The Argosy, February 9, Vol. 146, Iss. 15 by The Argosy

THE ARG OSY

NEWS The Pond holds student consultation (Pg. 2)

ARTS & CULTURE Riotous Film Society shows alternative flicks (Pg. 12)

Sans parental supervision since 1872

SPORTS Men’s basketball prepares for grudge match (Pg. 7)

OPINIONS Canada’s complicity in U.S. politics (Pg. 15)

Mount Allison’s Independent Student Newspaper

COVER: ANDREAS FOBES, KIDS, 2017.

February 9, 2017 Vol. 146, Iss. 15

02 NEWS Can the Pond stay afloat?

EDITORS: CATHERINE TURNBULL & NAOMI GOLDBERG | FEBRUARY 9, 2017 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA

CAMPUS PUB

“Town Hall” provides valuable feedback for the future of the Pond

CAMPUS PUB STAFF LOOK TO IMPROVE SERVICES AND RECREATE THE GOLDEN DAYS ADRIAN KIVA/ARGOSY

JILL MACINTYRE News Reporter Last Wednesday, the staff of Mount Allison’s campus pub the Pond hosted a town hall meeting to receive student feedback for future renovations. the Pond has been struggling financially for a number of years and many events are not well attended. According to an email from Andy Hebert, manager of the Pond, student feedback will shape the future of their business model. “We know that students are not happy with the space. To keep the Pond running as a sustainable business, we need to make changes. We are currently looking at options that will best meet the needs of both students and the University,” Hebert wrote. At the meeting, roughly 20 student attendees were divided into breakout sessions led by student Events Services Staff (ESS). Students were asked about any positive or negative experiences they have had at the pub and to make recommendations for the future.

Cara MacKenzie, a third-year environmental science student, attended the event. “To be honest, I went for the [free] nachos. I didn’t really think in advance of ideas that I had for the Pond and was surprised [by] all that we came up with,” she said. “The focus groups were good because we could bounce ideas off of one another, and share and build on ideas in a way that we wouldn’t have been able to if we were just filling out a survey.” Student attendees were not given specific information on the nature of the potential renovations, but instead were asked to describe their ideal campus pub. Some attendees suggested physical changes such as the removal of the dance floor mural and better lighting. Others recommended switching the locations of the men’s and women’s washrooms, as some female students reported feeling unsafe walking down the hallway to the washroom alone. According to Amber Quinn, a firstyear psychology student, physical changes could make the pub more accessible.

“I think that it’s important for myself as well as many other students to feel like we have a comfortable environment in the Pond. I think a brighter and chiller aesthetic is the sort of environment that suits Sackville students the most,” Quinn said. Other attendees suggested changes to the Pond’s business model, including adding alcohol services throughout the day, moving away from a club atmosphere, providing healthier food options and having large monthly events instead of smaller events every weekend that are not always well attended. “I think the Pond just needs a solid identity that would draw a crowd. Every bar in town has its own niche and I think the Pond needs that too,” MacKenzie said. Hebert wrote that the Pond staff will also be sending out a campus-wide survey by email so that all students, whether or not they attended town hall, have the opportunity to provide feedback.

This Week at MASU council Compiled by NADIYA SAFONOVA Politics Reporter ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES PLAN Vice-President Academic Affairs Mary Emma MacNeil has outlined a logistics plan draft to give students access to transportation to and from Moncton for mental health services. The deadline for implementing this service is March 17, 2017.

EVALUATION OF FALL READING WEEK Academic Affairs, through an ad hoc committee, is in the process of creating a final report about the results of the implementation of a fall reading week. Information for the report will include input from faculty through Faculty Council discussion and from students via surveys.

VIGIL ON SUNDAY, FEB. 12 Following the recent shooting at a Quebec City mosque, among other recent acts of racism and discrimination, Mount Allison and the Town of Sackville are coordinating a vigil to be held at the University Chapel on Feb. 12 at 6 p.m.. The vigil is to act as a commitment towards mutual respect, peace, welcoming people from around the world regardless of faith, and standing in solidarity with all those suffering from discriminatory policies and racism.

NEW SYSTEM FOR COLLECTION OF RESIDENCE HOUSE FEES Instead of the current house fees collection procedure, which is done as students move into residence, these costs will now be included in university fees. Mt. A will then send a cheque to every residence with the total amount of collected fees.

NEWS

THE ARGOSY | WWW.ARGOSY.CA

This Week in New Brunswick Compiled by NAOMI GOLDBERG News Editor

STUDENT POLITICS

MASU Executive 2017-18 COMPILED BY KAVANA WA KILELE NewsReporter

On Jan. 30 and 31, the MASU held its annual winter election. The winning candidates for president, vice-president academic, vice-president external and vice-president student life were announced on Feb. 1. The Argosy spoke to the newly elected executive and asked about their main platform points and hopes for their position.

COUPLE CREATES WALL OF MANURE TO ANNOY NEIGHBOURS In a recent court case, Judge Rideout ruled that the Murrays of Indian Mountain Road purposefully piled a giant mound of manure along the property line of their neighbours, Dave and Joan Gallant, in 2013. The Gallants requested multiple times that the Murrays remove the pile of manure, but to no avail. The mound was finally hauled away in 2014. Rideout ruled that the Murrays committed nuisance, trespass and harassment, and ordered that the Murrays keep their animals off the Gallants’ property. The Murrays must now pay $17,689 in damages and court costs.

MARITIMES TO BE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY SEALEVEL RISE Boris Worm, marine research ecologist at Dalhousie University, said that the Maritimes will be among the hardest hit by sea-level rise. A report by the U.S. government predicts that by 2100, sea levels will have risen anywhere between 0.35 metres and 2.5 metres in New Brunswick, depending on the efforts taken to fight climate change. In an interview with the CBC, Worm said that every 0.35-metre rise increases the likelihood of powerful storm surges by 25 times. At the moment, storms surges powerful enough to threaten human life occur in the U.S. approximately every five years, according to the CBC. By 2100, storms of this magnitude will likely occur five times per year.

Sara Camus PRESIDENT

“I had three main points on my platform. One identified that our campus isn’t very accessible. Some of the [accessibility] issues include electronic door openers, residence washrooms and braille. Some of these issues can be fixed in a short period of time. However, I will be pushing to establish a long-term plan for making changes on campus. “The second point is in regard to the lack of mental health services on campus. Mental health was identified as a concern in both the CASA [Canadian Alliance of Students Association] and NBSA [New Brunswick Student Alliance] lobby documents this year. The provincial budget will be dropped this month. Once this is made public, we can do further analyses and adjust how to achieve these goals….The MASU is also currently working on a voucher system with Sackville Cab for students to get to Moncton for mental health reasons. “The third point of my platform identifies some of the issues faced by international students. This includes, but is not limited to, inclusivity within the MASU, government-issued identification and provincially funded health care. “What drives me is that being involved with the students’ union is never static. There is always opportunity to initiate change.”

Rachel Howlett VP ACADEMIC

CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING KILLS TWO, PUTS 42 IN HOSPITAL

“My major campaign points for next year are focused on providing academic support to students and communicating academic updates of the University. I want to support first-year students by continuing to fund resource centres across campus like the writing resource centre and the math resource centre. “I’d like to work with the University to create specific workshops for these first-year students and also introduce workshops geared toward graduating students in regard to what they need from the University for graduate school. I’d also like to continue to adjust the academic mentors training so we can continue to help students in residences through these positions. “I want to promote more study space around campus and I want to continue to advocate for extended library hours. I will continue to offer free practice standardized tests like the LSATs, MCATs and others, if there is interest. I also recognize the importance of the work that gets done in committees. I want to make sure that any student serving on academic committees within the MASU and within Senate feels prepared and ready to contribute. “Academics are the foundation of our experience at Mount Allison, and I hope to improve student life academically next year. I care a lot about academics, learning and growing, and that’s what I hope to carry with me next year in this position.”

