THE CORD THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926
VOLUME 57 ISSUE 16 • JANUARY 4, 2017
PUTTING A CAP ON THE COST
BEST OF LAURIER 2016
PARTY AT BECKY’S PLACE
NEW YEAR, SAME YOU
A REAL TEAM PLAYER
Three per cent rule controls tuition increase
We asked. The students responded.
Irish pub closes uptown to make way for Becky
Why New Year’s resolutions are a wasted effort
Morrison applauds her team’s success
News, page 3
Features, page 6
Arts & Life, page 9
Opinion, page 11
Sports, page 12
2 •
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017
VOCAL CORD
What animal are you most afraid of?
The Cord
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“I feel like it could actually be something that would affect me ... maybe mosquitos or stray dog or a cat that has a disease. It’s not really even the animal it’s what the animal has.” –Edwin Rais, fourthyear political science
EMI ZIBAEI/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
From the files: Lead Photographer Emi Zibaei showcases the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) in Uptown Waterloo, on Erb Street.
“Sharks.” –Hussain Khan, second-year business administration
“Snakes.” –Harjot Mehmi, thirdyear business administration
“Crocodiles” –Derek Worden, fourthyear business administration Compiled by Nathalie Bouchard Photos by Marco Pedri NEXT ISSUE JANUARY 11, 2016
CORD STAFF
Dear Life Dear Life is your opportunity to write a letter to your life, allowing you to vent your anger with life’s little frustrations in a completely public forum. All submissions to Dear Life are anonymous, should be no longer than 100 words and must be addressed to your life. Submissions can be sent to dearlife@thecord. ca no later than Monday at noon each week. Dear Life (or Laurier?) Enjoy every moment spent at Laurier. Once you graduate you will leave the Laurier bubble and everything around you changes. All of a sudden your friends disperse, get big person jobs, get married, start having kids. You will soon have to pay a mortgage, car payments, insurance, property tax (seriously, property tax is a thing?), and all kinds of other ridiculous things you have never been responsible for. It’s overwhelming. Your time in university will be some of the best days of your life, and ones you will always remember. Make lots of memories and have fun, because one day when you’ve moved on from Laurier
FEATURES EDITOR Mitchell Consky features@thecord.ca
LEAD REPORTER Nathalie Bouchard news@thecord.ca
ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Manjot Bhullar arts@thecord.ca
LEAD SPORTS REPORTER Pranav Desai sports@thecord.ca
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bethany Bowles editor@thecord.ca
OPINION EDITOR Madeline McInnis opinion@thecord.ca
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Will Huang creative@thecord.ca
SPORTS EDITOR Rob Fifield sports@thecord.ca
WEB DIRECTOR Brian Phillips online@thecord.ca
GRAPHICS EDITOR Fani Hsieh graphics@thecord.ca
SENIOR NEWS EDITOR Kaitlyn Severin news@thecord.ca
PHOTO EDITOR Paige Bush photos@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR Safina Husein news@thecord.ca
ONLINE EDITOR Andreas Patsiaouros online@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR Shyenne MacDonald news@thecord.ca
VIDEO EDITOR Garrison Oosterof video@thecord.ca
LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Marco Pedri photos@thecord.ca LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Emi Zibaei photos@thecord.ca SENIOR COPY EDITOR Christian Paron copyeditor@thecord.ca SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Brittany Ditizio socialmedia@thecord.ca
there will be some hard days, and looking back at your university experience will make things seem better. We tend to take our university days for granted. Gone are the days of waking up at 10 a.m. (or later?), going to Dirty Phil’s, eating pizza at 3 a.m., procrastinating until the day before a paper is due, video games at virtually any time of the day, naps, Wilf’s and the Turrett. Enjoy it now because this is one of the only times in your life you will be able to do this. Last but not least, university will come to an end. There will be a day when you wear a black gown with a purple and black graduation cap and that’s it, it’s over. And it comes fast, four years fly by. Don’t take this experience for granted. You will miss it one day. Sincerely, Laurier Alum 2010
yourself from the situation is a great first step. I’m proud of you for making it through! Sincerely, We’re in this together Dear Life, Why do I read this publication? It’s
Looking for English, Math & Science teacher to teach high school. Also looking for a student with an accounting background to do bookkeeping.
Dear Life, Shoutout to all of the Golden Hawks who had to go home to abusive families this break. You are worthy of love and respect, no matter what this break did to you. Emotional, psychological, physical, all abuse is inexcusable and your experiences are valid. Help is here if you need it and removing
CONTRIBUTORS
EDITOR’S CHOICE
Alex Trkulja Victoria Panacci Emily Waitson Tarique Plummer Karlis Wilde Chris Luciantonio Mynt Marsellus
“Failte’s fate sealed” by Karlis Wilde
written by self-righteous douche bags and libtards. The funding that goes to The Cord can be allocated better elsewhere. Sincerely, Stop Killing Trees
For more information, please contact Bisham at bishammd@yahoo.com or (313) 598-9221
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES All advertising inquiries can be directed to Care Schummer at care.schummer@wlusp.com or 519-884-0710 ext. 3560.
COLOPHON The Cord is the official student newspaper of the Wilfrid Laurier University community. 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. Opinions expressed within The Cord are those of the author and do not necessarily refl ect 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 OS X 10.10 using Adobe Creative Cloud. Canon cameras are used
for principal photography. The Cord has been a proud member of the Ontario Press Council since 2006. Any unsatisfied complaints can be sent to the council at info@ontpress.com. The Cord’s circulation for a normal Wednesday issue is 4,500 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.
PREAMBLE 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 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. The only limits of any newspaper are those of the world around it, and so The Cord will attempt to cover its world with a special focus on Wilfrid Laurier University, and the community of Kitchener-Waterloo, and with a special ear to the concerns of the students of Wilfrid Laurier University. Ultimately, The Cord will be bound by neither philosophy nor geography in its mandate. The Cord has an obligation to foster freedom of the press and freedom of speech. This obligation is best fulfilled when debate and dissent are encouraged, both in the internal workings of the paper, and through The Cord’s contact with the student body. The Cord will always attempt to do what is right, with fear of neither repercussions, nor retaliation. The purpose of the student press is to act as an agent of social awareness, and so shall conduct the affairs of our newspaper.
