THE CORD THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926
VOLUME 59 ISSUE 2 • JULY 4, 2018
TAKE A SIP OF SUSTAINABILITY How Laurier is cutting back on single-use plastics Features, page 8
SAFE INJECTION SITES
SEMINARY NAME CHANGE
LEGACY GREENS
BORDER SEPERATIONS
HAWKS HALL OF FAME
The pros and cons of resources in Waterloo
New branding aims to honour history
Benefits of buying organic and local produce
Finding compassion for migrant families
Nine athletes inducted into hall of fame
News, page 4
News, page 6
Arts & Life, page 11
Opinion, page 16
Sports, page 16
Government legalizes cannabis consumption AARON HAGEY LEAD REPORTER
On October 17, 2018, the Canadian government will be authorizing the recreational consumption, possession and purchase of cannabis in Canada, fulfilling a major campaign promise made by the Liberal government and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The Cannabis Act, also known as Bill C-45, is a law “that will provide legal access to cannabis and to control and regulate its production, distribution and sale.” Canada is currently the second country worldwide to legalize the recreational use of cannabis
nationwide. Much like tobacco and alcohol, cannabis is going to be treated as a controlled substance, which means there will be restrictions, fines and criminal punishment associated with abusing it. The minimum age to buy, use and grow cannabis for recreational use is 19. Individuals will be permitted to use or consume cannabis products in your private home, residence or on your private property. Similar to alcohol, cannabis is going to be prohibited in any public space, workplace and vehicle, with a first offence fine up to $1000 — subsequent fines increase to $5000. This includes any Laurier
“ I think you can look at if from the perspective of harm minimization — or harm reduction.” -Paul Mallet, associate professor of psychology at Laurier
owned properties, such as the campus, as it is considered a public space. Much like alcohol, educating the general public on the effects of cannabis usage before or during driving must be reinforced with a law of this magnitude. As stated on the Laurier website, Paul Mallet, an associate professor of psychology at WLU, is “an expert on the behavioural and neural effects of drugs, particularly cannabis, addiction and the effects of cannabis on the body’s natural endocannabinoid system.” “It’s certainly supported by the data, there have been many many studies that have shown beyond a shadow of a doubt that even
when a person is using relatively low levels of cannabis, that their ability to drive is impaired, at least to the extent that it is with alcohol consumption,” Mallet said. Mallet supports the legalization bill, due to the positive effect that it will have on minimizing the criminal consequences of cannabis use. “One of the concerns is when you have prohibition over a substance, you drive the entire market into the black market. That’s where we were — that’s where we still are, in fact,” Mallet said. “I think you can look at it from the perspective of harm minimization — or harm reduction.” Continued on Page 3.
2 •
WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2018
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“When people use their phones and talk a lot.” –Rushadh Shah, fourthyear BBA
MADELINE MCINNIS/FEATURES EDITOR
Local community members gather at Victoria Park in Kitchener to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day.
“When people sit beside me.” –Pablo Milandu, fourthyear BBA
From the Archives: July 12, 2001
THIS DAY IN HISTORY: JULY 4 1776: US Congress proclaims the Declaration of Independence and indepdendence from Britain. 1782: William Petty becomes Prime Minister of Great Britain following the death of Charles Watson-Wentworth.
“When people kick the back of my chair.”
1855: In Brooklyn, New York, the first edition of Walt Whitmas’s book of poems, Leaves of Grass, is published.
–Nelson Ramsay, thirdyear BBA
1865: First edition of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewic Carroll is published.
“When people come in late.” –Matt Imrie, third-year BBA
Compiled by Aaron Hagey Photos by Sadman Sakib Rahman NEXT ISSUE
On Thursday July 12, 2001, The Cord Weekly reported on Wilfrid Laurier University’s official purchase of St. Michael’s Catholic School, located on University Avenue. Originally, the purchase was used to fill a great need for increased classroom spaces in order to solve
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overcrowding and lack of lecture halls and classes. However, several years after the initial purchase of the school, Laurier demolished the building in 2011 in order to create what was originally named the Global Innovation Exchange (GIE) building. After a large donation, the build-
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ing’s name was changed from the GIE building to Lazaridis School of Business and Economics. The original St. Michael’s school has come a long way since Laurier’s original puchase in 2001, creating countless classrooms, the largest lecture hall on Laurier’s Waterloo campus, and more.
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1954: Meat and all other food rationing officially ends in Britain, nine years after the end of World War II 1964: Beachboys’ “I Get Around” reaches number one on the charts. 1982: Ozzy Osbourne marries his manager, Sharon Arden.
reply at the earliest time possible. Ethical journalism requires impartiality, and consequently conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest will be avoided by all staff. The only limits of any newspaper are those of the world around it, and so The Cord will attempt to cover its world with a special focus on Wilfrid Laurier University, and the community of Kitchener-Waterloo, and with a special ear to the concerns of the students of Wilfrid Laurier University. Ultimately, The Cord will be bound by neither philosophy nor geography in its mandate. The Cord has an obligation to foster freedom of the press and freedom of speech. This obligation is best fulfilled when debate and dissent are encouraged, both in the internal workings of the paper, and through The Cord’s contact with the student body. The Cord will always attempt to do what is right, with fear of neither repercussions, nor retaliation. The purpose of the student press is to act as an agent of social awareness, and so shall conduct the affairs of our newspaper.
Quote of the week: “Starting September, fun is going to start spewing out of my asshole.” - Creative Director, Sadman Sakib Rahman, in regards to publishing weekly come September
WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2018
News
• 3 NEWS EDITOR HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK news@thecord.ca
RECREATION
Discussing the positives and negatives of cannabis — COVER In a similar fashion to safe injection sites, where the intent is to decrease the potential negative effects to society, the goal behind legalizing cannabis is to ensure that its use and distribution can be more closely monitored and controlled, to minimize potential risks. Risk, however, exists in more than just its immediate use. “I’ve spent over 20 years now looking at the long term effects of cannabis use on behaviour, on brain function and that includes looking at the long term effects on mental health. There certainly are long term harmful effects of the drugs,” Mallet said. “But when you weigh that against the potential harm to the individual because it’s prohibited, it leads me to believe or think that maybe the prohibition is not a
good idea. Maybe some controlled distribution over it is going to be better for society.” With the legalization of cannabis use in Canada, Mallet is ultimately concerned with to the implications it could have on the university’s campus and especially with younger people, specifically students. Though he is critical regarding an increase in its use, he notes that the research behind it suggests that it won’t stay that way for long. “Right now the predictions are there’s going to be an initial spike in usage, a novelty effect, something like that,” Mallet said. “But the predictions are right now that over time there may not be a larger number of people using cannabis — but these are guesses at the moment.” As to the future implications
Right now the predictions are there’s going to be an initial spike in usage, a novelty effect, something like that. -Paul Mallet, associate professor of psychology
that its usage, distribution and sale — or the potential issues — that it will have for the Laurier campus as a whole, only time will tell how the legalization bill will impact the school community moving forward.
KASHYAP PATEL/GRAPHICS EDITOR
HEALTH
SHORE works to provide new sexual health resources NATHALIE BOUCHARD CORD ALUM
The Sexual Health Options, Resources & Education Centre (SHORE) is offering new programs for newcomers to Canada, people with developmental disabilities, and abortion pill services. The SHORE Centre is a prochoice positive, inclusive and accessible organization based in downtown Kitchener on King Street East. The SHORE Centre is excited about the new programs being introduced to the Waterloo Region and hopes to continue making their services even more accessible.
We support a number of students from Laurier and our door is alwasy open to them. -Lyndsey Butcher, executive director of SHORE Centre
The SHORE Centre is introducing an eight-week program for youths and adults with developmental disabilities to learn fundamental skill pertaining to their sexual health and development. This program is supported by the Ontario Trillium Foundation and
The Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation, whose support has allowed for this program to be available free of charge. “The 8-week program all centres around their sexual health, how to take care of themselves and how to be part of healthy meaningful relationships. We’ve partnered with a number of the developmental services organizations with the community to role that program out,” Lyndsey Butcher, executive director of SHORE, said. Another program which SHORE has expanded on is the newcomer health program. This program is now available for men as well as mothers and teenage daughters which will go alongside the long-standing women’s health program. This is another program which is free of charge to access and is supported by The United Way Foundation. “In those programs we offer the session in the participant’s own language, so currently we are running the groups in Arabic with trained facilitators around healthy relationships, family planning and how to talk to your children about their development and sexuality,” Butcher said. The last new service which is being offered at SHORE is in their pregnancy options support program, which is the abortion pill. The abortion pill will be available for women and trans people to access if they are facing an unplanned pregnancy up to nine weeks. “They can come to our office and meet with a councillor with the clinician, so we have an OBGYN,
nurse practitioner as well as a family doctor who are working in partnership with us to provide support to our community,” Butcher said. “Before we began offering Mifegymiso, patients in Waterloo region would often have to travel to the GTA to offer the abortion pill and now were able to support them here at home,” Butcher said.
