The Argosy, November 28, Vol. 149, Iss. 10

THE ARG OSY

NEWS Concern over RCMP presence on campus (Pg. 4)

ARTS & CULTURE

Students prepare for much anticipated Christmas Collegium (Pg. 6)

Crawling across the finish line since 1872

OPINIONS Mount Allison study craft work in Fredericton (Pg. 11)

CREATIVE “Ornamental, Nature” (Pg. 14)

Mount Allison’s Independent Student Newspaper

COVER:EMMA DELANEY, SEX ED, OH HOW YOU FAILED ME, ACRYLIC, PENCIL AND PAPER, 2019.

November 28, 2019 Vol. 149, Iss. 10

02 NEWS

EDITOR: AMELIA MACDOUGALL FLEMING & EMMA CONRAD | NOVEMBER 28. 2019 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA

ECONOMICS

‘Exploring the forest at night’

Postdoctoral fellow Dr. Safoura Moeeni presents Economics paper on the intergenerational effects of economic sanctions in Iran THURSDAY, NOV. 28 Lunchtime Skate 12 to 1:30 p.m.

Civic Centre

FRIDAY, NOV. 29 Anti-Oppression Workshop Faculty and Staff 12 p.m.

Student Centre 125

for

Fundy Field Camp Research Results 2 to 4 p.m.

Avard-Dixon 118 Symphonic Band 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Convocation Hall Presents: A Comedy Collaboration 8 to 10:30 p.m.

The Pond

SATURDAY, NOV. 30 Artist Talk with Steve Topping 4 to 5 p.m.

Owens Art Gallery Jeremy Dutcher 7:30 to 9:30 Brunton Auditorium

SUNDAY, DEC. 1 Mount Allison Chamber Orchestra 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Brunton Auditorium

MONDAY, DEC. 2 Chamber Music Collegium 12:30 to 1:20 p.m.

Brunton Auditorium

TUESDAY, DEC. 3 Meeting of the Senate 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Windsor Hall Grand Room Christmas Collegium 4 to 5 p.m.

Marjorie Young Bell Conservatory Argosy Contributors Meeting 6 to 7 p.m.

Student Centre 386

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 4 Pathways to Permanent Residence in Canada 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Crabtree Auditorium

DR. MOEENI’S RESEARCH INTERESTS ARE LABOUR ECONOMICS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AUDE GAZZANO/ARGOSY

MARTHA PITRE Contributor Last Thursday, Dr. Safoura Moeeni, a postdoctoral fellow in the department of economics at Mount Allison, presented her paper titled The Intergenerational Effects of Economic Sanctions.

Moeeni believes that human decisionmaking is at the heart of many major macroeconomic problems, such as unemployment, low growth rates and low standards of living. She said that in order to address these problems, policy-makers must first consider other decision-making factors.

“We need to know why some people are unemployed and why some people do not even look for a job,” said Moeeni. “What are the effects of this decision on other life-cycle decisions, e.g. marriage and fertility? Knowing causes and mechanisms, we can think of design policies that can change these conditions.”

Moeeni began writing her paper in 2016, after giving considerable thought to the effects of reductions in family income.

Interested in the result, Moeeni graphed trends of family income and expenditure in Iran and noticed a massive reduction immediately following the 2006 sanctions. She observed a noticeable reduction in education spending and decided to investigate further.

Moeeni’s paper describes her research on the effects of economic sanctions on parents’ investments in their children’s education. It focuses specifically on the sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council on Iran in 2006. These sanctions had significant impacts on the incomes and expenditures of

many Iranian families, particularly those working in the highly affected oil and gas sector.

Moeeni concluded that the sanctions decreased Iranian children’s average total years of schooling by 0.2 years and reduced their probability of attending college by 8.7 per cent.

Moeeni’s findings indicate that, following the sanctions, families reduced expenditure on education by 61 per cent. Richer households were most affected in terms of expenditure, because many families pulled their children out of private schools and

THE SANCTIONS DECREASED IRANIAN CHILDREN’S AVERAGE TOTAL YEARS OF SCHOOLING BY 0.2 YEARS enrolled them instead in the public system. Moeeni’s results indicate that economic sanctions have profound impacts on the education, and subsequent income level, of children from affected families.

Moeeni’s paper suggests potential next-steps for foreign policy and welfare policy. Contrary to the current literature on the subject, Dr. Moeeni states that “Economic sanctions are not low-cost policies.”

She adds that “Even when sanctions are smart and targeted, they can hurt the civilian population and these negative effects are large.”

In terms of welfare policy, Moeeni said that policy-makers

interested in increasing total years of schooling should make “a big and persistent change in income of poor households.” Moeeni further suggests that policy-makers interested in increasing the quality of education should make similar efforts to increase the income of middleincome households.

Moeeni is an empirical microeconomist whose research interests include labour economics and economic development. She completed her B.Sc. in computer science at Yazd University in Iran, her M.Sc. at the Sharif University of Technology in Economics and her PhD at the University of Calgary.

Moeeni left Calgary for Sackville on the day after her final exam at the University of Calgary in June. She and her husband drove cross-country for six days, arriving in Sackville on a rainy and foggy night.

“I felt like we were in a movie,” she said.

Working at Mt. A is Moeeni’s first experience at an undergraduate university. “I like the idea that everything that happens on campus revolves around the student experience, not only on research which is normal in larger universities,” she said. “I enjoy the opportunity to give advice and work with undergraduate students.”

“Research is like exploring the forest at night,” she said, acknowledging the challenged associated with postdoctoral work. “It is fun, but you will fail a lot. Actually, it is not failing. It is just finding the many ways that do not work.”

Economics has long been a male-dominated field.

Moeeni acknowledges that women are underrepresented in student populations, research environments

and educational institutions, saying that there are barriers in universities, think-tanks and workplaces that discourage women from advancing in the field.

Moeeni believes that there is much more to the problem than women’s preferences. “I believe that it is not only related to preferences, because the share of female economists decreases from undergrad to postgraduate studies and academia.”

Moeeni added that economics is not merely a maledominated field, but a field dominated by white men. Moeeni

“MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE IN DOING RESEARCH AND TEACHING” cited academic job market data from last year, which shows that Black Americans are significantly underrepresented in economics “because of discriminations in this market.”

When asked what advice she would give to an undergraduate student looking to pursue postdoctoral work, Moeeni said “You need to make sure you have a comparative advantage in doing research and teaching.” She suggested that an interest for solving challenging problems must be accompanied by an interest in teaching others, including students and politicians. “For me, an academic job is a paid hobby.”

NEWS

THE ARGOSY | WWW.SINCE1872.CA

STUDENT LIFE

03

Meet Mt. A’s new Black Student Advisor Ivan Okello settles in to his position as Black Student Advisor and Diversity Educator

EMMA CONRAD News Editor This past fall, Mount Allison hired Ivan Okello as the University’s new Black student advisor and diversity educator. This is a new role in Mt. A’s student affairs department with Okello’s job specifically supporting the personal success of students of Black students.

Okello came to Mt. A with the goal of enhancing student experiences.

“I know, from experience, that university can be challenging due to multiple priorities such as class, assignments, hobbies and relationships,” said Okello. “Some students may experience even more barriers with adapting to the climate: few social ties, culture shock and the expectations of university. My role is really to facilitate positive adaptation to university.”

Okello’s job includes ensuring a cultural understanding of the barriers facing Black students at Mt. A, acting as an advocate for Black students on formal academic and non-academic matters, creating allies within different community groups on campus, promoting events and experiences that foreground Black

Students, and help with orientation and transition programming for new Black students to enable them to better navigate university life.

As a Diversity educator, Okello’s role also involves increasing cultural competence among students, staff and faculty. This includes delivering educational training on systemic racism and microaggressions and increasing knowledge on equity, diversity and inclusion within the Mt. A community.

Okello earned his BA in gender studies from Makerere University in Uganda. Okello then moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia to attend Dalhousie University, where he got his MA in International Development. “It was my first time studying abroad, and it took me a while to adapt to life in Canada,” said Okello. “But after a few months, I got very involved within the campus activities and community.”

While at Dalhousie, Okello became involved with the Graduate Student’s Society, the African Student’s Society and the Student Appeals Committee.

Later, Okello was employed on the Dalhousie campus as a writing tutor and teaching assistant. “This enabled me see life both as a student and

IVAN OKELLO IS THE FIRST PERSON TO HOLD THIS POSITION AT MOUNT ALLISON. /ARGOSY university staff,” said Okello.

“Being involved as a student was one of my biggest opportunities to grow as a person and challenge myself especially with public speaking, which I was terrified to do,” said Okello. “[Being a teaching assistant] enabled

me to grow many professional and personal relationships through the years.

“I think I will have made a difference if African, Caribbean and Afro-Canadians feel like they belong to the Mt. A community. I

think everyone wants to feel like they belong to this community.”

Okello works on the third floor of the Wallace McCain Student Centre and can be reached at iokello@mta. ca.

