THE ARG OSY
NEWS
ARTS & CULTURE
SPORTS
OPINIONS
Thoughts on the next university president (Pg. 3)
Motyer-Fancy hosts feminist one acts (Pg. 10)
Mountie athletics celebrate successful year (Pg. 7)
Calling for less biased Argosy reporting (Pg. 13)
Sated babies since 1872
Mount Allison’s Independent Student Newspaper
COVER: SAVANNAH HARRIS, LANSDOWNE, PINHOLE PHOTOGRAPH, 2017. April 6, 2017 Vol. 146, Iss. 21
02 NEWS
EDITORS: CATHERINE TURNBULL & NAOMI GOLDBERG | APRIL 6, 2017 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA
CAMPUS
Gairdner building to become environmental science research facility Former fine arts facility undergoing $13 million in renovations
WILL BALSER News Reporter Last September, the Gairdner Building, Mount Allison’s former fine arts facility, received $13 million in funding from the federal and provincial governments and the University. The funding is being used to renovate the structure and transform it into a Centre for Environmental Innovation, a “world-class research facility for environmental science,” according to the official university announcement made in September of 2016. Of the $13 million, $6.5 million will be provided by the federal government, $3.25 million by the provincial government and $3.25 million by Mt. A. The centre will bring together 15 scientists and researchers who focus primarily on environmental and life sciences. A portion of the funding will also go toward renovations of the lab facilities in the Barclay building. In an email to the Argosy, Vice-President Finance and Administration Robert Inglis said,
“The $3.25 million to support the work in the Gairdner and Barclay buildings will come from the existing alteration and renovation budget, which is part of the operating budget. A portion of the alteration and renovation budget will be dedicated to this project each year, with the cost spread out over a number of years. The University is required to contribute this amount in order to receive the $9.75 million in federal and provincial funding. In addition, the University is seeking donations to help support the renovation of both buildings.” The Gairdner building is a threestorey facility with large windows on the upper floor, directly adjacent to the RP Bell Library on the Mt. A campus. The building, totally unfamiliar to many newer students, was home to the fine arts department from 1965 to 2014. Thaddeus Holownia, head of the fine arts department, began working for Mt. A in 1977. He said the Gairdner was not an adequate space ...Continued on Page 3
THE GAIRDNER BUILDING HAS BEEN UNUSED SINCE 2014. IZZY FRANCOLINI/ARGOSY
SCIENCE
Honours student profile: Tierza Petersen
PETERSEN’S HONOURS WORK IS IN NEUROSCIENCE. RYAN MACRAE/ARGOSY
NAOMI GOLDBERG News Editor Have you ever wondered what a science student’s honours research looks like? As an international relations student, I was intrigued to gain insight into the life of a science student at Mount Allison. I sat down with fourth-year
honours biology student Tierza Petersen to discuss her research. Petersen is working under Karen Crosby, a Mt. A professor who began this research as part of her PhD. Petersen and Crosby’s research focuses on appetite regulation in the brain, specifically as it relates to the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is a cluster of cells near the brainstem
that is involved in homeostasis and appetite regulation. Peterson is researching appetite regulation in rats, with the goal of eventually applying the results to research on body weight regulation in humans. Petersen summarized her research for those of us who are unfamiliar with scientific terms. “There are a bunch of connections in the brain. The place that we’re looking at in the
hypothalamus projects to another part of the hypothalamus that is involved in appetite regulation. If one area is synapsing on another area, [this first area] is likely involved in appetite regulation as well.” Petersen said she and her colleagues are working with two different signals, or systems, in the hypothalamus that influence appetite. “One of these systems is the cannabinoid system. [Our cannabinoid system] has similar properties to weed, but it’s endogenous to our bodies, [meaning that our bodies produce it]. In other words, our bodies actually make chemicals that are similar to THC, and that’s why THC is active in our body. That’s why if someone were to theoretically have THC in their body, it could make them hungry – because it’s that interaction in the brain that’s making you hungry.” The same thing occurs with the chemicals produced by our cannabinoid system: They are involved in whether or not we feel hungry. “The second signal we focus on is nitric oxide, which is a common gas. That’s another one of the signals in the brain,” Petersen continued. Petersen explained that both our cannabinoid system and nitric oxide influence the way our neurons communicate with each other and are involved in whether or not we feel hungry. “Usually, when you have a cannabinoid signal, it increases food intake, but from what we found in young rats, the signalling is different
than in adult rats. In young rats, if you block the nitric oxide signal, and subsequently administer cannabinoids, it decreases their food intake,” she said. “This is contrary to what is typically expected,” Petersen said. We know, for example, that when we put THC into our bodies, we usually get hungry. That’s why this reaction – rats being less hungry when they are given cannabinoids and have the nitric oxide signal blocked – is unexpected. “I’m not really sure how or why it [makes young rats eat less] – that’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Petersen said. “The long-term goal is to eventually relate it to obesity in humans.” Petersen is graduating this year and is going on to graduate school, either at Carleton University in neuroscience, or the University of Toronto in biomedical engineering. She said her research at Mt. A has influenced what she wants to do postgraduation. “I love it,” Petersen said of her research. “I want to go into some sort of research or academia related to neuroscience. [This research] has helped give me an idea of what I want to do.”
NEWS
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COMMUNITY
03
What do you want to see in your University President?
Students and faculty share their thoughts as the search for the next Mt. A president begins Compiled by KAVANA WA KILELE News Reporter EPIPEN RECALL EXTENDED TO CANADA EpiPens, the emergency anti-allergy medicine, have been recalled in Canada, the United States, Europe, Asia and South America because some of the devices may not work. On March 31, pharmaceutical company Pfizer released a Canadawide statement saying it had decided to voluntarily recall two types of the epinephrine injector. Lot (5GU763) of the 0.3-mg strength EpiPen Auto-Injector expiring in May 2017 and (5GR765) of the 0.15-mg strength EpiPen Jr. AutoInjector expiring in March 2017 are being recalled. Pfizer said it is committed to replacing the recalled devices at no cost and has advised consumers who have them to contact its information line at 1 800 463 6001.
NEW BRUNSWICK MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES TO $11 AN HOUR New Brunswick’s minimum wage is going up to $11 per hour from $10.65 as of April 1. The 35-cent increase marks the third time the minimum wage has been raised in the province since December 2014. Minimum-wage employees will now gain $594 more per year after tax. However, as reported by CBC, businesses will pay $792 more per employee, which includes additional costs for benefits or employment insurance, according to Louis-Philippe Gauthier, director of provincial affairs for the Canadian Federation of Business. The Federation recommends the government reconsider policies to help low-wage and lowskilled workers instead of raising the minimum wage every year. According to Jean-Claude Basque, provincial coordinator for the Common Front for Social Justice, the wage increase is welcomed but is not enough to support many low-income workers or single-parent families. Basque said the minimum wage would have to be $15 to allow for workers to live without debt and above the poverty line.
CRITERIA FOR LEGAL AGE FOR MARIJUANA BEING CONSIDERED After recently announcing that marijuana will become legal on July 1, 2018, the federal government is recommending that the legal age for possession and use of marijuana be 18. The New Brunswick government has recently struck a working group to determine the legal age for the province. The group consists of the Departments of Justice, Public Safety, Health and Finance, as well as Opportunities New Brunswick and the New Brunswick Liquor Corporation. Dr. Jennifer Russell, acting chief medical officer of health for the province, said some of the factors that will determine the legal age of possession include enforcement, criminalization, pricing and source. The working group will be looking at studies done by the Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Pediatric Society and various organizations across Canada. They are expected to present their findings to the government in September.