Quote of the week: “I gave my boots some special treatment for Fredericton.” “What, did you take them for dinner?” - Lead Photographer, Marco Pedri, asking Web Director, Brian Phillips for clarification about “special treatment”
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017
News
• 3 SENIOR NEWS EDITOR KAITLYN SEVERIN news@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR SAFINA HUSEIN news@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR SHYENNE MACDONALD news@thecord.ca
GOVERNMENT
Ontario policy caps tuition raise NATHALIE BOUCHARD LEAD REPORTER
On Dec. 15, the Ontario Ministry of Advanced Education and Development released a bulletin regarding Ontario post-secondary tuition costs. The bulletin announced that there would be a policy to have a specific cap to maintain in order for Ontario’s students, parents and guardians to have financial predictability when it comes to post-secondary tuition costs. “This is not completely new legislation,” said Colin Aitchison, vice-president of Student Affairs. “The tuition framework was set to expire at the end of 2016, so they decided to extend the tuition framework for two more years.” Aitchison also noted that the three per cent cap is the same framework we have been working under since 2013. The cap is set to accommodate the Ontario Student Assistance Program, an application-based program used to determine which students qualify to receive a loan in order to help them complete their post-secondary education. OSAP has features designed for families making less than $50,000 per year to have free tuition, as well
as making post-secondary more affordable for middle class families. The cap will limit the amount that universities can increase their tuition and the limit will be a maximum of three per cent, rather than the five per cent in previous years. “The cap will benefit Laurier students because obviously tuition can’t grow above three per cent,” said Aitchison. “Ideally we would have liked to see a tuition freeze. However, this two-year extension will allow us
The cap will benefit Laurier students becuse obviously tuition can’t grow above three per-cent.
-Colin Aitchison, vice-president of student affairs
to see how the new OSAP model works before the next tuition framework.” The consolation will help to give
WINTER BREAK IN BRIEF GSA terminates contract with Veritas Café operator
EMI ZIBAEI/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
Tuition costs will have a cap of a 3 per cent raise to instil predictability.
an idea of where gaps are missing and what needs to be improved upon overall. The only major change to OSAP, Aitchison said, is the province’s plan to allow for families making $50,000 a year and under to receive free tuition. “[The tuition cap] won’t affect anything regarding OSAP,” said Aitchison. “The province bases everything off of average tuition costs and because it is a provincial program and not Laurier specific, the only really big OSAP change is the free tuition plan [for those who qualify] that the province has released.” Limiting the tuition fee will allow for families and students to become more financially stable and the cap will allow for great financial predictability. This financial predictability will allow for Ontario to create more
jobs, grow the economy and help people in Ontario have a more successful university experience. “Limiting tuition fees increases and balances affordability for students and their families, while providing post-secondary institutions with financial stability as we work to transform OSAP—making tuition free for low-income students and more affordable for students from middle-income families,” said Deb Matthews, Deputy Premier, minister of advanced education and skills development and minister responsible for digital government, in the Ontario Ministry of Advanced Education and Development released a bulletin. “Moving forward, we’ll continue to ensure that every qualified student has access to post-secondary education through our generous student financial aid program.”
PARTNERSHIPS
Sun Life donates to active living centre SAFINA HUSEIN NEWS EDITOR
Wilfrid Laurier University is launching a centre to encourage youth within the Kitchener-Waterloo community to partake in physical activity programming in order to ultimately fight against childhood obesity and chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Laurier received a $500.000 donation from Sun Life Financial in order to open the centre, which will be named The Sun Life Financial Centre for Physically Active Communities. The main purpose of the centre will be to provide innovative physical activity programming at a low cost for the Kitchener-Waterloo community, explained Hilary Harron, associate director development of faculty of science, development and alumni relations. “We’re really trying to break down the barriers as to why children don’t have access to physical activity programming while trying to introduce that into different community centres and in schools across the Waterloo Region,” she said. Though there are many physical
EMI ZIBAEI/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
Physical activity programming strives to prevent child obesity in Canada.
activity programming opportunities within the region, it is mainly for individuals that have the ability or the affluence to partake in those options, explained Harron. Laurier faculty of kinesiology and physical education has already acquired a sufficient amount of research into the many barriers that low-income communities, low-income families, children with developmental disabilities and children that are obese or overweight must face in regards to having access to physical activity. “We all know, within the com-
munity, that obesity and children that don’t have active lives is such a huge contributor to type 2 diabetes and prevention is always easier and cheaper than treatment,” said Harron. Currently in Canada, 11 million people live with diabetes or pre-diabetes. 95 per cent of children who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are obese. Only seven per cent of youth in Canada meet Canadian Physical Activity guidelines, which recommends 60 minutes of moderate to
vigorous exercise a day. Jana Gordon, assistant vice-president, development and campaign director, explained that another important element of the new centre will be student involvement. “The centre will have an element of outreach to it and research as well. The whole idea is involving undergraduate and graduate students to be involved with research or some of the outreach programs such as the camps,” said Gordon. Currently, the date for the opening of the physical centre is yet to be determined. Though, Harron explained that the framework behind the centre is already being utilized by students in the Kinesiology and Physical Education department. Sun Life Financial’s donation to the centre will be split into financing the centre over five years. Sun Life Financial has been a long time partner with Laurier. One of Sun Life Financial’s core mandates is diabetes prevention, thus their interest in the centre’s similar values and goals. Over $17 million has been donated to diabetes awareness, care, prevention and research initiatives by Sun Life Financial since 2012.