MADELINE MCINNIS/FEATURES EDITOR
The abortion pill could provide more than just the ability to prevent an unwanted pregnancy but allow for a major breakthrough in reducing the potential of harm which women face when accessing the legal health care service of an abortion. “We want to ensure that people in Waterloo could access the abor-
tion pill, the abortion pill we feel has a huge potential for improving access reducing stigma to reducing the shame and judgement that goes with accessing an abortion,” Butcher said. “[SHORE] was very excited when Mifegymiso became available last year. We were hopeful that family doctors would start prescribing it. The vast majority are still not prescribing the medication, so were kind of filling that gap by offering it,” Butcher said. With the recent expansion in the abortion bill, the SHORE Centre has seen a need in providing birth control services at their centre. “In our efforts to expand and grow SHORE is to have the ability for people to come in get a prescription for birth control, maybe have it set up for people to have an ID inserted at SHORE, get their pap tests done at SHORE, etc.” Butcher said. “That’s sort of our goal moving forward; to expand our clinical services to really meet people’s needs so that they can avoid having an unplanned pregnancy,” Butcher said. Wilfrid Laurier University students are able to access SHORE’s services either online or in person at their Kitchener office. “If [students] think they might be facing an unplanned pregnancy and would like to take a pregnancy test, come down to our office and meet privately with a councillor to discuss their next steps depending on the results,” Butcher said. “We are very open to students accessing our services we support a number of students from Laurier and our door is always open to them.”
4 • NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2018
AWARDS
Teaching award is music to student’s ears HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK NEWS EDITOR
Music is a discipline that is fairly sensory: visually reading music, kinaesthetically playing instruments or making rhythms with your hands and of course hearing the music in the auditory sense. Camellia Bissessar aims to change just how difficult the music world can be to someone with impairment to any of these regions. Bissessar, a 2018 graduate of Laurier’s Faculty of Music with a BMus degree, was also the recipient of the teaching excellence award for 2018. She was a teaching assistant with the Accessible Learning Centre helping students in music who were visually impaired help to be able to grasp concepts in their courses as efficiently as other students. The teaching excellence award honours faculty members, lab instructors and student teachers who are committed to making a difference in the educational experience at Laurier through their teaching innovations, and nominations are accepted by anyone who believes someone they know has changed the way people learn at Laurier. Bissesar won the award in the undergraduate category, with many contributions to the school over her time here. “It feels like
a chance to show what I’ve done and make another side of music and education that people may not be aware of,” Bissessar says of her award. “One of my most important roles is the EA to visually impaired students and being in a visually heavy discipline, it’s very challenging going through that with any sort of disability.”
Being in a visually heavy discipline, it’s very challenging going through that with any sort of disability.
-Camellia Bissessar, BMus graduate
The ALC is a service available to students with learning disabilities or impairments that may affect their schoolwork to give them an equal opportunity to succeed at Laurier. “I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to inform people about that empower students to have their own voices.” Bissessar said. Bissessar is not only an assis-
tant helping visually impaired students in music, but wants to bring together all those who have passions for education and music, as she was former president of the Students’ Association for Music Educators, also known as SAME. “SAME is a group of students in the faculty of music. What we hope to do is create a community of likeminded educators and individuals in the faculty of music. We host events and workshops that are education centred,” Bissessar said. SAME not only aims to bring these initiatives to students in the faculty of music, but their reach extends beyond the realm of Laurier and shows the community just how much of an impact education in music can have. “Every other year we host in partnership with the faculty of music an elementary music conference and socials so people can share their stories and experiences,” Bissessar states. Bissessar has also created multiple workshops and programs for Laurier’s JUMP program, which stands for Junior University Multidisciplinary Program, which is open to students grades 5-8 during May and June. This program is designed to introduce younger students to university life, getting them prepared to tackle high school in preparation of what they
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
would like to do in university. Bissessar’s teaching journey will not end with her graduation from Laurier, as she is already following a path to become an educator globally as she sets across
the ocean. “I would like to pursue teacher’s college, that will probably be in a year or two, but for the following year I will be moving to Poland and teaching English as a second language to students there.”
SAFETY
Safe injection sites to be the future of opioid criMARGARET RUSSELL LEAD REPORTER
As the opioid epidemic prevails, there is talk of progress among Waterloo regional councillors. The community services committee of Waterloo Region, responsible for reviewing and reporting on public health, emergency and community services, agreed to move forward with implementing safe injection sites earlier this month. Proposals have been made regarding the future locations of sites; however, these currently remain undetermined due to a necessary consultation process that is currently underway. In Kitchener, there two proposed sites, one at 115 Water Street North and another to be determined. In Cambridge there will be two locations as well, 150 Main Street and 149 Ainslie Street North. Consulting residents and business owners within a 250-metre radius of said locations may pose obstacles for the implementation of these sites. What creates the most immediate concern is that both 115 Water Street North and 150 Main Street are within a 5-minute walk to public schools. Cindy Watson, Waterloo Region District School Board Trustee, discussed her opinion of the current site proposals as a resident of Cambridge. “Before the recommendations came forward, they wanted the people in charge to give critical consideration in the location of
schools,” Watson said. “They had made it clear that that was a really big concern.” Watson, among others who are in opposition of these initial location proposals, believe that the region should be taking a different approach. “I particularly feel that [safe injection sites] should go within a hospital setting,” Watson said. “You’re consolidating services; you
don’t have to send ambulances out, there are doctors there, you could have recovery treatment [available], and other programs that coordinate with safe injection sites,” In regards to Cambridge specifically, Watson spoke to her knowledge of the area when reinforcing the value of placing a safe injection site within Cambridge Memorial Hospital.
LUKE SARAZIN/FILE PHOTO
“It’s central to our different cores. We have Preston, Hespeler and Galt, and the hospital is almost central. It’s right in the hub. It’s a 10 to 15-minute walk from one of our shelters,” Watson said. When implementing these resources for the first time within a region, some will argue that the Waterloo Region should model after other systems in Ontario that
have shown to be successful. Watson mentioned that by doing her own research, she has concluded that Waterloo Region’s prospective model is “broken,” and places like Hamilton have demonstrated success in the implementation of safe injection sites. Hamilton is now temporarily operating a supervised injection site within a designated health care facility; Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre. By placing Cambridge’s safe injection site within Cambridge Memorial Hospital, it creates greater distance from the nearest school. The case would be the same for Grand River Hospital as well, as the site would be more accessible to both Waterloo and Kitchener residents. Further concerns arise from the community services committee about the uncertainty of funding for these sites. Premier-designate Doug Ford had made it clear during the first electoral debate back in May that he will not be supporting the implementation of safe injection sites in Ontario. “I believe, I strongly believe, that we should have rehabilitation programs,” stated Ford during the debate. His position is rooted in keeping neighbourhoods clean and safe, and eliminating the need for designated drug-use spaces that create the potential for infrastructural harm. This raises questions about who will be willing to pay for them once funding is cut.
NEWS • 5
WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2018 CUSTOMER SERVICE
SADMAN SAKIB RAHMAN/CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Professor looks to revamp customer service MARGARET RUSSELL LEAD REPORTER
The world of customer service is vast and everyone can agree upon its presence in their lives; whether working for a retailer as a representative or being the recipient of those services as a customer, client and/or patient. Grant Packard, an assistant professor of marketing at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, has discovered through his ongoing research that our general approach to speaking with consumers is inherently flawed and ineffective in creating satisfactory results.
Packard’s initial inquiry about the use of personal pronouns by customer service providers began about five years ago when he was starting out as a researcher. His interests lay primarily with the logistics of customer orientation and as a result, he began examining the use of personal pronouns in customer service emails, phone calls as well as in-person exchanges from numerous Canadian retailers. With this data, Packard made conclusions about the effectiveness of certain language when addressing customers and what ultimately works best in creating sales or client satisfaction. “The basic conclusion is that
when it comes to speaking to clients or customers, what’s most important is that the person who is taking care of somebody else refers to themselves … using a first person singular pronoun — I, me, my,” Packard said. “It signals that you’re more personally involved in taking care of the customer, or client or patient.” Packard’s conclusion, that first person singular pronouns have a more profitable effect in consumer relations, is based on two inferences: “empathy, you’re feeling on behalf of the customer; and agency, you’re acting on behalf of the customer,” Packard explained. Compared to using plural pro-
nouns such as “we,” the client feels as though you are individually acting and assisting them, creating a more genuine interaction. Packard further explained that although the use of first-person singular pronouns are more effective, it is not the most common form of communication in use among retailers and those working in the public sector. It is far more common for these representatives to refer to themselves with plural pronouns, using terms such as we, us and our,” Packard said. “The reason they’re not referring to ‘I, me, or my’ is because they’re referring to themselves as part of a company or part of an organiza-
tion,” Packard elaborated. “This is unusual because people in these roles are taught to not to refer to themselves, to make it all about [the customer]”. Packard’s research further determines that by doing just this, and making it all about the customer through the use of second-person personal pronouns, there is a tendency for the client to feel vulnerable and uncomfortable. Additionally, Packard discussed that those working to assist in consumer interactions must keep in mind that they are both a servant of an organization and its needs, as well as a representative of the client and their needs.