...Continued from Page 2 for the whole department and was originally designed to house only drawing, painting and art history. Comparing the Gairdner building with the Purdy Crawford Centre for Arts [PCCA], which was completed in 2015, Holownia said, “One of the big differences in moving [to the PCCA]
is that we have beautiful light. The windows are up high, and we have all this wall space to accommodate putting work up. There was no real sense of flow [in the Gairdner] in terms of communal space … it always seemed very awkward and fractured. Now, we’re all together … it’s much more functional and social.” Jack Kinnie, a fourth-year fine
CATHERINE TURNBULL News Editor Mount Allison University President and Vice-Chancellor Robert Campbell will complete his term in June 2018. The Board of Regents is currently undergoing the process of finding a new president. The Board has formed a presidential search committee and has contracted executive search firm Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette to help with the process. The committee is asking for student consultation, which might include emailing committee Chair Ron Outerbridge, filling out an online survey, or attending a Town Hall meeting on April 5 or 6. After the committee makes a recommendation to the Board, the executive committee of the Board will make the final decision. The Argosy asked students and faculty to tell us what they are looking for in the next university president. Jess Grant Fourth-year biochemistry student “A president who wasn’t white or male would be a nice change for this university. I think that a big problem here is that the administration doesn’t see or understand experiences that aren’t their own. I think this this school needs someone who can see social and economic situations from a different point of view.” Andrew Nurse Department head, Canadian studies “I would like to see a leadership that works collaboratively to ensure Mt. A leadership on decolonization and divestment. I think it is important that Mt. A be a social leader if we want our students to believe what we say about leadership, responsibility, civic activism and the courage of our convictions.”
prioritize bringing money into the University above important ethical considerations, as defined by our university community.” Kavana Wa Kilele Second-year women’s and gender studies student “I would like to see a genuine push for decolonization on campus. I want to see the new president actually engage students in issues that matter to them. “I would also like the new president to be more accessible to the public.” Tina Oh Third-year PPE student “The new president must have a background in anti-oppression, and/or undergo intensive training in anti-oppression….The new president should be an intersectional environmentalist, feminist and ally to people of colour. They must be aware of their academic privilege and understand the power structures of race and other identities. They must be doing some form of active work in dismantling, unlearning and deconstructing those power structures and must be willing to take political stances in a world and environment that is growingly unneutral. “Mt. A has a history of being an oppressive ivory tower in the town of Sackville. The new president and vice-chancellor must be willing to understand Mt. A’s place and privilege within this small town and its external community.”
Dave Thomas Political science professor “The new president should respect and support transparent, democratic and collegial forms of governance and decision-making at the University. “The new president should not
Andrew Irwin Department head, mathematics and computer science/president of MAFA “I would like the next president of Mt. A to be an accomplished academic who also has some administrative experience. I hope that the next president will be able to balance her desire to bring a vision and change to Mt. A with a commitment to understand fully what makes Mt. A a vibrant and creative place that supports a community of scholars engaged in learning, teaching and research.” Irwin also asserted the importance
arts student, said the PCCA acts as a much more public space on campus than the Gairdner did. “The [PCCA] is outfitted with newer and better technology and is a vast improvement over the Gairdner Building. However, the Gairdner had a certain charm to it – it felt more playful,” Kinnie said. The graduating class of 2017 is the last fine arts class to have used the
Gairdner Building during their time at Mt. A. First-year biochemistry student Jonah Sheinin said he is excited by the prospect of a new science facility on campus. Sheinin also commented on the coming renovations to the labs in Barclay, saying that “having more and improved lab space in Barclay
of having presidential candidates visit campus and interact with students and faculty. “Under a system of collegial governance, it should be the college as a whole that decides which candidate receives an offer, with the search committee acting as our representatives.” Craig Brett Economics professor/secretary of Senate “I’m aware that being a university administrator is kind of a career path these days, that people develop as deans, vice-presidents, and tend to go from institution to institution. Whoever comes in is very likely to be someone who doesn’t have a lot of prior experience at Mt. A. I want the next president to have the appreciation that we’re different, that some things that work at a bigger school might not work here.” Stephen Law Department head, economics “Someone who wants to be here. Someone who views this as a place to develop themselves and develop the place. Someone who is not just interested in self-aggrandizement. “Someone who is going to be a university president. Someone who is going to be an administrator of a publicly supported institution, not a CEO of a private corporation. “We want someone who understands that his or her role is primarily to represent the University to all the groups with which the University must interact….The idea that you can do things behind closed doors and that it will always stay that way, that’s not going to work here. There is a necessity to be open and transparent about your goals and to be prepared for those to be debated. This is a university, after all.” Loralea Michaelis Political science professor “Given the powers that are associated with the office of president at Mt. A, it’s like being asked what I would like to see in the next czar. Far better that there wasn’t one at all.”
will likely mean a lot both to the students and to the faculty”.
04
NEWS
APRIL 6, 2017 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA
Notice to our community, from Mount Allison Student Life: It is with deep sadness that we inform the community of the death of first-year student Theo Stylianides.The RCMP is investigating the incident and have indicated that foul play is not suspected. No further details have been released. We all feel the impact of this tragic event, and our immediate focus is to offer our support to the family and members of our community. We have been in contact with the Stylianides family to extend condolences on behalf of the University, and to offer them our full support. Counselling services will be available to any student. Students who would like to access support may contact Anne Comfort at acomfort@mta.ca or 364-2527, or Rev. John Perkin at jperkin@mta.ca or 364-2227. You are also invited to visit the Chapel for quiet, personal reflection, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily. During this time of loss and grief, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and to all members of the University community.
COMMUNITY
Rural Rides service arrives in Sackville Volunteer-run shuttle service to implement pilot project in Tantramar region
JILL MACINTYRE News Reporter A New Brunswick-based non-profit, volunteer-run rideshare service will implement a pilot project in the Tantramar region this June. The project will allow rural individuals to access larger towns via volunteer drivers, for appointments or other services. Rural Rides was founded in response to the inaccessibility of transportation for many individuals living in rural communities. Although it was founded in 2014 to serve the Upper Petitcodiac River Region, this service has been in large demand in the Tantramar region. “The concept started with a group of residents who felt that a service was needed for local transportation, since there is no public transit,” Kelly Taylor, manager of Rural Rides, said. “Some residents [feel] isolated if they do not have access to a car. The result was the creation of Rural Rides, a non-profit corporation with the mission to provide affordable transportation.” Once a client contacts the service 48 hours in advance, Rural Rides coordinates with a vetted driver, who then arrives at a client’s residence and drives them to an urban destination such as Amherst or Moncton for medical appointments, banking or grocery shopping. Clients are charged 70 cents per kilometre, or
25 cents/km for low-income families and individuals. Rural Rides also maintains a special fund for those who cannot afford its lowest rates. “When Rural Rides launched in 2014, a rate was set that was well below the going rate for other [forms of] public transportation,” Taylor said. “However, as time went on, it became apparent that many were struggling to pay even that modest rate.” Taylor also said that the typical clients who use this service include the elderly, disabled individuals and isolated rural residents from lowincome backgrounds. When the pilot launches, Rural Rides will not initially offer the service for recreational or social purposes, including transportation to airports, but will consider them in the future. To avoid competition with local taxis, the service will not transport individuals within the Town of Sackville’s limits. Currently, some villages in the Tantramar region, such as Dorchester and Port Elgin, do not have a taxi service. Hanna Longard, a third-year biology and philosophy student, grew up in a rural community in Nova Scotia. “In many small communities with a low population spread out over a large area with bad roads and minimal access to surrounding town areas, a lot of people can’t get to where
they need to be by nature of not being able to afford it,” Longard said. “I think that a service like Rural Rides is important for a lot of reasons, like not feeling isolated in what already is a fairly isolating setting.” Many individuals living in rural areas lack steady access to transportation. This can result in missed job opportunities and appointments, as well as grocery shopping at smaller stores, which generally costs more. There are also many health-care services that are not available in the Tantramar region. Amanda Marlin, executive director of EOS Eco-Energy in Sackville, said she is excited about the project from an environmental and personal perspective. EOS Eco-Energy ran a shuttle service pilot in 2014, though it was discontinued due to a lack of permanent funding. “There are people who cannot afford the costly taxi ride to Moncton for medical appointments,” Marlin said.“There are people here who need to go to Moncton often for dialysis or cancer treatments, etc., but who miss them because they cannot get a lift. It’s heartbreaking.” To register as a volunteer driver or learn more about the service, visit ruralridesnb.com
This Week at MASU Council NADIYA SAFONOVA Politics Reporter
MEMBER OF RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENT SUB-COMMITTEE LISTS RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD The Responsible Investment sub-committee struck last year is a sub-committee of the Nominating and Governance committee, which in turn reports to the Board of Regents. Its mandate was to look into responsible investment at Mount Allison. Faculty representative of the sub-committee Bruce Robertson presented to MASU council, listing and discussing the sub-committee’s recommendations, of which there are six. These recommendations will go to the Nominating and Governance committee, and if they are approved, to the Board. The recommendation most discussed by council was the creation of a fund that has limited exposure to certain sectors, such as gas or oil. If you would like to see a full listing of these recommendations or comment on them, contact Ryan LeBreton or Willa McCaffrey-Noviss, student representatives to the Board.