On Dec. 12, the Wilfrid Laurier University Graduate Students’ Association terminated their contract with Sandor Dosman, who operated Veritas Café. The termination was supposedly due to an ad that Dosman posted online in efforts to find a new full-time staff member. In the ad, Dosman referred to the staff member as a “slave.” Since the termination, GSA president and CEO Samantha Deeming has been receiving several threatening and abusive messages and emails from the surrounding community.
SUV crashed into new restaurant on King St. On Dec. 30, CTV reported that an SUV carrying three passengers crashed into a soonto-open restaurant in a plaza on the corner of King and University. The plaza also houses Laurier-favourite, Burrito Boyz. No one was injured, but the front of the restaurant experienced severe damage.
Waterloo woman dies while hiking in Italy On Jan. 3, CBC reported that a 24-year-old Waterloo woman, Chelsea Rebecca Alvarez, died on New Year’s Day while hiking in the mountains in Italy. Alvarez worked at St. Louis Bar and Grill on Northfield Drive in Waterloo. Alvarez was engaged to Colin Behenna, former OHL captain of the Barrie Colts. The couple were in Italy because Behenna began playing hockey in Europe. Behenna is University of Waterloo alumnus, while Alvarez attended Conestoga College.
Saying goodbye to Tim Horton’s employee Laurier Food Services employee and Laurier celebrity Bernarda Petrina announced her retirement after 12 years of service at Laurier. As a result, fourthyear biology student, Natasha Buckiewicz started a Go Fund Me campaign to give Petrina a proper send off. By Dec. 18, the page had raised $1,689.61.
4 • NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
HAWKstarter offers Laurier new opportunities NATHALIE BOUCHARD LEAD REPORTER
Various new projects at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Waterloo campus have received some additional funding this month due to a new crowd funding website called HAWKstarter. HAWKStarter, launched on Nov. 29, was coined “Giving Tuesday,” as over 100 donors donated more than $6,000 through the crowdfunding website. HAWKstarter allowed for seven projects to receive funding, which includes various interests at the university led by Laurier students, staff, and faculty. Ryan Brejak, associate director of annual giving at Alumni Relations and Development, expanded on the creation of HAWKstarter, as well as additional information about how HAWKstarter operates as a crowdfunding website. According to Brejak, Hawkstarter was created by the Alumni and Development office along with members of the Laurier communi-
ty, who supplied influential ideas that contributed to the creation of the crowd funding website. However, Brejak explained that it was various requests from the community to create a crowd funding like platform. “It was created from a number of people on campus asking to do crowd funding. They had unique or interesting projects that they wanted to work on [and] they wanted to do crowd funding to help fund those projects, but we didn’t really have a platform to offer them,” Brejack said. “So we looked at HAWKstarter being a service for the university community to help those people promote and receive funding for these projects at Laurier.” Brejak also explained how HAWKstarter is different from other crowd funding platforms, such as Kickstarter or indiegogo “[HAWKstarter] is something that the university is providing so we can issue charitable tax receipts for [the donations].”
“When someone supports a project on Kickstarter they get nothing out of it, but when they make a donation to a project on HAWKstarter, they’re making a charitable donation to Laurier so they get a tax receipt and can claim it on their income tax,” Berjak said. “So that’s a big incentive to donate to one of the projects on HAWKstarter.” An additional benefit of donating using HAWKstarter is that students get to decide which project they would like to donate to, or donate to various projects that catch their interests. The various projects receiving this funding include: Teaching Excellence Toolkit for Haiti, Women in Science Award and Inspiring Futures: Walls to Bridges Bursary Fund, which helps a formerly incarcerated student complete her education at Laurier. The project that has surpassed its goal as of Dec. 28, is the Laurier Forest Project from the Sustainability Office. “Each of the projects had a goal
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
HAWKstarter allows funding opprotunity for various projects at Laurier.
of $5,000 dollars,” Brejak said. “As of now, the Laurier Forest Project has raised $6,000 and then Walls to Bridges was the one that is now closest to reaching their goal
and then a few other projects have hit the half way point, but the Laurier Forest [Project] has raised over $6,000 dollars and has 44 donors, which is great.”
LOCAL
MCC provides Syrian refugees a chance for relief Rick Cober Bauman discusses MCC’s actions to aid refugees locally and internationally SHYENNE MACDONALD NEWS EDITOR
In November 2015, Wilfrid Laurier University, in partnership with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), sponsored three Syrian families who have been left country-less to immigrate over to Canada. Today, those three families have resettled in the Kitchener-Waterloo region. Wilfrid Laurier University was the first university to approach MCC, a non-government organization, to aid the refugees. “A lot of people know about MCC’s work locally here and helping resettle refugees— those who have come in the last year and
those who are still coming. But, we also want to remind people that we’re heavily involved in Syria itself,” said Rick Cober Bauman, executive director of MCC’s Ontario division. MCC is widely known for being a local supporter; however, in recent years they have stretched their hand to give more direct aid on an international scale. “We want people to see the broad scope of what we’re doing,” Bauman said. “Peace building and trauma healing with those who have decided to stay [in Syria].” MCC supports organizations that offer alternative support, particularly those within Aleppo that give Syrians a chance of relief.
We continue to support partners doing that kind of work, so we’re not waiting passively for violence to end. -Rick Cober Bauman, executive director of MCC’s Ontario division
Bauman spoke of an independent group inside Aleppo who held theatre shows and workshops to help individuals cope with the devasta-
tion citizens faced daily. “They had sold out houses several nights in a row, not because it was necessarily safe to go out, but because people needed to have a hopeful alternative,” Bauman said. “We continue to support partners doing that kind of work, so we’re not waiting passively for violence to end. We’re contributing to peaceful alternatives so it’s more likely for people to see the end of conflict and return to their homes.” While the conflict in Aleppo is currently at a ceasefire, MCC’s work is far from over. “There is a hope that the ceasefire will lead to a lasting peace and we think Canada’s voice is an important one at the United Na-
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tions to add to the call for a peace agreement,” said Bauman. The federal government has supported MCC over the years, adding a donation to the 45 million dollars MCC has spent in response to Syria. “We’re very grateful for that, but I think we should continue to call on a strong voice from our federal government for a lasting agreement from United Nations.” Bauman also encourages Kitchener-Waterloo citizens to do what they can and to write in to their local member of Parliament to endorse a peace agreement. As well, he welcomed those who do not wish to give money to MCC to make emergency relief kits.