SPORTS

Women’s volleyball team on winning streak

Mounties plan to push for a banner in the new year after winning sixth consecutive game of volleyball.”

Originally from Charlo, N.B., Landry assisted in the team’s win over King’s College on Nov. 16. She was named Female Athlete of the Week by Joey’s Restaurant for the week of Nov. 11-17. With 10 kills and 13 digs, Landry worked for the award.

“Being recognized as Athlete of the Week is very humbling and I very much appreciate the recognition,” she said. “For me, Athlete of the Week also acts as motivation and a boost of confidence

“WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO IMPROVE OUR ABILITY TO FOCUS THE TEAM IS UNDEFEATED DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT IS A TRANSITION YEAR FOR THEM. PAUL LYNCH/ACQUIRED

NATASHA GOSSELIN News Reporter The Mount Allison women’s volleyball team continued their winning streak this past Saturday at the University of New Brunswick, winning two out of three sets. The team has been undefeated so far this season with a total of six wins.

With one game left this semester at Holland College the team is feeling confident. “Being undefeated is just a bonus at this point,” said new head coach Robbie Crouse. “Getting

everyone to buy into the winning culture and have every girl on the team believe that we are the team to beat is the most important thing.”

This year’s team is mostly first and second-year students, with two fourth-year students, Rachel McDougall and Brooke Gillespie, and one third-year student, Marika Wildeboer.

“The transition to the team has gone really well. Everyone was and still is so welcoming to the rookies, and makes sure all are included,” said Amanda MacBain, a first-year

player. “With positive feedback and constructive criticism, many players are getting developed and ready to compete.”

Last year’s team made it to the championship rounds at Holland College but lost to Mount Saint Vincent. This year’s team believes they can make it even further.

“I think one of our key components this year is our team energy,” said Sophie Landry, a second-year player. “We are always the loudest on the court and that makes a huge difference in the sport

AND BE ABLE TO PUSH THROUGH OUR RUTS” and I think it’s a reflection of my teammates’ support.”

As the end of the first half of the season is soon approaching, the team must keep up with the same pace and energy to maintain their spot on top. The team is currently ranked 12th in the country for the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association and second in the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association, following

Holland College.

“A big contribution to the team’s kickoff success has to be the coaching and the culture,” said MacBain.

“Since volleyball is such a mental game, we have been working to improve our ability to focus and be able to push through our ruts during games.”

“We have an amazing coaching staff,” agreed Landry. “They’re all people who know their volleyball super well and they’re all so supportive.”

Over the summer, the women’s team named Crouse the new head coach for the upcoming season.

Originally from Stewiake, N.S., Crouse has led the team through a very impressive season so far. He says, however, that he can’t take all the credit.

“The team has taken great strides in changing the culture of the program,” he said. “As a first-year coach I feel pleased but not surprised at our immediate success, but our goal is still to raise a banner at the end of the year.”

As the team approaches their next game, Crouse added that “Part of the reason for me taking this job was the young group who were hungry for change and to be winners. I’m blessed to have a group of girls with the same mindset and passion to win as me and the rest of the coaching staff.”

The team will play Holland College this Saturday, Nov. 30 in Charlottetown.

04

NEWS

NOVEMBER 28, 2019 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA

COMMUNITY

Concern over RCMP presence on campus

Visiting author approached by police after talk about the mining industry in Canada AMELIA MACDOUGALL FLEMING

News Editor

Earlier this semester, two plainclothes RCMP officers were present at a visiting author’s talk about the mining industry in Canada. The presence of the officers brought up concerns about police surveillance of activist spaces and the state’s policing of what is being discussed in university spaces. Members of the Mount Allison community are now looking for answers as to why the RCMP were on the University campus.

On the afternoon of Oct. 23, visiting author Joan Kuyek spoke in Hart Hall about her book Unearthing Justice, which focuses on the mining industry. Topics discussed at the event included what mining is, the environmental consequences of mining and the social implications of mining. The talk also shed light on how different communities have mobilized to either resist mining altogether or to make mining better for their communities.

According to Kuyek, two people approached her in plain clothing after her talk. “They said they were with the RCMP, and I laughed, as I remember. They said something about they were helping keep environmentalists safe,” said Kuyek.

“I said, ‘I’m an old lady I don’t need any protecting.’ ” Dave Thomas, the event’s organiser and an international relations professor, speculated as to why the RCMP made an appearance

at an academic event.

“Based on the broader context of what the RCMP gets up to in this country, the RCMP is typically watching out for the interests of the Canadian state and corporate Canada,” said Thomas. “They’re trying to watch over and monitor people who are viewed as dissident and people who are viewed as a threat to business as usual for industries and the Canadian state.”

Kuyek also spoke about whose interests she believes the RCMP serve.

“THE RCMP IS TYPICALLY WATCHING OUT FOR THE INTERESTS OF THE CANADIAN STATE AND CORPORATE CANADA” “I know that the RCMP is there to protect the interest of the state; that’s whose interests they protect. In most cases when there’s resource conflict, the state’s interests are conflated with the interests of the extraction corporations that are there,” she said.

“Natural Resources Canada calls the mining industry its client. They’re protecting the interest of who they see as their client, and that sure as hell isn’t environmentalists.”

Thomas believes that the RCMP being on campus is part of a larger

problem of police surveillance. “I think police showing up on campus at an academic event sends a chill across campus and puts a chill into people’s minds, and in many ways, could potentially limit people in terms of what they think they think they’re freely allowed to engage in,” he said. “It’s deeply problematic for anyone who’s trying to question the status quo and build alternatives to the status quo that could involve a more just and equitable society. We can’t do that if we feel that the state is watching and if the state may be trying to intimidate us from doing those things.”

Patty Musgrave-Quinn, the Indigenous affairs coordinator at Mt. A, is familiar with police surveillance of land defenders and environmentalists. Musgrave-Quinn spoke to the Argosy specifically about police surveillance of land defenders during Idle No More protests.

“I think that [RCMP monitoring] really came to a head in 2013 after the shale gas events in Elsipogtog in Kent County and during the raid of the RCMP against the land defenders,” said Musgrave-Quinn. “What a lot of people don’t know is that in 2013 during shale gas, at the encampment on Route 134, there were elders, women and children when the RCMP went in to raid at 7 a.m. when they were all sound asleep. There was RCMP from all over the place.”

Musgrave-Quinn then said, “We are all treaty people.” She believes that an important part of being a treaty person is engaging in conversations like the one held

on campus about mining. “It’s not just Indigenous people that are treaty people, it’s everybody else.

Because that agreement that was made hundreds of years ago in the 1700s still stands today. Your responsibility is to respect that treaty.

My responsibility is to respect that treaty,” said Musgrave-Quinn. “I absolutely do think that every treaty person needs to understand what [resource extraction] means to you, what it means to your children, what it means to your grandchildren, and what it means for the next seven generations.”

Musgrave-Quinn feels that an RCMP presence on campus is troubling. “If you do see RCMP on campus, you can assume they’re there to uphold some law that’s being broken. RCMP on campus at a book launch is ridiculous because there is no law being broken; there are not people mobilized to cause mass destruction at Mount Allison in Hart Hall,” she said. “We have every right to wonder why they were here [and] what was the goal.”

Musgrave-Quinn also said that she thinks social problems associated with the RCMP are about problematic structures rather than individual officers. “There are a lot of really good RCMP officers out there, a lot of really solid people who are not in the least violent. They’re there to uphold the law. And I think it’s really sad that a lot of those people got caught up in this and continue to get caught up in this across the nation because they’re directed to do so by their department.”

Thomas is now in the process of searching for answers from the RCMP. “I submitted an Access to Information request on Nov. 14.

I’m requesting any notes, memos, emails or other documents prepared in advance of the RCMP visit or prepared after the RCMP visit,” said Thomas in an email to the Argosy.

“I’m basically looking for any

“THERE ARE NOT PEOPLE MOBILIZED TO CAUSE MASS DESTRUCTION AT MOUNT ALLISON IN HART HALL” paperwork associated with the visit that might identify the purpose or result of their presence.”

Thomas put his concerns about the RCMP on the agenda for the faculty council meeting on Nov. 26. “I’m hoping to explain what happened and have a discussion among faculty about the issues this raises,” said Thomas. “I think it’s really important that for those of us who have critical questions about the way that our contemporary society operates, it’s really important that on campus, and anywhere else for that matter, we are free to engage in these kinds of critical questions and this kind of critical commentary and dig deeper into what’s going on.”

HOUSING

Windsor wifi woes

The northside residence sees the end of an unpleasant era ZOE HUNTER News Reporter Since the beginning of the term, Mount Allison students living in Windsor Hall have been having trouble connecting to the Wi-Fi in their residence, causing frustration among students.

“I can’t get work done here. I have to actually go to the library, which is quite a hike to be honest,” said Joe Caswell, a first-year student who lives in Windsor.

