The Converged Citizen - March 6, 2015.

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VOLUME X ISSUE 12

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MARCH 6, 2015

Express cut Power in late game thriller

Women petition tampon tax Allanah Wills Citizen Staff Reporter

Photo by Mark Brown Express forward Quinnel Brown (15) prepares to inbound the ball as Mississauga’s Jordan Weidner guards during the first half of the Express’ 104-103 win over the Power at the WFCU Centre Feb. 22.

SEE STORY PAGE 12

A group of Canadian women want to change the way feminine hygiene products are taxed.

A petition on change.org, No Tax on Tampons, describes itself as a campaign to get the federal government to remove the GST charged on menstruation products.

While items like chocolate spread, artificial teeth and fish are free from tax, tampons and other feminine products are considered non-essential.

Toronto resident Jill Piebiak is behind the petition and said she believes the tax is a form of gender-based discrimination.

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LaSalle photographer visits Falkland Islands Caleb Workman Citzen Staff Reporter A LaSalle man went as far south as one could go to discover a new side of nature.

Wildlife photographer Jason Telasco spent his Christmas vacation on the Falkland Islands, off the southeast coast of Argentina. Telasco, along with his family, spent three weeks meeting and taking pictures of local wildlife.

“The sun came up around 4:30 a.m. and it went down around 10 p.m.,” said Telasco.

“We had very busy, full days and the off-roading was fantastic. We were climbing 600 to 700 foot mountains in a

land rover.”

Telasco said the experience was beyond what he expected it to be and well worth the 40hour trip each way.

“You’re within three feet of an 11,000 pound elephant seal and you have the males that are sparring within seven or eight feet of you,” said Telasco. “If you sit down, you gain trust with the animals.

The Rockhopper Penguins will come all the way around you and they’re very inquisitive. They have the best personality of any bird I’ve been around.”

Alongside of the Rockhopper

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Photo provided by Jason Telasco A Rockhopper Penguin makes a splash on the Falkland Island beaches on the Telasco family trip during Christmas break

CONVERGED CITIZEN2 NEWS Community choir celebrates 40 years MARCH 6, 2015

Kameron Chausse Citzen Staff Reporter A chorus of voices, young and old, filled St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Tuesday night, preparing for a celebration of the choir’s 40th anniversary.

The Windsor Community Choir was originally formed within Assumption Church, associated with the University of Windsor. It was founded by professor Norman King as a way for non-music majors to acquire a music credit. Over time the chorus took on a life of its own, evolving into an independent group made up of Windsorites of all ages.

“We have one member who has been here thirtysomething years and we have a couple members that started almost with the choir from the beginning,” said Roberta Quinlan, president of the Community Choir. “It’s a community choir, it’s non-audition… anybody can join. We’ve had people from all walks of life, all different ages.

You don’t need to be able to read music. We have people who can’t read music, people who have studied music and we all help each other out.”

The choir’s membership usually numbers between

FROM PAGE 1 “I have always known about the tax on menstruation products and never really understood it. In the last year or so many of my friends and I would often talk about it and complain that it exists,” said Piebiak. “As I did more research I realized just how unfair the tax was and was unable to find any other products that were taxed in a gendered way.”

Piebiak claims that in 2014, Canadian women spent approximately $520 million on menstrual hygiene products. This would mean the government collected around $36 million in sales tax off these items, enough to buy a 460 acre private island in Belize or 36 Jaguar Supercars.

Photo by Kameron Chausse Erin Armstrong discusses a new piece of music with members of the community choir during practice on Feb 24, at St Andrew’s Church.

40 and 50 individuals, with most years seeing an increase in attendance during the Christmas holiday season. This year’s spring group is slightly larger than expected because of the upcoming 40-year anniversary of the program.

The program’s choral director, Erin Armstrong, is a trained operatic singer.

She said they are eager to expand the program beyond its current scope and open it up to new ventures and experiences. As of now, the

choir will compete in this year’s Kiwanis Music Festival on in late April. A few members will sing with The Canadian Tenors when they are in town in March.

“A recital is the only thing that we’ve done, so then we’re going to [try] a competition, and I would like to try the opera. I think it would be cool” said Armstrong.“The music they created at our Christmas concert was absolutely stunning… so I think theres a possibility for collabora-

With approximately 18 million women in Canada, 10 million of them are within the average age of menstruation.

This isn’t the first time focus has been put on the tax.

London NDP MP Irene Mathyssen introduced Bill C282 An Act to amend Excise Tax Act (feminine hygiene products) in 2011. The bill got little notice but was re-introduced in 2013 where it garnered more attention on social media.

“With the federal election coming soon, we thought it was important to raise awareness about Bill C282,” said Piebiak. “Since the introduction of GST in 1991, the government has stayed with its decision to tax feminine hygiene products.”

The petition has received

51,000 signatures since its start at the end of January, surpassing the original goal of 50,000 and will be delivered to six members of parliament including Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper.

University of Windsor kinesiology student Jelena Ristic, 20, supports the petition and doesn’t believe women should have to pay extra for a necessity.

“I signed it right away,” said Ristic. “I think that if it leads to actual substantial change, it’s a great thing. I’m afraid that it’ll be lost on the ears of the parliament….amongst other Canadian women’s rights issues.”

The Department of Finance is responsible for Canada’s tax policies and have a strict rule against commenting on

tions and collaborative projects too.”

Collaborations are uncommon between different choir groups, but Armstrong said she believes there is a wide range of untapped potential in the region to create great art and performances. She compared it to how baseball and basketball players do not usually collaborate in sports, but still intends to gradually work towards collaborations between various groups across Windsor and Detroit.

“… I think that Windsor has a unique advantage being a city that is in such close proximity to Detroit and all of the arts culture that is present [here].”

Armstrong said.

The community choir holds practice on Tuesday nights at 7 p.m. at St Andrew’s Church and has its own Facebook group. The 40th anniversary celebration concert will be held Saturday April 12, at Glenwood United Church.

Photo by Allanah Wills Feminine hygiene products on the shelf at the Lauzon Road Food Basics in Windsor Feb. 24. policy proposals.

The Canadian campaign is one of many worldwide, including a similar petition

created in the United Kingdom in 2014 which has so far prompted no change.

NEWS

CONVERGED CITIZEN3 MARCH 6, 2015

City to erect large Canadian flag Julia Poehlman Citizen Staff Reporter A flag will soon be flying on Windsor’s riverfront, with credit given to members of the Great Canadian Flag Project.

The 60-by-30 foot Canadian flag will fly 120 feet high at Dieppe Park on Ouellette Avenue. The flag could be flying by Canada Day if the group, the Great Canadian Flag Project, raises the $300,000 they need.

On Feb. 17, the group, which includes Mike Beale, Peter Hrastovec, Ann Arquette, Mary Baruth and David Woodall received the okay from City Council to start fundraising. Over the course of four days they have collected pledges totalling just under $80,000.

Beale said one of the reasons they are putting up a flag on the riverfront is because it will fly on Canadian – U.S. the border.

“We live on an international border between Detroit and Windsor and that is a major commerce route. It is the most important border crossing for commerce between Canada and the United States, so why not celebrate who we are,”

said Beale.

Beale also said he wants to put up the flag because it represents Canada.

“The other aspect of the flag is it is a celebration of who we are as immigrants. This country, every one of us at one point or another or members of our families were immigrants,” said Beale. “We celebrate and honour those who brought us and established are families here in Canada.”

Beale said The Great Canadian Flag Project is based on an idea from of the late Windsorite Thomas McDade.

In 1979, McDade proposed his plan to City Council but unfortunately did not take off. Beale said McDade’s daughter, Karen, is the group’s inspiration.

“We do this work for Karen in honour her father,” said Beale who is confident about raising the $300,000 in time to raise the flag for Canada Day. “It speaks to the goodness of the community, the groundswell of support, people want to help,” said Beale.

