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