The Cord March 2, 2022

THE CORD THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926

VOLUME 61 ISSUE 7 • MARCH 2, 2022

HOCKEY HAWKS FACE-OFF

DECOLONIZING EDUCATION

A TURBULENT TERM

UNPACKING THE MYSTERY

LOW VIEWS FOR OLYMPICS

A WINNING STREAK

Exploring EDI training and hiring practices

Former SU exec reflects on role

Delving into Spotted at Laurier

Viewership goes down for this year’s games

Men’s hockey dominates fourgame stretch

News, page 5

Features, page 10

Arts & Life, page 14

Opinion, page 17

Sports, page 18

2 •

WEDNESDAY MARCH 2, 2022

CAMPUS EVENTS

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PHOTO OF THE MONTH

Thursday, March 3

The Cord THIS DAY IN HISTORY: MARCH 2

Music at Noon with Pierrot Lunaire Ensemble, 12 PM Monday, March 7

1796: Napoléon Bonaparte is appointed Commander-in-Chief of the French Army in Italy.

Celebrating Women Leading in the Arts, 11 AM

1867: Jesse James' gang robs bank in Savannah Missouri, 1 killed.

Wednesday, March 9

1872: Louis Riel goes into voluntary exile in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Laurier Milton Lecture Series: From Stigmatized Stoners to Enlightened Explorers: How Product Design is Revolutionizing the Cannabis Market, 7:00 PM

1882: Queen Victoria narrowly escapes assassination when Roderick Maclean shoots at her while boarding a train in Windsor 1933: King Kong film directed

by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, starring Fay Wray premieres at Radio City Music Hall and RKO Roxy in NYC.

Thursday, March 10 Music at Noon with pianist Elaine Lau, 12:00 PM ASPIRE: Grammar tuneup, 11:30 AM Tuesday, March 22 Careers in analytics speakers panel, 5:30 PM

TIM HARRISON/PHOTO EDITOR

Wednesday, March 23

Letter to the editor: frustration with administration

Inspiring Conversations - Seeking Shelter: Alternative Approaches to Housing, 11:30 AM Thursday, March 24 Music at Noon with Marnie Van Weelden and Rebekah Jordan-Miller, piano duo; Brennan Connolly and Dave Campion, percussion; and Kenneth Kwan, violin.

Tuesday, March 29 ASPIRE: Publishing Pitfalls for Graduate Students, 10:30 AM Thursday, March 31 ASPIRE- Social Media and Mental Health, 3:00 PM NEXT ISSUE APRIL 6, 2022

The school administration is a failure. From top to to bottom. They cannot be expected to reasonably serve the interests of students in a professional or reliable manner.

Countless actions this year have demonstrated this.

But there is no bigger example than how the university administration interacts with students on financial matters and concerns. As a graduate student, this university has shown me that it cares very little about my well being and success.

Despite having a very prestigious national award, getting my funds released to me a in reasonable manner is impossible.

The university refuses to release scholarship money at the start of

OPINION EDITOR Sam Duffy opinion@thecord.ca

CORD STAFF

SPORTS EDITOR Mark Cascagnette sports@thecord.ca

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Emily Waitson editor@thecord.ca

PHOTO EDITOR Tim Harrison photos@thecord.ca

MANAGING EDITIOR Brontë Behling

VIDEO EDITOR Katherine Fitzpatrick managingeditor@thecord.ca video@thecord.ca MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Kashyap Patel multimedia@thecord.ca

LEAD REPORTER Ashley Barry news@thecord.ca

NEWS DIRECTOR Yasmeen Almomani news@thecord.ca

LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Elizabeth Nnanna photos@thecord.ca

ARTS EDITOR Amichai Abraham arts@thecord.ca

LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Daryl Donato photos@thecord.ca

LIFESTYLE EDITOR Crystal Xue arts@thecord.ca

LEAD SPORTS REPORTER Ethan Caplan sports@thecord.ca

the semester under the guise of 'last day to drop course.' As you can imagine, most PhD, MA and postgraduate students are not affected by this rule as there is no courses for them to add or drop.

Every semester since I've started at Laurier, I've been facing delays of 2-6 weeks to get my funds to me.

This means that for a large number of graduate students, we suffer an incredibly stressful time of waiting.

