Is your laptop safe on campus? The Cord goes under cover to see who would stop a laptop thief Life, page 11
THE Drinks for fall The tie that binds Wilfrid Laurier University since 1926 Volume 54, Issue 8
Life, page 12 thecord.ca
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Gilmour talk shut down
Flying with the Hawks Football heartbreak
Amid controversy surrounding the author, organizers pull the plug on event ASHLEY DENUZZO LOCAL AND NATIONAL EDITOR
Controversy surrounding David Gilmour has emerged once again as a visit to Waterloo was abruptly cancelled. The author, who has lately been a hot topic in the media, was scheduled to speak about his new book at the Waterloo Public Library on Monday night. However the organizers of this event, Words Worth Books, and the Waterloo Public Library, pulled the plug on Friday, announcing that the “timing is not right for an event.” Mandy Brouse issued a clarification statement to The Cord, explaining the last-minute decision. “We organized that event months ago before all the media attention,” she wrote. “We were getting calls from media outlets, locally and from Toronto, who were eager to attend the event, not to meet David Gilmour the author but to confront David Gilmour the man.” Gilmour first gained media attention last week, when the University of Toronto instructor revealed in a Hazlitt article that he was “not
Sports, page 20
Homecoming in photos Photos, page 10
interested in teaching books by women.” He continued on to state that he had only taken a position at the University of Toronto’s Victoria College so that he could teach the people he “truly, truly loved.” “Unfortunately, none of those happen to be Chinese, or women,” he said in the article. “What I teach is guys. Serious, heterosexual guys.” Words Worth Books felt that bringing the controversial writer to Waterloo would shift focus away from Gilmour’s novel and would defeat his purpose for the event. “A media event was not the original intention for Monday night, but a way for us to connect David Gilmour to his readers,” Brouse explained. “It is our opinion that this would not have happened had we gone ahead with the event.” Following Gilmour’s controversial remarks last week, a media firestorm broke out giving the author much negative publicity. Students at the University of Toronto were especially involved in the upheaval, with some even organizing protests, rallies, and petitions.
Staying peaceful News , page 3
Local, page 7
Setting the restrictions
Inside Party with Hollerado
Waterloo considers similar smoking bans of other municipalities DAINA GOLDFINGER
Canadian rockers Hollerado put on an energetic set at local club Starlight Arts, page 13
Out of the park Men’s baseball have stellar weekend with two decisive wins against McMaster Sports, page 19
STAFF WRITER
Smokers in Waterloo Region may soon have a problem when it comes to taking a quick puff outdoors. Representatives from the Region of Waterloo recently met to discuss the possibility of banning smoking in selected outdoor areas. The discussion addressed the dangers and health concerns of lighting up in public areas such as parks or schools. “There has been no decision made on this yet,” said Sean Strickland, regional councillor for the city of Waterloo and chair of the community services committee. “We are waiting for further information by Public Health staff, by which point the Community Services Committee would review it to see if they are going to take it to another level or not.” The possibility of enforcing the law is still in its early stages. Jonathan Mall, manager of tobacco and cancer prevention with the Region of Waterloo Public Health, is investigating the matter. His team wants to provide
“But I think a logical progression with these kind of bylaws would be to further eliminate it so smokers can smoke in their own .... private space.” —Sean Strickland, councillor for Waterloo Region information to the municipalities interested in the possible bylaw. “Several municipalities have expressed interest in exploring restricting smoking at designated outdoor spaces,” Mall said. “Public Health has been asked by these municipalities to provide information of the issue from a health perspective.” “Some municipalities have indicated that they have received complaints from the community about second-hand smoke in areas that children currently can be exposed,” he added. According to Mall, other communities throughout the province have already implemented laws against smoking outdoors. He assured that
smoking would not be restricted entirely, though. Mall explained that those considering making outdoor spaces “smoke-free” are only looking at properties that are municipally owned, such as parks and playgrounds. The bigger question then is, “where do the smokers go?” “I am not entirely sure where smokers would smoke,” Strickland said. “But I think a logical progression with these kind of bylaws would be to further eliminate it so smokers can smoke in their own home, vehicle or private space.” Mall believes that there are health Local, page 6
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THE CORD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2013
Editor-in-Chief Justin Smirlies jsmirlies@thecord.ca
Inside News ………………………3 Campus ……………… 4 Local ………………… 6 National ……………… 9 Photos ………………… 10 Life ……………………… 11 Arts ……………………… 13 Editorial ……………… 16 Opinion ……………… 17 Sports ………………… 18
Editor’s choice Laurier celebrates athletes
Editor’s choice Rest of the season game plan
Sports, page 20
Sports, page 20
Vocal Cord
This week in video at thecord.ca Public interview with WLUSU
Homecoming 2013 recap
How easy is it to steal a laptop on campus?
Go to thecord.ca/video to watch
Do you feel comfortable leaving your belongings on campus unattended?
“Especially from our school, I do trust it.” –Adi Date fourth-year, business
This Week in quotes “Sometimes I think back and wonder ‘what if I missed?’”
Laurier Student Poll has come out with new data on the Students’ Union View the graphic online at thecord.ca
—Brian Devlin, Laurier’s kicker in 2005 when they won the Vanier. He was inducted into the Laurier Hall of Fame on Friday
“Where water is scarce, there’s a whole different type of respect for it and there’s a whole different mode of operation for it … it’s treated much more carefully than a much more wasteful Western society. ” – Edward Burtynsky, director of Watermark “What’s striking about that was that it wasn’t just that there hadn’t been a recovery amongst youth but that this was really just an Ontario phenomenon.” – Sean Geobey, the author of the study and doctoral candidate at the University of Waterloo on youth unemployment
Have a good story that we’re missing?
CORRECTION
“Yeah, as long as it’s not for too long; I usually ask somebody to watch my things.” –Jordan Schaefer, second- year, communications
‘Like’ The Cord on Facebook!
Cover photos by Heather Davidson, Jody Waardenburg and Kha Vo Graphic manipulation by Kate Turner
The tie that binds Wilfrid Laurier University since 1926
205 Regina St. N Waterloo, ON N2L 3B6 519-884-0710 x3564 OCTOBER 2, 2013 Volume 54, Issue 8 Next issue: October 9, 2013
Advertising All advertising inquiries should be directed to Angela Endicott at 519-884-0710 x3560 angela.taylor@wlusp.com
In 2013, the Canadian Community Newspaper Association awarded The Cord second place in the campus community newspaper category.
“Yeah, I do for sure.” – Alli Mylex second- year environmental studies
“Yeah, I do.” – Kiran Bhulear second-year, English
E-mail editor@thecord. ca for news tips.
In the September 25 article “CAS express frustration”, The Cord stated that CAS profs can only work three courses a year, when in fact they can work three courses a term. The Cord apologizes for this error.
“Around here I would, I’ve done it before..” – Zach Vandermeulen fourth-year, music
Compiled by Ryan Hueglin Photos by Ryan Hueglin
Editorial Board
Senior Staff
Colophon
Editor-in-Chief. ..............................Justin Smirlies
Lead Reporter .......................................Laura Buck Lead Photographer ................Jody Waardenburg Copy Editing Manager ...............Kaylee Grootjen
The Cord is the official student newspaper of the Wilfrid Laurier University community.
Preamble to The Cord constitution
Started in 1926 as the College Cord, The Cord is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. WLUSP is governed by its board of directors.
The staff of The Cord shall uphold all commonly held ethical conventions of journalism. When an error of omission or of commission has occurred, that error shall be acknowledged promptly. When statements are made that are critical of an individual, or an organization, we shall give those affected the opportunity to 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.
jsmirlies@thecord.ca
Senior News Editor ................ Lindsay Purchase
lpurchase@thecord.ca Visual Director .................................. Kate Turner kturner@thecord.ca Campus News Editor.....................Marissa Evans mevans@thecord.ca Local and National Editor ......... Ashley Denuzzo adenuzzo@thecord.ca Features Editor .............................................Vacant editor@thecord.ca Life Editor........................................... Alanna Fairey afairey@thecord.ca Arts Editor ...............................Cristina Almudevar calmudevar@thecord.ca Opinion Editor.........................................Dani Saad dsaad@thecord.ca Sports Editor .................................Shelby Blackley sblackley@thecord.ca Graphics Editor ..................................... Lena Yang lyang@thecord.ca Photography Manager ...........Heather Davidson hdavidson@thecord.ca Photography Manager .....................Ryan Hueglin rhueglin@thecord.ca Video Editor ..................................Henry Goddard hgoddard@thecord.ca Web Editor.....................................................Vacant editor@thecord.ca
Contributors Rebecca Allison Brad Bowen Bethany Bowles Mark Baxter Colleen Connolly Robert Conte Robin Daprato Jessica Dik Rosalie Eid Renee Filbey Scott Glaysher
Daina Goldfinger Laila Hack Mike Hajmasy Andrew Harris Timothy Howard Jacob Lindgren Andreas Patsiaouros Samantha Peart Caitlyn Sageman Andrew Savory Malvin Seto
Bryan Stephens Wesley Taylor Holly Thornton Madeline Turriff Andriana Vinnitchok Kha Vo Connor Ward Drew Yates Erika Ymana
WLUSP administration President and Publisher...........................................Allison Leonard Executive Director ....................................................Bryn Ossington Advertising Manager .............................................. Angela Endicott Treasurer..................................................................... Tom Paddock Vice-Chair .....................................................................Luke Schulz Director.................................................................... Shelby Blackley Director..........................................................................Kate Turner Corporate Secretary .......................................... Alexandra Abbiento Distribution Manager ............................................. Angela Endicott Web Developer ................................................................ George Liu
Opinions expressed within The Cord are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, The Cord, WLUSP, WLU or CanWeb Printing Inc. All content appearing in The Cord bears the copyright expressly of their creator(s) and may not be used without written consent. The Cord is created using Macintosh computers running Mac OS X 10.5 using Adobe Creative Suite 4. Canon cameras are used for principal photography. The Cord has been a proud member of the Ontario Press Council since 2006. Any unsatisfi ed complaints can be sent to the council at info@ontpress.com. The Cord’s circulation for a normal Wednesday issue is 8,000 copies and enjoys a readership of over 10,000. Cord subscription rates are $20.00 per term for addresses within Canada. The Cord has been a proud member of the Canadian University Press (CUP)since 2004.
The Cord will keep faith with its readers by presenting news and expressions of opinions comprehensively, accurately and fairly. The Cord believes in a balanced and impartial presentation of all relevant facts in a news report, and of all substantial opinions in a matter of controversy.
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 KitchenerWaterloo, 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: “Wait, I want to see the dancing people.” –Senior News Editor Lindsay Purchase on trying to look at some Globe and Mail issue
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THE CORD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2013
NEWS
Senior News Editor Lindsay Purchase lpurchase@thecord.ca
LAURA BUCK LEAD REPORTER
Organizers and public officials shared statistics and experiences of sexual violence at a rally before marching from Waterloo Park to the Victoria Park Pavilion in Kitchener.
Marchers challenge gendered violence Over 200 people rallied this past Thursday at the thirtieth annual Take Back the Night Event in Waterloo LAURA BUCK LEAD REPORTER
“Tri-Cities Unite! Take back the night!, ” rang the voices of over 200 women and frans-people as they marched through the streets of Kitchener-Waterloo on Sept. 26 for the annual Take Back the Night march, a protest that calls for an end to gendered violence. The marchers gathered in Waterloo Park for an opening rally, where they were joined by several of Waterloo’s public officials including Waterloo mayor Brenda Halloran; Catherine Fife, MPP for KitchenerWaterloo; and city councillors Jeff Henry and Melissa Durrell. A sea of brightly-coloured signs were displayed by the crowd, some expressing frustration towards the systemic violence against women and others with messages of hope for a better future.
“It’s been 30 years,” said event coordinator Laura Black in the opening ceremony. “It has been 30 years of providing an event that addresses the rights of women and trans-people to be safe without violence, regardless of age, creed, location, number, sexual orientation or attire.” Black shared the grim reality of sexual violence in the community of Kitchener-Waterloo, noting that in 2012 alone there were 398 cases of sexual assault reported to Waterloo Regional Police. “When we consider that less than ten per cent of sexual assaults are reported to police annually, we begin to glimpse the magnitude of sexual violence in our community,” said Black. Black explained that while progress has been made since the first Take Back the Night march 30 years ago, there remains a dire need to
change the societal norms which are at the base of violence against women. “This is evident by the homicide [and] suspicious deaths in Waterloo Region in 2013 so far,” she said. “There have been four homicides or suspicious deaths in Waterloo Region since January [and] four out of five of these victims have been women.” Waterloo Mayor Brenda Halloran shared her own personal story of sexual violence at the rally and offered heartfelt words of support to the marchers. “You know it’s really bittersweet to be here in so many ways,” Halloran said. “I look at each and every one of you, each beautiful face, each incredibly beautiful face. And as women, and I want to thank the men that are here in support, but to each and every one of you I want to say that we shouldn’t be here. We
“We shouldn’t have to be doing this after 30 years.”
