THE CORD THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926
VOLUME 57 ISSUE 23 • MARCH 1, 2017
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME, UNLESS THE FAUCETS ARE LEAKING A how-to guide on choosing your student home responsibly Features, page 10
MOVING INTO PRESIDENCY
CALORIES ON MENUS
KICKING THE BUCKET
NEW FACES, SAME MEDAL
A GOLDEN FINCH
Deborah MacLatchy starts transition
How the new Ontario law is causing harm
How we view death and why not to fear it
Men’s curling wins gold in OUA finals
Laurier football welcomes Will Finch
News, page 3
Arts & Life, page 13
Opinion, page 16
Sports, page 18
Sports, page 19 WILL HUANG/CREATIVE DIRECTOR
2 •
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017
VOCAL CORD
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PHOTO OF THE WEEK
“Buying too many shoes.” –Cierra Horton-Drago, second-year psychology
“Should have mixed in a water #ProjectPunta2017.”
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Is jazz dead? Do young people still listen to jazz? This week in Arts & Life, staff writer Karlis Wilde dives into the Kitchener-Waterloo jazz community.
–Jamie Wolfish, fourthyear communications studies
THIS DAY IN HISTORY: MARCH 1
#SAGA17 Canada’s Largest International University and Student Travel Expo
“Going on a 10 day long trip to Vancouver.”
S U N D AY
–Victoria Arvanitis, second-year communications studies
Travel Work
“Not going on the 10 day long trip to Vancouver, because I missed her.”
Compiled by Nathalie Bouchard Photos by Marco Pedri
MARCH 8, 2017
CORD STAFF
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 Oosterhof video@thecord.ca
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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
1912: Isabella Goodwin, 1st US woman detective, appointed, NYC 1932: The 20-month old son of Charles and Anne Lindbergh is kidnapped from their home in New Jersey in what became known as the “Lindbergh kidnapping” 1936: The Hoover Dam is completed
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1953: Joseph Stalin suffers a stroke and collapses. He dies four days later
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1961: US President JFK establishes the Peace Corp
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–Kevin Jang, third-year global studies
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1896: Henri Becquerel discovers radioactivity
CONTRIBUTORS
EDITOR’S CHOICE
Serena Truong Simran Dhaliwal Alan Li Meaghan Ince Emily Waitson Anthony Zambito Vidish Parikh Drew Yates Jake Watts Dylan Leonard Karlis Wilde Chris Luciantonio Chad Butt Qiao Liu Tanzeel Sayani Alex Trkulja Mira Busscher Jenna Marie Ayesha Ferdaous Chrissy DiBiasio Mary Ferguson Selena Piro Michael Oliveri Alexandra Juraschka Kayla Hegarty
“Pushing up the daisies and the memories” by Madeline McInnis
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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
1968: Pirate Radio Atlantis South (England) begins test transmitting 1969: Jim Morrison arrested for exposing himself at Dinner Key Auditorium 1994: Canadian super-star Justin Bieber is born 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’m okay with you thinking I was a divorcé because I got a Rice Krispy Square out of it.” - WLUSP grandfather Bryn Ossington to Editor-in-Chief Bethany Bowles about Bethany’s first impressions of him
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 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
ADMINISTRATION
MacLatchy prepares for new role as president The transitional period amongst those in leadership roles in the university has officially begun SAFINA HUSEIN NEWS EDITOR
A transitional period has commenced amongst those in leadership roles at Wilfrid Laurier University. On Jan. 11, Deborah MacLatchy’s new appointment for president and vice-chancellor of the university was announced. MacLatchy has served as the university’s provost and vice-president: academic since 2009. She will begin her new five-year term in her new position on July 1, 2017. As well, Max Blouw, current president and vice-chancellor, will be completing his second term in his role. In order to prepare for a smooth transition, Blouw and MacLatchy will be engaged with one another and will be working closely up until his last day on June 30. In addition, the transition includes new appointments to temporarily fill MacLatchy’s current position in order to allow her to step back from her current responsibilities and begin to accustom herself within the new role. “Some of the things that I’ve been doing is working to get out of doing the VP: academic and provost job so that I’m not focused on the day-to-day of doing my current position,” MacLatchy said. Paul Jessop, dean of the faculty of science, will serve as acting vice-president: academic starting
tive transition is vital. “I think the best thing that an administration for a university can do is not be noticed. It should be that people see it as well-oiled and supporting activities for the institution as a whole … not whether or not the administrative supports are going well,” MacLatchy said.
I think the best thing that an administration for a university can do is not to be noticed. PAIGE BUSH/FILE PHOTO
Deborah MacLatchy will begin her new role and replace Max Blouw as president and vice-chancellor on July 1.
March 1. Pamela Bryden, current chair of the department of kinesiology and physical education, will serve as acting dean of the faculty of science until June 30, 2018 in Jessop’s place. As well, Robert Gordon, vice-president: research, will have the responsibility of acting provost until June 30, 2018. Gordon and Jessop plan to work closely in order to best fulfil the role. These individuals will allow the university to spend time conducting a search for a new provost and vice-president: academic. The university hopes to successfully find and appoint a new
individual to MacLatchy’s role by July 2018. “We’ve got a great team of vice-presidents and deans and other people that work very hard on behalf of Laurier every single day. Depending on people and their expertise is a big part of this,” MacLatchy said. Once MacLatchy steps away completely from her current role on March 1, she will be transitioning her focus on key files such as the strategic mandate agreement, ensuring that the budget process is complete in order to determine the budget for the 2017-18 school year and the Milton file, amongst others. “What [I’m] looking at is … to
work with the other VP’s to better understand their portfolios and the role of the president supporting the work of those other areas such as development, alumni relations, public affairs, etc.,” MacLatchy said. MacLatchy has also been actively reaching out to key individuals external to Laurier such as government, corporate and community partners as part of the transition planning process. MacLatchy also explained that she and her team strive to ensure that the university is known for their great research undertaking, the activities students take part in and the community engagement, which is why a smooth administra-
-Deborah MacLatchy, incoming president and vice-chancellor
“A smooth transition is essential to maintaining the tremendous momentum that everyone at Laurier has worked hard to achieve over the past few years,” said John Bowey, Chair of the Board of Governors, in an email statement. “I am grateful to all members of the senior leadership team for their passionate commitment to ensuring that Laurier continues to be well known for teaching excellence, leading research and an outstanding student experience.”
PROJECTS
Donor recognition wall installed in Lazaridis Hall JAKE WATTS CORD NEWS
Lazaridis Hall gets digital monument to its donors and history. A new interactive visual installation in Wilfrid Laurier University’s Lazaridis Hall is now showcasing the donors whose contributions to the “Building Canada’s Best Business School” campaign helped finance the school’s latest expansion. Lazaridis Hall, which is still under construction, has been open and holding classes since the beginning of the fall term. Revealed on Feb. 16, the new interactive display is yet another addition to the ongoing project. The installation consists of five separate, vertically-oriented screens, each made up of several touch-screen displays known as MicroTiles, a display technology donated by the local company Christie. The Toronto-based company Forge Media,
another donor, used these displays to put together an interactive list of over 2,500 donors who helped finance Lazaridis Hall. The wall also acts as an interactive timeline of the business school’s history. “You can be much more inclusive with who you recognize when you have a digital wall,” said June Perry, manager of stewardship and donor relations at Laurier. “Anyone who gave a dollar to this campaign can expect to be listed there.” Many of the donors featured on the wall have short biographies in addition to their name. “It provides another layer of recognition. For some donors, it’s important that people know who they are and why they’re giving. And hopefully it inspires others to give, so they might see themselves in these stories and say, ‘Hey, you know what, that’s like me! I thought about giving a gift and I think I could give a gift like this too,’” said Perry.
With a digital installation, in contrast to the older, more concrete forms of donor recognition like plaques or statues, there is an inherent dynamism and transience. According to Perry, these features of digital installations were ultimately seen as positive rather than negative in how old installations compare to new ones. “At the end of the day, whether you engrave something in a plaque, or display it on digital, it’s always going to be rooted in the intention of the organization and the intentions of Laurier are to be recognizing these donors in perpetuity,” said Perry. Another feature of a digital installation is the ability to add or remove donors. Perry said that the installation is primarily focused on those who donated to the “Building Canada’s Best Business School” campaign, but noted that in the future they may make the decision to include donors whose
EMI ZIBAEI/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
The digital installation showcases donors who helped finance Laz. Hall.
contributions weren’t received within the scope of the campaign. With respect to removing donors, Perry said that for those who can only make good on a portion of their commitment, they will still be recognized. “The recognition, [however]
would be adjusted to reflect their actual giving. That’s not something that happens lightly, and it rarely, rarely, happens,” said Perry. “In principle, we would not want to accept a gift from a donor where it might impact the reputation of Laurier.”