CULTURE
Indigenous community recognized MADELINE MCINNIS FEATURES EDITOR
MADELINE MCINNIS/FEATURES EDITOR
National Indigenous Peoples Day was 21 June and festivities were held for the local indigenous community in the Victoria Park Pavilion. “It’s a day for indigenous people to celebrate who we are,” said Laura Barry, masters student in the faculty of social work. The event featured traditional costuming, a community feast, and speeches. The event had a large attendance from all ages. It also featured drumming from the Cedar Hill Singers, who were offered tobacco to come and preform. The pavilion was decorated with both traditional indigenous symbols and artifacts and craft vendors were also selling their work. Furthermore, there were booths and signage from the sponsors and signage calling for reconciliation. “Our goal was to bridge community and organizations,” said Barry. This event was part of Barry’s practicum and was run with the Centre for Indigegogy. People from the local indigenous community were invited to attend with their families. According to a press release from Laurier, the event was sponsored by Laurier, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Laurier Centre for Indigegogy, Conestoga
College and the Healing of the Seven Generations. “Institutions like Laurier bridge the community because it can often be siloed and it’s really important to be able to come together as an indigenous community, especially in KW,” she continued.
Our goal was to bridge community and organizations.
-Laura Barry , masters student, faculty of social work
Barry is completing her program in indigenous studies and, like most people in this particular program, has indigenous ancestry herself. She particularly stressed the importance of representation in the community for events like these where indigenous community can be proud of their heritage and collective history. “In the past, things like this have been shunned or not allowed. So [we’re] just letting the world and this area know that we’re here and
we’re vibrant,” she said. Events like these help to normalize and celebrate indigenous heritage that has been suppressed. Beyond the evening celebrations, Laurier also hosted a two day conference on indigenous knowledge. This took place on 23-24 June at the Laurier Kitchener campus through the faculty of social work. Barry stated that this was also functioning as an “after Canada 150” conference. Last year, on the 150th anniversary of confederation in Canada, the issue of Canada’s “birthday” and “founding” were hotly contested, as indigenous communities were on Canadian land long before 150 years ago. The conference aimed to spread indigenous teachings and stories within the community, using the Laurier academic buildings as a broader teaching area than the traditional academics that students may be used to. “We have a bunch of local indigenous knowledge keepers that are coming to do presentations and workshops for the indigenous community, and the non-indigenous community as well, just to bridge knowledge,” Barry said on the conference. The conference had two keynote speakers, Peter Isaacs and Banakonda Kennedy-Kish Bell, who both spoke on themes of knowledge and stories of indigenous people.
6 • NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2018
CAMPUS
SAFINA HUSEIN/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Waterloo Seminary announces official name change SAFINA HUSEIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
June 23, 2018 marked Waterloo Lutheran Seminary’s official transition to being named Martin Luther University College. The newly named Martin Luther University College is federated with Laurier, while students who attend the college ultimately earn degrees from Laurier. The rename and rebrand was originally announced last September by the 54-year-old building located on Wilfrid Laurier University’s Waterloo campus. It was back in 2013 that the discussion surrounding a new name for Seminary started to take place. “The board when they made this decision way back in 2013 they started discussion, did a fairly extensive market survey in terms of what the possibilities were for the name change, and there were literally over 100 names that were considered,” Mark Harris, dean of Martin Luther University College. “One of the real priorities in
choosing the name was … to claim a name that would honour the tradition, the faith community out of whose tradition this school had grown.”
In fact, Martin Luther university college has become an enormously diverse, multi-faith community.
-Mark Harris, dean of Martin Luther University College
In specific, the new name reiterates that the College is no longer simply a denominational school. “We are more than just the theological school that was engaged in the training of pastors. In fact, Martin Luther university college has
become an enormously diverse, multi-faith community. We have over 31 faith based traditions represented amongst our students,” Harris said. In March 2017, Seminary announced that it would be undertaking a nine million dollar renovation. The building has been under construction since. The new building and renovations are said to encompass a community oriented environment when completed. Along with the new name, the College has announced new visuals to match their new branding. First, the new visuals reflects the history of Martin Luther University College. “Martin Luther, the reformer, had a sort of visual identity that was called the Luther Rose, which was a … five-petal flower,” Harris said. “So the new visual identity encompasses not only some of the stylistic characteristics of the Luther rose, but also the bells in
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
Martin Luther University College’s new visual to reflect their new name.
the bell tower that sits on campus to this day.” Harris also noted that the bells on campus will be ringing at various hours of the day. “It’s really a way of once again
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honouring our heritage, the faith based school, but also the more contemporary visual identity of the bells and the bell tower which are part of who we are at the Laurier campus today,” Harris said.
GAMES • 7
WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2018
Dear Life Dear Life is your opportunity to write a letter to your life, allowing you to vent your anger with life’s little frustrations in a completely public forum. All submissions to Dear Life are anonymous, should be no longer than 100 words and must be addressed to your life. Submissions can be sent to dearlife@thecord. ca no later than Monday at noon each week.
I need to find you I gotta find you Sincerely, Determined Dear Turtles, Where are you? I will cease using sucky bois just for you. Sincerely, M. Scott
Dear Tuesday Dear Life, Sometimes you just wanna slam your head against a wall for 20 minutes, take a shot tequila and light yourself on fire. Today is one of those days. Sincerely, Tired
Why must beads of sweat pour down my sun-kissed cheeks in this place I am confined to 35hrs/wk per my contract? Sincerely, Sweat-Stained Shirts
Dear Netflix, You are the only thing I can depend on in this crazy, unpredictable world. Never change. Sincerely, A Hermit
I have failed you miserably. Sincerely, Carb Queen Dear Boob Sweat, Can you please stop. Thanks. Sincerely, Moist
Dear Life, Disney Channel movies are underrated and the entire High School Musical franchise should be cherished for the rest of time. Sincerely, A True Wildcat
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Dear NBA, Dear Lost Keys, You’re the voice I hear inside my head, The reason that I’m singing I need to find you I gotta find you You’re the missing piece I need The song inside of me,
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FEATURES EDITOR/MADELINE MCINNIS/FEATURES@THECORD.CA
FEATU
Suck It Up: Laurier’s Sustainab
Features Editor Madeline McInnis straws and the effect “I’m sure you’ve seen the video of the sea turtle that gets a straw stuck in its nose “If there is spring water being sold in plastic bottles, let us know because that and it’s just so sad.” shouldn’t be happening,” said Tyler Plante, outreach and program coordinator for Jenna Steadman, a recent Laurier graduate who convocated in June, explained the Sustainability Office at Laurier. The Sustainability Office provides opportunito me her reasoning for cutting plastic straws out of her life. Like most of us who ties for both social and environmental sustainability at all campuses and into the have ditched the old devices, her reasoning for the decision is very clear: plastic greater communities in both academic and non-academic pursuits. pollution is killing our oceans and the creatures in them. That, of course, doesn’t mean that you have to be parched in that particularly Steadman is not alone in her environmental efforts. Cutting plastic straws out dry three-hour lecture. “To facilitate that elimination of plastic water bottles, we’ve of daily use has become a common plight among those who are concerned about installed close to 40 water filter stations across campus,” Plante explained. single use plastics and, especially, their affects on ocean life. All you need to do is to bring your own container and hold them over any of the McDonald’s in the United Kingdom recently announced their attempts to restations installed across campus. Reusable water bottles aren’t hard to come by move straws. Seattle, New York, Vancouver and other coastal metropolitan centres on campus either — they come in O-Week kits and I’ve been using my Eco-Hawks have called for, occasionally successfully, city-wide bans. The food and hospitality branded bottle since my second year. sectors are quietly eliminating them too. If you’ve seen or used any of the refill stations around campus, you’ve probably But what’s happening right here at Laurier? noticed that the stations keep track of how many plastic water bottles each unit Here at home, you’ve probably noticed thatw your drink at Wilf’s has started has saved by the volume of water it has distributed. With countless members of the coming plastic-free. Unless you order a thick drink like a milkshake or smoothie, community passing through campus, especially on hot days like we’re experiencstraws no longer come with beverages — you have to ask if you want one. ing this summer, that can account for a lot of water. “We looked at [removing straws] as a quick and easy change that we could make “As of last summer, so it’s probably a lot higher now, we’ve had over 1.25 million that would sort of help us reduce those single use plastics very quickly with very water bottles saved since 2014,” Plante said. minimal training and very little … After my interview with Plante and on operational changes for us,” said Anmy way to my next meeting, I checked the drew Neilson, hospitality business first refill station I saw for its number of manager at Laurier. saved plastic bottles out of curiosity for And that seems to be just how easy its impact in its four-year lifespan. Sure it was to make the change, both on enough, the station outside of Arts 1E1, [The mentality] does seem to be sort an operational level and for consumwhich is admittedly not in an obvious of shifting and that’s good when you ers to adapt to. If you noticed the location, has saved over 100,000 bottles change at all, you likely weren’t all alone so far. think about the amount of straws, that bothered by it. I’m sure the refill stations in more trav“We don’t get a lot of feedback elled areas, such as the library, Bricker cutlery, napkins, everything like that other than when people will request Academic