This semester has been one of the worst. Service Laurier has been impossible to get ahold of.

The callback feature is a callous effort to make it seem like they are trying. All three of my call backs have been before 8:30 am (despite this being before the listed hours of operation).

CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Nicholas Bayou Chantelle Coolidge Matt Mckenna Conor Columb Abigail Heckbert

“Looking into the mystery behind Spotted at Laurier” - Amichai Abraham

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES All advertising inquiries can be directed to Kurtis Rideout at kurtis.rideout@wlusp.com or 519-884-0710 ext. 3560.

COLOPHON The Cord is the official student newspaper of the Wilfrid Laurier University community.

Started in 1926 as the College Cord, The Cord is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. WLUSP is governed by its board of directors.

Opinions expressed within The Cord are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, The Cord, WLUSP, WLU or CanWeb Printing Inc. All content appearing in The Cord bears the copyright expressly of their creator(s) and may not be used without written consent.

The Cord is created using Macintosh computers running OS X 10.10 using Adobe Creative

On numerous occasions the whole Service Laurier system has been shutdown. When you are able to get ahold of someone they tell you to email the student refund office, who, as you can imagine is equally impossible to get a hold of.

I've explained in the emails that I've sent to them that I urgently need the money to pay my rent and take care of other unforeseen expenses. No response. I'm tired.

I'm tired of wondering why this school makes no effort to care for me and students like myself.

I'm tired of wondering if I made a bad decision in coming to Laurier (I've been to three other schools in Ontario and not one of them has had this draconian system in place). — GW

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.

The Cord has been a proud member of the Canadian University Press (CUP) since 2004.

PREAMBLE The Cord will keep faith with its readers by presenting news and expressions of opinions comprehensively, accurately and fairly.

The Cord believes in a balanced and impartial presentation of all relevant facts in a news report, and of all substantial opinions in a matter of controversy.

The staff of The Cord shall uphold all commonly held ethical conventions of journalism. When an error of omission or of commission has occurred, that error shall be acknowledged promptly.

When statements are made that are critical of an individual, or an organization, we shall give those affected the opportunity to reply at the earliest time possible.

Ethical journalism requires impartiality, and consequently conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest will be avoided by all staff.

The only limits of any newspaper are those of the world around it, and so The Cord will attempt to cover its world with a special focus on Wilfrid Laurier University, and the community of Kitchener-Waterloo, and with a special ear to the concerns of the students of Wilfrid Laurier University. Ultimately, The Cord will be bound by neither philosophy nor geography in its mandate.

The Cord has an obligation to foster freedom of the press and freedom of speech. This obligation is best fulfilled when debate and dissent are encouraged, both in the internal workings of the paper, and through The Cord’s contact with the student body.

The Cord will always attempt to do what is right, with fear of neither repercussions, nor retaliation. The purpose of the student press is to act as an agent of social awareness, and so shall conduct the affairs of our newspaper.

1940: The first televised intercollegiate track meet is seen in NYC on W2XBS; NYU wins the meet presented live from Madison Square Garden.

1965: One of the most popular musical films of all time, "The Sound of Music", starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, is released (Academy Awards Best Picture 1966).

1977: Bette Davis is first woman to receive American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award.

1989: Madonna's "Like a Prayer" premieres on worldwide Pepsi commercial.

2004: Indianapolis Colts sign quarterback Peyton Manning to a 7-year, $98 million deal with a $34.5 million signing bonus; largest package to date in the NFL. 2021: Six books by Dr. Seuss will cease publication because of racist and insensitive imagery according to Dr. Seuss Enterprises.

2021: Dolly Parton receives the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine she gave $1 million to help develop.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We would like to acknowledge that Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications is located on the Haldimand tract, traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishnaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples.

This land is part of the Dish with One Spoon Treaty between the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabe peoples.

We recognize, honour and respect these nations as the traditional stewards of the lands and water on which Student Publications is now present.

Cover photo by Tim Harrison

Quote of the week: “Rulers are for chumps.”

- Kash Patel to Brit Kovacs while helping her with her math homework

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

News

• 3 NEWS DIRECTOR YASMEEN ALMOMANI news@thecord.ca

LEAD REPORTER ASHLEY BARRY news@thecord.ca

INTERNATIONAL

Ukraine continues to fight for liberation JAMES WINSLOW NEWS INTERN

Last week, Russia launched a fullscale military invasion in Ukraine.