4 • NEWS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017
FINANCE
Aiding Wilfrid Laurier students in times of crisis Student Emergency Bursary Fund helps students continue their education when experiencing financial stress SHYENNE MACDONALD NEWS EDITOR
There are numerous bursaries and funds available to students studying at Wilfrid Laurier University, one of the bigger ones being the Student Emergency Bursary Fund, which, as its name suggests, aids students in times of crises. “The Student Emergency Bursary Fund is a fund that exists and is used at the discretion of the dean of students, who is Leanne Holland Brown,” Ryan Brejak, associate director of annual giving and development and alumni relations, said. “That fund is really a fund that exists to help students continue their education when they find themselves experiencing an unforeseen financial crisis.” Brejak claimed that there are no concrete restrictions to the fund and what constitutes an emergency is fully under the discretion of
the dean of students. “A typical example of things that come up is last year [when] we had a student who experienced a house fire and lost a lot of their belongings. To continue studying at Laurier, they talked to the dean of students because they were in this financial crisis,” Brejak said. “That’s what they needed to get back on their feet and make sure they could continue their education at Wilfrid Laurier.” Brejak went on to recount other times students had to approach the dean of students to seek aid from the fund. “There’s also situations where students couldn’t afford new eye glasses or a new computer. They approached the dean of students because of that financial crisis they were in.” The Student Emergency Bursary Fund is available to all students, should their situation be deemed an emergency.
However, while there may not be restrictions set by the school, financial restrictions remain.
The Student Emergency Bursary Fund is a fund that exists and is used at the discretion of the dean of students Leanne Holland Brown. -Ryan Brejak, associate director of annual giving and development and alumni relations
MEAGHAN INCE/GRAPHIC ARTIST
“They typically have to turn away 50 per cent of people that come to them in financial crisis because there isn’t enough funding in this type of bursary,” Brejak said. The bursary is largely funded
through donations, Brejak explained, made by alumni, faculty and staff, as well as friends, family and community members. “One part of the fundraisers we do is through the Graduating Class Gift [sic]. There is a communication that goes out to all that are graduating to make a donation in the amount that honours their graduating year,” Brejak said. This year, the amount being asked for is $20.17 to commemorate the 2017 graduates. “We often have a matching donor, who will match dollar for dollar, donations that come in from the graduating class. This is the time of year we’re reaching out to corporations and alumni to try and find a matching donor.” Brejak explained that they do not have a donor at the moment, however, the decision will be made shortly. “In the past, it’s been Manulife whose made that matching gift. They’re an option again this year.” This year, to promote more donations, the Student Emergency Bursary Fund has been put on HAWKstarter, Laurier’s crowd-funding platform.
They use their discretion and do want students to get back on their feet and be successful.
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-Ryan Brejak, associate director of annual giving and development and alumni relations
“Anyone will be able to go to HAWKstarter and donate to the Graduating Class Gift, to support the Student Emergency Bursary Fund. We accept donations from anyone and everyone who is interested in supporting Laurier and impacting students.” The Graduating Class Gift allows graduating students to leave behind a parting gift to their fellow students. “It goes into the Student Emer-
gency Bursary to help that next generation of Golden Hawks. To pay it forward and impact future students that come to Laurier who need that support,” Brejak said. Brejak claimed that while funds are limited, recent years have seen a spike in how many students donate. “It really shows the character of Laurier students. They don’t want someone to pay for something when they’re in need. They really want to make sure they can pay it back and feel like they have given back to a fund that helped them in a time of need,” Berjak said. “We see so many staff and faculty, alumni and community members support this fund and its really inspiring to see how many people want to ensure that students have the resources and have the ability to complete their education when they’re here.” Berjak said he felt hopeful in how many staff, faculty, alumni and community members at Laurier support the fund to ensure that students in the university have the financial resources they need to complete their university education. “I find the fund very inspiring. It’s great that the deans are the overseers of this discretionary funding that is supported almost entirely by donations and are able to make an impact on students lives when they need it the most,” he said. Berjak also discussed the difficulty of turning away students when they encounter financial situations. According to Berjak, the fund is supported entirely by donations. “The dean of students has students approach them all the time that encounter unforeseen financial crisis. They often have to turn people away because this fund is supported almost in its entirety by donation. It does not often have enough support to give out to students,” he said. “They use their discretion and do want students to get back on their feet and be successful. They are as diligent as possible in separating situations and giving out the bursary funding to students truly in need.”
NEWS • 5
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017 MENTAL HEALTH
Massages at Laurier come with a message For six dollars, Wilfrid Laurier students could get a massage and promote mental well-being DYLAN LEONARD STAFF WRITER
On Thursday, Feb. 16, Massage Ü hosted its second ‘$6 Massages at Laurier’ event on campus in the Hawks Nest, located on the third floor of the Fred Nichols Campus Centre. The event is a result of a partnership between Massage Ü and the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy (CCMH). For six dollars, Laurier students who registered in advance would receive a 25 minute massage from students at the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy. Massage Ü is a Laurier-based social enterprise founded by Wilfrid Laurier University students Irfaan Adatia and Adam Virani. Originally created as a requirement for their social entrepreneurship class, SE400, its goal is to promote mental well-being. “[Adatia] and I are both students so we both know that stress can be a really big problem. We realized that there weren’t many appropriate stress reliefs on campus and by appropriate that means conveniently located consistently here
during midterm time and something that’s affordable,” Virani said. Through a survey of Wilfrid Laurier University students, Adatia and Virani found that massages would help students destress, but the most they would be willing to pay would be 21 dollars. This was an issue, as a massage at Laurier costs 60 dollars without a doctor’s note. Adatia and Virani also found that there were many students in the Waterloo region who are working to obtain their Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) certification. A requirement for this is a certain amount of placement hours. Through a partnership with CCMH, five students attended the event to receive placement hours while they were supervised by a fully certified RMT. Another goal of the event was to create a comfortable environment. “We created a very serene, very quiet atmosphere,” Virani said. “So students can feel relaxed while they’re getting the massage. We know it’s a stressful time with midterms and stuff, we just wanted them to have a place where they can come and take a break with something that’s affordable and
MEAGHAN INCE/GRAPHIC ARTIST
convenient for them.” A key asset for Massage Ü was the close personal friendship and varying skill sets that Adatia and Virani had prior to launching their enterprise. “[Adatia] is in health sciences and I’m in economics, so we’ve kind of put the two together. He’s got the health background with
making the difference in stress relief and I’ve got the business back-ground. It’s a nice fusion that’s been the reason for a lot of our success,” Virani said. While Massage Ü was created as a class assignment, it is possible that there may be more to come for the enterprise. A third event is possible and there may be more
expansion as well. “Our main goal is to make a social impact. We want to make as big an impact as possible … so the goal is, hopefully, to expand. While we are a Laurier project right now, it would be nice to operate at Waterloo or other schools, especially where CCMH has campuses nearby,” Virani said.
6 • NEWS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017
EDUCATION
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPENS A NEW DOOR FOR WILFRID LAURIER STUDENTS
EMI ZIBAEI/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
Opportunities for hands-on education have been discussed to indroduce to WLU’s curriculum. SAFINA HUSEIN NEWS EDITOR
On Feb. 15, Wilfrid Laurier University’s department of political science hosted a policy dialogue, “Preparing Tomorrow’s Workforce: Experiential Learning at Wilfrid Laurier University.” The event, which saw a turnout of approximately 40 individuals, featured a diverse panel of students, employers and faculty to speak about both the importance of experiential learning as well as how students are already exposed to important skill development in and out of the classroom. John Milloy, Laurier’s practitioner-in-residence for the department of political science, worked with Debora VanNijnatten, associate professor and chair of department of political science, to organize the dialogue. The opportunity to discuss integrated learning occurred ensuing a report released by Sean Conway, chair: premier’s highly skilled workforce expert panel and the office of the premier. Conway, as a result of the
report, also spoke at the panel. Other speakers at the panel were David McMurrary, vice-president of student affairs, Jan Basso, director of co-operative education and career development, Andre Gonthier, director of campus recruiting North America at Sunlife Financial and Louise Merlin, training program manager at Communitech, among others. To close off the dialogue and provide the student perspective were Colin Aitchison, vice-president of university affairs and Kanwar Brar, incoming Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union president. “We all come to university, regardless of what we want to do to, [to] make ourselves competitive in the job market,” Aitchison said. “And just sitting in the classroom and getting a degree doesn’t teach you the transferable skills that you need to be successful in employment.” Aitchison also explained that often students don’t recognize the large scope of options which extend from the idea of experiential
learning. “A lot of people automatically think co-op, but by running panels like this we’re bringing together parties from all areas to explain what experiential learning, overall, is,” Aitchison said.
There’s got to be some way to provide students with that hands-on experience to learn those transferable skills... -Colin Aitchison, vice-president: university affairs
Experiential learning can be volunteer opportunities, summer internships, in-class experiences, in addition to co-operative education placements. “There’s got to be some way to
provide students with that handson experience to learn those transferable skills so they’re more competitive and employers don’t need to teach them every single thing as they’re coming in with a set of skills already,” Aitchison said. To provide a unique perspective, Brar touched on his vast experience at Laurier and how they furthered his skill set and, ultimately, paving the path to being elected as Students’ Union president-elect. “When we have that conversation cohesively, it gives us an opportunity to reflect upon how we can work together to move forward as a whole and help students best prepare all together,” Brar said. VanNijnatten explained that another critical part about the dialogue was to articulate to students what extensive work Laurier has done surrounding experiential learning. “We need to do a better job of ensuring students know what they’re getting already at Laurier in terms of experiential learning and being able to articulate that and really capitalizing on that when they
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head out for applying for jobs and networking,” VanNijnatten said. Aitchison explained that the diverse panel also contributed to helping students understand what opportunities might be available to them and how they are significant. “There’s a lot happening at Laurier that students don’t recognize and I think that’s just because we’re all in the system that there’s not a thorough understanding. Students can partake in different experiences and take those skills and lessons that they learn and apply those to the work-force once they’re done school [sic],” Aitchison said. Brar also believes that experiental learning is a valuable opportunity for students, that will continue to assist them beyond Laurier. “Experiential Learning is all encompassing, and co-op is an integral part of it,” Brar said. “But it also goes beyond that and includes part-time work, volunteer and recreational activities. It’s about developing transferable skills to be applied in real life situations upon graduation.”