and the Concourse, would [the straws],” Neilson said. “Most of have even more impressive numbers, and the time, people don’t comment. those are just a handful of the places on Because it’s not an automatic thing campus to get your fill for free and simulon the table with their drink, they taneously save on plastic. will just drink their drink.” Beyond the refill stations, the Sustain- Andrew Neilson Looking around Wilf’s, it’s easy ability Office is looking into initiatives to to see that the majority of people reduce the waste of single-use coffee cups are not requesting straws, as they on campus. The details of these efforts are are just drinking from their cups. That, in itself, should be a pretty clear indicator. not yet available, but it sounds like there is going to be something environmentally The lack of feedback on the issue at Wilf’s could point to many things, but I think exciting coming in the fall semester. the most logical conclusion is just that people don’t notice or care when a straw is “Look for something this fall, likely during waste reduction week, which is the missing. week after reading week in October,” Plante encouraged when talking about the Most of us don’t use straws in our own home, with hot beverages or with reuscoffee cups on campus. able containers. We only use them when they’re given to us when we’re out and While we’re all waiting for this announcement, there’s still plenty each of us can about. When they’re not automatic, we adapt. do to reduce our hot-drink waste as well. Steadman suggests easy changes like It’s a convenience that’s convenient for 20 minutes until it spends over a 100 bringing your own mug, and buying a reusable straw to bring with you wherever years floating in the ocean — unless it ends up in the nose of a sea turtle or the you go instead of always using single-use straws. belly of a whale before that. “Honestly, they’re so small. They’re the size of a pen, so you can just stick it in Not everyone is so keen to have plastic straws banned, however. People with your purse or your backpack,” she said. disabilities, their friends and family and their support groups are concerned beIf you’re into that idea, there’s some good news coming for you as well. Though cause some people cannot drink without strong straws. In particular, the Disability the logistics are still being worked out, this should be a big step for Laurier’s conAlliance of British Columbia has been one of the main loud voices against the sumption habits. proposed plastic straw ban in Vancouver. “This year, I think we’ll be going ahead with the purchase of metal straws. So At least for now, there’s no outright ban planned at Laurier or in the greater we’ll be giving out straws at O-Week during the Get Involved Fair,” Plante said. Kitchener-Waterloo area, but straws are becoming harder to come by as businessFurthermore, the Sustainability Office is looking into giving away 100 per cent es are choosing to remove them as options for customers. recycled, Laurier branded tote bags for O-Week, as well as having both new prod“They’ll just politely ask for it and where we’ll still provide a straw,” Neilson ucts available throughout the year. stated, referring to people who need or want straws in Wilf’s. Furthermore, Wilf’s Both Plante and Neilson encouraged the use of the Laurier eco-container promanagement is looking into more sustainable options, such as paper straws, for gram. This is a one-time payment to get full use of the system, which provides stuSeptember and beyond to help strike a balance between accessibility and sustaindents and staff the opportunity to use a hard takeout container that can be reused ability. countless times. At Wilf’s, that’s an easy issue to get around — provide when asked. However, “We have a very good relationship with food services, and we’re looking at how outright bans, such as those being implemented and argued around the world, we can reduce packaging waste,” Plante said. “Instead of getting a plastic clamprovide little answers for the complex, ethical questions surrounding these small shell for your takeout food, you can hand in your card, get a reusable 100 per cent plastic tubes. It still seems to be a while before we will have a strong verdict as to recycled container that you can take your takeout food with, and then you bring it the right thing to do in these situations and for these people. back when you’re done and you get your card back. You do that recycling over and In the meantime, I think we can all agree on a few things. Firstly, plastic is harm- over and over again.” ing our oceans. Secondly, we as humans are the ones causing these issues. Finally, Just breaking down the logistics of the system, it’s more economically logical to we have to do something about it. buy an eco-container once than dozens of takeaway containers. If you are paying So what other single-use plastic is missing at Laurier? Have you noticed that you for take-out at Wilf’s every time you go, your $5 surcharge for the reusable altercan’t buy a bottled filtered water at any venue on campus? native will more than likely pay for itself within the semester. Even better, if you’re going into first-year this year, you’ll be provided a card for free.
URES
WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2018 • 9
ble Take on Straws and Plastics
s discusses the use of single-use ts on the environment That’s getting more and more popular, according to Plante. Last year was the most successful one yet for the program, showing that people do care about their waste, whether for the reason of their wallet or the environment. “[The mentality] does seem to be sort of shifting and that’s good when you think about the amount of straws, cutlery, napkins, everything like that,” Neilson said. He stated that he’s happy to see these changes from the biggest companies like McDonalds and Disney to the smaller scale local companies, as well. Though Plante can’t yet confirm the details of any other changes and initiatives coming in the next year, there are some other exciting things that the Sustainability Office has planned for the to combat single use plastics and waste in general, including working with the book stores on both Waterloo and Brantford campuses to remove or reduce plastic bags. Furthermore, there will be a “free store” for off-campus housing where you can pick up the discarded items from the students who will move out in August, all for free. The logistics are still being worked out, but if you’re really missing a toaster or a dish set, this is a perfect opportunity to reuse and rehome a perfectly good item that would otherwise end up in the landfill. And if you, the student, see a gap in the sustainability initiatives at Laurier? There’s a fund for you to pitch your ideas and solutions to the problems that you see in the community. That’s something that has launched businesses in the past and encouraged the changes that we may take for granted now. “I would encourage students that if they have an idea, specifically around plastics or waste reduction, or anything really tied to sustainability, environmental or social sustainability, we want to support that and to provide mentorship and financial support to get those ideas,” Plante said. Applications will open in September and will be open until around reading week. As for Wilf’s, the next steps in eliminating single use plastics seems to be in the takeout department. Though nothing is confirmed yet, they’re currently looking into more sustainable takeout bags and cutlery. “If that one industry can shift and downgrade and move to alternatives that are better in general, that’ll just be a huge impact right off the bat,” Neilson said. Your dollar is the biggest indicator here. It’s easy enough to request your drink without a straw or write strongly worded emails to managers, but beyond that there’s not a lot that us full-time students can do to impact the food industry at large. What we can do, however, is to make conscious choices every day to use less unnecessary plastic and to think as selflessly as we can when it comes to our waste. Of course, this won’t rock the world, but it will add up over time. “At least I won’t feel as guilty. I’m still guilty of doing it as much as the next person, but maybe a little less — and, honestly, if everyone just did a little less there would be so much less,”
Steadman said. With so many plastics around us, it’s near impossible to cut them out of our lives entirely. By doing what is comfortable for you — bringing a reusable water bottle, cutting out straws, buying glass bottles instead of plastic — we can each contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable environment. In short, if you don’t use straws at home, you probably don’t need one in a restaurant. So, as they say, suck it up. If nothing else, watch that sad video of the sea turtle one more time. Watch Finding Nemo or Finding Dory, Moana or even The Little Mermaid. Look at the beauty of the oceans we want to remember and we want to see when we go on our Caribbean vacations and consider if it’s morally worth that single-use straw. If we want to keep our oceans from becoming even more of a landfill, our actions and choices are the only things that can make a difference. Our sea life depends on us — is that twenty minutes with a straw really worth it?
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2018
Arts & Life
ARTS & LIFE EDITOR MICHAEL OLIVERI arts@thecord.ca
MOVIES
The summer movies you won’t want to miss MADELINE MCINNIS FEATURES EDITOR
With the summer rolling in full force and the obvious choices of summer blockbusters already passing through theatres, what movies do we have to look forward to? This summer in particular seems to be the summer of sequels, including Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, The Incredibles 2, The First Purge, Equalizer 2 and Unfriended: Dark Web, among countless others. In a sea of sequels, which new films are worth seeing? These films are the ones that seem promising for the rest of the summer. Whether any of them will be record breaking is yet to be decided, but some of them do have the promise! Skyscraper - July 13 Dwayne Johnson is seen flying through the air towards the title
building in the poster, so I’m sure this will be the most The Rock movie we’ve all seen in a while. With a premise on family and the promise of big bucks for the effects, Skyscraper looks like it’ll be worth the watch if just for a bit of fun. I don’t think that I’ll take it too seriously or write a dissertation on it, but movies like this always seem to be worth it for their heroics and Die-Hard-esque bravado and humour.
fun feminist fiasco, and we all need a little more of that in our lives. With overt James Bond undertones (The Spy Who Loved Me, anyone?) it should have all of our favourite genre conventions with the added laughs of a comedy duo. It’s hard to tell whether it’ll lean more to the comedy side or the spy thriller, but it seems to be worth a shot.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again - July 20
It’s been a while since we’ve seen our favourite killing machine on the silver screen, and it’ll be back just in time to crush your back-to-school blues. Though I can’t promise it’ll be a cinematic masterpiece, it is the next instalment in an otherwise entertaining and worthwhile series. You’ll have plenty of time to catch up on the previous Predator films before this one comes out, making it the perfect film to lead up to. Still no promises of ‘choppers’, but after Jeff Goldblum’s appearance in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, I’m hopeful to a throwback of the iconic lines.
