Acadia Univeristy’s Student Newspaper EST.1874 Black History Month Edition Issue 81.6
atheditorials Senator Donald Oliver ‘60: We Still Need Black History Month
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Issue 81.4 ASU Box 6002, Acadia University Wolfville, NS, Canada B4P 2R5 Editor-In-Chief: Colin Mitchell Email: eic@acadiau.ca SUB room 512
EIC Office Hours: Mon, Wed & Thur 3 - 6
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Art
Ruvimbo Chipazi
Creative
Thomas Morgan
Features
Management
Jordan Mahaney
Photo Manager Aqila Walji
Business Manager
Josée Leger
Katie Spicer
Kyle ThompsonClement
Colin Mitchell
Opinions Science
William Darrah
Copy Editor
Editor-in-Chief
Honorable Dr. Donald H. Oliver QC, Acadia BA (Hons History) 1960, LLB, DCL.
Managing Editor Mallory Kroll
Laura Porter-Munz
Sports
Sebastian Farkas
About Us. The Athenaeum is the official student newspaper of Acadia University and is published in print and online year-round at theath.ca. The opinions expressed herein do not represent the Acadia Students Union or the staff of the Athenaeum, they are held by the individuals who contribute to the Athenaeum as essential members of our completely student-run newspaper. We pride ourselves in publishing and participating in a diverse community, and we are more than eager to work with anyone, regardless of age, economic situation, race, creed, sexual orientation, or any other defining or diversive human trait. Articles submitted will be published at the discretion of the editorial board. If there is content that we feel will not add to the philosophy, dialogue, or tone of our newspaper, it will not be published. We’re always looking for controversial and thought-provoking material that challenges society and its norms, but any material deemed offensive or hateful will be met with extreme scrutiny. That being said, all of our staff members look forward to working together with writers to improve their quality of writing, and to make sure the Athenaeum remains professional and well-rounded. The Athenaeum may accept submissions from any student or member of our campus, present and past, and is always looking for more writers and photographers. If you are looking for coverage of an event or story, would like to notify us of a complaint or correction, or would like to submit a letter to the editor, contact Colin Mitchell at eic@acadiau.ca There are open story meetings every Monday at 6pm in the Athenaeum office, room 512 in the SUB. Everyone is welcome, and we encourage you to join us! The Athenaeum, since 1874.
Call it like you see it.
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The Athenaeum Editorial Board
Production Manager
Christopher Vanderburgh
News
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Doug Ford Won’t Kill Student Journalism
The Athenaeum
Acadia University’s Student Newspaper
Section Editors
atheditorials
Some valley thoughts on Black History month.
universities, (ie. Chancellors, Presidents, vice-Presidents, Deans), our senior Black History Month in Canada has had bureaucracies in Ottawa and the some recent powerful successes. There’s a provinces etc. growing, greater understanding and appreciation of the intrinsic value of Black All of this denial of the mosaic of Canada contributions, in science, business, in the face of thousands of eminently education, music, sports, and public policy qualified African Canadians who have the throughout our nation. advanced education, multiple language skills, managerial experience and These advances in heightening the training, and possess a strong desire to do awareness in our country to the the job. But sadly, they cannot get through contributions of African Canadians is, the glass ceiling. They can only dream and perhaps best understood by our aspire to what they know they are capable secondary school children who, during of, and they must live with the knowledge Black History Month, are now reading, that their contributions would make for a writing essays and immersing themselves in stronger and better Canada. research and history about our Black heroes and, interestingly, their parents are being So we still need a “Black History Month” educated and sensitized at the same time by in 2019, more than 186 years after the osmosis. This new awakening and British Parliament abolished Slavery In the enlightenment stretches right across the Empire. country. But, happiness will be the day when we no longer need “Black History Month” a period in the annual calendar, to highlight and celebrate the contributions of African Canadians to building this Nation. But unhappily, we still need it in 2019, because, in virtually every branch of the corridors of power in Canada, Blacks are expressly excluded and often completely absent. This is because some of our coveted principles of equality, fair play and inclusion have been supplanted by the white majority and often substituted by overt racism wherein the principle of the equal worth of human beings is sacrificed. The result is that the ugly sting of racism still keeps the driving forces of most Canadian enterprises virtually white. I invite you to look at the lack of Diversity and color in the upper echelons and powerful ranks of institutions like our Armed Forces, our superior Courts, our largest financial institutions; our
Black History Month Edition 2019
groups, the Disabled, Aboriginals and Women.
So, on arrival in Ottawa, I immediately set about meeting with the leaders of all the parliamentary institutions strongly encouraging them to adopt the business case for Diversity. That means inclusive workplaces that respect differences and value the diverse qualities that their employees bring to their work such as gender, religion, age, sex, language, ethnicity, social status, etc. These institutions and companies know this is good for successful business. My efforts had some modest success because in the annual report of 2008, the Clerk of the Senate, Paul Bélisle reported on the results of his efforts with the Senate Administration showing 11% representation of visible minorities. There was previously a period of four years where not one visible minority was either When I was summoned to and arrived at the hired or promoted. Senate of Canada in Ottawa in 1990, I was astounded to learn that Diversity was like a And what about my home town Wolfville foreign, unknown concept in parliamentary where Acadia University is king? Do we institutions such as the Senate, the House need Black History Month here? Sadly of Commons and the Library of Parliament. yes. Acadia has changed since I enrolled There was no inclusion, Diversity or fairin the Fall of 1956. Notwithstanding its ness in the workplace. In the early 1980’s I strong Baptist traditions, students, faculty had been an advisor to the President of the and friends in Wolfville have told me that Treasury Board on the employment of Acadia University has not been spared the visible minorities in the public service and ignominy of racism that has existed in the there were other groups promoting past, and, unless checked immediately by employment justice for the other three the introduction of the Business Case for Diversity, it will spread throughout many departments.
“Blacks are expressly excluded and often completely absent.”
So now is the time to promote inclusion and advocate respect for difference, before the problem worsens. It works. It really works. Trust me.
On January 17th, Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative Party rolled out a number of changes to the structure of education funding in Ontario. Universities will be required to slash tuition by 10% and eligibility for OSAP has been changed. One major change that slid under the radar is the requirement that all student fees deemed “non-essential” become optional. The government views fees relating to health, safety, and academic supports as essential and
those will remain mandatory. Outside of those categories, individual schools will be tasked with deciding which fees to axe and which to keep. The Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities said this is meant to help universities “adapt and innovate”. This is bad news for student organizations all over the country, but perhaps none more so than student journalism. Student newspapers around the country rely on student fees. Some
fill a gap in your program
Athabasca University has over 850 courses to choose from to meet your needs and courses start every month. AU has over 6,600 transfer agreements around the world (including with this institution).
are bundled within students’ union fees and determined by the student government like they are at Acadia, while some are supported by independent levies such as The Ubyssey or The Varsity where students pay less than $6 a year for a free and independent press.
tion’s history with a eugenist and white supremacist president. Journalism exists to check the power of those who govern us and keep the governed informed. We cannot do our job without the support of the community.
Ford’s changes are damaging for Simply put, student journalism is free press. important. Deeming student journalism ‘non-essential’ sets a Here at Acadia we’ve covered dangerous precedent for stories from questionable bylaw revisions by the ASU to the cocaine governments and student unions epidemic on campus to our institu- across the country. In an era of fake news and eroding trust in public institutions, we need a strong fourth estate more than ever.
“Student newspapers around the country rely on student fees.”
We stand with our partners at The Varsity, The UWO Gazette, The Lance, The Queen’s Journal, The Charlatan, The Eyeopener, The Fulcrum, and every other paper under threat by Doug Ford’s misguided policies. We won’t let Doug Ford kill student journalism.
