THE CORD THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926
VOLUME 60 ISSUE 2 • JULY 3, 2019
LAURIER SHOWS ITS PRIDE University promotes inclusion and equality with month-long events and celebration News, page 5
ION GRAND OPENING
CONESTOGA IN KITCHENER
BREAKING DOWN HIV/AIDS
LEAVE KAWHI ALONE
FRESH TALENT
LRT system celebrates, free week of rides
New college campus opening in DTK
Evaluating the stigma in affected regions
Basketball star uncomfortable in spotlight
Men’s Basketball adds eight new members
News, page 3
News, page 4
Arts & Life, page 7
Opinion, page 10
Sports, page 12
2 •
WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019
VOCAL CORD What do you like about being a four-legged Laurier student?
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CordNews THIS DAY IN HISTORY: JULY 3
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
1608: Samuel de Champlain founded the city of Quebec. 1775: George Washington takes command of the Continental Army. 1790: In Paris, the Marquis de Condorcet proposes granting civil rights to women.
“Many pets.” –Isla, 4th-year Computer Science
1863: Battle of Gettysburg, largest battle ever fought on the American continent, ends in a major victory for the Union during the US Civil War. 1928: John Logie Baird demonstrates the first colour television transmission in London.
“Treats.” –Cleo, 3rd-year English and Women’s Studies
CARE LUCAS
The newest (and cutest) addition to the Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications family, Atticus Lucas Mahn.
1940: Following the German invasion and occupation of France, French warships fled to the port of Mers-el-Kebir in Algeria. Britain gave the french Vichy government the options of the following for it’s French Navy. 1944: The U.S. First Army opens a general offensive to break out of the hedgerow area of Normandy, France. 1945: U.S. troops land at Balikpapan and take Sepinggan airfield on Borneo in the Pacific. 1954: Food rationing ends in Great Britain almost nine years after the end of World War II.
“Grass.” –Benjamin, 2nd-year Psychology
1962: Jackie Robinson becomes the first African American to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. 1967: North Vietnamese soldiers attack South Vietnam’s only producing coal mine at Nong Son. 1971: American singer-songwriter, Jim Morrison, dies.
“Lots of trees.”
1998: UK Rolls Royce Sold To Volkswagen.
–Sandy, 3rd-year Economics
Compiled by Aaron Hagey Photos by Emily Waitson NEXT ISSUE AUGUST 30TH, 2019
OPINION EDITOR Jade Hosick opinion@thecord.ca
CORD STAFF
SPORTS EDITOR Vacant sports@thecord.ca
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Emily Waitson editor@thecord.ca
GRAPHICS EDITOR Jamie Mere graphics@thecord.ca
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Katherine Weber creative@thecord.ca
PHOTO EDITOR Vacant photos@thecord.ca
WEB DIRECTOR Kashyap Patel online@thecord.ca
ONLINE EDITOR Kathleen McCullough online@thecord.ca
NEWS DIRECTOR Hayley McGoldrick news@thecord.ca
VIDEO EDITOR Vacant video@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR Sophia Cole news@thecord.ca
LEAD REPORTER Vacant news@thecord.ca
ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Alyssa Di Sabatino arts@thecord.ca
LEAD SPORTS REPORTER Vacant sports@thecord.ca
2009: Sarah Palin Resigns as Governor of Alaska.
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
Cord Editor-in-Chief’s mama and friends supporting the LGBTQ+ community at the Toronto Pride parade. LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Vacant photos@thecord.ca SENIOR COPY EDITOR Victoria Marshall copyeditor@thecord.ca
CONTRIBUTORS
Sarah Tyler Emma McVicar
EDITOR’S CHOICE
“Gay or trans “panic” is not a valid defense in court” - Jade Hosick
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES All advertising inquiries can be directed to Kurtis Rideout at kurtisrideout@gmail.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
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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
2013: Following demonstrations against his rule, Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi removed from office by military action.
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: “He’s the kind of professor I’d have an affair with.” - News Editor, Sophia Cole, when talking about classes with The Cord’s staff.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019
News
• 3 NEWS DIRECTOR HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK news@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR SOPHIA COLE news@thecord.ca
EDUCATION
Laurier appoints new deans in two faculties HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK NEWS DIRECTOR
On June 10, 2019, Wilfrid Laurier University appointed two new deans in the faculties of education and science, with Maria Cantalini Williams, who will be starting her term as the dean of the faculty of education on July 1, and Anthony Clarke beginning his term as the dean of the faculty of science on Aug. 1. “We have a very meticulous process of how we hire deans: it’s a committee made up of faculty, staff and students. They’re elected to sit on those committees. Both of the faculties are unique in their respective ways; our faculty of education is fairly small, less than 10 faculty members, and science is one of our fastest growing faculties in the university,” said Robert Gordon, provost and vice-president: academic at Wilfrid Laurier University. “We hired a search firm to help us recruit the best candidates available, we had an exhaustive process where we met with a number of the individuals, and for both of the searches we had people come and give open presentations to our university community. Through that rigorous process and feedback from faculty, staff and students, we selected the two new deans.” Cantalini Williams has worked with Laurier’s faculty of education for a number of years now, as she
international or domestic, the dean is really, in many ways, the key ambassador for that faculty in terms of making sure that everyone understands the importance of supporting the student experience and making sure that when there are issues, they are finding solutions to those problems,” he said.
We have a very meticulous process of how we hire deans: it’s a committee made up of faculty, staff and students. EMILY WAITSON/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
was associate dean of the Laurier-Nipissing concurrent education program for six years, on top of being a director of the program and teaching in the Bachelor of Education and graduate studies programs. Clarke, however, previously resided at the University of Guelph, as he is currently a professor in molecular and cellular Biology. Clarke has an in-depth background in administrative roles, including assistant vice-president of graduate studies and program quality assurance, interim associate vice-president: academic, associate vice-president of research
services and interim dean of the college of biological science. “In the education search, we had a graduate and an undergraduate student who participated actively, as well as in the faculty of science search, we had a current fourth-year student and a graduate student on our committee. They played important roles being involved in selection; when we brought a short list of candidates to campus, they were part of the discussions that took place, as it’s an important part of what students do is helping make the best choices for other students,” Gordon said. These new deans will be working
both directly and indirectly with students as they overlook each faculty for the next five years, including budgeting, programming, admissions and other tasks. “The dean’s role is multifaceted; they do everything from helping manage the budget, to supporting enrollment, to really providing leadership in terms of the vision for the faculty and academic programming,” Gordon said. “The key is, certainly, for the dean to play an important role in how the student experience moves forward, for every student at Laurier.” “Undergraduate, graduate,
-Robert Gordon,, provost and vice-president: academic at WLU
Cantalini Williams will succeed Colleen Willard-Holt, who is completing her tenth year and second term with the faculty as she was appointed the inaugural dean in 2008. Clarke will be succeeding Kenneth Maly, Laurier associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, who was elected as Laurier’s acting dean of science from July 2018. Both of the new deans will complete five-year terms in their positions.