NEWS • 7
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017 PSYCHOLOGY
NEWS IN BRIEF LAURIER TEAM DESIGNS ESCAPE ROOM FOR COMPETITION
ALAN LI/GRAPHIC ARTIST
Biopolitics explores the intersecting relationships that lives politics offer.
The politics of life NATHALIE BOUCHARD LEAD REPORTER
Wilfrid Laurier University is hosting its first annual Biopolitcs Conference. Techne: Wilfrid Laurier University BioPolitical Research Group, in association with the Balsillie School of International Affairs and the International Migration Research Centre held the conference. The event will take place at the Balsillie School from March 2-4. The event will be three days long and feature academic workshops focused around the term biopolitics: an intersectional field between politics and biology that was developed by French philosopher, Michel Foucault. Greg Bird, one of the event organizers and an assistant professor of sociology, as well as Rachel Bangura, master’s student of cultural analysis and social theory, shared some valuable insight to the topic of biopolitics and general information about the upcoming conference. Bird’s own research focuses on the history of immigration policies in Canada, as well as how security and control play a significant role in biopolitics. Bird’s research will also focus on immigrants coming into Canada, as well, regulating health, the racism attached to immigration and the ways in which national boarders operate. “My own [research] focuses on temporary foreign workers programs and that the people who are deemed as ill-suited to become Canadians and the programs kind of exploit these individuals.” Bangura explained how her own research focuses around the biopolitics field of study. “Right now my MRP is about speaking to Bill C51 and this biopolitics and which bodies are privileged in Canada and the ones that we expel out and the issue of Islamophobia.” Bill C51, also known as the Anti-Terrorism Act, is an act from the Parliament of Canada that broadens the authority of the national government agencies to easily share information about individuals. According to Bird, biopolitics is the way in which the human body and life becomes political. “The easiest way of describing biopolitics is the way in which life itself becomes a political issue in modern contemporary society …
How politics actually becomes about governing life and lifestyles; the way people live and how people live,” Bird said. Bird also explained the importance of the conference is to learn more about this topic and the ways in which we can think critically about this information. “Part of the event is to teach other students about the problems that we are dealing with and start looking at the world and questions of life and how it’s significant to how politics is done … another part of it is promoting the area of research to teach people about it,” he said. The conference is set up in a way that is not necessarily for experts, but for a general audience and especially for people who want to learn more and expand their knowledge around the topic of biopolitcs. “I wouldn’t want to privilege one sort of faculty to go to the event but it’s just for anyone who is open to multiculturalism, diversity, equality, gender, anti-racism. It’s a broad spectrum and speaks to the idea of inclusivity which is really important because Canada is all about being united and diverse,” said Bangura. “There are a bunch of professors involved at Laurier, all of us have been doing research in biopolitcs for a while, so we kind of decided that we wanted to form our own research group so this event is kind of like an inauguration for our group.” The biopolitics research group wants to continue to host conferences and events similar to this in the future. This is the first event of its kind that the group has hosted. “I think that the way that the event is set up is really good. [Bird] has people coming in from Italy who really know what they are talking about. It’s really good to get an international perspective on these issues that are happening right now,” Bangura explained. Bird explained how the event will make learning more accessible for students. “[The event] is open to all students. I know various student groups are coming like LSPIRG and Aboriginal Students Centre and any student that is interested in some of the stuff we are talking about and students involved in the social science and humanities are encouraged to attend,” Bird said.
Scott Nicholson, a professor and program coordinator at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Brantford campus’ game design and development program, along with three of his students, Nicholson has been chosen for the finals of the first-ever international Escape Room Championships. The competition will require teams to solve numerous challenges to get out of a locked room. Competitors will have to solve ‘Mission: Unlock Enoch’, which was developed by Nicholson’s team.
FORMER BOOKSTORE EMPLOYEE FOUND GUILTY A former Wilfrid Laurier University Bookstore employee has been found guilty of stealing $31,000 from the store’s safe in 2014. Breanna Flynn, a financial
operations assistant at the store, has pleaded not guilty to theft over $5,000 and possession of stolen property of approximately $5,000. Flynn will return to court for her sentence hearing on May 1.
BEN CARNIOL ANNOUNCED AS SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE Ben Carniol, a distinguished social work practitioner and scholar, has been announced as the Lyle S. Hallman faculty of social work’s scholar-in-residence. Throughout his career, Carniol has spoken out about social justice issues in Canada. At the university, he will be working on issues that connect to Indigenous youth and social work through the Aboriginal field of study.
LAURIER BRANTFORD TO WORK WITH BRANTFORD POLICE Wilfrid Laurier University’s Brantford campus, along with local community partners such as the Sexual Assault Centre and Victim Services of Brant, will now work with the Brantford Police Services in assisting the way police offers respond to survivors of sexual assault when reporting an incident. The provincial government recently announced a fund of $1.8 million towards 15 projects to improve how police officers respond to sexual violence. The Brantford police will receive $147,165 to review past sexual violence investigations. Part of the campus’ role will be to identify trends and help other communities implement certain practices to help more survivors of sexual assault.
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FEATU
FEATURES EDITOR/MITCHELL CONSKY/FEATURES@THECORD.CA
Amar’s problems didn’t end with a “There was a ton of stuff we didn’t “There was a mould infestation on that didn’t work, leaking pipes and p situation so we knew we had to get o Little did he know, an unnoticed d further complicate the situation.
After meticulous research, investigations into unfortunate living experiences and personally managing to move into a new living situation every year of my four-year 0university-career, I have finally cracked the code. Listen up folks. Before you are the four rules of signing leases that will hopefully avoid epic screw-overs, financial detriment and shitty situations. Why? Because the best way to fix a problem is to stop it from occurring.
You’re stepping into an apartment unit to evaluate its livability. What are you looking for? What questions should you ask your potential future landlord? Is that stale smell in the air a red flag? What about the clanking in the pipes? Let’s get to the bottom of this crucial initial step. Firstly, if you haven’t arranged a viewing, throw away your pens and get one going. Signing for an apartment unit or house you haven’t even seen is awfully similar to walking into a bear cave blindfolded, kicking up your legs and saying “here’s good.” Viewings are the most essential step for deciding whether or not a place is the right fit and, mostly, for making you aware of the problems that lease policies don’t mention.
“By the time I realized my room was the size of a small closet, my mattress was waiting for me on the floor,” said Dan Amar, fourth-year business administration student at Wilfrid Laurier University. His student housing horror story occurred in the 2014-15 school year. “A few of my friends I had agreed to live with had checked out the house without me and they didn’t get a chance to look at all the rooms. I was in Paris at the time and we agreed on who would get what room based on a rough layout described to us by the landlord. I got the shitty end of the stick.” Therein lies the first suggestion: always make sure every room is accounted for. Often, rooms are locked during viewings, making it difficult for room sizes to be properly scaled. This complicates situations when it comes to deciding who pays what out of the monthly fees. If you’re wondering if your landlord always has the right to show you what you want to see, let’s evaluate some Ontario law. According to section 26 (3) of the Residential Tendencies Act of Ontario, a landlord has the right to enter a rental unit without written notice to show the unit to prospective tenants between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., so long as there has been an agreement or notice of current tenancy termination. All rooms are permitted to be shown to potential tenants. This debunks any potential misconception that some parts of viewings are out of bounds. Run with this knowledge and see what needs to be seen before its too late. Nobody will hold it against you if you want to look over every inch of the place, flip every light switch or turn on every tap.
“Something that is often underutil Committee [SRAC],” said Colin Aitch Affairs with the Students’ Union. This committee offers students an for review so they can be warned of p seen policies before signing. “We go through their leases to mak tions of the residential tendency act. if they’re getting themselves into a tw included.” With that said, let’s jump back to A “After the year was up, we all decid all of the problems,” Amar explained Amar found an apartment a few st “We quickly signed for the followin before the time was up. We didn’t kn living at was a two-year lease.” Amar and his roommates were sud contracts. With each monthly fee cos they were suddenly thrown into a ne lems that went far beyond a closet-si I know it sounds obvious but its wo leases are thoroughly evaluated, espe Using available resources such as S aware of what you’re getting yourself “Especially for first-years who have good to get a second opinion,” said A He went on to explain that no deci will often give you limited time offers you’re being blindsided into financia “Take your time and avoid pressur you’re signing. You never know what son said. “Unfortunately, we aren’t lawyers, we will direct you towards the neede
URES
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017 • 11
pensive loads elsewhere. A place that doesn’t include parking can mean paying big just to avoid parking tickets. Not knowing if your hot water is included can cause morning showers to become a little more limited. As students, you’ll also have to set up internet that will be split with your roommates. Being aware of costs and where your money is going is the best way to maintain control.
a small room. notice,” explained Amar. n one of the walls, a laundry machine poor plumbing. It was not an ideal out of there.” detail within the lease was about to
lized is the Students Rights Advisory hison, vice president of University
opportunity to bring in their leases potential red flags and any unfore-
ke sure there is no major violaFor example, we’ll let them know wo-year lease, or if hydro is not
Amar’s horror story. ded to find a new place because of d. treets down for a reasonable price. ng year, pressured into doing so now that the house we were currently
ddenly locked into two binding sting around 600 dollars per month, ew world of student housing probized room. orth being said: always make sure ecially before signing a new one. SRAC will allow you to be more f into. e never signed a lease, its always Aitchison. ision needs to be rushed. Promoters s, but a great deal isn’t worth it if al detriment. res to sign before you know what t complications could arise,” Aitchi-
, but if legal actions need to be taken ed resources.”