Black History Month Edition 2019
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atharts&culture Intersectionality? Nendelmwa Gofwan President of the Black Student’s Association We often hear the term intersectionality in sociology, women and gender studies and sometimes politics. Intersectionality is a term that was coined by Kimberele Crenshaw and is used to describe how social categorizations such as race, gender and class are in fact interrelated and how this interrelatedness creates independent systems of discrimination. A lot of people live at the intersection, intersections differ from person to person. My intersection goes three ways: woman, black and immigrant. Coming to Nova scotia wasn’t what I expected it to be, and I didn’t expect my identity markers to become an issue, and boy was I wrong. I was isolated for a period of time before a group of African students found me and till this day some of closest friend are in fact the people, I met through the first set of Africans who befriended me. I will be the first to admit that I am not necessarily the best at conversing with strangers, but I have found that certain individuals when interacting with me felt uncomfortable and it felt like they where walking on eggshells when they spoke to me or around me. At first, I didn’t realize what was happening so I taught to myself what can I do to make myself less intimidating and more approachable and the answer was conformity. I conformed to what society views as normal or acceptable, but honestly it didn’t help so I stopped trying. So, this makes me ask if students in Acadia are scared of talking to students of color, or students who are ethnically different or different in general? Acadia prides itself in diversity but it’s pretty clear that it’s all word of mouth. There is an obvious disconnect between different groups that exist on campus and for a school that prides itself on diversity there has been no major move to remedying the situation. We have a university hired equity officer that comes in once a week, she has been hired to help create a more equitable campus, but how possible is that for eight hours a day once a week, and how possible is that when students are somewhat uncomfortable
“I didn’t expect my identity markers to become an issue, and boy was I wrong.” 4
having conversations with people who are from different places and who look different. Everyone has bias and that’s acceptable but to actually create an equitable campus atmosphere that moves beyond policy creation, students need to confront their biases and have uncomfortable discussions. University should be a place where we meet a variety of people, a variety of people have a variety of world views and these views may clash sometimes. For this to happen the university needs to create spaces where everyone would be comfortable enough to have these conversations. Difference should be celebrated and encouraged, not ignored, feared or shunned.
Sports Hall of Famer Sutton awarded Honorary Degree Clancy Waite (’15) Contributor Warren Sutton (’63) was 21 in 1960 when he came to Canada for the first time, traveling in a car with legendary Acadia basketball coach Stu Aberdeen to suit up for the Axemen. A star player, Sutton had started his basketball career three years earlier at Alfred University in Alfred, New York. While there, he had a relationship with the school treasurer’s daughter. Unhappy about it, the treasurer put pressure on school officials to have Sutton, an African American, end the relationship or face expulsion. Unwilling to do so, Sutton withdrew and moved to New York City. While he was in New York City, his coach, Pete Smith, put Sutton on Aberdeen’s radar. Smith, who was working with Aberdeen at a basketball All-America camp, told Aberdeen about Sutton and that prompted a
Black History Month Edition 2019
www.theath.ca conversation between Sutton and Aberdeen. Sutton says, “he knew I wanted to continue my education and spoke to me about coming to Acadia. Come September, Stu packed me up with his wife and newborn and we were off to Nova Scotia.” Although Wolfville is about the same size as Alfred, the move was an adjustment for Sutton. “I had been living in New York City for nine months, so it was a bit of a culture shock, but I was able to adjust,” he says. The atmosphere, though, was completely and refreshingly different. “The people were wide open and welcoming. I didn’t know what to expect. I had never been out of the country, and I didn’t know much about Canada, but was prepared to try a new adventure and continue my education.” Sutton describes his Acadia experience as one of the best of his life, partially because of the way people regarded him. “When I went to Alfred, my image of myself was as a basketball player and that’s how I thought people saw me and related to me,” he says. “When I came to Acadia, I found that my friends accepted me for me. It wasn’t so much a basketball thing. It made a whole different environment for me because they saw me as a person.”Awesome experience. A stand-out in his first year, Sutton helped the Axemen win the Maritime Championship for the first time in over two decades. “We had a good nucleus for the team. It was an awesome experience, all the guys got along. It was really fun,” he says. Unfortunately, an eligibility issue cut short his second season and “I didn’t hang out with the team a lot after that. It was too hard,” he says. “But as far as the campus and the guys I knew on campus, it was the same thing. They were relating to Warren the person, not Warren the basketball player.”
he says. Sutton has also been inducted into several other sport halls of fame for his playing and coaching abilities. He tries to return to Acadia as often as he can, calling it his second home. “I come back frequently. Last time was in November 2016 when they renamed the gym the Stu Aberdeen Court.” Nearly 60 years after his controversial relationship drove him from Alfred, Sutton has nothing but kind words for the university. “I perceived it quite differently from a lot of other people. They saw me as a victim. I never put this on the university; I always saw this as one or two or three individuals who were involved in the process,” he says. On May 13, 2017, Sutton was awarded an honorary degree from Alfred University. In a press release dated Feb. 24, 2017, Alfred University President Mark Zupan said, “awarding an honorary degree to Warren Sutton helps heal a wound suffered in 1959 by one of its greatest all-time studentathletes.” The release also notes that “Alfred University honors him in 2017 not for his extraordinary basketball skills, but for his character and his history.” “I received a written apology from the president last July,” Sutton says. “He hadn’t even been inaugurated when he contacted me. A few days later I got a phone call from the chair of the board of trustees and he indicated that Alfred wanted to present me with an honorary degree. The apology was a total surprise and I didn’t expect it. It was welcome, though. The times were different back then, but at least they wanted to make amends.”
While the apology and award were nice, the support he received from his peers was After Acadia, Sutton chose to remain in overwhelming. “I got loads of support from Canada instead of returning to the United across the country from some of my former States. He worked as a business systems classmates and teammates, and some of analyst and project manager until he them traveled pretty far to come to the retired, coaching basketball in his free convocation and support me. That was the time. “Coaching was always a hobby, but I amazing part; people I hadn’t seen in 40 or worked in the computer field since the early 50 years came to support me,” he says. ’60s. That’s what paid the bills,” Sutton Drawing from his experiences, Sutton has says. He coached university women’s some advice for young students today. “You basketball and club league, where he led have to pursue your own goals and teams to multiple championships. objectives. You shouldn’t be influenced by your peers or what people are saying. Sutton was inducted into Acadia’s Sports Sometimes you just have to go against the Hall of Fame in 2012 as an individual and grain and follow your beliefs. Whether it’s a member of the 1960-61 basketball team, social, business, whatever, you just have to which he considers quite an honour. “I take the step yourself. If it works, great, and only had one season there, so I must have if it doesn’t, you still tried.” made an impact or impression to get in with just one season. And our whole team was inducted, so that was like a double bonus,”
atharts&culture Chop your L’s with Pride Ruvimbo Z. Chipazi Arts Editor The new year is right around the corner which means new year’s resolutions for most people. A time to start afresh. Commit to making better choices, trying new things and maybe even cutting out some undesirable people from your circle of influence. Whatever the case may be, this is usually a time best for reflection, introspection and preparation, I guess. With this train of thought, I too have been reflecting on my past year. My 2018 was… interesting to say the least. I tried new things, some good some bad. I made new friends and lost a few along the way. My country (Zimbabwe) started with a new government that was ushered in by a ‘not a coup process’. Naturally expectations were high or even unrealistic as it seems the country remains in the doldrums but hey, Rome wasn’t built in a day. We all remain hopeful that the country is heading in the right direction. Back to Canada, I got more involved, both with Acadia and the Wolfville community to try being a more productive member of society (emphasis on the word try). I joined more clubs, talked to more people and volunteered more. In all this there were challenges, trying moments and stress but joyful, fulfilling and happy moments too. I just wanted to do something that was different from my routine. But as usual nothing ever goes as planned. One important thing I learnt this year, was just how unstructured life is. Weird lesson to learn but a hard one to accept. I am an overthinker and to deal with this, I like to plan a lot. However, 2018 clearly had other plans for me because it felt like I showed 2018 my plans which it laughed at before proceeding to tell me the plans it had in store for me day by day. When I first came to Acadia, my group of friends consisted mostly of Nigerians. I got introduced to Nigerian Pidgin or slang, which is basically broken English. Anyway, that is where I first heard the phrase “chop your L”. The phrase basically means to take your losses and usually used in a humorous context. Chop your L in silence was usually the phrase used when one of our friends was acting a fool. I always thought that it was a funny phrase- take your losses in silence. I still find it funny, especially when I look at how many Ls I have had to take this year. To name a few, I ran for one of the councillor positions in the 2018 General Elections….and lost. It sucked, naturally. This was one L I took in silence but looking back, it added a new dimension to my world. A world of possibility and change. Something different.