—Brenda Halloran, mayor of Waterloo shouldn’t have to be doing this after 30 years.” Halloran explained that she was a victim of sexual assault in the workplace several years ago, at a time when there simply were no support groups, let alone legislation to protect women from such occurrences. “I hope we’re not doing this in 30 years. I’m proud of you, you make my heart full. I look at all of you and I know that there’s support in our community. We’re taking back our night,” she continued.
Homecoming crowd stays peaceful HOLLY THORNTON CORD NEWS
The streets were filled with purple and gold this weekend, as Sept. 28 marked Wilfrid Laurier University’s (WLU) annual Homecoming festivities. Laurier is often recognized for its overwhelming school spirit, so it is no surprise that thousands of students and alumni flooded into University Stadium to cheer on the Golden Hawks as they played against the Windsor Lancers. “Homecoming is like Christmas, except better!” said one game-goer, fourth-year student, Amy Price. “I love how it brings everyone together,” remarked Carley Berry, another fourth-year student. The weekend’s events were said to have gone quite peacefully, with no major concerns from the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS). “The weekend went very well, and was very peaceful despite the large crowds that we saw,” said Alana Holtom, corporate communications coordinator for WRPS. Holtom noted that the larger crowd sizes on the streets and roads were partially due to the warm weather. “It was a long day for our officers,” she said, as the festivities began early Saturday morning and carried on late into the evening. WRPS officers were sent out on foot, on bicycle, in vehicles and on horseback. Officers from the WRPS, as well
as from Laurier’s Special Constable Services were stationed both at the game and throughout nearby streets in an effort to control crowds and issue tickets for instances of open alcohol and public intoxication. WRPS took on a new initiative this year and implemented live Twitter updates. This live tweeting was an attempt to keep street-goers up to date with what was happening and to remind them of the rules that they were enforcing in order to ensure the safety of all. Holtom noted that the police saw a definite change in students this year, as many have now “gotten the message” that open containers of alcohol are not permitted in public and as a result, fewer instances occurred. “We’re a friendly bunch, we are not here to come down on everyone, we just want to make sure everyone is celebrating safely,” explained Holtom. Alongside the festivities at the game on Saturday, Homecoming also encompasses a variety of other events, which involve year-long planning. “We had an excellent, record setting year,” Heather Ferris, this year’s Homecoming coordinator, said. She went on to explain that attendance at the game, and at the other events,was at an all-time high. On Sunday, the annual Laurier Loop race saw a record of 658 runners, and raised over $12,000 towards the Sun Life Financial
“Women, children, and people of all genders can walk in our community and feel safe. Thank you for what you’re doing, you’re really heroes to me.” Ioana Babus, a student from the University of Waterloo, was joined by two of her friends at the march. The students were excited to be a part of such a powerful event. “It was fun and it was a peaceful way to get our message out there, she said. “It was a nice way for the community to come together.”
60 years of Homecoming • Laurier’s first Homecoming took place in 1953 • Tickets to the 1956 football game cost $2.50 • Oscar Peterson was a featured performer at the 1965 Homecoming • The 1972 celebra-
HEATHER DAVIDSON PHOTOGRAPHY MANAGER
Students celebrate at the Homecoming football game on Saturday.
Movement Disorders Research & Rehabilitation Centre (MDRC). “Overall, it was a really wellreceived weekend, we had no major concerns,” concluded Laurier’s SCS operations manager, Chris Hancocks. For Amanda Forsyth, a
fourth-year kinesiology student at Laurier, it was a bittersweet occasion. This was her last Homecoming weekend as a Laurier student. “I definitely plan on coming back for Homecoming once I graduate,” she said. “How could I ever miss this?”
tions featured a raffle for a heifer named Harriet, donated by an alumnus
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THE CORD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2013
CAMPUS
Campus News Editor Marissa Evans mevans@thecord.ca
WLUSU gives public update MARISSA EVANS CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR
On the evening of Sept. 25, members of the Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union congregated in the Concourse for their first “State of the Union” event. The event, which will be happening monthly on both the Waterloo and Brantford campuses, is meant to be a venue for the Students’ Union to practice transparency and provide a forum for students to get engaged. Annie Constantinescu, president and CEO of the Students’ Union, began the night with an update on what the union has been working on over the summer months and into the fall. Following this, she and other members of the union were interviewed by The Cord’s editor-inchief, Justin Smirlies. In addition to Smirlies’ questions, students were asked to submit questions by email, on Twitter or in-person at the event. One question posed through Twitter inquired about fall reading days at Laurier. Constantinescu touched on the fact that the first-year experience task force has been looking at how fall reading days would impact the first-year experience. “However, while that’s going on we do realize there is a need for something that will identify and attempt to improve mental health, as
it is becoming a more prominent issue,” she said. According to Constantinescu, studies have shown a fall break to have a positive impact on mental health. “How it will look at the Laurier campus, again, we’re very different; we have a smaller group of students,” she continued. “So we’re really trying to identify a solution that will cater the most appropriately to our campus and then the Brantford campus as well.” Jordan Epstein, chair of the board, responded to one of Smirlies’ questions about how the Students’ Union is approaching reviewing the strategic plan. “One thing that we were very adamant about when we started the strategic planning process is that we are going to the students — we’re going to be sending out comprehensive surveys, we’re going to ask all the students for feedback,” Epstein said. “We want as many as we can get. The big part there is that we didn’t want to come into this strategic planning process with presumptions about what students want.” Other topics touched on were the Students’ Union’s debt, the recently-enforced lockdown of the Science building, as well as multi-campus governance. The chairs set out in the Concourse were far from full during the event and, outside of Twitter and
HEATHER DAVIDSON PHOTOGRAPHY MANAGER
Justin Smirlies interviewed Annie Constantinescu as part of the State of the Union event held Sept. 25.
a question from a director, there was only one student who engaged in-person. Andres Melendez, a third-year psychology student, gave what he called “a rant” at the end of the event, expressing his opinions on what was discussed. His first contention was with Orientation-Week. “Somebody said previously that o-week is like a bit of a comfort for the homesick, but honestly I think that’s just kind of bullshit,” he commented. “Because I think that it was a little bit overwhelming, like they
certain things,” he said. Constantinescu felt that it was a good opportunity to reach out to students who might not otherwise engage with the union. “I’m not going to lie, some of the questions- didn’t catch me off guard- but it was interesting to see that that’s what some students were thinking about,” said Constantinescu of the event. “Even the individual who spoke at the end- he showed so much passion and [gave a] perspective on big issues that we have heard a little about, but again we’re curious to find out more.”
Lots left unused
Science extends hours
Parking issues at WLU may be a problem with mentality, not available space LINDSAY PURCHASE SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
BRYAN STEPHENS STAFF WRITER
Following last week’s meeting between the university and Special Constable Services (SCS), a pilot program has been announced to extend the hours in the Science building. The new hours will allow students to work in the building until 1:00 a.m. Monday-to-Thursday, 7:00 p.m. on Friday and 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Stephen Franchetto, vice-president of university affairs at the Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union, who mediated between SCS and the university, believes that students have a right to study space. “The university needs to cater to student needs,” he said. “Having students kicked out is unacceptable.” Students who use the study space in the Science building were upset last week when they heard that SCS had begun to enforce the building’s hours, escorting students out after lockdown. Markee, a second-year kinesiology student who declined to give her last name, said for students to be kicked out of the Atrium really limits where they can study on campus. “Resources on campus are very limited and spaces fill up fast,” she said. Some of the biggest concerns that were addressed in the meeting were the exposure of hazardous chemicals that are located on the upper floors of the building to students, the costs of keeping the building open later and some damages to products within the building by
were kind of coked out or something. I found that a lot of the activities were rowdy and they were generally geared towards an extroverted crowd.” Melendez also expressed that not enough awareness is brought to mental health. He explained that he decided to talk at the event due to a survey he filled out from the Students’ Union. “I think that it would be stupid to fill out a survey and not give reasons to that- not actually explain myself of why I’m disappointed with certain things or why I’m happy with
LENA YANG GRAPHICS EDITOR
The Science building will be open later during the week.
people passing through. Franchetto stressed that it’s a matter of weighing in on the “‘wants to do’ versus the ‘needs to do’.” Chris Hancocks, operations manager of SCS, said he believes that the extended hours will have a positive impact.“It’s a good decision moving forward,” he said. Hancocks also underlined that “Special Constables wants students to enjoy their time here,” and that they do not wish to be seen as the villains. Markee believes the pilot program is a good alternative for students who do study in the Atrium, but pointed out that they need to be aware of the program. “The program is good as long as students are aware of the pilot program in place,” she said. “I had no idea about it.” On whether the pilot program will
“Having students kicked out is unacceptable.”
—Stephen Franchetto, president of university affairs at WLUSU
work, Hancocks said that it will ultimately come down to how things turn out in the next few months. “It depends on the trial period; we will see how it goes.”
Complaints about parking availability are about as common to hear as frustration with lack of study space and general campus overcrowding. However, while it appears difficult to find a space to park on campus, even for those with parking passes, this may be a misconception. “We’re overselling but there’s still plenty of parking available,” remarked Sue Dawson, manager of parking and transportation resources at Wilfrid Laurier University. Laurier oversells parking permits by approximately 20 per cent, based on the “transient nature of the campus,” a figure which is below provincial campus rates, according to Dawson. Dawson doesn’t deny that it may be difficult to find a parking space in the campus core, which is where the majority of students, staff and faculty will look for parking. “The core of campus is the most popular parking. [Northdale lot] has never been more than 25 per cent full,” she said, explaining that the university has monitored that lot in particular for usage. “There is parking available, it just perhaps is not where people perceive they would like it to be.” With about 250 spots lost with the closure of the lots around the construction site of the future Global Innovation Exchange building, Laurier moved to provide more space elsewhere. The Northdale campus lot, located at the corner of Hazel St. and Hickory St., was expanded to fit 200 spots for permit holders and there is now additional parking on Regina
St. As these parking lots are located off-campus, some of the convenience is lost with longer walk times when compared with lots in central campus. With the majority of the Laurier campus fitting within a block, a five minute walk time is the expectation for most locations in the university. According to Dawson, “a perception change and a culture change” are needed to adjust this mentality. “A five-to-ten minute walk is not unusual for a campus,” she added. Parking lots outside of campus are likely to be a more common feature as the university continues to grow and develop. Part of the aim is to make campus more pedestrian-friendly. Dawson continued, “I think we need to start to make a culture shift in getting people to park their car and leave it and walk to campus and keep the core of campus more for academics and services.” Where these lots would go is difficult to determine right now. A future parking garage could also be a possibility. “We’ve got a few different options and that’s part of the overall plan that we’re working on right now. Picking where the key locations would be and how that integrates with the overall development of campus. So it doesn’t really make sense perhaps to push parking to the east side of campus if all development is going to the north,” said Dawson. “It’s something that we are working together very closely with physical resources and the overall plan to make sure that when we do make the investment, it’s where people would like it to be.”
THE CORD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2013
CAMPUS
Prof recognized
Bridging the gap
McNickle is the recent Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship recipient
Interdisciplinary conference pushes collaboration
ERIKA YMANA STAFF WRITER
ROBERT CONTE STAFF WRITER
Climate change, poverty, disease and environmental sustainability are all complex problems requiring complex solutions. Laurier’s Centre for Community Research, Learning and Action (CCRLA) believes that these problems can be solved by professionals from many different disciplines coming together and providing their unique expertise to a difficult issue. The CCRLA invited Angus McMurty, an associate professor in the faculty of education at the University of Ottawa, to speak at the Interdisciplinary Conference, Promoting health and well-being through interdisciplinary collaboration: Moving jointly toward shared goals, which took place on Monday. In his speech, McMurty, who has degrees in philosophy, law and education, as well as being a successful entrepreneur, shared his insights on how people in different fields and with different skill-sets can come together to find solutions to complex issues. “People need to build on each other’s ideas and adapt their own to create something new,” said McMurty, who came from what one might call an interdisciplinary background. His immediate family included people involved in many different fields. He also worked with several different professionals when he worked on the popular career finding website, Career Cruising. According to McMurty, he learned early on to mediate these differing opinions. He went on to provide guidelines for working in an interdisciplinary team.
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REBECCA ALLISON STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Abby Goodrum, vice-president of research at Laurier, spoke at the Interdisciplinary Conference in the Science Atrium on Monday.