NEWS • 5
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2016 ENROLMENT
RECOGNITION
The Cord nominated for 12 JHM awards
The Cord’s staff and alum have recieved 12 nominations at the John H. McDonald Award Ceremony in Fredericton BETHANY BOWELS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
EMI ZIBAEI/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
Service Laurier aims to focus more on supporting and engaging students.
Changes made to Service Laurier KAITLYN SEVERIN SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
Since the summer, Wilfrid Laurier University’s enrolment services centre, Service Laurier, has undergone two significant changes which have impacted how their services are delivered to prospective and current students. The first change, undergone this past June, deals with how service advisors respond to email and phone inquiries on all Laurier campuses, rather than having students wait for a service advisor on a preferred campus. According to Necia Martins, associate registrar for Financial Aid and Services, this helped to reduce volumes and allowed the service to focus more on emails and phone calls from students. “What we found is we had our Brantford staff help us when at our Waterloo campus often if we were behind on emails or phones and they had more capacity so we were trying to be more efficient,” said Martins. “We did a lot of things over time, moving to the verification of enrolment online so that reduced our volumes and allowed us to pay more attention to emails and the haul of students coming in.” Choose Laurier, the on-campus service for prospective student enquiries, has also now transitioned into Service Laurier. Since Nov. 25, Service Laurier’s service advisors have handled prospective student inquiries, but has not affected how these students can contact Choose Laurier. According to Martins, moving from Choose Laurier to Service Laurier means that any student only has one point of contact. “We’re trying to make that smoother and also just having one point to touch base we have experts in services now that can really be more efficient; more on their game in terms of answering questions and providing exceptional services.” According to Service Laurier, these changes reflect Enrolment Services’ goal of being an integrated department which focuses on engaging and supporting students through their university career. “There has been a lot of changes, so we will be paying attention to what’s been going on and adapting as needed … we will review things, but as of right now [the changes] have been working. It has
been a great step for us in terms of finding better service and that’s what we’re really looking at today. Like, how we can do this better for our students, making sure they’re getting what they need as quickly as possible,” Martins said. While the changes have already been in effect, there has been some concern over how Choose Laurier, now Service Laurier, will handle the number of students, both incoming and current. Keith Goulet, chief negotiator of the Wilfrid Laurier University Staff Association, explained how, before their transition, Choose Laurier would hire Laurier graduates to act as recruiters in various high schools during the fall term. In the winter term, when prospective students apply to the university, recruiters would receive phone calls and emails from potential students. “As far as I know, there was three or four bodies at least to handle all of that and so what they’ve done is they’ve, in essence, taken that half of the job and they’ve told those four recruiters you’re not doing that anymore,” said Goulet. “[Service Laurier is] swamped with all of the current students you know and there’s [17,594] of them.” While Goulet believes that if Service Laurier provides exceptional training to their employees then there should not be any issues, he is concerned as to how the service will operate and deal with the excessive workload as one team rather than three or four. “As far as I know, they received an intense amount of training which is great because obviously we don’t want a prospective student to call Service Laurier and have these staff members not knowing the answers to their questions,” said Goulet. “There’s really not an issue with that, but more of an issue with workload and wait times and so forth.” In response, Martins explained the service is consistently re-evaluating their operations and noted that Service Laurier is looking at a bigger timeline in order to accommodate to any type of student on the Laurier campuses. “We’re definitely very mindful of all our peaks and points in terms of services and when students really want those timely services. We’re trying to find ways to do it better so we’re very cautious of all those pieces,” Martins said.
On Jan. 4, a small group of The Cord staff will head to Fredericton, New Brunswick to attend NASH, an annual post-secondary journalism conference. This yearly conference brings in student journalists from across the country to meet various professionals in the journalism industry and learn about the most recent trends in reporting, photography, multi-media and design, among others. At the end of each NASH conference, student journalists from all over Canada are recognized at the JHM Award Ceremony, where students are nominated for awards in various categories. Last year, The Cord was nominated for four JHM Awards at the conference in Toronto. Current Creative Director, Will Huang, took
home our only win last year, as he was recognized as Photojournalist of the Year. This year, The Cord has been nominated for 12 awards. Senior News Editor, Kaitlyn Severin, was nominated for News Story of the Year with her story, “UPDATED: anti-abortion demonstration in the Quad.” Severin was also nominated for Student Journalist of the Year. The Cord also took two nominations in the category of Sports Story of the Year. Features Editor, Mitchell Consky was nominated for his story, “Laurier student joins Ontario’s first blind soccer team.” The Cord’s former Editor-in-Chief, Shelby Blackley, was nominated for her story, “Closing the gap between men’s and women’s sports.” Blackley was also nominated for Student Journalist of the Year and Layout of the Year, while Consky
was also nominated for Cover of the Year. Cord alum Josh Awolade was nominated for Graphic of the Year for his ed cartoon called, “Admin at a crossroads.” Last year’s Photojournalist of the Year, Will Huang, was nominated for two JHM’s this year: Layout of the Year for his feature spread entitled, “Diedter Stadnyk” as well as Photo of the Year for a photo of Laurier curling stars entitled, “Fraser and Kerilynn.” Huang was also nominated for Video of the Year, alongside Web Director Brian Phillips for their St. Patrick’s day video made last March. The Cord, as a whole, was also nominated for Best Website. We are excited to see the outcome of the award ceremony and hope to do the Laurier community proud by bringing home some wins from Fredericton.