Hundreds of lives have been lost within days of this decision, and the situation continues to rapidly evolve.

The Guardian reported that over 360,000 people have been forced to flee their homes since the invasion began.

The headlines breaking news this week, however, are but drops of water in the bucket of suffering Putin’s Russia has been pouring on the Ukrainian people.

“Ukraine’s struggle is a struggle for liberation … a kind of decolonization,” Tanya Richardson, an associate professor in Anthropology and Global studies at Wilfrid Laurier University said.

It is an intense struggle which has been unfolding for years.

In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea.

Since then, about 14,000 people – including hundreds of civilians – have died because of armed conflict in the region.

The annexation of Crimea was Putin’s way of responding to the Revolution of Dignity, also know as Euromaidan.

The Revolution of Dignity was a series of protests which were a response to “then president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych … deciding not to sign a free trade agreement with the European Union,” said Richardson.

What it represented more broadly was a Ukrainian refusal to bend the knee to the will of Vladimir Putin and his state.

In an attempt to disperse the

Russians all over the country in long lines at banks.

It is clear that Russians are in for tough years ahead– perhaps even decades – on account of their tyrannical leader’s lack of competence and humility.

What is unclear is whether or not Putin is willing to back down once the consequences of his actions have been felt by millions of Russians and by his most powerful associates.

A full-blown war, even though it was not called as such … This has already been a war for eight years.

CONTRIBUTED IMAGE

Euromaidan protests, “The government used police to violently beat them up, to disperse [the movement]. That made the protest grow, swell in size.”

A western Ukraine is a threat to Putin’s tyrannical rule.

“Over the last 20 years, Russia has become more powerful, more nationalistic, more anti-western, more oppressive and more explicitly imperialist in its ambitions.”

“It perceives Ukraine as a western-oriented democracy as a threat to its existence.”

Hence, Putin decided to annex Crimea when he did not get the results he wanted with Yanukovych.

This led to “a full-blown war, even though it was not called as such … This has already been a war for eight years,” Richardson said.

The perpetual violence in the

Russo-Ukrainian War is, at bottom, the result of “an authoritarian regime with a paranoid nationalistic ideology that seeks to dominate its neighbours,” Richardson said.

Indeed, paranoia, nationalism and blatant misinformation have been and continue to be Putin’s greatest allies.

According to a Bloomberg transcript of Putin’s speech last week, he claimed that the invasion of Ukraine is partly a response to “farright nationalists and neo-Nazis in Ukraine.”

Volodymyr Zelenskyy – Ukraine’s current president – is Jewish. The charges that Putin has fabricated against the Ukrainian people are nothing but the ramblings of a delusional, power-hungry demagogue.

In the same speech, he claimed

that the collapse of Soviet Russia in the 1990s should be a cautionary tale for modern Russians.

The caution, said Putin, is that when power stagnates collapse follows.

He has since been clear that his pursuit of absolute power will not stagnate anytime soon.

This invasion could lead to “a change of government” as Russia will “try to get rid of this government, and put in their own,” said Richardson.

What Putin needs to consider now, in the face of immense international support for Ukraine, is how Russia will benefit from further instigation.

According to CNN, the Russian economy is now facing “financial meltdown.”

Images surfaced on Sunday of

Putin is wrong to claim that Ukraine is a fake state. If it were fake, his military would not be struggling to defeat patriotic Ukrainians as we speak.

We are witnessing a democracy face the blows of a larger and more violent oligarchy.

As the situation evolves, the west can only hope that Ukrainian sovereignty prevails. If it falls, Putin is not going to halt the pursuit of his vision’s fulfilment in Eastern Europe.

And that is something we should all be worried about.

hesitancy was higher among those who were exposed to four or more childhood trauma experiences.

The statistics also revealed that vaccine hesitancy was 3.5 per cent among participants aged 70 and

older with no reported experience of childhood trauma, and 38 per cent among participants ages 18 to 29 who had experienced childhood trauma. Although this was an observational study, it is proven

that those who have trauma have greater health risk throughout their lives, and combining an increase of vaccine hesitancy within this group leaves them at higher risk of infection.