TRANSIT
ION launch kicks off with celebration SOPHIA COLE NEWS EDITOR
YITIAN CAI/CORD PHOTOGRAPHY
On Saturday, June 22, Uptown Waterloo and Downtown Kitchener came together with Grand River Transit to celebrate the grand opening of the ION Light Rail Trail (LRT) to the public. There were tens of thousands of people in attendance on June 22nd, the day of the ION launch, and over 73,000 people who rode the train during its first weekend. “The energy was huge,” said Tracy Van Kalsbeek, executive director for the Uptown Waterloo BIA. The “Taking in the Sights and Lights” event was organized by the Uptown Waterloo and Downtown Kitchener BIAs, in conjunction with Grand River Transit, to celebrate the highly-anticipated launch of the Kitchener-Waterloo LRT system and re-energize the KWs urban centers after years of construction. “As you can imagine, the last five years have been crazy for construction in the Downtown and Uptown areas,” Van Kalsbeek said. “[We were] looking for a way to celebrate, when the ION got
running, with the businesses who had really taken the brunt of the construction.”
The decision to make rideship free was to really encourage people to try the ION Train as well as the whole transit system. -Brandon SImon, senior ION project manager for the Region
The ION system now runs from Fairview Mall in Kitchener to Conestoga Mall in Waterloo, connecting the two urban cores in a new and easily accessible way. Performers, outdoor concerts, food and beverages, sales and local business promotions were present in the Uptown and Downtown cores to encourage people to try out the ION and rediscover what the cities have to offer. “It was an event that was for the
entire [train] line, from Uptown to Downtown,” said Brandon Simon, senior ION project manager for the Region of Waterloo. The GRT offered free transit to all transit passengers from the LRT Trains opening from June 22-July 1. “The decision to make rideship free was to really encourage people to try the ION Train as well as the whole transit system,” Simon said. “Whether that was on their day off or to test it out on their commute [to work].” The event was the first time that the Downtown Kitchener BIA and the Uptown Waterloo BIA have worked in collaboration on a project of this scale. They are hoping to make the “Sights and Lights” event an annual occurrence. “It helps to connect our cores that much more,” Van Kalsbeek said. The LRT launch event was a deemed a great success and there are hopes for further collaboration between the BIAs and the GRT in the future. “What we are hearing is that they’re excited that the ION is running,” Van Kalsbeek said.
4 • NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019
UNIVERSITY STRATEGY was put in place very quickly to respond to the legislation last fall, we created the work group to look at it for a number of months to see if we should turn that into a permanent policy,” said Tony Araujo, acting vice president of finance & administration for Wilfrid Laurier University.
It’s also a much cleaner approach so instead of having multiple policies that we have to refer to trying to manage it, we can just look at one policy ... -Tony Araujo, vice president of finance & administration for WLU
EMILY WAITSON/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Laurier implements new smoke-free policy on campus HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK NEWS DIRECTOR
On Monday, July 1, Wilfrid Laurier University implemented their new smoke-free policy across all campuses, replacing the interim cannabis policy that was instituted when cannabis was legalized in
Canada, as well as replacing the existing smoking policy. The new policy prohibits smoking of all types across Laurier campuses, including smoking cigarettes, vaping or other inhalant devices as well as smoking cannabis, with the exception of those needing it for medical reasons.
This applies to all buildings owned, leased or operated by the university including housing, residences, restaurants, outdoor recreation areas and athletic fields and stadiums. This also applies to any vehicles owned, leased or rented by the university. “The interim cannabis policy
“It became clearer to us that it was better to really adjust the current smoking policy that was in place, it really encompasses that regardless of the type of smoking happening, what we are really concerned about is the wellness and healthy environments we want to create for students, faculty, staff and visitors.” This policy will apply to all Laurier campuses, although more integrated downtown campuses like Brantford and Toronto will be monitored by the Ontario smoking laws that prohibit users from smoking within nine meters of any building. “City by-laws are what take care
of smoking when you’ve got an integrated campus like Brantford and Toronto, or even some examples in Waterloo, our policy does not apply in public spaces, it is only on the campus buildings that are owned, leased and operated by us that our policy applies.” This policy was reviewed by the board of governors, replacing a policy that was previously written in July of 2002. The vice president of finance and administration’s office is the office of accountability for the policy, and Safety, Health, Environment & Risk Management (SHERM) is the administrative responsibility for the policy. “It’s also a much cleaner approach so instead of having multiple policies that we have to refer to trying to manage it, we can just look at one policy, that’s really how the process happened, that’s the direction the university has gone,” Araujo said. In Ontario, it is not a law that universities must be smoke free, and in September 2018 only four schools in Ontario had adopted becoming smoke-free campuses, with only two schools banning all inhalant devices. “In the university environment, you want to be a leader and take care of the environment, and the other part of it is that there are individuals who are allergic to many of the particles from all these different types of items that are smoked, so for us to try and ensure we have a healthy and accessible campus, we have to consider that there is a part of our campus population whose health is in danger,” Araujo said.
EXPANSION
Conestoga College announces plans for new DTK Campus
The new campus, located in Market Square in Downtown Kitchener, is set to open January 2020 SOPHIA COLE NEWS EDITOR
On May 31, John Tibbits, president of Conestoga College, and Kitchener mayor Berry Vrbanovic announced plans to open a new campus inside the Market Square location in Downtown Kitchener. The 82,000 square foot campus is set to open in January of 2020 and will aid in accommodating Conestoga College’s growing international student population. The campus will host primarily business classes upon opening before expanding its programming into further disciplines as the college continues to grow. The campus will be located in the heart of Downtown Kitchener, at King and Frederick streets, with easy access to all the amenities the city has to offer; including the new ION train, which travels directly past the front doors of Market Square. The announcement of the new campus is the most recent in a series of expansions Conestoga has been making over the past years. While, as of now, the Market Square space will be rented by Conestoga, there are hopes for a more permanent residency in the future. The new space will be mutual-
ly beneficial for both Conestoga College and the City of Kitchener. Conestoga will receive the space needed to accommodate their substantial growth and the influx of students in the area will drive local business revenue as well as Kitchener’s rental market.