HURRY! Deadline to apply to most positions is Jan. 31! Are looking for a motivating, energizing and rewarding summer job working with children and youth? We’re looking for 175+ dynamic staff to join our team!
VISIT
www.kitchener.ca/hiringnow or scan to learn about the exciting opportunities available and apply online.
6 •
FEATURES EDITOR/MITCHELL CONSKY/FEATURES@THECORD.CA
FEATU
URES
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017 • 7
8 •
Arts & Life
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017 ARTS & LIFE EDITOR MANJOT BHULLAR arts@thecord.ca
MUSIC
Rain drop, drop top, listen to these bops
CONTRIBUTED IMAGES
Brand New - Ben Rector What better way to kick off a new semester than with a song by the same name? “Brand New” is the title track of Ben Rector’s latest and most popular album. This Nashville-based artist who has been described by Billboard as a “gimmick-free pop nobody” has gained some notoriety with his latest album. All of Rector’s music is easy to listen to and fall in love with thanks to catchy melodies and thoughtful lyrics. “Brand New” will have no problem getting you in a good mood for the looming winter semester. - Brian Phillips
After Today - Aaron Lohr It may seem counter-intuitive to pick an anthem to the last day of school for a playlist devoted to going back, but “After Today” from A Goofy Movie serves as a constant reminder of the great things coming to you if you look to the immediate future and stay present-minded. When you’re being beaten down by assignments and due dates, “After Today” offers a hefty dose of adolescent optimism through its upbeat, goofy lyrics and promises of a better tomorrow as long as you can hold on through the day. That is solid advice moving into the semester, plus there is a small level of glee I feel whenever I try and score my life like music. - Chris Luciantonio
Pleiades Dust - Gorguts It may seem like cheating to add a thirty-three minute song to a playlist, but the Gorguts mammoth EP “Pleidas’ Dust” is a sweeping saga of the dissemination of knowledge since the Fall of Rome, rendered in head splitting technical death metal force. It doesn’t so much ask for your ears as it does grab them and scream into them for a half-hour straight and honestly what better way to get you back into “learning mode” than a loud and lasting shock to the system? Unfolding over seven movements of continuous sound, “Pleidas’ Dust” is an engrossing and layered listen which makes sure you are paying attention.
Someone in the Crowd - La La Land To end off that dumpster fire of a year, I went to see La La Land and I’m really glad I could go into 2017 with such an optimistic soundtrack. While all the songs are great, the one that stood out most is “Someone in the Crowd.” It’s a bright song full of inspiration and opportunity which we can all use right now as we start a new term. Instead of getting behind in our readings by the end of the second week, La La Land’s soundtrack makes me feel like I can glide into February on top of the world. - Mynt Marsellus
Take it All Back - Judah & the Lion This tightened, remixed Judah & the Lion single evokes stronger sensibilities: it’s a metaphor for life in transit, expressed through its polished, reworked form. The arrangement is cited in the lyric: “singing along with the banjo … dancing along to the mando’ and some sort of hip-hop beat.” It’s fusion, with a raspy, Eminem-connoting voice that it capitalizes on while reinventing the Americana trend. It’s a hopeful song about the future that acknowledges emotional regrets and desperately frames them to line the instant, like a new semester’s fresh start: “(I) feel I’m well on my way to my dreams coming true.”
- Chris Luciantonio - Karlis Wilde
ARTS & LIFE • 9
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017 BOOKS
Taking time to read between the semesters KAITLYN SEVERIN SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
Do Not Say We Have Nothing Madeline Thien
This book, written by Madeline Thien, is the winner of the 2016 Scotiabank Giller Prize and was the finalist for the 2016 Man Booker Prize. Needless to say, it did not disappoint. In the book, the two main characters, Marie and Ai-Ming, shows us the lives of two generations: those who lived through the Chinese Cultural Revolution and their children, who were involved in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. In the beginning of the novel,
Ai-Ming tells the story of how her family lived in Revolutionary China. Throughout the rest of the book, the story focuses on family history, memory and loyalty through times of despair. While Ai-Ming and Marie’s stories are mesmerizing and thought-provoking, the book also takes a look at tragedies and events that took place in twentieth-century China. The novel is pretty complex, but Thien’s words are powerful and keep you interested until the very end. milk and honey Rupi Kaur milk and honey is a collection of poems written by Canadian feminist poet, Rupi Kaur. Kaur’s poems are separated into four chapters and each touches on topics such as abuse, feminism, love and loss. It took me about an hour to read the whole book and after I was done,
I originally believed it to be very underwhelming. However, Kaur’s messages stuck with me. Her thoughts about heartbreak and depression were relatable and I often felt connected to the author with her thoughts on feminism and feelings of loneliness. This isn’t the best piece of poetry I’ve read, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good. I actually read it twice over the break. Kaur’s writing is clear and she doesn’t sugar coat her feelings for the reader. If you want a piece of literature that makes you feel sad, happy and sullen all at once, I definitely recommend this book. The Best Kind of People Zoe Whittall Written by another Canadian author, Zoe Whittall, The Best Kind of People is a novel about an ad-
VICTORIA PANACCI/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
mired husband and father, George Woodbury, who is arrested and charged for sexual impropriety at a prestigious high school — the very one he teaches at. While the book begins with his arrest, the author focuses on Woodbury’s wife, son and daughter, who are faced to deal with George’s arrest while their community turns against them. While I wasn’t pleased with
the ending of this book, it was interesting how families of those convicted with sexual assault pick up the pieces after they have been torn apart. The novel takes a look at modern rape culture and how such cases are dealt with in society. This book may anger some readers — I was pretty enraged by the end — but I also couldn’t put it down until it was finished.