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Decolonizing Desirers River Pictou Contributor
I ran again for equity officer in the Decolonizing desirers is a zine created by By-Elections because apparently, I didn’t Al cusack and River Pictou. The zine, a learn the first time? Regardless I lost small self published book or magazine, again, and it was another L I took, was created as a project for Al’s Sociology maybe not as silently as the first one. I of health class at St. Thomas University. got so fixated on this loss that I couldn’t see Although the class is what prompted the the small wins that came with it. completion of the zine, the idea had already been in the works as Al aspires to one day I wanted to go home (Zimbabwe) in the be a sex educator and River as an summer but as I said before 2018 was just indigenous person wants to help spread not having it. Anyway, sometimes we take knowledge and awareness to issues that unnecessary Ls or better still, we perceive occur in society. many events as losses. I guess in the heat of the moment, when all that’s playing in our This zine will hopefully be the building head is the outcome we wanted, it becomes block for other health and sexuality easy to focus on the negatives. A materials the pair will create targeted relationship gone bad, a failed test, or a towards indigenous youth as well as all missed opportunity? Its never easy but its youth who want to learn and decolonize not the end because hey it’s the end of the themselves as well as the world around year and you’re still breathing. My mum them. The original idea for the zine came always tells me that there’s always hope for from Al, as they are a white settler in a the living and I believe her. relationship with an indigenous person and work hard to acknowledge the colonial With each door that was slammed in my concepts that they have been raised with face, 2 more opened next to me. I just had and decolonizing themself. to take a step back and look. It might not have been the door I originally planned on “In my Sociology of Health class we were entering but I have no regret having stepped assigned to create a health promotion through it. Sometimes we become so rigid campaign that creatively addresses a health about what constitutes a win or a loss, but issue. Since I want to address sexual health I think it’s not so black and white anymore. from a social justice perspective I decided As we enter the New Year, I want people to to tackle queer sexual health among remember not to be so rigid with their goals Indigenous people. We found in our class and not to be so hard on themselves when the queer people and Indigenous people they don’t reach their intended goals as experience poorer health than the general originally planned. We should be population, and that people at the cognisant of the fact that we are human, we intersections of marginalized identities can make mistakes, we backtrack, we hurt, we face even bigger challenges in accessing win, we triumph also but most importantly health. So I decided to tackle the issue we should learn lessons, forgive those who using a zine because that allowed us to hurt us, and focus on striving. Be open to create a more engaging, reflective, and new ideas and new methods of achieving informative resource than if we had tried to your goals. And with each loss you take in make a poster or write an academic article” 2019, take it with pride. Always celebrate - Al Cusack the small wins because hey, I took a lot of Ls this year but I definitely recorded some While creating this zine there was some significant wins or better still I’m still challenges that occured, some being related thriving. to the distance and schedules of the people creating the zine, but also the lack of Embrace the New Year with hope, traditional knowledge came up, as this expectations and possibilities in mind. zine was being created as a way to discuss relationships targeted towards indigenous Happy New Year! youth there was a focus on including indigenous beliefs and other things, but due to colonization its hard for indigenous youth to know and access indigenous knowledge, which made this zine not only important to creat, but also difficult as there isn’t many avenues to find thsi type of information and River had to rely on teachings from their Childhood attending school on a reservation in rural nova scotia.
“I just wanted something that was different from my routine.”
Why did you choose the colour and designs you did
“The pink triangle is a lesser known symbol of the LGBTQ+ community. The pink triangle was used on the uniforms of LGBTQ+ concentration camp prisoners during World War II. The symbol was reclaimed by LGBTQ+ activists to show that being marked as queer was something to be proud of, not ashamed of. It was widely used in the Act Up movement during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, and so made sense to use in the zine as an homage to our heritage of resistance in the queer community.” -Al Cusack The feather is seen as a symbol of importance to indigenous cultures “The feathers on the triangle are to represent the Indigenous community. Eagle feathers are widely regarded as sacred symbols in many Indigenous nations, representing the Seven Sacred Teachings of Mi’kmaq culture and a connection to the land and the Creator. It was important to use this symbol in the zine because Indigenous conceptualizations of health are so much more holistic than settler conceptualizations, and so reminding our readers that they are connected to the land and their heritage mattered.” -Al Cusack Due to colonization, many indigenous communities do not openly accept LGBTQ members as they once did. This is a byproduct of colonial contact. This zine is hopefully one of the first steps to bringing awareness and acceptance for the LGBTQ community back to Indigenous cultures. The hope is to go back through the zine and edit it again, refine some details and make sure the information makes sense. After that River and Al hope that this zine may become part of a series of zines talking about how to decolonize life, including relationships, home life, and health. We live in a society that is very focused on biomedical health and healing, but with these zines we hope to take a holistic approach.
Black History Month Edition 2019
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athcreative
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Up Thinking Late Daniel Simpkin Contributor There are no more subtleties in the way that And thats why Iʼll blame my shoulders for I speak
not fitting inside my dads vintage jacket
And amidst a loss for words and thoughts
Since I can barely open my eyes without
that make me weak
popping any vyves
About the moments,
And I donʼt think a thing will change
Where I feel like I shouldnʼt be held
that I can barely open my mouth without
accountable for the things Iʼve told myself
telling any lies
to do
I havenʼt felt awake in weeks and I havenʼt
I will remain this pretentious idealist,
been asleep in months
Who really wants that to be true.
And with all these darks signs theyʼre going
Iʼve done a lot of growing and want to call
to ask
myself man
when’s he done pulling stunts?
But then look at this sick little kid who
Im writing to the last of the immortal kids
most mornings,
refusing to call their fuck ups mistakes
Is to weak to stand
And to my friends who live their lives
Thinking maybe its the liquor or maybe its
no more asleep than awake
the drugs
To all the boys who have left
Damned regardless
Will think, not know
Through tear drops and heartache
That Iʼm being a huge bastard for this
Caused by rain drops and heartbreak
And that no matter how I rephrase it
Since I fucked around and lost my
Lying to us both has turned me into a
lovely starlet
plagiarist
But stayed pissed off because she played a Iʼm built with a foundation of putty and a buyers market
frame of glass
Call me a hypochondriac, with a disease
And with every aching step, I continue to
of the heart not the mind
wonder how long Iʼm meant to last
athcreative Photo Fridays
Scotland
Aqila Walji Photography Manager
Taylor McKnight Contributor
A peaceful brook, the dew-coated ferns A wise old Corsican pine The smell of all my Gran’s clothes and gifts Whisk me stray back to calm Loch Fyne
But Iʼll spin my words until you know that I may not have grown much, but She was so much easier to lose
Iʼve certainly learned that sooner or later
Than she was to find
You have to pay the price for
You would need a big magnifying glass to what youʼve done see the beauty I can see
And I donʼt know if its a symptom of
In the darkest days of my life
now or before
Ye t t h e p e rs o n w h o re a d s i t
But learning these lessons
fo r t h e m
Has yet to prove fun.