According to the CBC, carbon monoxide poisoning killed two people and left 42 others hospitalized in New Brunswick following last week’s severe ice storm. Some residents who lost power in the storm resorted to generators, space heaters, barbecues and camping equipment to heat their homes, which can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide, which has no smell, taste, or colour, is the product of an incomplete combustion of fossil fuels such as gasoline, oil, coal, wood, propane and natural gas. Signs of carbon monoxide poisoning include nausea, headache, fatigue and dizziness. In instances of high exposure, a person can fall asleep and never wake up. Provincial authorities have been trying to communicate the dangers of using outside heating equipment inside of the house to residents most drastically affected by power outages, such as the Acadian Peninsula.

“My focus will be on transportation, housing and landlord-tenant relations, strengthening and expanding relations with external entities, pedestrian safety on the perimeter of campus and accessibility advocacy. More concretely, I will fight for a more affordable airport shuttle service and a Maritime Bus stop on campus. “I will plan a number of info sessions and create pamphlets and the like to raise awareness and provide information to students regarding housing options as well as their rights and responsibilities as tenants. I will schedule meetings with members of town council, members of the admin and any government officials willing to meet with me to build relationships. I also hope to have a crosswalk put in place in front of the [student centre] leading to the stairs near the library, [which are] currently blocked off. “I’d like students to know that I really encourage anybody and everybody to come talk to me throughout the year about what I’m doing – not only if they have concerns, but also if they just want to know what I do and how I do it. I’d love to talk to students about what it is I actually do and how I can help them with any concerns they may have in the future.”

UNEXPECTEDLY HIGH NUMBER OF POWER POLES COLLAPSE DURING ICE STORM N.B. Power managers and engineers are trying to decide whether the collapse of hundreds of power poles in the Acadian Peninsula following the ice storm was an anomaly or something that demands stronger, more expensive infrastructure. The collapse of so many poles considerably slowed the process of restoring power to the Acadian Peninsula, leaving thousands of residents without power for more than a week. According to the CBC, N.B. Power says there was nothing deficient in its equipment or engineering. Instead, N.B. Power spokespeople emphasized the abnormal nature of the storm to explain the collapse of the poles.

Danica Garner VP EXTERNAL

Emma Miller VP STUDENT LIFE

“The platform points I plan on looking into include reforming the newly implemented Residence Code of Conduct, developing mental health [initiatives] on campus and strengthening the connection between the MASU and the residences, clubs and societies on campus. The portion concerning sexual violence on the Residence Code of Conduct has recently been looked into and appropriate changes have been made. “I plan on developing mental health [initiatives] on campus through new resources and overall awareness. I plan on looking into making mental health first aid training more available and advertised so that a larger number of students can be equipped with this type of education. “I also intend on looking into the MASU insurance plan and figuring out what mental health coverage is provided with the intent to make its services more student-oriented. This would hopefully in turn provide more mental health assistance to those who need it on campus. “Next year, I intend on being more present in the lives of the students on campus to ensure MASU is providing for them in every way possible. I hope to form new connections and continue to maintain the strong ones that are already in place. “I would like the students at Mt. A to know that I am incredibly enthusiastic about students’ experiences in university. I want to assist in making student life at Mount Allison memorable, accessible and enjoyable for all students whether they are on or off campus.”

BE RORY GILMORE FOR A DAY CONTRIBUTE TO THE ARGOSY

MEETINGS TUESDAYS AT 6, STUDENT CENTRE, 3RD FLOOR

NEWS

FEBRUARY 9, 2017 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA

SUBMITTED BY STUDENT AFFAIRS

February is Black History Month: Black representation in Canadian Politics

To mark Black History Month, Student Affairs will run a series of articles highlighting important people and accomplishments in Canadian black history. The theme for the month is “Educate. Celebrate. Commemorate.” This week’s article focuses on the origins of Black History Month and the rise of black representation in Canadian politics over the past fifty years. WHY DO WE COMMEMORATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH?

People of African descent are often absent from Canadian history books. There is very little mention of slavery in Canada, of the fact that it once existed in this country or that many of the Loyalists who came here after the American Revolution and settled in the Maritimes were Black. Black Canadians have made many sacrifices for this country. A great example of this is their wartime effort during the War of 1812 and the Second World War from 1939 to 1945.

NEGRO HISTORY WEEK

Black History Month began as Negro History Week in the United States in 1926. Historian Carter G. Woodson wanted to raise awareness of contributions of Black people in the country’s history. This week-long commemoration eventually led to Black History Month in the 1970s. Woodson chose February for this observance because the renowned abolitionists Frederick Douglass and former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln were born during the month.

CANADIAN LEGISLATION OFFICIALLY OBSERVES BLACK HISTORY MONTH

In December 1995, the House of Commons in Canada officially recognized February as Black History Month following a motion introduced by the first Black Canadian woman elected to Parliament, the Honourable Jean Augustine. The motion was carried unanimously by the House of Commons. In February 2008, Senator Donald Oliver, the first Black man appointed to the Senate, introduced a motion to have the Senate officially recognize February as Black History Month. It received unanimous approval and was adopted on March 4, 2008. The adoption of this motion completed Canada’s parliamentary position on Black History Month. Senator Anne Cools was the first Black woman to be appointed to the Senate.

LINCOLN ALEXANDER (1922 – 2012)

Canada’s first Black Member of Parliament Lincoln MacCauley Alexander served as the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 1985 to 1991. Alexander was also a Governor of the Canadian Unity Council. Born in Toronto to West Indian immigrants, Alexander served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. He graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto in 1953. In 1968, he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as the Hamilton West representative for the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, becoming Canada’s first black Member of Parliament. He held the seat for four successive elections. In 1985 Governor General Jeanne Sauvé appointed Lincoln Alexander the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. He became the second Black person to serve in a vice-regal position in Canada. In 2000, Alexander was named Chair of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, where he became an active spokesman on race relations and veterans’ issues. In November 2006, his autobiography Go to School, You’re a Little Black Boy was published.

JEAN AUGUSTINE (b. 1937)

First female Black Canadian in Parliament Augustine was born in Grenada. She moved to Canada and studied at the University of Toronto, where she obtained a bachelor of arts and a master of education. Later she received an honorary doctor of laws from the same institution. After university she was an elementary school principal with the Metropolitan Separate School Board in Toronto. In the 1993 federal election, Augustine became the first Black Canadian woman elected to the Parliament of Canada and subsequently the first black woman in a federal Cabinet. She also served three terms as Chair of the National Liberal Women’s Caucus. She is the recipient of the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award, the Kaye Livingstone Award, the Ontario Volunteer Award, the Pride Newspaper Achievement Award, the Rubena Willis Special Recognition Award and the Toronto Lions’ Club Onyx Award. In 2009, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada “for her distinguished career as an educator, politician and advocate for social justice in Canada.”

DAURENE LEWIS (1943 - 2013)

First female Black Canadian mayor Daurene Lewis was born and raised in Annapolis Royal, NS. She is a seventh-generation descendent of Black Loyalists who settled in Annapolis Royal in 1783. Lewis first entered political life in 1979, when she ran for a seat on the Annapolis Royal Town Council. In 1982, Lewis was appointed Deputy Mayor. In 1984, Lewis was elected mayor of Annapolis Royal, becoming the first Black mayor in Canada. In 1988 she entered provincial politics and was the first Black woman in Nova Scotia to run in a provincial election. She is also an accomplished textile artist and owned a weaving and design business in Annapolis Royal, for many years. Lewis’s numerous awards include: an honorary degree from Mount Saint Vincent University in 1993, a space on the Black Cultural Centre’s Wall of Honour in 1994, the Global Citizenship Award commemorating the United Nations 50th Anniversary in 1995, the Progress Club of Halifax Woman of Excellence Award for Public Affairs and Communication in 1998, the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 2002 and the Order of Canada in 2003.