MASU STRATEGIC PLAN Last spring the MASU began the process of creating a strategic plan for the years 2017 to 2020. This document lists the MASU’s broad development goals for the next three years. These goals include sustainability, diversity and representation, to enhance the student experience, and more. The MASU is also seeking to increase student involvement in their decision-making processes, so they are aiming to create a more inclusive environment for students to participate in their work.
CLUBS AND SOCIETIES TRAINING PROGRAM The incoming vice-president of student life will implement a new clubs and societies training program. This will include liability and event training as well as finance and budgeting training. Clubs and societies will only be able to access their MASU funding once they attend a training session.
ORIENTATION COMMITTEE Orientation Committee roles have been more specifically defined for the next academic year. There will be 24 “White Shirts” and four will occupy each of the following positions: event planning; health and wellness; spirit representatives; education on sexual health; mental health; diversity and more; logistics and concurrent orientation (Meighen Centre, International Centre, resident executives and assistants, etc.). There will also be 80 “Yellow Shirts.” The clear defining of “White Shirt” roles is an attempt to reduce the nepotism that has been in the hiring process in the past.
NEWS
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GRADUATION
05
Last Lecture important reminder that “Life Happens”
Annual event celebrates upcoming graduates’ achievements DELANIE KHAN-DOBSON Contributor On March 28, Convocation Hall hosted the Last Lecture, a sentimental event geared toward upcoming grads. Part awards night, part inspirational address, the event is hosted by the grad committee. They invite a current professor, chosen based on student votes, to speak to the graduating class. Mario Levesque, assistant professor of political science and international relations, gave this year’s address. Before the event started, I looked around the room and noticed the auditorium was only one-quarter full.
The night began on a solemn but important note, when grad class committee president Brooke Cheeks asked the room to observe a moment of silence for the recent passing of Mount Allison student Theo Stylianides. Indigenous Affairs Coordinator Lorise Simon gave a land acknowledgement and a brief talk about the importance of decolonizing the University and advancing the process of reconciliation. Levesque’s lecture, titled “Life Happens,” was a nod to how life can change after graduation and emphasized the importance of
working hard, persevering and trying new things. Levesque talked about “the elephant in the room”: What happens when we graduate from Mt. A? He compared his journey in life, including his several different careers and time spent all over central and Atlantic Canada, to the upcoming transition for graduates. I asked graduating students how they found the event and received a variety of responses. Emilie Yammine, a fourth-year chemistry student, said she would suggest trying to make the Last Lecture a more inclusive event, perhaps by inviting professors from
different disciplines to talk, “to make it more relatable for all students.” Garrett Muir, a fourth-year chemistry student, said the importance of the event lay in recognizing the hard work of different Mt. A students and that he “loved being able to recognize [his] peers, as we have so many excellent talents and abilities at Mt. A.” Muir also said that he wishes the event had been less formal. “The sense of formality almost detracted from the overall atmosphere,” he said. Meghan McCracken, a member of the grad class committee, said she thought the event was a lot of fun.
“[Levesque] had a lot of really great things to say,” she said. “I was feeling really inspired in the audience, and I think it was really great to have our grad class get together one last time and celebrate our academic life at Mt. A.” Overall, the Last Lecture was a nice study break – a chance for students to appreciate their peers and an opportunity for them to listen to a professor ease collective anxiety about life after graduation.
THE ARGOSY IS LOOKING FOR A NEW CREW!
If you are interested in applying for the following positions for the upcoming school year, please submit a cover letter, your CV and three samples of your work to The deadline to submit an application has been extended to Thursday, April 15th, 2017.
argosy@mta.ca
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06 SPORTS & HEALTH
EDITOR: DAVID TAPLIN APRIL 6, 2017 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA
BASKETBALL
The Ultimate Rebound
Michael Otoo’s long road back to Mount Allison is a story of perseverence and heart
BEN WISHART Contributor We all have something that is our “thing.” Some of us play an instrument, some of us make art and some of us write stories. For thirdyear student Michael Otoo, that thing has always been basketball. Otoo’s love for basketball started at a young age when a group of friends introduced him to the game. “They told me I wasn’t good enough to play … which was true. So, I watched them play, and I knew immediately that I loved the game,” he said. After watching his friends, Otoo had his father enter him into a youth league. He never looked back, honing his skills over the years to become a high-level player. After an impressive basketball career throughout high school, Otoo was given the opportunity to continue playing the game he loves here at Mount Allison, where he enjoyed a successful first two seasons as a Mountie. Basketball has given Otoo lifelong friendships and a childhood full of happiness and fond memories. It also helped provide him with a higher education. As he summed up, “the game means the world to me.” But then, in an instant, it was
taken away from him. On July 1, 2016, Otoo was involved in a motor-vehicle pedestrian accident. He was in a coma for five days and suffered a severe, traumatic brain injury. The doctors told him he would be unable to return to school, or to the basketball court, for the upcoming year. “[It] was shocking….I live through basketball. Knowing that the ACAA playoffs would be held at Mt. A and I couldn’t be a part of it was extremely tough,” he said. Faced with a challenging recovery, Otoo quickly began rehab with a team consisting of an occupational therapist, a physiotherapist and a speech therapist from the TRAC Inc. group in Ottawa. “I have good days, but I also have very bad days,” he said, though he was quick to give praise to the rehab team he has been working with. Although there were clearly more immediate concerns to Otoo’s wellbeing and recovery, basketball was never far from his mind. “Not playing has been extremely heartbreaking. At the beginning, I couldn’t watch any basketball game without feeling extreme sadness knowing I couldn’t be out there,” he said.
It was an extremely tough pill to swallow for Otoo, but anyone lucky enough to know him knows he is someone who exudes positivity and can put a smile on your face during your worst day. While it would have been easy for Otoo to feel sorry for himself and be bitter about what was taken from him, this was simply not his approach to the situation. Along with rehab, Otoo started working with a personal trainer and reached out to lifelong coach (and Mt. A alum) John Johnson. He is determined to return to his preaccident level. “First, my academic goal is to be ready for school … but deep down, my goal is to try out for the Mounties and make the team,” Otoo said. Even he will admit that this goal is a bit ambitious, but the thought of rejoining his teammates and getting to play the game he loves is what drives him every day. “It would mean the world to me to put on the jersey again,” he said. When it comes to athletics at Mt. A, we are constantly hearing the term “Mountie Pride.” Perhaps no one has come to represent this phrase more than Mike over the past nine months. He has shown the determination,
MICHAEL OTOO IN ACTION MICHAEL OTOO / SUBMITTED positivity and hard work we should all strive for in the face of adversity. While Otoo’s future as a basketball player for Mt. A remains unclear, his efforts to return to the court have
been nothing short of inspirational. Keep fighting, Mike. We’re all rooting for you.