We’d trade a bob for a bag o sweets Sort our boots and find the burn My brithers and ah we’d laugh the hours away Running drookit no concern
But its easy to brush these thoughts off with And are dearly departed well timed careless shrugs
And the ones who despite our best efforts
So maybe Iʼm lying and I still canʼt hack it just feel
Contributed by William Knowling
Sunday Sketches Jordan Mahaney Productions Manager
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In a place where aw can feel at home, secure by loch and key Moving history of grandiose shall remain in blissful memory For though held to sword in days gone past sharp scrutiny by Edward’s eye No count of blades could e’er drown the words of Robbie’s Auld Lang Syne
Me Da would teach us to kick a rugby ball And tackle on the pitch Until one of us would find some stingy nettle Ouch Da! This hurts like a
I’ve had a burd to love, and friends to share Days on the Tignabruich “sand” But when things go wrong, and your mum’s arms are all you have It’s these long walks home in the right direction that’ll change you from a boy into a man
Havnae ne’er been to The Land O Fife? Say no more, sit back wi your bez The grace runs deep down that old North Street From all those words Saint Andrew said
So now I say to old and young From Wolfville to Arthur’s Seat Like Wallace said, That the Scots are free This our lips shall still repeat
See, I foond myself on a fairm, on bonnie Drumrack Where Rob and Douglas work the stead Leesa and Leslie support the laddies stomachs no doubt, But where’s old Henry? Oh, nae bother I’ve found him! He’s here on the sofa, resting his lids and his noggin in front of the box! listening to something David Attenborough said
So raise your glass for days gone by And days we have yet to see Scotland is beauty Scotland is brave Scotland’s you and Scotland’s me To Scotland
Needless to say, pieces of ma heart are still there A long way off I understand But it takes nae genius to look and see that it truly is a special land
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Black History Month Edition 2019
Black History Month Edition 2019
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Arrogance
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groups, languages and interest but this diversity is not reflected within the institution, student governance, advocacy groups and so on. “Acadia is a small university,” Gofwan said, “and we have the chance to make improvements and reach out to all students”.
Gillette: You Can Be Better
or Racism?
Gofwan brought up issues most international students of colour experience. Acadia has the Wong International Centre, established in 1997 as a “home away from home for international students and to answer any questions they may have. It’s Josée Leger a place where students can join groups, meet new people of similar backgrounds News Editor and or cultures.” Gofwan noted “International students stay where it’s In a predominantly white, rural and small most comfortable, like anyone would”. university tackling race issues seems impossible. With Black History Month The problem is the Wong Centre does our duty as an institution is to tackle and not give international students the talk about the issues surrounding our chance to reach out to other groups or campus. The reality is that we walk on organizations. Language barriers or eggshells with race related issues, simply friends not wanting to treating it as a touchy subject. participate in activities offered on campus are part of the reason for such Yes, it can be awkward. We try to avoid a divide. Setbacks for international being the person that comes across as students such as tuition fees, culture culturally insensitive. If people are shock, home sickness can be very afraid to talk and if our society is difficult for anyone. walking on eggshells, or even afraid to talk about race issues that are very much What people have to understand is alive on campus, nothing will improve. everyone has more than one identity. In Canada we have to recognize that we The concept of intersectionality is used are no better than our neighbours to the to describe the ways in which south and not even close to eliminating oppressive institutions (racism, sexism, the systemic racism. As we celebrate our past achievements we can look to Acadia’s first African Canadian graduate. Edwin Borden was a student-athlete who graduated from Acadia in 1892, and again with a Master’s degree in 1896, after which he went on to earn his Doctorate. The progress we have achieved is no doubt are important, but we seem to forget what we can collectively do as a society and within our Acadia community. The Black Student Association (BSA) at Acadia had some thoughts about our institution. Two members of the BSA, Nendelmwa Gofwan- President of the BSA- and Ruvimbo Chipazi, gave their insights on Acadia’s progress in breaking racial boundaries. We always seem to ask questions about can we do to change our system but solid answers never seem to be the centre of discussion. “Of course it seems cliche and obvious to say talk about it more the rest will hopefully follow,” Chipazi said. Is it that enough? Do we just want to be mediocre concerning race issues at Acadia? Are we really so fearful to uncover these truths that have been going on for centuries on end?” The main issue that Chipazi and Gofwan emphasized is that there is diversity on campus in terms of age groups, ethnic
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“What people have to undestand is that everyone has more than one identity ”
Black History Month Edition 2019
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athfeatures
Christopher Vanderburgh Features Editor The newest attempt at corporate social justice is upon us again. Gillette,which makes men’s and women’s razors, recently came out with an advertisement decrying so-called “toxic masculinity.” If you watch the advertisement you can see a number of different scenarios, from bullying to catcalling, all with men eventually attempting to stop whatever might be happening. Following the release of the advertisement, the name “Gillette” has been in the mouth of anyone with an opinion. Mentions of Gillette have also been all over social media along with the suggestion that men are angry about the content of the video. Well, I’m a man and I am angry about the video, but not for the reasons you might imagine.
homophobia, transphobia, ableism, xenophobia, classism, etc) are interconnected and cannot be examined separately from one another. This is the case for minority groups on campus, whether one is an international student struggling with the large shift or any other student.
supervisor at Tim Horton’s at the time was also black and he emphasized to the black employee to let it go. Presumably there are bigger issues to deal with, or it’s not that bad.
But it is that bad. If we continue to let these issues slide or have this attitude of simply ‘getting over it’ nothAcadia needs to be more supportive and ing will change. take into account these kinds of issues. Understanding, asking questions of Another incident involving another members of associations and not black Safety and Security employee assuming what is best or what we illustrates this is an acute Acadia presume can be done at minimal effort. problem. One night while he was on “We have to learn where we stand in duty, drunk white students threw regard to our privilege,” Gofwan said. garbage and began yelling at him. “The “Everyone is privileged one way or first thing he could think of was, is it another, and international students have because of my blackness? Or was it the privilege to receive an education simply a random act” Arrogance can here at Acadia”. often be interpreted as racism especially on campus. “We have to do Yet with our privilege we still face better in terms of normalizing what is discrimination. Situations that not normal” Gofman stated. “We have emphasize the arrogance still occur on to take in action and the normalization campus. At the Tim Horton’s on Main of the idea of people of colour in St, one white employee kept making leadership positions”. This is why we racial slurs to his black employee going need to have a broader as far as calling him a “monkey”. representation within student government so these issues are This is unacceptable. discussed and dealt with. We would assume the white employee “I’m not angry at you,” Chipazi said. faced severe repercussions. “I’m angry at the system that keeps Disappointingly enough, no accepting this type of behaviour.” repercussions were given. The
First, I think it would be best if I addressed the content of the ad for a moment. I’m not angry about the message at all. All of the things expressed in the video are perfectly fine by me. I seem to be among the minority of men who feel that way. At the time of writing the YouTube video of the advertisement has over one million dislikes compared to seven hundred thousand likes. Put simply, the aspects of masculinity depicted as negative in the video are not a part of my masculinity and I do my best not to associate with those whose masculinity includes those aspects. The video is also dead on when it seems to suggest that the best way to combat negative male behaviour is to lead young men by example. If catcalling, bullying, or sexual assault are a part of your masculinity I think you would struggle to find a person that would call you a man.
time a company has tried this. Nike was the last to use a similar campaign. After Colin Kaepernick famously knelt during the anthem at an NFL game Nike took him on as a spokesperson and profits for the athletic gear manufacturer reached an all time high. Gillette is likely following suit. What if we dig a little deeper? If you look at the political candidates that the company donates money to, it becomes clear that Gillette and their parent company Procter and Gamble (P&G) are not particularly interested in bringing positive change to America. According to the Federal Election Commission of the United States, the Procter and Gamble Political Action Committee (P&G PAC) has overwhelmingly contributed to federal Republican campaigns over the last twenty years. The contributions range in value but are usually upwards of a thousand dollars per candidate. Basically this means that P&G are supporting candidates who regularly vote against things like women’s reproductive rights. For example, the P&G PAC gave four thousand dollars to Ohio Republican Robert Latta who voted in favour of limiting abortion rights in October of 2017. He also cast similar votes in 2015 and 2016. The list of Republicans at the House and Senate level that receive money from P&G is a long one. This is worth our attention. Can a corporation be “woke” or are they merely capitalizing on the recent recognition of certain inequalities to sell you more things? I think the answer to this is very simple. If you concern yourself with the social message that a company puts out to you then you’ve already lost. Companies like Gillette and Nike have one mission, which is to sell product. If it truly is a personal intention of yours to support ethical companies, then you should first consider where they spend their money rather than where you choose to spend yours. When it comes to our age of consumerism you can always be better, but not because companies like Gillette are telling you to be.