“It would be really tragic to me personally if we don’t make the July 1st date because it’s Canada Day. This year is the 50th anniversary of the

Canadian flag. Part of the dedication ceremony that we want to include would be the swearing in of new Canadians.”

Cheryl Poupard, 38, and Mia Coppola, 19, are two Windsor residents who said they think the project is a great idea.

“We should be proud of our country and that’s a good way to show it,” said Poupard.

“I’m proud to be Canadian.”

Similarly, Coppola said Windsorites are pleased to be Canadians.

“I think it’s a good idea because it is at the border. It shows us who we are and that we are proud to be Canadian,” said Coppola.

Rather than members of the group being recognized, Beale said Dieppe Park is where people honour those who are fighting and those who have fought and fallen for Canada.

“The names of the committee that are doing this, our names must fade away, only the names we honour remain,” said Beale.

For those who are interested in donating to the Great Canadian Flag Project can contact Mike Beale at 519735-4633 or Mbeale1@cogeco.ca

Windsor organization helps immigrants Abass Wali Mohammad Citizen Staff Reporter Over the past three decades, immigrant women have been able to adapt better to life in Canada with the aid of a local organization Windsor Women Working with Immigrant Women.

The organization has been serving the Windsor-Essex County community, as a non-profit charitable organization for the last 33 years and now serves both women and men.

“Our programs are designed to address and meet the needs within the community as they serve to help our clients achieve their goals,” said Philippine Ishak, director of the programs.

The Windsor Women Working with Immigrant Women organization offers different programs for men and women.

The

Information and Orientation department is the gateway to services at 5W, conducting needs assessment and connecting clients with resources in the community, based on their needs.

“The Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada program provides English language classes to improve literacy and communication for all clients with lower level language skills,” said LINC teacher Latifa Irshad, “The Employment Services Centre assists men and women in their search for employment.”

Ishak said the organization is funded by the federal and provincial governments and also through grants from other organizations such as, the Canadian Council for Refugees and Girls Action Foundation.

“Students of the language program progress at their individual pace but overall

we report great success with the students in advancing to higher levels and acquiring the language,” said literacy teacher, Margaret Holic. “We have had very many success stories and one example is a client who began classes here in a literacy class and attained a LINC level four in a few years. She went on to take a culinary class and get certification. This client now successfully runs a café and restaurant in downtown Windsor.”

However, the Investing in Women’s Futures program is the only program funded for women only. The classes are not segregated and females and males attend together.

Windsor Women Working with Immigrant Women has outgrown its space in the 500 block of Ouellette Avenue and will open a new location by the end of March.

The pressures of returning to school Blake Wilson Citizen Staff Reporter

Many adults are returning to school and feeling the pressures that come along with such a major life change.

The process can be fraught with feelings of anxiety fear and apprehension. There are many reasons for wanting to return to school. Marvel Beauty School student Jayme Ouellette decided to return because of her passion for the field.

“The reason I decided to go back was because I wanted to be a hairdresser for a long time and I believe that it’s never too late to return to school,” said Ouellette.

“It’s a struggle sometimes, but if you do decide to go back just make sure it’s what you want and plan ahead.”

In fields where techniques, technologies and new developments change rapidly, students are under pressure to keep up. If the student is a parent and has been out of school for long periods, juggling home life and learning to re-adjust to a new and unfamiliar learning environment can be even trickier.

“It’s a little hard to keep up because there are a lot of new things you have to learn about in this kind of work,” said Ouellette.

Having assistance from family and friends can help ease the pressure.

“I’m not working right now, but I do have my son.

So luckily I have a good support system,” said Jessica Sove, also a student at Marvel’s School of Beauty.

“I have my family and friends that help push me towards my goals.”

Absence from school for extended periods can make it hard to get back into a routine. The stress of worrying about not fitting in is another issue that returning students said they must deal with, sometimes with students who might be half their age.

“I went through a period of not socializing, so getting back into the social environment was another anxiety for me personally,” Sove said.

“But keep your head up and just keep pushing through because it’ll be worth it in the end.”

For some students for example, the last time they attended school was decades before the onset of the digital technology wave. There was no such thing as the Internet, personal computers were in their infancy and social media was non-existent.

Deb LaSelva, co-ordinator of the travel and tourism program at St. Clair College MediaPlex in Windsor said she likes the idea of having mature students in her program.

“Mature students are the best students you can have in a program. In my program, anybody returning to school after age of twentyfive, “said LaSelva. “They take their programs more seriously than kids coming out of high school. They put 100 per cent effort into their projects and assignments. I think that mature students are ideal students.”

NEWS

MARCH 6, 2015

Elder abuse: an ongoing dilemma in a growing country Kassandra Coates Citizen Staff Reporter

Abuse of the elderly is a growing concern and needs to be addressed experts said at conference on elder abuse Feb 21.

The Windsor Geriatric conference was held to raise awareness about elder abuse and what constitutes elder abuse.

Tatum Dault, a social worker at Family Services and the elder abuse social worker for Windsor-Essex County, said she actively works with seniors who have been referred to Family Services WindsorEssex for potential or confirmed cases of elder abuse.

“Generally the abuser is a person who holds a position of trust — children, unrelated caregivers or other relatives,” said Dault. “Financial elder abuse is the highest reported type of abuse.”

Dault said some of the most common warning signs and symptoms of elderly abuse include unexplained physical injuries, increasing depression, dehydration or lack of food, poor hygiene, rashes, pressure sores and intentional over or under medicating.

FROM PAGE 1 Penguins, Telasco said he met four other types of penguins including King Penguins, Macaroni Penguins, Gentoo Penguins and Magellanic Penguins.

Telasco said the location where they were staying, Fox Bay East, had only 22 people living there.

Telasco brought his son, 11-yearold son William, his wife, Lisa, who is from the Falkland Islands, and his father in law, Michael Knight.

The group stayed with his wife’s family and learned a lot about the culture and lifestyles of those who lived there.

“There’s no real convenience,” said Telasco. “The store there is open on Wednesdays and Sundays from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.”

Not only was the one store open for such a short time, but the prices of goods were quite high.

“A baseball-sized handful of grapes costs about $12 Canadian,” said Telasco. “Internet is also incredibly expensive so you can’t just pony on someone’s Wi-Fi.”

CONVERGED CITIZEN4

“For an elderly person to protect themselves, it is good for people to stay active, educated and have a support system to recognize any signs,” said Dault.

Payette said seniors can protect themselves by using public services such as the police, and report anybody who is hurting or taking advantage of them.

In the coming decades, Statistic Canada has projected the Canada’s population will continue to age, with the proportion of Canadians aged 55 and older rising from 27 per cent in 2011 to 35 per cent in 2031. The statistics also show that the number of Ontarians facing elder abuse is 60,000 and will continue to rise.

“Elder abuse will more than likely be on the rise, directly linked to the rise in elderly population. Especially frauds, involving money scams,” said Leah Payette, 45, a Registered Nurse certified in Gerontology, a study of elderly people.

Suspicions of elder abuse should be reported to local police department if it is criminal, the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the Family Service Windsor-Essex to make a referral According to Telasco, although there was a large difference in culture, the relationships he made, the photos he took and the animals he met were well worth it.

“The wildlife was more than I could have ever expected,” said Telasco. “It was the whole trip that was special. I can’t highlight one thing, it was the whole experience.”

According to Telasco, the cold weather at an average of 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 degrees Celcius) and high speed winds reaching up to 100 km per hour were some of the elements he fought while taking pictures.

Telasco said he is still going through and editing the 15,000 pictures he took on his trip.

He said he hopes his experience and his pictures can inspire people to go out and try something new and visit someplace different. He said those are the trips that people will remember for their lifetime.

Telasco also has a studio at his house and teaches classes on photography and Photoshop. He also custom frames and photos in his shop.

Getting the buzz on neonicotinoids Julia Poehlman Citizen Staff Reporter Beekeepers and farmers are working to find pesticides that will protect crops without killing bees.