For a lot of students, this will be the first time they are signing a lease on their own. For many lease-virgins, parents will help cover expenses, but not everyone has the luxury of financial backing. Sometimes decisions to save money can ultimately cause you to lose more. “It’s really important to look at your annual cost,” said Brock Currie, manager of Sage Condos. “You need to think about how much you want to pay each year, not just the price per month.” He went on to explain that students most commonly evaluate monthly fees. This could be a problem when year-long leases are not being considered. Certain promotion deals can actually complicate lease agreements and trick students into believing they are paying less. For instance, if one deal claims you can get one or two months free if you sign on by a certain time, those months may only matter for a short-term lease. Many first-year students, who are much smarter than myself, ideally try to find a living solution that will suffice for their time at school — saving the headaches of having to move into a new place at the start of every fall semester. So let’s do the math. If you were offered two free months (in the first year) of a two-year lease that was regularly $700.00 per month, you would end up paying $7,000.00 in the first year. Whereas in the first year of a $600 per month lease you would end up paying a higher amount: $7,200. If you only looked at the first year this would appear to be the better deal, however, in the second year that $700 per month lease would cost $8400 compared to $7,200 for the $600 per month lease. You would pay $15,400 for the $700 per month lease for the two years compared to $14,400 that the $600 per month lease costs. Over two years, you’d be paying an additional $1,200 for the $700 per month lease that had two months’ free rent. Currie also explained that students have to consider who they are living with and be more prepared when searching for price ranges. “There are a lot of people that show up and say, ‘I’m going to live with two people, or three people, or four people,’ but they haven’t even talked to any of those people. Make sure you have a game plan. Try and have a good idea of who you want to live with and how much each person is willing to pay.” The average cost of hydro per month can also vary. If your apartment is heated with gas, your hydro bill will be significantly lower, whereas with electric heating, hydro bills can be pricey in the winter months. Also, some hydro companies bill monthly, while some bill bi-monthly. Approximately less than 30 per cent of housing options include hydro in the lease agreement. It’s important to realize that some essentials that aren’t included in your contract can also take a big bite out of your bank account. Laundry machines that aren’t functioning can result in weekly ex-
School is always going to be your major destination. So be sure to find a place that fits those requirements. Consider the time it takes to walk to school. When it comes to finding a place to live, take the walk and time it on your phone. It’s also important to consider the proximity to bus stops and food locations. However, beyond all this is the imperative need to communicate. Not only will communication and transparency help prevent problems from arising, they could also help manage problems that have already occurred. “We explained our situation to our landlord. He hadn’t found any tenants since we never gave him notice about the termination of the second year we signed for,” Amar explained, wrapping up the conclusion of his story. “He agreed to lower the prices on the monthly fee if we could find our own tenants to sublet. So that year, technically, we were renting two places: the old one that we managed to fill with sublets and the new apartment down the street.” “It was an experience that really made me more cautious when looking at a lease.” *** Always get the most out of housing tours and make sure no stone is left unturned. Review your contract meticulously and utilize resources such as the SRAC to give you another opinion and catch details you might’ve missed. Never feel pressured to sign and always be sure you know what you’re doing despite urges to save some money. Understand your own requirements and communicate with your landlord. It’s not just a piece of paper; it’s an agreement that could be as simple as a roof over your head and as complicating as reading through the Residential Tendencies Act of Ontario in scurried desperation to avoid paying 1200 a month for two properties.
WILL HUANG/CREATIVE DIRECTOR
12 •
Arts & Life
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017 ARTS & LIFE EDITOR MANJOT BHULLAR arts@thecord.ca
JAZZ
Is jazz music on snooze? KARLIS WILDE STAFF WRITER
Music tends to work in a continuous stream of evolution — ideas and rebellion compound with creativity and heart toward progressive ends. When one hears the silky smooth drawl of Kenny G’s saxophone, it can be easy to forget that. But jazz — real, authentic, inspired jazz — draws on something different. Something that transcends technology. “With what we have available to us, we can make everything sound pretty perfect,” said Tim Moher, a retired music teacher and saxophonist in the group TM Jazz, detailing the inherent drawback of advanced in-studio techniques. “The live [performance] really brings a whole new element … when you see a live band, you really get to know them so much more intimately.”
Fundamentally, jazz is orchestrated to allow for improvisation and conversation between musicians. The bass walks along with the beating snare drum, setting a conversational scene. A soloist then glides overtop, scaling through highs and lows, before passing the evolving melody throughout the group. Jazz is experimental and, in the moment, unscripted. The idea that there isn’t a young audience that lives within those same parameters is ridiculous — the passion in the music remains alive, even if images of Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue or Dave Brubeck’s Take Five simply conjure up memories of ancient vinyl collecting dust in basements. Kamasi Washington might be the most obvious hip, mainstream proponent of jazz in today’s scene. His 2015, three-hour long, appropriately titled record The Epic became especially prominent (and graced several year’s end best
of lists) after Washington played and arranged on Kendrick Lamar’s acclaimed, jazz-influenced album, To Pimp a Butterfly. Modern interpretations of a musical tradition are analogous to the conversation within any jazz piece: they evolve, taking bits and pieces of what has worked and pass it along into the creation of new melodies, ideas and transformations. While it may be easy to file something like jazz music among some far-removed period in history, it needs to be recognized that the scene is alive and vivid and that residents of the K-W Region are extremely blessed with something like the Jazz Room. “We didn’t have anything like the Jazz Room where we could go on a regular basis,” Moher said. What makes the Jazz Room so exciting is its commitment to passion and energy. Where most venues urge performers to force their
QIAO LIU/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
tonal assault overtop of the crowd, they enforce a no talking policy while the musicians are playing. While this could be viewed as an exclusionary measure, it’s honestly just plain thoughtful. Isn’t it rude to chat with your friends and play on your cell phone in a movie theatre? The no talking policy isn’t about stifling conversation, it’s about creating an intimate space between the musicians and
the audience. This keeps the genre alive and vibrant, rather than regressing into ambient territory. Moher recounted seeing a wide range of ages in attendance at Jazz Room events, including a great deal of young adults. “It reminded me of when I was that age,” he said. “I had a gentleman that was 18 years old that was playing with me … There’s a lot of good things happening with youth right now.”
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Tackling social injustice in K-W MANJOT BHULLAR ARTS & LIFE EDITOR
Social justice, and fighting the good fight have been brought to the forefront of our Western world today more than ever. With all the political uncertainty attempting to push back years of progress, Canadians and those within the K-W community have begun to take action. On March 1, Laurier women’s studies professor Helen Ramirez, along with a team of Laurier students, will host an evening of artistic expression with hopes that through this off-script attempt to drum up conversation they will be able to inspire others in the community to take action. “I think this is a really important event particularly because we are in the 150th year marking Canada’s existence and because we’re approaching International Women’s Day. This event is about bringing students and the larger community together,” said Ramirez. The event will take place at the Kitchener Public Library and will serve to dispel myths in university culture about the dangers of venturing into downtown Kitchener. Organizers hope that the community setting will bring together not only students but members of the community as well. “We need to build a community that attends to all the injustices that we still see so much in part of what we know as Canada [sic],”
said Ramirez. As opposed to catering a night of social justice discussion to one prevalent issue, Ramirez hopes that by opening the conversation to include all injustices, it will allow for cross-understanding of individual experiences. “It really is an invitation for everybody to come in to see, perhaps, their own lives in performance or to see where the gaps are where more performance needs to happen,” said Ramirez. There are a variety of performers attending the event, from Syrian refugees, to trans people, and also those of Indigenous decent. This event poses a different message than similar events discussing social injustices by conveying messages through performance and art. “It is okay to have intellectual conversation; it’s good to have intellectual conversations. It doesn’t compel us to know something in all of its textures unless it comes through the art.” Ramirez hopes that this evening furthers the conversation needed for social change, and upholds the values we cherish as Canadians. The event will run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and to encourage student attendance, there will be buses leaving from and returning to both Laurier Branford (Carnegie Building at 5 p.m.), and Laurier Waterloo (Maureen Forrester Recital Hall at 5:30 p.m., 5:50 p.m. and 6:10 p.m.).