-Tanya Richardson, WLU associate professor in anthropology

COVID-19

Study suggests vaccine hesitancy linked to trauma ASHLEY BARRY LEAD REPORTER

Researchers conducting a study in the United Kingdom found a correlation between vaccine hesitancy and childhood trauma such as neglect, domestic violence or substance abuse.

They found that the refusal to receive a COVID-19 vaccine was three times higher among participants who had experienced childhood trauma than those who had not. These results stemmed from a telephone survey conducted in Wales, UK, beginning in December 2020 and ending in March 2021.

The participants were about nine types of childhood trauma:

• Physical, verbal and sexual abuse • Parental separation • Exposure to domestic violence • Living with a family member with a mental illness or a family member in prison • Substance abuse/addiction Additionally, they collected information about each participant’s long-term health conditions, levels of trust in COVID-19 information and beliefs regarding public health restrictions: lockdowns, wearing face-mask and vaccine mandates.

The study shows that 52 per cent of participants claimed to have not experienced trauma, leaving 1 in 5 to report that they had experienced one or more types, and vaccine

FILE PHOTO

4 • NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

PROVINCIAL

Vaccine passport mandates lifted in Ontario ASHLEY BARRY LEAD REPORTER

Ontario is preparing to lift the mandate on vaccine passports and other capacity restrictions on March 1, as COVID-19 related hospitalizations decline.

According to the province’s COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, the justification for having individuals show proof of their two doses upon entering restaurants, bars and gyms has diminished over time due to the number of Ontarians being fully vaccinated.

“It’s a pretty easy win for the government. We’re already mostly vaccinated anyways, and anyone else who wants to get vaccinated has already. Getting people to show their passport isn’t going to change anyone else’s mind,” the associate dean of research and graduate studies for the field of science and associate professor of health sciences and biology at Wilfrid Laurier University, Stephanie DeWitte-Orr said.

Along with getting rid of the vaccine passport, the Ontario government will lift current capacity limits of 50 per cent at restaurants, bars and gyms to full capacity, and gatherings of up to 50 people indoors and 100 outdoors will be permitted.

“Epidemiologically, SARSCOV2 seems to [have] a two-month peak where it emerges and explodes, and then comes back down, so right now, we’re in the come back down, which is great. As long as a new variant doesn’t come up, we’re okay, maybe for a little bit, like this summer,” DeWitte-Orr said.

The two-month curve of

volved.

“You have to think about your risk factors: Are you vaccinated, are you not? Do you have preexisting health conditions, or are you generally healthy? There are also the risk factors of the people you share a home with: Do you live with someone who is elderly? What kind of risks are you willing to accept?

Because COVID-19 is circulating, it’s still around, and it still can kill you,” DeWitte-Orr said.

CONNOR JOHANNES/CORD PHOTOGRAPHY

COVID-19 infections and vaccine efficacy show providing proof of vaccination wasn’t a sustainable system long-term, reflecting the decision to lift the mandate.

“I think this is a very nuanced decision. There are a lot of factors like vaccine efficacy. We have a lot of people with two vaccines in Waterloo — it’s almost 90 per cent.

We’re [also] at 50 per cent for three vaccines,” she said.

“Then, of course, there are socio-political tensions happening right now. People are getting tired of these restrictions, and there are economical and mental health implications of keeping restaurants and gyms closed.”

Although Ontario could have brought a three-dose vaccine

mandate, it was challenging with the high number of Omicron infections, as people had to delay getting their booster shot.

However, since 90 per cent of Ontarians ages 12 and older are fully vaccinated, the mandate is no longer necessary.

After having two vaccines, “you still have about 44 per cent protection after 25 weeks, and then if you get the boost, it goes back up to 88 per cent, so it is really good to have the booster,” DeWitte-Orr said.

From a Public Health perspective, having two doses of the vaccine still offers quite a bit of protection, and in combination with decreasing hospitalizations, the government can relax restrictions against the Omicron variant.

“The vaccine has cross specificity, so even though it’s derived against a strain (Delta) that no longer exists or is not circulating anymore, there’s enough overlap between that strain and Omicron that we’re still seeing a good amount of protection,” DeWitte-Orr said.

Even though the vaccine prevents severe illness from COVID-19, there may be mixed reactions of excitement and nervousness from Ontarians as safety measures are lifted.