Neonicotinoids are a type of pesticide that are chemically related to nicotine.

They are used on field crops and nursery plants.

Although this insecticide is used to eliminate pests, it can also be damaging to pollinators, such as bees.

They are vulnerable to neonicotinoids when they are subjected to spray, dust from treated seeds and contaminated pollen.

Dan Sinasac has been beekeeping for two years.

He said when the pesticide gets into the air, it could harm the insects nearby.

“It becomes airborne, a lot of bees pollinate, there’s mosquitoes in the bushes and maybe butter-

flies,” said Sinasac.

But farmers like Leslie Badder need to use pesticides on their crops.

“If we went to finger pick-up we wouldn’t have this problem, but if we don’t use it (neonicotinoids) we might as well quit farming,” said Badder.

Finger pick-up planters have upright wheels with fingers on them, which they clasp the seed then spin to the other side and then drop it down, releasing one seed at a time. Air seeders carry larger amounts of seed in a bigger area of land. Once the seed has been planted by the seeder, air blows out of the opening that has been made in the dirt. The air seeder compresses the seeds in order to hold in moisture.

Farmers do not want to see bees destroyed. Badder said researchers are working on a new neonicotinoid

seed treatment and avoiding neonicotinoids altogether could be disastrous.

“They are working on a new coating that holds on better, but the biggest problem is the air seeders,” said Badder.

Sinasac said he does not blame farmers for using these pesticides.

“I can understand the farmers, more crop, more quantity,” said Sinasac. “I think farmers can be a little more careful when they put that stuff on them.”

According to the ontario.ca website, almost 100 per cent of corn seed and 60 per cent of soybean seed use neonicotinoids in Ontario.

The Federal Pest Management Regulatory Agency has reported that most of the bees killed in Ontario throughout 2012 and 2013 were caused by neonicotinoids

GMOs in apples affecting Windsorites Kristine Klein Citizen Staff Reporter The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved the country’s first genetically modified apples and windsorites are feeling worried.

The genetically modified organism will stop the apples from turning brown shortly after being cut. The apples were developed by the Canadian company Okanagan Specialty Fruits.

The company named the apples Arctic Granny and Arctic Golden.

Many Windsorites who go to the United States for groceries say this could affect the way they make their purchases from now on.

“I go to the States a lot to grocery shop. This will make a difference in the way I shop there now. I think I might just stick to buying my apples here in Windsor,” said Dan Fuji.

Fuji said he is worried about a price change now that there will be organic apples and GMO apples on the market.

“I know for the people that do go there to buy their apples there will be a price change. Organic apple will cost more than the GMO apples and that will be annoying.”

Myles Trombley, who works at the Real Canadian Super Store, doesn’t like the idea of this new GMO in apples, but believes it will help stores with their business.

“They won’t have to purchase as many apples and throw out the rotten ones because this will help them last longer and fresher and can be displayed without looking gross after a few minutes,” said Trombly, 20.

According to Lisa Valente, who runs the GMO Free Windsor Essex community,

there has been very little testing on human consumption and side effects.

“We are human guinea pigs and won’t know the effect years and years down the road. When possibly then it’s too late,” said Valente.

One study has linked GMOs to gluten disorders, In the study recently released by the Institute for Responsible Technology.

GMOs also effect breast cancer cell growth and birth defects, according to the study published in the U.S National Library of Medicine.

“When you play with genetics and you poison on our food, nothing good can come from it,” said Valente.

NEWS

CONVERGED CITIZEN5 MARCH 6, 2015

Computer science more popular because of technological age

Photo by Rhiannon Lotze Brendan Steiner, a fourth year student in the computer science program at the University of Windsor, works on his coding skills in the computer science common room or “Java Lab,” at the University.

Rhiannon Lotze Citizen Staff Reporter It is the age of technology, and computer science has become a popular educational path for post-secondary students.

According to the Canadian Occupational Projection

System published by Employment and Social Development Canada, the computer science industry has the ninth highest number of job openings in Canada. It is expected to remain within the top 10 employment industries through 2020.

The University of Windsor

has seen significant growth in its School of Computer Science since its creation in the 70s. The university initially offered two branches of study within the program and had five faculty members.

Since then, the number of faculty has grown to almost two dozen and there are now almost a hundred courses to take.

The director of the computer science program, Ziad Kobti, said it has become highly successful because the trade is now a staple of the world.

“Computer science is a central science. No other discipline today can survive without our services,” said Kobti.

He also said the program appeals to students because “the industry through the years has become more and more competitive and diverse. Consequently, there is a growing demand for highly specialized experts.”

Kobti has been the director of the School of Computer

Big turnout for community gardening Mark Brown Citizen Staff Reporter A group of community gardening enthusiasts got together Feb 23 to discuss the virtues of growing crops for themselves and their neighbours.

About 50 people gathered in the basement auditorium of the Windsor Central Library to attend a documentary screening and information session on community gardening, sponsored by the Windsor-Essex Community Garden Network.

Network coordinator Steve Green, who hosted the event, said the frigid temperatures of February did not stop him from getting people excited about the idea.

“What we were doing was reaching out to the community and letting people know that there are opportunities within the city and county to be involved in growing their own food,” said Green.

Community gardening is also an exciting way to introduce food varieties normally not seen in the region, according to Green.

“There’s the idea that you can grow food you couldn’t find at the grocery store or

maybe grow food that tastes great because you put all that effort into it,” said Green, who first began community gardening just outside Windsor in 2005.

The attendees viewed A Community of Gardens, a documentary that chronicles the community gardening experiences for people in Washington, D.C. The film showed how urban gardens developed, first in 1893 in Detroit by mayor Hazen Pingree, all the way through the two World Wars when people were encouraged to grow their own gardens to help the war effort.

Community gardens have also been instrumental in providing a service to city residents who are less fortunate.

“We’re going into our second year. Last year we did 625 pounds of food with only five garden beds. This year we have twelve,” said Randy Comeau, marketing and public relations director of Ten Friends Diner, a non-profit organization that operates a Windsor eatery with proceeds benefitting mental health initiatives. Comeau said people who work at the diner and tend

to the garden are those who have dealt with mental health issues. Plants grown at his site range from tomatoes to vegetables normally not produced in the region.

“The clients in the program are some of the people who are working the garden, plus we have supporters of the diner who volunteer their time,” said Comeau.

Among those attending the session was Windsor city councillor Chris Holt, who announced the City of Windsor is now incorporating community gardens into the city plan.

Green said the initiative began with just two gardens but is now at 30 with room for more.

“The sky’s the limit,” said Green, adding he would love to see a garden in every school, park and vacant lot in the city.

He said there will be three gardens being set up in schools this growing season.

Residents wishing to start a community garden of their own can find support and advice by calling the Windsor Essex County Community Garden Network at (519) 2583033 or visiting their website at www.wegarden.ca.

Science at the university since 2012.

While the majority of changes in the program occurred over the span of several decades, there have been noticeable differences, especially in the popularity of it, in the past four years. As a fourth year student in the program, Brendan Steiner said he has witnessed these changes firsthand.

“I heard that there are about 20 students that graduate each year in computer science,” said Steiner. “The only thing I’ve noticed is that more and more students are looking to get help instead of straying away from computer science.” Steiner also said computer science is the only program with 100 per cent employability within the first two years of graduating which likely attracts new students.

First-year students in the program such as Nikola Zjalic, have also noticed its popularity.

“It’s a versatile, ever-growing field and there’s tons of options and opportunity,” said Zjalic. He said he believes there are about 200 first year students enrolled in computer science.

However, despite the growing popularity of the industry, it is still not a common educational choice for women entering universities.

“There are about five firstyear females,” said Sara Hayale, who is one of those five. “There’s a very obvious lack of females in the program.” Hayale also said while there is a big difference between the numbers of men and women taking computer science, it does not affect her.

“It’s just like being in any other program.”

According to a study conducted by Forbes Magazine, careers in computer science are also being combined with other areas such as medicine and business and the need for computer science majors will only continue to grow.

