November 23, 2016

PHOTO COURTESY GAITERS.CA

FULL HOUSE FOR AMANDA LINDHOUT PHOTO COURTESY MARGOT PAUL

NEWS PAGE 12

64-63 LOSS AGAINST UQAM SPORTS PAGE 8

The Bishop’s University NewspaperSurviving exam period since 1944 Vol. 72, No. 7

www.thebucampus.ca PHOTO COURTESY SHUTTERSTOCK

NOVEMBER 23, 2016

REACTIONS TO THE AMERICAN ELECTIONS OPINIONS PAGE 4

HOLIDAYS GAITER-STYLE FEATURES PAGES 6&7

STUDENT ARTIST SONIA THIBAULT ARTS PAGE 10

2

NEWS

THE CAMPUS NOVEMBER 9, 2016

Rachel Newcombe, News Editor » thecampus.news@gmail.com

The Editors

2016 - 2017

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Katie Manners thecampus.editor@gmail.com

BUSINESS MANAGER Natasha Paikin thecampus.business@gmail.com

COPY EDITOR Nicole Gauvreau thecampus.copyeditor@gmail.com LAYOUT EDITOR Angélique Bielski thecampus.layout@gmail.com NEWS EDITOR Rachel Newcombe thecampus.news@gmail.com

ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR Dominque Davidson thecampus.ac@gmail.com

FEATURES EDITOR Taryn Buskard thecampus.features@gmail.com

OPINIONS EDITOR Sam Lazanis thecampus.opinions@gmail.com SPORTS EDITOR Madeleine Hession thecampus.sports@gmail.com

This issue’s contributors Katharine Mussellam Daniel Laperriere Abdullah Siddiqi Laura Underhill Katherine McKenney David Marrack Matthew Mulkern Payton Bernett Mike Stanley Shannon Delarosbil Jonathan Frydman Kyle Donnelly Gabrielle Lesage

PHOTO COURTESY CHANTAL SNEATH, PUBLIC RELATIONS

The Maple League joins Bishop’s, Acadia, St. Francis Xavier, and Mount Allison under one banner, promoting undergraduate education.

New name, new ambitions as U4 becomes the Maple League DANIEL LAPERRIERE Contributor

F

or three and a half years, Bishop’s University has been in association with three other like-minded, similarly organized universities: Acadia University, Mount Allison University, and St. Francis Xavier University, all located in the Maritime region. Now they are continuing their relationship under the title of the Maple League of Universities.

The goal of the previous U4 League is to more effectively promote their equal values to undergraduate programs and students, something that has deteriorated in recent years. “The funding models for Canada’s universities provide enormous incentives to grow undergraduate enrollment and to dedicate resources to graduate studies,” said Bishop’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor Michael Goldbloom.

By coordinating resources, research, ideas, and strategies, the U4 had been very successful in its first three years, and now the four schools are, according to Goldbloom, “much more confident in ourselves and more comfortable with adopting a name which reflects our ambitions.”

The model of universities shared by Maple League schools is rare in Canada.

Mostly, schools emphasize the idea that the larger the population of students, that more opportunities, engagement, and involvement will be present.

However, the opposite appears to be true. Within the Maple League, the average number of full-time students is 3,253 while for other Canadian universities it is 17,500. There is a lower average of students in first and second year classes at 43 students and third and forth year classes with 16. Other schools average at 56 and 25 respectively.

With these smaller numbers, students are able to form better, closer relationships with students and professors and are able to participate in more extra-curricular activities and research opportunities. They are also more connected to the community within campus and of the small towns these schools operate in. Principal Goldbloom sees this model of university as, “elite undergraduate institutions. But we are not institutions for the elite.”

The Maple League is now creating more connections than ever. By implementing new technologies and customizing classrooms, The Maple League is

FOLLOW US ONLINE thebucampus.ca /thecampus

@thebucampus

The Campus is editorially and financially autonomous. It is published by the Campus Publication Board.

All material is copyright The Campus. Nothing may be reproduced without the written consent of the Editor-in-Chief. Complaints may be made directly to the Editor-in-Chief. If no resolution can be reached, complaints should be forwarded to the Publishing Board.

The opinions of the writers published in The Campus do not necessarily represent the opinions of the staff of The Campus or the Campus Publishing Board. Likewise, the opinions expressed in the advertisements published in The Campus do not reflect the opinions of the staff or the Publishing Board.

/thebucampus

making it possible for students to take a course offered at one of the other schools, without ever leaving the campus.

However, they are trying to avoid the model of a “Massive Online Open Course”, as these courses are often impersonal and not an effective teaching method. “We are building and equipping classrooms with cutting-edge video technology to bring our students and faculty together for unique learning experiences [to] sustain our intimate learning environments—not to destroy them.”

New options of classes are available to Bishop’s from the Maple League, while we also export some of our own.

Studying Greek language is available out of Mount Allison, Mi’kmaq language and culture course at St. FX, and studying the ecology of the Fundy region and northeastern Nova Scotia from Acadia.

Bishop’s will be offering its Shakesperience course for students from the Maple League to spend a week at a Shakespeare Festival is Stratford.

This integrated Maple League is encouraging the undergraduate model, and looks to expand its popularity, capabilities, and student satisfaction in the future.

BE PART OF THE TEAM! Submit your articles, questions, photos, or ideas to the editorial team by JANUARY 2017

Submissions to The Campus will be considered if they are received prior to the deadline at midnight on the Friday previous to the publication date.

The editorial staff reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, style, and/or inappropriate material. The editorial staff also reserves the right not to publish submissions, including assigned stories or solicited material.

Letters to the editor can be submitted directly to the Editor-in-Chief by email, in person, or by mail. Letters must be accompanied by the author’s name and phone number for verification purposes, even in the case of anonymous letters.

All submissions should be in text-only or Microsoft Word format.

NEWS

THEBUCAMPUS.CA

3

Future humanitarians talk global impact with career veteran KATHERINE MCKENNEY Contributor

S

o you want to save the world? If you want a nine-to-five in hands-on humanitarian development, you might be in the wrong field, said 30-year career veteran Douglas Casson Coutts, a visiting lecturer.

Coutts was energetic and passionate during his lecture on pursuing careers in the United Nations system or its many related agencies, imparting nuggets of advice on aspiring future humanitarians.

Coutts was quick to express his cynicism of cash aid, referring to his experience in the World Food Program (WFP) as a more hands-on approach with less opportunity for the illicit diverting of aid funds. Human resources—such as aid workers— provide important support for projects on the ground.

Human resources do not just entail those with expertise in a hyper-specialized field. Although a master’s degree is required for most humanitarian

positions with United Nations agencies, Coutts stressed the importance of nontechnical degrees.

Experts, such as engineers, architects, or doctors, often come with significantly higher price tags. That’s not to say Coutts and his colleagues are not experts in their field. Over his lengthy career and two graduate degrees, Coutts has certainly gained enough experience to be classified as an expert.

It is in the spirit of experience that Coutts imparted his advice to budding humanitarians; get as much international experience as you can, as soon as you can. Get internships, volunteer, get your foot in the door, and hit the ground running on your career.