ARTS & LIFE • 13
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017 EATING DISORDERS
Calorie counts: constructive or controversial? BETHANY BOWLES EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Last week, I went to Burrito Boyz with some coworkers for lunch. As I read the menu, I noticed that all of the calorie counts were beside each option. When it came time to order, I found myself subconsciously changing my order last minute to something that had less calories than the meal I had originally wanted. As of Jan. 1, the Ontario government has implemented a piece of legislature that requires every chain restaurant, of over 20 locations, to have calories visible on their menus. It appears that the general response to this law has been positive — hold those chain restaurants accountable and whatnot. But after my experience in Burrito Boyz, I wondered what this new law would mean for people who have experiences with eating disorders, or for people that struggle with body esteem issues. I have never experienced an eating disorder, but as a person who spent the majority of her teen years desperately wishing to be thinner, trying whatever week-long cleanse was the latest trend and crying in clothing store change rooms when nothing fit, I wondered, if this new law had a psychological effect on me, how could it affect others? Andrea Lamarre, PhD candidate at the University of Guelph and cochair of the Waterloo-Wellington Eating Disorders Coalition started a petition in December to repeal this piece of legislature. The petition currently has over 1000 signatures and Lamarre has done over a dozen interviews with various Ontario media outlets. She explained that some people have expressed confusion as to why she is so against the act. “People were quite willing to
listen to what I had to say, but they had not considered what kind of impact this type of legislation might have on people with eating disorders.” Lamarre addressed several different triggers some could experience when faced with calories on menus. “For people who have eating disorders, a lot of the time they’re already aware of the amount of calories in things, but they might be actively trying to avoid looking at calories to make the decisions based on what they feel they need that day, how hungry they are, what are they craving and trying to just be not as focused on food,” she said. “I think for these people it can kind of be like a slap in the face because they’ve been actively trying to avoid engaging with calories which may have been ruling their lives for so long.”
It can kind of be a slap in the face because they’ve been actively trying to avoid engaging with calories . -Andrea Lamarre, PhD candidate at the University of Guelph
A lot of chain restaurants require customers to stand in a line and vocalize their order with other customers in ear shot. For people who have experienced an eating disorder and even for people with body esteem issues, this can be challenging when a number is beside their food
PAIGE BUSH/PHOTO EDITOR
choice. Lamarre also explained that this act can be really confronting. If you go to a restaurant that you eat at frequently, only to see that a meal that you’ve eaten several times before has been assigned a number, some people can feel guilt or shame about past meals they’ve eaten. The argument that people should be held accountable for their health or for what they eat just isn’t a strong argument. Lamarre said that there is inconclusive research as to whether laws like this actually leads to behavioural or dietary change. “We know that you can’t shame somebody into the type of health that you’re prescribing onto them. I think that’s something that people miss. They think that if people are held accountable, sometimes they’re going to feel shame and then that shame is somehow seen as a good thing, which I have a lot of issues with because I don’t think that it’s ever a good idea for us to
tell somebody, ‘Oh, you should feel bad about your body, your body doesn’t fit the perspective that I have about what a healthy body should look like and therefore, you should just follow my prescription,’” Lamarre said. She explained that you can’t tell how healthy someone is just by looking at their body. People with larger bodies are almost always seen as being unhealthy, but we don’t know their diet; we don’t know their exercise regime; we don’t know elements of their health. Lamarre said that just providing a calorie count is only creating generalizations. At the bottom of each menu, I’ve seen the words, “Most adults should consume 2000 calories a day.” There is no regard for fat, fibre, vitamins, salt, saturated fat, protein, carbs or any of the other components that make up food. Some people recovering from eating disorders, Lamarre explained, are on high calorie diets.
For them, to see that the “average adult” should eat 2000 calories a day could impact their recovery. For Lamarre, the goal of her petition isn’t to get rid of the signage. She realizes that updating the signs did cost business a lot of money. Her main goal would be to provide calories in an alternate form and to stop this piece of legislature from spreading all over Canada. She has already met with Health Canada in Ottawa to provide her perspective. “I’m hopeful that these conversations that I’m having with folks about how it’s one thing to ask people with eating disorders to deal with their triggers, which is the response that I get a lot of the time, but it’s another thing to ask people to do that when we don’t provide adequate treatment particularly in the community context,” she added. “So if it could go toward bolstering people’s support systems at the policy level, that would be an ideal solution.”
I would like to commend you for several reasons. You’re sticking by your product and not caving into the demands of a baying, ignorant mob that feels threatened by a minority-focused entertainment product cropping into their binge-watching haven. You’re proving how necessary a show that questions the “post-racist” era actually is, when the mere suggestion that “we aren’t there yet” can get such vehement and prejudiced response. And, because it has barely been mentioned by most of the coverage for this faux-controversy, you’re supporting independent filmmakers and bringing them to a wider audience, give or take a few reactionary users who think their nine dollars a month means they have a say in what shows get made. As ridiculous as this has gotten, it goes without saying that you have no agenda in making Dear White People. You aren’t “race baiting” or “virtue signaling” or other neo-conservative buzzwords that seem to appear whenever something non-
white and critical gets brought up. You are a business who saw the recent financial potential in television that addressed issues of race and black identity, such as the recent hits Black-ish, Atlanta, American Crime Story, Queen Sugar and ironically your own Luke Cage (one that stayed off any backlash by virtue of being a comic book franchise). It seems your audience enjoys black entertainment as long as it remains non-confrontational. Here is a show that’s only real statement regarding race so far is shaming people who wear blackface and the collective outrage machine that is the internet went into hysterics. It seems, Netflix, that they had thought that pointing out that the racial divide is still a very real thing was somehow substantiating it and not working towards eroding it, as if calling something out as racist or bigoted, in their topsy-turvy perspective, was the real racism here. Your trailer on YouTube is currently crawling with actual and well-liked comments like: “blacks doing what they do best: com-
plain” and “this is what you get for years of trying to be sensitive to blacks. Every inch you give they take a mile” — and somehow it’s just the trailer that is causing this! But you still saw potential in Simien’s 2014 film of the same title, Netflix, and I applaud you for making the perfect snare that has exposed so much pronounced and indefensible racist opinions. So what if they are cancelling their accounts? They will be back for Daredevil and Orange is the New Black. Probably not for The Get-Down, though. Who cares if the people who need this show the most won’t watch it? Most likely none of them saw the film, which would have put this entire thing into context. They can’t be convinced and would rather shut out the opposing opinion completely by deleting their accounts and feeling proud about themselves because of it. Netflix, please continue to support Dear White People and other diverse content for your platform. The backlash created by it justifies the endeavor completely.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
Netflix ‘n’ delete CHRIS LUCIANTONIO STAFF WRITER
Hey Netflix, by now you must have noticed the intense backlash that has been generated from the trailer to the upcoming series based on Justin Simien’s independent smash Dear White People.
I would hate for you to react in the wrong way to this controversy and put your business and product at jeopardy. With hundreds of people cancelling their subscriptions in response to a 30-second trailer telling them blackface is not okay and supposedly promoting “white genocide,”
14 • ARTS & LIFE
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017
FOOD
Snackin’ Mac & Cheese Fest FANI HSIEH GRAPHICS EDITOR
On a cold, stormy night in downtown Kitchener, a mac and cheese festival seemed like the perfect place to take refuge. Despite a sour event last year, THEMUSEUM’s Mac & Cheese Festival returned for a second year to dispel all doubts. The layout was set up similar to Taco Fest, a very successful event also held at THEMUSEUM. Instead of overwhelming one restaurant to serve all-you-can-eat mac and cheese, this year’s event featured eight restaurants and each ticket included a single four-ounce portion from each vendor. Each restaurant competed to win the “Best Mac & Cheese” and “Best Beer” awards as voted by event participants. After a cheese-and-booze-fueled night, Beertown took home the trophy for best mac and cheese and Elora Brewing Co. won best beer. B@THEMUSEUM and Grand Trunk Saloon shared the first floor. B’s mac and cheese consisted of beer-braised beef short rib with white wine cream cheese sauce topped with cornbread crumble. Grand Trunk stayed true to its
cuisine: a soul and southern style with hickory smoked pigtail cajun spiced mac and cheese. On the second floor, TWH Social served up a sweet, salty, crispy and meaty mac and cheese packed with smoked chicken, cheddar, parmesan and fried shallots. Abe Erb brought the mac and cheese found on their regular menu. The third floor featured The Bauer Kitchen, Wildcraft, The Bruce and Beertown. The Bauer Kitchen’s mac and cheese was my personal favourite. The blend of cured, spiced and smoked pulled pork shoulder with tons of fancy cheese finished with pork chicharónes and fresh scallions was nothing short of sensational. Wildcraft brought their upbeat contemporary approach to mac and cheese with a duck confit base, brie and roasted garlic béchamel, chicharónes, crispy duck fat, orange zest, thyme and butter toasted panko. The Bruce Restaurant added a Korean twist to mac and cheese with an array of toppings for people to mix and match to their liking such as their house quick-pickled kimchi and
cucumbers. Lastly, but certainly not least, Beertown took a new take on the standard mac and cheese as they warmed it up with sriracha and pickles and topped it off with pounded jalapeno Cheetos. In the words of the chef, Brandon Ulian, their mac and cheese was “fucking ridiculous.” The crowd was diverse with a large representation of young, mid 20’s to mid 30’s, folks. Chef of TWH Social, Tyler Adams, pointed out that, “mac and cheese is universal,” and that this event caters to everyone from the financially conscious students to professionals celebrating their umpteenth anniversary. As was the case last year, a live band was there to keep the atmosphere jovial and jubilant. Aside from the live band, the newly opened Underground Studio MakerSpace was available for event attendees to try their hands at cardboard arts and crafts. The trophies presented to winning vendors were impressively 3D printed by the MakerSpace. The general sentiment behind why vendors wanted to participate in this event, aside from promoting and reaching out to the public,
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was to support community and charity. The proceeds from the Mac & Cheese Festival went towards funding education programs at THEMUSEUM, such as the new MakerSpace. The second running of the event was an astounding success. The idea emerged as an extension of THEMUSEUMS’ Beer+ Series, where they combine beer with an
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• 15
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017
Editorial
OPINION EDITOR MADELINE MCINNIS opinion@thecord.ca
The ethics of the Oscars and their political statements best actor shows just how far the academy needs to go. In the world of nine-to-five, women get fired for reporting their sexual assaults. Apparently, in the movie world, you can be rewarded for perpetrating. That’s an especially touchy subject when you compare Casey Affleck to Nate Parker. Birth of a Nation was supposed to be an awards show sweep. Why, then, was Parker ostracized and Affleck rewarded when they were accused of the same crime? It brings up a question of identity politics, for sure. If anything good came from this at all, it started a conversation. What about the tourists that were paraded around? Some of them seemed to love it, but was it ethical to bring them into this hall, where millions of people would` be watching them, without their consent? There’s certainly a lot to think about at these Oscars beyond the fashion on the red carpet. Regardless of whether these celebrities are promoting these causes to promote themselves, they are still attempting to make a difference. That says something. It seems that these messages can come from all actions. Emma Stone wore a Planned Parenthood pin. Ruth Negga wore a blue ribbon for American Civil Liberties Union. Gael García Bernal commented on the wall. Farhadi didn’t come. All of these people made a statement. In the movie industry, people are being paid to tell stories that are often not their own. These stories can inspire people to act and think in one way or another and that power cannot be understated. Maybe the best course of action is to steer the car without pressing the gas: show the fans what you believe and let them have an opinion for themselves. Overall, the ethics of the Oscars were again brought into question on Sunday night. It may not have been as obvious as previous years, but it was still incredibly present. Whether for the better or for the worse, the platform of the Oscars has again proven irresistible for politics.