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NEWS

MARCH 6, 2015

Bird flu causes border restrictions Ashley Ann Mentley CP Editor

Recent cases of avian influenza in the U.S. are causing restrictions on imports at the Windsor-Detroit border potentially affecting items such as eggs and poultry.

Avian influenza, more commonly known as bird flu, has been confirmed in California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The disease, which is often transmitted through wild birds, can also spread through contaminated “manure, litter, clothing, footwear, vehicles, equipment, feed and water.”

On Jan. 26 the CFIA issued an updated report reflecting new cases in California where over 50 per cent of a commercial turkey flock died. The agency works closely with the Canadian Border Services Agency in Windsor and other border cities to ensure that these products do not enter Canada.

“All raw poultry, poultry products and by-products that are not fully cooked, including eggs and raw pet foods originating from the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and California are prohibited from entering Canada until further notice,” said Diana Scott, a communications officer at the Sothern Ontario Region Branch of the CBSA.

Some local residents, who prefer to do their grocery shopping in Michigan, said they were not aware of the current restrictions.

Patti Dubois, 53, said she makes about two trips to Detroit’s Whole Foods every month.

“I buy chicken and eggs from Whole Foods all the time,” Dubois said. She said she does not know about the restrictions and also does not know how to learn if and when they will be lifted.

Dubois, who shops at Whole Foods for the atmosphere and experience, said she has never had any trouble at the border when bringing her groceries back to her home in Tecumseh.

According to Scott, as long

Cold weather affects local wineries Alexandra Latremouille Citizen Staff Reporter The winter weather is concerning winemakers in Windsor and Essex County, but the extent of the damage to their crops has not been determined.

Like last year, the extreme cold is potentially affecting vine growth and destroying buds.

However, local growers will not know exactly how much damage is occurring until early March.

The president of Sprucewood Estate Winery said although this is not the coldest year they have experienced, it is still potentially deadly to their crops.

“Last year was colder, almost down to negative 25,” said Stephen Mitchell. “This killed all of our buds and was taxing on the plants…[A crew from Niagara] suspects there’s bud damage this year. The other concern is that there’s trunk damage. In either case, we’d have to re-grow the crops.”

A report by Washington State University states different vines have varying thresholds for the cold. Those used by the 17 wineries in Windsor and Essex experience 10 per cent bud damage between -5 C and -11 C. One of the owners of Colchester Ridge Estate Winery said they use surface-mounted fans to keep their plants healthy. However, they are not always effective. “(These are) critical tempera-

tures for when we have to turn the fan on — because that will push the convection layer down — is 19.5 degrees centigrade,” said Nancy Gorski. “But based on how cold it got in one of the areas of the vines — it actually got down to 24.5 C with the fan on — we may experience up to 50 per cent winter kill just for the fruiting canes.”

Gorski said their vines are generally able to be preserved by using a method called “buttage.”

This involves building up the dirt around the vines to ensure the grafts remain in place.

However, she said if they do lose 50 per cent of their grapes, they still have options to aid them financially.

“We’re lucky enough that we have quite a bit of wine in stock, wine that will age well,” said Gorski. “We also might end up having to purchase wine from other areas in Ontario that haven’t been hit as hard. But I understand places like Niagara were hit pretty hard as well.”

According to Mitchell, grapes can be gathered from international wineries if those in Canada are not faring well.

“I’m sure the government will allow local wineries to get grapes internationally again,” said Mitchell. “Ontario wineries are worth over $500 billion. The government wouldn’t let us go under.”

Mitchell said wine growing is essentially farming, “and dealing with the weather is always a gamble.”

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as travelers properly declare their groceries and are not in possession of any restricted items, they should have no problems. The disposal of such restricted items, however, falls under the International Waste Directive that is in place to prevent diseases such as bird flu from crossing international borders.

Scott said should any restricted items be confiscated and in need of disposal, only “CFIA approved haulers are allowed to transport international waste.”

The California Department of Food and Agriculture issued a statement Jan. 31 confirming all “poultry and eggs that are cooked properly are still safe to consume.”

There are currently no cases of infected flocks in Canada and the CFIA said all measures are being taken to prevent the bird flu from being introduced into Canada.

THE C.F.I.A.’S AVIAN INFLUENZA EMERGENCY RESPONSE STRATEGY:

- The humane destruction of all infected and exposed animals - Surveillance and tracing of potentially infected or exposed animals - Strict quarantine and animal movement controls to prevent disease spread - Strict decontamination of infected premises - Zoning to define infected and disease-free areas

CONVERGED CITIZEN7

NEWS

MARCH 6, 2015

Animal abuse in Windsor sparks anger Anthony Sheardown Citizen Staff Reporter

photo by Samantha Wigfield Melanie Coulter, the executive director of the Humane Society in Windsor, poses for a photo on.

Don’t forget your furry friends Samantha Wigfield Citizen Staff Reporter Environment Canada is warning Windsorites to keep furry friends indoors in arctic temperatures.

With last week’s temperature hitting a low of -22.4 degrees Celsius, keeping pets indoors is just as important as keeping yourself warm in this record breaking winter.

“For your own animals, especially when it’s been this cold as it has been this week, we always say bring them inside. If it’s uncomfortable for you out there, if it’s really cold weather out there, they really should be coming inside with you,” said Melanie Coulter, the executive director of the Windsor/Essex County Humane Society, “If bringing them in isn’t an option, making sure they have insulated shelter available, that they have fresh water available and that they have extra food so that they have extra calories.”

The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals also recommends to never leave a cat or dog in a car alone because the car keeps in the cold and could cause a pet to freeze to death.

“For all animals, you’re looking at hypothermia being an issue, as well as frostbite. The other difficulty is that for other animals living outside like birds or feral cats, they are going to have difficulty finding food in the cold weather.

It can be harder for them to get the amount of calories they need to keep their body fat up,” said Coulter.

Ethylene glycol is found in antifreeze and brake fluids and is deadly to all animals. Since it tastes sweet and it is difficult to find food in the winter, animals may ingest it so be alert for spills when out for walks.

Kathleen Hearns owns three dogs and said it is harder for her

in the winter to keep all of her dogs indoors because they get bored.

“I have big dogs and they don’t like being cooped up inside with my kids, but it’s too cruel to leave your pets outside in negative 20 weather,” Hearns said.

According to the OSPCA website, dogs should be provided with adequate shelter and require a dry doghouse built with weatherproof materials. The door should face away from the winds and they need a constant supply of fresh water. Make sure the water and food is not frozen and use a plastic or a ceramic bowl instead of a metal bowl to prevent the dog’s tongue from sticking to cold metal.

“A lot of them surprisingly do well, but we still caution they should be inside and not left outside in the cold. For example, cats when they’re outside, if they don’t have a shelter available they may go inside a car engine and that can cause some serious injuries when they start their car,” Coulter said.

Cats will try and find warmth under the hood of a vehicle. If the car is turned on the cat could be severely injured or killed by the fan belt. To prevent this, knock on the hood or honk the horn to scare away any potential cats trying to stay out of the cold.

“For your own animals, especially when it’s been this cold as it has been this week, we always say bring them inside. If it’s uncomfortable for you out there, if it’s really cold weather out there, they really should be coming inside with you,” said Coulter. “If bringing them in isn’t an option, making sure they have insulted shelter available, that they have fresh water available and that they have extra food so that they have extra calories.”

For more information on how to protect pets and outside animals from the bitingly cold weather, you can visit the OSPCA website, www.ontariospca.ca or windsorhumane.org.

The unusual killing of an animal in Windsor on Feb 18 has many people very upset Donovan Patrick, a 20-yearold Windsor man, is facing charges of injuring and killing an animal. Partick was arrested after brutally assaulting and killing a dog in South Walkerville Park.

A witness was walking her dog in the park around 7 a.m. when she saw Patrick assaulting the dog she called the police quickly. The dog was found with cuts on its neck and upper body.

