VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3
News
WWW.THEMEDIAPLEX.COM
Lifestyle
Young hockey players wear As it gets cold, people may purple for women abuse be less likely to commit awareness, Page 2. crimes, Page 3.
Sports
Culture
The Spits are on fire, with another win against Greyhounds, Page 4.
TWEPI wins big for digital marketing campaign highlighting region, Page 2.
Build a Dream
There is no healing
By Pranav Patel
Mediaplex Examiner
Windsor women are receiving help from a non-profit organization in order to close the gender gap between industries. Build a Dream encourages women on different career pathways. The non-profit organization grew steadily after becoming a province-wide organization. Founder Nour Hachem-Fawaz said she knew it was necessary to expand the movement across Canada. Elisa Quaggiotto, provincial outreach and community coordinator, said Build a Dream tackles a community need. There are labor shortage gaps across the country. By tapping into the other 50 per cent of the population they hope to see the shortage shrink in the future. To build diverse workforces people
MADD, community leaders launch Project Red Ribbon By Nadia Butler Mediaplex Examiner
“If you don’t feel right, don’t drive.” The message, delivered by Chaouki Hamka, community leader for MADD Windsor-Essex County, was clear at the 2019 Project Red Ribbon campaign kick off. As Canadians start getting into the holiday spirit, MADD Canada and community leaders launched the campaign to raise awareness and prevent impaired driving at the LaSalle police headquarters Nov. 1 “I think in general, the messaging’s very simple. Don’t drive impaired, don’t get in a vehicle with somebody who’s been drinking or doing drugs,” said Hamka. “We want to encourage the public to make the right and responsible choices by not driving impaired whether it’s holiday celebrations, whether it’s going out for dinner, whether it’s hanging out at a friend’s house. Whatever the case is, there are many alternatives on how to get home safe and we need you to use those alternatives.” Amherstburg parents Jim and Nancy Ondejko lost their youngest daughter, Jessica to a habitual drunk driver. “You can never close the
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1. 2019
See WOMEN on page 2
Photo by Nadia Butler MADD Canada and community leaders launched the campaign to raise awareness and prevent impaired driving.
book on something like this,” said Jim Ondejko. “You may be able to close some chapters of that book, but you can’t close it completely. Healing, like a wound, you can put a bandage on, but sometimes that bandage has to come off. And sometimes that bandage sticks to the wound and tears it open again. So there is no healing.” Jessica, 22, was a graduate of the University of Windsor with a bright future ahead of her. She was killed instantly on the morning of May 8, 2008 when an impaired driver crossed the centre line and smashed his van head-on into her car. Jessica was on her way to work. Still suffering from the loss, the Ondejkos’ message was about how wrong it was that they had
lost their daughter. “We can eliminate this senseless, preventable tragedy from happening ever again,” said Ondejko. “No parent should have to go through what we have, because of some selfish act committed by an impaired driver.” Thousands of volunteers nationwide are handing out MADD Canada’s red ribbons, pins and decals across Canada to promote sober driving throughout the upcoming holiday season. “Encourage those around you to plan ahead if they’re going to be drinking or doing drugs,” said Hamka. “Take a cab, take public transit, arrange a designated driver or plan to stay over. There are always options. “ The red ribbon campaign runs
Cenotaph dedicated to veterans By Felicia Guo
Mediaplex Examiner
One week ahead of Remembrance Day, the new Riverside Cenotaph was dedicated in a ceremony at Miracle Park Saturday afternoon. The ceremony was led by the Riverside Royal Canadian Legion, in memory of those who died at war. According to Ken Dault, Legion Branch 255 president, the event is to make sure people are always aware of what happened in the past. “So people always remember that our democracy, our freedoms, our beliefs, come at a dear price--with a lot of war...” said Dault. “It’s very important that people always keep that in mind, keep that in their hearts going forward in life, so we want to make sure we’re See VETERANS on page 2
PAGE 2
WWW.THEMEDIAPLEX.COM
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
Women close the gender gap Continued from page 1 need to be encouraged to choose their own pathways. “Specific career pathways in the skilled trades, science, technology, engineering, math, emergency response and entrepreneurship are so male-dominated,” said Quaggiotto. Build a Dream encourages these women to pursue a pathway to fill the gaps in the market. Build a Dream started in 2014, with a small project We Succeed in Windsor West. In the past five years, the organization has hosted around 1000 parents and daughters. They are expecting that their sixth annual project in Windsor will host 1500 parents and daughters and 15 exhibitors at the event will offer lots of activities and a chance to explore new career consideration. Quaggiotto said growth is very slow, but steady. If they can empower young women at a young age, they can inspire them to go and try new things. The carpenters union is a male-dominated
organization that previously had one woman on their force. Currently they have 10 women. Build a Dream event is geared towards girls in Grades 9 to 12. “I’m Build a Dream’s first coop student so, it’s a great experience for me, I’m gonna see how the organization runs from the grassroots,” said Quaggiotto. Jana Jandal studies at Vincent Massey Secondary School and she came to know about Build A Dream two years ago when she attended a skilled trades spring camp. She heard about the event from one of her teachers. “I was interested to see non-conventional career choices and learn about how I can be a part of different industries,” said Jandal. She said she will attend this year’s events and is excited to hear the panel talk about other girls’ experiences. “Build a Dream is a sign that our world is changing for the better and that I could be whatever I want to be and have people support me,” said Jandal.