We look forward to working with our partners to provide students with an outstanding learning experience in Downtown Kitchener. -John Tibbits, president of Conestoga College
“They can just literally step outside the front door and within walking distance there’s all kinds of restaurants and services,” Tibbits said in a public statement. The central location of the campus will eliminate the need for food services and other student resource infrastructure to be built inside the new campus. The rise in the student popu-
EMILY WAITSON/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Conestoga College’s Market Square campus is projected to host more than 2,000 students in roughly three years.
lation within the area will lead to an increase in housing demand — new students will need accommodations that are closely situated to their campus or easily accessible by public transit. Over 2,000 new housing units
are planned for construction in the downtown core and the campus’ close proximity to the ION train will allow for students who live further from the campus to quickly and easily commute. “We’re tremendously pleased to
have the opportunity to open this new campus,” Tibbits said. “We look forward to working with our partners to provide students with an outstanding learning experience in Downtown Kitchener.”
NEWS • 5
WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019 LGBTQ+
Laurier celebrates Pride Month, promotes inclusion SOPHIA COLE NEWS EDITOR
The end of June marks the end of Pride Month at Wilfrid Laurier University, but that doesn’t mean the efforts towards inclusivity come to a halt. Throughout the month of June, WLU made various efforts to show their support for the LGBTQ+ community, including flying the rainbow flag for the duration of the month and participating in Toronto’s Pride March. Micheal Woodford, associate professor of Social Word at WLU and expert on mental health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ youth, described pride as “a month where we are celebrating LGBTQ+ people and the diversity of our community.” “It’s so important because of the representation and the inclusion. When we think about pride month the fact that universities do things to recognize LGBTQ+ students is a very symbolic act of commitment and acknowledgement,” Woodford said. The timing of pride month, falling in line with the spring semester with a vastly decreased student presence, means the university’s pride festivities are planned to
our classroom activities in really important” said Woodford.
When we think about Pride Month the fact that universities do things to recognize LGBTQ+ students is a very symbolic act of commitment and acknowledgement. -Micheal Woodford, assocoate proffessor of Social Work at WLU
JAMIE MERE/GRAPHICS EDITOR
cater to a smaller audience. “Because pride happens to be celebrated in June, the majority of the student population is not here,” said Woodford. “If pride was in October we would probably be doing a lot more than what we do now.” WLU has continued to make strides towards spreading the feelings of inclusion and representation sparked during Pride Month into the university space year-round. The work done by the centre for
diversity, equity and inclusion, the rainbow centre and other student led initiatives has been invaluable in making WLU a more comfortable space for LGBTQ+ individuals. “Those kinds of peer support and peer mentorship are really important, especially for students who are coming to Laurier in the future,” said Woodford. Universities are extremely multifaceted institutions and making sure that every facet of WLU in equally inclusive to all students is a
priority. Laurier is making continual efforts to work towards this goal. This includes ensuring that the spaces at WLU are LGBTQ+ inclusive spaces. The recent institution of gender inclusive residence buildings is a huge step towards gender equity for trans and non-binary gender identifying students. A shift toward inclusivity within academic content is another effort being made by faculty at WLU. “Being intentional around our programming and inclusive in
“If you’re teaching a course on sexuality, you ensure you’re also speaking on LGBTQ sexuality… If you’re teaching a course about gender, you are speaking about transgender, not just men and women.” An increase in sessions on trans inclusion on campus and ally training for non-LGBTQ+ students who want further education on how to be respectful and supportive to their LGBTQ+ counterparts are steps which could be taken in the future to increase inclusivity of the WLU community.
COMMUNITY
Princess Cinema no longer closing AARON HAGEY PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER
EMILY WAITSON/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The Princess Cinema has been an uptown Waterloo film staple since 1985.
Following public outcry and community support for the Princess Original cinema in Waterloo, the theatre announced that it will not be closing its doors — for now. The cinema, which had been open since John Tutt, owner and proprietor, purchased the space in 1985 — over 34 years — had received news on April 12, 2019, that its tenancy with the Huether Hotel would be cut short. “It was a shock that we were going to be evicted … it was a real unusual time in April when we got that news: that a virtual reality business was going to go in there,” Tutt said. “[I think] cultural spaces — in any city — people are attached to: they’re a rare thing, they take time to develop and that was why there was such a strong community outpouring from that news that we were going to have to close down.” However, just a few weeks into the decision, the owners of the Huether told John and Wendy Tutt that they were reversing their decision to evict the Princess Original from the space in favor of alternate tenant opportunities. “Probably about three weeks into that whole process of public outcry … when the hotel [told us about the eviction], we had to announce to the community that the theatre was closing … and when that announcement was made and people heard about what was going on, then this huge outcry came about — and [now] here we are,
negotiating a [long-term] lease,” Tutt said. “I guess what happened was the outpouring from people who had gone there for years … There’s been a ton of people who have had first dates, been part of packed entertainment screenings — so a lot of memories and affection for that little second-floor cinema space in the community.” The decision, however, was a difficult one made by the Adlys family, owners of the Huether, rooted in financial difficulties, and changes to insurance and property taxes — a fact recognized by Tutt. On April 20, 2019, the Huether Hotel posted an official statement regarding the events that transpired, to give their perspective towards the circumstances surrounding the eviction. The main issue, according to both the Huether and the Princess, was a lack of a “renter’s lease”, which severely impacted the stability, reliability and accountability of the tenancy, from both a renter and landlord perspective. “We’ve had a long-term relationship with the family that runs the hotel, and we didn’t have a lease for about 15 years,” Tutt said. The Adlys’ claim that a lease had not existed since 2012; in exchange for a decreased rent cost and no property taxes, the two parties had agreed to a more informal leasing system, as neither had taken formal action to pursue a renewal. This changed when the Adlys’ were notified of a 30 per cent increase to their insurance and property tax increase of approxi-
mately $27,000, which forced them to re-evaluate the cost of renting the space — a cost which, they claim, the Tutts were unable or unwilling to pay. In this statement, they also made it clear that there were no definite offers or agreements that had been made with other possible tenants, and that the information that had been relayed to the Tutts previously had been a case of misinformation. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding the potential eviction of the Princess Original from the Huether’s location on Princess Street, the news that they will be staying open for the time being is refreshing to Tutt. A definite lease has yet to be negotiated or actualized, though, meaning the Princess Original’s future is still uncertain. “When we do get [a lease], we do have some plans: we’d like to change the seating in there, we’d like to rearrange the snack bar, we’d like to improve our signage on the street — some cosmetic [changes] that it needs,” Tutt said. “But why do that when, in a few months, where some other news might come around. Tenants need stability — and they get stability through leases.” At the end of the day, the Tutts owe this opportunity to the increase in visibility created by their dedicated community members. “A huge thank you to the [community] … and a huge thank you to all past, present and future Princess patrons: thanks for supporting us, through everything — and for coming out and seeing the movies,” Tutt said.