He also said that the lack of connectivity is damaging the spirit of the residence: “Windsor seems empty all the time because no one wants to stay here to do work, so it’s having an impact on our sense of community.” “[Computing Services] told me to use an Ethernet cable but I can’t use one with my laptop so I couldn’t do work in my dorm for a long time, which was super annoying,” said Amelia Williams, a first-year student. “I had to go to other places or use my data with a hot spot. It’s not fair to people who don’t have hot spots to use. Anyone should be able to do work in their

dorm room when they pay to go to university.”

Last week, students became fed up with the situation and sent a wave of emails to Computing Services. There was a competition held to see which floor could send the most emails.

“I started this competition to encourage Windsor to take action in order for us to get our Wi-Fi,” said Rohin Minocha-McKenney, the first-year Windsor rep and MASU councillor who organized the competition. “Before, some people would send emails but we wouldn’t get much response and no action from Computing Services at all. But once we were able to have more than 54 emails sent, they finally listened and are now fixing the Wi-Fi.” “I understand why people would get frustrated,” said John Gillis, the director of information and technology at Mt. A. “You need connectivity. We all live with devices all the time, so I understand the frustration.”

Windsor Hall has been under construction for the last year. The renovation was completed this

summer. “We installed these access points as part of the renovation, so that happened at the end of August,” Gillis explained. “We weren’t aware of any problems with them until the end of September. There appears to be a problem with the software on each access point and over time the access point stops working.

“An access point is the antenna that sends out the Wi-Fi radio signal that you use to connect your phone or other devices to access the internet. These ones [in Windsor] are designed to ‘talk to each other’ and automatically adjust their signals to provide the best possible Wi-Fi coverage,” said Gillis.

He mentioned that this problem is not present in other residences because “These access points have new features that the other residences don’t have.”

However, the end of the Windsor Hall’s Wi-Fi problems is nearing.

“We think we’ve identified what the problem is and so we’ve been on the phone with [the manufacturer] for periods of time for the last couple weeks trying to troubleshoot it,” said Gillis. “Over the last day or so

STUDENTS COMPETED TO SEE WHICH FLOOR COULD SEND THE MOST EMAILS TO COMPUTING SERVICES ABOUT THE WI-FI ISSUES. MARA IRETA GORDON/ARGOSY we think we’ve figured out what the source of the problem is. We’ve done some adjustments to the settings, so we think we have it stable for now.”

Windsor is getting a software update to fix the problem completely in the near future, Gillis said: “We are hoping to be able to install it before everyone returns from the study break next week. In the meantime we are monitoring the Wi-Fi performance and can reset the access

points manually if Wi-Fi access drops off again.”

This fix seems to be working for most of the residents. First-year student Michaela Kaiser said, “A couple days ago my laptop connected to the Wi-Fi [in Windsor] for the first time since I’ve moved to New Brunswick and I cried tears of joy.”

This piece originally ran on November 6.

NEWS

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POLITICS

05

Canada’s next step following fall election Political Science and International Relations society hosts Federal election discussion panel

ZOE HUNTER News Reporter Last Thursday, the Political Science and International Relations Society held a discussion panel on the recent federal election. Four guest speakers discussed questions from the hosts of the event about the federal election that happened in October.

The panelists at this event were Dylan Wooley-Berry, a Mount Allison alumnus and former MASU president; Dr. Mario Levesque, a political science professor; Dr. Brad Walters, an environmental studies professor; and Dr. Christiana MacDougall, a sociology professor.

It was moderated by fourth-year student Jonathan Ferguson.

The first question asked was what the panelists found to be the biggest surprise of the election. WooleyBerry said he was surprised by the lack of moderation of the Conservative party.

“I was sure the Conservative party was going to moderate its platform moving in. I really thought that because of the delayed platform launch.” He also was shocked by the Conservative party’s lack of an environmental platform. “I remember listening to their environmental policy and being giddy because it was non-existent. How do you expect to govern when 60 per cent of the country wants an environmental policy and you don’t have one?”

Walters was shocked by how

the Green party performed in this election. “I anticipated this was going to be a pretty significant breakthrough for the Greens given the sorry state of the NDP going into the election.”

He blames this loss on vote splitting: “This was a huge disappointment for the Green party but it also proves something that they have long denied, which is that fundamentally we have a serious vote-splitting problem on the centre left.”

Leveque was not particularly surprised by anything but said he was disappointed by some of the Liberal party’s continued arrogance. “They really don’t understand Canadians,” he said. “They have no idea what a common Canadian wants and desires or anything like that. Their inability

EACH SPEAKER HAD TWO MINUTES TO RESPOND TO EACH QUESTION DURING THE DISCUSSION. PENGYI HUANG/ARGOSY

to want to learn is the thing that is frustrating. That isn’t leadership.”

Next, the panelists were asked about their opinions on proportional representation. MacDougall said that she liked the idea of a proportional government.

“It would be interesting to see what would actually be different about proportional representation. [To see] if you have greater voter turnout, less strategic voting, a little more focus on issues rather than region,” she said. “There is still a lot of room for improvement in terms of greater gender representation.” She also said that “Proportional representation is a way that we can get greater diversity in our government.”

Wooley-Berry countered MacDougall’s opinion by saying that although, in his opinion, neither proportional representation or first past the post are ideal, he would choose to keep the status quo. “If I had to choose between first past the post and proportional, I’d probably choose neither, but I think out of the two of them first past the post is better for a number of reasons,” said Wooley-Berry. His main point was that “The first past the post has the ability to curtail the most extreme voices and make sure they don’t have a platform. For example, the People’s Party would have upwards of 15 or 17 seats if the results held; today they have zero. I think Canadian democracy is healthier because of it.”

Walters said that proportional representation was not ideal, saying that “I can imagine that if we went to proportional representation system what we would see is new political parties form based largely on geographic interests.

In this election, no Liberal seats were won in the Prairie provinces, so there is a concern about the lack of representation for these provinces in government. The last question was about how the Liberal minority government should proceed strategically regarding western alienation, considering that Saskatchewan and Alberta elected almost entirely Conservative MPs. Leveque said that Trudeau should “talk to western interests: let them know that [the Liberals are] fully committed to this pipeline and that they’re doing everything they can, yet at the same time convince other Canadians that [the Liberals are] going to fight climate change.” He said that “the challenge is talking to the western premiers.”

“It feels like the West is the problematic family member that is always complaining about how terrible the family is but you need to keep involved because we’re family and they also have some money that we need,” said MacDougall.

Wooley-Berry said that the Liberal party is not as focused on the West as on other regions of Canada. “It is a really interesting set of circumstances.

To better understand it you have to look at how interests align. The best [the Liberal party] can do [in the West] is like six seats. If [they] want to win a majority [they] can get up to 30 seats in Quebec, shake another 20 out of Ontario and 20 in B.C.” To conclude the panel, WooleyBerry encouraged the audience to get more involved in politics regardless of their party. “For the system to improve we need to have more people who want to improve the system,” he said.

7 Mondays journal is now accepting submissions to our 26th edition Submit your creative work to be published in Mount Allison’s student-run literary and arts journal!

Writing

Submit all written work (poetry, creative fiction or non-fiction, etc.) to 7mondays@gmail.com in a Word document. Format pieces as you want them to appear in the journal, with clear distinctions between pieces in the case of multiple submissions. Include a one-line biography along with your submission.

Fine Art

Submit artistic work of any kind (photography, mixed media, line drawings) to 7mondays@gmail.com. If you know how, please use 300 DPI for digital submissions. In the case of physical photographs, you can drop hard copies off at the fine arts department office. Include a one-line biography along with your submission.

We are also looking for cover art submissions!

Pitch us an idea or send us a fully formed piece. The only requirement is that the circular Mondays logo be incorporated in some way, whether that’s within your piece or to be added later collaboratively.

All submissions are due Jan. 13, 2020.

06 ARTS & CULTURE

EDITOR: BEN MAKSYM NOVEMBER 28, 2019 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA

MUSIC

Students prepare for much anticipated annual Christmas Collegium

Music society celebrates the holiday season with fun afternoon of music

EVERY YEAR AROUND THIS TIME THE MT. A MUSIC DEPARTMENT IS FILLED WITH HOLIDAY CHEER, AND THIS YEAR IS NO EXCEPTION! MARA IRETA GORDON/ARGOSY

ISAIAH YANKECH Contributor Every Wednesday afternoon, music students perform at the Collegium Musicum in Brunton Auditorium.

As a music student it is fun both to gain experience performing a solo or chamber repertoire and also to sit in the audience supporting and listening to our peers.

At the end of the fall term, the department of music puts on the annual Christmas Collegium, normally held on the last day of classes. In this program, students get the opportunity to perform holidaythemed music, often in larger groups

with friends.

“I am looking forward to Christmas Collegium because it is a chance to perform music just for the sake of enjoying music,” said Cian McCarron, a first-year pianist.

“Throughout the term, it might have been stressful performing or studying music as it was all important to your grade. Christmas Collegium is a good chance to make music just for the sake of loving music.”