The dog, a shepherd-husky mix, was rushed to a nearby animal hospital and died 45 minutes later.

In Canada the punishment for killing or harming an animal is up to five years in prison if indicted. On a summary conviction, guilty parties can face fines up to $10,000 and/or 18 months imprisonment.

The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies said in 2012 119,000 cats, 53,000 dogs and 15,000 other animals were taken in by shelters across the country.

Young animal lovers in Windsor said Patrick should be punished severally for his actions, as should anyone who hurts an animal.

“The context of how the dog died is just horrifying and I believe that this person should undoubtedly suffer the consequences for his actions,” said Maurizio Mantovan, 16, a student who has had a dog since he was 8. “I think that we should treat animal cruelty the right way. By this I mean if a person commits assault on someone they suffer those consequences, same goes for animals.”

“I am very upset about it. In my opinion he deserves exactly what he did to the dog,” said Janaya Hyland, a 19-yearold Windsorite. “Animal abuse is disgusting and it needs to be stopped. People

need to be very aware of how bad it is.”

Carter Hughes, 22, a University of Windsor student and a dog owner said he can’t believe someone could be so cruel to such a loyal animal.

“I feel disgusted that an animal could be treated that way and abused in that manner,” said Hughes. “I feel animal abuse is wrong and anyone caught should be reprimanded.

Any type of physical or mental abuse to animals is not acceptable.”

“Growing up I saw my dad abuse my dog. It hurt me to see what was going on and I couldn’t say or do anything about it,” said Hyland. “I feel like people need to really be aware of what abuse to an animal really is. It really does make me sad and people who do the abuse should really pay for it.”

Over the last 10 years incidents of animal abuse in Canadian courts are being stricter on people who commit such crimes.

Student workers worry following Chrysler break Tyler Boissonneault Citizen Staff Reporter Student employees of Chrysler’s Windsor Assembly Plant are shifting focus back to school due to the plant’s downtime for retooling, but they are now starting to worry about finances.

The $2 billion investment will require a shutdown of around three months before the plant is reopened to produce the next generation of minivans. This move affects more than 1000 part-time and full time positions. Some student workers say they will enjoy their break and are hoping to have more time for school, but some are worried about how they will pay tuition and living expenses.

St. Clair College student Danyelle Bayliss is one of the workers who is having trouble during the break and said that she will not be eligible to receive financial help.

Bayliss said during the plants retooling, she will not be working because she needs the time to focus on school.

Bayliss said with her time going into school, she won’t have time to find a job and she is unable to receive other aids

to her income.

“This affects me greatly. I do not qualify for employment insurance or unemployment, therefore I am out of money for the break,” said Bayliss.

Bayliss said although the time off will be difficult, she will at least be able to go back to the plant following the break to help with her income.

During his months off, student Taylor Hollinsky said he will use his free time to focus on school and finish his current semester.

“It gives me the opportunity to do things I normally can’t go 100 per cent on like school, hobbies and my social life. I want to use this time as best I can to catch up on other aspects of my life,” said Hollinsky.

Although he will have free time during his break,

Hollinsky says he keeps in mind that he will need help for income during his temporary leave. He said he is hoping to hear back on his status from Service Canada regarding his employment insurance.

“I have applied for employment insurance and I hope I get approved. I’ve been saving money and paid off most of my debt so I should be able to make it through the three months without it, but that would be tight budgeting,” said Hollinsky.

Hollinsky said some fellow co-workers are having a hard time processing and getting approved for employment insurance.

The company will be giving financial advice to its workers affected by the overhaul through an information session.

CONVERGED CITIZEN8

NEWS

MARCH 6, 2015

Twenty years of celebration Michael Hugall Citizen Staff Reporter February marks the twentieth year of celebration for members of the AfricanCanadian community.

In 1995, Black History Month was adopted when Liberal MP Jean Augustine brought the idea to the Senate. The recognition of the month was officially noted in 2008 when Senator Donald Oliver had it unanimously approved.

As part of the months festivities, members of the African-Canadian community reflected on their heritage and remembering what the month means to them.

“I was fortunate enough to have people teach me about black history,” said Sandwich First Baptist Church deacon

Kim Elliot. “Coming from Amherstburg where the town was much more integrated, I learned about black history in the first and second grade.”

Amherstburg is most-known as the freedom spot for refugees of the United States.

It was the ending of the Underground Railroad.

The Amherstburg Black Historical Museum was established in 1964 by Melvin “Mac” Simpson and its purpose was to educate people about how enslaved AfricanCanadians escaped to freedom.

Elliott said in growing up and learning about the culture there were definitely feelings of shame, however, he was influenced to think differently by teacher Vivan Robbins, one of the founders of the Black

Historical Society in Ontario.

“Knowing that we came from slavery only intensified the shame,” said Elliott.

“Although, Black History Month is teaching us about where we came from…

Kingdoms in Africa.”

Elliott said this month of celebration helped him at an early age to find his identity and said he knows it is much more then skin deep.

St. Clair College student Iesha Coburn said she sees this month as an opportunity to acknowledge the accomplishments of many African descendants in pop-culture and government office.

“There are movie stars, television anchors- you pretty much see all races everywhere now, whereas back in the day, there was a certain stereo-

type,” said Coburn. “There are a lot of things that black people have done and accomplished that I myself didn’t even know about.

Some notable inventions being the stop light, invented

by Garrett A. Morgan, the guitar, invented by Robert F. Flemming Jr. and the thermostat, invested by Frederick M. Jones.”

One of the ways the black community celebrates this month in through Afrofest.

Afrofest is a festival that is annually held at the University of Windsor as a celebration and a means of education for African Canadian culture.

This year marked Afrofest’s tenth anniversary. According to event’s coordinator Zainab Ikpong the attendance has

been declining each year.

“I am not sure whether it is due to promotion, because students are busier with school, or because people are less interested,” said Ikpong.

“I have also noticed that our attendance looks less and less diverse over the years.”

Ikpong said there is a lot that goes into running the event such as programming and promotion but she said the staff tries to make it the best experience possible.

Elliott said he intends to pass the message of equality onto his children and grandchildren.

“I think that the education around African-Canadian history is better than it was when I was a kid,” said Elliott. “I know I have to set an example for my children.”

New sexual education curriculum introduced Samantha Wigfield Citizen Staff Reporter

Photo by Jordan Caschera Windsor Fire and Rescue crews work to contain a fire inside The Havana Smoke Shop on Ouellette Avenue on Monday in Windsor.

Smoke shop fire causes thousands in damage Jordan Caschera Citizen Staff Reporter

Emergency crews responded to reports of smoke coming from the Havana Smoke Shop and Convenience store in the 500 block of Ouellette Avenue Monday.

John Lee, fire prevention officer with Windsor Fire and Rescue, said the fire began just before noon in a storage room at the rear of the smoke shop.

“The call came in at around 11:45 and it was quickly upgraded,” said Lee. “We have had two upgrades on this, but it has

been contained.”

According to Lee, the Rockefeller bar next door has also been damaged by smoke.

Owners of the smoke shop have not been available for comment. The shop was closed at the time of the fire.

The smoke shop fire comes just a day after a flooding caused by a pipe burst which affected the Manchester pub just a few units over. Jeff Garrett, general manager of The Manchester, said the pub was lucky the fire was not large enough to spread to nearby businesses, such as the pub.

“With what happened with the pipe burst and the water damage, fire damage is the last thing we need,” said Garrett. Garrett said the ceiling was bulging from the heavy water and it eventually burst leaving water pouring into the pub.

The pub is closed indefinitely and Garrett says it will be a rush to reopen for St. Patrick’s Day. According to Garrett, fire officials cleared the pub and said it was not in any immediate fire danger.

The investigation into the smoke shop fire resulted in an estimated damage of $100,000. The exact cause of the fire is still unknown

After 16 years of careful deliberation, the Ontario Ministry of Education has revamped its sexual education curriculum.