COMMUNITY
Sackville celebrates third Mountie Day In the spirit of community, Sackville raises the Mountie Flag in front of town hall DAVID TAPLIN Sports and Health Editor
THE MOUNTIES FLAG FLYS OVER CITY HALL WHILE SALEM ELEMENTARY STUDENTS SHOWCASE THEIR SKILLS SAVANNAH HARRIS/ARGOSY
Many current Mount Allison students have a strong relationship with the Town of Sackville. Students are welcomed to the community with Orientation Week activities like the corn boil, meant to demonstrate Maritime hospitality and inclusiveness. However, the relationship between the town and university has not always been cooperative. Deputy Mayor Joyce O’Neill recalls a time when Sackvillians and students rubbed each other the wrong way, resulting in disagreements and even fisticuffs. “It didn’t seem to really gel, but we’ve changed that,” O’Neill said. “Mt. A is a bigger part of the town [than in previous years], with the people and with the community.” An example of the developing relationship is the Town of Sackville’s third annual Mountie Day, which was held last Thursday, March 30. Since 2014, current students and alumni reach out through social media to show their support for the Mounties on this day. People in town are encouraged to wear garnet and gold. The day kicks off with a ceremony at Town Hall in the morning and finishes with the Athletics Awards banquet that night. This year’s ceremony began, in the midst of blustery Tantramar wind, with a speech by O’Neill on the
various achievements of this year’s athletic teams. She emphasized the success of both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, the swim team’s feat of having sent a large contingent to Usports nationals, the badminton team’s ninth-straight atlantic championship win, and the football team’s fourthstraight spot in a conference championship. Fifth-year chemistry student,
“IT’S NOT JUST THE SPORTS PROGRAM - IT IS EVERYTHING.” football player and Sackville native Michael Bohan reflected on what makes Sackville unique, highlighting the deeper relationship athletes can have with a smaller, tightknit community. Athletic Director Pierre Arsenault echoed this sentiment prior to Mountie Day, referencing how the university is able to have a greater impact on the community due to the small size of both the school and Sackville. “[Our athletics] can be a great avenue for the community to have programs to support. We’ve had great relationships with a number of the different minor sport organizations, [and more] student athletes [are] getting out and spending more time with them,” Arsenault said.
Following the speeches, the Mountie Flag was raised at Town Hall in front of athletes, counsellors and Salem Elementary students. Following the success of both the men’s football and the women’s hockey teams during the 2013-14 season, the town approached Mt. A with the idea of Mountie Day. “[The] town felt connected to that [success] and appreciated what has been done in the community, and wanted to do a celebration of our student athletes,” Arsenault said. The event, like the relationship between the town and the university, has grown since its inception. This year’s ceremony boasted a greater turnout at Town Hall and more engagement on social media. From the town’s perspective, Mountie Day is about celebrating the contributions to Sackville not just of the athletics program, but of students as a whole. O’Neill referenced the student contribution throughout Sackville through various avenues, including amateur sport, special needs support and work at the Drew Nursing Home. “We appreciate Mt. A being here. It’s not just the sports program – it is everything that they do and so much that they put back into our community.”
SPORTS & HEALTH
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SPORTS
07
Night of the Mounties honours top athletes
The annual athletic banquet celebrates another successful year of varsity athletics
FORMER MOUNTIES FOOTBALL HEAD COACH KELLY JEFFREY WAS IN TOWN FOR THIS YEARS ATHLETIC BANQUET. PAUL LYNCH/MT. A ATHLETICS
HAMZA MUNAWAR Sports Reporter Last Thursday, Mountie Day ended with the Night of the Mounties, an awards banquet to celebrate Mount Allison’s varsity athletes. Each year, records are broken, history is made and new successes are celebrated. There were a lot of reasons to be a proud Mountie this year. The men’s basketball team qualified for nationals for the first time, the badminton team claimed their ninthstraight ACAA championship, the football team landed a spot at their fourth-straight Loney Bowl, and the swim team sent a record-breaking three swimmers to nationals. The event was co-hosted by fifth-year student and hockey player Kenzie Lalonde and fourthyear student and football player Matt Zwicker. Paul Lynch, Mount Allison’s photographer, was there to capture the event. After Athletic Director Pierre Arsenault made the opening remarks, University Provost and Vice-President Academic Jeff Ollerhead spoke about Mt. A’s athletics program. Following the speeches, videos provided by thirdyear student Jillian Edwards were played, highlighting the year’s athletic successes. Each team’s head coach then awarded one athlete (or two, if co-ed) with a Rookie of the Year award. This year, the awards were presented to: Suzuha Tanaka and Azeem Munawar of badminton; Morgan Gamble and Patrick Hennessey of women’s and men’s soccer, respectively; Katya Parker of swimming; Brooke Gillespie of women’s volleyball; EmmaRae Murphy of women’s hockey; Jakob Loucks of men’s football; and Jill Harris and Thomas
LeGallais of women’s and men’s basketball, respectively. “The athletic banquet is for sure one of my favourite memories of the year,” first-year student and badminton player Azeem Munawar said. “Seeing our community come together supporting all Mounties, regardless of what team you were on, seeing everyone cheer for you when you got an award – it’s great to see all of the accomplishments we have made as individuals and as a school this past year.” Each team also recognized an athlete as the most valuable player (MVP). The MVP awards were given to: Tessa Richie of women’s soccer; Rachel McDougall of women’s volleyball; Olivia Feschuk and Geraint Berger of swimming; Olivia Adams and Jaryd Morrissey of badminton; Kierstan Mangold of women’s basketball; Jennifer Bell of women’s hockey; Bradley Payne of men’s soccer; Jesse Balser of men’s basketball; and, from football, Chris Reid for offence, Kyle Horseman for defence, and Jakob Loucks for overall MVP. The overall Rookie of the Year awards were presented to McDougall from women’s volleyball and Thomas LeGallais from men’s basketball. Named to the All-ACAA first team, McDougall also received the titles of All-Canadian and ACAA Rookie of the Year. Having led his team in scoring, LaGallais was named to the All-ACAA first team and received the title of ACAA Rookie of the Year. “It felt really good to [be named] the university’s overall Rookie of the Year. I was really surprised and very excited at the same time. The whole night was amazing,” LeGallais said. McDougall also shared her thoughts on the ceremony. “It was so much fun. I’m so grateful that
I’m a part of the Mounties family,” she said. “Mt. A has given me so many amazing opportunities and I’m honoured to have received these awards. I’m very thankful to have had such a great season with an awesome group of girls.”
“MT. A HAS GIVEN ME SO MANY AMAZING OPPORTUNITES.” The overall MVP awards were presented to Kiersten Mangold from the women’s basketball team and Jakob Loucks from the football team. Mangold was named to the CCAA
first team and was awarded the title of All-Canadian. Loucks received USports national Rookie of the Year honour. Various other awards were handed out: swimmer Allison Loewen received the Scholar Athlete award; Claire Neufield of women’s soccer was presented the Gigi Hicks Award for Sportsmanship; Jesse Balser of men’s basketball received an award for sportsmanship; and Kelsey MacDougall and Michael Bohan each received an award for Outstanding Senior Athlete of the Year. The athletes were not the only ones receiving recognition this evening. Each year, the Bubsy Grant award is presented to one deserving individual
who, through time and effort, has made a significant contribution to Mt. A athletics. This year’s award was presented to Zach Ball, assistant coach of the women’s hockey team, for having devoted over 12 years to developing the women’s hockey program. The awards for Manager of the Year were presented to Ben Wishart of men’s basketball and Kathryn Hallett of women’s soccer. The Distinguished Therapy award was presented to Bronwen Clark-Brewin from the men’s basketball team. With another Night of the Mounties behind us, Mt. A looks forward to another history-making year of athletics in the 2017-18 season.