“I would still be careful because if you follow all the curves for this virus, it doesn’t go straight down to zero. Yes, it’s going down, but it’s not gone,” she said.

Additionally, it’s essential to think about the risk factors in-

... SARSCOV2 seems to [have] a two-month peak where it emerges and explodes, and then comes back down, so right now, we’re in the come back down ...

-Stephanie DeWitte-Orr, Laurier associate professor of health sciences

These risk factors are essential to consider, but at the same time, many people are anxious to get back to some “normalcy” in their lives.

“Everybody’s tired — everybody.

I’m exhausted and don’t even want to think about COVID-19 anymore, but keep following Public Health guidelines and make your decisions based on your risk factors,” she said.

“A thing might be okay for somebody, but the risk they’re willing to take might not be okay for you, and that’s okay too.”

STUDENTS’ UNION

Shane Symington elected as next SU president and CEO EMILY WAITSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Shane Symington has been elected as the next Students’ Union president and CEO for the 2022/2023 year.

Symington won the election on the evening of Jan. 27, with 1372 votes which was 53.47 per cent of the student vote. Opponent Ezra Ceniti received 1194 votes, which was 46.53 per cent.

In an email statement sent to The Cord, Symington expressed his excitement to take on the role in May. “Hey, Golden Hawks! I’m really excited to be your 2022/2023 Students’ Union President! I want to make the 2022/2023 school year the best we’ve seen in a while,” Symington said in the statement.

“I want to get more events going, I want to continue the SU’s momentum with respect to our social justice efforts, I want to get people

communicating, collaborating, and supporting one another, and ultimately see Laurier’s student satisfaction rise back to the top.”

“I’m setting my sights high, but it’s because I truly care and believe in what I want to do as president, and I want to see our school and our community at their best,” he concluded.

Symington will bring his experience from serving on the students’ union board of directors, his time as a residence don and Laurier Multi-Sport Camp counsellor, among other past campus involvements to the position of president.

Some key pillars of Symington’s presidential platform included providing free menstrual products to students on campus, reviving former president Tarique Plummer’s Presidential Sponsorship Grant, as well as the reformation of the students’ union calendar to include and engage more Laurier student groups.

FILE PHOTO

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

NEWS • 5

CAMPUS

Laurier’s transition to in-person learning YASMEEN ALMOMANI NEWS DIRECTOR

On Jan. 31, Wilfrid Laurier University began a four-phased plan for a transition back to in-person learning with the plan resuming until the end of February.

Despite the risk of COVID-19 transmission among large groups of people, Laurier, similar to other institutions, has decided to proceed with the return.

“When [COVID-19] cases flattened out, you saw elementary and secondary schools go back, now you’re seeing a gradual releasing of the rules, you’re seeing restaurants opening up, sports facilities opening up, and higher education institutions opening up. We need to get people back, and we’re happy to be doing it in a phased, gradual approach,” Ivan Joseph, Laurier’s vice-president of student affairs, said.

The institution has made this decision as the pros outweigh the risks.

“We’ve got the scientists that are informing our decision making, and they’re saying it’s safe to come back,” he noted.

The school plans to continue following and enforcing public health guidelines and recommendations.

“Be double vaccinated, get a booster, wear your mask, wash your hands, practice social distancing and we can help maintain a relative level of safety.”

Joseph said that some services will remain online.

“We’ve learned some lessons from the pandemic: some students like their career center online, they like their counseling centers online, we’re going to have Zoom workshops, we’re going to have some advising, so certain things are going to stay online … but we will have physically people here on campus, and we will have classes here on campus to the best of our capacity.”

We’ve got the scientists that are informing our decision making, and they’re saying it’s safe to come back.

-Ivan Joseph, Laurier vice-president of student affairs

He said that the university took into account a lot of factors before making the decision.

“We took the account of the safety of all our constituents, meaning our faculties, our staff, our students, our administrators.”

The university’s mandatory vaccination policy and face covering policy are still in effect.

“We feel like we can bring people back according to the public

TIM HARRISON/PHOTO EDITOR

health guidelines in a safe manner and that will continue to be our place: enhance cleaning, making sure your double vaxxed encouraging people to take the boosters, we will continue to do so and monitor the situation.”

Joseph said that immunocompromised students will be accommodated.