Provincial officials have updated and added to the outdated information given to students and the mandatory health and physical education children will receive starting in September.

But not all parents are happy with the new curriculum.

Jessica Smallman, a mother of two daughters aged two and six, said she thinks some of the topics they will be teaching children are too explicit and it is not appropriate to introduce sexual education to grade one students.

“I think it’s a little too young, maybe Grade 3 would be okay but honestly I don’t want that taught to my daughter at that age. I think it would be better to be able to decide when I want to teach my daughter. It’s also based on the child and the questions that they have,” Smallman said. “I should be able to teach my daughter the way I want too and not have a teacher tell her about that sort of thing. Why over educate

them, let them be as innocent for as long as they can.”

She said she does agree with the fact that cyber bullying should be taught because it is such a big problem and online seems to be where bullying is moving.

The new curriculum covers everything from the correct names of body parts in the Grade 1 to “sext” education in Grade 4. Oral and anal sex will be introduced in Grade 7 and pregnancy prevention in the Grade 9. Teachers will also be promoting nutrition, exercise and physical wellness as a whole.

The director of education for the Greater Essex County District School Board, Erin Kelly, said there is a misunderstanding of what is being taught. She said children need to know how to react to their peers, know their body parts and what is acceptable, as well as how to maintain personal hygiene and respectful conduct.

“There were cautions raised around it, which is why it took so long,” Kelly said.

“Understanding online safety and what could happen is one of our huge focuses and definitely worthy of our attention.”

ENTERTAINMENT

CONVERGED CITIZEN9 MARCH 6, 2015

Windsor music scene develops distinct identity

By Kaylee Campbell Citizen Reporter Despite having an identity as a border city, the time has finally come for Windsor to distinguish itself.

With clubs like Phog Lounge, Milk Coffee Bar, Venue Music Hall and Villains Beastro all promoting Windsor bands, local music has become more accessible to the public. Notably, Phog Lounge has been recognized as a top live music venue in Canada.

The downtown core benefits largely from these concerts as it draws a higher volume compared to a regular evening crowd. Clubs support local talent and as a result take a percentage of the earnings from ticket sales.

Shaun Kemeny is the lead bassist for SieraSlave, a local alternative band. They got their start by playing free shows whenever available and have now signed to tour with Ashes of Soma.

“Local music is important because it shows that Windsor has awesome musicians who get all their support from real fans,” Kemeny said. “It’s a great way for people to get involved in the community and learn about more events coming to the area.”

SieraSlave’s latest shows have all sold out and Kemeny said they owe their success to Windsor fans and the clubs who gave them a start.

“We couldn’t have gotten this far without the tremendous support we’ve experienced,” Kemeny said.

“Windsor is definitely earning a place on the map.”

Liam Price is a graduate of the University of Windsor’s communications and media program and said that Windsor is full of potential.

He is actively involved as a fan in Windsor’s local music scene.

“We’ve grown up with the music scene all around us and

it has become a part of this city’s identity. It’s important to promote where you come from and what you have been through.” Price said. “From hip-hop to tuba players, all are welcomed into the community’s culture.”

Despite a great deal of progress over the years, Price said he believes that there is still room for growth.

“I would like to see [the scene] become more apparent and affluent in the future, but there has to be some realistic goals set and made before that will ever happen,” Price said.

“The people in this city need to remember the good days where art was once cherished.

We can get there again.”

Windsor will be welcoming its newest music venue, The Pawn Shop Ballroom, with its grand opening on February 28.

Local bands SieraSlave, The Alcohollys and Black-Eyed Susan will be headlining the event.

Roles for women in film and television at a standstill

Photo courtesy of Gavin Michael Booth and Mimetic Entertainment Actress, Sarah Booth, devilishly smiles as Corey Peters in the Windsor filmed The Scarehouse.

Ryan Adams Citizen Staff Reporter In the male-dominated world of film and television, there appears to be little room for strong female leads, but that could be changing.

In a survey done by www.indiewire.com it was shown that women represented only 30 per cent of all speaking roles in the top 100 grossing movies of 2014 and only 13 per cent of those roles being female leaders onscreen.

Males on the other hand were heavily identified with work-related roles such as businessmen or a medical profession in the same survey, while females were more identified by their social life, in roles as a housewife or mother.

Sarah Booth has been acting for 10 years and said these numbers made sense to her, but that roles for women in the industry are on the rise, especially in the independent film market.

“Most of the projects are created and written by men so it’s very male driven. That number makes sense to me,” said the Montreal born actress. “But I think there are more projects for women, about women, created by women. Having independent and online avenues…gives more creators a chance to make their own projects.”

Booth is no stranger to the film and television business having starred in female lead roles before, including the Windsor filmed horror movie The Scarehouse as well as

The Hat Goes Wild. She is also currently part of the cast in season two of The SyFy Network’s Helix.

The Scarehouse star credits women like Lena Dunham and Reese Witherspoon for taking on brave roles and producing their own projects for how she wants to approach her career.

“Bold decisions by bold female actors and writers are changing what will work with audiences all the time,” said Booth.

Patricia Arquette, who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for last year’s Boyhood, used her time during her acceptance speech to bring up the issue of wage inequality for all women.

“It’s our time to have wage

SEE PAGE 10

Photo by David Dyck Noni Carter reads from her book “Good Fortune” to an audience of grade school students. Carter’s book tells of a slave girl taken from her homeland Africa to be a slave in 19th century America.

Authors celebrate black history David Dyck Citizen Reporter In the continuing observation of Black History Month, authors from Windsor, Fayetteville, Ga., New York and Easton, Pa. took part in an event to celebrate multiculturalism, diversity and Canada’s past.

Taking the slogan “Literacy makes the world go round,” the Pediatric Reading Early Accelerates Development organization held its ninth annual conference at the Ciociaro Club on Feb. 26, where Windsor author Linda Flay joined American authors Floyd Cooper and Noni Carter.

Kaysandra Curtis, 57, is the founder and current head of the R.E.A.D organization’s board of directors. She said the principle message she wants to get across is one that addresses multiculturalism, bullying, getting along and treating people with dignity.

“We want to read about other people’s cultures so we can understand them, so we can be friends with everybody,” said Curtis. “We don’t want to see people’s differences and stereotype them.

We want to look at somebody and see them as a whole person.”

With Kindergarten to Grade 10 students attending from schools all across Windsor, Linda Flay endorsed her first book, entitled Abimbaboomba, about an imaginary monster that takes a boy into a dreamland.

Cooper, an illustrator since

1988, played with groups from Grades 3 to 5 in The Scribble Game, in which children came up and took turns adding necessary pencil markings on top of previously made marks to draw a cartoon character. Showing additional drawings and sketches he has made over the years, he received a full auditorium of raised hands when he asked who would want one of the drawings.

Noni Carter, 23, spoke to Grades 6 to 10 students.

Born in Georgia in 1991, Carter’s writing career began when her Kindergarten teacher gave her a journal and an encouragement to never stop writing. When she was 11, she heard her great aunt tell the story about her thirdgreat grandmother seeing her mother sold and it motivated Carter. According to Carter, she wanted to “educate young people about history” and her personal history.

Carter’s book Good Fortune tells of a young woman snatched from Africa in the 19th Century to America to be a slave, but eventually escaping to freedom. The book deals with emancipation, the concept of true freedom and of the importance of education and universal literacy. Carter recently took this last ideal to Africa, traveling with the organization Children’s Literature for Children to bring books to those living in rural areas.

These themes coincide with public school curriculums fin-

SEE PAGE 10

ENTERTAINMENT FROM FILM PAGE 9

equality once and for all and equal rights for women in the United States of America,” said Arquette.

Layan Barakat, a 25year-old communications student at the University of Windsor, agrees with Arquette on the issue but said it does not stop at the film industry.