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Emily Ellis: Aspiring Film Maker Jordan Mahaney Productions Manager
On January 19th, we were blessed with another creation: “Sometimes it’s Best Not to try Again”. Emily filled Studio Z at the Al Whittle theatre with support and excitement for this new short film’s premier. The short film not only features Claymation, but also a soundtrack composed specifically for the film, and many familiar faces from Acadia University.
I have been quite fortunate to know Emily for about two years now. Everyone who meets her can agree that she carries a sort of charisma that one does not come by often. Her wit, empathy, approachable nature is alluring to everyone, and it shows through her work.
The film follows a man in search for advice on love to win over the girl who has his heart, but searches for advice in all the wrong places. Reality tv, college friends and amateur artists all share their best knowledge on the subject, which reveals to the protagonist that love is interpreted differently by everyone. The First, with the success of her short protagonist soon learns that everyone film “Soap” depicting a soap bar who he asks is also on the same search for contemplates the human condition and reassurance, just perhaps about daily monotony, Emily gained different points in their lives. The recognition through the Next Gen Film premier ended in a standing ovation, Festival, as well as a First Place award and we are all now left waiting for for the Al Whittle Theatre’s Emily’s next conception. Smartphone Film Festival. These reassurances allowed Emily to truly fall Emily is a fourth year student at Acadia into her calling – and we are all University, majoring in History. She thankful for it. If you were like me, and hopes her next steps are to study film – had seen Soap, you were left we hope so too. wanting more of what Emily’s brain would fabricate.
“No publicity This brings us to what does make me angry about the video. With references to toxic masculinity, the Me Too is bad publicity movement, and combating bullying, it might seem to the viewer that Gillette is making a political move here. In reality, and the the company is trying to capitalize on the dominant narrative of the day. In other words, it seems to me that Gillette company is intentionally trying to manufacture controversy to sell more product. In the world of sales no knows that.” publicity is bad publicity and the company knows that. This isn’t the first
Black History Month Edition 2019
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Kyle Bower Contributor
Shelby McPhee Contributor
Growing up, I learned that trust and respect are both earned; that those in positions of authority worked to be elected and they possess knowledge from education and experience. In turn, they will take the voices and opinions of those they represent to make decisions on their behalf.
of a time! While we have had many successes, there is still so much that can be done. Sometimes, it feels like we are getting nowhere, and we become tired and discouraged. But in those moments, we must stop and see just how far we’ve come. While there is more that can be done, we are only able to accomplish our goals if we are truly healthy and whole.
It should come as no surprise to anyone that being black in white spaces is hard. Albeit subjective, I believe that even the most racially blind person of color has some level of uncertainty about his own mortality within spaces outside and For the last two years, I’ve spent my time at unknown to him. These ambiguous Acadia fighting and advocating for students situations cause the Black body to become hypervigilant and enter into survival mode. in different ways. I sought to further problematize the academy’s inadequate This intrinsic phenomenon forces us to strip efforts to address issues of race and diversity, as well as issues of inclusion and ourselves of our own complexities in order equity on campus; to bring more awareness to survive. Similarly, the shift makes us aware of the micro-aggressions and hopefully effect change. Since the committed by our classmates, the gazes beginning, it has been about the projected onto our Black bodies as we walk community. It has been about doing the down Main Street and the ignorance of the Work of reconciliation and planting the people gazing. seeds for a better Acadia. Each of us, in our own unique way, have been about the We notice the elitist attitude of the white Work. woman that clutches her purse in Shoppers as the Black body walks by and Together, we had some wins, but we’ve also had great losses. We’ve accomplished the saviorism of staff and faculty around us. This awareness and sensitivity to one’s some great things together; like forming surrounding places a severe burden on the Black Student Association, creating one’s mental and emotional health. stronger ties with the Indigenous Student Navigating the antiblackness that we so Association, as well as achieving the commemoration of Black History Month in regularly encounter and being the change The Athenaeum. We’ve truly had one hell that we want to see is labour intensive, So, I decided that in this moment as we celebrate blackness, black girl magic, black boy joy and black intellectualism, I will speak directly to black people.
because the structures of oppression that we constantly confront are strategically designed to drain us of our natural resources. This is why we must take time to do the caring work for ourselves and others if we truly want to effect change. In caring for yourself, you will have to overlook certain issues. At first, you may feel guilty for choosing to walk away from battles, and you may also struggle with survivor’s guilt – knowing that you’ve made it over and some of your brothers and sisters have not. But the work of navigation and activism is done more efficiently and effectively when we do it with our whole selves rather than with our reserves. In these moments of caring, find and become a part of other communities, because sometimes it becomes easier when we do life with others; when we resist together and even when we love together. In moments of togetherness, be aware of the spaces that you create and always be sure that those spaces are filled with love, acceptance and restoration. Lastly, remember that you aren’t the only one fighting, so be kind to others and care deeply for other black people around you. Truthfully, we are stronger together!
The Work we do requires that love for one another be our guide, so as to ensure that we make space to care for blackness even when it is not wrapped with the principles that society has taught us. For we must care for blackness when it is wrapped in queerness, gender non-conformity, when it prefers country rather than rap or when it prays to a different God than our own. We must seek to protect each other because in the words of Brother James Baldwin, “we must fight for [their] life as though it were our own—which it is—and render impassable with our bodies the corridor to the gas chamber. For, if they take [them] in the morning, they will be coming for us that night.” In loving and providing caring spaces for others, the universe will provide the same to us. We’ve got work to do in the upcoming months and I know that it will try us, but we can be ready for it if we stop and care deeply about ourselves and others in each moment. We will be able to stand in the face of what is not and constantly see and advance toward what could be. We cannot be of service to ourselves or to the community if we fail to do the caring work.
Black History Month Edition 2019
were canned, and student petition motions were removed. These are only some of the issues plaguing recent ASU history and I don’t want us to deal with more as a student body. Going to Acadia is getting more and more expensive and we as a student body should not have to take even more when we aren’t even being properly consulted.
In the two years I’ve been here none of that has occurred with the ASU. Just last week at Independent on Main Street, I watched a student’s debit card Through my time at Acadia I’ve grown decline. With their groceries bagged and familiar with the ASU and how it (attempts) people staring, I saw panic and humiliation. to function. From the get-go, I’ve witnessed As paper towel, butter, and milk were taken a dumpster fire that can’t seem to keep its off the transaction their card was approved. own executives from running in the The student ran out of the store nearly in opposite direction, clinging to whatever tears, leaving behind daily necessities and is left of their reputation on campus and other concerned shoppers who felt deep careful to avoid the lingering fumes emitted sympathy for someone just trying to get from an undemocratic “union” that lacks through their day. Maybe the money that the input of the very people it’s meant to student paid in fees towards a yearbook, represent. This has occurred while failing to or the proposed UPass could have allowed demonstrate equitable and diverse them home essentials. leadership, furthering the divide from student body and the union itself. To ASU President George Philip and the ASU, I’m not going to complain about In November, a video was posted on the issues without proposing solutions to said ASU Council’s Facebook page outlining problems. Here are the following: the proposed changes to promote inclusion, • Hold Council meetings in a more public accountability, election window extensions, space than the back room of the Michener and ‘other’ proposed changes. When did Lounge. It’s not accessible going into a ‘public’ consultation sessions happen? Who room full of like-minded friends while did they ask? Where is the post outreach carrying concerns for their decisions; report? Where are the qualitative and • Make all findings public from all student quantitative reports of their findings to engagements, then detail what amendments be made public? How can a consultation will be proposed using the data from the space be considered accessible when there engagements; are very few non-executives present and • Meet with and invite different student the session is held in a largely unknown, committees and clubs to have their unique secluded room filled by a council who are concerns and problems heard. This way a all close friends? broader student voice can be heard; • Open further dialogue from students to If you can’t tell by my pointed tone, I’m administration; pissed. I have people that I didn’t vote for • Allow a “Yes/No” option on ballots for making decisions concerning the structure positions being run for unopposed; of my school, my education, my student • Audit the actions and events of student events, and making bad choices on where associations. my money goes and what I owe at the start of every semester. Let’s look back at what Though there has been some progress in our tuition money has funded, shall we? certain areas of concern the ASU lacks accountability and transparency. There are • The UPass issue this year; people on council who are kind, • The Chief Returning Officer resigning last hard-working, and warm hearted I just want year, following massive backlash leadership from those who truly care and concerning ASU operations and electoral who aren’t in their position just to pad their processes; résumés. I want no bullshit and I want clear • Acadia Pregnancy Support operating and concise decision making that considers down the hall from the ASU offices in the those who will be impacted by the result. SUB pushing prolife and shaming abortions At the end of the day, the changes imposed for four years. Four. Years. by ASU Executives impact what does and • The Wellness Fund debacle of last year; doesn’t get left behind at the grocery. If it’s • Undemocratic bylaw revisions that were not a union for you and me, whose union only renamed and saw very little change; is it? Not only that; non-executive positions
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A Union for Whom? Bring Campus Childcare to Acadia
Take Time to do the Caring Work I spent a lot of time thinking about what I would write this article on. I struggled with its content because I knew that there was so much that needed to be said. I thought about the failure of the academy to uphold its commitment to diversity and inclusion. I thought about confronting hate speech in classrooms from students who tell professors and other students that they aren’t Canadian because they don’t have blue eyes and brown hair. I’m learning that forest fires don’t need help spreading.