6 • GAMES
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,
You are somebody that I don’t know, But you’re takin’ shots at me like it’s Patrón, And I’m just like, damn, it’s 7 AM. Say it in the street, that’s a knockout, But you say it in a Tweet, that’s a cop-out, And I’m just like, “Hey, are you okay?” And I ain’t tryna mess with your self-expression But I’ve learned a lesson that stressin’ and obsessin’ ‘bout somebody else is no fun. And snakes and stones never broke my bones, So oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, You need to calm down, you’re being too loud. And I’m just like oh-oh, oh-oh, ohoh, oh-oh, oh-oh (oh), You need to just stop, Like can you just not step on my gown? You need to calm down. Sincerely, Happy Pride Month
WORD SEARCH
PRIDE LGBTQ GAY COMMUNITY RAINBOW LOVE SUPPORT ALLY CELEBRATE ACCEPTANCE REPRESENTATION INTERSECTIONAL RIGHTS AWARENESS RELATIONSHIPS DIVERSITY JUNE
WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019 SUDOKU
WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019
• 7
Arts & Life
ARTS & LIFE EDITOR ALYSSA DI SABATINO arts@thecord.ca
LGBTQ+ HEALTHCARE
ADDRESSING THE STIGMA AROUND HIV/AIDS IN THE KW REGION KASHYAP PATEL/WEB DIRECTOR
ALYSSA DI SABATINO ARTS & LIFE EDITOR
June 27 marked National HIV Testing Day in North America. Since it was first initiated in 1995, this day has been used to encourage people to get tested for HIV and other related illnesses and to find access to treatment options if needed. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic condition that is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV and AIDS damages your immune system and inhibits your body’s ability to fight diseases and infections. While HIV can be transmitted and contracted by anyone, some communities are more susceptible than others. “[That’s] what we call HIV endemic regions, where HIV is so common that it’s considered a general epidemic in the community,” said Ruth Cameron, Executive Director ofat The AIDS Committee of Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo Area (ACCKWA). HIV/AIDS disproportionately impacts the LGBTQ+ community, making Pride Month and HIV National Testing Day critically conjoined. Other HIV endemic communities include African, Caribbean and black communities, Indigenous communities, vulnerable youth and women, and individuals who struggle with substance abuse, namely injection drug use, Cameron explained. The introduction of antiretroviral medicines in the 90’s flipped the script on AIDS. Truvada for PrEP,
which was first FDA approved in the early 2000’s also impacted the outcome for inflicted individuals. “We now not only told people to get on living their lives, but we’re telling people that the medications are so effective that you can expect to live a normal lifespan,” said Cameron.
[That’s] what we call HIV endemic regions, where HIV is so common that it’s considered a general epidemic in the community. -Ruth Cameron, Executive Director at ACCKWA
Despite the major scientific advances for HIV treatments, HIV remains a public health crisis and, quite frankly, an epidemic in some communities. Since the early days of the epidemic, AIDS has killed at least 35 million people around the world. Another 70 million people have been infected with the HIV virus, making it one of the most destructive health epidemics in recorded history. Throughout the years, insufficient public health funding, social stigmas and misconceptions about the infection have made it difficult to turn the tide against this issue. Fortunately for the Rregion, that’s
where ACCKWA has been able to step in. While AIDS had been detected in humans as early as 1959, it wasn’t until the mid to late 70’s that it reached North America. In the 1980’s, the Waterloo Rregion saw its first case of AIDS. In 1985, residents’ gathered and created a support group for those inflicted or at risk, with a large focus on the care needs of gay men in the area. This group came to be known as The AIDS Committee of Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo Area (ACCKWA). “[ACCKWA] was started as many based HIV/AIDS based organizations were, by a group of volunteers. Those included both individuals affected, as well as allies in the community,” said Cameron. Shortly after in 1987, ACCKWA was officially classed as an AIDS organization, providing a place where residents’ of the Rregion could come for education, support and testing services. When speaking with Cameron, she detailed the services available at ACCKWA: “[we have] everything from education programs that are targeted to each of these key populations, to various forms of outreach. So that would include online outreach, outreach at particular types of community events, as well as reaching out to some key populations.” ACCKWA also provides various support groups, weekly clinics and harm reduction services for those inflicted with injection drug use. ACCKWA’s reach into the community is vast, to say the least. As of today, they support over 400
individuals impacted by HIV and provide support, counselling and referrals to over 18,000 people at risk in the region annually. Despite the improvements made both nationally and regionally for HIV/AIDS education and awareness, many social stigmas still remain. “To this day the biggest challenge in a centre like ours ... is being challenged by, one: the assumption that HIV/AIDS isn’t an issue anymore when it still is, and two: most importantly, stigma is still a very large issue,” said Cameron. Because there was so little information on the issue, the early days of the AIDS crisis caused a lot of social and political hysteria, causing misconceptions to circulate. Early references to the AIDS crisis called it the “gay plague” or the “gay related immune deficiency.” Today it is understood that AIDS can be inflicted on or transmitted to anyone, but misconceptions about the potential for transmission still remain prevalent. “Being concerned about casual contact with someone, which has zero risk, as opposed to when obviously someone is in an intimate sexual relationship with someone where they’re not aware of that person’s [medical] status; that’s a very different thing,” said Cameron. “[Stigmas] create a lot of ill-will and social isolation for folks and unfortunately, due to some peoples’ myths and misconceptions, the social isolation can have real public health impacts, and that prevents people who may be at
risk from coming forward to access support services,” she explained. But all of these advancements, both socially and medically are not in vain. Rather than perpetuating myths and misconceptions surrounding HIV/AIDS and other blood-borne infections, it’s important to reach out to vulnerable communities, and to emphasize that no one is immune from this infection.
... Social isolation can have real public health impacts, and that prevents people who may be at risk from coming foward to access support services. -Ruth Cameron, Executive Director at ACCKWA
Bridging the gaps for AIDS prevention and care starts with education, awareness and access to treatments. LGBTQ+ individuals and other endemic regions can only benefit from further research, support and treatment within their communities. Working towards a future where infections such as HIV/AIDS are no longer a threat in the KW region should be the ultimate goal for individuals infected and allies in the community alike.