“I absolutely agree, especially after the Sony hacking scandal, exposing that women in the industry earn far less than men for the same amount of work,” said Barakat. “As someone who will soon be entering the work force, I have been exploring job opportunities, I discovered that women in the field I’m interested in make significantly less than men.”

Barakat is hoping Arquette’s speech will make people more aware of the issues of wage inequality.

Barakat also said even though there are wage differences, she has seen an evolution in the way women are being portrayed on film and TV and that age discrepancies are becoming less of an issue.

“As much as I enjoy watching old movies, I find those women characters to be very one-dimen-

FROM AUTHOR PAGE 9 ishing up their Black History reading list. Carolyn Dobrich, 42, a Grade 6 teacher at Lakeshore Discovery School, said Nani’s book is going to be the next “read aloud” in class. Dobrich said Noni was “engaging with her audience” and she believed they would all take something away for themselves.

Eight or nine aspiring young writers even brought little notebooks to copy notes down.

All students who attended the event were enrolled in a short-story writing competition, due at the end of May. Winners will receive a trip to the Black History Museum, where events such as Juneteenth, the day slavery ended in America on June 19, 1865 are commemorated.

Cooper also commemorated Juneteenth in his most

sional,” said Barakat.

“Women on movies and TV nowadays have much more depth, for example Jennifer Lawrence in the Hunger Games series.”

While Windsor teacher Christina Lori admits she is not very aware of any female lead characters who motivated her or that she has looked up to, she says it is still important for women to represent strength.

“I don’t remember ever seeing a woman on TV in a lead role and wanting to be her,” said the 24-year-old.

“But that’s not to say that it is not important for women to be in these positions.”

Lori said she was not surprised by the low number of speaking female roles in Hollywood or the wage inequalities that they suffer from.

Park House Museum in Windsor is hosting Women in Film, a lecture series that takes a look into the role of women in 20th century film. Each week consists of a brief discussion of the week’s topic along with a matching film. The cost is $55 a person, which includes the four seminars, for reservations to the event email s_pouget@hotmail.com, or call 519-7362511. recently written book, Juneteenth for Mazie.

Cooper said, “What Kwanzaa is to Christmas, Juneteenth is to July the fourth.” It is currently recognised by roughly half of the U.S. states. Treated as a “floating holiday” it is nonetheless an important date for African-Americans and African- Canadians to remember their past, a time when their views were silenced. Carter said she continues to return to in her writing.

“One of the things I fight for in my research… is the representation of voices that I think are silenced, in many cases in my country and around the world. It’s the minority that I turn back to,” said Carter.

Carter’s writing is not restricted either just to African Americans. Her upcoming projects include looking at the issues of abortion and domestic violence.

CONVERGED CITIZEN10 MARCH 6, 2015

Fitness show comes to Essex

Photo by Tyler Boissonneault Anne Campeau prepares with her trainer Ken Dennison for her appearance on internet fitness show Radical Body Transformation. Filming for the show on the right is Murray Urquhart and Adam Pedersen.

Tyler Boissonneault Citizen Staff Reporter A local woman is looking to get in shape by appearing on the internet fitness show Radical Body Transformation.

The new fitness show has been created by the makers of the film Generation Iron. The show, Radical Body Transformation, follows contestants and their chosen trainers in an attempt to get them into their best shape possible.

The contestants on the program range from people who look to get into shape and people who have previously entered body building competitions and want to place higher in their competitions.

Filming for the show began in December starting in Winnipeg and Halifax.

On Feb. 23, the show made a stop in the town of Essex to film at Onyx Gym. Anne Campeau, 47, is the local contestant appearing on the show with her trainer Ken Dennison. Campeau weighs 280 pounds and has type-two adult diabetes.

Campeau currently works as a police dispatcher in Windsor and said up until 2008, she weighed 180 pounds. In April of 2008, Campeau’s parents died a week apart which caused her to turn to food in order

to cope with the loss.

Campeau said she was not happy with her health and when she heard about the show decided she was ready to make a change.

“I decided when I found out the about program to send an email to the producers James Hergott and Murray Urquhart to see if I would fit into their show. I told them my background story and they said they’d love to have me on the show so I started training,” said Campeau.

Dennison is also the owner of Onyx Gym. He has worked with Campeau for nearly five months and said he is looking forward to the show to help Campeau reach her goal of becoming fit.

“The opportunity to be on the show is one thing, but the opportunity to help Campeau with her longterm success is a completely different pleasure in its own,” said Dennison.

Dennison said Anne’s goal may not be reached

within a month or even a year, but he is dedicated to getting her there.

Urquhart said he has seen people from all over Canada compete in the show since they began in December. Urquhart said stories like Campeau’s are the reason why he made the show in the first place.

“We like to call them hero characters… the contestants on the show inspire and motivate people because there is someone for everybody on the show, for example Anne,” said Urquhart.

Urquhart said fitness has always been a big part of his life and as well as his form of medication. Now, since he is behind the camera, Urquhart said it gives him an opportunity to help tell stories and motivate viewers to be involved in fitness through watching the show.

Anne’s progress on the show later this year can be tracked online at generationiron.com.

SPORTS

CONVERGED CITIZEN11 MARCH 6, 2015

Admirals look for leadership in Game 6

Photo by Christian Bouchard Members of the Amherstburg Admirals celebrate a win on Feb. 22 against the Blenheim Blades. The Admirals hold a 3-2 advantage in the Great Lakes Junior ‘C’ Hockey League Semi-Finals.

Christian Bouchard Citizen Staff Reporter The Amherstburg Admirals will look for players to step into the spotlight in Game 6 of the Great Lakes Junior ‘C’

Hockey League Semi-Final round.

After having won their previous seven straight playoff games, the Admirals have dropped their last two games, extending the series with the

Blenheim Blades.

During the playoffs, the Admirals have scored a total of 43 goals while allowing just 28. Amherstburg is looking to win their franchise’s first ever Great Lakes Junior

‘C’ championship in just their second year of existence.

“We try to use momentum in every game,” said Chad Copeland, the teams leading goal scorer in the playoffs.

“It’s all about getting pucks

deep, working hard and always pushing to apply the pressure.”

Although Copeland leads his team in points and scoring while adding two shorthanded goals, the Admirals have a total of 12 players on their roster who have scored at least one goal during the playoffs.

Many members of the team have contributed to the team’s success during the playoffs.

However, in order for the Admirals to win the series with the Blades and advance to the finals, they will need certain players to come up big.

“Winning seven straight in the playoffs makes it pretty clear we’re on a roll,” said Luke Gangnon, captain of the Admirals who has scored five times in six playoff games. “If we just keep our wheels moving, we will probably have a championship ahead”.

The Admirals will travel to Blenheim Feb. 27 for Game 6 of the GLJCHL championships. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. A win for the Admirals will advance them into the finals to face the regular season champions Essex 73s.

Windsor Express draws crowds Ken Pastushyn Citizen Staff Reporter The Windsor Express, currently holding a 21 and nine record, are struggling to fill seats at the WFCU Centre.

Last year the Express won the National Basketball League of Canada’s championship, attracting 3,500 to 4,000 fans during the finals. Yet the biggest concern of the Express franchise is trying to get as many fans as possible to fill the 6,500 seat venue during the regular season.

“The entire organization has to put their best foot forward when it comes to sales and promotions,” said Matt DuMouchelle, the director of media affairs for the Express.

“Our average is about a thousand fans a game,” said Dartis Willis, president and CEO of the Express. “It’s up since last year.”

Office staff, including Willis,

agree there is still work to be done. On Feb.13, the Express drew more than 2,000 fans to the WFCU Centre, the largest attendance of the year.

They were playing against the London Lightning, the league leader that sets the standard in attendance. They are the benchmark were pursing said Willis. The Express lost to the Lightning by a score of 93-91.

“The Express is above average in attendance and the league is healthy,” DuMouchelle.

“The future is bright,” said Bill Jones, the head coach of the Express. “The organization is in its third year and the league is in its fourth year.”