MICHAËLLE JEAN (b. 1957)

First Black Governor General of Canada Michaëlle Jean emigrated from Haiti with her family at an early age in order to escape Duvalier’s regime. The family settled first at Thetford Mines, QC, then in Montreal. Jean, fluent in five languages – French, English, Italian, Spanish and Haitian Creole – received a bachelor of arts degree in Italian and Hispanic Languages and Literature from the University of Montreal, where she would later teach Italian Studies. She studied language and literature Studies at the University of Florence, the University of Perugia and the Catholic University of Milan. On Aug. 4, 2005, it was announced from the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada that Queen Elizabeth II had approved Prime Minister Paul Martin’s choice of Jean to succeed Adrienne Clarkson as the Queen’s representative. Jean became the first Black Governor General of Canada and the first Governor General of Caribbean origin. She served as Governor General of Canada for five year and is now Special Envoy for Haiti in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. As of Feb. 1, 2017, Jean will become the 13th chancellor of the University of Ottawa.

05 Protesters resist Trump inauguration

THE ARGOSY | WWW.ARGOSY.CA

NEWS

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Argosy photographer Ryan McRae captures anti-Trump demonstrations and police violence

06 SPORTS & HEALTH

EDITOR: DAVID TAPLIN FEBRUARY 9, 2017 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA

BADMINTON

Looking to reach nine straight titles

Mounties unphased by Holland’s addition to the league as they continue league dominance

HOURS IN THE GYM HAVE CONTINUED THE BADMINTON MOUNTIES DOMINANCE IN THE ACAA THIS SEASON RYAN MACRAE/ARGOSY

HAMZA MUNAWAR Sports Reporter In the past decade, Mount Allison’s varsity badminton team has dominated the ACAA. The team currently holds the record for most consecutive championships, with eight straight wins. This season, they are looking to win it all again. However, there has

been a big shakeup this year with the addition of a new team, Holland College, to ACAA league play. “Holland College is very excited to join the ACAA. This season we’ve managed to put together an entire team and be competitive,” Mary Côté, head coach of the Holland Hurricanes, said. “This is not only great for Holland College, but for the sport of badminton as a whole.”

At the last tournament hosted by Dalhousie Agricultural Campus, Holland College finished second behind Mt. A. With the win, Mt. A demonstrated to the league that despite the added competition, they are still the dominant team. Over the course of the weekend, the Mounties went on to win the tournament, capturing 91 points over Holland’s 57.

“Holland College joining the ACAA badminton league makes us stronger, and it will hopefully encourage other schools to join as well,” Mounties’ coach Steve Scott said. “The ACAA is actually one of the stronger associations within the CCAA in terms of growth.” Acting ACAA President Neil Hooper also noted the benefits of adding an additional team to the league. “Holland College has been a tremendous addition to ACAA badminton and has expanded the number of schools playing the game. I am so happy that we see full courts and increased levels of competition,” Hooper said. Along with increased levels of competition, more matches will be played in each tournament, which is an issue for schools with smaller gyms that can only allocate three courts. Additionally, the season schedule has created time constraints that forced the league to shorten games to 15 points, rather than the traditional 21 points. This dynamic made it very interesting for the athletes, as most are not used to the game being over so soon. Because of this, there has been talk about a format shift. “Being used to a 21-point game, shifting to a quicker game of only 15 points, changes the strategy of the game and alters what could have been,” Mounties captain Olivia Adams said.

Currently, the ACAA operates on a round robin system, but with more teams in the league, it will be difficult to keep this system. “The plan right now is to have a conference call with the badminton coaches and discuss this at length,” Hooper said. All coaches will weigh in on a possible format change. “It is a potential break from the round robin format for regular league tournaments, but it is only a thought right now,” Hooper said. Regardless of the format shift, the rest of the tournaments this season, including the ACAA championships, will be played to 21 points. The next two weekends will be crucial for the Mounties, as they will host the very last tournament of the season this weekend, then travel to the ACAA championships the following. “Our goal for the upcoming tournament is to win our fifth tournament of the season in preparation to claim the conference banner at King’s College,” Scott said. After this weekend, the team will travel to King’s to play for the championship on Feb. 18, and with expectations high, they will look to bring back their record-setting ninth championship. “We’re ready to bring home another title,” Adams said.

SUPER BOWL

Super bowl fever hits Mount Allison I remember my first Super Bowl … it was this past Sunday

DELANIE KHAN-DOBSON Contributor Last week I was invited to my first Super Bowl party. I was hesitant as I imagined walking into a room smelling of old socks and beer, immediately being overwhelmed by the sense of men attempting to affirm their masculinity. Despite this, I heard there was going to be snacks, so maybe it would not be that bad. Hoping to get a sense of what to expect from a Super Bowl party, I talked to a few people about what they most enjoy about the event. Several people, eyes glazed over in a sort of trance, told me that the Super Bowl was more than just a big football game. Second-year fine arts student Marissa Cruz explained that “It’s like a collective. Although I’m not part of it, I can join it – it’s pretty accessible. And the snacks are great. It’s more of a food-social experience than a game-social experience,” she said. Fourth-year history major and football player Mitchell Macaulay explained that it was the atmosphere associated with spending time with family and friends that made the event special to him. After hearing these thoughts on

the special cultural value of the Super Bowl, I was ready to watch the game. Right before the party, however, I found out that not only was Tom Brady a Trump supporter, but that the owners of the New England Patriots were as well. Seeing that I am a firm believer that Donald Trump is actually Satan, I was fuming. However, with a newly invigorated sense of hatred for the Patriots, I felt like I was a real football fan. Arriving at the party with neither alcohol nor food, I hoped to get away with taking everyone else’s. Walking into the living room, a sea of backwards baseball caps and crewcuts awaited me. Everyone’s eyes were either firmly glued to their phones or the TV, and there was a strong sense of concentration in the room. A huge flat-screen TV had been brought from another apartment because the one that had been in the living room was too small for the Super Bowl. Somehow it took three trips to get it there. Only one of two women present, I asked the dudes if they had ever cried during a football game. Disappointed with their quick answer of “no,” I headed to the snack table. Huge trays of nachos, homemade subs, wings and donuts awaited.

Frankly, it was overwhelming, and I could tell others thought so as well. After eating almost an entire shrimp ring to myself, I settled down to digest in front of the TV. Many things happened in the game – many things that I did not understand. However, by joining in with the random grunts and shouts at the TV, I really felt like part of the gang. Luckily for me, there were a few other outsiders. When asked what he most liked about the game, fourth-

year student Garrett Muir said, “I’m not here to watch football, I’m just here to look cool.” Same, Garrett, same. There were also the commercials. After several dozen commercial breaks, I came to the realization that the Super Bowl is a compilation of capitalist America’s greatest hits. I’ve never wanted to drink a coke or buy several tons of washing detergent more than I did in those moments. Deciding I had my fill of football after the half-time show, I waltzed

home, tummy full of chicken wings, high on the fact that the Atlanta Falcons were miles ahead and confident that Trump would go to bed not getting his way for once. When I woke up this Monday morning in a cold sweat, I knew something was wrong. Reaching for my phone, the first thing I saw when I opened Facebook was that the Patriots and their messiah, Tom Brady, had won. With a sharp inhale, I shook my head and realized Trump really has ruined America.