Christmas Collegium often includes students outside of the bachelor of music program. Mt. A Cappella, run by music students but consisting mostly of students from outside the department, typically

makes an appearance in the program, often performing carol arrangements by the popular a cappella group Pentatonix. This time around, they will be performing my own Christmas Medley arrangement of popular carols and tunes, the first time I will get to direct and hear my own arrangement performed.

“Christmas Collegium has always been a great time,” said Jake Michaud, who has been singing bass with Mt. A Cappella for four years.

“Even as someone outside the music department, it has always been an entertaining and energetic string of performances. There is that excited ‘end of term’ energy behind all the

performances, but despite being a large group there is still a friendly nature to it all without descending into inside jokes and banter.”

Given the fun, collaborative nature of this afternoon of music, students and professors often get creative and put together their own arrangements of individual carols or collections of carols and tunes. For example, professors teaching musicianship or methods classes will often have their classes perform their arrangements as a fun way to practice the skills they learned during the term. As for students, they will often form their own duos, trios, quartets, and so on. A trio of six hands on a piano

is commonly seen on the upright piano that is placed in the middle of the main lobby. Other ensembles make use of the atrium space, such as the Elliott Chorale, which oftens performs carols or selections from Handel’s Messiah in around the railing upstairs.

“As one of the social chairs on the Music Society executive I especially love Christmas Collegium because it has that element of bringing people together and creating an atmosphere of fun, friendship and understanding, which ultimately is what I want to bring to the department as much as I can,” said Caitlin Strong, a secondyear pianist.

Christmas Collegium is also full of traditions. Carols such as Joy to the World and O Come All Ye Faithful are normally sung, although one of the favourite traditions is the singing of Dona Nobis Pacem at the end of the program, led by former music theory professor Dr. Gary Tucker, who recently retired. Afterwards, students from the Music Society gather around the Christmas tree for the Secret Santa gift exchange, and Santa himself may even make an appearance!

“One of my favourite Christmas memories was when the Elliott Chorale sang the song Here comes Santa Claus but changed the words to “Santa Paws” while our choir director’s dog went around and got pats from all the audience members,” said Adelle Elwood, a fourth-year pianist. “I know I will definitely miss Dr. Tucker leading us in Dona Nobis Pacem which has always been the official ‘start’ to the Christmas season for me.”

I encourage you to join the department of music next Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 4 p.m. in the Music Conservatory for this annual holiday celebration.

Mount Allison Chamber Orchestra performs Orchestral Elegance SACKVILLE, NB – Sunday, Dec. 1, at 7:30 p.m. in Brunton Auditorium, the Mount Allison Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Gregory Burton, will present orchestral music with an elegant flair. A concert highlight is Mozart’s sunny Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, featuring David Rogosin as soloist. Other works include Symphony No. 29 in A Major by Mozart, the stormy Hebrides Overture by Mendelssohn, and the energetic Waltz from the opera Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky.

Pianist David Rogosin has performed across Canada, the American Midwest, the Caribbean, and France. Praised for the brilliance, clarity, and passion of his performances, he is highly regarded as a performer, adjudicator, and clinician. The concert also features guest conductor Kaitlyn Archambault, a fourth-year student in Mount Allison’s Department of Music.

The concert is free to the public; all are welcome. A donation of a non-perishable item for the Sackville and area food bank is encouraged.

For additional information, call (506) 364-2374 or e-mail music@mta.ca. To view the full schedule of music department events, visit www.mta.ca/music/.

ARTS & CULTURE

THE ARGOSY | WWW.SINCE1872.CA

DRAMA

Review: ‘Godspell’

07

Motyer-Fancy puts on religious folk-rock musical MAGGIE PITMAN Arts & Culture Reporter Mother-Fancy’s latest production, Godspell, is a far cry from Kumbaya or Jesus Loves Me. Director Paul Del Motte’s relevant and topical interpretation connects some of the best-known teachings of the Bible with timeless problems. Although light-hearted and noticeably silly, the production addressed some more serious topics that people often avoid in modern conversation.

John-Michael Tebelak’s 1971 folkrock musical speaks the words of the Gospel According to Matthew, but pulls from Luke and John as well. The musical’s storyline begins with the baptism of Jesus and the gorgeous melodies of Save the People.

From there the show weaves between catchy songs and old-school parable teaching which eventually leads up to the much darker second act – the betrayal and crucifixion.

With the dazzling of vocals Emily O’Leary as Jesus Christ, it’s hard for this show to fail. Her clarity and accuracy brought so much to the performance. Although O’Leary’s interpretation stood on its own, every

cast member had at least one shining moment, if not more. Each character was valuable to the story and they were strong in their own individual ways.

The repetitiveness of the songs had spectators singing along, especially during Day by Day and All for the Best. At the end, audience members were humming the familiar tunes as they exited the theatre. The cast also shared communion with audience members by passing out grape juice during the 15-minute intermission, which was an interesting touch.

The first act, although kind of repetitive and noticeably nonlinear, drew a lot of laughs through the telling of the parables. The cast portrayed these teaching moments through cacophonous and chaotic comedy sketches. While a bit annoying and loud, the message they were trying to convey was clear: the world is problematic, and these ancient teachings can still be used to address the problems today.

The songs and material of the second act were much more meaningful and chilling. The entire audience was captivated during the emotional On The Willows, which

GODSPELL HAS LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR EACH CHARACTER TO SHINE, BEYOND THE CENTRAL CHARACTER OF JESUS. PAUL DEL MOTTE/SUBMITTED had audience members brushing tears off their cheeks. The haunting and dramatic finale included the crucifixion and an interpretation of the resurrection that involved cast members carrying Christ out of the theatre above their heads.

The music makes this show what it

truly is: simply magnificent. But the storytelling left me asking, “What’s the point?” Up until the very end, the characters are just telling stories and learning together. Why are the two acts different in tone and style?

Although a little clunky, I feel that this dichotomy is effective with the

overall tone of the musical. The nonlinear show actually follows the story quite well with Jesus Christ leading and teaching his disciples through the parables. The first act builds the community, the second tears it down.

FILM REVIEW

‘Frozen II’ Review

A more mature, high-stakes story blended with amazing music makes for a near-perfect film

THE RECENT SEQUEL TO THE DISNEY’S HIT FILM FROZEN DESERVES AN ESPECIALLY WARM WELCOME. MADELEINE HANSEN/ARGOSY

HANNAH TUCK Arts & Culture Reporter Picture it, if you will: a particular girl has just turned 14 and has spent the entire year obsessing over a little movie called Frozen. It’s what she lives and breathes for a good few months

after she finally sees the movie on opening weekend. Whether it was the release of short films like Frozen Fever or the version of Frozen that is currently on Broadway, that phase of her life always came back in full force.

Naturally, when the teaser trailer for the sequel dropped last February, that

part of her was back again.

In case you haven’t guessed at this point, that particular girl was and is me. Fourteen-year-old me lived and breathed everything Frozen related, latching onto the story in a way that I hadn’t in a while. As the years went on, I watched Frozen Fever (and adored it for its simplicity), Olaf’s Frozen Adventure (and loved all the parts that weren’t centred around Olaf) and have rocked out to the original cast recording of the Broadway musical more than I’d care to admit. I had high expectations for this film, to say the least, and knew I had to see it right away (which I did, this past Saturday at 10 p.m. at the Cineplex in Dieppe).

The first Frozen wrapped things up in a neat little bow with just enough lingering questions to keep audiences hooked, and the filmmakers rely heavily on those questions to create the plot of this sequel. Everything is picture-perfect in the kingdom of Arendelle, until Elsa (voiced by Idina Menzel, who brings a Broadwaycalibre performance to both song and dialogue) begins hearing a mysterious voice calling out to her and only her.

In an attempt to answer its call, Elsa awakens the elemental spirits from the enchanted forest that her parents had told her and her sister stories about. In order to save Arendelle, she sets out with Anna (played by Kristen Bell, keeping Anna’s fun nature while also adding in a new layer of protectiveness over her sister), Kristoff (Jonathan Groff, who has significantly more to do plot-wise

than in the original), and Olaf (Josh Gad, whose more “mature” snowman gets better jokes that all land while still having touching moments over the course of the film).

Because the film just came out, this is all I’m at liberty to say about the plot. Nobody wants to know exactly what happens in a movie when going in, but that is especially the case here – it needs to be seen to be believed. The story has grown up with its audience in a way I hadn’t expected, and therefore raises the stakes significantly. We do get answers about the main question of the film (where Elsa’s powers come from), but how it’s revealed is such a stunning visual sequence that I urge you to see it as soon as possible so you don’t have it spoiled.

What I can talk about is the soundtrack. Songs are written by the duo behind the first film’s score, Kristin Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, who not only wrote new songs for the shorts and the Broadway musical, but a slew of new songs for this film as well. While I will say the film uses Into the Unknown the same way as the first did Let It Go (and therefore will probably win the Best Original Song award at the Oscars this year), Elsa’s song from the third act, Show Yourself, is in my opinion a stronger song and has just as much performance potential. Show Yourself changes Elsa’s character in a way I never saw coming, and is the definition of a power ballad.