Coutts named several organizations that occasionally give positions to students, like the World University Service of Canada, World Vision, and CARE Canada. However, this list is by no means exhaustive.

Many non-governmental organiza-

Crosswalk safety prompts protest

RACHEL NEWCOMBE News Editor

L

ast week the SRC Executive team staged a small act of protest on the College Street crosswalk to draw attention to safety of both drivers and pedestrians.

The students walked across the Little Forks and College crosswalks with signs calling for the Ministerè de Transport Quebec (MTQ) to take action.

SRC President Chelsea McLellan said that the goal of the small protest was not to cause a significant disruption, but to draw more attention to the safety concerns of students and the community.

McLellan added that she met with

MTQ and Sherbrooke Police representatives on Nov. 16 to discuss suggestions to improve the crosswalks in Lennoxville. She explained that so far, the MTQ seemed to be quite collaborative and willing to work with the SRC. “Our initial approach to every problem is one that is collaborative in nature, and we would like to have an opportunity to work with the community stakeholders to fix the problem,” she said. “However, we won’t shy away from being more forceful when we need to.”

The protest stemmed from two accidents in October that resulted in several injuries. McLellan has been working since then to make changes to the current system in place.

PHOTO COURTESY CHELSEA MCLELLAN, SRC PRESIDENT

Students spent 20 minutes walking back and forth, drawing attention to the need for a safer crossing system.

... More News on page 12

tions give internships and positions to students or young professionals. Volunteering on or off campus can also provide you with valuable experience that can eventually be transferred overseas.

Coutts found himself fascinated by global hunger, and its local and international dimensions, through his experiences, leading him to the World Food Program.

Passionate problem-solvers are ideally suited for international humanitarian work. The hours are long, the conditions often difficult, and the work just as difficult. However, “the results are rewarding,” Coutts said, calling himself a “relief junkie” and laughing.

“The work isn’t for everyone,” he warned, and that is something you need to figure out for yourself. The living conditions are often intensely arduous; the work is challenging and resultsoriented. Development workers need to be committed, passionate self-starters, understanding their own limits as well

as pushing beyond them.

For those who don’t see themselves living in tents or using squat toilets, perhaps being hands-on in the field is not the place for you: policy positions in headquarters can also be rewarding, although Coutts noted he himself was not enthralled by the mundane, more technical side of humanitarian work.

Coutts threw the differences in corporate culture into sharp relief during his lecture. He described hands-on fieldwork, working directly with people in need, versus meetings, corner offices, and policy formulation. Both are necessary, and will guarantee rewarding work, but Coutts stressed the need to understand the differences before applying.

The best way to do that, according to Coutts, is to get out there. The sooner you get into the field, the better. Take it from a thirty-year veteran of the field: getting your foot in the door is the first step.

America gains new leader in Donald Trump KATHERINE MCKENNEY Contributor

C

entre-left media outlets may have called for a Clinton victory during last Tuesday’s election, and while the popular vote does rest with the Clinton campaign and the Democratic Party, the Electoral College decided the winner of the American president’s election—the controversial public figure, Donald Trump.

“The Donald” now becomes the 45 president-elect of the United States, and has commenced his transition into the White House.

Swing states largely decided the vote, with many key electorates going red where they had been blue during the Obama campaign in 2008 and 2012. States such as California and New York find themselves political outliers, with large swathes of the electoral map going red.

California especially now finds itself at odds with Trump’s proposals, particularly in regards to immigration. Key political figures have already issued statements regarding potential policy—California has some of the most liberal policies when it comes to undocumented immigrants, such as health care coverage, driver’s licenses, and allowing children to receive education and in-state tuition.

The federal law that allows these benefits, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals act, may be under scrutiny by the Trump administration.

The transition period has been characterized by several clarifications in Trump’s policy proposals, including his plans to maintain some of the more popular aspects of the Affordable Care Act—commonly referred to as “Obamacare”.

Last week, the President-elect, in an

interview with CBS News, set the tone for his presidential approach to civil rights, an issue that arose numerous times over the course of his controversial campaign.

Trump has declared same-sex marriage “settled”, although abortion laws, dating back to the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, will be under fire.

Trump stated that the justices he is charged with nominating will be solely “pro-life”, although what this means for the future of abortion regulation at the federal level is unknown at this time.

Trump’s appointment of a climatechange denier Myron Ebell to oversee the Environmental Protection Agency administrative transition was another blow to the beleaguered civil rights movement. Ebell’s appointment precedes record-breaking temperatures this year, with 2016 en route to being the hottest year in recorded history.

Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell was uncompromising on several of Trump’s key policy positions, including the introduction of term limits in Congress, as well as a newfound focus on infrastructure. McConnell however did state that the repeal of the Affordable Care Act was a priority for the Senate, in addition to tax reform and increased border security, issues clearly aligning with the president-elect’s rhetoric that popularized him as a candidate during the campaign period.

Protests against the election results have erupted across the country, mainly in historically Democratic states, following the election. The lead up to Trump’s inauguration will surely be riddled with more controversial decisions as America begins the transition to a new president.

OPINIONS

4

OPINION

THE CAMPUS NOVEMBER 9, 2016

Samuel Lazanis, Opinions Editor » thecampus.opinions@gmail.com

America let the unimaginable happen How discouraged voters and the DNC made room for a Trump victory

SHANNON DELAROSBIL Contributor

PHOTO COURTESY ASSOCIATED PRESS

President-elect Donald Trump has already made some controversial calls, which have been met with anger by a large portion of the country.

The Donald Trump Show Is the media to blame for the outcome of the U.S. election?

KATHARINE MUSSELLAM Contributor

A

s we think about the results of the American election and what they will mean for the rest of the world, we have many questions. One question that comes to mind for me is whether the media coverage of the election is one of the reasons for the outcome. If it is, what kind of difference did it make?

While it is difficult to measure how much of a difference media coverage of the election actually made (as there are certainly other factors), I think that it definitely had an effect.

The effect of the media coverage is, I believe, part of the surprise of the election for many of us. It seemed as though nearly every week of the campaign, there was something on the news that added to the many deplorable things that Donald Trump had said and done.

As many of us continued to be outraged and disturbed by what a bad person he appeared to be, many of us thought that even after his making it so far into the race, surely he could not become the next President of the United States. Yet despite all this, we were wrong, and now he is the President-elect.

It is not as though the media was not doing its job. he news reported on what he had said so that voters knew what kind of a person Trump was. The entertainment side of things was making fun of him, as writers always should. Political criticism, through both serious and humorous forms, is part of how we actively think

about the society we live in.

Still, the media’s coverage of the candidates seemed lop-sided. Saturday Night Live’s take of the debates always made fun of the ridiculous and strange things that Trump did and said during them, but I don’t recall laughing as much at Kate McKinnon’s Hillary Clinton.

Yes, she had the mannerisms down and those could make me laugh. Although what she actually said was often just a rehash of what was said in the debate, reasonable and calm like Clinton could be, but not funny.

Clinton might have had the comedic role of being Trump’s straight man in the skits, but I have begun to wonder whether Clinton did not get enough attention because of the fact that she couldn’t be made fun of.