QUARTERBACK JAKOB LOUCKS WAS AWARDED MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR ALONG WITH A HOST OF OTHER AWARDS AND BASKETBALL’S KIERSTEN MANGOLD WAS RECOGNIZED AS FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR ALONG WITH NATIONAL HONOURS. PAUL LYNCH/MT. A ATHLETICS
BACK ROW: LOUIS SOBOL, DAVID TAPLIN, WILL BALSER, JEFF MANN
MIDDLE ROW: SYLVAN HAMBURGER, MIRELLE NAUD, CATHERINE TURNBULL, HAILEY GUZIK, KATHARYN STEVENSON, HAMZA MUNAWAR, NADIYA SAFONOVA, JILL MACINTYRE, EMMA BUSH, CECILIA STUART, SHANNON POWER, MONICA ZAHL, TESSA DIXON, TYLER STUART, SAVANNAH HARRIS
FRONT ROW: WILL PELLETIER, IZZY FRANCOLINI, MALLORY BURNSIDE-HOLMES, MARISSA CRUZ, SAVANNAH FORSEY, KAVANA WA KILELE, NAOMI GOLDBERG, CLAIRE HENDERSON-HAMILTON, RYAN MACRAE
MISSING: MARK CRUZ, JAMES LANTZ
THANK
KS FOR READING
10 ARTS & CULTURE
EDITORS: MIRELLE NAUD MALLORY BURNSIDE-HOLMES APRIL 6, 2017 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA
THEATRE
Feminist theatre focuses on art of storytelling Students direct and perform feminist, innovative and experimental one acts
EMMA BUSH Arts and Culture Reporter Last week, Motyer-Fancy Theatre celebrated feminist theatre in an evening of one acts. Fourth-year honours English student Victoria Valliere directed a play she composed in collaboration with her cast. The script was an amalgamation of Shakespearean quotes entitled These Last Four Years. Fourth-year drama major Anna Shepard directed This Is For You, Anna, a piece developed out of a women’s collective in Toronto during the 1980s. The play tells the story of a mother, Marianne Bachmeier, dealing with the sexual assault and murder of her young daughter, Anna. While Anna is imagined on stage solely through flash-back and flashforward scenes, her mother is represented by four different actors. Shepard and Valliere directed these productions as part of their
drama major and minor, respectively. Valliere’s directorial debut realized a long-held dream. “I’ve wanted to direct a show at Mt. A since before I applied,” she said. This specific project has been on her mind since September of 2013. In a series of powerful short segments, These Last Four Years intersperses contemporary dialogue between scenes from various Shakespearean plays. The sound of sweet and soothing contemporary music played in the background throughout the show, creating a dreamlike atmosphere. “This play is important for me because of the stories it tells. [This is] a show that wasn’t just about my vision or my dream, but about everyone’s [in the cast],” Valliere said. Second-year student and actor Gillian Keissling said she enjoyed that the play was confusing, different and disconcerting. “It makes you uncomfortable at times because it
challenges the stereotypes we have about Shakespeare, about theatre, about love [and] about who we are.” An example of such a challenge of stereotypes is depicted in a scene where three different couples perform the classic Romeo and Juliet balcony scene consecutively. The first is a rendition between a man and a woman; the second, between two women; and the third, between two men. “We have to constantly work to recognize our own bias and fight it at times. This play has helped us to do this, and I hope that it will help the audience to do the same,” Keissling said. Shepard’s This Is For You, Anna offered an equally powerful performance in its heartbreaking and horrifying depictions of rape, domestic abuse, love and murder. The play is important to Shepard as it provides the opportunity to present feminist theatre to the Mt. A community. “I hope [audience members] leave thinking about why these stories are important to tell and how this speaks to our society and what is implicated in that,” she said. “These are themes that many oppressed people face; I hope that [audience members] think about how these affect them and their communities.” Third-year student Cara Mackenzie acted in Shepard’s production. “I love the way that the play handles the difficult topics of assault and abuse. Nothing is ever directly depicted, which makes it easier and safer to engage with,” she
said. An example of this is seen when the four actresses playing Marianne take turns speaking to Anna. One of the women speaks urgently about escaping from their house and her boyfriend before he wakes up and finds them. This scene is full of suspense, but its indirect depiction and lack of other characters allows for a more dissociated and gentler realization of the horror of the situation. The play was strategically edited by Shepard and the cast to increase its relevance to the present, including quotes from 50 Shades of Grey and from the Brock Turner rape case. Both plays were accompanied by a feminist theatre panel discussion, featuring professors and students, before the final performance on Saturday night. The event had the specific aim of discussing the importance of feminist theatre and its
role in social action. Third-year drama student Sabrina Stace attended both the plays and the panel and reacted positively to both experiences. “For These Last Four Years, it was really dependent on the audience to decide on the messages and stories that the company was getting across,” Stace said. “This Is For You, Anna was both obvious and discrete in telling the story of not just Marianne Bachmeier, but oppression that is still happening today.” “Both plays were relevant to today’s society. They both also proved that, in many ways, theatre can encourage discussion and political change,” Stace said. First-year psychology student Amber Quinn left the Motyer-Fancy theatre filled with pride. “It makes me so proud to know that the directors have so much dedication to feminist theatre.”
SCENES FROM STUDENT DIRECTED THESE LAST FOR YEARS (TOP LEFT) AND THIS IS FOR YOU, ANNA (RIGHT). PAUL DEL MOTTE/SUBMITTED
IMPROV
The Improv Presents: Friday Night Live!
TL: LIAM STEWART, ERIK GARF, KAYLIE MCGRAW, ALEX JACKSON. BL: MOLLY BOWES, MAX FARELLA, VINCE CASEY. CENTER: ALEX JACKSON, AIDAN LEGAULT, KEEGAN HILTZ. TR: ALEX MCGRATH, MOLLY BOWES. BL: ALLA RAMI ANNA LAUREL JAMIESON/SUBMITTED
ARTS & CULTURE
THE ARGOSY | WWW.ARGOSY.CA
JAZZ
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Jazz Ensemble plays to multiple passions
Mt. A Jazz Ensemble pulls packed crowd into a grooving Gracie’s during weekday performance
MT. A JAZZ ENSEMBLE PLAYS INFECTIOUSLY RHYTHMIC TUNES THAT WE (TRY) TO TAP OUR FEET TO. RYAN MACRAE/THE ARGOSY
WILL PELLETIER Arts and Culture Reporter Last Wednesday, students and Sackville community members packed into Gracie’s in anticipation of the Mount Allison Jazz Ensemble’s final concert of the semester. A culmination of this past school year’s practices and performances, the concert, featuring an array of jazz styles, expertly showcased the genre’s inherent diversity. While it may appear to those outside Mt. A’s music community that participation in the ensemble is restricted to music students alone,
any student, faculty member or community member can audition for any of Mt. A’s ensembles and its chorale. Several of the students in the jazz ensemble come from non-music degrees. Physics major Stephen Bennett is one such member. He has played with the jazz ensemble for several years. “[Jazz is] this huge passion of mine. I think jazz is a lot more than just a regular genre,” Bennett said. “The chord progressions are so different, the chord changes are very layered and have a lot of colours, and rhythmically, it can be anywhere from
really easy to follow to something incredibly daunting, something you can’t really tap your foot to.” According to Bennett, one of the ensemble’s goals is to expose people to the many different faces of jazz in order to better represent the genre as a whole. “Since a lot of people see jazz as this one thing, we try to take all these different varieties of jazz to show people how much more there is, and if they don’t like one kind they might like another,” Bennett said. “I think one thing we strive to do is collect everything: things from the big band era; things from the neo-big band
LITERARY ARTS
The second coming of comics
Comic culture nurtured by Sackville community MARISSA CRUZ Arts and Culture Reporter Graphic novels and the illustrative style of comic making have seen a resurgence over the past decade. While DC and Marvel have been pumping out comic-based movies at an excessive pace, often with amazing box-office success despite how often these extremely hyped movies lack substance, a subculture of comic art is on the rise. Because mainstream media has been reaping the financial benefits of the genre for quite some time now, comic connoisseurs and graphic novel enthusiasts continue to engage in a subculture without the majority of us recognizing it. Zine culture and comic publishing powerhouses like Drawn and Quarterly in Montreal and Fantacomics in New York have been the pounding hearts of this subculture, which thrives on the artistic style and narrative potential of comics. Sackville is the ideal setting for a drastically different but comparably successful comic culture to exist and potentially thrive. “The Sensual World,” an exhibit at the Owens curated by gallery intern and Mt. A alumni Patrick Allaby, the Sappyfest and CHMA zine fairs and the Argosy
humour section all play a role in supporting comic culture here in Sackville. Artists have been exploring the literary and visual potential of the comic in Sackville for quite some time. This form of art fits nicely into Sackville’s artistic and cultural niche, particularly in its emphasis on handmade production. “The Sappy[fest] zine fair is one of the more important zine fairs in New Brunswick, and that’s in Sackville. There are a lot of fine arts students who make zines. We have one prof, Jerry Ropson, who’s been getting a lot of the students into zine culture. We also have quite a few local artists who make zines,” fourth-year fine arts student Jeff Mann said. Last week at the Owens, Canadian author and illustrator Meags Fitzgerald discussed her graphic memoir Long Red Hair, the follow-up to her hugely celebrated Photobooth: A Biography. Fitzgerald is a graphic novelist with sharp wit and an infectious aura. Despite her bright personality, she had a message of caution for those intrigued by this particular art practice. “I think everyone should draw comics, but at the same time I would also tell everyone and anyone to never start drawing comics,” Fitzgerald said.