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Laura Fisher Contributor
Childcare may be the furthest thing from the minds of many students, which is understandable. However, campus childcare has impacts on many students, their quality of education, and gender parity issues at Acadia.
marginalized groups as well, groups that already experience a disparity in their educational access and attainment levels. Without childcare at Acadia, we stand to lose many potential students. Research shows student parents tend to be dedicated and have a higher than average GPA, As faculty retire, new talent must be making them the kind of students that make recruited and many sought-after professors universities look good. are within a child-rearing age demographic. Whether they currently have children or Gender parity in education and income will in the coming years, child care will levels are impacted by access to be a service that is essential in supporting quality childcare. Women in academia often them in their career. Campuses like Acadia experience what is called the without childcare facilities will be rejected “motherhood penalty” which derives in favour of many of the other institutions primarily from having children during their that provide this service. The quality of academic career. Men, however, do not our education is impacted by the ability to encounter a “fatherhood penalty”, in fact, attract and retain quality faculty, and the they enjoy a higher likelihood of promotion pool is vastly narrowed and favours male if they have children. Female faculty have academics without childcare services. described the extensive difficulties of lack of childcare options and the subsequent We might assume that we don’t need impact on their careers from delaying or childcare on campus because there is preventing tenure to contributing to them childcare in the surrounding community. quitting academia altogether. Caregiving However, Kings County, and much of Nova work is still primarily the domain of Scotia is in what is considered a “childcare women, and has an unequal impact on desert”. It is extremely difficult to find care, women versus men as a group. All parents especially for children under 18 months as need and deserve to be supported in their well as before and after school care. This careers and educations, and childcare is a feeds into the fact that a childcare centre mitigating factor in the current gender at Acadia could fill any spots not used by divide that exists in access to academia opening them to community members. for parents. NSCC campuses prioritize staff, faculty, and students for childcare spots in their In a competitive education market, Acadia on-site childcare and open any remaining stands to lose many prospective students as spots to the community. This model has well as talent to institutions that do support been successfully used for many years, and their role as parents. It’s been 30 years since many of the 13 NSCC campuses are much there was childcare on campus, and Acadia smaller than Acadia in terms of faculty and is one of few post-secondary institutions student populations. that does not provide childcare. Many of the parents that work or study at this Student parents make up between 11 and institution have asked for childcare, as 16% of post-secondary students across evidenced in a study I conducted in 2017 on Canada according to a 2011 national study. the needs of student parents at Acadia. They are a steadily growing demographic Budgets are a matter of priorities, and at all levels of post-secondary studies and funding does exist through the province types of institutions. Student parents are and other methods. Let’s show Acadia that more likely to be part of racialized or childcare is one of our priorities as students.
Black History Month Edition 2019
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athscience break the status quo. This represents the unseen barriers to the advancement of marginalized groups. Sometimes these barriers aren’t spelled out perfectly for anyone to recognize as blatantly racist, they’re hidden in the fine print. For Mary, it was a Laura Porter Muntz requirement that certain courses Science Editor at an all-white school had to be completed before an application to We tend to view research on the that young black scientists of the become an engineer could be final frontier as the epitome of future will walk into their accepted, no white person would scientific research. Space is workplace feeling like they belong take a second glance at this considered to be studied only the there, and that no one assumes they requirement as they would never best and the brightest. the people don’t. consider the idea that someone may who don’t have the liberty of saying not be able to attend those classes, “I’m not a rocket scientist” when “here at NASA, we all pee the they do not consider obstacles they faced with a difficult problem. The same color” personally do not encounter. black female mathematicians featured in Hidden Figures This quote is preceded by a scene Without Mary’s fight to advance her represents a select few women of where Al Harrison, Katherine education to meet the requirements colour able to win the battle of not Johnson’s boss, violently takes to become an engineer, this story only racism, but also sexism, two down the signs from the segregated would have ended differently, with systemic barriers in STEM that are bathrooms with a crowbar. This a frustrated woman whose potential difficult to overcome. direct action against segregation was lost on a technicality, which is sparked by Katherine’s outburst was most likely the result of these Hidden Figures does an when she reveals that the reason she sorts of situations more often than excellent job of directly and disappears from her workstation for not. indirectly demonstrating how extended periods of time throughout racism affected these women and the day is because she has no choice Hidden Figures premiered in 2016, their place in the scientific sphere. but to walk half a mile to the nearest 56 years after the work of these In this article, I want to analyze restroom that she, as a black women was underway. While it has three quotes from this movie that I woman, is permitted to use. This taken an enormous amount of time felt dove deeper than surface level. scene and quote represents the and social change for a movie like ability of white people to use their “I’m not a custodian” privilege in a positive way. If any of the black employees at NASA had This quote struck me immediately; done what this upper level white since Hidden Figures is one of the employee had done, they would first mainstream movies to have been fired. follow the journey of black female scientists, it really emphasizes the By using his power to take down a fact that representation matters. barrier one of his employees faced, When Katherine Johnson enters her he changed the workplace for all new, more prestigious office, an black employees. Using his power employee assumes she is a and position at the organization to custodian simply from her aid in dismantling the obstacles his appearance. Hidden Figures is a black employee faces, he huge step forward for representing demonstrates how to make a not only black female scientists, but difference as a white ally. black scientists in general, in the media. The importance of “I have no choice but to be the representation is often understated first” and/or undervalued. Media influences how we see people and This quote comes from Mary how we see ourselves. The Jackson appealing to a judge to sociological term “symbolic allow her to attend classes at an annihilation” describes the effect all-white high school, which is of underrepresentation of groups in required by NASA to become an media where the group of interest’s engineer. She explains to the judge social existence is that this is the only way she can undermined by the lack of meet this requirement, so she must representation. This scene clearly be the first. He has to make her the marks the notion that Katherine is first, the social change has to come considered out of place, the hope is from his decision to allow her to
Hidden Figures: An Analysis
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Black History Month Edition 2019
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athscience total, Lepine shot 28 people, with a kill count of 14 women, until he eventually shot himself, taking his own life as well.
“Systemic barriers in STEM that are difficult to overcome” this to be made, the fact that the work of these women will not be forgotten by the public is the the goal of films like Hidden Figures. Finally, we can provide the representation and recognition that individuals like Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson and Dorothy Vaughn deserve, while still showing the side of science that tried to prevent them from even stepping foot into the field so we can remember our mistakes, and learn to never make them again.