• 8 ARTS & LIFE
WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019
STYLE TRENDS
Unpacking a 90s fashion staple
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
EMILY WAITSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
I’ll be honest, I used to think fanny packs were pretty damn ugly. And to be fair, they’ve never really been stereotypically attractive as an accessory, no matter what brand plasters their logo on them or what a model looks like wearing one. But ever since they slowly started edging their way back onto the fashion scene, I’ve found myself
liking them more than I ever thought I would. My late Aunt Judy was a dedicated fanny pack-wearer back when it had lost its appeal and they became uncool once again, but as a person who never cared what people thought of her, it turns out she was merely sporting a conveniently sized carrying bag that would gain popularity once again. I like to say that she was ahead of the game, in many ways. Fashion is funny and predictable that way. It’s constantly reused and recycled again and again no matter what the style is or the decade an item of clothing is from. Fanny packs gained massive
popularity in the 1980s and 90s as recreational style pieces that Gucci and Nike marketed as decorative, yet handy, fashion statements. After that, they soon transformed into tacky, hipster-marked outfit jokes that lost their mainstream appeal. They universally transformed into dorky dad staples and were no longer an acceptable accessory for someone with any fashion sense. Although losing its favour with the average person because of overexposure with branding and marketing, fanny packs have retained their appeal among the fitness and outdoorsy community due to their convenience and
versatility. I don’t know when they became so well-liked again, but one day I was shopping at the mall and nearly every store I walked into had a group of employees wearing them, from LuluLemon to Aerie. Except this time around, there was one notable difference: they were being worn slung across their torsos rather than belted around their waists. Somehow, this made fanny packs look exponentially better and more natural. I’m not about to go out and purchase a designer label fanny pack from Louis Vuitton or Valentino just because this fabulously weird fashion piece has made quite the
respectable comeback, but it’s fun to see people wearing them nonetheless. Will I be buying into the consumerist hype around these compact bad boys just because I saw Olivia Wilde wearing one and I desperately want to relive the style days of my youth? You bet. Until the day comes when they’re slandered for being ugly again, and maybe even beyond that, because who cares what people think, I’ll be living a life with my free hands and belongings safely zipped away around my torso. Whether you love them or hate them, fanny packs seem to be here to stay — for the time being.
MUSEUM
Going Places: Past Present Future celebrates ION launch
SARAH TYLER CORD ALUM
The Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum opened a brand-new exhibit on June 28, 2019. The featured exhibit, Going Places: Past Present Future, highlights the changes in transportation within the region and the upcoming projects to keep people moving. With the official opening of the ION light rail transit system, this exhibit celebrates what has been accomplished and what is to come. Upon entering the Going Places gallery, there isn’t one chronological place to start. Each mode of transportation has its own area within the space and the installations move a viewer through the historical presence of each mode in the Region, individually. There were sections covering the stereotypical “planes, trains and automobiles,” but bicycles, river transit, streetcars, horse-drawn carts and of course the new ION light rail transit system as well. Throughout the exhibit visitors
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can find information such as how structures, like roads, have been made and maintained overtime and how systems like gasoline engines function. While most of the space features colourful placards of information with models and images, there were also some tangible elements to help immerse attendees in the world of transportation. There is a streetcar to sit in, airplane gate benches and an ION section that allows visitors to sit in the operator’s cabin with a perspective projection of the point-
of-view as the train moves along the route. The designers of the exhibit did a good job maximizing the space and using the height of the room. There is a large representation of the front of both a GO Train and a steam engine against the wall. This is a great way to show visitors how large the trains are in real life. There are brief facts posted in each area that can help catch the interest of those who do not wish to read all of the history or for children who might be more interested in looking at the artifacts and mod-
els. There is also a 360° interactive station where visitors can pretend to use various modes of transportation, including a kayak. The futuristic modes of transportation and their ecological impacts also may catch a visitor’s interest. There are bits about autonomous cars, pollution and energy sources, which can each alter the way people move through the area. An important aspect to note is that the exhibit did not give just a general overview on these transportive technologies, but instead focuses on how they have been
used within the Region and how they impact the generations living here today. If you’ve ever wondered why many of the roads in Kitchener-Waterloo are incredibly winding or where some of the street names came from, then checking out this exhibit can help you find your answers. The growth of the Region is heavily linked to the access of transportation and the mobility of residents and travellers on a regular basis. The modes of transportation impact the region, just as much as the needs and desires of humans impact the modes required to be in place. The most interesting thing in the exhibit, for me, was a showcase of some items that were uncovered during the ION construction. There was an entire old-fashioned fire extinguisher type-object from the railway plus other bottles and metal instruments simply buried over time. The corduroy road was also rediscovered in the excavation process. It’s worth a visit to help educate yourself on the Region — where we’ve been, where we’re at and where we’re headed.
• 9
WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019
Editorial
OPINION EDITOR Jade Hosick opinion@thecord.ca
President’s Note: Don’t try to legitimize your bigotry as “straight pride”
AARON HAGEY PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER
For those of you who may be unaware of an event that sounds like it’s right out of The Onion, during this year’s Pride Month in Boston, a group called “Super Happy Fun America” declared their desire to host a “Straight Pride Parade” on Aug. 31. The permit for the event was approved by the city of Boston, whose mayor, Marty Walsh, stated in a tweet on June 6 that “permits to host a public event are granted based on operational feasibility, not based on values or endorsements of beliefs. The City of Boston cannot deny a permit based on an organization’s values.” The group, who “invites you to celebrate the diverse history, culture, and contributions of the straight community,” has been at the centre of a significant controversy, not the least of which because this year’s Pride Month falls on the fiftieth anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. Now, there are a number of directions that could be taken in the evaluation of this issue, but I will start with deconstructing the most obvious. Simply put, heterosexual individuals have not experienced any kind of oppression because of their sexuality. Oppression, or “prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control”, also used in tandem with terms like persecution, discrimination, abuse and subjugation — especially in a systemic or cultural sense — is not something that has happened to heterosexuals at any point of history. Let me make it adamantly clear for anyone in the back: Straight people have never had to fear for their safety, well-being or their life strictly because they identify with being heterosexual. Straight kids do not get thrown out of their houses or disowned
because their parents discovered that they were straight. Straight kids do not get brutally abused or put through various forms of conversion therapy because their parents or others believe that being anything other than heterosexual is an active choice. Straight kids and adults do not get death threats or killed by strangers — or people they know — upon learning that they are heterosexual. As a straight-identifying male, it is frankly unconscionable that someone has made the active decision to turn “identity politics” into such a blatantly disrespectful “joke.” I’m disappointed we live in a society that believes that the idea of intentionally stimulating anger or fear in people for the sake of humor is anything but a moral and cultural problem. This kind of poorly-orchestrated “ironic humor” is just a pathetic attempt to appear like some kind of hyper-intellectual, when the individual is, in fact, quite the opposite. I have LGBTQ+ friends who have actively experienced terrible things in their lives because of hatful bigotry and intolerance. Being proud of something that you have as an inherent privilege — being a part of the roughly 95 per cent of the population that is considered within the accepted societal standard — is ignorant and disrespectful to the history of a group of peope who have spent decades working and struggling to be accepted for who they are. In the same way that “White History Month” should never be accepted as legitimate, “Straight Pride” is equally as laughable: the idea that you need a period of time to honor or celebrate something which is seen as a cultural norm is just selfish, and demonstrates a suffocating need for the validation these groups supposedly mock. My mother-in-law says it best: “It takes nothing to be kind.” It’s not my place to overpower a group of people who deserve to have one month (at the very least) to celebrate what so many try to oppress.