Veterans Big win for honoured TWEPI Continued from page 1 a part of that.” People came to lay flowers to show their respect. There were many veterans who said they want to remember their hardwon peace through this solemn ceremony. Bob Bromley, who served in Vietnam, said he was happy to take part in the service. “Today is a celebration of all of the men and women who served the armed forces, some of whom gave up their lives and didn’t come back, some who came back badly wounded,” said Bromley. “Many of us who came back with everything to gain from our service.” Bromley served in the army for both Canada and the U.S. “In my war, we left 55,000 men and woman over there who never came home. Hundreds of thousands came back wounded, many of whom are still not healed,” said Bromley. A full Remembrance Day ceremony will be held downtown at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11.
By Miranda Monahan Mediaplex Examiner
Tourism Windsor-Essex and Pelee Island has been given an award for their “Where Can W.E. Take You” campaign. TWEPI received the Travel Media Award of Excellence Award – Tourism Marketing Campaign Over $50k. The campaign was a full multi-media campaign designed to showcase what Windsor-Essex County and Pelee Island has to offer. “We wanted to connect with visitors on an emotional and physical level. With our attractions being experience-based, we wanted to ask the question ‘Where Can W.E. Take You’” said Gordon Orr, CEO of TWEPI. “We developed and created a marketing campaign across all platforms including a revamped website, all focusing on high impact imagery to truly showcase the region to its full potential.”
Photo by Madeline Mazak Hockey player Xander Hayward admires the purple tape on his hockey stick. His hockey team went purple in solidarity for Women Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month, a campaign run by Shine the Light.
Windsor Minor Hockey goes purple By Madeline Mazak Mediaplex Examiner
Streaks of purple zipped by in pursuit of the puck. Young hockey players took to the ice Nov. 3 at Forest Glade Arena with their hockey sticks wrapped in purple tape, a colour that symbolizes courage. This is the sixth year the Windsor Minor Hockey League participated in Purple Tape Day, an event created to raise awareness during Women Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month. “All month long we ask the City of Windsor, and really the province of Ontario, to go purple,” said Karry Plaskitt, coordinator of the Shine the Light on Women Abuse campaign in Windsor. “Just as a symbol of courage for victims of abuse and for survivors to know that we do support them and their journey to a violence free life.” Plaskitt said Purple Tape Day is about educating youth about domestic violence, a topic she said is still often pushed under the rug. Since 2010, Shine the Light has been raising awareness in communities across Ontario about domestic violence and its impact on society. On Nov. 3, Shine the Light sold purple scarves, hats, and mittens at Forest Glade Arena. All profits were donated to Hiatus House, a social service agency that provides intervention and shelter to victims of domestic violence in Windsor. According to the Canadian Women’s Foundation, approximately one Canadian woman is killed by her intimate partner every six days.
More than 6,000 women and children sleep in shelters on any given night because it is not safe at home. Anita Prskalo, a residential counselor at Hiatus House, works on the front line offering support to women who have escaped abuse. She is also a survivor of domestic violence. “I was so scared to air out my dirty laundry, so to speak,” said Prskalo, who said the stigma surrounding domestic violence is what kept her from seeking help for so long. “That really muzzled me.” Prskalo said events like Purple Tape Day start conversations that challenge the stigma. She said it is especially important to spread the awareness among young boys. “Hockey is a male-dominated sport, so you have a lot of male youth, even dads coming in,” said Prskalo. “It creates this space where it’s okay to approach the table and talk about something that would maybe typically make them feel uncomfortable to talk about, because it’s gender related.” Xander Hayward, along with his hockey team, Mont’s On Time Express, wrapped his hockey stick with purple tape. Although his team lost their game, Hayward said he felt good going purple and standing up in solidarity for women abuse prevention. The annual Women Abuse Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place in Charles Clark Square at 6 p.m. Nov. 4. Prskalo will say a speech as this year’s honouree.