JUST A COUPLA FELLAS TURNING UP AT A LOCAL SUPER BOWL PARTY DAVID TAPLIN/ARGOSY

SPORTS & HEALTH

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MEN’S BASKETBAL

Showdown between the league’s top teams Mt. A hosts grudge match against MSVU this Saturday with top spot on the line DAVID TAPLIN Sports and Health Editor This Saturday, the Athletic Centre will host a grudge match in ACAA basketball. It is the second of three games between the top two teams in the league and the first since a controversial call resulted in a Mount Allison overtime defeat two weeks ago. On Sunday, Jan. 22, Mt. A’s men’s basketball team travelled to Halifax to play the team’s first matchup this season against the MSVU Mystics, and the game lived up to expectations. The Mounties were down seven points at half, but fought hard in the second half, putting themselves in position to win with a late lead. Up six points with a minute left on the clock, a foul was called against starting point guard Jesse Balser, which resulted in a three-point play and Balser fouling out. In a text message, Balser said that the foul call “came as a shock, mostly because it’s rare that a ref calls a soft foul at the very end of a physical game.” In wake of the call and without their starting point guard, momentum shifted against the Mounties. MSVU tied the score with a late basket, sending the game to overtime. In overtime, a shell-shocked Mt. A team failed to respond to the pace set by the Mystics and lost by 14 points. Head coach Steve Chapman did not agree with the late call. “That was a terrible call, absolutely terrible,” he said. “With all the effort we put to get back into that [game], it was probably one that was stolen from us.” The team has since rebounded from the loss and has won three games straight, including a hard-fought home win against a tough Crandall Chargers team this past Saturday. That win was followed by a road

ROOKIE THOMAS LEGAILLAIS GOING HARD TO THE RIM THIS PAST SATURDAY AGAINST CRANDALL UNIVERSITY RYAN MACRAE/ ARGOSY victory against UNB Saint John on Sunday. The Mounties and Mystics became the frontrunners for first place in January, after Holland College was forced to forfeit six games due to an academically ineligible player on their roster. As a result, the Mounties sport a 14-1 record, identical to that of the Mystics. The importance of the next game is not lost on the players. “Whoever wins this game is clear-cut first in the league,” fifth-year forward Alex Chisholm said. The race for top spot is made all the more important because the firstplace team will avoid a semi-final in the ACAA playoffs against Holland College, a perennial powerhouse that

was ranked first in the country before being stripped of six wins. Led on the scoresheet by veterans Chisholm, Brad Fuller and rookie standout Thomas LeGallis, there is no shortage of scoring on the Mounties team. That being said, Chapman attributes their success to a winning work ethic and players who do not always show up on the score sheet. “The key for us is Jesse Balser, every night, [the] unsung hero. He just goes out and does the dirty work,” Chapman said. He also praised the team’s depth off the bench. “We have a bunch of guys who just get out there and do the job,” he said. Chapman has high hopes for Saturday’s matchup between Mt. A and MSVU, the top-two defensive

teams in the ACAA. “We don’t have a real size advantage over them, they don’t [have one over us]. Their guards are athletic, our guards are athletic, it’s two carbon copies,” he said. The Mounties will look for an edge with Rodreke Joseph’s return to the team. “We don’t have any [other] shot-blockers but Rod – he is a shot-blocker and even if he is not blocking shots, he’s messing guys up,” Chisholm said. The Mystics are led in scoring by rookie Ashton Slawter, who this past weekend made 10 of 15 shots from three-point range en route to a 40point effort, which saw the Mystics beat the Holland Hurricanes in

overtime, 95 to 91. Chisholm is confident that a large hometown crowd will provide an edge for the Mounties. “We really feed off that. Against Crandall it was crazy, the emotion in the gym was so high,” he said. Going into Saturday, the fifth-year forward entering his last month of college basketball has confidence in his team. “We know what we have to do and we are going to make adjustments from last game,” Chisholm said. “I’m predicting a Mounties win.” The men’s game tips off at 7 p.m. on Saturday after the women play at 5 p.m.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

MEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

CRANDALL (A) 50 - MTA (H) 75 MTA (A) 43 - UNBSJ (H) 66

CRANDALL (A) 78 - MTA (H) 85 MTA (A) 90 - UNBSJ (H) 82

MTA (A) 1 - 15HOLLAND (H) 3 10 MSVU 3 (A) - MTA (H) 1

MTA (A) 1 - MONCTON (H) 4

ACAA

Holland 6 MSVU 11 Mount Allison St. Thomas UKing’s College UNBSJ Crandall 5

GP 14 13 12 13 14 13 13

13 11 7 7 5 2 1

1 2 5 6 9 11 12

PTS 26 22 14 14 10 4 2

*NUMBER NEXT TO TEAM NAME DENOTES NATIONAL RANKING*

ACAA

MSVU Mount Allison Crandall 11 Holland UKing’s College St. Thomas UNBSJ DAL AC 10

GP W 15 15 14 15 16 15 16 16

14 14 8 8 5 4 4 4

1 1 6 7 11 11 12 12

PTS 28 28 16 16 10 8 8 8

ACAA

MSVU 15 Holland Mount Allison UNBSJ St. Thomas USaint-Anne DAL AC UKing’s College 10

GP 17 18 18 16 16 17 16 16

16 16 10 9 7 4 3 2

L PTS

1 2 8 7 9 13 13 14

32 32 20 18 14 8 6 4

AUS

Saint Mary’s 5 St. Thomas UPEI St. FX Moncton Dalhousie Mount Allison 3

18 16 14 14 7 7 3

L OTL PTS

2 3 8 8 12 15 18

3 3 1 0 4 1 1

39 35 29 28 18 15 7

STUD ENTS OCC UPY TWEE DIE HALL

WRITTEN BY WILL BALSER Contributor

More than 40 students stage die-in to demand fossil fuel divestment, force adjournment of Board of Regents meeting

Photographs by Savannah Harris

n Friday, Feb. 3, at approximately 9 a.m., more than 40 student activists occupied Tweedie Hall during the Board of Regents (BoR) meeting in a demonstration protesting the Board’s inaction regarding fossil fuel divestment despite four years of pressure from student activists. The action was organized by Divest MTA, a student-run climate justice group that is part of an international movement demanding that public institutions sever all financial ties to the fossil fuel industry. Since their inception four years ago, they have demanded that Mount Allison divest from fossil fuels, which would mean removing the portion of its endowment fund that is invested in this industry. A die-in is a form of protest in which activists lie on the floor, feigning death, to represent the bodies of people killed by the industry in question. For nearly an hour, the student activists lay on the floor of Tweedie Hall, halting the Board meeting and demanding that regents comply with Divest MTA’s demands. In the tense 40 minutes leading up to the die-in, students were organized into groups in the Mawita’mkw, where they rehearsed the chants used during the action. Some students were also handed signs reading “No Indigenization without divestment” and “Invest in our future, divest from fossil fuels.” Lauren Crumley, a third-year student and protester, said she was nervous in the buildup to the action, but was hopeful of its results. “I was pretty hopeful that we would have a significant influence over Robert Campbell and the BoR, seeing as there were so many of us,” she said. The following is a timeline of Friday morning’s action:

8:50 A.M. Protesters dressed in black and wearing the emblematic Divest

orange square entered the BoR meeting, holding banners and singing, joined by over 10 Mt. A professors. Within two minutes, the floor of Tweedie Hall was covered in students. Almost all board members stood up upon students’ entrance.

8:52 A.M. Divest MTA organizer and third-year student Tina Oh began

her address to the BoR. “For four years Divest MTA has organized panels, for four years we have asked for meetings and for four years we have stood on committees,” Oh said. “While students spend every day learning of the dangers of climate change, the University invests in an industry that kills millions of people and destroys our planet.”

8:54 A.M. Naomi Goldberg, a Divest MTA organizer and third-year student,

read out Divest MTA’s demands. They demand that the University: cut all financial ties with the top 200 publicly traded fossil fuel companies within the next five years; create permanent policy and procedure that renders investment practices collegial and transparent; and extend the term for the position of Indigenous Affairs Coordinator indefinitely, past the Year of Indigenous Knowing. Oh and Goldberg then announced Divest MTA’s intention to occupy the space until University President Robert Campbell and Ron Outerbridge, chair of the Board, agreed to sign their list of demands.

8:56 A.M. Goldberg and Oh began brief negotiations

with Campbell and several board representatives. Student protesters chanted throughout this process.