RESTAURANT
Failte’s fate sealed KARLIS WILDE STAFF WRITER
Cold, jagged white brick wraps around King St.’s hole-in-the-wall surrounded by more distinguished establishments like DVLB and The Pub on King, a broken lantern highlights the un-marked entrance to the bar and restaurant formerly known as Failte. Maybe it was the distinct confusion of character that put the final nail in this restaurant’s coffin. While the decor was cheap and beaten and the windows were few, it gave the tiny, cramped space a unique character — it was a caricature of a real Irish pub. Yet it boasted a menu that didn’t capitalize on that singular ideal, offering the same simple entrees and appetizers standard to the sort of Molly Blooms’ brand restaurant it was: fake Irish. “If you haven’t heard we are closed (sadly & not by choice)” is the only statement made by Failte, posted directly to their Facebook page. Local restauranteur Devon McKenzie, owner of Night School, The Order and Stark & Perri, believes he knows exactly the thematic facelift required to make this tiny pub relevant again: by combining a unique mishmash of modern trends and transforming the space formerly known as Failte into the curiously named Becky’s Apartment, which officially opened on Jan. 3. McKenzie described Becky as a fake character representative of “that one friend everyone has” — the one who’s always throwing crazy parties. He likened the idea of the bar
to the movie Project X, saying that with the advent of Facebook and Twitter, there’s such a quick exchange of information that it’s possible to throw enormous, incredible parties on short notice. While the concept is based around a youthful, party environment, McKenzie constantly used the word “homey” to describe the ambiance. The approach to the menu is locally sourced foods at competitive prices and totally disregards the assumed pub-food necessity of the deep-fryer — he described a $13 codfish plate he brought back from Kelowna, British Columbia to the menu, praising its use of flavourful, fresh ingredients and creative plating to define an exciting culinary experience without breaking the bank. Becky’s Apartment will also boast a rotating string of taps featuring local beers from Wellington Brewery, Elora Brewery and Block Three.The bar’s identity is incredibly transitive — part of the intended charm. While there are going to be stacks of board games available for patrons to play, there will also be a DJ spinning records every Tuesday night. The food and drink choices are going to be unique, flavourful experiences that capitalize on freerange and local products, but the bar will also be stocked with the standard Molson/Coors fixtures. While the space will be utilized to create interesting, foodie-centric experiences, there’s a simple kind of fun that lives within the spirit of the bar. “I don’t want the message to get too mixed,” McKenzie said. “It’s going to be an awesome party.”
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10 •
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017
Editorial
OPINION EDITOR MADELINE MCINNIS opinion@thecord.ca
Abusive and threatening comments cannot be tolerated vague statements, it must be understood that there are legal parameters in which they can release information. A story such as this has several layers and, regardless of how much the community can disagree with a decision, abusive or threatening emails are never acceptable. No single person made this decision. While Deeming may be the figurehead of the GSA, there are policies in place that make an action, such as terminating a contract, a decision that must be made by the group. The Cord places emphasis on reporting news stories in an unbiased nature. We do not agree nor disagree with the GSA’s decision. It is not our job to tell you what to think; it is our job to tell you the story. Varying opinions make for interesting dialogues. We enjoy when our readers engage with each other via comments sections. We encourage healthy debate. What we do not condone is the abusive and threatening language from behind a computer screen. If you’re going to disagree, disagree in a way that it still respectful, critical and well-informed.
Over the winter break, the Laurier community learned through various media outlets, including The Cord, that the Graduate Students’ Association had terminated their contract with the operator of Veritas Café, Sandor Dosman. The contract was terminated, according to Dosman, due to an ad he posted online looking for new employees, saying he was searching for a “new slave (full-time staff member).” After this story broke, several people in Kitchener-Waterloo and the Laurier community took to social media to express their anger surrounding the situation. Many people started to blame Samantha Deeming, president and CEO of the GSA for the decision to terminate the contract and accused the GSA of being hyper-sensitive. The Cord’s website and Facebook page blew up with comments, some of which were aggressive and accusatory. During times like these, we encourage the public and our readers to be critical and well informed about situations before posting comments. While the university and the GSA were releasing very
Exercising democratic rights through student elections that you may use without even realizing that they are Union based. Also, with student elections also comes referendum questions, which can add or subtract ancillary fees to your student account. Along with voting for who will represent the student body, you could also be saying “yes” or “no” to added fees. We encourage the Students’ Union to make this information more known, year round. Make the information more accessible about what our student leaders do. Make an incentive for voting. Always strive for further engagement with those outside of the Union. And to the students, hold your student leaders accountable by participating in student elections. The future of Laurier is in all of your hands.
As we approach student election season, we encourage all students at Laurier to inform themselves about the election and the importance of voting. With the recent election in the States, now, more than ever, young people should be realizing the importance of exercising their democratic rights, even if it is in small-scale student elections. We understand that maybe not everyone thinks student government will affect them. We realize that there are students who will not get involved with Students’ Union activities and therefore not care about who is governing the Students’ Union. If you find yourself in those categories, student government does affect you, too. The Students’ Union spearheads several services
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.