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EDITORIAL CARTOON
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Editor’s Note: Billie Eilish doesn’t dress to be sexualized EMILY WAITSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Billie Eilish is 17 years-old. She is also a chart-topping singer and performer who has become exceptionally popular in a relatively short amount of time. Her age is not only noteworthy in relation to her talent and growing success over the past few years, but it’s also important to acknowledge for the men who make it their mission to sexualize her over social media. Eilish notoriously wears oversized clothes that aren’t form fitting, an action that is purposefully done so that people aren’t given any excuses to make comments about her body. She told Vogue Australia that she uses her signature clothing style as a “defense mechanism” and went on to say that, “What I like about just dressing like I’m 800 sizes bigger than I am is it kind of gives nobody the opportunity to judge what your body looks like.”
Recently, a photo surfaced on Twitter of Eilish posing with a fan for a photo. In it, she is wearing a tank top, something which was pointed out and discussed almost instantly after the picture was posted.
If you have to justify your verbal declaration of sexual attraction towards a 17-year-old girl, a teenager who would still be in high school, then I think you have other issues that you need to evaluate.
One Twitter user shared the image with the comment, “Billie Eilish is THICK.” While the term “thick” or more commonly spelled “thicc,” has become synonymous with curvy women, it is used in a sexual context and should not be applied to a 17-year-old girl by an adult man. Dozens of users jumped into this debate to say that the age of con-
sent in their state was, in fact, 17. No matter how anyone wants to spin it, Eilish is a minor. If you have to justify your verbal declaration of sexual attraction towards a 17-year-old girl, a teenager who would still be in high school, then I think you have other issues that you need to evaluate. Using legal loopholes as a way to validate inappropriate comments towards a minor and someone who has explicitly stated that she does not want to be viewed or treated that way is nothing but gross. I also don’t give a fuck if she has sexual song lyrics like some people have pointed out as a way to excuse their disgusting behaviour. Regardless of what she includes in her music, those lyrics are not directed at men 10, 20 or 30 years older than her. She chose to write what she wanted to as a form of artistic expression, and that doesn’t give anyone the right to be creepy and predatory about what they think that implies about her body. Billie Eilish is a young artist who shouldn’t have to hide under her clothes for fear of being harassed or objectified for simply having a body. Just because you think it, doesn’t mean you should share it.
10 •
Opinion
WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019 OPINION EDITOR JADE HOSICK opinion@thecord.ca
Kawhi is introverted, so what? Torontarians need to leave the King of the North alone VICTORIA MARSHALL SENIOR COPY EDITOR
It would be an understatement to say that everyone in the vicinity of Toronto have become Kawhi Leonard’s biggest fans. In the last few weeks alone, the newly-acquired Raptor has become one of the world’s biggest sensations. Leonard is certainly very well known for his athletic talents (which cannot be overstated); but recently, he has become famous for his introverted nature and has been turned into a meme due to his evident discomfort in the spotlight. Athletes of all backgrounds and levels of success are no strangers to media attention, but the way that both television and online media focus on Leonard’s personality really do set him apart – and maybe not rightfully so. Between his uncomfortable post-game interview chuckle to his absence on mainstream social media platforms, and his reservation when it comes to discussing personal opinions, it’s clear that Kawhi Leonard is not only a private person, but an introverted individual as well.
For that reason, I have a lot of respect for him – his teammates do too. But what I don’t understand is why, to the rest of the world, his perfectly normal personality is such a big deal. Introverts are often portrayed in ways that make them seem cold, calculated, and anything but personable, and the choice of language used to discuss Kawhi online fits that bill to a T. Having been active on Twitter during the championship period, I got to witness this commentary firsthand: dozens of tweets called him “awkward,” a “machine,” an “assassin,” “notoriously quiet,” and even “emotionless,” which, quite frankly, made me want to chuck my phone across the room. Although these terms are meant in the context of compliments towards his athleticism, the atmosphere for discussion they create takes the life out of the being. Calling someone a machine completely disregards all other aspects of their personality and purpose. Calling someone an assassin makes them seem cold, even evil. Calling someone awkward for their quietness can be more damaging than you might think, too. What Toronto is doing current-
ly, though, especially after the Raptors’ big win, is not only being curious about his personality, but his every move. Posts upon posts are spamming feeds about Kawhi being spotted in Toronto at restaurants with his friends, school registration with his daughter, and so on, to the point where Toronto’s Mayor, John Tory, had to speak publicly (with Superfan by his side) to tell Toronto to leave Leonard alone. It should be clear now more than ever, especially when political figures felt the need to become involved, that people need to accept that a person’s private life is their own – not something for you to take photos of (without permission) and post on your personal social profiles. Since the world is busy asking question after question about Leonard, concerning his past, present, and future (which is hopefully in Toronto), I think it’s time we take a step back and ask ourselves if it is absolutely necessary for us to stick our noses into every aspect of his life. If Kawhi Leonard is a private person, what it do, baby? Let introverted athletes be “fun guys” in peace.
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Gay or trans “panic” not a valid defense in court and allow things like the “gay and trans defense” to happen.