“People tend to seek out likeminded individuals,” said McMurty. “This needs to be avoided in order to find real solutions to complex problems.” “The power of teams comes from diversity,” said McMurty. Abby Goodrum, vice-president of research at Laurier, also spoke at the conference. She, like McMurty, has a diverse professional background and believes that through interdisciplinary work, the present world’s complicated issues can be solved. “All of the big changes that challenge the world today are at the boundaries of our knowledge…only through collaboration can we solve them,” said Goodrum. Goodrum went on to say that collaboration needs to be encouraged through funding. Universities, she believes, need to promote interdisciplinary collaboration by providing funding to academics working with people from different disciplines, something already happening here at Laurier. “It is a part of Laurier’s secret
sauce,” said Goodrum. After his speech, McMurty was pleased to have the opportunity to assist others in their interdisciplinary work, which he said is becoming a discipline within itself. He also believes there is still work to be done in “bridging the gap” between disciplines. “How do you get a sociologist and physicist to talk?” asked McMurty. Carol Stalker, professor and associate dean of the PhD program at the faculty of social work at Laurier, attended the conference to learn more about what her colleagues in different disciplines were working on. She found McMurty’s views very interesting and applauded the “practical advice” he provided. Michael Pratt, professor of psychology, hoped to learn more about his colleagues as well, with a particular interest in the environment. He believes that interdisciplinary work is important to finding solutions. “These problems require lots of different perspectives here. It’s urgent,” said Pratt.
Gordon McNickle, a post-doctoral researcher at Wilfrid Laurier University, was named a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow this past week on Sept. 23. The Banting Post-doctoral Fellowship program allows researchers to pursue their research in any direction and to realize their potential. This program rewards recipients with $70,000 per year for two years. According to Julie Conrad, manager of the Vanier-Banting Secretariat, there were a total of 442 eligible applicants but only 70 received awards. “It’s not a very easy award to get. He [McNickle] went through the review process and submitted all the right documentation. He demonstrated that he merited that award,” said Conrad. “I guess it feels good to be recognized,” said McNickle. After all required documentation has been submitted, the selection process begins with a review done by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and gives an initial score. The score is based on three equally weighted areas: research excellence and leadership in the research domain, quality of the application for proposed research programs, and institutional commitment and demonstrated synergy between applicant and institutional strategic priorities. Scores are submitted to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and are equalized in a top-down manner. Lists are finally sent to the Vanier-Banting Steering Committee for final approval. McNickle’s work focuses on the evolutionary game theory of plants. Game theory is the strategy that plants use to communicate with each other and with other organisms. Studying evolutionary game theory helps him in understanding how these strategies explain the coexistence of plants and other organisms. The University and the Cold Regions Research Centre (CRRC) are interested in applying this research to changes in the boreal forest.
“It’s a good feather in my cap. It’s a rare thing to have the freedom to pursue my research in every direction I want.” —Gordon McNickle, post-doctoral researcher at WLU McNickle believes that he was chosen as a fellow due to the fit between him and the institution. “That fit that’s happening between me and the great stuff that’s already happening at Laurier. Probably a big part [as to why I was chosen],” he explained. “What it means for the recipients, is they are well-positioned for the leaders of tomorrow in any type of research they undertake,” said Conrad. According to McNickle, the university’s partnership with the government of the Northwest Territories and the research currently happening is what convinced him to pursue his work at WLU. Also, working with Jennifer Baltzer, a biology professor at Laurier, has helped him to further develop his mathematical ideas and how they can be applied to real world systems. Going forward, McNickle said, “It’s a good feather in my cap. It’s a rare thing to have the freedom to pursue research in every direction I want and with the support of people like Jen and the CRRC, gives me a lot of access to resources. So I guess I hope that I’ll come out of here knowing a lot more. I would not be here if not for her.” In terms of pursuing his own research in evolutionary game theory, McNickle is convinced that evolutionary games are important in the study of the environment and biology. “So I guess I’d like to think I’m onto something that’s the right answer — time will tell.”
JESSICA DIK CORD PHOTOGRAPHY
McNickle looks at the impact of climate change on boreal forests.
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LOCAL
THE CORD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2013 Local Editor Ashley Denuzzo adenuzzo@thecord.ca
Smoking laws re-considered —cover
ANNA BEARD CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
Ethel’s owner Glenn Smith has hopes to take over the popular Kitchener music venue, The Boathouse.
From tacos to tunes BRYAN STEPHENS CORD NEWS
Kitchener-based music venue, The Boathouse, was closed up earlier this month after the City of Kitchener found that its previous owner, Kevin Doyle, was five months overdue on rent and utility fees. On Sept. 16, locks were changed at the venue with signs posted at the entrances saying, “closed until further notice.” Starting in early October, city officials will be putting out requests for proposals for people to take over the business. Prospects will have one month to submit detailed plans for the 81-seat bar-restaurant. One such proposal is coming from Glenn Smith, the current owner of Ethel’s Lounge on King St. N and co-owner of Frat Burger across from Wilfrid Laurier University. Commenting on his decision to offer a proposal, Smith said he thought the Boathouse was a “cool spot” to set up a new business.
“It’s a cool thing and I think it would be fun to do,” he said. Smith said his biggest challenge in renting out the building would be planning out what to actually do with the building. “It’s a matter of figuring out what you’re doing to do, how you’re going to execute it,” he said. “It’s just about the right people, right systems and right market. You just have to move forward and do it.” Smith also explained why he thinks the Boathouse is an important building to the community. “I grew up in Kitchener, so I’ve sort of know that place my whole life,” he said. “I looked at it and it pained me to see how poorly it was operated over the past ten years.” “It’s always been in the back of my mind.” Smith used to own a blues bar on Queen Street South called Pop the Gator, so he is no stranger when it comes to running a concert venue like The Boathouse.
“It would be similar to what it is now, a live-music venue,” Smith said, regarding his plans for the venue. “I’d book indie bands to play here. I’d want a kitchen attached which would make it a nightclub with food available.” While the venue is currently boarded up, the value it has to the City of Kitchener is not forgotten. Glenn Smith believes it to be an important venue within the Kitchener cultural landscape as well . When asked about why he should be chosen by the city, he remarked that his previous experience with musical venues gives him an edge. “I know more about it. No one else has the talent as much as I do to pull it off.” The city also believes that as long as everything goes according to plan, a new operator for the Boathouse could be selected as early as Christmas, with the Boathouse reopening next summer after renovations are completed. - With files from Ashley Denuzzo
benefits associated with eliminating smoking in public outdoor spaces. Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable disease and death in Ontario, killing more than 13,000 Ontarians every year. “I think the two objectives of the public policy in this realm is to reduce people’s exposure to secondhand smoke and to make it harder for smokers to smoke. Both these objectives, if achieved, would improve public health,” Strickland added. Seeing or smelling smoke can also pose challenges to smokers who have quit, according to Mall. He added that support for banning smoking in has seen support in other areas. “We have seen with other communities that public support for smoke-free public places is often higher after a by-law has been in place for a while, he said. “In addition, those communities that have already implemented a by-law have
“We have seen ... that public support for smoke-free public places is often higher after a by-law has been in place.” —Jonathan Mall, manger of tobacco and cancer prevention with Region of Waterloo Public Health found that there have been relatively few charges laid.” Waterloo Public Health is still in the process of gathering information with regard to the issue, hoping to resolve it soon in order for the municipalities to make a final decision. Strickland concluded, “Whatever we decide, any actions are the right decision and would be carried on in a thoughtful and balanced way.”
LENA YANG GRAPHICS EDITOR
Motorola sets up shop in Kitchener-Waterloo ASHLEY DENUZZO LOCAL AND NATIONAL EDITOR
LENA YANG GRAPHICS EDITOR
Mere days had passed since BlackBerry Ltd. announced mass layoffs when Google-owned Motorola Mobil declared that they would be opening up a new engineering office in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. The announcement came last week of major changes reported at BlackBerry, which is now operating under new ownership. Twitter cofounder, Jack Dorsey, also recently stated his intentions to open up a Canadian office for his new company, Square. This timely influx of tech companies into Waterloo Region raises questions about whether intentions are to absorb laid off BlackBerry workers. However, according to Derek Phillips, the engineering director at Motorola Canada, this decision came from other motivations. “We saw a lot of opportunity to hire people straight out of university,” he said. “You know that when you’re starting at a small office and you’re
wanting to grow larger, one of the best ways to do that is thinking long-term,” Phillips elaborated. “And that includes hiring a lot of people who are relatively new and are looking at opportunities to grow.” Phillips referenced the Waterloo as “the best place” to generally grow a business, referring to its stellar university programs and lots of start-ups. And according to Phillips, the plan to move to Waterloo Region was already months in the works before news of BlackBerry’s recent changes were revealed. When asked about whether Motorola was planning on absorbing laid off BlackBerry employees, he asserted that the Google-owned company would be willing to consider any qualified applicant regardless of their previous employer. “Some workers will come straight out of university and others will have worked at other companies and have lots of experience already,” he said. “As long as we can get people to come in and interview, then we’d
love to hire them.” Phillips also mentioned that Motorola is especially looking to hire software engineers, as the new office will be predominantly engineering-heavy. “We’re ready to hire and are looking to grow for people primarily in software engineering,” he said. “Mainly people who are programmers, developers, people who are closer to hardware.” The new Kitchener-Waterloo office has already set up camp in the Breithaupt block in downtown Kitchener, walking distance to Google’s current location in the Tannery Building. Motorola is already open for business and is looking to hire immediately. With the new office only a tenminute drive from BlackBerry’s global headquarters, this may be not only a good move for Motorola, but a salvation for the unemployed. “We want a real balance,” Phillips said. “And we’re certainly willing to look at people interested in working for us.”
THE CORD • WEDNESDAY, october 2, 2013
Local
• 7
Gilmour pulled —cover
ryan hueglin photograph y manager
Equinox’s annual academic summit focused on education from an international level, calling attention to the urgent need for change.
Panel challenges education system connor ward cord news
Steve Paikin, known best for his popular talk show, The Agenda, paid a visit to Waterloo’s Perimeter Institute for a special filming. The episode was a part of the Perimeter Institute’s Equinox Summit, a series of events taking place over the week in co-ordination with the University of Waterloo. The Equinox Summit held a central theme of Education 2030, focusing on how the education sector needs to change in order to properly serve the students of the future. This segment of the Summit, which took place on Sept. 30, focused on disengaged students and what society can do to increase student interest and success within the education system. The main assertion of the panel was that much of the world is using an education system built in
the twentieth century for the strikingly different twenty-first century. A statement reiterated by many of the panelists was that our education system has failed to evolve with society. “I think a lot of learners are more engaged in their own education than ever before,” said John Kershaw, a panelist and former deputy minister of education for New Brunswick. “What they are disengaged from is the public education system that isn’t meeting their needs.” Other panelists included: Susan Opok, managing director of Promoting Equality in African Schools (PEAS) from Uganda; Zainab Ramahi, from the Knowledge Integration Student Society at the University of Waterloo and Graham BrownMartin, founder of Education Design Labs from England. According to the panel, the classroom intensive, “homework-driven” school system is failing to meet the
demands of children and teachers alike. Currently, the average Canadian student spends up to 1800 hours in class per year, above the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average of approximately 1700 hours per year, and much higher than that of Finland, which possesses an extremely esteemed education system, at around 1400 hours per year. “In Finland, we give less homework to our students after school hours,” Kaisa Kuoppala, a representative from the University of Helsinki, explained. “We could also improve quality of lessons, so that students could be more actively involved.” The panel also discussed ideas of how the education systems of not only Canada, but of the world, could be reformed in order to properly interest and engage students. “I think we have to recognize that
we do have to see change, major change, on an urgent basis,” said Kershaw. “Canadians have to understand that there’s a need for change. I think the first step is improving the quality of teaching in the nine months students are in school, before deciding to mess with summer vacation.” Kuopalla also weighed in on the matter, saying how she thought “learning should involve multiple teachers, from varying subjects, together with the students.” “Nothing in life is only about mathematics, history or biology,” she added. “Students should be engaged in activities which combine multiple subjects, enabling them to prepare for real life.” Overall, panelists asserted that education must be adapted to foster creative, active learners who are engaged in quality, innovative learning.
“This thing went viral,” explained Rachel Bulatovich, a fourth-year English student at the University of Toronto and current student of Gilmour. “I was on campus for those few days,” she said. “Everyone got mad and that snowballed into this crusade to get him fired.” Bulatovich, who has known Gilmour since her first year in university, explained that students were very present on social media, hoping to call attention to his remarks. “One of my friends was even trying to convince me to go to this protest, saying that she thought there would be an ‘intellectual discussion there,’” she said. “I didn’t think so because rallies and protests are used to bring attention to a cause.” “The difference here is that everybody is already paying attention and everyone already knows what’s going on.” Bulatovich went on to explain that she did not agree with the “lynchmob” approach that her peers had towards the issue. Now that Gilmour’s event in Waterloo has been cancelled, questions surrounding censorship have arisen. The Waterloo Record had reported that David Worsley, the co-owner of Words Worth, did not want to cancel the talk because “he was not in the business of censorship.” However, Words Worth strongly stated that the decision came from Words Worth alone and was not affiliated with the Waterloo Public Library. “We originally brought the event to Waterloo Public Library,” Brouse explained further in her statement. “It was for us to decide and it was a difficult decision for us to make.”