She explained that she suffered from physical ailments during the creation of her first novel, a consequence she did not anticipate. She also reflected on the relatable struggle to balance work with emotional and mental health. “While taking a shower, I felt guilty I wasn’t working on the novel,” she said. On the appeal of the graphic novel and comic as literary forms, Fitzgerald referred to the advantage that images “[register] faster than words.” “You can read a graphic novel faster than a book,” she said. “[Images] really resonate with me, it hits deeper in that feeling place.” For Mann, the term “comic” is “a slippery term,” since he believes that “just because [something is] a comic does not mean that it’s not a work of art … comics can be way more powerful that a work of art in a gallery. I would be a comic book artist if comics weren’t so daunting. I think that there are a few successful artists out there that are failed comic book artists.” As the comic, graphic novel and zine continue to gain recognition in popular culture, it will be interesting to watch and, for some, participate in the evolution of comic culture in Sackville.
era; the bop era from the 50s and 60s; [and] a lot of latin tunes, as well.” Indeed, the multifaceted nature of jazz came out during the performance, which featured 13 songs. The old vocal tunes of mid-30s piece “Begin the Beguine” were performed next to the mid-80s mixed-genre piece “Slo-Funk.” Both songs showcased different ends of the 20th century. Despite jazz’s infrequent appearances on today’s top charts, it is undoubtedly still a living genre. “Jazz is very much alive. Jazz actually is a little different from some art forms in that there’s a continuous tradition both of evolving new forms and styles and maintaining the old,” said Mt. A music professor James Kalyn, who has directed the 22-strong group since the ensemble’s auditions last fall. “[We performed] stuff that goes back to the 1910s and ‘20s … alongside things which were just written last year. Jazz continues to play all its traditional styles at one time, as well as creating new ones. It’s very much a living art.” To Jack Smith, one of the ensemble’s saxophone players, participating in the ensemble provides him with a new means of expressing his instrument. “Being a saxophone major, jazz ensemble is one of the few groups
on campus where my instrument can truly shine. Plus, it’s a nice change of pace from the classical music that I spend most of my day playing,” Smith wrote in an email to the Argosy. “The main responsibility of an ensemble member is to come to the two rehearsals each week and to practise our parts,” Smith wrote. Auditions, which occur each fall, require participants to play one assigned piece, one improvisational piece and a set of scales. Kalyn emphasized interdisciplinarity as an important factor behind the success of all Mt. A’s ensembles. “In many cases [the students] are music majors who aren’t [playing] their majors’ instruments, and there are [also] quite a few who aren’t music majors. We have a saxophone player who is a vocalist, and another who isn’t from the department at all. One of our trumpet players is a professor in classics, and another is from the community,” Kalyn said. “We really want to get the word out that this is something open to all Mt. A community members. Part of our job is that we’re here to teach. So we encourage people and help them learn, and we want them to participate in making music,” Kalyn said.
DRINK
The Sap Fest Cocktail
KEEGAN HILTZ Contributor With spring fast approaching, we are already well into maple syrup season. A versatile ingredient for a lot of different cocktails, maple syrup serves as an excellent substitute for simple syrup, which many recipes call for. Simple syrup, a mixture of sugar and water, lacks the distinct flavour of maple syrup, which can make some mixed drinks much more interesting. If you’re all out of pancakes, maple syrup goes especially well with whisky, so consider trying this cocktail for some spring flavour. Stir the first three ingredients together with ice until well chilled.
For a Canadian spin on the simple Old Fashioned, combine a shot of whisky, a few splashes of lemon juice, maple syrup and a maraschino cherry. For a milder drink, consider topping the drink with hard apple cider. The apple cider balances the strength of the whisky to turn this drink into a cocktail more suitable for Easter brunch, although that really depends on what your family is like. If you are using amber rum instead of whisky, use ginger ale to top up the drink rather than cider. Depending on how much Easter chocolate you plan to scarf down, adjust the drink’s sweetness by using more or less maple syrup.
1 ½ PARTS WHISKY OR AMBER RUM 1 PART LEMON JUICE ½ PART MAPLE SYRUP ALCOHOLIC APPLE CIDER OR GINGER ALE Correction from Argosy Vol. 146 Issue19: photos for “Dance Society: more than only dance” taken by Savannah Forsey.
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ARTS & CULTURE
APRIL 6, 2017 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA
POETRY AND THE VISUAL ARTS
Submitted poetry: Quaint Sackville sites and lines Microcosm There lives in the corner of the downstairs bathroom of my house in Sackville New Brunswick Canada a spider.
I know when I leave the bathroom in my house in Sackville for my bedroom or the grocery store or Amherst, Nova Scotia
I unexpectedly found my Second Favourite Sackville on a quiet Friday evening in late January when I had just left a meeting and walked through a downtown newly relit – freezing rain had taken down power lines just a few days previous – and noticed the movement in store and restaurant windows.
He is big relatively speaking but never journeys outside his constructed home. He has lived will continue to live his entire life indoors.
each movement needing only a single line in my narrative
I tried not to stare, afraid of eye contact lest any patron should misinterpret my interest or be unnerved by my presence, but the sight was transfixing, these incandescent dioramas on such prominent display, families and friends as Christmas village animatronics.
I see him in his corner now and then when I decide to overlook his existence with a broom or newspaper in hand.
that he will still be there when I return as an ephemeral figure who occasionally enters his world.
by Mitchell Gunn
Untitled
Warmth
The moment held (not froze) until I balled my hands inside the pockets of my coat and kept walking to where my car lay dead and waiting in a parking lot three hundred metres away.
If I had arms If I had a mouth If I had a stomach I’d do a keg stand
Shame I
Book of Longing
Check out the moon You missed it Shame
There’s a really nice poem by Leonard Cohen and I can never remember what it’s called
Untitled I can’t stop thinking about the way Sue Goyette says trees
Dad Jokes “I’m in love with you.” “Hi in love with you, I’m Dad.”