Yet another well-anticipated sequel of the summer, Mamma Mia! brings it all back to the start again this summer and I, frankly, am pretty excited for more ABBA. Though I’m sure the singing and story will make us cringe just as much as the first movie, it’ll be some lighthearted fun in the heat of summer to remind us what is really important in our lives. And who can resist Grandma Cher? Christopher Robin - August 3 With the strength of Maleficent and the highly anticipated Emily
The Predator - September 14
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
Blunt Mary Poppins around the corner, Christopher Robin promises to bring the characters of our childhoods together in a new way. The fact that the original voice actors are in their original roles really sold this film for me. Like cocoa on a cold night or an icy beverage by the poolside, there’s just something comforting about feeling safe and at home with these characters. The premise seems to
be quite the tear-jerker to begin with and for our generation that is working so hard and growing up too fast, it will surely resonate. The Spy Who Dumped Me August 3 Two words to sell this movie: Kate McKinnon. Though I haven’t seen too many trailers for this one yet, the premise seems like it’ll be a
FOOD
Mr. Pretzels brings the flavour MICHAEL OLIVERI ARTS & LIFE EDITOR
Last week, a small group of fellow Cord employees and I had an incredible time taste testing the different pretzel flavours featured at one of Conestoga Mall’s most recent food additions, Mr. Pretzels. All of us had tried their pretzels at one point or another and we all had developed a strong addiction. Then the idea came up to try as many of their different flavours as possible. We had a great time, and we even made a video out of it. For those of you who have never been, Mr. Pretzels has their menu divided in two. Half of their flavours are savoury, primarily salty and with different spices and seasonings; while the other half of the menu is sweet, with different sauces for desert. This article is designed to help demonstrate our experiences tasting their menu, and can hopefully help you choose your next pretzel. Our grading system was systematic, we each tried one pretzel at a time and then assigned it a score out of ten individually, from there all the scores were tallied, 30 was then the highest score that could be achieved.
Overall it was difficult at times because the base pretzel itself is incredibly tasty, especially if you get one of the freshly made ones that you can eat right away. It’s the toppings that make all the difference, and at $3.75 for each pretzel, you need to get your bang for your buck.
It’s the toppings that make all the difference, and at $3.75 for each pretzel, you need to get your bang for your buck.
Getting into our actual thoughts on each pretzel we’ll start at what we thought was the weakest: which was the vanilla. Overall it was a bit too sweet, like a sugar frosting; however, we thought it would be better drizzled on the pretzel itself rather than dipping it like we were. Among some of the lower ranked pretzels were strawberry vanilla, caramel and sesame for a variety of reasons. Some thought they were too sweet or too simple
in looking for the best pretzel. It is important to note however that each individual ranking was at times fairly different. Getting in to the higher ranked pretzels we have the original salt, Napolitano, and parmesan. These were delicious savoury pretzels that really delivered on flavour. The salt and parmesan were simple, delicious and classic flavours. The Napolitano tasted like a garlic breadstick according to one of the reviewers. However, what kept these from reaching the top rated was that they were too simple. In any case these are definitely worth trying. The highest ranked savoury pretzel, which was also my favourite overall, was the Toscana, which came with red pepper, garlic and salt. These flavours and spices turn what is already a solid pretzel into an excellent bread stick like taste. Seriously worth the money. The highest ranked sweet pretzel, and the only with a perfect score of 30, was the sugar cinnamon. This was everyone’s favourite pretzel, completely covered in cinnamon flavoured sugar goodness. Its sweet and the perfect desert, just do yourself a favour and go and try this one. A serious shout goes out from us to Mr. Pretzels’ employees. They went above and beyond being kind and accommodating, even with our incredibly large order.
SARAH TYLER/VIDEO EDITOR
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2018 LOCAL
Keeping it fresh in Kitchener AARON HAGEY LEAD REPORTER
MADELINE MCINNIS/FEATURES EDITOR
Legacy Greens in Downtown Kitchener is the popular grocery store known for its fresh, local produce and high-quality food products. It has recently moved from its temporary King Street location to a permanent location on Ontario street. The popularity of Legacy Greens has grown since it began in 2014 and its owner, Jordan Dolson, has been thrilled with its success. What began as a part-time business grew into a pop-up shop in the DTK area in 2015. It quickly became a recognized spot for locally sourced produce, with a distinct flair for customer service and savvy relations to local businesses. Dolson originally worked in municipal government, which gave her the time to try things she was interested in. Her passion for vegetables grew out of an opportunity to experiment growing different kinds, including kale, chard and a mixture of other greens and herbs. “I sold at the Stratford farmers market, then I sold to The Prune restaurant in Stratford and then Cowan’s fresh market in Listowel and that went well — I had fun, things grew, it was tons of work but I was learning.” Her success led her to try opening up a more capital-intensive, customer focused operation. This became a new-found realization
for Dolson — that she enjoyed her connection with the people as much as the produce. “I still wanted to grow, but I really wanted to do the retail component. [It] interested me because I like the interaction with customers, I like the merchandising [and] sourcing things from different places,” Dolson said. Part of her success has blossomed from how she has managed to adapt her business model to suit being a small-scale store. It’s a system that has clearly been working well. “The whole concept of having a successful green grocer is to make sure that you don’t have any waste, so we do that by making soups and salads. We try to turn any [extras] that maybe aren’t as aesthetically beautiful for the shelf into higher-value product, so that we’re not throwing stuff in the garbage,” Dolson said. “[It’s] a real creative component of Legacy Greens and we really love the prepared food options that we’re able to bring to our customers.” Dolson keeps her methods of operation efficient, turning over products quickly, having strategic merchandising and shelving, stocking high-quality products, collaborating with well-known suppliers, and working with local businesses. For the size of her store, it’s sustained a level of square-footage sales that has been able to compete with major supermarket chains.
But being a small business owner comes with its own share of downsides and challenges. Dolson recognizes where her strengths lie, and has diligently been working on the difficulties of managing her own business. “The cash flow management part of a grocery business is extremely challenging. I don’t have a business degree, I’ve had no practice on some of the finance stuff, I’m learning as I go,” Dolson said. Despite any challenges, it’s clear that Dolson has managed to overcome them with the amount of daily attention her business gets. “I think people get excited naturally about purchasing something from somebody they know. When you buy local produce, the quality is always better than buying something from far away,” Dolson said. Having a business like Legacy Greens situated in the heart of DTK is something that adds to the personality of the city and provides people with a place where they can shop for what they need and be given great customer service in the process. It’s refreshing to see such a quirky, colourful little store with so much personality gain such a dedicated following. I never thought I’d be the kind of guy who cares about where his spinach comes from or gets excited when a photo is posted of a new strawberry supply on Instagram, but Legacy Greens has managed to turn me into a dedicated supporter of local grocers.
GAMING
E3 2018 conference finds success with new products EMILY WAITSON OPNION EDITOR
The Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3 as it’s more commonly referred to as amongst the gaming community, recently held its twenty-fourth annual conference in Los Angeles from June 12 to 14. The heavily advertised and eagerly anticipated event focused on the upcoming products being introduced by software developers, hardware manufacturers and publishers in the video game industry. The event had its largest turnout since 2005, drawing over 69,000 attendees. The primary focus settled on the various video games that are set to be released in the next few years, garnering a significant amount of hype surrounding some of the notable mentions that were showcased by developers. Straying away from the typically corporate setup that the event promotes, E3 focused less on hardware promotions — since the industry is still in the middle of the eighth generation of video game consoles — and more on the video games themselves.