After all, we make fun of politicians even if we support them.

As much as the news covered all the bad things that Trump said, it seems as though he just got more broadcast time than Clinton did. Clinton may have been made too distant, too mysterious, and not interesting enough to be worth poking fun at because of the lack of news coverage about her.

Trump may have been a more interesting story for those looking for outrage, and the cost of that may very well be that not enough people knew enough about Clinton, even if she did get the popular vote on Election Day.

I

n the early hours of the Nov. 9, the election results declared the 45th President of the United States would be Donald Trump. This was a historic upset that left many searching for answers: how could this happen? The Democrats were leading in the polls! The debates were a mess!

Trump’s most well known policy was the wall! How could a xenophobic, sexist reality TV star with no political experience beat out Hillary Clinton, former First Lady, Senator, and Secretary of State with over thirty years of political experience?

Trump had overwhelming support among working-class white Americans compared to other demographics. The number of white voters was underestimated: according to 2012 exit polls, approximately 23% of voters were white, non-college educated and over 45. The Democrats underestimated how important this demographic was for them, as working-class whites were a key reason several states swung toward the Republican Party, notably in the Rust Belt (such as Michigan, Ohio). His promises to bring back manufacturing jobs, implement immigration reform, revise foreign policy and overall changes that would “make America great again” won over voters hopeful for change.

Bernie Sanders was an immensely popular candidate among young voters, with his anti-establishment messages of hope and change. He inspired many people to get active, and had a substantial amount of popular support, raising over $229 million during the course of the campaign.

While there has been no hard evidence found, an e-mail scandal later revealed the DNC heavily favoured Clinton for the nomination. Sanders did lose the Democratic nomination, leading some voters to feel that the DNC was corrupt and had betrayed them. Despite this, Sanders still endorsed Clinton, and urged voters to get to the polls and cast their vote for her.

Hillary Clinton was about to make history. She was the most qualified, experienced woman for the job, but she was not a great candidate. Clinton was not a terrible choice, but she wasn’t the candidate Americans wanted.

Disenfranchised voters saw Clinton as much of the same thing they were tired of seeing: an establishment candidate representing corporate interest, empty promises, and no real change. Clinton simply did not inspire Americans the way that Barack Obama did in 2008, or even the way Sanders inspired young voters.

When she changed her tune to reflect Sanders’ rhetoric to retain voters, she failed. Clinton’s attempts to latch on to Bernie’s supporters were seen as pandering, and pushed some voters even further away. As a result of discouraged voters displeased with Clinton, the Democrats lost a number of key Congressional districts that supported Obama in 2012.

The culmination here was Donald Trump winning the Electoral College and the presidency, despite Hillary Clinton winning the popular vote.

Where disappointed Democrats did not vote, or chose to vote third party, white working-class voters stepped up where it was critical and cast their ballots for Trump. These voters desired the change Trump promised. Whether Trump will deliver on these promises, we will have to wait and see.

In order for Democrats to bounce back from this historic loss, they need to acknowledge their mistakes and rebuild transparently in order to regain the trust of voters.

Finally, the overall low voter turnout (~58%) this election reflects that many Americans are still apathetic about their political system. Perhaps a Trump presidency is a lesson Americans need to learn the hard way, but until 2020, we cannot yet truly know if that lesson has been adequately learned.

OPINIONS

THEBUCAMPUS.CA

Two polls with one coup How extreme politicians affect the world

DAVID MARRACK Contributor

T

he recent election of Donald Trump, an upset result when many polls promised the first female president, has caused a degree of consternation for many worried over the turn to the right. Those that would, however, ignore the common trend around the world today for more extreme politicians and more drama in politics.

While many of the best examples come across the ocean in Europe, the latest in a long line of political problems is brewing away in Brazil. The democratically elected, though unpopular, Dilma Rouseff was impeached and removed from office at the end of August this year.

Between the Trump and Rouseff (not to mention Neigel Farage and Brexit or the growing support for Marine Le Pen and le Front national in France) is a frightening trend towards a more extreme, dramatic sort of politics, one that trends towards businessmen promising to reform politics on one hand, while selling out to businesses with the other.

One of the unfortunate side effects of modern politics is that it has become easy for politicians the world over to sell anti-establishment views to upset citizens. Ones that are tired of the standard centrist policies that most “western” countries and parties adopt.

Whether in Europe or here in Canada, the majority parties are being forced to take more extreme positions in order to avoid losing

PHOTO COURTESY FORBES.COM

Dilma Rouseff has already promised to run for the next presidential election in 2018.

votes to marginal parties that exhort far left and right beliefs.

As the NDP saw in 2015, people are no longer interested in compromise and cooperation.

They want angry men and women that will give them someone to blame for a stagnant economy, confusing foreign situation, and lack of direction.

So, in a very real way, the Trumps and Farages are gaining power through frightening tactics that have led to some of the most difficult periods in recent history.

While Trump seems to be backpedalling radically on some of his policies, Farage continues to argue, lie, and bluster his way through a divided Union, and push forward an unsound plan that has hijacked both European media and British politics.

And what does this mean for Rouseff?

For a president that was impeached, she didn’t have her political rights taken away, and has already promised to run in 2018. An election she could win, considering that her replacement has even lower polls, below her low point of 13%.

The division among the Brazilian electorate over corruption, an ever present problem, and liberalism means that no sound solution will be easily implemented, or elected. In the meantime, dramatic, angry leaders continue to win across Europe and the developed world, slowly rolling back decades of work towards cooperation.

PHOTO COURTESY NEWSWEEK.COM

Marine Le Pen and le Front national are gaining supporters in France.

5

Ranked-choice voting Introducing a better electoral approach

MATTHEW MULKERN SRC General Councillor

D

espite all the doom and gloom that came out of the United States election earlier this month, there was some good news.

By a margin of 52 percent to 48 percent, Maine became the first state in America to remove the first-past-the-post (FPTP) voting system and replace it with ranked-choice voting for state elections starting in 2018.

Ranked-choice voting (also called instant-runoff voting and, in elections with several vacancies, Single Transferable Voting) is a form of preferential voting that allows voters to rank the candidates in order of preference.

Ranked-choice works as follows: all ballots are counted for voters’ first choices. If one candidate receives an outright majority, they win. If no candidate receives a majority, the candidate with the fewest first choices is eliminated and voters who ranked that candidate first have their ballots instantly counted for their second choice. This process repeats and last-place candidates lose until one candidate reaches a majority and wins.

Your second choice vote is used only if your first choice has been eliminated. If there are two people running for one position (or if the number of candidates is equal to or less than the number of positions available) then voting is just the same as it is now with the FPTP system.

The positives of ranked-choice voting are plentiful. Firstly, ranked-choice voting ensures that candidates with the most votes and broadest support win. Candidates who are opposed by a majority of voters can never win ranked choice voting elections.

Secondly, ranked-choice voting gives you the freedom to vote for the candidate you like the best without worrying that you will help to elect the candidate you like the least. Vote splitting no longer exists and you never have to vote for the lesser of two evils when there is another candidate you really like.