Speaking of power ballads, Kristoff gets one, and it truly doesn’t

disappoint. Lost In The Woods not only gives the male hero a song about his feelings for his love interest, but also gives older audience members a number that is chock-full of fun visuals cut straight from an 80s music video. It’s like if Bon Jovi were in a Disney movie. Anna gets a solo song herself called The Next Right Thing that also comes in the third act, and while I can’t say much, I can say that this song has a powerful message of getting back up again when you’ve reached your lowest point and just how hard that can be.

Did this sequel live up to the hype? Absolutely. Do I think it’s going to catch fire the same way that the first one did? I would be very surprised if it didn’t. This movie has a very strong fan base and is a huge financial win for Disney between the merchandising, the theme parks and the films themselves. Still, don’t let the over-playedness sway you from seeing this movie. It is poignant, funny and clearly isn’t a sequel that was slapped together for the sake of making another movie. This second installment has all the heart and soul of the first one, and so many surprises that, again, I recommend seeing it as soon as possible so you don’t get spoiled by anyone else who is as big a fan of the franchise as I am. Frozen II is a feast for the eyes, ears and heart, and is not to be missed by anyone.

A call to action on the annual Transgender Day of Rememberance ADA CLEVINGER Online Editor

Since 1999, Nov. 20 has been a significant date for members of the transgender community. It was that year that Gwendolyn Ann Smith held the first ceremony to remember the lives of the murdered transgender women from the previous year, specifically honouring the life of

Rita Hester whose murder was never solved by the police or even acknowledged by anyone outside of the transgender

against and murdered.

community.

Attempted suicide

that if a transgender

hate us so much that

rates for transgender

youth’s family is

even children become

are vulnerable. That

youth are incredibly

accepting of their

targets. It comes from

is not a commentary

high, an issue that is

identity, that suicide

discrimination in

on their emotional

only addressed by the

rate is cut to one-tenth

hiring that forces many

stability, but on the

media when reporting

of what it had been.

transgender people

frequency with which

on the apparent mental

They ignore the social

to turn to dangerous

they are harassed,

instability caused by

context that makes the

forms of sex work,

assaulted, discriminated

being transgender.

lives of transgender

while legislation makes

people uniquely

that work increasingly

difficult and painful as

harrowing.

Transgender people

What they ignore is

their entire sense of self

WE DO NOT

is regularly invalidated.

WANT OUR DEAD

When children are

SENSATIONALIZED

subjected to that kind

AND THEIR MURDERS

of environment, is it

CONSIDERED JUSTIFIED

any wonder that they

BECAUSE OUR

take drastic measures?

EXISTENCE SCARED

When no one is on

SOME VIOLENT

your side and you’re

TRANSPHOBE

told that you are sick for existing?

It comes from also being Black

This vulnerability

or Indigenous and

doesn’t come from

experiencing those

some universal truth

unique blends of

that a transgender

oppression. It comes

identity is tied to

from people being

suffering. It comes from

told that we are an OK

households that deny

target for their rage,

their children agency

that if we die no one

and their own identity.

will look too closely so

It comes from schools

please feel free to stalk

where kids have already

and murder us.

been taught to harass

STUDENT LOU DOUGLAS MAKING A SPEECH AT THE EVENT. GILL HILL/ARGOSY

youth because they

Transgender Day

their transgender

of Remembrance,

peers, from “activist”

held every Nov. 20, is

groups that joke about

a ceremony to push

maiming transgender

back against a society

that wants to ignore

lets these murders be

the painful reality

ignored and makes

of the conditions

this event necessary.

that transgender

We hope that the dead

people face, while

had a community that

vilifying us at every

buried them and gave

opportunity. We do

them the respect they

not want our dead

deserved, but given

to be sensationalized

that one in seven of the

and their murders

names on the list of 368

considered justified

murdered transgender

because our existence

people is unknown, we

scared some violent

may be the only people

transphobe. We want

who care that they died.

to honour them and let

It is not even just

the world know that

individual apathy that

they aren’t forgotten,

can make the death of

that we remember them

a transgender person

and that we refuse to

seem unimportant, but

stand idly by while this

systemic apathy that

same violence comes

leads to these murders

for another transgender

not being investigated

person. While this

by police. To murderers

guillotine hangs over

being able to avoid

our friends’ and our

conviction because of

own necks, we refuse

the “trans panic able

to be passive and wait

to avoid conviction

for it to fall. So, we read

because of the “trans

CLEVINGER DELIVERING A SPEECH AT THE EVENT. GILL HILL/ARGOSY

the names and remind

panic defence,”

lot of legislature was

resonates with you in

get you to show up to a

ourselves of what could

because our existence

written to deal with

a way that can save at

rally where we demand

happen to any of us,

was so revolting to

this “threat,” not to

least one life. That can

respect and humane

and what has happened

them that the legal

mention the attempts to

stop someone from

treatment from our

to hundreds of others

justice system agreed

remove any protections

committing suicide

government.

this year alone.

that our murder was

we had from hate

because you reached

justified. To the media

crimes and to legalize

out to your transgender

feel even a piece of the

like hell to hear the

comfortably sharing

the discrimination we

friend you haven’t

pain I feel, and find it

names, to read them,

stories of transgender

face from businesses.

heard from in a while,

so unbearable that you

to prepare speeches

predators and making

and reminded them

have to do something,

every year and hope

out every transgender

be a quiet ceremony

that they deserve to be

because this pain is

that the smattering of

person to be a violent

where the transgender

loved and respected.

not a yearly event but

people who show up

sexual assaulter,

community could pay

That can help a

a fact of life when you

that aren’t transgender

while remaining

our respects and move

homeless transgender

are transgender, and

will be moved by your

remarkably quiet

on, but that would be

kid get off the street

we need more people

words of violence and

when the transphobes

an insult to all of those

because you donated

trying to alleviate that

pain to help you.

who invented the

who died. So, instead,

to a local transgender

pain. We need people

Our enemy is

story admit that they

I write another speech

group that works to

to care and to prove it.

violence, but it is

made the whole thing

and another opinion

he help this vulnerable

also the apathy that

up – after, that is, a

piece and hope that it

population. That can

And it hurts. It hurts

I wish this day could

That can make you

So prove it.

10

ARTS & CULTURE

NOVEMBER 28, 2019 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA

COMMUNITY

Ninth annual Handmade Assembly sparks conversations about the handmade

Owens and Struts & Faucet galleries host series of workshops and talks

“THE HANDMADE ASSEMBLY IS THREE DAYS OF INTENSE TIME ALL CENTRED AROUND THE IDEA OF THE HANDMADE,” SAID LUCY MACDONALD. “IT IS TALKS, WORKSHOPS, ARTIST PROJECTS, EXHIBITIONS, PERFORMANCES. WE TAKE AN INCREDIBLY BROAD DEFINITION OF WHAT HANDMADE IS.” PENGYI HUANG/ARGOSY

JULIANNA RUTLEDGE Arts & Culture Reporter “[The Handmade Assembly] is a really important thing to have in the community,” said Lucy MacDonald, the curator of education and community outreach at Owens Art Gallery. “Sackville of course is a community full of artists and they are part of the [event’s] conversation.”

From last Wednesday to Saturday, the Owens Art Gallery and Struts Gallery and Faucet Media Arts Centre, supported by Mount Allison’s fine arts department, organized The Handmade Assembly, a series of workshops, talks and presentations that aims to bridge the gap between what is considered craft and art.

According to the event’s organizers, The Handmade Assembly “interprets

the ‘handmade’ in the widest terms, embracing interdisciplinarity and wide-ranging critical inquiry.”

Currently in its ninth year, the event started as a response to an increased interest in crafting across the country. “Amanda Fauteax [the former director of Struts Gallery] noticed that there were a lot of contemporary artists who were using craft practices or traditions in

THE HANDMADE ASSEMBLY GIVES SACKVILLE ARTISTS A CHANCE TO PRACTICE A VARIETY OF CRAFTING TRADITIONS AS A COMMUNITY. OWENS ART GALLERY/SUBMITTED

Join Sackville United Church in Sackville, N.B., for their second annual Cookie Walk, on Friday, Dec. 6 from 5:30 to 7:30 at the church location, 110 Main St. Everyone is welcome to walk around and choose from our wide selection of delicious Christmas cookies and other specialty items. Proceeds from the event will be shared between the Sackville United Church and the Sackville Refugee Response Coalition. We hope to see you at this one-of-a-kind, fun event.

their work,” said Emily Falvey, the director-curator of the Owens. “They wanted to create an event around that. But they wanted it to be focused on practice.

“Instead of an exhibition it would be a series of workshops with talks and performances [that] would just bring everyone together for a short period of time to share ideas and inspire each other,” explained Falvey.

This year’s leaders were Lisa Binkley, Tara Bursey, Paul Butler, Onya Hogan-Finlay, Marcia Huyer, Logan MacDonald, Alana Morouney, Lucas Morneau, Carley Mullally, Roula Partheniou, Carmen Robertson and Larry Weyand. Each participant led a workshop, talk or performance.