KASHYAP PATEL/GRAPHICS EDITOR
Whether you’re a casual or dedicated video game player, the event should be tailored to pique the interest of anyone who enjoys the entertainment medium in some shape or form. There should be something there for everyone and this year’s E3 demonstrated that aspect successfully. Delving into the wide array of games that are in the works and set to be released, the bar seems to be set pretty high after seeing the press conferences that took place. Although EA has been pretty much torn to shreds by countless video game players for their plummeting descent into unabashed corporate greed with sneaky microtransactions used in Star
Wars Battlefront II, their presence was still felt. Controversy or not, EA ran a separate event near E3’s Convention Center, but did not participate in the expo itself. They covered several popular games including Battlefield V, Command and Conquer: Rivals and two Star Wars mentions as well. Ubisoft held its conference on June 11, presenting Assassin’s Creed Odyssey as one of the upcoming developments in the highly popular RPG franchise that is set to be released in October of this year. Sony delivered its fill of expectations this year with Death Stranding and The Last of Us Part II taking up a great deal of the spotlight. The Last of Us Part II, is the
sequel to the highly-acclaimed and beloved 2013 post-apocalyptic action-adventure game The Last of Us. The first game is noted for having a combination of praiseworthy factors, including story, character development and impeccable visual and sound design. The cutscene that was shown from The Last of Us Part II at this year’s presentation, features Ellie, one of the main protagonists, kissing another woman. The scene was highly praised for its accomplishment in making a kiss look so passionate and believable, an aspect which is traditionally difficult to animate in video games especially. Nintendo streamed a prerecorded video presentation on June 12, which focused on Nintendo Switch games that are set to be released in 2018. A highlight of their presentation rested on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which is a highly anticipated fighting game that will be out on December 7. My personal favourites at the event this year were Bethesda and Microsoft. Microsoft discussed a slew of new game titles that included Halo Infinite, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit, Crackdown 3, Nier: Automata, Metro Exodus, Kingdom Hearts III, Sea of Thieves,
Battlefield V and Forza Horizon 4. Bethesda, in turn, has been rocking the gaming world boat with their ingenious marketing tactics and unexpected announcement of Fallout 76. It will be Bethesda’s first online multiplayer game and is set to be released on November 14 of this year.
Delving into the wide array of games that are in the works and set to be released, the bar seems to be set pretty high ...
E3 delivered a comprehensive event that sparked anticipation over countless games, many of which are coming out this year. Hopefully the stand out titles that garnered a lot of the attention from attendees and critics live up to their hype and events such as this continue to be successful information sessions crafted for fans and their enjoyment of gaming.
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2018
Editorial
OPINION EDITOR EMILY WAITSON opinion@thecord.ca
President’s Note: My Challenge to WLU highest Canadian ethical and journalistic standards. As an autonomous non-forprofit media organization, it is our duty to report relevant, non-partisan information as quickly and as accurately as possible. In a democratic society, free and autonomous media is vital to its survival and we promise to uphold that democratic right, even when tensions are high. Second, I encourage our current volunteers and staff to show the greater campus and community exactly why we spend so much of our free-time and weekends working for you, our readers. To share the experiences, process and rewards of working with student run media and to extend the unique career opportunities learned here at WLUSP as far across the WLU community as possible. Careers and friendships start at WLUSP, the choice to join starts with you. Third, I challenge my fellow Golden Hawks to join campus and community discussions appropriately and contribute to one our publications if the changes you want to see are not realized, and the voices speaking do not represent yours. I know how intimidating it can be presenting new ideas in an unfamiliar space and fighting to be heard amongst the noise, which is why we’re here to help. As we’ve already seen countless times, a single voice with a single perspective and a large platform can prove problematic. Let’s change the conversation.
TERRENCE MROZ PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER
My name is Terrence Mroz, and I am the 2018-2019 President & Publisher of Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications. I’m a fifth-year communications studies major with a minor in psychology, and a deep passion for student media. During my time as a WLU undergrad, I’ve had the pleasure of joining a diverse set of clubs and collectives, but nothing has shaped me more into the person I am today than my time spent at WLU Student Publications. In my first year, I began my volunteer experience as a general writer for The Cord, which soon transitioned into a DJ/volunteer position for Radio Laurier and a regular contributor for other WLU Student Publications. From there I developed a unique love for the duality of creativity and professionalism required in the field of media and broadcasting. This would eventually lead me into the role of Station Manager of Radio Laurier, and finally President & Publisher of WLU Student Publications. With the academic year quickly approaching, I have important goals set for our wonderful volunteer teams, dedicated staff, and YOU our fellow Golden Hawk. First, I challenge our talented publications and staff to continue holding the WLU campus and community accountable by the
THE CORD IS PUBLISHED BY WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY STUDENT PUBLICATIONS 205 REGINA ST. N., WATERLOO
WLUSP ADMINISTRATION DIRECTOR Rosalind Horne
CHAIR Andreas Patsiaouros
TREASURER John Pehar
VICE-CHAIR Lisa Irimescu DIRECTOR Benjamin Cooke DIRECTOR Noa Salamon
KASHYAP PATEL/GRAPHICS EDITOR
Finding the right opportunities PRANAV DESAI SPORTS EDITOR
These unsigned editorials are based off informal discussions and then agreed upon by the majority of The Cord’s editorial board, including the Editor-in-Chief and Opinion Editor. The arguments made may reference any facts that have been made available through interviews, documents or other sources. The views presented do not necessarily reflect those of The Cord’s volunteers, staff or WLUSP.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EDITORIAL CARTOON
PRESIDENT Andreas Patsiaouros president@wlusp.com FINANCE MANAGER Randy Moore randy@rcmbrooks. com ADVERTISING MANAGER Caroline Schummer care.schummer@ wlusp.com
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Lakyn Barton lakyn.barton@wlusp. com HR MANAGER Paige Bush hr@wlusp.com CORPORATE SECRETARY Noa Salamon
The one piece of advice that I constantly received in high school from friends and teachers was to get involved in extracurricular activities. Even when I said that I wasn’t interested in any of the clubs at my high school, I was always told that it’s better to get involved in something since it’ll look good on my resume and university applications. I eventually gave in and half-heartedly became a small part of a few clubs. And by small part I mean I signed up and then never showed up for anything again. But things changed when I got to university. I started seeing a plethora of club advertisements all over campus. No matter what you were interested in, there was literally something for everyone. When one of my close friends introduced me to The Cord in second year, I was immediately hooked. Not only were they looking for writers, they were looking for sports writers. As an obsessive sports fan, sports writing is all I’ve ever wanted to do and when I finally started volunteering for The
Cord, I was like a kid in a candy shop. I was doing something that I genuinely enjoyed and, for once, getting involved actually felt like it was worth it. I am now going into my fourth and final year of university and looking back, becoming a part of The Cord was one of the best decisions I made during my time at Laurier. Not only did I end up meeting some great people, but by working my way up from a volunteer to sports editor, I developed a precise vision for what my career path should be after graduation. I now realize that getting involved is about awareness and effort more than anything else. In hindsight, I probably could have found a club that interested me in high school; I just didn’t look hard enough. And if I really couldn’t find anything that interested me, I could have just created something that did. I’m certain that there are people at Laurier who are capable of writing better sports stories than me. However, they either didn’t know about this opportunity, or they simply didn’t want to put in the work. I understand that joining or creating clubs might seem like unnecessary added stress for the average university student. Balancing academics, a social life and extracurricular activities could be intimidating at first. But the way I look at it, if you
truly like what you do outside of class, it will only help you deal with that university stress. There are tons of opportunities to get involved at Laurier, it’s just a matter of finding what works best for you.
As an obsessive sports fan, sports writing is all I’ve ever wanted to do and when I finally started volunteering for The Cord, I was like a kid in a candy shop.
I used to roll my eyes every time someone would tell me to join a club in high school. But after spending three years in university doing something I love, I can confidently say that the shoe is now on the other foot. If I could give one piece of advice to an incoming university student, I would tell them to get involved. Not just because it’s a nice resume booster, but because it’s one of the most important parts of having a memorable university experience.
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2018
Opinion
OPINION EDITOR EMILY WAITSON opinion@thecord.ca
Looking at the super success of Incredibles 2 AARON HAGEY LEAD REPORTER
In its opening weekend (according to IMDb’s Box Office Mojo), Incredibles 2 made its way to number eight on the box office list with a whopping $180 million, behind four Marvel movies, two Star Wars movies and Jurassic World. For a PG rated movie, that makes it number one for its opening weekend. Worldwide, it has made over $480 million, continuing its climb as one of the most successful animated movies of all time. Despite this massive success, there was no end to the months leading up to the film’s release which vehemently condemned the film’s “feminist agenda.” Seeing the film trailers with Helen Parr being put in the spotlight, as opposed to her husband Bob, was simply too much for some, who critiqued it as being a disgusting way to force a narrative into a film and promote “feminist propaganda.” Not surprisingly though, the film came out and was simply very well
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done. This sequel built upon that original premise, returning to the potent nostalgia which brought dedicated viewers back 14 years later, many of whom grew up with the comedic wholesomeness that the Parr family brought to them, as Pixar is known for doing well. The subversion of Bob’s character, changing from the masculine breadwinner to the comically unprepared role of stay-at-home
parent, shows a different message. It demonstrates that even the strongest of people can be weakened under the right circumstances, just as its predecessor did. Ultimately, when the confrontation between the main protagonist Helen and antagonist Evelyn Deavor begins, she and Bob are helplessly captured. In a movie which mirrors the first, the kids are once again shown to be the para-
gons of potential, the last vestiges of hope for saving the fate of supers once more. The movie symbolizes many things, not the least of which is the respectable moral that paints families as being extremely important, no matter how they are structured. The film showcases the importance of placing the future in the hands of the next generation, regardless of what role they have in society or
their family unit. It’s pretty sad when a film that includes a working mother who is seen as the central hero while the dad looks after the kids at home is disregarded by many because it’s promoting a certain agenda. To devalue the efforts of hundreds of people, working for years on a project which has brought smiles and laughs to so many, is simply an act of intellectual dishonesty of the highest calibre. The fact that something can be labelled “feminist” is not an ugly designation, but a representation of the progressiveness of the film industry — one which has often remained stagnant and paranoid of backlash for far too long. It’s refreshing to see a film like this be so successful and it gives hope to other animated films which follow it. The formula for an animated movie doesn’t necessarily have to be rooted in progressiveness, but it should have some element that younger audiences can take away from. If Incredibles 2 inspires little girls and boys to look up to Helen Parr rather than Bob and Bob alone, why does that have to be such a bad thing? Young girls should be encouraged to look beyond the life of a housewife if they wish to do so, not stay confined within it.