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The Montreal Massacre and Why We’re Still Talking About It Laura Porter-Muntz Science Editor
On December 6th, 1989, engineering students of Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal were listening to a student presentation about heat transfer, when a man entered the room with a semi-automatic rifle in his hands. This man was Marc Lepine, an unsuccessful applicant to Ecole Polytechnique, with a hatred for feminists so profound that it led him to blame them for his failings in life and sought to seek revenge. Lepine demanded that the men and women separate themselves by lining up on opposite sides of the
room and proceeded to fire a warning shot from his gun. Once the nine women of the class were isolated from the rest of the students, he ordered the men to leave. Lepine announced the reason for his intrusion as “fighting feminism”. When one of these women, Natalie Provost, attempted to talk to him, saying they weren’t feminists but simply students trying to learn, Lepine insisted they were feminists and shot at these women, killing six of them and injuring the other three. Lepine then continued his rampage throughout the school, specifically targeting women. In
Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics. Strumia made a presentation to an audience mostly comprised of young women claiming that men invented and built While researching this shooting, my the field of physics, and that female stomach turned, because despite the physicists weren’t as well suited to fact that we herald ourselves as a the field as their male peers. He also progressive, inclusive society, the asserted that men were being treated accounts of this story read like the unfairly because women were incident could have happened last receiving opportunities and research week. When I walk into my funding simply due to their gender, biology classes and see that about and not their merit as scientists. 80% of my peers are also women, Strumia’s motivations for this talk it can be difficult to imagine that in had the same roots as Lepine’s my mother’s biology class of 1987 actions: women were accepted into was mostly men, and that the an engineering program Lepine increase in female scientists is a had been denied acceptance to, and very recent phenomenon. likewise a woman had been chosen over Strumia for a position with the When we talk about gender National Institute of Nuclear equality in science, the response is Physics. often “women are already equal, why are we still talking about this?” The gender gap in science is The answer is that while we can influenced by many factors, but acknowledge progress, we can’t science needs all the great minds ignore the cases of sexual it can get a hold of, and everyone harassment, sexual assault and deserves to feel safe from gender discrimination within the discrimination in the scientific scientific community that persists community, regardless of gender. today simply because things are Remembering the women who better than they used to be. There survived this attack and those that is still an “old boys club” culture fell victim to a sexist act of violence amongst many scientific is key to learning from the past, and communities. This work not repeating it. environment can make women, particularly young women just All are invited to join the Acadia entering the field, feel WGS in association with AUFA uncomfortable and/or unwelcome. Women’s Committee and the President’s Office of Acadia The community tends to be the University in Commemorating opposite of inviting towards young Canada’s National Day of women, an example from earlier Remembrance and Action on this year being the actions of Violence Against Women at a vigil Professor Alessandro Strumia, a to be held from 4:30-5:30 on senior researcher at the National December 6th at the Wolfville Farmer’s market.
“While researching this shooting, my stomach turned, because despite the fact that we herald ourselves as a progressive, inclusive society, the accounts of this story read like the incident could have happened last week.” Black History Month Edition 2019 13
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I don’t know if I was better than everyone else as much as I simply loved the competitive aspect of the sport, and always pushed myself to become the best player I could. As far as playing at a high level, that was Sebastian Farkas never my main goal. All I wanted was Sports and Wellness Editor to grow into the best player I could possibly be: if I did that, the level I Junior hockey is a staple for so many where he began playing hockey for the played at was bound to take care of Canadian households. Players are Crowchild Blackhawks of NW itself. treated like NHL stars in many of these Calgary before moving on to play for communities and junior hockey unites the Northwest Calgary Athletic I want to take you back to the day you small towns across the country. Canada Association (NWCAA) at the bantam were drafted by the Portland is home to the best junior hockey AAA and midget AAA levels. Carter Winterhawks. It’s funny because I league in the world: the Canadian was drafted in the sixth round of the don’t know if you remember where you Hockey League (CHL). The CHL is 2013 WHL Bantam Draft to the were when you got the call, but I was an umbrella organization representing Portland Winterhawks. He was the sitting beside you in the computer lab three amateur leagues in the country: Winterhawks’ first pick in the draft and at St. Vincent and I just remember how the Western Hockey League (WHL), went on to play three seasons for the happy and excited I was for you. What the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), team. I sat down with Carter to find out was that day like for you? and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey his experience in the WHL. League (QMJHL). These leagues serve It was a special day for sure. The as developmental leagues for young bantam draft is one of those days where hockey players that want to improve To begin, how did you get into hockey anything can happen, and it is hard to their skills and hopefully pursue a in the first place? predict what team will pick you, or if career in the NHL (commonly referred you will even be picked for that to as the “Show”). These are the best It’s a funny story. My mom put me in matter. I was very thankful that junior hockey leagues in the world, figure skating when I was four years Portland saw potential in me and gave and year after year they graduate some old, and I loved it, until we started me the opportunity to try and take my of the best players in the world. NHL doing twirls and whatnot. When that game to the next level. Super Stars like Sidney Crosby, started, I tossed my figure skates and Connor McDavid, Mitch Marner, and grabbed a hockey stick because that’s You chose to take the WHL route many others began to hone their skills what I wanted to play. With that being instead of the college route by playing in these very leagues. said, I believe that figure skating during in the AJHL (Alberta Junior Hockey my youth was paramount to building a League), why? So, what is it like? What is it like to be strong skating base and moving playing in one of the best three junior forward with my hockey career. My biggest reason for doing taking the hockey leagues in the word? What is it WHL route was the amazing like to face off against future legends At what point did you realize that you scholarship program the league offers of the game? Carter Czaikowski is a were just a little bit better than its players. My family and I hold former defenseman for the Portland everyone else, and had a chance of Canadian universities in high regard, Winterhawks of the WHL. Carter was playing at a high level? and I wanted to complete my born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, post-secondary education in Canada. In
Player Insight: What is it like to play in the WHL?
amazing billets throughout my junior hockey career. These families take you in at a young age and treat you as one of their own. It is a very special bond and I still keep in touch with each family that I lived with over the years. Before moving to Portland, I did not know much about the city. Upon moving there, I learnt that it is a beautiful place with endless things to do. The people there are very kind, and I was able to make many meaningful relationships in Portland. Is there something that you think many people do not know about junior hockey? One thing that most would not know is the difficulty that one faces while playing junior hockey away from home during high school. It was a significant adjustment and I believe over time it allowed me to become a better student because I became diligent with my habits, especially in terms of understanding the value of completing things ahead of time. For example, in the month of October in my grade 11 season, I attended only seven or eight days of class, as our team was on a long Eastern road trip at the time. I was lucky to work with fantastic people who scheduled our schooling, and ensured we were accommodated to write tests from abroad, etc. Sue Johnson, our academic advisor played a big role in my academic career and I am forever grateful for all that she did for me.
During your time in Portland you had some injuries, and were in and out of the lineup – can you describe what addition, the WHL gives its players the that was like and the challenges it opportunity to play against some of the posed? top talent in the world, all while balancing a schedule that is modelled Injuries are extremely difficult to after a professional schedule (72 handle in sport as they put you on the regular season games). I believed it was sidelines for a substantial amount of the best place to develop as a young time. I remember not being able to hockey player with lofty aspirations. do anything for a prolonged period of time, and being the type A personality Can you describe to us what it was that I am, this was extremely difficult. like to be living on your own at such a However, one thing I learned from young age? Additionally, can you tell these experiences and believe has us what a billet is like, and describe helped me since, is the importance of life in Portland? patience. There are times when the best thing you can do for yourself is Moving away from home at a young nothing. This is something I initially age was an adjustment. To do it at 16 found extremely uncomfortable, and years old, just entering grade 11 of high I still battle with the notion today, but school, posed some difficulties. But learning to be patient has helped me I genuinely believe it allowed me to grow as a person. Equally, another mature quickly by learning important difficulty is getting back to game speed life skills. I was very fortunate to have while your timing and instincts are off
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success he has already achieved in his young career due to his absolute passion for the game. Cale, like Cody, is a special person who loves hockey in a way that few do. I am excited to continue watching him grow and achieve great success in the future. Did you ever think you could make the NHL? If so, was that always your dream?
atmosphere of junior hockey has been a change of pace. Although, I believe my competitiveness in hockey has translated into forming my approach towards my education. I did consider playing U Sport hockey, but I have thoroughly enjoyed playing a different pace of hockey in my intramural league at school and at various other skates I participate in.