It seems that all the talk in the last few days has been about the Oscars. Between Nicole Kidman’s clapping and the La La Land/ Moonlight mix up, it’s been a massive topic of conversation. It’s a shame that overshadowed some of the real political messages of the night. The Oscars have always been a platform for celebrity voices and causes. This was no exception. Viola Davis’s speech spoke for the people who were unspoken. Asghar Farhadi’s speech was delivered by a representative because he took a stand against Donald Trump’s travel ban. But are the Oscars really a place for political opinions? Well, of course. Celebrities, above all, are people. It’s part of their persona too. If they didn’t have a personality, no one would like them. No one would be able to identify with them if they were just a face on a screen. It works the same way for Donald Trump as it does for Brie Larson — people will pick celebrities they support based on their politics. In that way, celebrities have a duty to bring light to the issues that they stand for. In a situation like the Oscars, where there are so many talented people crammed in one room, there’s bound to be an eruption as these people point to the causes they care about. It’s a little ironic that white issues stole the show. After last year’s “Oscars so white” controversy, it was great to see more diverse representation and some historic wins. The Academy works on a rating system, so the fact that these productions and people won shows that many people voted for them first, but many others saw them ranked them in their top three or four. It’s just a shame that, in some kind of ironic coincidence, the mostly white production of La La Land stole the show and Moonlight, about a gay black man, didn’t get the true recognition it deserves as best picture. Contrary to the Academy’s choices in some of the other categories, giving Casey Affleck
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Facing life after university KAITLYN SEVERIN SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
Reading Week was implemented at Wilfrid Laurier University for students to catch up on their course material mid-way through the semester. While some students may actually study or work on assignments, many come back to their old homes to relive their old style of living. You hang out with family and childhood friends and you become reminded of all of your forgotten experiences pre-university. This winter Reading Week was my last and during the week I planned on reliving my forgotten memories before moving back after graduation. I realized over the week that there aren’t many resources to explain how to move back home once you’ve graduated. This led to me to do some research (rather than working on actual research for my assignment) and to my surprise, there were many people who had felt this once they graduated from post-secondary. Publications from the Globe and Mail, The Guardian and The Independent have written columns and articles on how students have
felt a sense of depression once they move back home. Students often lack motivation to find work and they feel confused about what to do with their new-found “freedom.” Some students may use this time to travel or to explore new hobbies. Most students may even go on to do their Master’s or attend a graduate program. A vast majority of students, unfortunately, do not have that option — they will be busy paying off their student debt and will have to patiently wait to fully experience their newfound freedom. Those people will see photos their fellow graduates travelling across Europe or working in a new country, resulting in a feeling of FOMO: fear of missing out. Unfortunately, one of the worst realizations after graduation is a loss of community. Once you separate yourself from that community, you learn to realize that you may have to experience this new stage of your life independently. So while the depression you may experience after university may very well in fact be a common thing among recent graduates, it doesn’t mean you have to settle with it. According to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, the first step is to communicate with friends, family members or anyone you feel comfortable talking to.
If this feeling worsens over time, the organization recommends you seek professional help. All-in-all, becoming a recent graduate can be more complex than university. You spend a number of years in what can be described as a bubble, which later bursts. But guess what? That’s totally okay. It’s okay not to have a plan right after university. It’s okay to take time off to figure out what you want to accomplish in your career and it’s definitely okay to experience failure and rejection when looking for jobs. The Globe and Mail contributor Janina Enrile wrote that she treated post-university life similar to a break-up. She experienced new hobbies and learned to place more value on time spent with family and friends. However, she and other writers on this topic have stressed the need for universities to do more to recognize how mental health can play a significant role in post-university life. Post-secondary institutes, as well as professors, staff and students alike, should help each other out once we start preparing to leave our “bubble.” These times more than ever, we should build a new sense of community and gain a sense of comfort in knowing there’s more to come once we throw those convocation caps in the air.
16 •
Opinion
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017 OPINION EDITOR MADELINE MCINNIS opinion@thecord.ca
Pushing up the daisies and the memories MADELINE MCINNIS OPINION EDITOR
In the latest issue of our sister publication, The Sputnik, there was a feature about a lady who looked like “someone’s stylish aunt” who read tarot cards and contacted the “great beyond” that is death. The writer, Dellesia Noah, had an experience contacting her grandmother she never met in this life. Though I don’t doubt the experiences of both women involved, and the impact that this meeting had on Noah, it made me think of my own experiences with death. Regardless of religion or creed, belief or system, one thing for us mortals is for sure: death is ultimate and inevitable. I’ve never really been afraid of death because I grew up around it. When I was born, I came home from the hospital in a hearse. My father is a funeral director and death was never something that was hidden from me. This past summer, instead of getting a job as a camp counsellor or a cashier, I joined him in the business of death. I ran paperwork around the city and assisted on removals. If I learned anything from this
experience, it’s that death truly does happen to everyone, regardless of any other factors. Death does not discriminate and it takes no names. I don’t have any idea what happens after death and, frankly, I don’t really care to. No matter what it is, it’s going to come regardless of what I believe.
I don’t have any idea what happens after death and, frankly, I don’t really care to. No matter what it is, it’s going to come regardless of what I believe.
Speaking to someone beyond the grave, regardless of whether it’s possible or not, doesn’t change the fact that they’re dead. It’s dreary. It’s unhappy. It’s the truth. But if there’s any positive side to death, it’s that it brings people together in collective memory of a life. On my very first house removal, the family of the man was outside, gathered around their picnic table, talking to each other.
I don’t really know if they all lived in that house. I don’t know if they were a perfect, happy family or how much they would miss the man we were wheeling out their side door. What I do know about them is that this death brought them together. There was no fighting, raised voices or angry words exchanged. It was their collective grieving that brought them together. It’s for the same reason we eagerly await our favourite celebrity names on the “in memoriam” at awards shows. It’s a collective experience to remember a person that can’t make themselves known in our lives any more. At the Film Society’s Oscar night, there was a collective noise of appreciation when Robin Williams appeared in a montage. Yes, it’s because he’s no longer living, but even more so, it’s about the impact that he had on our lives. We’re grieving that they’re gone, but it gives us a chance to see someone’s achievements laid bare. I think it’s pretty safe to say that, as humans, we like a clean ending; we like to see all loose ends tied up and we like to have some sort of closure. That’s what death is. It may not be a happy Hollywood ending where dreams come true, but it’s a clear ending none the less. Whatever happens after death, the person’s physical being no lon-
SIMRAN DHALIWAL/CORD GRAPHICS
Disconnect from the phone
MADELINE MCINNIS/OPINION EDITOR
ger exists. Maybe we can contact them, maybe we can’t. Either way, the person isn’t physically there any more. They’re not going to have new accomplishments and any new memories you may have will always be in question; even if you’re so sure of your experience, there’s going to be people who will doubt. What they did on earth is now all
that they’ll ever do on earth. It can be tracked and it can be appreciated. This clear beginning and end of a life in this world gives us a chance to appreciate everything the person has done. The love we feel for people stretches beyond the grave and I think that’s what really matters when we all reach the end.
Computers give us the power of e-mail. They allow us to search for things in a matter of seconds — things that would otherwise take much longer to find. However, it’s important to take a break from our technologically-reliant society from time to time.