JADE HOSICK OPINION EDITOR
On June 19, it was announced that New York became the sixth state to outlaw a criminal defense noted as “gay and trans panic defense.” This bill will now prevent people who are charged with homicide to justify the murder based on the discovery of the victim’s gender identity or sexual orientation. With the fiftieth anniversary of the stonewall uprising, an event that triggered the start of the gay liberation movement, as well as pride month, and the rise of hate crimes that are occurring against LGBTQ+ people, it is very important and even more meaningful that this bill is coming into place. But it now this comes into question, why is New York only the sixth state to outlaw this defense? This defense first gained traction with the murder of Matthew Shepard. Shepard was student in Wyoming in 1988, who was brutally beaten by two men which lead to his death. The two men used “gay panic” as their defense. This defense is not something that can be used alone in a court case, but is normally attached to three different defense mechanisms, that of insanity or dimin-
As allies of the community, we all have a duty to show our support outright.
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ished capability, provocation, and self-defence. While, many people think that this defense is not something that could be used today, that is very wrong. The defense was used in New York as recently as 2016, and in 2018 by a former police officer, who stabbed a man and claimed that he had “gay panic” after being hit on by a man. Also, this defense has been successful in acquitting dozens of murderers for the crimes that they have committed. If other states do not get on the same page as New York, California, Illinois, Nevada, Rhode Island and Connecticut, the States will never see equality as they claim to have it.
“As long as I, as a gay man, can be blamed for my own murder or assault, I personally will never have equality under the law,” Seth Rosen, director of development at the National LGBT Bar Association said. “Frankly, this victimizes all queer people. First, they have the assault against them, or the murder, and then, in court, they are blamed for the violence against them,” he said. If I am honest, I wanted to be surprised that this defense is something that can still be used in the States, but I am not. In 2015, Mike Pence, the then Indiana governor and now Vice President signed a bill into law that allowed business owners to refuse
service to gay and lesbian customers because of “religious freedom.” In May, Donald Trump, current US President passed a policy that would forbid military service by anyone who “requires gender transition.” If the current presidential office holds values that are against a specific community, in this case the LGBTQ+ community, it is hard to see a way for equality to be there for everyone. New York signing this bill is an important step forward to making the world a more equal and safer place for all. But it can’t stop at that. As allies of the community, we all have a duty to show our support outright. We should not sit back
We need to stick up and speak for what we believe in, as now more than ever our voices matter. It’s sad to think that my mother’s best friend from college could be hurt and not get the justice he deserves if he was born in the country to our south. It’s scary to think that if my best friend got assaulted, that he could be victimized in more than one case, that of his death occurring, and that of being blamed for it. So, if you are a supporter of the community, more needs to be done than just supporting them in your private life. Go to pride and support them publicly, talk to people about the importance of their rights. We as human beings have the duty to love and help our people, regardless of how they categorize themselves. Don’t stand idly by and watch the world be a hateful place.
OPINION • 11
WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019
Tweets lead to rescinded university offer
type of things that you have been posting. If that is the case, what you are placing online is the only sense of who you really are, outside of academics, that the school can see. Now, I understand that he was young, and at 16 years-old you are still heavily influenced by the people around you. There is a possibility of someone maturing rapidly over two years,
but I think we should still talk more about the moral character aspect that Harvard is talking about. I believe everyone has morals that are pushed upon them, but as you age your morals may change and you grow. I can only speak for myself when I say that by the time I was 16 I was aware of what was right and wrong to say and put out into the world, and that actions have consequences. These words and these actions are not things that should be taken lightly. Harvard has the right to accept and decline those that they deem fit for their schools environment and brand. Let’s ask ourselves, what could have happened if they had allowed him to attend their school and no apology was ever made to rectify the situation and later it was discovered that he had engaged in this behaviour? After allowing him to be apart of their community, Kashuv will always be attached to Harvard, and would therefore affect their overall brand. In the end, Harvard has the right to do as they wish, and they are not rescinding the offer based off anything discriminatory towards Kashuv, but rather his previous actions. The overall message of this situation: Be aware of what you post online and how it portrays you.
religious pieces of clothing. It requires that, for a position in the public sector to be held, they adopt a non-religious attire while working. Persons of these religions are still allowed to hold these positions, albeit with a compromise. The Canadian Charter outlines in Section 2 that everyone is entitled to freedom of speech, conscience, religion, thought, belief and opinion. The bill does prohibit expression of religious affiliation in public, but it does not prohibit the practice of the religion itself. The bill seems to be less concerned with how each person represents themselves as individuals, but rather how they represent the public sphere as a provider of these services. This technicality is minor to me because I disagree with the bill on the grounds of genuinely not thinking it will help anyone, but this detail is important to note because the bill doesn’t seem to discriminate against specific individuals. It just requires them to behave differently while on the job, as most jobs do. I don’t think this bill has any malicious intent to curb religious expression or advance one identity over another, but I do believe it is the wrong way to respond to today’s issues, and we must understand how to proceed appropriately if we want to do otherwise. I believe that wearing religious clothing actually helps keep religious differences in the public eye and encourages questions to be asked. But if we want to encourage people to be curious, we have to be okay with them investigating their curiosities.
In the seventh grade, we had a multicultural day at school. The grade eight classes did research on different countries and their cultures, then dressed in traditional clothing, prepared food for us, performed a cultural ritual and presented their findings to us. It was a fantastic day that encouraged all of us to look up recipes, research the questions we had about certain cultures, and embrace what we had learned with our new understanding. More of this is what I want to see in school. I believe people should be allowed to wear religious clothing in the public sphere and questions concerning it should be encouraged. If schools want to encourage religious understanding, they might consider offering opt-in classes for interested children or parents who see the value in learning about different religions and cultures. Just as Chirstian schools are for Christian children whose parents decide it is best for their kids to follow those guidelines, public schools are also secular environments. The individual should not be prohibited from wearing religious clothing. That said, there is a line that should be drawn between education concerning other religions and indoctrination. I firmly believe religious clothing should not be prohibited in the public sector, so that other religions and cultures are kept in the public eye and people are encouraged to ask questions, we have to be willing to accept people embracing aspects of other cultures that they see as valuable. That is how we build a respectful, multicultural society.