Thirdly, your vote is never wasted. If your candidate doesn’t win, your vote counts for the candidate you ranked second and so on. Finally, ranked-choice voting reduces incentives for negative campaigning, as candidates are encouraged to seek second choice rankings from voters whose favourite candidate is somebody else.

Voters are less likely to rank a candidate as their second choice that has issued personal attacks against their favourite candidate.

Ranked-choice voting upholds “one person, one vote” and has a proven track record. Not only is it recommended by Roberts’ Rules of Order and used by hundreds of private associations across the United States and around the world, the system is used to pick the leaders of the federal Liberal and Conservative parties of Canada and for national elections in Australia, India, and Ireland. It already is in place in some American cities most notably San Francisco and Minneapolis.

As we wait for the governing Liberal Party of Canada to introduce legislation to enact electoral reform, it is time for us to do the same here at Bishop’s University and the elections with the Students Representative Council.

Earlier this year when our VP Student Life and VP Academic won with 44.1% and 41.5% of the vote, respectively, a majority of voters chose for someone else to be their representative. It is my hope that the 2016 elections were the last SRC elections conducted under the first-past-the-post voting system. It’s time for a fairer system to benefit all.

Do you agree with the opinions expressed in the articles?

Do you disagree? Write to the editor: thecampus.opinions@gmail.com

6

FEATURES FEATURES

THE CAMPUS NOVEMBER 9, 2016

Taryn Buskard, Features Editor » thecampus.features@gmail.com

Gifts on a shoestring budget

The gift of not giving

Shouldn’t the holidays be about something more?

(Shoe strings not included) TARYN BUSKARD Features Editor

With exams stretching all the way until Dec. 16, and papers in the lead up, December is already a stressful time of year as a student.

Though one of the best ways to save money around Christmas is to make gifts, it’s often the reality that there just isn’t time. Because of this, Christmas can start to be really expensive.

However, good gifts don’t need to be expensive or homemade; they just need to be genuine.

These are 10 gifts that are great no matter what your budget is.

10. Bath bombs When I was a kid, my mom used to make these by hand and give them to everyone. If you do have the time, Pinterest has hundreds of recipes.

If you don’t, Lush and Bodyshop both make them; these companies are cruelty free, and Lush makes some that are Christmas themed.

9. Candles Cheap, chill, and smells good. Candles are great for creating Christmas ambiance as you cuddle up inside and out of the cold.

One of my friends even went the extra mile with candles last year, buying cheap dollar store candles and making new labels for them to suit each person’s interests.

8. CDs and Mix Tapes While I love new technology, my car does not. As a result I have a growing collection of CDs in my car. Some of them gifts and some of them thrift store finds.

Not only are CDs easy to find, they’re easy to customize and a great way to tell someone you understand their taste or to share music you think they’d like.

7. Gift Baskets One year, my best friend spent the entire year collecting every free giveaway she could. By the end of the year she had more free soap, tote bags, and metal water bottles than any person I’d ever met.

She then proceeded to divide all of it up, and give it away.

My sister and I both did this with our university welcome packages; family members love to get university swag.

6. Food This one is a no brainer. While it is good to keep in mind dietary restrictions, wrapping up a nice box of chocolates or even packaging up a bunch of different candy makes for a great and inexpensive gift.

5. Gift-cards While gift-cards can feel incredibly impersonal to some, they are an ideal gift for most students. Anything I don’t have to pay for is good in my books.

4. Basic clothing While you may spend the whole year looking for that piece that really makes an impact, your wardrobe depends on the basic and classic pieces.

Socks, plain t-shirts, tank tops, and sweaters are very practical gifts.

3. Knick-knacks If you like to thrift shop or peruse markets, a great trick is to keep Christmas (and birthdays) in mind.

If you see something that reminds you of someone, pick it up and send it their way. No matter how strange, it reminded you of them for a reason, so it’s likely the perfect gift.

2. Photographs If you have a phone and access to a computer, printer, and a dollar store, framed photographs can be an inexpensive and very sentimental gift.

Wal-Mart and Michaels can also print and frame pictures for you, saving you some time and work.

1. Your time Christmas is all about people. In this busy world, and as a student, there are likely people you aren’t dedicating enough time to.

Last year I took my mom and sister out for coffee and then we went window-shopping. On Christmas day, I gave them both cheap coffee mugs, and wrote invitations in their Christmas cards. It was easy, inexpensive, and so rewarding.

PAYTON BERNETT Contributor

W

hen Nov. 1 rolls around, Halloween decorations are thrown away in exchange for shiny plastic Christmas ornaments.

Shopping in department stores involves being subjected to corny holiday tunes, supermarkets bring out those weird plants that people end up throwing away in the weeks to come, and I am reminded of the reasons as to why I do not celebrate the holidays.

I choose not to partake in such celebrations for two main reasons: I disapprove of the mass consumption that takes place and I have a genuine disdain for family gatherings.

While those around me are shopping for useless trinkets to stuff in stockings, I am left slightly disturbed by the consumptive nature that the holidays have taken on over the years.

People spout all sorts of pseudodeep reasons as to why they may spend hundreds of dollars on gifts that will end up breaking before New Year’s Eve. My personal favourite is when they excuse their excessive spending by claiming they enjoy the gift of giving.

Sure, making someone smile with a well thought out present can be an awesome experience, but is it really necessary to spoil children with dozens of presents to prove such a point?

Each year, this leads to thousands of videos posted online of young children having meltdowns over the fact that their parents (or Santa) got them the wrong gift.

Pounds upon pounds of giftwrap, tape, and ribbons are dumped into landfills.

Though most families look past these strange traditions, I grow more uncomfortable each year.

Avoiding the consumption that takes place during the holidays is easy enough. All one must do is avoid malls and chose to use their wallet wisely. But

large family gatherings are a little more difficult to navigate around.

Don’t get me wrong I absolutely love my family, but every time I go visit the extended portion (or even worse, a significant other’s family) I’m faced with prying questions full of judgments about my personal life.

You know the sorts of questions I’m talking about. “Why don’t you want to have children? Have you gained weight?

What is that metal in your face? What do you mean you won’t eat meat? Where do you get your protein?”

Coming together to celebrate the holidays is not an excuse for family members to passively judge each other.

Family gatherings should be about catching up with those you love, which should not involve making anyone feel bad so you can stroke your own ego.

I choose not to celebrate the holidays for my own personal reasons; however, I believe that people should do what makes them happy.

If you take one thing away from this, let it be that it is important to be mindful of our actions during this holiday season and the repercussions that might follow.

FEATURES

THEBUCAMPUS.CA

7

Welcome to the new world Heading “west” for Christmas

TARYN BUSKARD Features Editor

T

hough I was born in Montreal, I lived here for less than a year before my parents packed up our things and moved to New Brunswick. This is where we lived for most of my life, and as a result: where we celebrated most of our Christmases.

I have some hazy memories of a wooden train set (that my parents still own), and about ripping open presents. As long as I can remember: Christmas has been a big deal.