Finally, describe to us what you have When I was a boy, like any Canadian been doing since leaving the game? growing up, I thought I had a chance of And what is the new goal for Carter playing in the NHL. Once upon a time, going forward now that hockey is that was indeed my dream. I believe behind you? that having that goal enabled me to become a better hockey player each Since leaving the game, I have been day. The life lessons I gained from working towards a degree in Supply striving towards this goal are Chain Management at the Haskayne unparalleled, and I am thankful that I School of Business here at the was a boy with big dreams. University of Calgary. I am in my second year of studies and have If you had to do things over, would enjoyed my time there considerably. As you do it again? After having time to for new goals, I am focused on getting reflect, would you still have taken the into law school in Canada and working WHL route? towards becoming a corporate lawyer. I have applied many of the lessons I Absolutely. I am not one to live with learnt in hockey to my schooling, and regrets and I believe the lessons I I love the competitive nature of my learned both on and off the ice, are not business program. With that being said, learned in many other environments. I am taking it one day at a time, as I am The WHL is a tough league to play in, still focused on becoming the best after returning from injury. Things that Letang, Fleury, and other high-level and it is something that I was fortunate version of myself each day. athletes during his tenure. have always been second nature enough to do. suddenly become foreign, and this can I want to thank Carter for taking the Mike Johnston is a coach that expects a be immensely frustrating as it takes What has it been like to be away from time to sit down with me and telling his lot from his players but is fair in his time to regain those instinctual the game for some time now? Did you story about being a player in the WHL. expectations. I was lucky to have him tendencies that are often taken for ever consider playing U Sport Hockey I look forward to watching succeed in as a coach as he taught me a lot about granted. Through hard work and a or college hockey in the US? the future, wherever he decides to take the game, but also in terms of how relentless mindset, those habits are his life next. regained, and game speed feels natural individuals should carry themselves on Being away from the competitive and off the ice. Through and through, again. Mike is a professional, who portrays You played with some special players a level of decorum that you don’t see during your time in Portland (Oliver everyday. Bjorkstrand, Cody Glass, Paul Bittner, Nic Petan, etc.), what teammate taught I have to ask about Cale Makar. Obviously, growing up you got to you a few things? know him pretty well as you two were One of my teammates that I learned a the star defensemen at what was formerly called Crowchild Hockey lot from was Cody Glass, who Association in NW Calgary. How does happened to be one of my closest friends on the team. Cody and I spent it feel that you had the chance to share the ice with Cale, and got to know him a lot of time together and one thing personally while growing up? Did you that I always admired about him was ever think he was going to be this his genuine love for the sport and his successful playing the game? “never quit” attitude. He is a special player, and an even greater person, who Cale is a class act. To this day, he is I know will have great success as a still the same person he was when we professional. were young. I was fortunate enough to be really good friends with him when Mike Johnston was your coach in we were younger, and we were able to Portland: can you describe what it push each other to become better playwas like to have him as a coach? He worked for the Pittsburgh Penguins of ers both in practice and on game days. the NHL and coached Crosby, Malkin, I am not surprised by the amount of
“Injuries are
extremely difficult to handle in sport as they put you on the sidelines for a
substantial amount of time.” Black History Month Edition 2019 15
athnews Scott Brison Resigns, Student Vote May Decide Riding Josée Léger News Editor Kings-Hants MP Scott Brison has resigned as President of the Treasury Board and will not run as the Liberal candidate in the 2019 election. He has been an active member within the community for nearly 22 years, most recently winning Kings-Hants in the 2015 election with 71% of the vote. On January 10th Brison announced his resignation as President of the Treasury Board from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet due to personal reasons and to focus on his family. Brison was first elected in 1997 in Kings-Hants as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party. He was described as a Progressive Conservative “Young Turk” for his youthful outlook on politics. In 2000, Brison resigned as an MP to allow former Prime Minister Joe Clark to take his seat in Commons. He was then appointed as co-chair of the Tories, Election and Policy Platform Committee and then proceeded to become the vice-president of investment banking at Yorkton Securities in Toronto.
www.ath.ca professor Dr. Andrew Biro had analyzed a possible switch from a Liberal riding to a Conservative one. Prior to 2003, Kings-Hants and the large majority of the Annapolis Valley had voted Conservative. The biggest issue to consider is how a future MP in the Kings-Hants riding could benefit students, as well as small businesses. Hannah Dawson-Murphy, a Conservative nomination candidate for West Nova and current Acadia student, had expressed desire “to see more attention on student issues in this election, and I would like to see more students involved in the political process.” Dawson-Murphy noted how “the CPC’s plan is to stimulate the economy, help families prosper, and lower taxes, which will hopefully be attractive to students across Canada. As for Wolfville in particular, I think it’s important that the next MP for Kings-Hants works with small businesses and other industries that will grow the area and attract young people.” This could mean far more part-time jobs and co-op opportunities. Dawson-Murphy strongly emphasized that Kings-Hants needs an MP who actively listens to small business owners, families, and students. Another Acadia politics professor, Dr. Erin Crandall, expressed the possibility of slightly different outcomes. “I anticipate that all three major federal parties (Liberals, Conservatives, and the New Democratic Party) will view this riding as competitive. It will make for a very exciting local election and one where Acadia students’ votes could play a decisive part in deciding the winner.”
Kings Municipal Councillor Raises Concerns about UPass
conduct of the ASU was not undemocratic but instead “becoming an authoritative dictatorship by threatening students with punishment for participating in healthy debate or questioning elected officials.”
Hodges had collected support on a petition to put the proposed Acadia UPass on the ballot for the February 2019 election. Hodges had gone through the bylaw process, which required the petition to gain signatures from 10% of the student population. The question would then be put on the ballot by the Chairperson of the ASU, Molly Anderson.
Hodges stated that Kings Transit has been cooperative, meeting all the requirements for the petition to make it onto the ballot as a referendum question.
Hodges alleged in her email that ASU General Manager Ian Conservative Party candidate for KingsMorrison told Anderson not to put In 2003, Brison crossed the floor to sit as a Hants Martha MacQuarrie did not immedithe question on the ballot until a Liberal MP after the merger of the ately respond to The Athenaeum’s request Josée Léger memorandum of understanding Progressive Conservatives and Canadian for comment. News Editor Alliance into the Conservative Party of (MOU) was signed between Kings Canada. Throughout Brison’s political Transit and the ASU. Hodges noted career he had sparked attention for being that the ASU “has no right or Meg Hodges, Municipal the first openly gay member of Councillor for the County of Kings agency to demand a signed MOU Parliament. This was significant for young and first year Politics student, sent from Kings Transit without the people, especially around Acadia University’s campus. out a mass email on Sunday, January permission that would enter a referendum result of yes from the 27th stating her concerns with the Brison has consistently encouraged young students.” revised ASU bylaws. people to get involved without fear. His resignation received large support from the community, but many were surprised by the news. It was rumored that Brison was going to take a smaller role within local politics, but in recent interviews Brison had expressed that was not the case, stating that his resignation is a family decision and will allow him to try a different path other than politics. “I’m not leaving federal politics to jump into [more] politics,” he said. “My intention is to consider options and opportunities outside of politics.” Given Brison’s background – having graduated from Dalhousie University in commerce – it would not be surprising to see a new small business prosper within Kings-Hants. With Brison choosing not to reoffer in October, there will be an opening for a new Liberal candidate in Kings-Hants. Acadia
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“Brison has consistently encouraged young people to get involved without fear.”
Black History Month Edition 2019
“The students’ council needs to understand that democracy on our campus is dysfunctional and unhealthy – at best,” she wrote. “It is their obligation to uphold our bylaws and allow the UPass to go to a vote.”
A week after Hodges submitted the petition to the ASU, the new election bylaw came into force, effectively re- In addition to her duties as a moving the ability for student-initiat- Councillor, Hodges also serves as ed petitions to be considered. Hodges Chair of the Board of Directors for Kings Transit. noted in her mass email that the