A Creative Enterprise Initiative
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THE CORD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2013
NATIONAL
National Editor Ashley Denuzzo adenuzzo@thecord.ca
Youth struggle to find employment ASHLEY DENUZZO LOCAL AND NATIONAL EDITOR
It’s no surprise that Ontario’s youth are some of the most commonly unemployed people in the nation. A new study released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives in Ontario evaluated youth unemployment rates in Canada and determined that Ontario has the worst rates. The term “youth” was used to distinguish those in the age group of 15-to-24. “During the last five years, since the start of the recession, we’ve actually seen workers in Ontario fully regain their jobs and position in the work force,” explained Sean Geobey, the author of the study and doctoral candidate at the University of Waterloo. “But youth [unemployment rates] have stayed the same or have gotten even worse.” The study revealed that so far in 2013, Ontario youth unemployment rates have fluctuated between 16 and 17.1 per cent. This is significantly higher than Canada’s youth unemployment rate, which usually stands between 13.5 and 14.5 per cent. The study also evaluated Ontario’s worst cities for youth unemployment, showing that Windsor, Oshawa, London and Brantford have a youth unemployment rate higher than 20 per cent. Toronto was also analyzed, displaying a high rate of 18.1 per cent. Toronto currently holds the title for “worst gap” between youth and adult employment in the province, which is 21.8 per cent. “What’s striking about that was that it wasn’t just that there hadn’t been a recovery amongst youth but that this was really just an Ontario phenomenon,” Geobey said, referring to Canada’s ability to regain jobs after the 2008-2009 recession. “It really stood out as being quite troubling for the Ontario workforce.” Geobey also looked at the youth “employment rate” which measures how many youth actually have jobs. He explained that this rate is significantly worse today than it was before the recession. Currently, the monthly employment rates in Ontario range from 50–52 per cent. This means that half of all Ontario youth do not have jobs.
JACOB LINDGREN GRAPHICS ARTIST
“A lot of that can be blamed on the decline of the manufacturing sector,” Geobey said. “But that’s not enough in itself … Quebec has a very similar manufacturing economy but the different between youth unemployment rate and adult in Ontario is over 10 per cent, wherein Quebec its about 3 per cent.” Geobey also speculated that the provincial government hasn’t exactly made the best choices, saying they have “firmly put the burden of the recession on young worker in Ontario.” However, the most troubling factors in this study was that many of these unemployed youths were actually college or university educated. In fact, Ontario youth with “advanced degrees” are showing a 17.1 per cent higher unemployment rate than young workers who have only completed high or other post secondary education. “You are better off graduating with a university degree than with just a high school diploma,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean you are
going to get work that’s in your field, or permanent positions, or working beyond a contract of temporary employment.” Cat Rogers, a recent graduate who has returned home to Ontario, knows this story all too well. She had just come off a four-year sociology program at Ohio University, where she attended on a soccer scholarship. Now back in Ontario, Rogers has gone five months without work and sees no end. “It just sucks that I did four years of school, had really good grades, and all that doesn’t really stand for much if you don’t have experience,” she said. Geobey explained that students who obtain a form of co-op or apprenticeship style program have an upper hand in the job market. In fact, the Ontario government is now funding a two-year program to help unemployed youth gain relevant work experience needed to earn entry-level positions. Their goal is to create 30,000 jobs in Ontario.
“I did four years of school, had really good grades and all that doesn’t really stand for much if you don’t have experience” —Cat Rogers, a recent Ohio University graduate and unemployed youth.
“Given the size of the problem, I think that that’s better than nothing,” explained Goebey. “If the program is successful, that will just bring us down to the Canadian average of unemployment rates.”
Canada in brief Topless protest disrupts legislature A group of protestors, reacting against the Parti Quebecois’ proposed Charter of Values, began taking off their clothes during question period on Tuesday when premier Marois answered a question. The group of women are part of an organization called FEMEN Quebec. Protestors were criticizing the alleged hypocrisy of the values charter, which would permit certain Christian symbols to remain, while banning other religious symbols. They chanted “crucifix, decalisse,” translated loosely to mean “crucifix, get the hell out of here.” Security guards removed the protestors from the chamber.
Report reveals veteran troubles Canada’s veterans’ ombudsman Guy Parent has revealed his assessment of the government’s veterans’ charter, indicating that action needs to be taken to protect their financial situation. Parent found that there was inadequate financial compensation provided to veterans. Benefits and pensions, he believes, are insufficient. Changes were previously made by the Conservative government in 2011 to the charter after it received a slew of complaints. Veterans have been critical of the changes to the system that they believe discriminates against them by providing less than what was provided by the government in the past.
Cyber-bullying scrutinized in Nova Scotia A new cyber-bullying investigative unit has been unveiled and is now operating in Nova Scotia. The unit, which includes five investigators, will take in complaints of cyberbullying and investigate them. This is the most recent development in a growing trend to address this modern form of bullying. Nova Scotia also passed the Cyber-SafetyAct in 2013. Investigators have the ability to apply for cyberbullying prevention order to prevent cyber communication between the perpetrator and victim, refer the case to legal or police channels or resolve the situation informally. - Compiled by Lindsay Purchase
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THE CORD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2013
CLASSIFIEDS DearLIFE 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. Dear Life, When are people going to realize we’re not in first year anymore? You can’t show up 15 minutes late to your fourth year seminar class, ESPECIALLY when you have a presentation. Sincerely, Just get out of university, you’re doing it wrong Dear Life, I like how our university has a close relationship with Waterloo University and Guelph University. It in fact is great for getting research material that is not in our own limited library. However, with the recent administrative decisions… One can quite safely say, don’t make a degree requirement that you yourself cannot offer. Why do I have to hunt down the signature of 3-4 individuals across Waterloo to apply to a class of unknown time so that I can get a degree offered by the university that is not even providing said courses? This is absurd and nonsensical. Administration, I know you love the glorious and prestigious business school but there is something to be said for faculty equality. If I wanted to go to Waterloo University I would have accepted their letter. Sincerely,
Advertising Manager Angela Endicott angela.taylor@wlusp.com
I chose Laurier for a reason. Dear Life, I can’t fucking stand a single aspect of Laurier. Please let this campus sink into the earth. Sincerely, Bitter Sixth Year Dear Life, Today I suffered a mild cardiac arrest when climbing up 15 flights of stairs to get to my apartment, stepped in a mixture of vomit and beer, learned all the lyrics to red solo cup (not by choice) and got held for questioning by special constables who thought I had broken into the science building. Sincerely, Homecoming weekend Dear Life, The Rice Krispies squares at the dining hall today legit tasted like acetone. How??? Sincerely, Confused and alarmed Dear Life, Today I had an awe-inspiring moment while reading an academic journal. I thought to myself “man this is really helpful, and sums up everything so well.” I then look at the author and realize it is one of my professors. I feel like going up to her and saying “I want to be just like you when I grow up!” Sincerely, A Prof’s Fan Girl Dear Life, To those guys in the bird costumes at homecoming, you made my day. Sincerely, It’s Great to Be a Laurier GoldenHawk Dear Life and its Livers, This, too, shall pass. Whether it’s exams, stress, friends, beer, or life
itself – it will pass. So make the most of it now. Sincerely, Anonymous Dear Cord, Please make sure your information is entirely accurate before posting it. Yes, this a consistent problem. Yes, it covers many areas of your paper and online media. Sincerely, You’re our main media source, please don’t abuse it Dear Life, You know 2 years ago there was an article stating how low of an average there was in GPAS for students and now I am trying to study in the science atrium and now you want to kick me out by sending in special constables, well this is bullshit LAURIER! How about you take your stupid night rules and shove it! IF I WANTED A CURFEW I WOULD HAVE LIVED AT HOME WITH MY PARENTS. Sincerely, You’re killing my studying vibe
Sincerely, Ready to go take it off the hinges! Dear Life, Spotted at Laurier is exactly the same as LikeALittle, and that didn’t last very long for all those older students who remember. Sincerely, Just a Fad Dear Life, Thanks to the Laurier Women’s Soccer team for working extremely hard after the Homecoming Football game to clean up the entire stadium. You moved hundreds of chairs, tables and heavy metal blockades. While everyone else was out partying you were cleaning up our mess. Sincerely, Your dedication inspires us all!
E-mail Opinion Editor Dani Saad at dsaad@ thecord.ca or apply at wlusp.com/ volunteer.
Dear Life, I hope the people who take the elevator to the SECOND floor of bricker know that everyone talks about how lazy they are once they leave the elevator… Sincerely, Talking about you is a bonding ritual Dear Life, I wish I got paid for the hours I spend at school every week. Sincerely, 60+ hour weeks are too damn long Dear Life, It would be greatly appreciated if someone could fix that super annoying squeaky door in the atrium. (Bricker Street side)
Now hiring all opinion columnists!
Volunteer Volunteer Holiday Gift Wrapping Positions @Conestoga Mall are now open Dec 1-24. Training takes place in November. Please visit www.eww.ivolunteer.com or call Jennifer @ 519745-2112. In support of Epilepsy Waterloo- Wellington.
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THE CORD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2013
PHOTOS
Photography Managers Heather Davidson and Ryan Hueglin photos@thecord.ca
Welcome home From September 27-29, Wilfrid Laurier University’s students and alumni celebrated the 2013 Homecoming with football, beers and cheers
Check out the full Homecoming 2013 gallery on our Flickr account on thecord.ca
Photos by Heather Davidson, Kha Vo, Jody Waardenburg and Rosalie Eid
• 11
THE CORD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2013
LIFE
Life Editor Alanna Fairey afairey@thecord.ca
How easy is it to steal a laptop?
HENRY GODDARD VIDEO EDITOR
ALANNA FAIREY LIFE EDITOR
What would you do if you saw someone stealing a laptop on campus? With people all over campus with their noses in their textbooks studying, it’s a miracle that people notice anything that is going on around them. That certainly would seem to be enough incentive for anyone to steal an available laptop. Two years ago, I went around Waterloo stealing bicycles to see how easy it would be and I was met with very little conflict. I assumed that the same would apply to stealing laptops on campus. As part of an experiment, The Cord filmed my thievery, with my friend Malvin Seto playing the victim, and I soon discovered that it certainly posed a challenge.
The Science Atrium: The First Attempt
When we first arrived at the science atrium in the early evening, it was full of students who were trying to do some last minute studying for their midterms. This meant that at
least one person would notice me trying to steal a laptop. Malvin had set up his laptop on the table in the middle of the atrium. Five minutes after, he left pretending to be on the phone. This was when I entered. I thought that I was being pretty swift, trying not to make any eye contact with those who were sitting close by. Once I took the laptop, however, I was not as smooth. Instinctively, I was looking around to see if Malvin was coming back, and being the first spot we were experimenting with, I didn’t have the best hiding spot. I inadvertently drew attention to the cameras because I was peering around the corner trying to see reactions of the students who were sitting close by. Alas, for a brief period of time, I did have two students named Steve and Mark convinced that I was legitimately stealing laptops. When asked why they didn’t stop me when they saw me steal the laptop, Mark said, “I was in shock at first, I could see you looking and I didn’t know what to do.” The two men had planned to call after me and chase me down, but my conspicuous behaviour let them know that they were part of an experiment. “If you had made a straight dart maybe I would have believed you were actually stealing the laptop,” Steve shared. So if you don’t act guilty or make
it obvious that you are up to no good, you could get away with stealing laptops in the science atrium.
Science Atrium: The Second Attempt
Learning from my mistakes in the first attempt, I decided to try stealing laptops again, only I entered from the back and had Malvin set up closer to the front of the atrium. Malvin once again walked away from the laptop pretending to be on his phone and I made my way over to the laptop. A table of three girls witnessed me stealing the laptop and their reactions were ones that even I didn’t see coming. “That’s not her laptop!” One girl had exclaimed. In a panic, I ran off with the laptop and the girls were initially in shock and debated briefly on what they had to do. I was shocked when two of the three girls came running after me and yelling at me to come back with the laptop. Fearing the risk of getting caught in an unnecessary cat fight and the threat of getting into some serious legal trouble, I let these two girls catch up to me. I revealed that they had been part of an experiment, which they had been successful in. The two girls were in absolute shock and I may have caused some heart damage there. To the two girls who came after me, I greatly apologize for the scare
I gave you, but at least you made me believe in the kindness of strangers!