The workshops featured very different topics, from the creation of a camera obscura with Hogan-Finlay, to learning to crochet with the Queer Mummer (Morneau’s alter-ego), to ropemaking with Mullally and bannermaking with Bursey. Logan MacDonald’s workshop examined archival materials, while Huyer taught participants to make their own inflated forms.

“A really dynamic group of artists came together,” said Lucy MacDonald. “We find that every year it’s different because … these artists are coming from across the country and bringing very different practices.”

Larry Weyand’s exhibit Peeling the Sticker Off An Overripe Pear opened at Struts and Faucet. Weyland’s hooked rugs are made to look like different food items. Her hope is to start conversations around mental health, trauma, dysphoria and coping mechanisms that she first witnessed around the dinner table.

Meanwhile, Paul Butler’s The Collage Party had its opening night at the Owens. The Collage Party is an open studio where anyone can stop by to make collage and have their work featured as part of the exhibit.

The space will be open until Dec. 15 – I highly recommend stopping by to de-stress during the last few busy weeks of school.

There were also talks and performances.

Morouney’s performance Tell Me Something Good invites observers to leave messages that are then translated into Morse code and woven together with a small tabletop loom to become one long piece of fabric.

Morneau presented Queer Mummer Puppet Theatre, a performance done in crocheted drag that aims to question queer colonial traditions.

An important element of the event is the Heart & Pocket Revue, a yearly crafters market that features artists from within the local community.

This year it was located on the upper floor of the Royal Canadian Legion, where over two dozen vendors gathered to sell their art.

“It’s one of those opportunities to bring the town and the University together and I feel it does a good job of that,” said Falvey.

EDITOR: LAUREN SHAY| NOVEMBER 28, 2019 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

OPINIONS 11

One student’s experience of studying craftwork in Fredericton

Experiential learning opportunity allows GENV class to collect data

THE ARGOSY w w w. s i n c e 1 8 7 2 . c a

Independent Student Newspaper of Mount Allison University Thursday November 28th, 2019 volume 149 issue 10 Circulation 1,500 Since 1872

on Unceded Mi’kmaq Land 62 York Street W. McCain Student Centre Mount Allison University Sackville, New Brunswick E4L 1H3 THE ARGOSY is published by Argosy Publications, Inc., a student run, autonomous, nonpartisan not-forprofit organization operated in accordance with the province of New Brunswick.

EDITORIAL staff EDITORS IN CHIEF | Maia Herriot and Minnow Holtz-Carriere COPY EDITOR | Charlotte Savage NEWS EDITORS | Emma Conrad and Amelia MacDougall Fleming ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR | Ben Maksym OPINIONS EDITOR | Lauren Shay HUMOUR EDITOR | William Traves CREATIVE EDITOR | Matthew Cann

PRODUCTION staff PRODUCTION MANAGER | Kiara Mazerolle PHOTO EDITOR | Gill Hill PHOTOGRAPHERS | Aude Gazzano and Pengyi Huang ILLUSTRATIONS EDITOR | Ashli Green ILLUSTRATORS | Mara Ireta Gordon and Madeleine Hansen

REPORTING staff NEWS REPORTERS | Natasha Gosselin and Zoe

STUDENTS OF GENV 4181 TRAVELLED TO FREDERICTON TO RESEARCH IDEAS SURROUNDING AUTHENTICITY, GENTRIFICATION, AND THE ROLE OF SMALL CRAFT BUSINESSES IN DEFINING A SPACE. ARIANNA WOODLEY/SUBMITTED

ARIANNA WOODLEY Contributor This semester, the students of GENV 4821 (A Seminar in Urban Issues) embarked on a weekendlong journey to Fredericton, N.B., to complete research on craftwork restaurants. Under the instruction of Dr. Tim Reiffenstein, students Tamlyn Mafika, Aminah Simmons, Sertara Wilkinson and Arianna Woodley conceptualized their project based on course materials and discussion surrounding authenticity, gentrification and the role of small craft businesses in defining a space.

The project was further defined based on how craftwork in the restaurant industry related to the paradox of being authentic, cool, yet precarious.

The text Masters of Craft by Richard E. Ocejo governed the research, and the students were able to apply his definition of craftwork (“knowledgebased manual labour”) to the restaurants studied and provided the basis for conversation with the restaurant owners.

This vlog-style project features two very different restaurants: Caribbean Flavaz and Isaac’s Way. Caribbean Flavaz is a Caribbean-Canadian fused family restaurant that offers a variety of Caribbean foods, in an ambiance that takes you on a trip to the islands.

Chef Naz, the owner of one of the few restaurants of this type in Atlantic Canada, is also a highly popular DJ among celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Rihanna. This artistic expression

Hunter ARTS & CULTURE REPORTERS | Maggie Pitman, Hannah Tuck. and Julianna Rutledge

is seen through creative elements of his dishes and his “Surprise Me” section on the menu, carnival regalia framed alongside Trinidadian market murals and driftwood, as well as the musical accompaniment that drifts through the dining area.

“You can see Naz’s passion for his craft from the way he speaks about his story and the way he interacts with his customers – almost as though they are truly family!” Sertara said in our research discussion. Aminah, the videographer of the group, noted that she felt “at home away from home” based on the collective experience at the restaurant.

Isaac’s Way also did not disappoint, as the group was charmed by the artistic components that decorated the halls of this old historic courthouse. There were paintings from local artists who support underprivileged children in the community and quotes about food from well-known authors.

Although the restaurant’s original structure was destroyed by fire and they relocated, Tabatha, the owner, made sure that her business never lost its sense of community. From the N.B.-made coffee mugs and craft beers to the spin on local dishes, every aspect of the service was customized to suit every customer. The chef, Jesse, was also instrumental in this process, and Aminah was invited behind the scenes to watch him prepare one of the first meals of the day.

“I got to go into the kitchen of Isaac’s Way! I was able to see up

close and personal how the chef customized his eggs Benedict and it was amazing!” she said. “I have never been that close to a professional chef in any restaurant before, so it was pretty cool. The presentation of the food reminded me of Patterson’s here

“THE TRIP WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE BECAUSE WE LEARNED TO COLLECT AND PROCESS DATA ON OUR OWN” in Sackville.”

While in Fredericton, the students also visited Naru Sushi Japanese Restaurant and the Fredericton Farmers Market, which provided the opportunity to informally interview vendors about their products and whether they considered them to fall into the category of “knowledge-based manual labour.” Items represented included local fruits and vegetables, kettle corn, German cuisine, Asian cuisine, butcheries, cheesemakers, knitwork, wooden toys and so on.

Before leaving for Fredericton, a part of the research involved asking randomly selected students across the Mt. A campus about what craftwork meant to them. While most answers

centred around “majorly developed hobbies,” some respondents were not entirely sure how craftwork could be defined, as they believed that a person’s craft should be left to them to define how they view the fruits of their labour.

This was quite interesting to note, as the question also re-circulated during our restaurant interviews in Fredericton – this time with different viewpoints. Both owners believed that their work was their craft, a manifestation of their knowledge through careful curation and manual labour.

“The trip was a great experience because we learned to collect and process data on our own,” said Tamlyn. “Interviewing the restaurant owners also gave us a new perspective on the restaurant business; it allowed us to step into their minds for a few moments.” In the past, this course has been used to explore the contemporary city through the lens of its craft-based economy.

Through the generous sponsorship of Experiential Learning and FutureReadyNB and contributions from the Mt. A department of geography and environment, this research was made possible this year and the students and professor would like to extend thanks to both organizations.

OPERATIONS staff SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER | Megan Fitzgerald DISTRIBUTIONS MANAGER | Michaela Kaiser HR REP | Ryan Schultz

CONTRIBUTORS Hamish Hallett, Isaiah Yankech, Nora Livesey, Rachel McDougall. Margaret Craig, Paul De Motte COVER | Emma Delaney

DISCLAIMERS & COPYRIGHT The Argosy is the official independent student journal of news, opinion and the 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 designs and comics are welcome. The Argosy reserves the right to edit or refuse all materials deemed sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic or otherwise unfit for print, as determined by the Editors 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 Editors in Chief at the address above. If the Editors in Chief are unable to resolve a complaint, it may be taken to the Argosy Publications, Inc. Board of Directors.

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All materials appearing in the Argosy bear the copyright of Argosy Publications, Inc. Material cannot be reprinted without the consent of the Editors in Chief.

12

OPINIONS

NOBEMBER 28, 2019 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA

COLUMN

Looking for green flags in healthy relationships It’s important to think critically about how relationships are portrayed in media

CECILIA WATT Columnist Every day we’re surrounded by images of romantic relationships: in our own lives, on our TVs, in the news, in the books we read, in the music we listen to and in the content we see on social media platforms.

We love to root for and look up to relationships that we admire, especially those that surround us in the form of celebrity and pop culture.

Who doesn’t love the Obamas?

Who doesn’t love the Twitter banter between our favourite celebrity couples? Who doesn’t have a couple, fictional or real, that they root for and idealize so much that they deem them “goals” and hope to model their own relationships after them?