The debate about XXXTentacion MADELINE MCINNIS FEATURES EDITOR
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“Boys will be boys,” they say as the kindergarten girl comes crying to the teacher about the boy in her class pulling her hair. We just don’t expect it to escalate into aggravated battery on a pregnant woman. In case you missed it, rapper XXXTentacion was recently involved in a fatal altercation involving gun violence in Florida. The rapper’s death sparked many debates online about the various issues involved in the rapper’s life and death, including his outspoken approach to depression, the impact of his music and, most notably, his criminal convictions. The balance between XXXTentacion as an artist and a human are complicated and still widely debated despite the weeks that have passed since the news of his death broke. Fans staunchly defend the artist and the feelings his music brought them. The general public, however, calls for him to be remembered for his crimes. See, in a #MeToo era, we can’t just ignore the convictions of what he did to his fans, strangers, his pregnant girlfriend and a gay man
in jail. I’ll leave these for you to find for yourself, as the details are gruesome and unnecessary for this argument. Whether you’re in the camp that can separate the art from the artist or not, what really bothers me about this particular debate is the discussion of the rapper’s age to excuse his actions. He was only 20 when he died, so the fans are using this as an excuse for his behaviour. After all, he was still young and learning. He was just figuring out his life, we can’t blame him for his violent outbursts with the upbringing he had. I can’t help thinking of his pregnant girlfriend who refused to testify against him in court. She was young and figuring out her life and she’ll have to deal with the consequences of his actions for the rest of her life. But boys will be boys. A common example being thrown around online is to say that Malcolm X was also problematic in his youth. If XXXTentacion had just been given some time to grow up, maybe he would have been remembered in the same way as a civil rights hero, challenging the status quo and bringing the movement to new heights. Can we not acknowledge that what people did in their past does not get erased when they grow up?
We don’t get a “get out of jail free card” for the things we do right now. No matter if you grow up to be a pimp or the president, you’re still the same person who is reading these words today. We can all be critical enough to separate the good from the bad in everyone’s lives, including XXXTentacion and Malcolm X. Good people can have bad actions, but they still must be held accountable for those actions. Those of us in university know that well — we’re all here, I hope, for a chance at a better future. Our grades, how we get involved and the connections we make will carry through in one way or another for the rest of our lives. It includes the actions you take when you smash your roommate’s chairs in anger. That also includes the actions you take when there is a drunk girl passed out on the couch at a party. It includes texting and driving and the consequences that come with that. It includes aggravated battery on a pregnant woman. It includes hitting strangers in clubs. It includes hate rhetoric. As the old adage goes, boys will be boys, but boys will also be held accountable for their actions. It’s tragic that XXXTentacion did not get more opportunity in his life to show the good in his soul, but the bad he left must also not be forgotten.
14 • OPINION
WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2018
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Finding compassion EMILY WAITSON OPINION EDITOR
The evolving events and information that have been the focus of countless news outlets regarding
the separation of parents and their children at the U.S.-Mexico border have revealed polarizing and unsettling sides to opinionated people all over the internet — from average nobodies to notable names in power. Sifting through directionless tweets from the president, continuous news updates from endless sources and definitively differing
views between unsympathetic naysayers trumpeting fake news claims and talk show hosts lambasting the heartlessness of how terribly these events have unfolded — it can be difficult to separate the facts from the bullshit. However, I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to feel compassion; to be a decent, empathetic human being who looks beyond politics and sees others for who they are and how they are being treated. To be a person who feels for fellow human beings who are suffering — indescribably — and being forcefully separated from their own children should not be an exhaustive effort. Proudly donning a tinfoil hat and mindlessly spouting conspiracy theories on Facebook merely detracts from the firestorm of human rights violations that have taken place since this entire mess began. It gives room for a debate that shouldn’t exist to begin with — whether these people actually deserve the disgusting treatment they’ve been given. Those who are fleeing their country out of fear in hopes of finding a better life and a safer place for their children — who are seeking asylum to escape the dangers of their home countries — should not all be labelled and cast aside as ruthless criminals who are undeserving of concern, care or basic rights. I will not pretend to be an expert about American immigration laws or imply that I know what’s best in terms of the legality issues that surround people attempting to enter
the U.S. illegally or otherwise. But, I’m not about to stay quiet when children have been put in cages, a 10-year-old girl with Down Syndrome was taken away from her family to be held in a detention centre and, despite the efforts to end most family separations at the border, thousands of children have still not been reunited with their parents and are suffering from abuse while their fate remains uncertain. On June 15 Trump stated, “I hate the children being taken away. The Democrats have to change their law. That’s their law.” Reading legitimate information surrounding the blame that Trump has unsurprisingly cast towards the Democrats about this policy comes up with one conclusion — his claims are false. In April, the Trump administration began to persecute as many border-crossing people as possible. The “zero-tolerance policy” applies to all adults, regardless of whether or not they have children with them when they attempt to cross the border. As the Justice Department is unable to prosecute children along with their parents, the outcome has been a rise in parent-child separations. This policy was implemented and ended by choice. People who baselessly point fingers at Obama for utilizing this policy to begin with, have not looked critically at the overall situation. There are legal loopholes that Trump has jumped through and the role that the Trump Administration has played in separating these families over the past few
months is a large one. The detailed and thorough article that the Washington Post published entitled, “The facts about Trump’s policy of separating families at the border,” is a credible example that deconstructs several commonly believed misconceptions. The Time magazine cover that features the now widely recognized young migrant girl who is crying and looking up at an unfazed Trump, with the words “Welcome to America” beside them in white says it all. The simple, yet poignant message rings true and has become a reality that is hard to shake. It is a reflection of a failing government that has allowed these atrocities to occur and people, no matter who you are, should feel outraged by it. Instead of disbelieving what appeared to be the very genuine reaction of news anchor Rachel Maddow and criticizing her for showing outward compassion and heartbroken disbelief over the disturbing information that she had to read on-air — maybe cast those critical stones towards Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s former campaign manager, whose response when he appeared on Fox News was a cruel, “Womp womp.” The incomparable Julie Andrews said it best in a social media post she shared last week , “Can they surmount the emotional trauma of this horrific experience? If not, I fear they may one day roam in our midst, having become the personification of the problems that these misguided efforts claim to address.”
The importance of movie and performance etiquette where people have taken selfies with flash, taken phone calls and, this is true, used a flashlight to look for their wallet under the row of seats in front of them. I think most of us would react
MICHAEL OLIVERI ARTS & LIFE EDITOR
I think everyone has had the unfortunate experience of dealing with some serious lack of etiquette in a performance based context. This could be anything from people talking during films, texting during a stage play or just an overall lack of respect and manners in a public performance setting. You know exactly the behaviour I’m talking about and, man, it grinds my gears.This behaviour is problematic and overall just demonstrates someone’s lack of respect for something a group of people is enjoying. Now this behaviour is nothing new, I’m sure people interrupted the first films that were screened, or talked over Shakespeare’s plays — however, I think that this behaviour is on the rise and happening more frequently. This is disappointing because forgetting basic performance etiquette can be hurtful. I know of many people who have had to give a speech or perform in a play that was partially ruined by obnoxious behaviour. For those of us that have experienced this, we know that it sucks and to avoid that kind of disrespect
I’m sure venues sink a lot of money into those cheesy ads telling people to stay off of their phones, so don’t have them waste their money.
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when others are speaking in public. Now this could be happening for a number of different reasons, but a key culprit seems to be the distraction of technology. I know it’s hard to stay off a phone for a few hours because of how connected it makes us to the world, our work, our friends and our interests. But if you’ve bought tickets to watch something you’d be wasting your money by texting in the middle of it.
Now, I admit that I leave my phone on during movies but only in case someone needs to get in touch with me. And at the very least I turn down my brightness and make sure the sound is off. Even if you do this and still need to talk to someone, just take your call outside and not in the theatre. I’m sure venues sink a lot of money into those cheesy ads telling people to stay off of their phones, so don’t have them have waste their money.