Business Atrium: The Final attempt Given the excitement of the last adventure with the laptop, I was expecting even more students in the business atrium to notice my thievery. Malvin sat in the middle of the atrium, with overcrowded tables full of students, some of which he actually knew. Since the Business Atrium is much smaller than the science atrium, I had high hopes of getting a reaction from people. While Malvin was pretending to go off somewhere, I went into my seemingly normal routine of stealing his laptop. When I went to grab the laptop, a cluster of papers somehow got caught up in the screen and I was fumbling to get them out. I was almost certain that someone would notice the ruckus that I had made. No one did. I walked out of there unnoticed. When Malvin came back and he asked people if they had noticed whoever took his laptop, they all said that they didn’t see me and they advised him to call Special Constables. Soon after, I came back with Malvin’s laptop and when I explained myself to the confused group of business students, one had said that
he saw me take the laptop but he just “didn’t care”. My hopes for humanity just went out the window. If you do see someone stealing a laptop, don’t be a bystander. Call after them or try to catch them. However, if you are unable to do so, send a report to Special Constables and give as much description of the thief and the laptop as you can.
Watch online at
thecord.ca Want to see
Life Editor Alanna Fairey’s
full laptop theft adventure and the hilarious reactions of those around her? Check out the video online!
Going from drab to fab SAMANTHA PEART CORD LIFE
As we begin to enter fall, what is the most important thing that comes with it? Why, fall fashion, of course! You’re a student and you don’t want to put a ton of effort into an outfit, especially for class where you want to be comfortable and casual. However, it is important to avoid dressing like a ‘plain-Jane.’ This is where accessories come to the rescue! There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to accessories. This makes them the perfect way to showcase your style and have a little fun with fashion. Take a moment to envision this: a woman walking to class in a plain white t-shirt, blue skinny jeans and flip-flops. This look is totally an appropriate daytime look, however it does lean
on the side of ‘plain-Jane’ and it is best that you avoid this as much as you can. Now envision this: a woman walking to class wearing the same tshirt and jeans. This time, swap the flip-flops for a funky pair of booties while adding a chunky necklace and a bold colourful tote. This look is completely appropriate for daytime, while keeping with trends and showing off a sense of style. While fashion is meant to be fun and expressive, there are a few guidelines to be aware of when working with accessories. First, be aware of proportions. If you’re wearing a voluminous outfit it is perfectly fine to scale back on accessories. With a sleek look, it is important to add some drama to the outfit with a statement piece like a scarf or some big earrings.
Second, along with balancing proportions it is important to balance colour. With an outfit consisting of mostly monochromes, such as black and white, it is easy to add balance with a few pops of colour in your accessories. Finally, buy accessories that fit your personality. While going along with trends is a good way to start experimenting with accessories, it is important to find pieces that you like and will reflect who you are. When you’re wearing accessories that you’re not comfortable wearing, it definitely shows. So make sure that you love the accessories that you’re buying. At the end of the day, fashion and accessories are all about having fun and being expressive. As long as you’re confident in what you’re wearing, you’ll always look beautiful.
ANDRIANA VINNITCHOK CORD PHOTOGRAPHY
A few simple accessories will transform anyone into a fashionista.
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THE CORD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2013
LIFE
Cocktails for fall Staff writer Timothy Howard offers his own insights into popular fall cocktails
ANDREAS PATSIAOUROS CORD PHOTOGRAPHY
Debunking popular birth control myths BETHANY BOWLES CORD LIFE
It’s been drilled into our heads since middle school: don’t get pregnant if you’re not ready. We all know that it’s not ideal to get pregnant while a student. We also know that it’s not always realistic to remain abstinent; university is a time of experimentation. So you take the pill or use condoms to prevent any unwanted pregnancies from happening. We use these methods so casually that sometimes we forget to ask ourselves if we’re using them correctly or if we even understand them at all. Marilyn Nieboer, Wilfrid Laurier University’s health educator at the health and development centre, identified several myths surrounding birth control.
“If I’m on antibiotics, my birth control pill will still work”
With cold and flu season coming around, girls on the pill should take note of how certain medications can affect their birth control pills. “Some antibiotics, not all of them, but some antibiotics decrease the effectiveness of the pill,” Nieboer claimed. She recommends that if your doctor prescribes you an antibiotic,
make sure to ask him or her if it will affect your pill and use condoms.
“I forgot to take my pill but I’ll just take it tomorrow”
Ladies, it happens. Sometimes we just forget. Nieboer instructs that when you realize you forgot to take your pill, take it right away and then take your next one at your scheduled time. This may mean you’re taking two pills in one day. If you find you’ve missed two days in a row, take two pills at your next scheduled time, then two the next day. If you miss a pill or two, you should be using a back-up method, like condoms, for the rest of the month. The Region of Waterloo Public Health stated, “when taken correctly, the pill is more than ninetynine per cent effective in preventing pregnancy,” but this is only if taken correctly.
“If I’m on the pill, I can’t get pregnant”
The whole purpose of taking birth control is to prevent pregnancy. Although this is true, Nieboer claimed that it takes approximately one month for the pill to start working. When you start the pill, you aren’t prevented from pregnancy after the first few days; it has to work its way
into your system.
“Guys, if she’s on the pill, you don’t need to use a condom”
If she’s on the pill and taking it correctly, chances are you’re safe from pregnancy. But what about sexually transmitted infections and diseases? “The birth control pill is great for contraception, but its not going to protect you from STIs,” Nieboer said. You both don’t know each other’s sexual history, so be safe.
“Plan B is an abortion you can swallow”
The morning-after pill has always been the most mysterious method of birth control. Despite popular belief, it is not comparable to an abortion. The morning after pill can be taken up to 72 hours after the unprotected sex occurred, but it is most effective in the first 24 hours. You can get it without a prescription at a pharmacy or at Health Services. Nieboer clarified that the morning after pill acts as a double dose of birth control, and stops the egg from being released. “It prevents pregnancy before conception,” she remarked, unlike an abortion, which terminates a pregnancy after conception.
Let’s talk about fitness RENEE FILBEY CORD LIFE
We all know that student life can wreak havoc on a healthy lifestyle: busy schedules, Kraft Dinner and endless studying just isn’t workout friendly. Unfortunately, it’s easy to let fitness slide when you’re caught up in busy everyday life. Whether you are bulking up, losing weight or just keeping a healthy lifestyle, it’s important to do a wellrounded workout. You could do a hundred crunches, but if you don’t add in cardio you’re missing crucial benefits. A well-designed workout includes cardio and strength training, as well as flexibility, and should be anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes. Of course, with busy school
schedules and extracurricular activities it can be difficult to make time to workout. On workout days, go to class in your gym clothes. If you’re already dressed and ready, you make it easier for yourself to stop by the gym. Try and go to the gym with friends. It’s especially nice to have a buddy if you’re new to the gym. If you don’t want to bring a friend to the gym, bring a reading from one of your classes. Print out an article from class, sit yourself on a gym bike and kill two birds with one stone. Even if you don’t have time for the gym, there are ways to squeeze quick, easy workouts into your day. Try breaking your half hour of exercise into ten-minute chunks: when you wake up, as a study break throughout the day and before you go to bed. There are plenty of simple workouts you can do without equipment, even in the cramped space of a dorm. Classics like squats and pushups are tried and true. Try doing tricep dips using your desk chair. Throw in some jumping
You may brush off a quick workout as not being worth it - but a little bit of exercise is better than none.
jacks for cardio, or put on your music and get wild with your best dance moves. Try doing little things throughout the day, like calf raises while you brush your teeth, or taking the stairs. You may brush off a quick workout as not being worth it — but a little bit of exercise is better than none. Exercise boosts self-confidence, relieves stress and will help you stay golden throughout university, so make the most of it.
KATE TURNER VISUAL DIRECTOR
Royal Washington Apple
Cinnamon Toast Cocktail
It’s the kind of beverage that you need to take your time with. I don’t usually mix liquors, which is why I found the Royal Washington Apple a bit strong for my liking. Don’t get me wrong, it is not a bad drink at all, but you would have to be hard as nails if you felt like racing to finish it.
The spiced rum really mingles together with the sugar and cinnamon, and is very satisfying married with the hot cider. It is not overwhelmingly sweet and doesn’t sacrifice the taste. Light and sweet, it is a fireside drink that warms you up instantly.
1 ounce of Crown Royal and a quarter ounce of Smirnoff Green Apple Vodka. To be enjoyed with ice for your pleasure.
A dash of sugar, cinnamon, and Captain Morgan’s Original Spiced Rum, and hot apple cider. Rim your glass in both the sugar and the cinnamon, adding one shot of rum.
• 13
THE CORD • WEDNESDAY, October 2, 2013
Arts
Arts Editor Cristina Almudevar calmudevar@thecord.ca
Cape Breton girl charms audience robin daprato cord arts
There is an unfortunate reputation, especially among the younger generations, that going to the symphony is dull— this past Friday however, was anything but that. The K-W Symphony held their annual Gala fundraising event at the Conrad Centre for the Performing Arts, featuring the vibrant, Canadian Juno award-winning fiddler Natalie MacMaster. A Beautiful Night with Natalie MacMaster, was just that—a beautiful celebration of the culture and “real, unique and distinct” sounds of MacMaster’s hometown Cape Breton. In MacMaster’s interview with The Cord, she expressed what it meant for her to be a ‘Cape Breton Girl.’ For her, Cape Breton is not just her hometown; it is the core inspiration for her being and her music. “Being specifically so Cape Breton stylistically has been such an asset, so I like to sort of keep that association especially now that I am not living there I don’t want to lose that identity especially since because that is so much of who I am,” she said. This unique Cape Breton attitude and musicality was present as soon as MacMaster walked on the stage. She opened up with Scott MacMillan’s “Tunes a Plenty.” The free spirit and sincerity of her sound had the whole audience grinning widely as they tapped their feet to the warm Celtic sounds emanating off the
stage. MacMaster danced wildly, breaking the conventions of how one would think you are supposed to behave with an orchestra. The members of the symphony seem taken aback by the moonwalking fiddler, but as the performance went on they began to loosen up because of her infectious nature. However, according to MacMaster, she hasn’t always been the confident performer we see today. “I’m really shy. Of course, I am not shy anymore, but my natural being would be a person that is quiet, shy and respectful,” she added. Though she may have triumphed over her shyness, she has not lost touch of being a respectful performer. MacMaster never let go of an opportunity to thank and praise the performers on the stage with her, whether that was her band mates’ Èric Breton and Mac Morin or the conductor Evan Mitchell, she had a respect for her collaborators that was so deeply genuine, it was hard not to fall in love with her as a performer. An unforgettable moment was the duet between MacMaster and concertmaster Jarek Polak who performed “Devil’s Dream.” As the classical violinist picked up his instrument, MacMaster teased how this song shows that “there is no difference between the violin and the fiddle except for a few hundred dollars.” As the two musicians began to
play, it felt as if the classical world and the Celtic world were united as one. Each performer commanded the stage in their distinct stylistic fashion, neither one playing any less passionately than the other. As the first half came to a close, MacMaster teased the audience asking if we are sick of fiddle music yet. Everyone in the audience could agree that was not the case. From the melodic ballad “If Ever You Were Mine” to Scott MacMillan’s “Stars on the Hill Medley,” each song kept the audience engaged The second half did not fall short of the first. From the vibrant sounds of “Jessie’s Polka” to the heart wrenching “Anniversay Waltz,” it was clear the captivated audience did not want the evening to end. As MacMaster, her band and the orchestra played the encore, she encouraged the audience to get off their feet and dance. There was no objection from the audience as the whole theatre stood up and started dancing and clapping as she danced around the stage fiercely playing her fiddle. The audience roared as MacMaster got off the stage. In reference to her performance, MacMaster stated, “In this day and age people appreciate something that is so uniquely cultural and real.” A Beautiful Night With Natalie MacMaster was a confirmation of how much people appreciate this sense of ‘real,’ as MacMaster brought the audience to experience the unique sounds and styles of Cape Breton.
contributed photo
How a teacher changed T.V. mike hajmasy STAFF WRITER
JODY WAARDENBURG LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
Partying with Hollerado cristina almudevar arts editor
Any concert put on by Ottawabased band Hollerado is always a party. Their concert this past Sept. 26 was no exception; stagehands would frequently run on stage to blast the crowd with confetti bombs, lead singer Menno Versteeg climbed up on the speakers and there was a foam machine running intermittently. Given the personalities in the band, this isn’t surprising at all. Hollerado formed in early 2007 with most of the band members growing up on the same street in Manotick, a small suburb of Ontario. “We just wanted to do something in our empty garages. We decided the best thing to do in our garages would be to play music,” Nick Boyd, guitarist and vocalist, quips about their beginnings. Hollerado isn’t one to take
themselves—or anything—seriously. Just take the origin of the band name, Hollerado. “It came from the English alphabet. That’s what we used to synthesize [the name]. The “L” is doubled,” said drummer Jake Boyd to The Cord. “There are a number of vowels and consonants,” Versteeg continued. “We wanted a good balance of both.” “I’ve always been a big fan of ‘L’s’, my brother’s name is Luke … I don’t have any ‘L’s’ in my name … [we suffer from] ‘L’ envy,” said Dean Baxter, bassist and vocals, branching off of Jake Boyd’s comment. While they do run into problems with the occasional Spanish fan who cannot pronounce the double “L” in Hollerado, they generally enjoy a very successful career. The band was nominated for a Juno award in 2011, though it is a bit of a sore subject for them. “Our friends call us Juno losers,” Nick Boyd sadly recounted.