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WLUSP ADMINISTRATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
DIRECTOR Matt Burley
CHAIR Meghan Roach
TREASURER John Pehar
VICE-CHAIR Abdiasis Issa DIRECTOR Maddy Cutts DIRECTOR Mynt Marsellus
PRESIDENT Meghan Roach president@wlusp.com FINANCE MANAGER Randy Moore randy@rcmbrooks. com ADVERTISING MANAGER Caroline Schummer care.schummer@ wlusp.com
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Lakyn Barton lakyn.barton@wlusp. com HR MANAGER/CORPORATE SECRETARY Taylor Berzins hr@wlusp.com
FANI HSIEH/GRAPHICS EDITOR
Reflections on bad qualities MADELINE MCINNIS OPINION EDITOR
To this day, the lesson that has resonated with me the most came from my grade 12 literature class. We were instructed to draw a box in the centre of a page, then think of the person that we disliked most in this world. We were told to put the qualities about them that annoyed us so much around the box. I remember my page had qualities like vain, insensitive, spoiled and self-centered. It felt kind of good to get those qualities out on a page and admit what annoyed me so much about a person that everyone else seemed to like. That was, of course, until we filled our own names into the boxes in the centre of our sheets. Most of the students in the class were indignant. There was no way people saw me as vain and self-centered, was there? I started to question everything about the way I saw myself; was I really the person that I hated the most? I wasn’t the only one feeling disheartened. Some students laughed, but most were annoyed or uncomfortable. Then, our teacher continued our
lesson. She said that these qualities, the ones we hated the most in the other person, were actually the ones we try to repress in ourselves. That’s when everything clicked for me. I hated the thought of being vain because I try so hard not to be vain. The thought of being insensitive was so hurtful because I try so hard to be attentive to the needs of others. As much as I’d like to get along with everyone I come across, sometimes it’s just not possible while still keeping an opinion and a personality. Butting heads and confrontation with others is bound to happen, sooner or later. Living with this certainty, for me, has been a lot easier with this logic in mind. I still communicate with my “least favourite person.” I still think that she matches all of the qualities she did two years ago. But dealing with her now has become a lot easier. In a way, I think it’s like the old “turning the other cheek.” At the end of the day, she can say and do whatever she wants, as much as it annoys me. I even let her, to an extent, because a lot of the time it’s just not worth arguing. In the meantime, I can rest easy knowing that I’ve done my best to not be like her. Maybe I’m the name that people think about when they’re writing the qualities around an empty box. Maybe some of my qualities are the ones that people really hate. I’m not going to lose sleep over
that, either. These hypothetical qualities? They’re ones that I must be more comfortable within myself. If I’m disliked for qualities I like, I’m not going to try to change those traits anyway. Being confident isn’t just skin deep.
Butting heads and confrontation with others is bound to happen, sooner or later. Living with this certainty, for me, has been a lot easier with this logic in mind.
There isn’t anything wrong with clashing personalities or annoyances with peers. What matters is that you’re comfortable enough with your personality and opinions that you can work with these annoyances without shutting down. The annoying qualities in others are qualities we want to shut off in ourselves. Seeing them in another person shouldn’t reflect your own self-confidence. Rest easy knowing that you’re not like them; at least, you’re trying not to be.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017
Opinion
• 11 OPINION EDITOR MADELINE MCINNIS opinion@thecord.ca
Keep “old you” in the new year New year’s resolutions don’t work and should be avoided
FANI HSIEH/GRAPHICS EDITOR
Laurier’s legacy TARIQUE PLUMMER STAFF WRITER
Wilfrid Laurier: a career politician, boasting a 40-years-plus record as Member of Parliament and as leader of the Liberal party. As leader, his term started in 1887 and ended in 1919. However, within this period were the almost 15 years he led this noble country as the chief among civil servants. Few politicians in Canadian history have accrued such a record of accolades that they are remembered as one of the greatest, Sir Laurier was one. It is no secret that when Laurier took the steering wheel of Canada, the country was quite off-base, especially considering the death of Sir John Macdonald and the four other prime ministers that followed. Almost coincidentally, like Batman who appears when the bat signal is triggered, Laurier, the first of French-Canadian descent, arrived as prime minister to battle the political storm and provided the necessary vision “The unity of the people is the secret of the future” was one of the lines he was known for. This statement was a foundational piece of his vision and his potent sagacity of national unity. His explanation of his pronouncement is quite inspirational. He enlightened the masses that, whether English or French speaking, Catholic or Protestant, rich or impoverished, the willingness of Canadians to work together for the benefit of all is the key to building a nation. Admittedly, it was a struggle for Laurier to attain his unity-driven objective as he was called upon to make tough political decisions. One of which transpired when he was the head of the opposition during the initial stages of the First World War. He openly supported sending Canadian soldiers overseas. However, he was opposed to mandatory military enlistment. This cost him
politically, as the English demanded conscription and the French did not believe that it was their place to even go to Europe, let alone to be conscripted. His happy medium did not please either group. Laurier tactfully used his vision of unity and autonomy to encourage the citizens to work as one to achieve nation development. Like a fortune teller, Laurier envisaged that the twentieth century would bring great growth, as he concentrated his efforts on the eastern section of Canada: the prairies. From a political and critical vantage point, the approach of Laurier was not unique, as most pundits would concur that it was a continuation of John A. Macdonald’s national policy with greater success. Laurier taught us something truly special. His continuation of Macdonald’s spoke volumes. Sir John A. Macdonald was a racist, colonizer and misogynist. In light of the Chinese riots in 1887, Macdonald did not hesitate to proudly stand in the House of Commons and utter that the Chinese would breed a “mongrel” race, threaten the “Aryan” character of dominion and that having Chinese working alongside the white class would breed nothing but “evil.” He admitted that his pronouncements were due to the fact that he was running a country filled with racists, but it’s difficult to say whether he was truly being political or if he was being his natural self. The lesson here is that Laurier stuck to and improved the potential filled policies he had. Even though Macdonald’s character was deeply questionable, Laurier did not allow that to affect his perspective of the policies he created. This taught us that the character of a man should not be used to judge the quality of his work. Perhaps this can be applied to America’s president-elect. The country experienced unprecedented growth and development under Laurier’s administration and, as a result, made significant strides in achieving the vision he laid out.