Though my family is not religious, we have very established traditions. We’ve bought a live Christmas tree from the same place, from the same man, and put it in the same corner, for the last decade.

We’ve bought Christmas Eve dinner from the same hole in the wall gourmet shop for almost as long. In spite of the fact that my dad is often the only one who eats it, we always make tourtiere.

My sister and I are allowed to open one gift on Christmas Eve (usually each other’s), and for my family the point of Christmas is to be lazy.

Most importantly: Christmas is about being together. Since my sister and I have left for school, this has been a big part of Christmas— that as well as going home.

My life can almost be divided in half. For eight years we lived in one house, and for a decade we lived in the other. Home always had an heir of stasis.

With two kids off at university, free of pets, and quite frankly bored of New Brunswick, my parents decided it was time for a change.

My dad has spent most of the last decade on an airplane, which

was fine with my mom until she started finding herself alone in our house, more and more often.

My mother is very independent, but as someone who has spent their entire time at Bishop’s living alone, I can’t deny it sometimes gets lonely.

With most of our family, my parents’ friends, and my dad’s job, situated in Ontario, my parents packed up their life (once again) and moved into the Distillery District.

This was just over a month ago. While we have often travelled for Christmas, we’ve made a point of continuing our traditions in Moncton, before leaving for wherever we’re going.

As November rolled around, and the stores began bombarding us with Christmas carols, I began to realize that the Christmas I’d grown so accustomed to would no longer exist.

I doubted that I would come home to my mother making candles in her expensive new kitchen. My father would not likely carry a nine-foot tall live tree up 27 flights of stairs.

Even the bed I looked forward to and the smell of the house I’d grown accustomed to, would all be different.

As I began to realize this distinct shift in dynamics, I began to wonder what Christmas was really about.

I’ve been wondering what traditions will live on in this new environment. Mostly, I’ve begun to wonder if it’s the first time I’ll really feel homesick.

My sister, already in the Christmas spirit, has been sending me pictures of Christmas ornaments; talking about making vegan eggnog. Her Christmas goggles are rose coloured.

Yet here I am, in the midst of papers and midterms, bombarded by Christmas themed paraphernalia, trying to figure out what Christmas will be like.

One thing I can say is that New Brunswick—in spite of being where I grew up—is not where most of the people who are important to me reside.

This year, Christmas is all about family. I don’t just mean the people related to me, but the people who I love. Who care for me, and care if I get home at night.

Once exams are over, I get to see one set of grandparents who I’ve never celebrated Christmas with. If I’m going to abandon tradition, I’m hoping that this becomes a new one.

While my dad has told me story after story about what Christmas was like for them, I’ve never seen it in action.

On another note, the friends who defined my growing up in the Maritimes, their lives changed too. I’m lucky that they now also reside in Toronto. I haven’t celebrated Christmas with them since high school. This year, I get to reclaim this tradition.

So maybe the eggnog will taste different.

The tree will be smaller, the candles storebought. Maybe it will take me longer to get in the Christmas spirit.

However: I maintain the cliché that Christmas is not about a house. Christmas is about being with people who make you feel important.

GRAPHIC BY SAM BURNS

8

SPORTS SPORTS

THE CAMPUS NOVEMBER 9, 2016

Maddie Hession, Sports Editor » thecampus.sports@gmail.com

PHOTO COURTESY GAITERS.CA

Women’s basketball loses fuel against UQAM KYLE DONNELLY Alumnus Contributor

T

he Gaiters flipped the script on themselves, emerging from their second game of the women’s basketball season winless. Mara Marchizotti and Edith Noblecilla picked up doubledoubles, but that was not enough as the Bishop’s Gaiters fell 64-63 to the UQAM Citadins during the Gaiters’ home opener at the Mitchell Gym on Nov. 12.

The monumental game was a breakout of sorts for Marchizotti, a fourth-year centre from Buenos Aires, Argentina, who bounced back from last week’s loss at Concordia. She picked up 21 points and 12 rebounds, both game highs and shot a blistering 10-from-13 from the field.

Noblecilla, now leading the team in points-per-game, had 12 points and 12 assists and was one rebound shy of a triple-double. Despite another slow start reminiscent of last week’s season opener against the Stingers, the Gaiters (0-2) held the lead throughout most of the game, including 30-26 at halftime following some strong second quarter defence when the Gaiters allowed just eight points.

They then led by as much as nine points midway through the third quarter. However, a turn to the UQAM bench proved a challenge as the Citadins responded with a 6-0 run to pull back to within three points.

The Gaiters ran into some trouble keeping hold of the

basketball. The Citadins (1-0) then took the lead themselves early in the fourth quarter and led by six points at 54-48.

With 7:55 to play UQAM largely capitalized off five Gaiter turnovers in the quarter.

However, the Gaiters pushed to bring the score within two points of each other.

In response to the Citadins’ reserve barrage, Ashley Milhomme (Repentigny, Que.) and Maeva Dinalle (Paris, France) each had six points for Bishop’s. Unfortunately for Bishop’s, their three-point shot went cold for the rest of the game. The Gaiters had the ball, trailing 64-61 with 12 seconds to go, but a wellexecuted pair of deliberate UQAM fouls disrupted any hope for some late drama from the home side and forced Bishop’s to settle for two points.

Véronique Boivin (Quebec City, Que.) came off the bench to lead the Citadins with 19 points, while Queteline Celestin, fresh off a nod on last year’s season-ending second list of stars (Cayenne, France), added 15. The Citadins out rebounded Bishop’s 44-41, led by Celestin’s eight boards.

Bishop’s shot 43.1 percent from the field in the game, while holding UQAM to 37.5 percent, but the Gaiters’ 18 turnovers and difficulties shooting from beyond the arc at 16.7 percent proved costly.

A close final score came out to 64-63 for UQAM. The team will return home for a date with the McGill Redmen on Saturday, Nov. 26.

Men’s basketball falls short at home opener ABDULLAH SIDDIQI Contributor

T

he Bishop’s Gaiters started their 20162017 basketball season against UQAM Citadins in the Mitchell Gym. Although the Gaiters lost the home opener, they showed promising signs for the future. The tight game had the crowd up on their feet throughout the night.

Gaiters were chasing the game from the beginning. At times, the gap in score would reach as great as 14 points difference, and the Gaiters would always manage to turn it around to a one or two point difference.

The first points of the game were scored by UQAM. The first quarter ended with 16 points for the Gaiters and 25 points for UQAM. The Gaiters were having a hard time getting the ball into the net. It just wasn’t their day. Bishop’s struggled to sink their three pointers, while UQAM seemed to be relying on their three pointers, which gave them the upper hand in the game.

Bishop’s got the first three pointer of the second quarter to close the gap to 19-25.

Second quarter ended the same way as it started, last points secured by the Gaiters. The half time score was 34-46 for UQAM. Third quarter came to an end the same way, with UQAM in the lead 60 to 52. In the fourth quarter, Bishop’s managed to take the lead by one point at 65-64, and then tied it at 72-72.

Unfortunately, not enough was done by the Gaiters to secure the lead as UQAM managed to get a basket to take the lead 72-74. With ten seconds left on the clock, the Citadins sunk two free throws, which meant there was no coming back for Gaiters. The game was lost 72-76.