WWW.THEMEDIAPLEX.COM
PAGE 3
Cold weather impacts crime By Tyler Clapp
Mediaplex Examiner
People may be less likely to commit certain crimes as colder weather approaches. The relationship between weather patterns and criminal behaviour is one that has been studied for many years. This includes efforts by French sociologist Emile Durkheim in the 19th century and American sociologists Kenneth Chew and Richard McCleary in 2002. Locally, Sgt. Stephen Betteridge, public information officer for the Windsor Police Service, said weather affects the kinds
of crimes committed, more than crime rates overall. “If you look at property crimes or break-and-enters or thefts from a vehicle when we have extremely cold weather, coupled with a lot of snow on the ground, most crimes may go down somewhat,” said Sgt. Betteridge. Betteridge also said, however, domestic disputes can increase when the same weather forces people inside. The connection between weather and crime also extends to seasonal mental health issues, as described by Windsor neuro-
psychologist Cory Saunders, 47. “What has been found is that certain people require greater exposure to sunlight and if you’re not receiving enough, it can make people have a lower mood,” said Saunders. He also said it may also influence crime rates. “There is a subset of people who have depression where their symptoms are expressed through anger. If you have somebody who is having a lot of anger-related symptoms, then those people might be more likely to lash out at certain times of the year,” said Saunders.
House preparation for winter months By Manvir Kaur
Mediaplex Examiner
Many people use the autumn months to prepare their houses for the harsher winter season. Heating costs comprises a majority of household budgets. Paul Wilson is the owner of Kenwil Services Ltd in Windsor. His company repairs heating, cooling and electrical equipment. “It is a good idea to have the furnace inspected. If it is over 10 years old, every season in the fall before heat operation,” said Wilson. He said a qualified technician inspects the furnace for any signs of leaks in the combustion process, including the secondary heat exchanger, condensate pan and combustion blower, along with associated drain hoses. Additionally, it is important to do checks on the heat exchanger to ensure there are no carbon-monoxide leaks through cracks in
the chamber in the residence. “A clean furnace filter gives results in better overall operation of the system,” said Wilson. “A plugged filter can result in a plugged secondary heat exchanger as well as the blower assembly for overall air distribution.” He said the air distribution is more important in the winter than during the summer and to ensure all cold air return openings are free from obstruction and all vents are open for the heating season. “Generally, vents should be closed in the basement for the cooling season to force cool air to livable areas. Cold air drops to lowest levels in the house. Hence, it is an important to shut basement vents in the summer,” said Wilson. “The opposite is said for winter as vents should all be open for proper air distribution as designed by installer. People must get the air across the heat exchanger. If not, then it
can result in premature failures or problems.” Wilson said people should always have operational smoke and CO detectors in the house because CO levels can rise quickly indoors in the winter. Detectors should be on every level of a residence to meet the 2016 building code, including sleeping areas. Beyond the heating system, there are other things that can be done. Penny Morand,73, has been a resident of Lakeshore for 65 years. “Clean the eavestroughs and cover crawl space openings. People should remove window screens and store them.” said Morand. She said people should check the heating system and cover air conditioning units at the beginning of the winter. To prepare for the winter season, people should also have a shovel and salt for their sidewalk.
Charges filed in animal abuse case and multi-vehicle crash By Miranda Monohan Mediaplex Examiner
The Windsor Police Service has released the details of an animal cruelty case and a multi-vehicle crash. A 28-year-old Windsor man is facing animal cruelty charges. The man was arrested after officers responded to a call of animal abuse from an apartment building in the 2500 block of Lauzon Road. He is charged with willfully causing unnecessary pain, suffering or injury to an animal. The suspect was located and
arrested without incident. The animal involved was located and transported for medical treatment. A three-car crash occurred on Sunday in the 4200 block of Tecumseh Road East. The crash involved a white Ford Fusion stolen from the 3300 block of Banwell Road, as well as two other vehicles. The other two vehicles sustained heavy damage. A 29-year-old Windsor man took off from the scene on foot. Devin Perry-Gagnon was arrested without incident and was transported to the hospital with
non-life threatening injuries. He was suspected of being under the influence of drugs and was found to be in the possession of narcotics. Gagnon has been charged with theft of a motor vehicle, dangerous driving, impaired operation of a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property over $5000 and possession of a controlled substance. Both drivers and a passenger of one vehicle were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
Opioid spike, health unit says By Sierra Ross
Mediaplex Examiner
The Windsor-Essex Community Opioid and Substance Strategy has issued an alert due to an increase in emergency department visits related to opioid usage. The alert, a result of a surveillance and monitoring system, notified the health unit of 11 cases admitted to area emergency departments between Oct. 30 and 31. Of the 11 cases, five were confirmed to be opioid related. Dr. Wajid Ahmed, with the Windsor Essex County Health Unit, said the system is important for keeping the public safe. “It makes the community agencies that are involved directly with these individuals aware and then they put up notifications in their organization and they’re actively asking for those individuals to be mindful of the substances that are circulating in the community,” said Ahmed. The system was put in place to notify WECOSS of deviations in the average of opioid related cases, which then allows the health unit to alert the public. “It’s an average. I can’t give an exact number, but 11 cases in two days is more than two standard deviation for the last two weeks moving average. So that is why it triggers the alert,” said Ahmed. The average of opioid overdoses changes as weeks pass, but Ahmed said 11 cases in two days is alarming and the focus of alerting the public is to inform people of the risks. “All these measures in place, if people are extra careful, we hope that they may not end up overdosing, and then they can protect themselves from any of these harms,” said Ahmed. An Ontario law, The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, keeps individuals who seek help safe in the event of an overdose, and the health unit urges those who use or are often near those using, to carry naloxone to reduce the risk of injury or death. If you or someone you know is experience a substance-related crisis, contact the local crisis line at 519-973-4435, call 911, or go to your closest hospital emergency department.