9:07 A.M. Outerbridge addressed the room: “I

just want to thank you. Obviously, your message has been heard. Obviously, we have a meeting planned to discuss a lot of other things. We cannot sign this letter right now without having some form of discussion to understand the implications. We cannot guarantee we’ll sign the letter going forward. We’re going to end our meeting today, adjourning it, and we’re going to have to reconvene at another date so that we can discuss the matter,” he said. Oh responded that Divest MTA had been advocating for fossil fuel divestment for four years and that there were no new implications to be understood. “What we would like to let you know is that this discussion did not start today; this discussion started four years ago,” she said. “We are demonstrating today against the inaction and the violent silence that this board has demonstrated to us.” “Understood,” Outerbridge said. The address was followed by the exit of a majority of the board members.

9:18 A.M. With almost all board members absent

from Tweedie Hall, Oh asked for 10 minutes of silence from protesters in honour of all those who have lost their lives due to the fossil fuel industry.

9:32 A.M. Protesters began exiting Tweedie Hall while

A live-streamed recording of the entire morning's proceedings can be found on Divest MTA’s Facebook page, facebook. com/protesttodivest, along with many photographs.

singing, returning to Mawita’mkw to hold a debriefing. The group gathered in a circle for concluding remarks from Oh. Protesters slowly left amidst excited chants of “I believe that we will win!” According to third-year student Caeleigh Marshall, the protest was successful. “It was a positive outcome in that it was predicted [by Divest MTA] and [board members] were forced to leave the space that we were occupying,” she said. Marshall added that the adjournment of the meeting is further evidence of the Board’s inaction regarding divestment. In an email to Divest MTA organizers, Outerbridge wrote that once the Board had reconvened by conference call, they unanimously agreed that Campbell and Outerbridge would not sign the list of demands presented by Divest MTA.

10 ARTS & CULTURE

EDITORS: MIRELLE NAUD MALLORY BURNSIDE-HOLMES FEBRUARY 9, 2017 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA

COMMUNITY

Community warms those without power

ICE COVERED CAMPUS REMINDS US OF THE CHANGING CLIMATE’S UNPREDCITABLE NATURE SAVANNAH FORSEY/THE ARGOSY

MALLORY BURNSIDE-HOLMES Arts and Culture Editor With two great flashes of blue light, Jeska Grue’s power went out. The electric transformer outside her house exploded on Jan. 24, the night of Sackville’s ice storm. The blast was quickly followed by the appearance of three fire trucks and multiple firefighters searching the dark, snow dusted streets with flashlights. Like most of those who experienced Sackville’s power outage

first-hand, Grue was without power for approximately 48 hours. Grue is fortunate enough to live in a house somewhat equipped for loss of electricity, with a wood stove to heat the house and cook food and a solar panel that provided her with warm water. As such, she was able to house others who didn’t have access to heat or hot water. Even so, Grue said she quickly began to feel isolated by the instability the situation created. She sought and found comfort in localities like

Cranewood, which had power, and where she worked with friends for the majority of the day. Fourth-year student Claire Henderson-Hamilton didn’t have time to feel isolated given the flood of kindness she was shown by friends. “Many people invited me to stay over. People really reached out,” she said. Grue related a similar sentiment: “I think when there are power outages or storms … there is such a sense of community that comes out of those [experiences]

because everybody is dealing with a [common problem.]” Jennings Meal Hall also got in on the “sharing is caring” action. The campus cafeteria opened its doors to students without power and meal plans, free of charge – an opportunity many took advantage of. “We got about 250 to 300 more people than usual,” Jennings shift manager Brendan Carroll wrote in a Facebook message. “Staff was a little worried because we hadn’t had numbers like that all year… [but] for students, I think it was awesome. Some [people] were going on three days without power or grocery access, so it was necessary in my opinion.” Three local businesses, Rose’s Your Independent Grocer, Black Duck Café and the Painted Pony, were affected by the outage. Painted Pony manager Kathy Beal stood to lose between 10,000- and 12,000-dollars’ worth of food stored in the restaurant’s fridge and freezer. While an emergency purchase of a backup generator saved the day for Beal, not all businesses were so lucky. When the power went out again on Friday night, Club P was forced to cancel a fundraising event, losing the profits the night had promised. Where there was power, business was booming. Foodland’s shelves

quickly became sparse, Joey’s entertained even more hungry customers than usual and Song’s Chopsticks saw an influx of three times more business brought on by cold community members seeking storm snacks. Grue noted that the storm should encourage us to ponder the state of our climate. “It’s almost like [the storm] serves as a reminder for what may escalate in the future with climate patterns being unpredictable and [also reminds us] that climate change affects different populations and people differently,” she said. “[It] definitely affects people in less-developed countries more harshly and there are fewer resources when they do compared to us in New Brunswick. But then again, it is pretty unprecedented in a Canadian province to lose power for that long.” To be sure, Sackville was not as affected by the storm as other rural towns in New Brunswick, like Tracadie, Shippagan and Lameque, where a state of emergency was declared by the provincial government. However, no matter the size of crisis, it seems communities consistently respond to difficult times by drawing closer together.

FEATURE POET

Fear

by Abby Johnson You speak to me seductively In my ears as I sleep And laugh as I weep and chatter my aching teeth As I wipe the overflowing tears I hear your cries and feel your stabs You so desperately want me back You are my shadow You tap on my shoulder Each time reminding me that I am getting older Why oh why must you make me so shy And assure me it’s better to run away and hide When my heart opposes but you recommend That it’s better to be afraid than pretend When your fear is not heights, but falling It is my own happiness I am stalling Because it’s easier to fall in love with the rain Than it is to be petrified of a sunny day.

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CULTURE

Canadianist taps into maple syrup symbolism

Mt. A professor discusses the creation, regulation and consumption of Canada’s culinary staple

THURSDAY, FEB. 9

SUNDAY, FEB. 12

EMMA BUSH Arts and Culture Reporter

Sackville Film Society 7:30 @ The Vogue

Sackville Farmer’s Market 9:00 - 12:00 @ Bridge Street

Conduct Becoming Open Mic 9:30 @ Ducky’s

Make Something Sunday: Valentines 2:00 - 4:00 @ The Owens

Mental Health Accomodation Focus Group 5:30 @ WMSC 125

MONDAY, FEB. 13

Canada produces eighty percent of the world’s maple syrup, so it seems logical that over the course of time the sweet syrup has become a symbol of national identity. The delicacy is tied to Canada’s environment, culture, cuisine, politics, science and economy. These ties were explored in Elizabeth Jewett’s lecture, “Tapping the History of Commodity and Cuisine” on Jan. 30. Presenting at the Owens Art Gallery, Jewett addressed university and community members in Mount Allison’s Stanley Lecture, given annually in Dr. George F. G. Stanley’s honour by a distinguished Mt. A Canadianist, or someone knowledgeable about Canada. Jewett’s research encompasses many different fields in examining the history and various productions of maple syrup, making her work an interdisciplinary study. She is mainly interested in the creation, regulation and sale of “sweetness” in the maple syrup industry, from the mid-19th century to the present day. “This project was a long time coming,” Jewett said, as she showed pictures of her as a girl helping out at her family maple syrup farm of five generations. “[I wanted] to better understand the traditions that have been part of my entire life,” she said, stating the importance of her personal connection. “But [it is also a] very important part of Canadian history.” In a Q&A period, Leo Gertler, a second-year English student and gallery employee, asked Jewett about Quebec’s domination of maple syrup production, in relation to defining Canadian identity. This sparked a discussion in which Jewett explained

MUSIC

that maple syrup was originally a symbol of Québécois identity. “I have never taken a Canadian studies course, so it’s unlikely that

ANDREAS FOBES/THE ARGOSY I would have even heard about the Stanley Lecture [if not for working at the Owens],” Gertler said. Apart from her research on national identity, Jewett also examines the government’s policing of “pure” syrup and the idyllic

imagery present on packaging as “a way to preserve culture, tradition, family and community and to allow those outside of the tradition in.” Jewett said that this research requires extensive knowledge of the area’s environment. “[We] need healthy producers and these are the trees.” She emphasized the importance of tending to and caring for our surrounding environment to best benefit from it. Although most of the event’s attendees were Sackville community members, many students were also present, including members of the Canadian Studies Society. “We are trying to make a name for our program [and] get students more involved by either joining our society or taking a class in Canadian studies,” fourth-year Canadian studies student and society president Sam Prowse said. Members of the society were in attendance to expand their knowledge and support members of the Mt. A Canadian studies program. One of Jewett’s next steps in her research is to start collecting oral histories and Indigenous stories about maple syrup production. So far she has explored federal and provincial archives, government documents, personal papers, magazines, brochures and even cookbooks. However, she felt that something was missing. “It is important to include Indigenous voices [and] to get those contemporary stories,” Jewett said. Jewett comes from the University of Toronto and specializes in environmental and cultural aspects of Canadian history. She is the current WP Bell postdoctoral fellow with the Centre for Canadian studies at Mt. A.