“It’s like almost getting nachos. [Everyone asks us] ‘aren’t you so glad you got the nachos?’ Eh, I almost got it. But I didn’t eat them so I don’t know how they were,” joked Baxter. Despite this, Hollerado put on a very strong performance on Thursday. In their short five years together, they managed to perfect the act of sounding the exact same playing live as they do on record. The atmosphere felt as though the audience had entered a giant party—strobe lights were heavily used and, at one part, a large foam machine sprayed out into the audience and happened to hit one unfortunate concert goer in the face. Hollerado had a lot of little touches like these that showed up throughout the night. For example, in honour of their latest album, White Paint, the band painted all of their instruments white. Hollerado’s indie-pop sound was well-received by the large audience who rocked on all night.
“That’s all, bitch!” It’s the end of an era with the final episode of AMC’s Breaking Bad having aired this past Sunday. For those who have yet to experiment with the highly addictive, Emmy-winning drama series — begin immediately and brace yourselves for one hell of a ride. Breaking Bad is widely considered one of the best television series of all time, increasing immensely in popularity over the course of its last few seasons. Having peaked in popularity later into the series, the demand for Vince Gilligan and his team of writers to produce something remarkable was greater than ever heading into the fifth and final season. To say they rose to the occasion would be true, but that would be putting it lightly. The enormous popularity of Breaking Bad is evidenced by the number of people who tuned in to watch the series finale, which according to the show’s Twitter account was a record 10.3 million viewers. This, of course, was in addition to hashtags such as #GoodbyeBreakingBad, which were trending throughout the day as fans settled in to watch Walter White meet a tragic and fitting end. The final episode of what has been an astonishing series was
nothing less than perfect. It’s fairly common for both television and film narratives to conclude on an open-ended note, leaving the viewer to interpret the ending for themselves (see: The Sopranos). There was nothing open-ended about the conclusion of Breaking Bad, however. In the series’ aftershow, Talking Bad, Vince Gilligan explained how Breaking Bad is a finite story following the arc of a central character, and therefore, required a definitive ending for which Breaking Bad fans are thankful. Combining poeticism with pure badassary, every remaining loose end of the story was tied, resulting in one of the most satisfying final episodes imaginable. Each and every scene of this episode was done beautifully and deserves mention, but perhaps one of the most sincere and powerful moments came in the final minutes of the series. Surrounded by the lab equipment that brought such profound tragedy and meaning to his life, Walt finally accepts his prophecy, which is sung by Badfinger’s “Baby Blue” as “I guess I finally got what I deserve…” Just as the AMC commercials warned us, all bad things must end. Breaking Bad has been a show that pushes moral boundaries both on the screen and in the minds of viewers. The array of emotions felt over the course of watching Breaking Bad in its entirety, and especially during the final episode, is testament to the show’s profound popularity. There is hope that the void Breaking Bad has left behind will once again be filled, as AMC has confirmed a spin-off series featuring Walt’s “criminal lawyer,” titled Better Call Saul.
14 •
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THE CORD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2013
ARTS
• 15
Bastille tears down Toronto ANDREW SAVORY STAFF WRITER
If you’re not already familiar with the English band Bastille, then you have some catching up to do. The band, which consists of four Londoners lead by vocalist Dan Smith, stormed up to the top of the charts in the United Kingdom following the release of their debut studio album, Bad Blood. The success for the band doesn’t stop there, as the group watched their single “Pompeii” skyrocket to number two on the UK chart. Now, with the band well established overseas, they have begun to take their talents to North America for the first time, and performed at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto last Thursday to a hyped-up crowd for their only Canadian stop of the tour. For those who don’t know what kind of sound to expect from an alternative rock band like Bastille, fans of the genre can compare the lyrics of Bastille, which are written by headman Dan Smith, to that of Band of Horses. However, in terms of sound, Bastille maintains a unique and homemade tone that is best fit for those who enjoy easy listening to a soft rock and acoustic tune. To open the show, Bastille performed the title track of the album, “Bad Blood,” and throughout the rest of the evening he sang a series of songs from his album, as well as his mixtape, Bastille in Other People’s
Heartache. The hugely popular mixtape, which was released in early 2013, featured reinventions of classic love songs, such as “What Would You Do” by City High and “No Scrubs” by TLC. Bastille’s artistic reimagining’s of these classics helped get the crowd going, and Smith fueled their enthusiasm when he joined the audience to sing amongst them. Throughout the night Smith paid tribute to the fans by thanking them for attending the group’s first-ever Canadian show, and stimulated them with his energy and dancing combined with his playing of the keyboard. Ultimately, as the night came to a close, Bastille saved their best for last, and played the fan favourite, “Pompeii,” which ensured that everyone went home satisfied after a great evening. Moreover, judging by the resounding applause that the band was treated to as they left the stage, most of the audience plans on seeing Bastille next time they are in Toronto. They are definitely an up-andcoming band to watch as 2014 draws near. After seeing the versatility that Bastille has displayed both in the studio and during live shows, rest assured that their popularity will grow as their tour progresses and lovers of the indie and alternative rock genre become accustomed to their unique sound and range.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
TIFF film shows at Twin CRISTINA ALMUDEVAR ARTS EDITOR
After a successful premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), co-directors Jennifer Baichwal and Edward Burtynsky are now taking their much-hailed documentary Watermark to local cinema Princess Twin. This collaboration is one of many water-related exhibits happening in Kitchener-Waterloo right now as THEMUSEUM is presenting the Surface Tension exhibit, which touches upon similar themes. Watermark showcases the intense influence that humanity and water have on each other and the complicated relationship we have. Baichwal and Burtynsky travel around the world, showing stark, contrasting images of water as used by Westernized culture versus water as used by Eastern cultures. “Where water is scarce, there’s a whole different type of respect for it and there’s a whole different mode of operation for it … it’s treated
much more carefully than a much more wasteful Western society,” reflected Burtynsky on the differences of how water is treated in various parts of the world. “Just by looking at something like Palm Springs [in Florida] … there’s over 100 golf courses and each golf course means a million gallons a day,” he added. This is the second collaboration between Baichwal and Burtynsky, the first of which was their awardwinning documentary Manufactured Landscapes. However, this is Burtynsky’s first time in the director’s chair. “I was far more engaged in the process of scouting out the locations, choosing the subjects, working in the editing room and the construction of the film itself,” Burtynsky recalled in an interview with The Cord. “It gave me a lot more respect for how collaborative and challenging it is to make a film versus the challenges of making exhibitions and books.” The question on everyone’s mind
is simple: why water? “It seemed to be a natural progression for from doing a project on oil and then looking around at another critical element to life in progress,” Burtynsky noted. “It was something that I felt I could get my head around. It took some time, took me five years … I have some interesting perspectives, other ways to think about water and how to take it seriously.” The film inspires a necessary dialogue of our consumption, and potential abuse, of water and how we can change our dynamic with it. While Burtynsky hopes “that one can at least aid in raising the consciousness around these issues,” ultimately it is up to the viewer, in the end, to decide how to re-evaluate their relationship with water and how they choose to consume it. Watermark will be premiering at the Princess Twin on Thursday October 24 from 7 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Burtynsky will be introducing the film and will be having a question and answer period after the show.
Arts bites The latest news in entertainment Breaking Bad Homeowners Aren’t Selling
The people who actually live inside Walter White’s house on “Breaking Bad” claimed that no amount of meth money could ever convince them to sell their now-famous house. Fran and Louie Padilla have been living in Walt’s crib since 1973 and it has quickly become an American landmark. Just this month, they had over a thousand visitors. No one would recognize the inside due to the fact that all inside scenes are shot on a sound stage. Here’s what shocked me: multiple realtors have said the market value for the house is somewhere between $150k to $200k. I give it until the end of the month until some fanatic makes a down payment.
Yeezus At It Again
It’s clear that Kanye West can’t take a joke as he ripped Jimmy Kimmel a new one in an epic rant to end all rants. In case you didn’t see it this past week, Kimmel mocked Kanye’s BBC Radio 1 interview with a re-enactment sketch that replaced Kanye with a whiny little child. It’s safe to say Kanye did NOT take kindly to the skit at all. Shortly after the skit aired, Kanye went on an all-caps meltdown tirade on Twitter, ripping Kimmel for the jab. First reporters, now Kimmel — is anyone safe?
Alanis Morissette Sued By Her Nanny
Anyone remember Alanis Morissette? Well, she is currently being sued by a former nanny who alleges that the singer never paid her overtime or allowed her to take breaks during 12-hour shifts. Morissette and her husband Mario have been heavily sued by their
ex-employee (I’m talking $100k heavy). The nanny claims she was prohibited from leaving the baby’s room while it was sleeping, unless one of the parents or until the day shift nanny relieved her. Isn’t it ironic?
O.J. Simpson’s Cookie Theft
When you get caught stealing cookies from the prison cafeteria, you’ve officially hit rock bottom, and disgraced NFL great O.J. Simpson just touched down. O.J., who is currently serving a 33 year jail sentence, was caught with not one, not two, but a dozen oatmeal cookies thieved from the correctional facility cafeteria. He may have gotten away with his unusually non-violent offence if it wasn’t for an inquisitive guard who noticed O.J. hiding something under his prison clothes. When the corrections officer questioned O.J., he allegedly confessed. For once. I guess that’s just the way the cookie crumbles, Juice.
“MJ is my baby daddy!”
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but another woman is trying to get #23 to cough up some coin. Laquetta Theusis claims legendary basketball player Michael Jordan is her baby daddy while the NBA legend claims he’s nothing of the sort. Laquetta filed a paternity suit, claiming she gave birth to Juyana Rachelle Henderson in August 2010 and that His Airness is the father. It’s safe to say she is seeking child support — hardcore. If this is anything like the lawsuit filed against Jordan earlier this year by Pamela Smith, who made nearly identical claims, we’re guessing he begs to differ. We might need to get Maury to settle this one. —Compiled by Scott Glaysher
16 •
Editorial
THE CORD • WEDNESDAY, october 2, 2013 Opinion Editor Dani Saad dsaad@thecord.ca
David Gilmour should be confronted, but not censored Canadian author and literature professor David Gilmour, who is little known outside of Canada, has received international attention due to comments he made in an interview last week regarding the content he teaches. In the interview, Gilmour was quoted saying he exclusively teaches book written by “serious heterosexual guys” and has no interest in teaching books written by women. The comments, understandably, have drawn criticism by the public and the University of Toronto, which has taken great measures to assure students, faculty and the media that it in no way endorses the views of its professor. Gilmour had a speaking engagement planned in Waterloo to talk about his new, very well-received novel but the event was cancelled after the controversy following his comments. If Gilmour’s comments drew criticism and emphasized a dangerous narrow-mindedness, so should the cancelling of this event, which is tantamount to censorship. Gilmour has attempted to clarify his comments but that has done little to satisfy those who have already pegged him as a bigoted, sexist, racist white man. If there is a debate to be had about Gilmour’s comments or, more broadly, about the content of literature courses in university, then that is a debate that should be had. It should not be shut down pre-emptively. Yes, if Gilmour came to speak he would have been asked about his comments and there may have even been some people offended by his visit. But that does not warrant a cancellation. These sorts of difficult topics should be discussed in open forums and community events so that we can collectively tackle important issues and progress rather than ignore. His comments were inappropriate, and someone representing a university has to know better. It’s sad that Gilmour’s work, which has received acclaim in the past, is unknown to much of the world and he will now be defined by the comments he made. - The Cord Editorial Board lena yang graphics editor
Smoking ban proposal is intrusive and unenforceable Toronto Public Health supports a proposal that would ban smoking from restaurant patios, sports fields, parks, hospital grounds, beaches and entrances to public buildings. Waterloo is also considering these bans. This comprehensive strategy would build upon the current ban on smoking in cars with small children, and pretty much anywhere indoors. Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has already spoken out against the proposal, which he says would result in far too much government interference in people’s lives and, beyond that, would be a nightmare to enforce. While there is merit to the city’s attempts to keep people healthy and protect non-smokers from secondhand smoke, government policy should have its limits. Ford is right — it would be extremely difficult and expensive to enforce. But it also brings into question individual vs. collective rights and how far government influence should extend. The current ban makes sense, but the new proposal is so far-reaching that it would eliminate many popular places for smokers to light up. People should be able to figure this sort of problem out on their own. If someone is walking with a child on the beach or sitting with their family on a patio, smokers should take notice. And if smokers are enjoying themselves on a patio, it might not be the best place for a kids’ soccer team. Common courtesy should be enough. Despite the best intentions of this new proposal, banning smokers from more places will just mean they will find a new place to gather. Since it will have no impact on reducing smoking, and likely no impact at reducing second-hand smoke intake, passing the bill would be a waste of effort and money that should be spent elsewhere. - The Cord Editorial Board
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. The Cord is published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications. Contact Allison Leonard, WLUSP President and Publisher 75 University Ave.W, Waterloo ON N2L 3C5
Immobilization: living without a cell phone Henry goddard VIDEO EDITOR
In today’s world, carrying a mobile phone on your person is as expected and as important as carrying a wallet — internet access, banking information, audio/video contact and dozens of other features, all at your fingertips. Asking for someone’s cell phone number is as common as asking for his or her mailing address. With major cell phone providers offering a $0 device, (provided you sign a contract), you would actually be insane not to own one— right? How would you navigate to an address of uncertain whereabouts? How would you text someone your exact location when meeting up? How would you Snapchat the hilarious image of your comically manipulated face to a friend? Surely, it is downright nonsensical to part ways with an instrument of such importance. Well, fair reader, I’ve taken the plunge in the name of journalism to explore the phenomenon I have dubbed “Immobilization”. Yes, I have spent the last three weeks in the complete absence of a mobile phone. Albeit, not by choice, as I accidentally abandoned my iPhone 4s in a Waterloo taxi (which, on a side note, if you have seen it, please contact me.) Nonetheless, I am here to walk you through a day completely disconnected from the cellular grid. Mornings are generally the same, provided, of course, your phone wasn’t also your alarm clock. (You’re going to
With major cell phone providers offering a $0 device, (provided you sign a contract), you would actually be insane not to own one — right?