by Kevin Melanson
ILLUSTRATIONS BY JEFF MANN/ARGOSY
Ambitious journal in translation takes shape Multilingual journal Ellipsis invites artists to participate in discussion on the power of language
MIRELLE NAUD Arts and Culture Editor Have you ever considered how gendered pronouns could affect the way you conceptualize the world around you? Through an ongoing project in translation, multilingual journal Ellipsis seeks to explore such questions that hinge on linguistic differences. By offering writers
and visual artists a common space to express their unique linguistic identities, Ellipsis hopes to facilitate a discussion that explores how language shapes our perceptions of the world. Additionally, the journal examines the nuances and complexities of translation by accompanying written and visual pieces with commentary from both their authors and translators. A collaboration between third-year
English student and writer Mathieu Gallant and visual artist Dana Snow showcases how Ellipsis’ process of translation produces artworks that serve as independent pieces and as translations of juxtaposed content. Gallant was one of the first contributors, whose poem “in which i attempt to justify my existential angst,” originally in English, underwent a translation process and produced its French counterpart,
“Selon Ulysses.” This translation process resulted in two poems with interlinked thematic elements but substantial differences in format and metaphor. Expanding on Gallant’s poetry and a broader shared theme of authorial self-awareness, Snow layered photographs of herself and created an image series titled Puncture to explore the relationship between self and viewer. Ellipsis is currently seeking
in which i attempt to justify existential angst by Mathieu Gallant who the fuck do you think you are >>?what right have you to mother-brothers and fatherdaughters your lineage subjugated we claim to value consent <well consent this you’ll be held accountable holding my spot in queue suffering sentence o shoulderer of transgressions only then shall i laugh and name you atlas sorry , i’m calling the progenitor primordial violator mother mother//arbiter fatherenforcer ?is there anything more patronizing than calling life a gift and when confronted with an instant of existential doubt the youth cries out >>>>>i didn’t ask to be born a supplication heard by millions ever answered by an eyeroll and a sighh FROM THE PHOTO SERIES PUNCTURE, DANA SNOW SUPERIMPOSES THE OUTER SELF ON THE INNER. DANA SNOW/SUBMITTED
additional contributions for its online and print content. While multilingual submissions are encouraged, they are not mandatory. For English poetry submissions, the team hopes to work with contributors to produce new versions of the originals through translation. Submissions and questions can be directed by email to the student-run independent publishing organization Underbridge Press at underbridge@mta.ca. “Puncture is an expression of embodied liminal space....I first intended to create a self portrait that would communicate the insular nature of nihilism. Yet, through the artistic process, I found that creating a piece for an audience other than myself necessitated an act of reflexivity. The layers of the portrait act as an expression of the self by communicating the boundaries of the self, the inner self and the other. The inner self – the true self – becomes restricted by the outer self, the arbiter who exists to censor and insulate.... “ – Dana Snow, from Ellipsis “The poem [“in which i attempt to justify existential angst”] itself is meant to be a celebration of filial angst and anger. In it, children’s authority figures are the bad guys; they represent dictators and oppressors that can do legitimate harm....One may notice that its French partner poem [“Selon Ulysses”] looks somewhat ‘completely different.’ Since I felt as though a lot would be lost in a direct translation to French, I opted to create a more thematic translation of the poem rather than a strictly literal one....” – Mathieu Gallant, from Ellipsis
EDITOR: SHANNON POWER | APRIL 6, 2017 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
OPINIONS 13
Calling for less biased representation of student opinion in the Argosy WILLA MCCAFFREY-NOVISS
Contributor
To the Editors-in-Chief of the Argosy, In the first issue this year, released in September 2016, the Argosy put out a statement to their readers saying that there was a growing disconnect between the administration and members of the faculty and student body. They cited this as the reason for needing a “new type of journalism.” It was announced that the Argosy would not strive for objectivity, but rather for fairness under conditions that are often unfair. Throughout the year, the Argosy has blurred the line between opinions and news and the result has demonstrated
why this approach to journalism becomes self-serving to the interests of its staff rather than providing the community with information. The paper has assigned members of Divest MTA to report on its own events, close friends to report on one another and even reporters to write about their own activities. All of these pieces appear in the news section and often with little to no acknowledgement of a bias. Meanwhile, as any outside writers know, editors take great lengths to ensure the disclosure of contributors’ potential biases. Although it is hard to find a Mount Allison student removed from newsworthy events, objective
reporting still has a place in student journalism and is worth striving toward. It is a practice of seeking to understand a story, not to find evidence that conveniently supports a writer’s pre-existing conceptions. The Argosy is a student-funded initiative to which every student contributes financially, not just the members of certain organizations and the friends of the Argosy staff. This should be reflected in the reporting. Non-objective journalism creates an environment where the news is skewed and students’ criticisms of this practice are unwelcome, perpetuating the stereotype that the Argosy serves as a platform for only certain subgroups
of the student population to be heard. I sincerely hope that the editors-inchief foster a more inclusive approach in their journalistic practice next year and remember that this studentfunded operation is meant to serve the entire Mt. A community, even those outside the elite Argosy social circle. Disclaimer: I worked as the politics reporter in my second year, contributed in third and fourth year and have been an avid reader since first year.
THE ARGOSY w w w. a r g o s y. c a
Independent Student Newspaper of Mount Allison University Thursday, April 6, 2017 volume 146 issue 21 Circulation 1,000 Since 1872
on Unceded Mi’kmaq Land 62 York Street W. McCain Student Centre Mount Allison University Sackville, New Brunswick
506.364.2236
E4L 1H3
Email argosy@mta.ca
THE ARGOSY is published by Argosy Publications, Inc., a student run, autonomous, apolitical not-for-profit organization operated in accordance with the province of New Brunswick.
THE ARGOSY is a member of the Canadian University Press, a national co-operative of student newspapers.
ISSN 0837-1024
The Underbridge Press is a student-run publishing organization at Mount Allison University.
Sincerely, Willa McCaffrey-Noviss
EDITORIAL staff EDITORS-IN-CHIEF | Sylvan Hamburger, Tyler Stuart MANAGING EDITOR | Cecilia Stuart NEWS EDITORS | Catherine Turnbull, Naomi Goldberg ARTS & CULTURE EDITORS | Mallory Burnside-Holmes, Mirelle Naud
COMMENTARY
SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR | David Taplin OPINIONS EDITOR | Shannon Power HUMOUR EDITOR | Mark Cruz COPY EDITOR | Claire Henderson-Hamilton
PRODUCTION staff PRODUCTION MANAGER | Hailey Guzik PHOTO EDITOR | Savannah Harris PHOTOGRAPHERS | Ryan MacRae, Savannah Forsey ILLUSTRATION EDITOR | Jeff Mann ILLUSTRATORS | Louis Sobol, Izzy Francolini ONLINE EDITOR | Monica Zahl
REPORTING staff NEWS REPORTERS | Will Balser, Kavana Wa Kilele, Jill MacIntryre POLITICS REPORTER | Nadiya Safonova SPORTS REPORTER | Hamza Munawar ARTS & CULTURE REPORTERS | Will Pelletier, Marissa Cruz, Emma Bush
OPERATIONS staff BUSINESS MANAGER | Tessa Dixon AD MANAGER | James Lantz CIRCULATIONS | Katharyn Stevenson
CONTRIBUTORS Paul Del Motte, Delanie Khan-Dobson, Mathieu Gallant, Mitchell Gunn, Keegan Hiltz, Geoff Hutchinson, Anna Laurel Jamieson, Willa McCaffrey-Noviss, Kevin Melanson, Alex Thomas, Marshall Thomas, Will Traves, Ben Wishart COVER | Savannah Harris
“DON’T FIGHT THE SYSTEM” LOUIS SOBOL AND SHANNON POWER/ARGOSY.
PUBLICATION board Leslie Kern, Owen Griffiths
DISCLAIMERS & COPYRIGHT The Argosy is the official independent student journal of news, opinion, and the
FROM EVERYONE AT THE ARGOSY, THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO READ AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE PAPER THIS YEAR! IT HAS BEEN AN HONOUR SERVING THIS COMMUNITY.
arts, written, edited and funded by the students of Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of The Argosy’s staff or its Board of Directors. The Argosy is published weekly throughout the academic year by Argosy Publications Inc. Student contributions in the form of letters, articles, photography, graphic design and comics are welcome. The Argosy reserves the right to edit or refuse all materials deemed sexist, racist, homophobic, or otherwise unfit for print, as determined by the Editor-in-Chief. Articles or other contributions can be sent to argosy@mta.ca or directly to a section editor. The Argosy will print unsolicited materials at its own discretion. Letters to the editor must be signed, though names may be withheld at the sender’s request and at The Argosy’s discretion. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Comments , concerns, or complaints about The Argosy’s content or operations should be first sent to the Editor-in-Chief at the address above. If the Editor-in-Chief is unable to resolve a complaint, it may be taken to the Argosy Publications, Inc. Board of Directors. The chairs of the Board of Directors can be reached at the address above. All materials appearing in The Argosy bear the copyright of Argosy Publications, Inc. Material cannot be reprinted without the consent of the Editor-in-Chief.