This question got me thinking that, for many of us, the answer seems to be no. It was quite upsetting that our idea of a relaxing getaway still depended on technology while there were so many other activities that we could do. Technology is great, there is no denying that, but when it comes to a point where you are unable even unwilling — to communicate with the people around you, then it’s a problem. So, what are the alternatives? Well, you can read a book or write. You can play cards or try learning a different board game. Talk with one another instead of expressing your emotions through emojis on a screen. There is so much you can do that doesn’t involve technology. I am not saying that spending some time on your phone is detrimental because we all do it, however moderation and control are the key. When it begins to interfere with your everyday life then you need to change your routine. So make a conscious decision to reduce your dependency on technology because chances are, if the first thing you do after you wake up is search for your phone, then you have an addiction. And the first step to solving any addiction is to recognize that it exists.
It was quite upsetting that our idea of a relaxing getaway still depended on technology while there were so many other activities that we could do.
Technology is useful, but it can become a bad additiction
VIDISH PARIKH STAFF WRITER
How many times a day do you check your phone? Most of us own a smartphone that has become a part of our everyday lives. Understandably so. After all,
they are convenient. Today, you might feel more connected than ever before, but the reality is that many of our interactions are done through a machine. For example, instead of talking to someone in person, we often elect to wish them a ‘happy birthday’ over social media. We have lost the personal touch. I was on the GO Bus a couple of weeks ago when I noticed something alarming. As I looked up from my seat,
virtually every single person was on their phone. It was as if they were glued to their screens. This sort of dependency is simply not good for us. It affects our health. The amount of time you spend staring at a screen can strain your eyes. This screen time has become a major issue in our society today as almost everything we do involves a screen. In some ways, this is inevitable.
This past Christmas break, I was on vacation in the Dominican Republic with a few other family friends. We had the whole trip planned. But, you know what our first question was as university students: how do we connect to the WIFI? We were desperate to get a connection. One of the older adults asked us, “Can you do anything without your phone?”
OPINION • 17
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017
Trudeau needs to stand up ANTHONY ZAMBITO OPINION COLUMNIST
SERENA TRUONG/GRAPHIC ARTIST
Toxic friendships EMILY WAITSON STAFF WRITER
As a woman in my early twenties, I’ve managed to learn a few things as I’ve awkwardly stumbled my way through life so far. I’ve experienced friendships that I didn’t realize were incredibly toxic until long after they were out of my life. I think the idealism that surrounds friendships and how we interact with the people who may not be the best for us is flawed. The main snippets of advice that I see and hear involve not holding grudges, to be the better person and basically a bunch of that self-fulfilling, incredibly vague prophecy crap that an all-knowing old man would tell the protagonist in a story to find themselves. I wholeheartedly believe in being kind and letting go of anger. However, I have realized that there is an inherent value in being able to understand your limitations, standing up for yourself and knowing when you deserve better, whether you’re dating someone or are friends with them. There was one person who really force-fed me this lesson and he became my “friend” at the tail-end of high school. For the sake of anonymity, let’s call this guy Joe. I became friends with Joe by happenstance, as he was in one of my classes and started talking to me over Facebook once our last year of school had ended. Looking back on this, there were about a dozen warning signs that this would ultimately fail, but I was painfully optimistic and willing to overlook them. As far as I was concerned, as long as I was nice to him and we got along relatively well, things would be fine. But if Joe did anything well though, it was proving me wrong. It started off small and escalated to scary proportions; what became one harmless trip to the movies and a few messages here and there, evolved into daily, incessant contact that left me drained and uncomfortable. He would send me messages every single day, several times a day. If I didn’t respond to them instantly, he would send me even more and assume I hated him. When I engaged in conversation with him, he discussed a wide range of topics that were nothing
short of unnerving, sexist and invasive. He asked me questions about my personal life and told me intimate aspects about himself that I didn’t want to know. My attempts at laying down boundaries failed. After one instance, I clearly remember him calling me really late at night over five times in a row because he thought I was “mad at him.” I caved and brushed it off to avoid another unravelled reaction like the last. When I saw him, I would somehow end up paying for both of us to see a movie, eat a meal or both. I never had a good time and these outings became more and more dreaded. I felt bound to him because he relied on me to be his unending guidepost, mental stability and key to happiness, ensuring that I became guilty if I said anything to the contrary.
Cutting the toxic friendships out of your life that make you miserable and don’t have any meaning isn’t selfish, it’s the complete opposite.
After over a year of this, I had to put a stop to it. I was exhausted by him, I was inadvertently controlled by his behaviour and it was putting a strain on my own well being. It ultimately wasn’t fair to him, either, to have him believing that I was still somehow invested in a friendship that didn’t actually exist. I talked it out with him and I told him without any malice that I needed to pull away from him and put a stop to our contact. Cutting the toxic friendships out of your life that make you miserable and don’t have any meaning isn’t selfish, it’s the complete opposite. I ended up blocking him on Facebook and deleting his number from my phone. Since then, I haven’t had any problems from him and my life has felt a little less heavy. At the end of the day, I did what was best for me, and it was the healthiest choice I made since I stopped watching Dr. Phil on weekday afternoons.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the trip to Washington D.C. to speak to newly-elected president, Donald Trump. The meeting was mostly characterized in the popular media by Trudeau’s dominant handshaking skills, but there were several pressing issues that came into question. One of most discussed issues pertained to border security and migration. Even though our Heads of State flaunt two completely different immigration policies, they both insisted that our governments will work collaboratively to match “security with openness.” These words may seem productive, but the reality is that Trudeau missed his first opportunity to call Trump out on his incoherent policies. While Trudeau was busy praising the long-standing relationship
between Canada and the United States, forty U.S. residents were preparing to illegally walk through farmers’ fields into Canada to claim refugee status. Many of those people were successful, even caught on tape. This is troubling for many reasons. Not only has Trudeau ignored the conditions that led to this mass migration, he is also ignoring the dangers that come with accepting undocumented immigrants. Canada’s renowned immigration system is famous for preserving the rights and dignity of migrants while simultaneously protecting Canadians from those who wish to do us harm. Either out of fear or ignorance, some Americans feel compelled to bypass this system to seek asylum in Canada. Don’t get me wrong, nobody deserves to live with the fear of being unfairly persecuted. However, it is undeniable that Trudeau needs to strengthen border security measures before the situation becomes unmanageable. The Canadian government needs to make sure that each asylum seeker from the U.S. immediately passes through a checkpoint
upon arrival: not because they may be minorities, but because they are strangers. Undocumented migrants have unleashed a devastating wave of crime in European countries like Germany and illegal immigration was one of the key issues that Trump used against his establishment rivals to win the election. The United States have locked up more prisoners than any other country in the world and it is home to more firearms than people. If Trudeau is serious about wanting to keep Canadians safe, then his priority ought to be to preserve the integrity of the world’s longest undefended border. Canada has a long-standing reputation of being a welcoming nation and it is easy to forget that nearly all Canadians are the direct result of some form of migration. Nevertheless, the federal government can’t be expected to bear the burden of Trump’s discriminatory policies. Trudeau can’t afford to remain idle for much longer. He must acknowledge the threats imposed by both Trump and by undocumented migrants before innocent North Americans are forced to pay the price.
18 •
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017
Sports
SPORTS EDITOR ROB FIFIELD sports@thecord.ca
CURLING
Hawks are golden again DREW YATES CORD ALUM
The Wilfrid Laurier men's curling team captured the gold medal for the third straight year at the Ontario University Athletics curling championship last weekend. The rink, consisting of skip Matthew Hall, vice Jordie-Lyon Hatcher, second Kenneth Malcolmson, lead Russell Cuddie and alternate Jeffrey Wanless, went undefeated in pool play and in the playoffs to finish the championship 10-0. The win secured a berth into the U Sports curling championships, set for mid March in Thunder Bay, Ontario. "Pretty impressed with the boys. Gold was definitely the goal going in," head coach Matt Wilkinson said. "10-0 wasn't necessarily the plan, but it's nice." With a fresh lineup, the men's rink went a perfect 7-0 in the first four days of competition, earning first-place in their pool. Wilkinson said that the team hit some speed bumps along the way on the second day against Western
and Queen's, where the men stole a point in the eighth end of both games to remain undefeated. "The Queen's game was a very good game. I think that was the building point right there — the third game [of round-robin play], coming back for the win was big for the boys [sic]," Wilkinson said. "That one was circled on the calendar." "We knew the depth Queen's had and we knew that was going to be a big game," coach Wilkinson continued. That momentum carried through the rest of the championship into the final game, where the men faced off against Queen's in the gold medal game. Taking an early 2-0 lead in the first end, the Hawks blanked the next three ends to keep momentum coming into the second half. After Queen's tied things up, the Hawks responded with another deuce to take a 4-2 lead in the sixth end. Limiting the Gaels to only a single point, Hall made a draw into the four-foot while facing three stones to seal the victory for
Laurier. Wilkinson said that the boys played really well in the final, especially in the first half of the game. "[There was] a couple of road stumbles in the fifth end, but other than that, had to hit the four-foot for the win and the boys curled to the button for Matt. So Matt threw it well and the boys judged it well," he said. "It was a great team shot." The women's rink, consisting of skip Chelsea Brandwood, vice Brenda Holloway, second Riley Sandham and lead Kirsten Marshall, finished pool play with an overall record of 5-3 before going into the playoffs. Coming into the final end without hammer, the Hawks were unable to hold the Varsity Blues off the board. Toronto scored two, taking a 7-6 lead, ending Laurier's shot at four straight titles. Wilkinson said that the women went through the same building blocks as the men did, but for some, things didn't go their way in the quarterfinal match. "Not the result we were looking for, but the girls hung in there,
ALLAN FOURNIER/CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
battled the whole week, but just some unfortunate moments in the quarterfinal," Wilkinson said. "The way that OUA curling is, in both genders, it really is that close among a lot of the teams. Some little things go the wrong way and you get chasing and sometimes you can't chase well." And with the national championships under a month away and with the men returning from Reading Week, the focus shifts immediately onto the task at hand: pointing out things they liked, didn't like
and what they can do better going forward at this years edition of the U Sports Championship. And of course, lots of practice. "We're going to amp up the practices a little bit more, which we did prior to OUAs and stay in that routine," Wilkinson said. "The schedule that we have for [U Sports] is similar to OUAs, even similar time-wise." The U Sports curling championship begins on Saturday, March 18 at Fort William Curling Club in Thunder Bay.