Unity 1918 8:00 @ Motyer Fancy Theatre (Runs until Feb. 11) Alumni Speaker Series: Paul Henry 5:30 @ Avard Dixon room 112

FRIDAY, FEB. 10 EIC Lunch and Learn 11:30-12:30 @ The Pond Jukebox at Jennings 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM @ Jennings Fine Arts Show and Sale 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM @ PCCA Entre Amis 7:30 @ Brunton Auditorium

SATURDAY, FEB. 11 Habitat for Humanity Bottle Drive All Day - contact H4H with address Stephen Runge, Piano 7:30 @ Brunton Auditorium Mt. A Women’s Hockey Senior Night 3:00 - 5:00 @ The Civic Centre Trivia Night 8:00 @ Thunder and Lightning Pub

Riotous Film Society: Galentine’s Day 7:00 - 10:00 @ Library Theatre

TUESDAY, FEB. 14 The Sweetest Little Thing 7:30 - 11:00 PM @ The Owens T&L Presents: Love Fest 5 PM @ Thunder and Lightening Pub Meeting of Senate 4:00 @ WMSC Tweedie Hall

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15 BSAAT Movie Night: Hidden Figures 7:30 @ Avard Dixon G12 Collegium Musicum 4:00 PM @ Chapen Sanctuary Savvy Simon 7:00 PM @ The Owens Summer Exchange Info Session 5:00 PM @ Library Theatre

THURSDAY, FEB. 16 Interdisciplinary Conversations 4:30 @ The Owens

Traditional jazz meets sounds from around the world in Brunton Award-winning Huu Bac Quintet performs dazzling performance featuring traditional Vietnamese and Chinese instruments Last Sunday, the Montreal-based Huu Bac Quintet paid Mount Allison a visit and enthralled concert-goers with its signature blend of traditional jazz and music from around the world. Of Vietnamese and Chinese heritage, versatile musician Huu Bac expertly performed the dan bau (traditional Vietnamese monochord), erhu (Chinese fiddle) and the jazz guitar with accompaniment from a talented team of musicians: Guillaume Martineau (keyboard), Marie-Neige (violin), Jean-Felix Mailloux (bass) and Etienne Mason (drums).

HUU BAC QUINTET ENLIVENS TRADITIONAL JAZZ MUSIC WITH THE DAN BAU AND ERHU RYAN MACRAE/THE ARGOSY

ARTS & CULTURE

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FILM

The reel deal: Riotous Film Society

Riotous Film Society screens Daisies (Sedmikrásky) and other films on anti-racism and feminism

PREVIOUSLY BANNED CZECH FILM DAISIES CATIVATES WITH EXPERIMENTAL CINEMATOGRAPHY MARISSA CRUZ/THE ARGOSY

MARISSA CRUZ Arts and Culture Reporter Once a month, the Riotous Film Society delights its audience with a flick hand-picked by Tasia Alexopoulos, professor of women’s and gender studies at Mount Allison, and Geordie Miller, professor of English at Dalhousie who previously taught at Mt. A. The films generally focus on feminism and anti-racism in response to the campus’ political culture. The Riotous Film Society welcomes weirdness to the school library, as well as commentary on current issues that are seen on campus and beyond.

The founders, Alexopoulos, Miller and former political science professor Mike Laurence, wished to show films to which the community could respond critically. “We started the society so that if people wanted to see a challenging, weird, provocative and interesting film, they could. What they take from it is really up to them,” Miller said. Miller also wants to show work that builds a community around resisting societal injustices. “We hope that we choose interesting movies, full stop. What might be most important is the idea and potential of a collective in this bad reality that we inhabit,” Miller said.

The Riotous Film Society was created last year in response to Woody Allen films being shown by the Sackville Film Society. Riotous founders felt frustrated by the appreciation and acceptance shown by Sackville and the rest of the world to the writer and director. Despite the fact that Allen has been accused of sexual assault in the past, his professional reputation has not been damaged, and he has created many critically acclaimed films since the accusations were made. “To appraise and take part in viewing films created by someone who had enacted sexually violent acts is woeful,” Alexopoulos said. “Plus,

those movies are incredibly boring and cliché.” “There’s a politics to [film] selection, of course, given the misogyny that defines Allen’s films and personal life, so I think that it prompted a question about the possibility of showing emancipatory, leftist films,” Miller said. “I am not denigrating the Sackville Film Society – I attend its screenings regularly – but am saying that Riotous is always interested in being deliberate about the politics that its films represent and reinforce.” Besides promoting progressive themes and arguments, the film lineup does not follow any strict guidelines so long as it relates to the themes of anti-racism and feminism. Alexopoulos and Miller curate a list of films based on a straightforward selection system: either the film sounds interesting, or they have already seen the film and wish to share it. The film schedule includes various genres. Miller and Alexopoulos hope to screen some horror films – just so long as the picture is compelling in quality and makes people question their perception of what a motion picture is. This week’s film was one neither Alexopoulos, Miller, nor anyone else in the audience had seen before. Daisie (Sedmikrásky) is an experimental Dadaist film that wields absurd, vivacious, slapstick humour. Alexopoulos and Miller share the viewpoint that “the weirder, the better,” and this film stands by that mantra. A colourful compilation of experimental shots, Daisies (Sedmikrásky) excited viewers.

Unexpectedly, nihilistic ideologies were shown with a playfulness and audacity that were refreshing and thrilling. Created in the late 1960s, the film dances through a commentary on materialistic society and flexes the talent of Czech avant-garde filmmaker Věra Chytilová. The film was financed by the Communist government, which funded much of the art produced in Czechoslovakia during the deStalinization in the 50s and 60s. However, Soviet forces reestablished and “normalized” film in the 1968 as a historic, challenging cinematic product of the Czech New Wave. The Czech New Wave was an artistic movement in the 60s that was politically critical and experimental, and Daisies (Sedmikrásky) was deeply rooted in it. The film was banned because authorities thought that it was “depicting the wanton.” Copies have been floating about on VHS and DVD, but in 2009, a directorapproved, restored version was released. Alexopoulos believes that film fosters a collective experience that can enable us to reconvene and reconnect with ourselves. “It is also a place where we can see ourselves reflected, which can be a nice feeling if you don’t see that in everyday media,” she said. The founders of Riotous explained that they want people to recommend films they wish to see in the future. “We are open to suggestions to start a dialogue,” Miller said. Fresh and vibrant, the Riotous Film Society is full of energy that cannot be repressed.