On the flip side of that, haven’t we all also had those couples that we’ve hoped would break up because they were unhealthy, toxic and/or abusive?

The real question is about what we see as healthy and unhealthy, and what really is healthy and unhealthy. While the terms “healthy relationship” and “unhealthy relationship” are often associated with romantic relationships, any kind of relationship we have in our lives can fall under those categories.

The dangerous part is when relationships are presented to us as healthy, stable and ideal when they are, in reality, toxic and unhealthy.

Disney relationships are a perfect example of this. While Disney is all sorts of magical, let’s recognize that the romantic relationship in

Beauty and the Beast involved a hostage exchange and some high-key Stockholm syndrome. Not to mention that relationships represented in pop culture are, for the most part, incredibly heteronormative, and there is still a serious lack of representation of couples who do not consist of straight, cisgender men and women. This misrepresentation in media leaves the consumers of that media, especially our youth, vulnerable to believing that abuse and toxic behaviour is actually an equivalent of love.

It’s also important to remember that while abusive behaviour can manifest itself publicly and obviously, it is also often hidden away behind closed doors. The truth is that we don’t always know the reality of

the couples we idealize, and this is something we must take into account when receiving disclosure from survivors of intimate partner violence and unhealthy relationships, in order to avoid invalidating their experiences with harmful comments such as “Really? But they seem so nice to me!”

There is a lot of discourse surrounding red flags in relationships, the little incidents and comments that serve as warnings for abusive and toxic behaviour that follow them.

While it is important to recognize and talk about those red flags, I think it is healthy and beneficial to talk about the green flags in our relationships: the positive behaviours that create a healthy foundation to build a relationship on top of. Here

are a few (of many) green flags that we should all strive to have, not only in our romantic relationships, but in every kind of relationship, whether it be with a friend, a coworker or a family member.

A relationship where each person’s boundaries are communicated and respected A relationship where there are equal amounts of trust on each side A relationship wherein you value each other’s opinions and can disagree and work through arguments healthily A relationship free of manipulation, coercion and degradation A relationship that supports individual personal growth and goals A relationship that knows how to compromise A relationship where each party feels completely safe and secure A relationship wherein you communicate openly and honestly your needs, boundaries, fears and feelings When we consume media representations of romantic relationships (or relationships of any kind), we have to think critically about what we’re being fed and how it actually translates to our own realities.

One reality we all share is that we’re deserving of healthy relationships full of every green flag you can possibly think of and that we are surrounded by those who support us in asserting that reality should we find ourselves in an unhealthy relationship.

If you are wondering if your relationship is healthy, you can get a healthy relationship assessment at SHARE. Just email share@mta.ca to make an appointment.

COLUMN

The Rocky Horror Show experience

Reflecting on experiencing a Sackville Halloween tradition for the first time

HAMISH HALLETT Columnist As Halloween had come to a close, The Rocky Horror Picture Show was played at the Vogue. Students and residents from all around Sackville

and maybe even New Brunswick all gathered outside on a cold wintery night to watch the 1975 classic.

People went to the extent of dressing as the characters of the show with unique eyeliner and crazy black wigs.

The story started with a wedding

scene, while rice was thrown up in the air by the crowd within the great Sackvillian cinema. Rice had filled people’s hair and scattered all across the floors. It was then the introduction of the two main characters, Janet and Brad. Chants of “asshole” and “slut” boomed across the ancient theatre walls. This film is very interactive, and there was more to come. Brad was inspired by his friend being married and out of nowhere, decides to propose to Janet, to which she says yes.

Music rattled the speakers and dancing had erupted around the church, with Brad delighted that he will be married. All this positivity and all of this sunshine quickly turned into a massive rainstorm. Both Brad and Janet were in a car and presumably going off for their honeymoon. They are then stuck, and their vehicle breaks down but conveniently they are near a castle. They get out of the car and adventure towards the castle,

with Janet holding up a newspaper to cover up her beautiful hair and the audience does as well. The castle seems haunted.

Both Brad and Janet enter what you could call this world of mystery, weirdness and all-in-all ambiguity. This confused and perplexed civilization was the Annual Transylvanian Convention led by Dr. Frank. N. Furter a self-proclaimed “sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania.” Both the main characters and the audience were all in amazement.

The Time Warp is then played and the majority of the audience is at the front dancing away and mimicking all the moves that are part of the sequence. Throughout the film, the narrator was trying to explain what was going on. The Vogue audience was having none of it, and boos and screams filled the theatre to silence him. When the Time Warp finishes, both the main characters experience

all sorts of pandemonium within the convention: the unveiling of the very muscley Rocky Horror creation, the killing of the ex-delivery boy Frank (played by Meat Loaf), a meal with everyone in the movie (which then corresponded to toast being thrown about in the cinema) and many more.

These were just a few notable things that had happened during the film. A good Friday night spent in downtown Sackville and a continued tradition for many of the residents and students.

As a first-timer to this film and to this tradition, I left the Vogue in absolute shock. Till this day I am still trying to figure out what I watched.

However, it was a great film and the experience in the Vogue will be stuck in my mind for years to come.

Apologies to all of those who had to clean up the cinema that night.

OPINIONS

THE ARGOSY | WWW.SINCE1872.CA

COLUMN

13

Wrap it up, Mounties

Talking sexual wellness and how to reduce the risk of contracting STIs

RACHEL MACDOUGALL Columnist It’s here, folks: the Wellness Centre and MASU are teaming up this week for the #KnowYourStatus campaign! Keep your eyes peeled for new informational posters up around campus and our education and awareness booths on Wednesday and Friday! We will also be providing drop-in STI testing from 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 27 and from 9 to 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 29! Bring your Medicare card and give yourself about 20 minutes to be tested.

Why is this campaign necessary? Let’s check the stats.

Only 50.2 per cent of Mount Allison students reported using a condom or other protective barrier during intercourse in the last 30 days on the

American College Health Association National College Health Assessment conducted in the spring of 2018.

After receiving the summary of this assessment earlier this semester, the Wellness Centre conducted a poll.

About 75 per cent of respondents were aware that the Wellness Centre provides students with free condoms, but 80 per cent indicated that they had never used a condom provided by the Wellness Centre or RAs in residence. The most common reason for not using a condom was that respondents were in a relationship and don’t use a condom every time they have sex (25 per cent), followed closely by an expressed dislike for the brand of condoms provided by the Wellness Centre (22 per cent).

Notably, 15per cent of respondents indicated that they usually don’t wear

a condom when they have sex.

Taking a look at some bigger numbers in Canada shows why our tendency as Mounties to not wear a love glove is troubling. One in two sexually active young people will get a sexually transmitted infection by the age of 25. Chlamydia is the most commonly diagnosed and reported STI in Canada, but 70 per cent of those infected with chlamydia (or gonorrhea) do not experience any symptoms. About 70 per cent of adults will have had sexually transmitted HPV (human papillomavirus).

Symptoms of STIs can include sores or warts, swelling, skin rash, painful urination, fever and more.

It’s safe to say that everyone wants to avoid contracting an STI. But how? The only method to 100 per cent guarantee you won’t contract an

STI is to not have sex. Realistically, university students are having sex – so the second-best way to prevent STIs is through the use of condoms, which are 98 per cent effective at protecting against most STIs like chlamydia and gonorrhea. Other preventative steps are important, such as getting vaccinated for hepatitis B and HPV (for both men and women). Individuals who are engaging in frequent sexual activity should be tested for STIs. It only takes 20 minutes – just bring your healthcare card to the Wellness Centre, fill out a few forms and give a urine sample!

So Mounties, I implore you: wear a condom! Engaging in sexual skin-to-skin contact can transmit STIs between individuals, and it’s important to protect yourself from

these diseases. Taking responsibility and being accountable for your own sexual health is an important part of growing up and being an independent adult in university.

I am also happy to share with you all that thanks to the results of the poll, the Wellness Centre has changed the brand of condoms it provides to students, which will be available at our education booths this week and around campus, including in residences. If you have any questions or want to learn more, please feel free to contact me at healthintern@mta.ca. To schedule an STI test, email wellness@mta.ca or cmosher@mta.ca. Have a happy and healthy week!

Call for Argosy Board Members The Argosy is looking for faculty and student board members!

The Argosy board is made up of two Editors in Chief (EICs), two student board members and two faculty members. The board meets once a semester and their function is primarily to keep the EICs and business manager (all student positions) accountable through presenting the budget to the board and talking through any significant changes the EICs made to the paper at meetings. Additionally, if a larger, unexpected issue comes up during the year (a defamation accusation for example) the board will be consulted as part of the EICs’ process of response.

No previous knowledge of the business of a newspaper required. Interested faculty from any department may e-mail us at argosy@mta.ca, or contact this year’s Editors-in-Chief, Maia Herriot and Minnow Holtz-Carriere, directly.