COACHING
Tough end to a solid year for the Hawks PRANAV DESAI LEAD SPORTS REPORTER
The Laurier men’s basketball team ended their season in disappointing fashion as they were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round by the Laurentian Voyageurs. Although fans would have hoped for more from the Hawks, nobody can say that this season wasn’t a success. It’s fair to say that the Hawks surpassed everybody’s expectations, especially considering the fact that this was head coach Justin Serresse’s first year with the team.
I think we achieved a lot. Overall, for the first year, I think it’s pretty good.
-Justin Serresse, head coach
“I think we achieved a lot. Overall, for the first year, I think it’s pretty good. I wouldn’t be jumping off the roof either, but we achieved some of our goals. We didn’t meet all of them. I think it’s a fair assessment in that it was a pretty good season,” Serresse said.
ALEX TRKULJA/FILE PHOTO
The Hawks, along with a firstyear head coach, also featured a number of first-year players. There were a total of six rookies on the team, including leading scorer Tevaun Kokko. The inexperience within the team, perhaps, explained the Hawks’ inconsistency this season. It’s only natural for such a young team to look like one of the best teams in the country on one night, and look completely out of sync the next. Serresse emphasized the fact that not only is it a very young set of players, it is also a young coaching staff.
“It’s a young team and a young coaching staff as well. I could have done a better job helping with that, so it’s not just on the players. I think it’s also maybe on us being able to approach every game with the same mindset,” Serresse said.. “Not that we didn’t take a particular game seriously, but I think in terms of urgency, sometimes I got a little tired here and there, a little frustrated and I let that get into my head. Sometimes I also let things slide that I shouldn’t have.” The Hawks were in a must-win situation towards the end of the regular season, as they had to beat Lakehead in order to make the
playoffs. Serresse mentioned that this was also a less than ideal situation to be in. “We should have known the importance of every play, every game, so that we don’t end up in a situation where we have to go to Lakehead and win the game. We came out with three injuries that last game too. But it’s a young team, a young coaching staff. It’s about looking at the big picture,” he said. Looking ahead to next season, the Hawks are going to be without two key players — Matt Chesson and Owen Coulthard — as both of
them will be graduating this year. As the oldest guys on the team, Chesson and Coulthard were leaders for the Hawks. “New leaders are going to come out of it; I’m excited to see what they are capable of doing next year. I think Chesson did a great job leading the team this year, but I’m looking forward to guys stepping up. It’s not going to be one or two guys; it’s going to be a group of maybe four or five leaders having one voice. That’s what I’m looking for,” said Serresse. The fans will be expecting the Hawks to at least make the playoffs again next year. The team will be put under pressure before the season even starts. But this does not seem to concern coach Serresse. “If you ask people, everybody will tell you how successful this season was. I’m probably the only one who’s still sour about a lot of things. My expectations for the team and myself are always higher. For regular Joes and maybe the department, or regular fans, their expectations probably won’t be as high as mine. I’m always trying to push myself to better myself and the team; I am my biggest critic,” he said. “Nothing can phase me that much. There is pressure of getting back to the playoffs. My expectations are more than just making the playoffs next year. Maybe it’s not realistic, but that’s just the way I’m looking at it.”
SPORTS • 19
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017 COACHING
Finch joins the flock ROB FIFIELD SPORTS EDITOR
The Wilfrid Laurier men’s football team has added another former Western Mustangs quarterback to their coaching staff, as the Hawks have recently hired Will Finch as their quarterback coach for the upcoming 2017-18 season. Finch was widely noted as one of the best quarterbacks in the OUA as he suited up for the Mustangs from 2012-16. Unfortunately for Finch and the Mustangs, he was forced to retire from football after his fourth season out of fear of suffering long-term damage from more concussions. Since retiring from football, Finch has been committed to giving back to the game of football, as he has subsequently opened up Finch Performance in Burlington. Finch Performance is a quarterback training program designed to give Canadian quarterbacks the training they need to reach the next level. “It’s a chance for me to give back. I was in their spot at one point. It’s important too for them to develop because a lot of Canadian quarterbacks don’t get the coaching that they need,” Finch said. Finch emphasized the im-
portance of focusing on a total package approach to being both a successful quarterback and athlete. “I outline the package as the four pillars: biomechanics, nutrition, functional strength and mental
It’s a chance for me to give back. I was in their spot at one point.
-Will FInch, Quarterback coach
emotional management … these are all four aspects of being a quarterback.” Finch said the transition from player to a coach wasn’t overly difficult for him. “When you’re a quarterback, you basically are a coach … you pick up things likes cues and all that stuff so it’s not that big of an adjustment for me,” he said. In regards to the upcoming
season, Finch is excited to return to the OUA. “I’ve been to one winter practice session so far and I like what I see. The guys are pretty good.” Finch, however, noted it’s a bit of an adjustment coaching a team that he was trained to hate for four seasons when he represented the purple and white. “It’s kind of weird wearing a different shade of purple for sure. I’m only 23 too, so a lot of these guys I’ve actually played against — but that being said, I know [head coach Michael] Faulds well and we have a good relationship and we share the same passion of winning a Yates, and ultimately a Vanier.” On an interesting note, Finch was at the 2016 Yates cup as a fan and was equally entertained as most fans by what took place “At the time, the result was a little unfortunate [for me], but it was cool to see the momentum changes throughout the game. When Laurier would score, their side would erupt and then when Western would score, their side would erupt and seeing the excitement shift back and forth was pretty amazing.” Faulds, Finch and the rest of the Hawks are in for what should be another fun ride next season.
MATT HISCOX/CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
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20 • SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2017
C
WINTER REPORT CARDS Sports Editor Rob Fifield discusses the successes and short comings the winter sports teams faced this year
B
MEN’S BASKETBALL The Laurier men’s basketball team saw their season come to an end with a disappointing 88-72 playoff loss on the road to Laurentian. The team grew throughout the season finishing with a regular season record of 9-11 and seem to have found their groove under Justin Serrese’s first-year at the helm. First-year player Tevaun Kokko also had himself an impressive rookie campaign averaging 19.2 points per game.
B+
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL The women’s basketball team finished up the regular season with a record of 13-7. The team was lead by Kaitlyn Schenck and Nicole Morrison who were both top ten in OUA scoring. Rookie Tayania Siwek-Smith also had an impressive year in her first season wearing the purple and gold. The Hawks made it to the second round of the playoffs but were eliminated after a tough playoff loss to Carleton on the road.
A
MEN’S HOCKEY Finishing up the regular season with a record of 15-9-4 and on a five game winning streak, the Hawks looked poised to make a run at the Queen’s Cup. However, a tough first round playoff exit to Windsor wrapped up the Hawks’ season earlier than most anticipated. Overall the team had a strong year being lead offensively by Andrew Fritsch and Derek Schoenmakers and a good year between the pipes as Colin Furlong posted a .928 save percentage, fourth overall in the OUA.
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MEN’S CURLING The Laurier men’s curling team lived up to their name once again as they won their third consecutive OUA championship after beating Queen’s 5-3 in the finals and going unbeaten all season long. After their OUA championship win, the Hawks will be travelling to Thunder Bay later this March to compete in the U-sports Curling Championships.
B SWIMMING The men’s and women’s swim teams had a good year in the pool as Kate Vanderbeek and rookie Jasmine Raines competed at the U-sports championships in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Raines had a strong showing finishing sixth and tenth in her events while Vanderbeek came 12th and 15th in her’s — good enough to give Laurier 18th place in the championship out of 24 teams. Prior to the U-sports championships, Raines was also able to win two gold medals when she competed in the OUA finals. On the men’s side, first-year swimmer Alec Elliot, who represented Canada in Rio in this year’s summer Paralympics, competed in both the butterfly and the backstroke at the OUA. He finished 12th in backstroke and lowered his preliminary swim time by nearly 1.5 seconds in the butterfly.
WOMEN’S HOCKEY The Hawks struggled all year long, wrapping up the regular season with a disappointing record of 2-1-17. The team only managed to score 28 goals in the year and gave up 75. The two bright spots this season were first-year Emily Woodhouse who led the team in scoring and goaltender, Amanda Smith who posted an impressive .931 save percentage.
BWOMEN’S CURLING The Hawks had a strong season finishing up the year 8-4. The season came to an early end in the OUA championships when they were eliminated after a 7-6 loss to the Toronto Varsity Blues. A disappointing finish in the playoffs left them unable to defend their OUA championship from last year and it would be the first time they would miss the medal round since 2013. FILE PHOTOS BY PAIGE BUSH, TANZEEL SAYANI, MARCO PEDRI & ALEX TRKULJA; CONTRIBUTED IMAGES