WWW.THEMEDIAPLEX.COM
PAGE 4
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER1, 2019
Photo by Sierra Ross Windsor Spitfires rookie goalie, Xavier Medina, sprawls out for a save. The Spitfires currently sit in third place in the Western Conference.
Spitfires keep the streak alive
By Sierra Ross
Mediaplex Examiner
The Windsor Spitfires are climbing their way up the standings, one win at a time. A 10-2 blowout over the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds on Saturday has extended the Spits’ win-streak to six games, their longest since November 2013. While the Greyhounds opened the scoring early in the first period, the Spits came back fighting to score seven goals in the first and second period. After a shorthanded goal by the Soo in the dying minutes of the second period, the Spitfires se-
cured the win with three unanswered goals in the third period. The team’s captain, Luke Boka, posted a four-point game including a hat trick. Forward Jean-Luc Foudy also scored two goals. Off-ice officials in the score box were kept busy with both goals and penalties. The intense game between the Spits and Greyhounds resulted in a total of 51 penalty minutes, not including six 10-minute misconduct penalties. Emotions were high as five Greyhound players were sent off the ice with misconduct
penalties, while the Spitfires sent two players off with the same infraction. The Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds are fourth in the league in penalty minutes, while Windsor sits in the fifteenth spot. The win has propelled the Spits to the top of the Western Conference, securing their spot as third in the league behind the Oshawa Generals and the Sudbury Wolves. The Windsor OHL team looks to keep the streak alive as they take on the North Bay Battalion at the WFCU Centre on Nov. 9.
team for four seasons and said he is really looking forward to the start of his fifth season after last season ended on a sour note following a loss to Mohawk College in the finals of the OCAA Consolation Championship. El-Turk said he believes the toughest challenge this season will be making it through the long season as healthy as possible and helping the athletes grow as much as they can. “Maintaining a balance between academics, athletics and personal life is very tough for both the athletes and the coaches and if we can continue to work hard to find that balance, I feel like our minds will be sharp at the end of the season,” said El-Turk. The women’s team has added six rookies to their roster this season and El-Turk said he
believes all athletes should be treated the same whether it is a fifth-year senior or first year athlete. “The first years have already made a big difference with our team culture and have added a lot of value to our program off the court in their first two months here,” said El-Turk. “I think with the young athletes we have in our program they will be able to be cornerstones for the program for the next few seasons.” As far as expectations for this season, El-Turk says winning is always the goal. The women’s and men’s volleyball teams will be looking to continue their hot start to the season as they play Reedemer on Saturday, Nov. 2 at St. Clair College.
St. Clair volleyball teams start off hot By Marco Rovere Mediaplex Examiner
The women’s and men’s volleyball teams for St. Clair College started their respective seasons this past weekend. Both teams defeated their competition 3-0 in all four games against Boreal College and Cambrian College. Shawn Reaume is entering his first season as coach of the men’s volleyball team at St. Clair and said he is very excited about this coming season and expects his team to improve steadily. “I think my toughest challenge this season will be managing my athletes effectively,” said Reaume.“It’s a long season and we have so much to work on, so finding the line between challenging them physically
without crossing into overuse and injury territory will be key.” The men’s team has added nine rookies to the roster this season and Reaume said he is working to shape those athletes into being building blocks for the seasons to come. “The learning curve is steep since things move quickly in this league because of shorter programs. These rookies will become the leaders next season, so I have to make the most of having them now,” said Reaume. “He said he expects his team to surprise some opponents and continue to steadily improve and accomplish small daily goals culminating into bigger outcome goals by playoff time.” Jimmy El-Turk has been the coach of the women’s volleyball