14 CREATIVE

UNTITLED, NORA LIVESEY

EDITOR: MATTHEW CANN | NOVEMBER 28, 2019 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA

Ornamental, Nature AMY WARD Contributor I love to see when you paint the road red

Sacrificing annually

The hope of loss your charity

Bring consolation home

You hold a hidden smile in your core The taking, giving, is not owned Still, I sense a warmth in you

CROW CHILD, ANONYMOUS

A knowing in your veins

Covering fields by your frail fingertips

Then bare and covered in sparkling pearls

UNTITLED, NORA LIVESEY

With what your branches hold

Adorned anew, and giving From generous tree, to on and beyond There standing a portrait of promises You are legacy, a trifle I seek

CREATIVE

THE ARGOSY | WWW.SINCE1872.CA

15

UNTITLED, NORA LIVESEY

UNTITLED, NORA LIVESEY

SUBMIT

send your artwork: photos, writing, painting, sketches, series, watercolors, and poetry. anything creative, or artistic, can make it in this section, including doodles (!) we can work with any medium and format. to submit, attach your work with your name, medium, name of the piece (if titled), and any formatting specialties in an email to mtcann@mta.ca. theme for next issue: 2020, new years regrets DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA, EMMA DELANEY

16 HUMOUR

CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1. Author of Crime and Punishment 8. Winged woman holding an atom 12. Fentanyl concern (acr.)

13. Medieval ruins in Pakistan 14. Do perfectly 15. Geologist who influenced Darwin’s theory of evolution 18. Sister Wives network (acr.)

19. Log, naturally

20. Or should I use e.g.? (abv.)

21. Yeah, Will Traves is in _ ____.

24. Potential neopronoun 25. Troupe of barons 27. ___ Jeeves 29. Not moving, nor sitting 31. Hieroglyphic symbol, also the Millennium Key 33. Dwarves from Quebec

TECH NEWS

34. Müller-____ illusion 35. Japan’s first name 36. Mischievous sprite 38. Horse controller 40. Irving’s competition?

41. Awful kids 43. The first of Paul’s letters (as abbreviated in the Bible) 44. Nordic Valkyrie named after war 46. Slaw or fries 48. When a man loves his dog too much 51. Jennings highlight of Friday mornings 52. Grocer founded in N.S. 53. One thousand periods per second (abv.)

54. _____ Tahreek, Pakistani leftwing political party 55. Israeli actress 56. Smashing Pumpkins’ first song since the lineup reform 58. Today, in Madrid 60. Where Miley arrives in Party in the USA (abv.)

62. Toronto music fest 63. Receiver of the Chalice of Mome 65. Windows to the soul (archaic) 66. The Last of __

EDITOR: WILL TRAVES | NOVEMBER 28, 2019 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA 67. Like Alcoholics Anonymous, but sexy (acr.)

68. John Travolta in Hairspray DOWN 1. Guys and _____ 2. Combining form meaning pain 3. Islamic militia that shot Malala Yousafzai 4. Site of siege won by Joan of Arc 5. Dawn horse 6. Nintendo’s 1995 flop (acr.)

7. The only class here is defensive driving (acr.)

8. Cause to be (both a suffix and prefix) 9. Integral Passover cuisine 10. New Spider-Man’s secret identity 11. Important-sounding camps both school and church sent me to (abv.)

16. Mt. A Wi-Fi woe 17. The three minutes before a YouTube video 21. Grass; Mexican actress known for her old roles in horror films 22. Potentially greatest male ballet dancer in history 23. Not as remote 26. Nutrition advisor (abv.)

28. Superhuman who almost killed

Spock (or Kirk depending on the universe) 29. Chinese fermented and distilled rice 30. Why waitresses are paid less 32. Akira, director 33. God is dead 35. Very important for druids, mages and clerics 37. Jazzman Armstrong 39. Host of CBC’s Go Public 42. Diviners 44. Narrow stream 45. Breed of dog, also a province (abv.)

47. “The inner machinations of my mind are an ______.”

49. Female expert 50. The key to creating the Punnett square 51. “It’s hard to be the ____.”

57. First amino acid (abv.)

59. Windsor, Windsor, Windsor! __, __, __!

61. Fanfiction term for when you want to change the canon (acr.)

63. Degree nearly every student in biochem wants (abv.)

64. Where good things grow (abv.)

SPORTS JOURNALISM

Embedding myself in varsity croquet TRILL WAVES Humour Editor

ILLUSTRATION: BRE DARLISON

Facilities Management Unveils New Cyber Golf Cart TRILL WAVES Humour Editor Following the unveiling of Elon Musk’s Tesla Cybertruck this past Thursday, Mount Allison’s Facilities Management has presented a futuristic utility vehicle of its own.

The Cyber Golf Cart is a state-ofthe-art utility golf cart created from the ground up to be as expensive and “avant-garde” as possible. Designed in the same style as the Cybertruck, the Cyber Golf Cart’s angular design draws stylistic cues from cyberpunk science fiction, evoking images of extremely late-stage capitalist corporate dystopian hellscapes.

During the demonstration of the Cyber Golf Cart’s abilities, Dr. JeanPaul Boudreau attempted to beat the cart in a race across campus. The cart shot away from the start line at a breakneck speed of 15 km/h and reached a top speed of 20 km/h on the hill between Crabtree and Hart Hall.

Embarrassingly, the cart lost to Dr. Boudreau as he is one of the fastest men alive.

The cart has drawn controversy from the student population at Mt. A. as it is expected to add approximately $40,000 to annual tuition fees. Many students feel that it is unfair that they should have to pay so much for something that literally no one asked for.

Another cause for concern is the cart’s on-board autopilot.

“How the hell am I supposed to get run over and get free tuition if there’s no chance for me to run in front of a distracted driver?” said one student.

“Computers don’t get sleep deprived or bored. I’m really at a loss here.”

However, other students don’t see this as much of an issue. Some even see it as an improvement, because the AI for the autopilot was created as part of a class project for Introduction to Computer Science.

At the announcement event for the Cyber Golf Cart, Facilities Management also stated that they would be acquiring six of Tesla’s Cybertrucks to “keep a uniform aesthetic” and “spend as much money as possible.”

The lawn of a house party in Sackville draws a large crowd of Mount Allison students. They laugh, cheer and drink without fear of police intervention, as there’s only like two cops in Sackville and they don’t often make their way out this far. The dim lighting of party happening inside spills out onto the playing field. People gather around me, my teammate Sean and my opponents. A lit cigarette hangs out of my mouth and I get Sean to hold my beer as I line up my shot. I swing the mallet at the ball and send it rolling at breakneck speed towards the hoop.

It misses because I am terrible at croquet. So is everyone playing, and no one is sober.

Mt. A’s newest varsity sports team is the varsity croquet team, and we are some of the best. Unparalleled in our complete lack of knowledge of the sport of croquet, our inability to play and our complete disregard for any rule or regulation, our only goal is to make it through the hoops and to the stake by any means necessary.

It’s guerilla croquet in its purest form, lawless and intense.

As soon as me and the boys step out of the house and pull out our balls, it’s go time. Beers: cracked. Darts: lit.

Tarps: off. We don’t know what the course is supposed to look like so it’s

different every time – we constantly have to change our strategy and think on our feet. Due to a shortage of mallets we play in teams of two. Sean and I are one of the heaviest-hitting teams in the league. While some of the more advanced players opt for golf-like swings, I rock a “between the legs” technique, which sends balls off with about as much accuracy as I’m humanly capable of, which isn’t saying much.

To add a touch of flair, some players, myself included, will go for a move called a “one-armed Hail Mary.” This move always makes the horse girls swoon given its similarity to equestrian polo technique, which is a good or bad thing depending on who you are. I tend to save the Hail Marys for later in the game when people have started caring even less about the rules and the drinks have made me less wary of the only girl advice my dad ever gave me: avoid horse girls at all costs.

In the early stages of the game there is some regard for the rules. Don’t skip hoops, bonus shots only from passing through a hoop or in cases of ball-to-ball contact. As the game’s duration passes the one-hour mark, the number of players, spectators and shits given decrease exponentially.

At the 90-minute mark, the goal shifts from making it through hoops to making it to the stake at the end

of the course. At this point, all bets are off. Croquet is generally a turnbased game, but when people start leaving for the bars there’s no longer any time to waste and a winner must be crowned. Balls fly across the lawn without precision; all we need now is to get close. We can sort the rest out later.

This is my specialty. My elongated skeletal arms create the ultimate pendulum, allowing for absolute domination. I am a force of nature, a machine fuelled by beer and cigarettes. Hail Marys only. Sean and I are the ultimate team. While I can send ’em far (when I actually hit the ball), he is much more accurate.

When the game ends and the dust settles we often find ourselves in at least the top five, and that’s good enough for us.

While many varsity teams have support and recognition from the University and the AUS, varsity croquet is underground. We have no funding, all of our gear has been acquired through questionable means, and we only play under the cover of night. At the end of the day, we don’t care. All that matters to us are mallets, balls, hoops, stakes, beers, cigarettes, not wearing shirts, hard liquor, the love of a woman and, of course, croquet.