Jona Bermillo, had the most points for the Gaiters with 14 points and seven rebounds.

Nick Harvey got 13 points and eight rebounds.

For UQAM, Clerjuste and Charles Miller each scored 23 points.

The Gaiters will face the McGill Redmen at home in the Mitchell gym on Nov. 26.

Women’s hockey celebrates win against UNH LAURA UNDERHILL Contributor

L

ooking to redeem themselves form the previous night’s 4-2 loss against the University of New Hampshire Tier 3, Bishop’s women’s hockey walked into the Whittemore Centre with high hopes and an attainable goal.

The game was fought heavy and hard with most of the possession kept by Bishop’s. Play was kept primarily in UNH’s defensive zone despite their physical dominance. Having half the skaters as UNH, the Bishop’s women also had to fight more injuries than usual, and thankfully, capitalized on their superior speed to pull out the win.

The first period started with a goal by UNH, but was eventually answered by five goals from Bishop’s over the course of the second and third period.

Worth mentioning was also the impeccable net minding by goalie Jessica Caputo who was

instrumental in Bishop’s 5-2 win.

Coming off of an optimistic start to the season, the Bishop’s women can now look positively towards the future of both the year and the entire program.

PHOTO COURTESY GAITERS.CA

Gaiters’ win redeems early-season standings.

THEBUCAMPUS.CA

SPORTS

9

UFC makes history at Madison Square Garden MIKE STANLEY Alumnus Contributor

F

or the first time ever, the Ultimate Fighting Championships brought the octagon to Madison Square Garden for the UFC 205 event. This historic arena in the heart of New York City has seen legendary basketball and hockey games, and some of the biggest boxing fights as well as performances by some of the most famous artists of all time.

Labelled as “the biggest fight card” in history with three title fights and an overall impressive main card, the five fights of the main card did not disappoint. Meisha Tate lost in the first and subsequently announced her retirement, feeling discontent with her performance in the fight.

Chris Weidman, a New York native, aptly named “the all-American” for his college career in wrestling, took a devastating knee and a few following blows to the face by the powerhouse Yoel Romero, who, after winning, was ready to call out Michael Bisping for a title shot.

The title fights then began. Getting things started were the two Polish fighters: Joanna Jędrzejczyk and Karolina Kowalkiewicz. This fight went the dis-

tance. Joanna proved why she was the champion by landing 181 strikes and never allowing herself to be taken down.

Being as impressive as it was, hanging in there and making it through five rounds,

PHOTO COURTESY BLEACHERREPORT.COM

McGregor​makes history with two gold for two different weight classes.

impressive was all it turned out to be for Kowalkiewicz. It was a great match that showed how will and technicality will go a long way.

The fight of the night however, was between Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson. The five-round fight was any-

Rugby Canada chooses not to expand into U.S. JONATHAN FRYDMAN Contributor

T

he Pro Rugby League announced three weeks ago that it would not expand to Canada. The league was founded by Doug Schoninger, a New York financier, and debuted this year with teams in Denver, Ohio, Sacramento, San Diego and San Francisco. Many Canadians had hoped that they would be willing to expand further north into Canada. However, this was not the case.

The biggest obstacle came with the issue of other leagues. The Pro League wished for Rugby Canada to remain exclusive to its league. This is what ultimately led to the talks of expansion breaking down. Although, it should be noted that Allen Vansen, Rugby Canada’s Chief Executive, stated that this was not the only disagreement.

He went on to say, “Rugby Canada greatly appreciates the investment Mr. Schoninger and Pro Rugby are making in the development of professional Rugby in North America,[...] however, we cannot limit and restrict the opportunities that established international professional rugby would bring to Canada for the benefit of our players and the

one’s to take. Thompson suffered a beating early on. It was assumed that Woodley was going to finish him off in the third round, but Thompson’s resilience surfaced and he managed to dominate a

growth of the game.”

He did not make this decision blindly, as he has plans to expand to Toronto and Vancouver.

On the other hand, Schoninger seemed disappointed in the failed deal; he stated how much he believed this expansion would help American rugby grow. He also explained that he saw the potential for Canadian rugby to grow as well, sting the interests of both sides.

Hansen expanded on this idea, stating, “We are exercising every opportunity possible to strengthen and develop Canadian rugby. We must act in the best interest of our players, members and stakeholders and any such agreement must be fair and reasonable for Rugby Canada.”

It seems both sides understand the importance that these next few years will have on rugby’s public opinion in North America. With a rushed deal, it is quite possible there is a much more negative view on the sport in general.

It is also important to keep in mind that it is not impossible that we see an expansion up north in future years, although both sides are well aware of the gridlock they will face in doing so. The choice is up to them.

few rounds himself. The two battled for 25 minutes over the welterweight championship, with Woodley conclusively retaining the title via majority draw. Two judges scored it at an even 47-47, while a third judge gave it to Woodley, naming him champion at 48-47.

Lastly, the Conor “Notorious” McGregor fight. A chance at history, Mcgregor was attempting to be the first in UFC history to hold two titles in two different weight classes. Leading up to the fight, the usual banter and mettle came from McGregor; a modern Ali with the press conference interview, set to fight Eddie Alvarez.

McGregor floored Alvarez three times in the first round for the lightweight title. In the second round after dropping him a fourth time, Alvarez could take no more as the referee stepped in and ended the fight. McGregor humiliated Alvarez in a one sided beat-down.

Now holding gold in two weight classes, McGregor will have the pick of the litter. Jose Aldo stands out as the top featherweight contender. Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson are top contenders for lightweight. Welterweights Nate Diaz and Tyron Woodley linger as well.

McGregor has no shortage of future opponents so it will be interesting to see what happens when he comes back after his announced break for the birth of his child in the coming months.

From Russia, with love

A glance into KHL hockey NICOLE GAUVREAU Copy Editor

I

t was Sunday Nov. 13 in Moscow and two of the four Moscow-area teams (number two ranked CSKA and number ten ranked Dynamo) were ready to faceoff.

The game started off with a strong lead for guest CSKA, with three goals scored by halfway point in the first period, easily speeding past the sluggish, disorganized Dynamo defensemen.

However, once a power play was underway Dynamo managed to break past CSKA’s defence and goalie to score twice before the end of the period. The second period brought a 3-3 tie within five minutes, Dynamo once again scoring on a power play.

The second period also brought to the fore the very obvious fact that the refs were intentionally not making calls against home-team Dynamo as CSKA players took elbows to the neck, tripping became a common occurrence, and many

players were smashed into the boards.

The third period saw Dynamo score their forth goal after only five minutes of play, and CSKA getting anxious to even the score. Penalties rained down on both sides in the final regular period, much to the anger of Dynamo fans, who were now seeing their teams called out for actions that had been ignored for the last two periods.

With only five minutes of play left, CSKA once again equalized the score, leading to more and more aggressive tactics and the first true fight of the game (a shoving match having occurred in the first period).

No goals emerged in the last minutes of regular play; meaning fans were left hoping for victory in the five minute overtime period.