FANI HSIEH/GRAPHICS EDITOR
EMILY WAITSON STAFF WRITER
One thing that I’ve noticed about myself as I get older is the frantic desperation I feel whenever the new year is approaching. I scramble to make both a mental and physical list of grandiose resolutions that are never very realistic or feasible to achieve. I automatically set myself up for failure when I pen puffed up points that include losing twenty pounds in just two months, getting absolutely perfect grades or being an all around incredible wonder woman of a person. I inevitably exhaust myself in less than a month of half-heartedly attempting my newfound proclamations. I give up entirely, eventually admitting my lackluster defeat. I realize that I’m not alone in this overzealous way of thinking, as new year’s resolutions are basically a last ditch attempt at upgrading your personal software to the
improved model you think you need to have, in order to be a better person. I’ve learned — through my own personal fuck-ups — that it is pointless to create a plan relying solely on some sort of magical transformation. Envisioning an entirely different person completely separate from who you are won’t do your mental stability and overall wellbeing any favours. Starting simple is always more beneficial and breaking goals down into smaller tasks will work wonders for your own sanity and ability to follow through with what you want to accomplish. The best anyone can do is to acknowledge the little things that they want to work on and realize that in doing so, they might end up improving any bigger problems they have because of it. New year’s resolutions are great in theory, but don’t let the idea behind it fool you. You don’t necessarily need to have a laundry list of things to “fix” about yourself in order to be a decent human being who finds success in their life. Going into 2017 with definitive objectives in mind is excellent, but
I’ve trashed the idea of doing so with the intention of becoming a person who ultimately isn’t me. Yet, I think each one of us just wants to become a little less of an asshole, a little more determined and a lot more ready to take on the things that will eventually make us the most happy that we can be.
Envisioning an entirely different person completely seperate from who you are won’t do your mental stability and overall wellbeing any favours.
I’m more than thrilled to scrap 2016 and forge ahead with a positive mindset, prepared to embrace whatever my hazy future has to push in front of me. I know I won’t deal with it perfectly, but things probably wouldn’t turn out as interesting if I did.
12 •
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2017
Sports
SPORTS EDITOR ROB FIFIELD sports@thecord.ca
PROFILE
A team first mindset PRANAV DESAI LEAD SPORTS REPORTER
ALEX TRKULJA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
The Laurier women’s basketball team currently owns a 7-2 record and one of the biggest reasons behind their outstanding season has been the play of fourth-year guard, Nicole Morrison. Morrison is averaging a career high in points, rebounds and assists per game. She was named the OUA athlete of the week on Dec. 5, 2016. All this success is following a year in which she was named an OUA Women's Basketball First Team All-Star for 2015-16. Morrison’s relationship with basketball began well before her arrival at Laurier. The Hamilton native simply had a chance encounter. “I started playing basketball in grade seven. My dad was a hockey player, so I don’t really know how I got into basketball. I just got into it for fun and started to love it after that,” said Morrison. At 5 feet 4 inches, Morrison does not have the ideal height of a basketball player. This was never an obstacle for her. “I made sure I was one of the strongest players on the court. I’m not big, but I’m still pretty strong. I made up for the height with my strength,” she said.
Morrison credits the Hawks’ success this season to the overall depth of the team. “We have a very strong team. We have a lot of girls who can step up and play well. We have a good group of rookies who have played their part and done a good job of fitting into our team and the way that we play.”
I don’t think that indiviual stats mean that much. I enjoy being part of a team that does well ... that’s more fun than indiviual awards for me. -Nicole Morrison, guard
The Hawks’ talent has been on display all season long, especially over the last two games, which they have won by a combined 58 points. When asked to comment about her individual accomplishments over the past year, Morrison was quick to shift the focus towards the team. “I don’t think individual stats
mean that much. I enjoy being part of a team that does well. Everyone on the team plays well and that’s more fun than individual awards for me,” she added. Morrison’s team first attitude shows that the sky is the limit for this Hawks team. The chemistry and togetherness of this team can be seen through their performances on the court. Despite all the personal and team success that Morrison has achieved, she does not see herself becoming a professional basketball player in the future. “I have some life goals. I am working on my firefighting. I’m doing my pre-service. I love Laurier basketball — it’s done a lot for me. It’s a lot of fun, but after that, I don’t see myself playing any further,” she said. It has been a great season for Morrison and the Golden Hawks so far and Morrison’s character, along with the rest of the team’s talent, proves that this team can go as far as its players are willing to take it. A playoff berth is in the cards for the Hawks and it should not surprise anybody to see Laurier make a deep playoff run. The Golden Hawks are back in action Friday as they host the Carleton Ravens at the Athletics complex.
CURLING
Hawks hopeful for another huge season Expectations are at an all time high after men’s and women’s curling win OUA gold last year ROB FIFIELD SPORTS EDITOR
Even with a new roster and a new head coach, Wilkinson assured that team’s mentality has remained the same.
The Laurier curling teams are ready to hit the ground running and start off the new year right where they left of last season. 2016 was a remarkable year for the men’s curling squad, as they were able to capture the CIS gold medal after defeating the the Alberta Golden Bears 7-4.
Expectations are to win an OUA championship. Then we’ll see what happens at nationals.
-Matt Wilkinson, head coach
The Laurier men had an historic season as they dominated the country finishing an impressive
With the resume that these guys have and the skill level that they have ... we should still be considered a top contender in the conference. -Matt Wilkinson, head coach
ANDREAS PATSIAOUROS/FILE PHOTO
20-2 overall, averaging 7.6 points per game. The team also had some incredible individual performances as Aaron Squires was named a CIS first Team All-Canadian for the third time in his career and Richard Krell and Spencer Nuttall were named second team all stars. In what was an incredible journey for the team — they won bronze and silver in the previous years. Now the many new faces
on the team are embarking on a new journey under newly hired head coach Matt Wilkinson who is replacing former coach, Glenn Paulley. The team will only sport a few familiar faces this season, as many of last season’s key players have since moved on from the program. The women’s team also had an impressive 2016 season, as they captured OUA gold and advanced to the CIS finals.
Although both men’s and women’s teams will be saying goodbye to several key players and welcoming new faces to the teams, Wilkinson isn’t concerned that it will hurt the men’s team’s performance. “It will be a little bit of an adjustment, but with the resume that a lot of these guys have and the skill level that they have, it shouldn’t be a big issue for us and we should still be considered a top contender in the conference.”
“Expectations are to win and to win an OUA championship. Then we’ll see what happens at nationals,” he said. The men’s team has been practicing tirelessly and are ready to start a legacy of their own. The Hawks will be in action for the first time in 2017 on Jan. 21, as they travel to St. Catherines for the Brock Invitational.