want to purchase one, if that is the case.) You will have to resort to your laptop as a primary tool of communication, and check for any e-mails and Facebook messages. It’s at this point that you realize you did not attend the meeting you were invited to the night previously. Your group sent multiple texts and e-mails trying to get a hold of you, all of which went unnoticed, as you were happily strolling to Ethel’s to enjoy what you believed to be a rare free evening. Not to worry, a few apologetic Facebook messages will cure that. Now to get to the bus! It comes at — oh wait, you no longer have the GRT app. That’s okay though, just simply text the stop number! Shit. Alright, well, what time is it now? That’s right, your phone was your watch. (I’d suggest purchasing one of these when you’re buying your alarm clock.) Oh well, just make it to the stop and whenever it comes, it comes. You will notice that waiting for anything feels like an eternity, as you are devoid of your primary entertainment
device, and you have lost the ability to scan Tumblr, Vine, Twitter, etc. You can’t even pretend to be in the middle of a very deep conversation to avoid strained conversation with the weirdly friendly man beside you. So, you finally arrive at your destination, whether it is work, school, a cubicle in the library to study, wherever. You get into a groove and before you know it, it’s noon. Holy shit! You actually spent the last three hours focused. Weird! It’s almost as though you didn’t have eight different types of information constantly distracting you. To be fair, one of them was your angry significant other, upset that you haven’t spoken to them, but you’ve had no way of knowing that! You don’t have a phone, you have beaten the system! You are immune! So, the workday has come to a close, and you decide to celebrate just how much of an amazing vessel of productivity you are! Now, if only you had some disposable income that you could exchange for beverages. If only there was some form monthly payment you could shed. Boom, see you later Rogers bills, hello irresponsible Phil’s! Look at that. Now you’re even making clever rhymes, you device-less modern day hero you! In a nutshell, living without a phone has its benefits, and its detriments. It’s frustrating to lose all of the wireless privileges you’ve grown accustomed to. However, once you have come to terms with it, you can expect a less hectic, more focused, organic lifestyle. You are a more observant, more resourceful and better-looking individual on average. You become one with yourself. Until, of course, your mother angrily e-mails you and instructs you to purchase a new phone, ending your vacation from oppression, your short-lived experiment with “Immobilization.”
• 17
THE CORD • WEDNESDAY, october 2, 2013
OPINION
Opinion Editor Dani Saad dsaad@thecord.ca
Letters to the Editor Re: Students Shouldn’t be Caught in Negotiations
flickr creative commons
The values of a privileged few BRAD kleinstuber OPINION COLUMNIST
We have a comfortably generic image of Europe as deeply liberal — multicultural, cradle-to-grave, tolerant, progressive. It’s nice to think, especially for the young liberals that populate much of higher education, that somewhere in the world there’s a liberal dream state to hold up against the US. Canada typically gets lumped in with these European utopias like Sweden and Norway; consider Michael Moore’s fawning fascination with our health care system in Sicko. For those of us who live here though (and I imagine those who live in Europe), the reality seems markedly different from the typical American perception. There’s a deep cultural conservatism running through Europe
and Canada at the moment, and in both cases it’s manifested particularly in French culture. The battle over traditionalism and multiculturalism, applied chiefly to Muslim symbols like headscarves, has raged for years in France, but it seems like the first shots of the new culture war have just been fired in Quebec. Premier Pauline Marois’ Parti Québécois, after several leaks and delays, has revealed their Québec Charter of Values — a detailed document that aims to set out the common values of the province as a whole. A lofty goal, perhaps, but maybe the government, of all people, can handle it (not a phrase I’ll use often, I assure you). The Charter’s main provision is the banning of ‘overt religious symbolism’ for all government employees, as well as for those giving or receiving government services. According to this charter, ‘overt religious symbolism’ includes large crucifixes, niqabs, turbans, kippahs and burqas. Of course, one can still wear small symbols, like earings or rings. But if it’s a religious symbol that’s
deemed ‘ostentatious,’ into the trash it goes. In a move transparently meant to cover vulnerable butts and counter accusations of anti-Muslim (or perhaps anti-religious) intent, the PQ also intend to imbed religious neutrality in the Québec Charter of Rights and Freedoms. So the province intends to ban all religious symbols above a certain unspoken standard of contentiousness. This standard is left up to the government (they usually are), but rest assured; they know best. It would be a tragedy if I had to walk down the street and acknowledge the religious diversity of my home. The government should not endorse religious belief of any kind, but the Charter is a clear and deliberate attempt to censor personal beliefs. When a person working for Service Ontario is wearing a burqa, a crucifix or a yamaka I don’t immediately presume the government at large endorses that view. In fact, that only confirms my hope that the governwment refuses to endorse any particular belief.
According to some, the charter reflects the shared values of most Québecers. An elementary look at the amount of controversy it has sparked should put this assumption to rest. The Charter is a dictatorial attempt to conform to traditionally white, Christian/Catholic Québec values, not the non-stance of a cosmopolitan government. The Québec Charter of Values is as particularistic, as chauvinistic and as majoritarian as it can be. It represents the values of a privileged few being forced into the shape of public morals, and the strain is obvious. The state should stay well away from religion in as many ways as possible. A government endorsing a specific religious view is just as bad as a government attempting to censor all, and I’m sure this charter is just the start of a European-style cultural conflict. More oppression will come, masquerading as populism and common sense. It seems we’ve not been fooled this time; here’s hoping we can stop the next prior to it picking up steam.
Interpreting failure and success Failure is significant and should scare us, but we need to define success for ourselves
Leah dejong OPINION COLUMNIST
Failure: lower than 50 per cent on the course, lower than 50 per cent on the final, an inability to complete course assignments, lower than 50 per cent on the lab component, academic probation. School is superb at reminding us what failure means. It screams at us in big letters — ‘don’t fail because if you do, bad things will happen.’ School has an extremely clear definition of what failure is. Failure is a big red F. Midterms are our first smack in the face of the school year; don’t you dare fail. You need to succeed. Let us help you. Here’s a free course on how to succeed at school, how to succeed at a job, and how to succeed after you graduate. Let us show you how to avoid failure and achieve success. Study harder. Get good grades. Get on the dean’s list. Pass all your courses. Graduate with honours. Get the job with the biggest paycheck straight out of school. Never stop climbing. Look at how successful you can be if you just put in the effort. They’re not lying. With enough effort the success is achievable and comes with desirable rewards. Scholarships. Job security. People telling you how awesome you are. Money. A gold star on your diploma. Avoid being a failure. Be the best you can be. Get that A+.
This is the part of the column where I should tell you to go ahead and fail once in a while, that failure builds character and that you don’t know who you are until you’ve failed. I should reassure you about that F you got in calculus, chemistry or economics. It’s okay. No, actually it’s not okay. Failure should freak you out — not to the point of incapacitation — but to the point where you pull up your kneesocks, make some choices and don’t just brush it off. University is right in telling you to avoid failure. But it’s dead wrong in telling you to fight tooth and nail for success. School has tried to define success as clearly as it defines failure and suffers for it. Success, as defined by awards, dwells in the A- to A+ range and is achieved through multiple evenings, mornings and days of panicked study. That’s not success; that’s dedication to nothing but education. That’s dedication to an idea of success. That’s what makes an A average student panic at a B-. Objectively a B- isn’t failure but it feels like one. It’s why the student who studied their brains out and got a C feels defeated. It’s no wonder university students are mentally exhausted. Even when we’re out having fun we know we should be home studying for that midterm in a couple of days. It just hangs over our heads: study harder and get good grades. Subconscious guilt at its finest. Alcohol at its most useful. We’ve been given a clearly defined failure to be avoided and an overwhelming definition of success to strive for. Neither seems to be working. One flunks students out and the other leaves us scrambling through
assignments with no sleep and rampant cases of stress and depression. It’s not worth all the stress, time and damage for only another grade point. Instead, wouldn’t it make more sense to still study hard but not to the point where it’s overwhelming? If you’re happy and healthy with a C+ why should we kill ourselves for a B? Be happy with your own idea of success. Once you learn to be okay with the B- instead of the B you can take those excess hours and do some-
thing you’ll enjoy. Learn an instrument, write a book, bake the world’s best cake. Don’t accept the idea that grades define success. Ultimately, we all have to define our own ideas of success and failure because the world is quite eager to give us one if we allow it. But if dropping my B+ to a B means lowering my stress level, having the time to learn to shred a guitar and even gets me a little sleep, then I will gladly make that sacrifice. I’d even call it success.
Our voices matter, and we care. Raising awareness and allowing students to see the precarious conditions that our Contract Academic Staff are subjected to has nothing to do with “picking a side,” but rather, allowing people to see and make their own decisions about what is happening around them and with their money. I would hardly call any of this “negotiation,” as that would entail that all parties’ voices are heard and valued. The power dynamic behind this situation signifies the little value this institution holds in regard to CAS— so what makes one think that the institution is open to the voices and experiences of the people who are treated so poorly? The voices of students make a difference as we are the ones who are supporting this university with our money, and so we should be standing beside those whose voices are not being heard. If negotiations do not go well, the results are going to directly impact us, as we are taught by CAS constantly…so once again, we need to be involved, and listen, and have our voices heard. It’s true that as students we are not oblivious to how important CAS are to our education, but what we are oblivious to are the conditions under which these folks work. CAS are paid so little for all of the work they do, and not just through teaching, but through being inspirational people. In return for their hard work, CAS are forced to apply to teach a course each term/year and are denied access to benefits and job security — they are unable to send their own children to the university where they teach, they are unable to plan and save for the future, they are bordering on the lines of impoverishment, while teaching at a university. They aren’t asking for a lot in wanting to be able to go to the dentist, or afford to commute, or to rest their heads at night knowing that they have a job to go to. It’s interesting how an institution that vouches for higher earning opportunities for its graduates relies on some of the lowest paid professionals to teach us. This is not okay, and it’s not okay to say “this is a labour issue, let’s keep our noses out of it,” because we are paying for this labour. We sit back and watch deplorable things happen all around us because it’s “not our issue,” but this is our issue too and we need to have our voices heard in all of this. CAS are always putting in the extra effort for us because they care about our education, so we should take a minute out of our lives to recognize and support them. –Priscilla Jarvis
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SPORTS
THE CORD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2013 Sports Editor Shelby Blackley sblackley@thecord.ca
Hawks drop to UOIT MARK BAXTER CORD SPORTS
The Wilfrid Laurier University women’s soccer team had plenty of motivation heading into Friday night’s game against the UOIT Ridgebacks. For the first time since September 2010, the Golden Hawks were playing without being in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) national rankings. As the game was drawing to an end in a 1-1 tie, all the momentum seemed to be going in Laurier’s favour. The offence was producing numerous chances and pressing for the victory. However, in extra time Ridgeback forward Sonia Sampogna capitalized on a turnover deep in Laurier territory, putting it past a helpless goaltender Katrina Ward for the 2-1 win. It marked the second straight game where Laurier gave up a costly goal in the final minutes of extra time. The first half proved to be uneventful for either team, as neither team’s offence could produce any considerable scoring chances, resulting in a 0-0 tie at half. This theme quickly ended at the beginning of the second half as Ridgeback
midfielder Emily Copeland-Dinan caught the Laurier defence flat-footed striking the ball beyond the reach of Ward. Laurier’s offence continued to remain quiet for the beginning of the second half until the 73rd minute when veteran midfielder Julie Maheu scored a beautiful goal blasting it over UOIT goaltender Laura Wheelan and into the net. “A great goal,” said Laurier head coach Barry MacLean. It was Maheu’s first game of the season as she returned from a hand injury to a Laurier roster that has been plagued by injury. From that point on Lauier’s offence continued to put pressure on the Ridgeback defence. Midfielder Katie Bishop was instrumental in the revamped Laurier offence as she distributed the ball with pinpoint accuracy. Substitute forward Kayleigh Bell was also a key figure, as her presence seemed to help re-start the Laurier offence. “It showed that we had another gear that we could have got to earlier,” MacLean said about the late offence of the Hawks. In the end, Laurier’s offensive assault wasn’t enough as the Ridgebacks etched out their first-ever win
“It showed that we had another gear that we could have got to earlier.”