After many wide shots, the teams moved to a shootout. For as fatigued as all the players were, they may as well have been shooting at an empty net as it took 11 rounds for CSKA to score two shootout goals to Dynamo’s one, finally ending the game 5-4 for CSKA.

PHOTO COURTESY EN.KHL.RU

ARTS&CULTURE

10

ARTS

THE CAMPUS NOVEMBER 9, 2016

Dominque Davidson, Arts and Culture Editor » thecampus.ac@gmail.com

Artist Profile

SONIA THIBAULT

“Art is a trace of right now. We still analyze painting, and perform pieces from many years ago. And I’m looking forward to seeing how our current work will impact future generations.”

DOMINIQUE DAVIDSON Ar ts & Culture Editor

S

PHOTO COURTESY SONIA THIBAULT

onia Thibault is truly a mixed medium artist—while she works on canvas, her work uses a multiplicity of techniques: she makes holes in the canvas and adds found objects. The art she creates is based on current mind states and current events: “It’s not about the past or the future it’s about right now.”

“As a child, I loved to play the teacher, but I always has a messy room in my house where I could do my arts and crafts.” Thibault said that she always had the spirit of an artist but never thought of pursuing it until later on.

She started at Bishop’s University as a double major in art and education, but ultimately found visual art to be the most inspiring.

After her father passed away, art became therapeutic and a way to cope with the pass-

#deathlydoublefeature

ing; while the pieces were emotional, they would not reflect the emotion she was feeling in that moment.

“You don’t have to be an artist to create art,” Thibault stated. “It is soothing and it helps to calm intense emotions and transfers them onto a canvas—or whichever medium of preference.”

She strongly believes in art therapy— which may be her career path. She worked with a series of children with Down syndrome during a practicum, “and while their work did not meet the level of other children without disabilities, they were so proud and honoured to be a part of the project.”

Thibault preformed in last Friday’s live art show, she will also be performing in the Artists’ Grad Show taking place next semester.

She is preparing her piece based on a fragment of wood she found in the forest.

The drama department samples a new technique DOMINIQUE DAVIDSON Ar ts & Culture Editor

T

o continue the semester of pilot projects in the drama department, Rebecca Harris is directing the second production of the year: two modern adaptations of Greek plays preformed side-by-side.

“There’s a practical side to selecting two plays as opposed to one,” Harris explained, “Production I is a fairly large class, and this offers more roles to the students. But I was particularly interested in the way the two plays spoke to each other. They are thematically connected and are both about mourning and loss.”

Following Greek tradition of opening with a tragedy and closing with a satire, the evening opens with Eurydice and ends in Celeste.

Both plays are quite short: the evening is approximately 90 minutes without intermission—a rising trend in the world of composition. Although the scripts of the plays are always a fun read, this also introduces new challenges: “there’s a certain expectation when people are going out for an evening, many modern plays have to be paired with another to assert expected length, which can also be quite

FOLLOW US ONLINE

difficult for the director”.

This also renders the play more challenging on the actors themselves, they are expected to captivate and create character relationships with the spectators in a much shorter time.

Every word and movement becomes more meaningful; any disassociation of lull for the audience could remove interest entirely and the cast would be unable to recover in the short minutes left. “It’s very rare to find a 40 minute tragedy because it’s difficult to acquire an emotional connections with the character,” said Harris.

The actors are double and triple cast, Charlotte Peters and Gwenyth Clark share the role of Eurydice, played on alternating nights, and each play two more characters in the piece following, Celeste.

“It’s almost as if were doing three plays,” added Eddie Huband. “They’re both developed so differently, and performed so differently depending on who the lead performer is that evening. Charlotte and Gwenyth have such different interpretations and readings, the same play is transformed not only by them, but by the way the others play off of that evening’s Eurydice. It keeps us on our toes.”

A UNIQUE JOB. AN ICONIC LOCATION. AN UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER.

Become a PARLIAMENTARY GUIDE Applications due January 13, 2017 This summer, be part of the action at the Parliament of Canada.

Find out more and apply online at

/thebucampus

parl.gc.ca/guides

ARTS

THEBUCAMPUS.CA

11

EDITORIAL

The Magic of Film

GABRIELLE LESAGE Contributor

You are sitting at your desk. It has been a long day at school and you feel exhausted. You check your emails to make sure you are not missing any deadlines. You type up the last paragraph of your final essay. You have two minutes of free time to look at whatever you want on social media.

Looking at your computer screen you see a trailer for a new movie has come out. You recognize the film as one you have already seen before, and yet it is one you have never seen. You click on the link, watch it, and your breath is taken away as the movie you always loved has somehow been made even better.

With the release of the first official trailer of Beauty and the Beast, many of us experienced just what was described above. When I watched it, I could not help but have tears in my eyes as my favourite Disney movie came to life. Belle wandering in the picturesque country side, the Beast saving Belle from the ravenous wolves, and the famous ballroom scene were all present in the beautiful trailer. The sets, the costumes, and the characters were all familiar to me, and yet there were things I had never seen before.

Disney has announced it will be remaking some of their classic films like Snow White, Mulan, and The Little Mermaid. This piece of news made me re-

flect on their decision. Why is it that a studio is remaking films they have already made before? I know it often has to do with money, but I would like to look at the less cynical side of the case.

The feeling of nostalgia is what I believe is a driving force behind these remakes. We live in a society that is all about movement; we are always busy and never seem to have any time for ourselves. Homework. Meetings.

Classes. More homework. More meetings. More classes. It is an endless cycle that can take over our well-being.

We often find comfort in small things like books, a TV show, or a favourite movie. By recreating films we already love, filmmakers are playing with our heartstrings, but in a good way. For just a moment, we step away from our chaotic life and immerse ourselves in a world far from our own. We go to a place where we do not have to think of that final essay, or of the long meeting we have to attend. When we watch new adaptations of classic movies, we are brought back to our childhood; a time when everything seemed so simple.

We feel like a kid again, and sometimes we need that in order to survive in our harsh world. In a world where we are bombarded with deadlines and expectations, it is nice to be able to step out of our shoes and be the courageous heroine or the loyal knight. The escapism of watching these new films allows us to be free.

It is our way of experiencing magic.

Professor Norman Cornett translated Farida in English.

PHOTO COURTESY SARA CORNETT

Found in translation Farida novelist and translator discuss importance of accessibility DOMINIQUE DAVIDSON Ar ts & Culture Editor

O

n Nov. 22 novelist Naïm Kattan and translator Norman Cornett held a reading and discussion of Kattan’s novel Farida at Université de Sherbrooke.

Kattan was born in Iraq and moved to Montreal in 1954. He is an award-winning novelist, short story writer and critic. Despite having published more than 50 novels, only five have been translated to English.

By translating Farida, Cornett familiarizes the readers with the importance of translating texts to make readers aware of issues and realities that pertain to culture and identity.

Farida tells the story of a Jewish woman and cabaret singer struggling for survival in pre-World War II Iraq. Its subjects include colonial power, orientalism, religion and women’s liberation in Bagdad. The story is set on the cusp of World War II; the background is power and politics, primarily the Western powers.