Being a new franchise, Willis said the Express needs to increase sales by inducing promotion through grassroots marketing. He said they use basic promotions to reach

out to organizations and attracting fans to the arena. The most basic of all, he said, is school visits.

“School visits are our number one backbone,” said DuMouchelle. “The kid interacts with players, brings home a schedule and eggs on their parents to take them to a game.”

DuMouchelle said the Express also asks local children to sing the national anthem at the games and bring out the Canadian flag and play on the court during halftime.

Tel: said 519-972-2727 DuMouchelle community feedback is good and people are starting to recognize the brand.

On Family Day, Feb. 16, the Express players shook hands and signed autographs with local children at Adventure Bay Water Park in Windsor.

“People enjoy our product and meeting the players,” said DuMouchelle. “It’s an option

Photo by Ken Pastushyn Chris Commons, a power forward and Adrian Moss, a point guard for the Windsor Express basketball team sign autographs for children at the Adventure Bay Water Park in Windsor. for people when spending their entertainment dollars. The Express cuts costs anyway they can, but not to the point where it would hinder the organization.”

The motto of the Express is “word of mouth, each one, reach one.”

“We don’t have a ton of money on advertising, so we

engage everyone as partners,” said Willis. “A thousand dollars in marketing doesn’t pay off like speaking to a kid.”

With only one more home game, the Express is trying for a repeat of last year’s success.

To do it, they will have to go through three playoff rounds, which begin on March 7.

SPORTS

CONVERGED CITIZEN12 MARCH 6, 2015

Are video games becoming a sport?

Josh Teixeira Citzen Staff Reporter For some, video games are becoming as competitive as some professional sports.

Electronic sports, or eSports as they are often called, are a competitive form of gaming in which various games are played either online or in real life against live opponents.

“Technically, eSports have been around since the 70s when tournaments were held in arcades for games like Space Invaders,” said Shaun Byrne, 25, organizer and promoter of the upcoming eSports event No Man’s LAN. “The first recorded tournament was held at Stanford in 1972 for the game Spacewar! and the prize was a year subscription to Rolling Stone Magazine.

That being said, the big boom didn’t come until the 90s when the Internet became more widespread as well as live streaming pioneered by Twitch.”

Twitch is an online stream-

WINDSOR EXPRESS FROM PAGE 1 The Windsor Express trailed the Mississauga Power Sunday, but came back when it mattered the most and claimed victory.

The Express withstood the Power’s potent offense at the WFCU Centre, scoring five points and recording one steal in the final 11 seconds of regulation as the National Basketball League of Canada’s Central Division champions rallied to take a 104-103 lead they would not relinquish.

The Express trailed by four as the final stanza began, thanks to a layup by Mississauga’s Marcus Capers.

The Express then narrowed the lead on a three-pointer from point guard Tony Bennett, who lead Windsor in scoring with 21 points.

Shooting guard Ryan Anderson then stole the ball back while the Express were in the press defence and immediately scored to give Windsor a one-point lead.

Mississauga almost stole the

ing service and community for gamers. It is used to broadcast and stream gameplay online, often with video including the streamer and a chat system for viewers to interact with one another.

“YouTube, and even more so Twitch, are the reason for the eSports boom in the past five years,” said Byrne.

“They’ve made content available to a large number of people around the world and have effectively converted millions of people into fans. Before the platforms existed, eSports appeared briefly on network T.V. but failed. Now, when asked if it needs to be on T.V. for it to be successful, I say that it’s built its own way of reaching people that is even better.” eSports are undeniably competitive considering how much time players put into their craft and the fact that they work with coaches and analysts to help break down their playing. Last year, a total of 71 million people watched as the Season 3 World Championship of

League of Legends took place in the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

“The term eSports will bring out the ignorance in many people who have never been exposed,” said Byrne.

“The stigma of basementdwelling nerd gamers is still very prevalent and people like myself that are in the industry must fight this every day. eSports requires top notch hand-eye coordination and reflexes which alone should be enough for it to be considered a sport.”

According to Byrne, some of the biggest games associated with eSports are Call of Duty, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, League of Legends, Dota 2, Hearthstone, Starcraft 2, Street Fighter and Super Smash Bros. League of Legends holds the most viewers on average compared to other eSports with more than 100,000 viewers every day. The next highest averages are Counter-Strike with and 30,000 and Dota 2 with 25,000.

game back when Omar Strong sank what appeared to be the game-winning, half-court buzzer beater, but time had already expired.

Express head coach Bill Jones had faith that his offence would come through against a talented Power attack.

“We had to find a group of guys that would play well together,” said Jones after the game. “We found a group that would play well together that would rebound and that’s how we were able to prevail in this game.”

Jones said his team was fortunate to keep the game tight despite some slips in defence.

“It was a tough game,” said Jones. “We came back, we had a game last night (a 11899 loss in Halifax), and we were able to just keep balanced, staying around close and we were able to make a couple big shots at the end to be able to pull this one out.”

Anderson was almost unable to put himself in a position to make the winning basket. He made knee contact with another player while going for a shot earlier in the fourth

quarter and hurt himself.

“I was just making a play, getting to the rim,” said Anderson. “In coming up for the shot, we were knee-andknee and our bones were just – boom! I couldn’t even lift my leg up, it went numb for a little bit.”

Anderson was also happy to see the crowd at the WFCU Centre go home happy.

“If there was about one second more we would have lost the game because they hit that shot from half-court,” said Anderson, who finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

“That was one for the fans and I’m just glad we got the win today.”

The Express held a 26-22 lead at the end of the first quarter, thanks in part to a 100 run in the opening minutes of the contest. The Power outscored Windsor in the second half and took a 52-50 halftime lead, with Omar Strong scoring 15 of his 22 points in the second stanza.

The Power had a 78-73 lead at the end of three quarters and as the fourth began, stretched its lead to a game-high six points on two slam dunks

“eSports is definitely still a niche worldwide except for maybe in Asia,” said Byrne.

“That trend is no different in Windsor. However, the number of eSports fans grows daily.”

The community is heavily involved in the eSports scene just like regular sports fans.

They cheer for their team, bet on them, treat the players like athletes and in some cases, fix matches.

“I mainly play and practice about eight hours a day with my team,” said Brandon Dunn, a local eSports player.

“I feel there’s not much of a scene here in Windsor. It’s slowly creeping up with PC gamers more than console gamers.”

Recently, sports news outlet theScore has launched an eSports app on Android with an iOS version set to be released shortly, aiming to be the first media company to attract the adverting dollars of an audience that has grown to over 71 million people. CEO of theScore John Levy said he believes

eSports should be treated as a fully-fledged sport.

“They’re taking something that’s about to boom in the next few years and taking advantage of it as we slowly get eSports known,” said Dunn. “But regular sports consumers, let’s face it, are not interested in eSports.

They want the NFL, NBA or any mainstream sport highlights on theScore.”

Joe Bumbacco, 15, is another eSports player who joined when he was 14. On average, the majority of eSports players start professional circuits around ages 17-19.

“The local eSports scene in Windsor is pretty bad, and we definitely need more events consistently,” said Bumbacco.

No Man’s LAN is an eSports event in which various teams compete in different game tournaments. Other guests are allowed to participate in any game. The event will be held on March 13-15 at the St. Clair College Information Technology Club on 2000 Talbot Rd.

Photo by Mark Brown Express forward Quinnel Brown (15) takes a shot as Express head coach Bill Jones watches from the sideline late in the fourth quarter of the Express' 104-103 win over the Mississauga Power at the WFCU Centre in Windsor, Feb. 22. from Marcus Capers (19 points, 14 rebounds).

Windsor will face this same Mississauga team in the first round of the NBL playoffs.

Jones said he expects preparation to be different.

“We will have to alter our game plan a little bit,” said

Jones.

“But they’re (Mississauga) playing well.”

The Express wraps up the regular season Saturday, February 28 against the Brampton A’s. The first round best-of-five playoff series begins at the WFCU Centre Saturday, March 7.