JADE HOSICK OPINION EDITOR
On Monday June 17, it was reported that Harvard had rescinded the offer of admission of a boy named Kyle Kashuv. Kashuv is a survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, and the ivy league school retracted their offer of admission after becoming aware of his alleged racist behaviour that had occurred before the shooting in 2018. The young man posted on his Twitter account two letters that he had received from Harvard. The first one asked him to explain the tweets, and the second one rescinded the offer based on “the qualities of maturity and moral character.” Harvard has said that they are not able to make comments on a particular circumstance of one individual’s admission, but they have the right to withdraw an offer, something that they make the students fully aware of. Kashuv commented that he understands that he has made mistakes, but he had given up scholarships in order to attend Harvard, and the deadlines to accept other
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colleges’ offers have past. He claims that “in the end, this isn’t about me, it’s about whether we live in a society in which forgiveness is possible or mistakes brand you as irredeemable, as Harvard has decided for me.” Now, I like to think that we live in a world where forgiveness is possible, but I don’t know if that is the current situation. I am a strong believer that
apologizing about past mistakes should not be about what you get in return, you should be apologizing because you were in the wrong, and you will accept the consequences that go along with it. When I was growing up, and before I started the process of applying to universities, I was told over and over again that universities have access to people’s social media accounts and can see the
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Quebec’s Bill 21 calls multiculturalism into question EMMA MCVICAR STAFF WRITER
A recently passed bill in Quebec has raised quite an opposition. Bill 21 prohibits occupants of public sector jobs from donning religious symbols. There are some big concerns with the bill that should be considered. Does this violate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms?
Is it acceptable for a multicultural province to conduct such an action? My conclusion is, with the exception of uniforms requiring otherwise, there should be no such prohibition. The bill proposes that the foundations of secularism are, “The separation of State and religion, the religious neutrality of the State, the equality of all citizens, and freedom of conscience and freedom of religion.” According to the bill, this does not affect those currently holding a position in the public sector; but incoming workers such as police officers and teachers, will be
prohibited from wearing religious wear in their workplaces. Many have commented on the matter. Huffington Post cites Trudeau on the issue, “It is unthinkable to me that in a free society, we would legitimize discrimination against citizens based on their religion.” Jagmeet Singh has also weighed in through Twitter,. “What bill 21 is saying to so many young people is that being yourself should disqualify you from doing a job.” While I disagree with the bill, I challenge this conception. The bill does not discriminate against those who wear a certain
12 •
WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019
Sports
SPORTS EDITOR VACANT sports@thecord.ca
OUA
BRIEF
Head basketball coach adds recruits HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK NEWS DIRECTOR
The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks’ men’s basketball team will be adding eight new members to their roster next year. This is following a season that saw them advance to the OUA semi-finals, their best result in 40 years. Four new high school recruits to the team are forwards in Ree Compton and Benhur Gebrekidan, as well as shooting guards Nickolas Rakas and Vladimir Lukomski. The team will also be adding four transfer players in Nashon Hurst from Lakehead, Romello Taylor from Fleming, Josh Stephens from Ottawa and KJ Massela from McMaster. Stephens will be eligible to play for the team mid-January, where Massela will not be eligible to play until 2020. “We lost three core players that wanted to focus on school, and those players were in first and second year, along with graduates and other factors, basically we lost seven players,” said head coach Justin Serresse. “Two of the players won’t even be able to play until next year, and we also have a first-year kid who is going through an ACL tear in rehab.” “So, we only have five new players this year. People don’t realize that and on paper eight new recruits looks like a lot, but actually it’s not really.” he said. After their record book season was ended by the Ryerson Rams
Eight added to WLU Hall of Fame Aaron Hagey
in the OUA semi-final, the Golden Hawks look to reload their roster and continue their search for a national title. The team was nationally ranked during their playoff run and will look to make it to the USPORTS championships with a better record next year. “We wanted the new talent, but we also wanted to have some veteran guys so that’s why we targeted the transfers, the goal is to integrate the transfers as smoothly as possible. We want them to be able to play right away but some of them have to sit out, so we have to get some of the guys up to speed so they can help us get to the next level,” Serresse said. “The other young guys are going to have to adjust to university and are going to want to and have to be able to play with the veterans, we want these guys to get better. The second-year guys going into their third year are going to have to step up into leadership roles and be prepared.” The Golden Hawks went 18-6 in conference play last season, winning 10 of their final 11 regular season games and beating out a strong McMaster squad in the OUA quarter-finals before their loss to the Rams. The team will look to continue these feats in the next year. Creating records like their first semi-final match at home in 40 years as well as sophomore Ali Sow breaking the OUA single season scoring record while wearing the purple and gold. SADMAN SAKIB RAHMAN/CORD ALUM
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On June 5, eight more members were added to the Wilfrid Laurier University 2019 athletic Hall of Fame, including five athletes, one “[team] builder” and the 2008 Men and Women’s soccer teams. The first individual included is Candice Styles, who, among other titles, was named the 2014 Laurier Athlete of the Year, twotime OUA all-star (2012/2013 and 2013/2014) and was part of three OUA Women’s Hockey Champion teams (2009/2010, 2011/2012 and 2013/2014). The second individual, Fiona Lester, was part of two OUA Women’s Hockey Champion teams (2009/2010 and 2011/2012), received the Outstanding Women of Laurier award in 2012/2013 and was given the title of OUA Academic All-Canadian four times during her athletic career. The third individual, Hannah Burnett, was named the Team Most Valuable Player in 2010/2011 and 2012/2013, was part of two OUA Women’s Lacrosse Champion teams (2008 and 2010) and was named an OUA All-Star four times during her athletic career. The fourth individual, Chris Ackie, played defensive back for the Golden Hawks Football team from 2011-2014, was named the 2011/2012 Team Rookie of the Year and OUA AllStar twice (2013 and 2014). The fifth individual, Ryan Panas, was named OUA All-Star for Men’s Baseball in 2008, 2010 and 2011, received the 2011/2012 Team Most Valuable Player award and had a five-year baseball career which included over 100 hits. The sixth individual, Gary Jeffries, head coach for a number of Laurier athletic teams, led seven Football teams to the championships: four OUAA championships (1972, ‘73, ‘78 and ‘87), two OUA championships (2004 and 2005) and one CIS championship (2005). His coaching career has spanned over twenty-four years, and includes four OUA Men’s Football Coach of the Year awards (2003, 2004, 2005 and 2009). The 2008 Men’s and Women’s Soccer teams were inducted due to impressive season conclusions, including a 1-0 victory for the Men’s team against the York Lions in the OUA Final, and a penalty kick victory for the Women’s team against the Ottawa Gee-Gees for their first Ontario championship since 1995. According to the Laurier Athletics website, the Hall of Fame was created in 1986 to “[recognize] and [honour] former Wilfrid Laurier University individuals, athletes and teams who have made outstanding contributions to the varsity athletic programs. “