THEATRE

Students stage heavy-hitting drama Moyter Fancy Theatre performs historic play on the Spanish Influenza EMMA BUSH Arts and Culture Reporter This week, Unity 1918, written by Kevin Kerr and directed by Samantha Wilson, is being performed at Mount Allison’s Motyer Fancy theatre. Set in the small Canadian town of Unity, SK, the play addresses the effects of the First World War on residents and the incoming threat of the Spanish Influenza. I sat down with two of the play’s nine cast members, third-year English major Jena McLean and fourth-year honours English student Victoria Valliere, to discuss their roles as sisters in the upcoming production. “The play is set through [my character] Bea’s journal,” McLean said. This frames all of the play’s events, from the threat of illness, to a push for progression, to potential romance. Valliere’s character is a free spirit who falls in love. “My character is fourteen and a feminist. [She] comes home from a visit to the city and wants

to change everything up,” Valliere said. McLean’s character looks out for a her little sister and writes about her actions and the events that unfold throughout the play. With over 20 million mortalities, the Spanish Influenza killed more people – most between the ages of 18 and 40 – than WWI. “[It was] the youth of the town, the young and the healthy, who fell ill,” Valliere said. “The themes [in the play] seem like they’re [dated] by one hundred years, but they are not. [Our characters] might be fighting things that we cannot understand, but something like this could happen now and the lives we know could totally stop,” Valliere said. “They’re all fighting for connection. They’re all fighting to survive and to get whatever they can out of life. I think that we’re all doing that.” The production is constructed to make the audience feel as though they are part of the production itself. “The theatre is like a coffin, the floor is a wooden rectangle and there are

black curtains behind the audience. [We want] to create a claustrophobic [environment so] that [the audience members] cannot get away from the sickness on the stage.” The setting, in time and place, has the potential to make the play both ominous and oppressive. However, Valliere said that this is not the case. Although based on a dark chapter of history, she emphasized the occasional moments of humour that break the play’s heaviness. “It’s incredibly funny, there’s so much humour,” Valliere said. “[We’ve been told by our director to] play to the light and not to go to the dark – it’s already there.” “We’re not playing to the tragedy,” McLean said. “I think the biggest thing that makes this show relevant this year was that at our first readthrough, our director wanted to look at the transition from ‘love thy neighbour’ to ‘fear thy neighbour.’” Unity is a real Canadian town. Kennedy Lundberg, one of the cast members in the production, is from

Saskatchewan and contacted the town to say that members of the Mt. A community were putting on the production. The town was so excited by this news that “they sent us a postcard of what the street looked like in 1910,” McLean said. Both McLean and Valliere are excited for opening night. “There’s a very intense passion

for what we’re doing,” McLean said. Valliere emphatically agreed and encouraged students to come and enjoy the performance. The show runs from Wednesday, Jan. 8, to Saturday, Jan. 11, at 8:00 p.m. and costs $10 for general entrance, or $5 for students and seniors. Thursday night is pay-what-you-can.

MT. A STUDENTS STAGE EMOTIONAL PRODUCTION ON DEADLY 1918 FLU PANDEMIC VICTORIA VALLIERE/SUBMITTED

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LITERATURE

Alexis impresses with literary “quincunx”

Canadian author Andre Alexis relates personal philosophies behind upcoming book series

AUTHOR ANDRE ALEXIS READS FROM UPCOMING WORKS LOUIS SOBOL/THE ARGOSY

LOUIS SOBOL Argosy Staff I’ll admit it: I had never heard of André Alexis before this past Monday night. I sought out the alliterative

mystery man at the Owens Art Gallery, where he read from his body of work, including the 2015 literary smash hit Fifteen Dogs. What I found there was an unexpectedly rich experience that left me wandering

back to meal hall in a state of deep contemplation. Originally from Ottawa, Alexis is a Trinidadian-Canadian novelist, essayist and playwright. He is a recipient of the Giller Prize, one of Canada’s foremost literary awards, and is hailed as one of Canada’s most promising emerging authors. The main focus of his presentation at Mount Allison was a series of books he is currently completing. He calls the series a “quincunx,” an ancient word that refers to a configuration of five points with one in the centre, like on a die. When Alexis moved into place behind the podium, the soft, enchanting nature of his voice seemed to heighten the atmosphere. After prefacing that he did not know how he might react to reading his work aloud, he spoke of three themes “essential” to his work: place, God and love. He related his own sense of alienation and loneliness, largely due to the abandonment by his parents when they left for Canada when Alexis was between the ages of 2 and 4. Alexis spoke with a profound sense of wisdom. “I’ve always been partial to the dreamlike,” he said, during an

astonishingly introspective bout of improvised storytelling to introduce his readings. “I am obsessed with storytelling … its byways [and] traditions,” he added. When he launched into the first selection, I was immediately impressed by his innovative fusion of genres. The passage, written in

“ART IS A WONDERFUL SIGNPOST TO WHAT THE HUMAN IS” simple language, took place in a medieval European hamlet and featured a talking sheep’s message to a young shepherd: the sheep was God. It became clear that this was far from a stuffy lecture by a professional scholar. Next came a reading from the Giller prize winner, Fifteen Dogs. Set in contemporary Toronto, this novel also follows the story of animals imparted with human consciousness. After a night of drinking in a downtown bar, Apollo and Hermes make a bet: Apollo wagers Hermes

a year of servitude that if he gives 15 dogs in the Roncesvalles neighbourhood human consciousness they will all live to be more unhappy than humans. Powerful messages of philosophy, spirituality and creativity were embedded in the story. I became determined to purchase the book in the near future. During the following question period, elderly hands began to rise like shoots of grass and as Alexis answered them, he led us deeper into his personal belief system, experiences and creativity. One among the many epic quotes Alexis blessed us with that evening was: “Art is a wonderful signpost to what the human is.” Alexis’s approach to the issue of race in his work, repeatedly brought up by members of the audience, was debated and noted for its understatedness. I was strongly inspired by my experience at the Owens, as I have been by past speakers here at Mt. A. Alexis has much to offer and I was glad to become acquainted with such an important Canadian literary figure.

14 OPINIONS

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Independent Student Newspaper of Mount Allison University Thursday, February 9, 2017 volume 146 issue 15

RACE

Confessions of a biracial woman

Having a mixed identity can bring unique complexities and challenges

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on Unceded Mi’kmaq Land 62 York Street W. McCain Student Centre Mount Allison University Sackville, New Brunswick

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REPORTING staff NEWS REPORTERS | Leo Gertler, Kavana Wa Kilele, Jill MacIntryre POLITICS REPORTER | Nadiya Safonova SPORTS REPORTER | Hamza Munawar ARTS & CULTURE REPORTERS | Emma Bush, Marissa Cruz, Will Pelletier

OPERATIONS staff BUSINESS MANAGER | Tessa Dixon AD MANAGER | James Lantz CIRCULATIONS | Katharyn Stevenson

CONTRIBUTORS Andreas Forbes, Delanie Khan-Dobson, Kevin Melanson, Liz Kent, Will Balser, Claire Kelly, Adam Christie, Natalie Mellon, Lizzy Burns COVER |Andreas Forbes RUNNING DOODLES | Jeff Mann

PUBLICATION board Leslie Kern, Owen Griffiths

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 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.

EDITOR: SHANNON POWER | FEBRUARY 9, 2017 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA

MARISSA CRUZ Arts and Culture Reporter When I was in junior high school, people I did not know well began to ask me exactly what I am, a meek attempt at flirting: “So girl, what are you?” There were a number of different phrasings people could have picked for this question, and honestly, I don’t think there is a proper way to inquire: the question “Where is your origin?” as if they were looking for my creation story, seemed ridiculous when the obvious answer was Canada; even better, “Where are you from from?” to which I would watch them squirm after I replied that I lived off Quinpool Road. I can admit that my olive skin tone is misleading; my “European nose” and my smaller eyes make an unexpected combination. My physical features do not fit into the categorized goodie bags that flimsily classify Asian women, and therefore for a long time I did not consider myself Filipino. Rather, I lapped in the full, decked-out, top-down luxury of being white. Attending white-dominated schools led me to neglect most of the problems and stereotyping I had been directly staring at. I attended an elementary school with mostly white students, so my classmates probed their parents at an early age to find out that I was in fact not Chinese and also not adopted. I was a different type of Asian, one whose mommy is white and whose daddy is not. I lived like a typical, middle-class, Nova Scotian white girl, but my white peers still assumed I had a voracious appetite for “pot-stickers” and the inherent