—Barry MacLean, women’s soccer head coach
against the Golden Hawks. With the loss, Laurier’s record stands at 4-2-3, which drops them to third place in Ontario University Athletics (OUA) West division. The team has 15 points, which puts them behind the Western Mustangs and the Guelph Gryphons who have 19 and 18 points, respectively. The Hawks will look to rebound in their next game on October 4th at University Stadium against cross town rivals, the Waterloo Warriors. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
MADELINE TURRIFF CORD PHOTOGRAPHY
Julie Maheu controls the ball during her first game back since injuring her hand mid-September.
THE CORD • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2013
SPORTS
Check out how men’s soccer did on the weekend on thecord.ca
ANDRIANA VINNITCHOK FILE PHOTO
The Hawks defeated the Marauders 9-0 and 13-3 on Saturday.
Van Pelt leads Laurier to wins DREW YATES CORD SPORTS
It seemed like nothing could go wrong for Wilfrid Laurier pitcher Brett Van Pelt as the Golden Hawks kicked off Saturday’s doubleheader versus the McMaster Marauders on Homecoming weekend. Tallying up ten strikeouts and only allowing one hit on base through the entire game, Van Pelt improves his win streak to 3-0 and his ERA to 1.42. “I feel pretty good. I was able to establish a strike zone, get ahead of the hitter, and give my team a chance to win,” van Pelt said when discussing how he felt about his performance for the day. The Hawks were also solid, making sure that the Marauders could not build any kind of momentum during the game. First baseman McKenzie Maxwell got the ball rolling when he hit an RBI single to right field in the fourth, and third baseman Jeff Hunt followed that up in the next inning, hitting a double and bringing in 2 more runs to establish a 3-0 lead by the end of the fifth. The game stayed close until the sixth when the Golden Hawks blew the game wide open, finishing with a 9-0 win over the Marauders. “I think it’s big for us to try and get some steam behind us, hopefully get another win at the back end of the doubleheader [later Saturday] and [Sunday] with Waterloo we have a big series because we are chasing them in the standings for a playoff
spot,” Van Pelt said. In the second doubleheader, the Hawks quickly jumped to a flying start, going up 3-1 by the end of the first inning. Laurier never looked back after that, winning the game 13-3. Highlights included perfect 3-for3 batting attempts by centre Jonathon Brouse, and a grand slam by designated hitter Alex Kupchak in the bottom of the fourth, who also picked up six RBIs that game, eliminating any chance for the Marauders to rally for a comeback. Head coach Scott Ballantyne said he was very pleased with the performance from his Hawks. “Our pitching was excellent today, as Van Pelt was unhittable and we also played great defence. Errorless baseball,” he said after the final game of the doubleheader. When asked about what aspects of their game he thinks his team needs to stay sharp on in order to move forward, Ballantyne explained it comes down to two things. “With us it comes down to pitching and defence,” he said. “If we pitch well and play good defence, we will always have a chance to win. We work on our defence a lot at practice and the hard work is paying off.” The Hawks finished off their Homecoming weekend on Sunday where they faced the Waterloo Warriors in another doubleheader, losing their first game 10-4 before coming back and winning their second 8-7.
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THE CORD • WEDNESDAY, october 2, 2013
sports
‘Bigger, faster and stronger’ WESLEY TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
ROSALIE EID STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Anthony Pizzuti makes a catch in the endzone that is ruled out of bounds in Saturday’s game.
Down to the wire
Men’s football might miss playoffs for the first time since 2002 SHELBY BLACKLEY SPORTS EDITOR
Two games sit in front of the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks’ football team. Two games against the tough Queen’s Gaels during their first Homecoming since 2008 and defending Yates Cup champions, the McMaster Marauders. And they’re heading into it all with a 1-5 record. But is that stopping head coach Michael Faulds and his players? “Our expectations are that we’re going to win this football game. We’re going to practice really hard and like we’re going to win this football game. We’re going to prepare like we’re going to win this football game. You can’t ask for anything else from a football team.” After a devastating Homecoming loss against the Windsor Lancers by one point in overtime, the Hawks have moved their focus onto the next two games. Particularly, the game against Queen’s. “That’ll be a good opportunity for us,” Faulds said. “We know they’re going to be out in full force and our guys are excited also for our first road trip.” “I think it will be kind of fun for our guys, we’ve played most of our games within the tri-cities,” he continued. “We get a chance to get on a road, leave Friday, get in a hotel, get away from here and just go play some football.” After starting the season with inconsistencies, Laurier has managed to figure out particular components of their program. Offensively,
second-year quarterback James Fracas has used his scrambling abilities to complete passes to his receivers, while using the impressive running game of Dillon Campbell, who for four games straight has eclipsed over 100 yards in rushing — an issue that Laurier had throughout the entire year in 2012. But there still are issues. Penalties have hurt the Hawks in nearly every game this season. A faulty snap to third-year kicker Ronnie Pfeffer on third down gave Windsor fantastic field position on Laurier’s five-yard line on Saturday. And despite how much Laurier’s offence delivers, they cannot hold onto those leads, giving up the advantage in three games this season. Faulds believes that with every week, those issues are solved with a dedicated roster — something he didn’t see with his former team, the York Lions. “[Morale is] the one thing that hasn’t been a problem. Our guys are confident because they played so well and because they got better,” he said. “It was a lot different with me in my coaching past when we had a team with a similar record, but the games weren’t as close. So it was tough to get them really motivated for practice. “But with this group, they’re continuing to get better every week and they’re believing in to what we’re doing and what we’re preaching, which is a good sign.” With only two games left in an eight-game season, it’s hard not to look at the potential of playoffs for teams in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) conference.
And at this point, playoffs seem like a long-shot, as Laurier will need to win their next two games and have help from a few other teams in the OUA in order to even contend. In fact, it could be the first time since 2002 that Laurier won’t be in the playoffs. That year, they finished with a record of 1-7. But it doesn’t mean that Laurier won’t want to play spoiler. “We’re going to go out swinging, we’re going to go out fighting,” Faulds said. “And if we’re not going to get ourselves into the playoffs, we’re going to ruin some other team’s chance to get into the playoffs.” Currently, Laurier sits ninth in the conference, ahead of only the Waterloo Warriors and the Carleton Ravens. With the middle of the OUA still undetermined, there’s plenty of time for upsets. “[Spoiler would] be a good opportunity for us,” Faulds laughed. “We know they’re going to be out in full force and our guys are excited, also, for our first road trip.” With two weeks left, anything can happen in the OUA. Aside from the Western Mustangs, everyone has at least one loss, with the reigning Yates Cup champions, the Marauders, currently sitting only two points ahead of the Hawks. But despite the thoughts of no playoffs for the first time in over ten years, Faulds is still staying positive. “I’ve got a really strong heart and I’m not going to allow them to bow down. We’re going to be a tough football team ... and we’re going to continue to be a tough football team.”
Rewind to Feb. 24, 2013. The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks women’s hockey team was eliminated in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) semifinals by the Western Mustangs and failed to advance to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championships for the first time since 2002-03. Nevertheless, head coach Rick Osborne and the revamped women’s hockey program — that includes eight rookies — are determined to compete for hardware in Fredericton, New Brunswick this March. “We’re bigger, faster and stronger due to off-season dedication,” said Osborne. “We’re committed to a team-first process and have a strong desire to role model the work ethic that is a cornerstone of the women’s hockey program [at Laurier].” Over the past four seasons, the women’s hockey program has compiled a 96-4-6 regular season record and won two OUA championships. Expectations for this edition of the Hawks are no different after handily defeating the St. Francis Xavier University X-Women 6-1 and winning the inaugural Gaels Invitational in Kingston this past weekend. The tournament featured top-calibre CIS competition and Osborne did not hesitate to play his highly-touted rookies. “We played the Gaels Invitational with six rookies in the lineup and it was a chance to accelerate the learning curve for them,” said Osborne. “They all played regular shifts and all are comfortable and able to play at the CIS level as we head into our home opener [on October 4th].” Laurier boasts a 4-2-1 non-conference record heading into the
regular season. In terms of leadership, Osborne is looking at captain Laura Brooker and assistant captains Haley Baxter, Devon Skeats and Megan Howe to nurture the relatively inexperienced team on a day-to-day and game-togame basis this season. “[The rookies] bring a lot to the team, and are overall great people. They love the school and love being Golden Hawks,” said Brooker. “We are a new team and the result of last season is not hindering us.” Brooker was named an OUA second team All-Star and led the Hawks with fourteen goals last season. She also eclipsed 50 goals in her Laurier career midway through the 2012-13 year. Veteran blueliners Baxter and Candice Styles, along with Blair Connelly, will lead the defence in front of rookie goaltender Amanda Smith. Smith posted a save percentage of .970 GAA (goals against average) of 1.00, and remained undefeated throughout preseason play. Osborne has confirmed that she will be the Hawks’ starter on Friday. “Coming to Laurier you are motivated to continue the legacy that the women’s hockey program has built over the years,” said Baxter. “This year we want to make a statement that our legacy is far from over and make a run at a national championship.” Baxter recorded ten points through 26 regular season games in 2012-2013. “There’s a lot more depth at every position; I believe when everyone is healthy we will be thirteen players deep at forward, seven deep at defence and strong and confident between the pipes,” concluded Osborne. Laurier hosts the Windsor Lancers Friday at 7:30 p.m.
KATE TURNER FILE PHOTO
Laurier opens their season Friday against the Windsor Lancers.
Athletes inducted into Laurier Hall of Fame SHELBY BLACKLEY SPORTS EDITOR
It’s something Brian Devlin will never forget. Being part of the 2005 Vanier Cup football team for Wilfrid Laurier University is forever etched into his mind. Being the kicker that won the Vanier Cup for Laurier is there too. And by being inducted into Laurier’s Hall of Fame Friday night, he’s forever etched into Laurier’s history. “Sometimes I think back and wonder ‘what if I missed?’” Devlin said. “It gets me sick to my stomach. I just remember the kick going in after leaving my foot. The build up to it I don’t really remember because you’re in that zone. After it leaving
my foot, I can still see it going in.” Devlin joins four other athletes, one builder and a team, Friday night that were inducted into Laurier’s Hall of Fame at the Laurier’s Senate and Board Chamber. Two additional members of the 2005 Vanier Cup team were inducted, including Anthony Maggiacomo and Scott Evans. Maggiacomo was a linebacker from 2003-07 and is a two-time Yates Cup champion. He was awarded Laurier’s President’s Award for top male athlete in 2007. Evans was an offensive lineman from 2003-08. He won Ontario University Athletics (OUA) first-team all-star three times and was the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) winner of the J.P. Metras Trophy for Lineman of the Year in 2007.
“The 2005 team was a special team,” Devlin said. “Seeing the things we had to endure on and off the field for those three years from 2003 to 2005. To see those guys every day in practice and see how well they were at executing plays, I’m not surprised we went undefeated that year.” Erica Howard from lacrosse and Bill Francis from curling were the last two players to be inducted. Howard won four OUA championships from 2003-06 and was named the conference’s most valuable player in 2004 when she finished fifth in scoring and helped Laurier to an undefeated record. Francis curled for five years starting in 2003-04. He helped Laurier win their first CIS championship
in his final year and won two OUA championships. Francis went on to represent Canada at the FISU games in 2009, finishing sixth. He is also the first men’s curling athlete to enter the Hall of Fame. “I wouldn’t trade those Laurier years for anything,” Francis said. “I had the best time here and coming back for a fifth year and having it be such a memorable year. To be able to win as one great big team and to be able to represent our country was absolutely amazing and just the experience that we had was fantastic.” Rounding out the inductees was Dean Boyles for his contribution to swimming. He was a three-time OUA coach of the year and coached athletes to four different Olympic games.
Boyles also saved the pool by helping to raise the necessary funds to renovate it in 2008. Finally, the 2001-02 women’s hockey team enters after being the first women’s hockey team to medal at the CIS championship. The team’s record was 19-0-1 and they defeated the Toronto Varsity Blues in the final of the OUA. In a tough game against the Alberta Pandas at nationals, Laurier finished with a silver medal. “It’s hard to put it into words when you look at the list of all of the other athletes that have been inducted at this school,” Devlin said. “It’s a great school for as long as they’ve had sports here. It’s thrilling coming back. It’s another reason to come back.”