MARCH 26 Affordable Housing for a Diversity of Women, Ottawa City Hall — 6 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27-FRIDAY, MARCH 29 Progress Summit 2019, the Westin Ottawa

The Legacy Entrepreneurship Conference, Shaw Centre — 5:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, MARCH 30 Wizkid, EY Centre — 7 p.m

SUNDAY, MARCH 31 Capital Comic Book Convention, Ottawa Marriott Hotel—11 a.m.

The Harlem Globetrotters, Canadian Tire Centre—2 p.m.

Talk by journalist Anderson Cooper, National Arts Centre — 8 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3 KISS, the Canadian Tire Centre—7:30 p.m.

To sum it all up, your role as someone with a mental illness who is also a partner to someone dealing with mental illness isn’t to be their psychiatrist or their coach. It’s to be what any partner would want in a relationship, regardless of whether they have a mental illness or not: To be supported, appreciated, validated, understood and empathized with. It’s also extremely important to take the self-care time you need for yourself and to devote an equal amount of time (if not more) to caring for your own mental health as you devote to caring for theirs.

LOVE, TY thefulcrum.ca

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DISTRACTIONS | 29

Volume 79, Issue 7, March 6, 2019 Addressing mental health since 1942.

Phone: (613) 695-0061 | Fax: (613) 695-9006 631 King Edward Ave. Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Recycle this or we’ll have a heart to heart with you.

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BURNOUT NEEDS TO BE BETTER UNDERSTOOD AND ADDRESSED IN POST-SECONDARY STUDENTS (AND FACULTY AND STAFF)

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recent article by Anne Helen Petersen published in Buzzfeed News shed much-needed light on a condition called burnout among young adults, a term first coined by psychologist Herbert Freudenberger in 1974 to describe a state of exhaustion, listlessness and inability to cope caused by severe stress and high-pressure environments.

Freudenberger originally used the term to describe a condition he saw in “helping” professions (i.e. doctors, nurses), but these days the term is commonly applied to many age groups and professions, including students.

One scientific summary from 2017 noted some studies placed the prevalence of burnout in certain professions as high as 70 per cent (medical oncology). For medical students, this number was 31 per cent. Rates of burnout among students in other faculties are largely non-existent, but another set of statistics published on Statista in 2017 found about 55 per cent of Americans aged 18 to 29 years frequently experienced stress that year.

“Why can’t I get this mundane stuff done? Because I’m burned out,” Petersen writes, describing her difficulties scheduling appointments, cleaning her car, answering emails.

“Why am I burned out?

Because I’ve internalized the idea that I should be working all the time. Why have I internalized that idea? Because everything and everyone in my life has reinforced it—explicitly and implicitly—

since I was young.”

We’re sure you’ve felt some of these feelings too: That inability to move your cursor to open Brightspace or that time you lived off Kraft Dinner and Mr. Noodles for a week because you couldn’t force yourself to make the walk to Loblaws. It’s nearly impossible to find any sense of calm when we’re balancing five full-time classes that might just be leading to tight or jobless industries, while we’re also working part-time jobs at minimum wage to pay off our student loans, tuition, rent and grocery bills. Mixing in trying to maintain a social life, health and fitness, and extracurriculars makes our heads spin.

Petersen poignantly underlines the fact that millennials (and their younger counterparts, Generation Z, if I may add) have been brought up in a world where feelings of burnout are the norm, congealed with rare and brief tides of stunted relaxation. While corporations continue to profit off of the self care movement meant to tackle stress and burnout that may well be helpful to some, from essential oils to salt lamps, we need to take on the root causes of burnout in post-secondary students as well before our generation becomes a smouldering pile of embers.

As Petersen explains it, “burnout is of a substantively different category than “exhaustion,” although it’s related. Exhaustion means going to the point where you can’t go any further; burnout means reaching that point and pushing yourself to keep going, whether for days or weeks or

It’s time for post-secondary institutions in Ontario, Canada, and across the globe to start treating the widespread rates of burnout among their students.

Photo: CC, Max Pixel

years.” And that’s why it’s so important to address it now.

Whether this looks like profs from the same faculty coordinating calendars so that multiple midterms don’t fall on the same day, or being more lenient with extensions or late assignments is up for discussion, doesn’t really matter, as long as that discussion takes place.

The medical school at the U of O made a good step in 2016 to address burnout in their students by introducing mandatory meditation sessions, but all faculties need to follow suit with their own support systems catered to students specific needs.

On the other hand, burnout impacts professors and staff just as much as students.

A recent study from Telfer

School of Management Prof.

Ivy Bourgeault looking into the mental health issues facing professors and six other professions found one in four employees took a leave of absence, usually due to work overload or poor relations with employers.

Some might try to write this off as typical millennial/Gen Z behaviour, trying to blame others for our struggles. But this isn’t a sappy editorial begging for your pity: It’s a call for action, a demand to address a crucial issue among post-secondary students. It’s time for post-secondary institutions in Ontario, Canada, and across the globe to start treating the widespread rates of burnout among their students—and their staff and faculty members—before it’s too late.

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