“Though it is fiction, he has woven together the history of Iraq at the time and the world: and he lived through this, he did not leave Bag-

dad until after World War II,” Norman Cornett, translator of Farida, explained. Kattan’s writing is now amongst some of the most important works of Canadian literature.

An important element of literature is the ability to makes readers aware of issues and realities that pertain to culture and identity, which is where Cornett found importance in creating the translation of the novel.

Originally composed in French, the book was discontinued in 1991, as the Francophone market was much smaller. Understanding the value the novel holds, Cornett translated the novel into English, in order to reach out to many more readers.

As a religious studies scholar, Cornett was particularly driven to translate this text because of the way different cultures interact with each other. “I refer to Farida as a new version of East of Eden. We often see Westerners looking into Eastern culture and interpreting them, but this novel is so important because it is written by an insider. We have got to learn how to create dialogues between different religions, different cultures, and different histories. And all these strands are brought together by Farida.”

Black Cat Books 168E Queen, Lennoxville Your Local Bookstore

New Books • Old Books • Special Orders

Cards, puppets, CDs, gift certificates Serving the community since 1998

PHOTO COURTESY OF DISNEY

819-346-1786 • www.blackcatbook.net

12

NEWS

THE CAMPUS NOVEMBER 9, 2016

Donald Lecture Series

Centennial packed for kidnap survivor Amanda Lindhout RACHEL NEWCOMBE News Editor

O

n Wednesday, Nov. 16, students and community members alike turned out in droves to listen to the story of kidnap survivor and award winning writer Amanda Lindhout. She stood on stage and shared her experience of being held in Somalia for 460 days, and how she worked to move on to a place of forgiveness and compassion.

“I deeply believe we can learn from each other’s stories,” Lindhout said, explaining that she wanted everyone, including herself, to leave feeling like more of a force of good.

The audience listened with rapt attention to the Red Deer, Alta. native as she lead into her story by talking about her love of travel and sense of wanderlust. “I believed about the world what a lot of us did in our 20s,” she said, explaining her belief that the world was good and true.

Her extensive travel, and the chance meeting of an Australian photojournalist, gave her the idea to become a freelance war correspondent.

By 2008, she had spent time in Afghanistan and Iraq, and made the decision to head to Somalia to write a story about the internal displacement camps of the war torn country. “I felt, for the first time in my life, that what I was doing mattered,” Lindhout explained.

Her decision to go to Somalia with her photojournalist friend stemmed from wanting to share those important stories.

“This country, Somalia, wasn’t quite like any others we had been to,” she remarked. Somalia had been a war zone for decades. “What was left was almost a state of complete anarchy.”

On the third day of their planned weeklong stay, Lindhout and her friend were taken by a group of young Somali men. She said some of them were only 14 years old.

Lindhout described it as, “something out of a nightmare”. That day became the first of 460 that she would spend in captivity.

“We never knew what was going to happen to us.

We always knew there was the possibility of death,” she said, describing those harrowing first few months.

She had everything taken away from her, even her own name.

Lindhout said that at the beginning, they were moved around from house to abandoned house, but they were kept together and treated with a modicum of decency.

Their kidnappers would often come to them and practice their English, telling stories of their lives.

“They had been brought up in a culture of war,” she said. They had no chance at education or alternate employment; being a kidnapper meant a meagre income, more than many would have.

A ransom video was made, and she and her friend were separated, and told that to communicate with each other in any way would mean death. It was at this point that Lindhout began to suffer serious physical and sexual abuse daily.

Despite the threat of death, she said she and her friend started taking big risks, by sneaking into hallways for conversations. It was during one of these conversations that they devised a plan of escape.

There was a bricked in window in the bathroom with crumbling mortar. They took turns digging at it with nail clippers, praying that their captors would not look in. “We took a chance,” Lindhout stated, calling to memory the details of the plan.

Finally, when the hole was big enough, they made the 10-foot drop and ran towards a mosque they knew from hearing morning prayers was nearby.

PHOTOS COURTESY MARGOT PAUL (LEFT), CHANTAL SNEATH, PUBLIC RELATIONS (RIGHT)

Lindhout is well-known both for her writing and for her non profit work in Somalia, which she started after her harrowing 460 days in captivity.

“We hit the ground running,” Lindhout remembered.

She described them entering the mosque, with their kidnappers only mere seconds behind them.

One of the kidnappers opened fire on the ceiling, causing chaos in the mosque filled with well over 100 men. Lindhout was trying desperately to find a way out, when she was approached by a Somali woman in a full hijab. She spoke to Lindhout in English, and pleaded with the kidnappers who cornered them to let her go.

When they grabbed Lindhout by the ankles and began to drag her out, the woman threw herself on top of her and tried to free her.

Lindhout, with tears in her eyes, remarked that the woman held on as long as she could before she fell off.

“I-I saw her face,” she said, explaining that the woman was standing there with part of her hijab pulled off, tears on her cheeks and her hands outstretched towards Lindhout as she disappeared.

“I don’t know what happened to her,” Lindhout said, adding she had tried to find out.

For the remaining ten months of her imprisonment, Lindhout was chained on her side, forbidden to speak, and abused daily.

She said she remembered, “feeling like I had lost the things you though would never be taken away from you”. She really understood what despair was.

The worst part for Lindhout was the times she felt doubt in humanity, which she had for so long believed to be true and good. Her anger and emotions continued to well up until one day, when one of her kidnappers came in to beat her, she felt what she called the “snap moment”.

“It was like time stood still,” she said. Amazingly, she felt an overwhelming feeling of calm, and a sense of understanding for her kidnappers; namely that they made her suffer because they also suffered.

From that point on, Lindhout strived to replicate that feeling. “It had given me the greatest opportunity for salvation, to feel compassion,” she attempted to explain to the audience, bringing a hand to her chest. It was the key to her survival. Every day she looked for one thing to be thankful for, and chose to feel compassion rather than anger.

Months passed, until November 2009 came.

Someone came and sawed off Lindhout’s chains, and she was given to understand that they had been sold to another criminal group, as a ransom was most certainly never coming.

She was reunited with her friend, and driven for hours to a meeting place.

When she was handed off to what she thought was her new owners, Lindhout explained the surprise she felt when one of them handed her a phone. On the other end was her mother, telling her that she was free. The group had been hired by their families to free them.

Severely malnourished, emotionally and mentally drained, physical broken, Lindhout spent a few years in recovery back in Alberta. It has been seven years since her freedom day, but she said that she still struggles with her experience and uses many of the practices she used while in captivity, namely finding compassion.

“I have been given a second chance at my life,” she said. “Every day I wake up in the morning and I choose it”.

Now Lindhout raises money for her non-profit, the Global Enrichment Fund, which has raised three million dollars for women, education, and famine in Somalia. She also travels all over the world, sharing her story.

She looked at the assembled crowd in Centennial Theatre and offered them a sincere thank you for letting her tell her story. “I get the opportunity to do some healing,” she explained.

It was no surprise to anyone when, immediately concluding her final words, she was given an emotional standing ovation.