Perhaps what is the biggest disappointment, and I hate to say it, often seems to be young people that are the responsible for it in the first place. At the risk of sounding like a Baby Boomer who blames everything from the poor economy, the closure of stores, to just general noise on millennials our demographic, the teenage to young adult years in particular, often forgo etiquette. I have been in film screenings
quite angrily to things like this happening in a film or stage play we are trying to watch. So overall taking calls, being distracted with your phone and general disruptive behaviour is something that annoys the majority and is done by the minority. I believe that the following message would best be aimed at that minority that includes some teenagers and young adults. I say this much, don’t give the older generations the excuse to hate on us all more by disrupting movies and performances. We all get blamed for enough already.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2018
Sports
• 15 SPORTS EDITOR PRANAV DESAI sports@thecord.ca
MEN’S BASKETBALL
FILE PHOTO/SADMAN SAKIB RAHMAN
Hawks add five new recruits for next season PRANAV DESAI SPORTS EDITOR
The Wilfrid Laurier University men’s basketball team have added five new recruits for the 2018-19 season. Head coach Justin Serresse will work with two new guards and three new forwards going into his third year with the Hawks. “We wanted to have one player at each position and we somewhat did it. I’m happy with that because knowing that we’re going to lose a few guys in a couple of years, I wanted to make sure we have depth at every position. We’re going to lose nine guys over the next two years so we need to have a complete roster right now,” coach Serresse said.
At guard, Jackson Mayers and Branko Damjanovic will compete for starting spots with the surplus of talent that the Hawks already have in the back court. Mayers is transferring from the University of Ottawa after missing all of last season with an injury. The London, Ont. native is an important addition to the Hawks due to his size, speed and allaround solid play. Kitchener native Branko Damjanovic will provide instant offense for Laurier. Damjanovic finished as a top 15 scorer in the National Preparatory Association last year. In the front court, the three new student-athletes include Zach Douglas from London, Ont., Majok Deng out of Surrey, B.C. and Kitchener’s own Milan Roknic.
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Deng, who stands at 6’8, will provide much needed length and rim protection for the Hawks, while Roknic is a perimeter threat.
I’ve spoken to some of them and what I’ve told them is that the torch is going to be passed on to you ...
-Justin Serresse, Wilfrid Laurier men’s basketball head coach
Douglas only started his basketball career two years ago. However, Douglas impressed the Hawks with his athleticism and he will be a long term project for coach Serresse. The five rookies will be joining a team that has made the playoffs in consecutive years and coach Serresse expects them to contribute right away. “I look at the year as a whole. When we start in August, everyone has a chance to showcase their talent. That being said, all the recruits have to understand that everybody needs to get better,” he said. “If you want to help [the team], you have got to bring it every day because that’s how you get better and that’s how you make the team better. If they don’t match every-
one else’s intensity, then it’s not going to be good for us or them.” “I’ve spoken to some of them and what I’ve told them is that the torch is going to be passed on to you and we hope that the torch is going to be lit on fire while you are carrying it. That’s the way the better programs are doing it. Guys come in, they learn, they train, they get minutes,” Serresse added. “They go from role players to leaders and they help out the next generation. I’m hoping that’s what is going to happen.” It’s going to be an intriguing 2018-19 season for the Golden Hawks and with the added amount of talent available at coach Serresse’s disposal, you can once again expect a season of exciting basketball at Laurier.
16 • SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2018
ALUMNI
Nine candidates inducted into Golden Hawk Hall of Fame PRANAV DESAI SPORTS EDITOR
Nine new athletes will officially be inducted into the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawk Hall of Fame on Sept. 28 at the Tannery Event Centre, located in Kitchener. The inductees, featuring one builder, two teams and six athletes, will forever become a part of Laurier history. The six athletes include swimmer David Hughes, women’s soccer player Ali McKee, women’s volleyball player Danielle Walker, men’s hockey players Ryan Daniels and Jean-Michel Rizk, and women’s curler Sarah Wilkes. Wilkes described her experiences at Laurier and how her university curling career acted as a stepping stone for her in a recent interview. “Athletics were part of the reason that Laurier was my top choice of university to come to. All the success wasn’t something that I knew was going to happen or thought was going to happen. But it was something I was striving for and as we started to do well with our curling team and curling program, it was a really exciting time to be at Laurier,” she said. “I was fortunate to be there through all of that. I am so grateful for the experiences [Laurier] provided because of the games we played and the situations we were put in. It was a great stepping stone for going forward after my university career.” Wilkes was part of three national championship winning curling
teams during her time with the Hawks, becoming the only Laurier athlete ever to accomplish such a feat. “The opportunities that we had to compete at international events have helped me the most. After winning those university national championships when we got to go to Japan or Italy, we were fortunate enough to participate internationally,” she added. “They were just amazing experiences and I learned so much competing for Canada at those two international events. It’s something that you can’t really replicate. You can train for it but it only hits you when you get there and you’re actually wearing the maple leaf on your back; it’s an experience that I’ll never forget.”
... I learned so much competing for Canada at those two international events ... it’s an experience that I’ll never forget. Sarah Wilkes, Former Laurier women’s curler
Jean-Michel Rizk and Ryan Daniels were key parts of the Laurier men’s hockey program during their tenures with the Hawks. Rizk amassed 130 points over
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his four-year university career and Daniels put up a 0.921 career save percentage, along with being named the OUA-West Most Valuable player on two different occasions. David Hughes is a four-time Golden Hawk Team MVP. The Waterloo native won three medals at the OUA championships during his Laurier swimming career. Danielle Walker was named an OUA First Team All Star four times during her time at Laurier. Walker improved her level of play every single year with the Hawks and she
will go down as one the best women’s volleyball players in Laurier’s history. Ali McKee was a leader on the 2008 and 2010 OUA championship winning women’s soccer teams. McKee racked up 21 goals in her four-year Golden Hawk career. The two teams being inducted are the 2007-08 men’s and women’s curling teams. Both teams captured national championships and put up great performances throughout the year. Finally, current Laurier women’s lacrosse head coach Lynn Orth will
also become a part of the Golden Hawk Hall of Fame as a builder. Orth has now been in charge of the women’s lacrosse team for 19 years, an impressive achievement, to say the least. During her time at Laurier, Orth has engineered eight provincial championship winning teams. It is another outstanding set of inductees for the Golden Hawk Hall of Fame in 2018, and the nominations of the nine candidates is a testament to the excellence of every single athletics program at Laurier.
were first-year second baseman Taka Ryan, second-year first baseman Nicholas Cook and second-year pitcher Ryan Symington. A lot of factors play into teams being able to sustain consistency and success. Stability at the top, good recruiting, and the ability to maintain a winning culture create a mentality that a roster turnover cannot even change.
that close to the top. With a culture and success being at the level it has been, recruiting top prospects is usually made easier. People are attracted to success, want to be a part of it and contribute to it. Ballantyne has done quite the job in adding first baseman Keifer Quick, a Grad student from Notre Dame College, as well as transfer pitcher, Ben Braun who will be transferring from St. Bonaventure University, a Division 1 school in the U.S. Another key recruit is catcher Carter MacDonald from Simcoe, Ontario, who did not initially have his sights set on staying north of the border for University ball. Being a part of the Ontario Nationals, having played for multiple provincial championship teams and playing with/against college-level players, he has plenty of top notch experience coming in. Adding players in just about every spot and having the vast majority of the roster returning means depth will not be an issue once again heading into the 2018 season. With a title seeming to be in reach in 2018 again, the key question will be if they can manage to get over the hump for the program’s second OUA title in five years. With plenty of competition, it should be interesting to keep an eye out for the Golden Hawks this upcoming season.
BASEBALL
After falling short in the gold medal game the last two years, there will be plenty of motivation going into the 2018 season ...
FILE PHOTO/SAFINA HUSEIN
Consistency is key for the Hawks ABDULHAMID IBRAHIM LEAD SPORTS REPORTER
It has been an impressive last few years for the Laurier Men’s baseball squad. Led by coach Scott Ballantyne who has put together some impressive teams, they have made the OUA championship final
three times in the last four years. They have also either finished first or second in the regular season standings the last four years. It’s not only the team success that has been impressive, especially with last season. Five OUA allstars, OUA hitter of the year (Ryley Davenport) and Ballantyne being
named Coach of the Year for the second time in his eleven years at the helm in 2017 shows how good this team can be. Third-year catcher Ryley Davenport had company as a first-team OUA all-star with fourth-year shortstop Robert Cant. On the second-team representing Laurier
With much of the roster returning though, the Golden Hawks will be looking to have the same if not more continued success they have had the last few years and a dropoff is not in sight anytime soon. After falling short in the gold medal game the last two years, there will be plenty of motivation going into the 2018 season for that second OUA title with the first one coming in 2014. Nobody takes well to losing two years in a row being