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OPINIONS
APRIL 6, 2017 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
An open letter to Divest MTA The right idea; the wrong approach
GEOFF HUTCHINSON & MARSHALL THOMAS Contributors Climate change is terrifying. Abjectly terrifying. We live in one of the most environmentally volatile times that humanity has encountered, including the ice age. There is scientific consensus that climate change resulting from human activities is a fact. Most reasonable people see and recognize this and realize it is an issue that we can no longer afford to ignore. The information we have in our hands tells us that fossil fuels are inherently unsustainable. That’s not really the debate happening right now. Instead, the debate at the forefront of campus life is divestment: Should Mount Allison’s endowment fund contain investments that are linked to the large fossil fuel producers and refiners operating in Canada? Divest MTA’s position is unequivocally “no,” and they state this with a commendable passion. Occupying a quad or an academic building, staging die-ins during
Board of Regents meetings: These are tactics meant to demonstrate the depths of conviction held by these students. It should also be noted that the die-in conducted at the Board of Regents meeting was an extension of Divest MTA claiming that university administration would not engage with them in a meaningful dialogue, and that the occupation of Centennial Hall followed from this same claim. We wholeheartedly agree that investment in alternative fuels should be a goal for all who care deeply about the future of the environment. There is no long-term alternative to development of sustainable energy. But watching via live stream the occupation of the administration’s office and ensuing negotiations between two of the student organizers and Robert Campbell left us feeling disenchanted with Divest MTA’s tactics and confused about their motivations. The resulting media releases via their Facebook page only served to exacerbate this confusion. Divest MTA, what is your plan to prompt the University to divest
its reported 5 per cent in the top 200 publicly traded fossil fuel companies? As interested alum who agree with your vision, it’s hard to wholeheartedly throw ourselves behind your organization. You finally reached one of your goals when you occupied Centennial Hall, resulting in an audience with Dr. Campbell. The live videos from the negotiation were not an example of effective protest. They demonstrated that the claims being made are emotional, moralistic and made from a place of passion, but they had little to no facts, compromises or alternatives presented. They were just demands, made with the offices of Dr. Campbell acting the part of the hostage. This is not effective activism, and it will not lead to a workable solution. Your characterization of the president’s difficulty in leaving his office (which you had made next to impossible to accomplish without physical discomfort on both his part and yours) was of “violence on a macro level”; this is in response to a human simply trying to leave his
place of work. The only reason any sort of discomfort befell protestors is because they refused to yield the barest modicum of space for him to walk. To call Dr. Campbell’s actions physical violence is disrespectful to all those who have experienced true retaliation in response to their protests. You had a real chance to make tangible progress toward divestment, and you used it to dump your frustration onto Dr. Campbell. Your group has repeatedly stated the university is refusing to listen to you, but when you finally got to the table with Dr. Campbell, he wasn’t the one refusing to listen. What you are doing is important, and you have so many allies who stand behind your vision of green energy and responsible investment. Effective activism results in change, and the tactics I’ve seen used so far aren’t doing this cause justice. We are willing to believe that the university hasn’t been receptive to you before, but you had a chance during your sit-in and squandered it. If Divest MTA is serious about their stated goal, they should be
willing to do more than attempt to be disruptive enough to force the University’s hand or bring tonedeaf charges of violence against administrators. If the administration wasn’t listening to you before, they are now. Work with them. Try to understand the challenges they are facing in moving toward divestment, and work with them to come up with a solution. Don’t just sit there and demand the University divest. Help them solve the problems preventing divestment. Or even better, come up with a practical and actionable plan to achieve your goals, outlining green investments that are good for the school and the planet. We are proud of the students of Mt. A who obviously care so deeply about this cause, and helping to prove to the world that Allisonians are not only great students, but great citizens. Now it’s up to you, Divest MTA, to earn the garnet and gold that you bear so proudly. Sincerely, Geoff Hutchinson, Class of ‘12 Marshall Thomas, Class of ‘13
ANARCHISM
Anarchy is no joke!
Far from stereotypes, anarchists push for collective organizing at a community level
ALEX THOMAS Contributor We all got some chuckles from last week’s The Anarchy. I’m a fan of the annual satirical issue of our beloved paper, but I could definitely get behind a name change. I think that calling a satirical paper The Anarchy belittles some super-relevant political ideas. It also helps to entrench a centuries-old smear campaign that has helped frame anarchism as baloney. Chances are you’ve heard a thing or two about who anarchists are and what they think. Chances are almost everything you have heard is nonsense. Many people seem to think that anarchy is about chaos, violence and disorder. In reality, nothing could be farther from the truth. Anarchists simply believe that humans are capable of behaving reasonably without being forced. We believe that when allowed, people are perfectly capable of organizing their own communities without needing to be told how, and that when people are shitty to each other, it’s usually the result of the hierarchical and oppressive structures that are imposed on us and the inequalities that result. Instead of seeing the government as necessary for governing everyday life and ensuring society runs fairly, anarchists understand the state – regardless of who is in power – as unnecessary and harmful. The main function of the state is to guarantee the existing social structure of society. Though we are told we live in a democracy, it is well established that government policy is shaped more by corporate agendas than
everyday people. Look at the current scandal surrounding Bombardier, which is proposing massive executive bonuses in a year that the company received over $1 billion in bailouts and spun its wheels financially. Look at the degree to which the Irvings shape policy and regulation in one of the poorest provinces in Canada. You’ll find this shit in every “democratic” state anywhere, ever. This is because power corrupts. Anarchists think that organizing society so that the everyday lives of millions are largely determined by a handful of people is totally ridiculous. Instead, we seek to invest power directly and democratically in the hands of the people, putting decisionmaking power at the most local levels. I ain’t gonna get all bogged down in theory here, but a lot of these ideas are just about having the courage to take the simple principles of common decency that we all live by and following them through to their logical conclusions. Every time you treat another human with consideration and respect, you are being an anarchist. Every time you work out your differences with others by coming to reasonable compromise, listening to what everyone has to say rather than letting one person decide for everyone else, you are being an anarchist. Every time you have the opportunity to force someone to do something, but decide to appeal to their sense of reason or justice instead, you are being an anarchist. With capitalism in a profound state of crisis and transition, anarchists’ alternative political visions and consistent critiques of
power are capturing the attention of disillusioned people all over the world. Instead of waiting every four years for the “privilege” to elect our rulers, anarchists push for collective direct action and urge us to take our lives into our own hands. The Trump administration has made crystal clear the inadequacy of limiting our activism to the legal parameters set by increasingly oppressive governments. Mount Allison’s administration has proven time and time again its utter disregard toward the moral appeals from its stakeholders as seen right
now with the divestment debacle. I commend students who have refused to accept the administration’s refusal to act on climate change by occupying university space and administrative offices to demand divestment. You understand the urgency we face, and that the absurdity of this kind of inaction threatens life on this planet. Please also understand that it is only through the continuation of these kinds of bold collective actions that we will see the changes we so desperately need! (Oh and, with respect, I’ll add: you shouldn’t have to apologize
for chanting “SHAME!” at Robbie Campbell. It’s fucking shameful and we need to name names). I really don’t care to turn everyone into self-professed anarchists here. But please, think about taking your fate and the collective fate of your communities into your own hands – even in small ways. We cannot wait around for those in power to listen to our appeals. We cannot rely on measly reform after measly reform to deliver the change we need.
DIVEST MTA ACTIVISTS CONDUCT DIRECT ACTION IN RESPONSE TO MT. A ADMINISTRATION’S LACK OF ACTION ON FOSSIL FUEL DIVESTMENT. RYAN MACRAE/ARGOSY
EDITOR: MARK CRUZ | APRIL 6, 2017 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA
HUMOUR 15
BY TRILL WAVES
BY KEVIN MELANSON
BY MARK CRUZ
BY MARK CRUZ
Call for Nominations
CRAKE-SAWDON AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO STUDENT JOURNALISM
Value $1000.00 Applications/nominations must include the following: - A letter of application/nomination indicating contributions and qualities that merit consideration in the area of student journalism (one page maximum) - A current c.v., including a list (and sample articles) showing involvement in print journalism at Mount A - An unofficial copy of the nominee's/applicant's transcript Applicants or nominees must also arrange for two letters of reference to be sent to Dr. Andrea Beverley by the due date. At least one letter must be from a person familiar with the applicant's/nominee's work in print journalism at Mount A. Applicants can include other relevant material if they so choose. All materials must be submitted by Monday, April 10, 2017.
Completed applications or questions about the award should be submitted to Dr. Andrea Beverley at abeverley@mta.ca.