ability to use chopsticks. Beginning in high school, I started to notice the prevalence of racial discrimination. My friends would toss around racial slurs as a joke – “chink” was my personal favourite, which I uncomfortably accepted and disregarded. High school was also the time when my peers would make out in the basement of their friends’ parents’ houses. I was the token sexy but safe-and familiar-looking Asian girl. I didn’t hate it. I liked it. I loved it. Being biracial put me ahead of other girls. I am embarrassed that I fed off the ignorance of others and also denied being objectified. I reaped the benefits of being Asian when needed (when applying for scholarships, jobs) and also of being fully white (all the benefits in the world). I hadn’t really considered the entire Asian half of me because I looked white enough. But my Asian descent caused people to treat me

differently, which I naively pushed aside. I thought that as I went on in my university career things would get better, that my identity would become more comprehensible. But there are no classes on Asian identity/culture at Mt. A. There should be classes on this subject matter, not just a few slides in my art history course on how artists took inspiration from my culture. It is inexcusable for a discussion on how the works of famous European and North American artists “drew inspiration” from Asian identity and art to be reduced to a bullet point in a lecture. The counter-argument might be, “Hey, what do you expect? You are in Sackville!” But the Asian population is arguably the most underrepresented group in Sackville. With so many Asian students in town, it seems strange and neglectful to ignore our existence. Microaggressions are real and I am disappointed that recent

THE ASIAN POPULATION AT MT.A IS UNDERREPRESENTED IN ACADEMIC CIRRUCULA CAMERON MCINTYRE/ARCHIVES

events have confirmed my feelings of underrepresentation and racism. Being a minority in Sackville is hard. It would be dishonest of me to say that I am no longer confused. As I write this, I feel my white privilege claw its way over my shoulder and, as many of you may agree, that I have no place to comment on something like this. Because I am white. Because I have not faced the full oppression that many people of colour have. For me to spiel about people treating me differently feels so wrong. I feel like a hoax because I hold so much power and have many advantages. I have the special ingredient: whiteness. Being a minority is hard. I feel ostracized in both groups. I do not look white enough and I also do not look Filipino enough. I am still unable to relate to either race completely; I am neither one nor the other. But I am my very own group. I stand in solidarity.

OPINIONS

THE ARGOSY | WWW.ARGOSY.CA

ISLAMOPHOBIA

No borders, no ban: Canada’s complicity in U.S. politics Canada must condemn the racist U.S. travel ban, or else our claims to diversity are meaningless

NATALIE MELLON Contributor

The morning after the Ste-Foy Mosque shooting in Quebec City, one of my co-workers asked me why I was so invested in U.S. politics, telling me that I should be more concerned about what’s happening in “my own country.” I quickly replied that U.S. politics have implications for us all. Another co-worker, who witnessed this exchange, called my comment “bullshit.” I opted not to engage with their remark, mostly because it was 5 a.m. and I hadn’t had any coffee yet, but also because I couldn’t put my frustration into words. If I could go back and replace my silence with words, I would have said this: I want to start by talking about what it means to say “my own country.” A comment like that comes with certain presumptions attached to it – presumptions that are important to deconstruct.

First, it automatically assumes that I have patriotic feelings toward Canada. I don’t. Second, it invokes notions of nationalism, implying that the interests of Canada are more important than those of the U.S. and other nations. It assumes that we can separate the interests of the U.S. from those of Canada. We can’t. And, while pointing toward Trump’s recent Muslim ban as being solely responsible for the Ste-Foy Mosque shooting would erase a long history of Islamophobia and racism in Canada, we cannot deny that the two are related. So, I return to my original comment: U.S. politics have implications for all of us. I think it’s important to ask ourselves what it means to be “Canadian.” What does it mean to be a patriotic citizen? What does it mean to support Canada’s best interests? Who counts, who matters within those interests? Is it only people who were born on Canadian soil? Or is it every single person living within Canada’s borders? And why does our concern and care for others start and stop with the imaginary lines that have been traced around us? Being “Canadian” means more than chanting phrases like “We The North” and Saturday-night hockey games. It means seeing past “difference”

and remembering that regardless of nationality, skin colour and religion, we are all human beings deserving of rights, care and respect. My interest in U.S. politics stems from my belief that every life is important; that every life should be valued. On Jan. 27, Trump signed an executive order banning people from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S. for 90 days; refugees, for 120 days; and Syrian refugees, indefinitely. This executive order states the opposite of my belief, that not every life matters, a notion which Canada is complicit in advancing. So, it’s now more important than ever that Canada stands up for human dignity – otherwise, we will remain complicit in our silence. After Trump signed the executive order, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted, “To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada.” Not once did Trudeau explicitly condemn the travel ban. Nor did his government make any effort to actually welcome those who were displaced by Trump’s illegal, racist and Islamophobic order into Canada. It’s dangerous to dote on Canada’s

WE MUST REJECT “SHARED VALUES” OF ISLAMOPHOBIA AND BIGOTRY IZZY FRANCOLINI/ARGOSY “diversity” and “welcoming” nature but refuse assistance to those who need it most. And it’s not enough to make empty gestures when people’s lives are at stake. So, while people are busy telling me that my interest in U.S. politics is “bullshit” and that I care too little

about “my own country,” I’ll be busy thinking about ways to break our borders down and open them up so that, someday, we really can be the welcoming nation that Trudeau claims we already are.

RESIDENCE ASSISTANTS

Dear future RA’s...

From new abilities to name-calling, a current residence assistant reflects on her experiences LIZZY BURNS Contributor

It’s that time of year, when students are applying to be residence assistants (RAs) and executive members for the following academic year. I remember freaking out last year about the application, the interview and waiting not-so patiently for my email from Student Life to tell me if I would become Harper Hall’s Assistant Don (AD). Now that I have gone through most of the year as AD, I feel like I have experienced enough to give some helpful advice to incoming RAs. Dear future RAs, The worst part about the job is having to discipline your friends, but remember that your work has to come first! Keeping residents safe is a priority, so don’t feel as though you are being an asshole for telling your friends to follow the rules. If your friends are really your friends, they will not make your job more difficult than it has to be. Don’t take everything personally, even if people try to make it personal. People will criticize you, tell you that you are not doing your job right, or sometimes (in my case) call you a “bitch” because you have to be the hard-ass who enforces the rules. Usually, the people who tell you that you are not doing your job right are the same ones who have no experience as an RA. The people

who call you names or undermine your authority are the people who probably should not be living in a residence building because they think all the rules are stupid. Take it as a compliment if someone tries to make you feel bad about doing your job, because it probably means you are doing it right! Your nose will become as accurate as a bloodhound’s by fall reading week, at least in my experience. You will convince yourself that someone in your building has a pet skunk because all you will smell is marijuana. This new ability is a gift, but you will also suffer from smelling the compost inside Jennings as if it is right next to you. Always volunteer to work at house parties for other residences. Not only are you off duty by midnight, but experiencing a different house atmosphere is refreshing! It is good to spend time out of your building, and volunteering at house parties tends to be less stressful than a regular duty – not to mention, the house often offers you pizza or garlic fingers once the party is done! Always take time for yourself. You are not tied to your residence, so do not feel as though you have to be there every weekend or work every night there is a big party. It’s hard to do your job if you are always stressed, have people knocking on your door, or have to be 100 per cent on your game. You come first!

I was fortunate that a lot of my team members were already close friends before starting the job, but I have developed some great friendships with RAs I hardly interacted with before this year. The team you work

with will act as a support system for the school, the house and you. I found that I needed other RAs this year more than I did last year as a support system. My team has helped me with my mental health and they

have done an amazing job looking out for my well-being. I could not imagine doing this job without the support system I have and I will always be grateful that they were with me for this experience.

BEING AN RA CAN BE FULFILLING WHEN THERE IS AN ADEQUATE SUPPORT SYSTEM LOUIS SOBOL/ARGOSY

16 HUMOUR

EDITOR: MARK CRUZ | FEBRUARY 9, 2017 | ARGOSY@MTA.CA

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