“If students are immunocompromised and they’re documented, we will accommodate them, , send us that documentation to the Dean of Students Office, and we will work with them through our ALC office … that office will work with you to make sure that we can find a way to accommodate you.”

For the general student popula-

tion, Joseph said that the university will continue to follow public health guidelines as learning goes back to “normal.”

“We’re never going back to the world that we lived in before the pandemic and the sooner that we can all return to living in a safe, responsible way, the sooner we get back to being the new normal.”

digenous culture, many people are knowledge keepers and have lived experiences that are valued and passed on for generations through oral culture, so not only do we have to think about the outcome, but also think about the processes in place that dictate who arrives in those positions and gets those opportunities.”

Education is a key factor to reconciliation, Eizadirad quoted Murray Sinclair, who said that “Education got us into this mess, but education also has the potential to get us out of this mess.”

In countries where there was genocide, education was used as a tool to advance stereotypes about certain groups of people that justified violence towards them, such as residential schools in Canada.

“Education is a double-edged sword,” he said.

“Education can be used to promote critical thinking, have people come to the table and work together to tackle social issues, to center social justice, to see solidarity and allyship,” Eizadirad is the founder and director of EDIcation Consulting, which promotes and enhances EDI and EDI training.

Apart from providing justice for marginalized groups, inclusion also relates to student mental health at school.

“Inclusion is a story of power.

It’s: Do you feel like you’re being seen? Are you valued for who you are, from how you talk, how you

dress, how you show up? I think institutions have a very important [role] not just making sure students get access to post-secondary institutions and get there, but is this space prepared for them? Can they access support services that are culturally relevant, and sustaining to who they are?” Eizadirad said.

Feeling isolated in these spaces or unwelcome in communities impacts an individual’s mind, mental health, spirituality and engagement with the environment around them.

“When you feel good and you feel valued, you’re likely going to be more engaged in your classes and with pursuing your academic goals,” Eizadirad said.

The EDI office is working to incorporate similar inclusion values at Laurier.

Eizadirad is also on the board of directors for Amadeusz, which provides educational resources for incarcerated youth.

“There needs to be more advocacy and awareness around how we can create access to education, which, even if you are guilty of crime, you should still have access to it, because education has shown to be the greatest protective factor in rehabilitation,” he said.

He continues to advocate for decolonization and social justice in education while teaching at Laurier.

“We want education to be more on the side of advancing social justice and doing good than harm.”

EQUITY

FILE PHOTO

Decolonization in education YASMEEN ALMOMANI NEWS DIRECTOR

Colonialism is embedded in the policies, practices and systems, including educational institutions, of Canada. Providing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) training at institutions may be a stepping stone to decolonization and inclusion at university.

“It provides a strong foundation

to have important discussions and think about the needs of equity deserving groups, particularly how the current system and their criteria for admissions and for access to opportunities may not reflect everyone’s lived experiences,” Ardavan Eizadirad, assistant professor in the faculty of education at Wilfrid Laurier University, said.

These systems could disadvantage certain groups. For example,

the makeup of leadership positions in companies and post-secondary institutions shows a decrease in diversity as status increases.

EDI training and hiring from a non-colonial lens may incorporate more inclusion in these positions.

“If we’re hiring a position for an Indigenous scholar […] from a colonial lens of what is knowledge, such as having a PhD, the process doesn’t align with the goal. In In-

6 • NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

BRANTFORD

Wilfrid Laurier to host Stedman prize writing contest for high school students

Opera Laurier welcomes back live audiences for History by Her

FILE PHOTO

dinner, but I’m hoping that the quality of the stories will be the same because the basic model of writing is the same.”

Each high school involved can submit up to four stories, leading to 40 to 50 stories to be judged.

The first round of adjudication is a jury made up of Laurier Brantford students studying creative writing, who determine which stories move onto the prize round of adjudication.

The prize round is judged by a panel of 30 experts. In the past, it has included authors, including Giller prize winners, politicians and academics.

The past two competitions have all had a consensus on the first place story: The Lechton Wanderer

by Abby Traina in 2018 and The Year I Dreamt by Samiha Sanjida in 2020, both of which are available to read on Laurier’s website.

Besides the prize winners,

Paradis said he enjoys the more unconventional stories as well.

“I’m always completely entertained by the stories that come in, and often some of my favorite stories are the ones that don’t make it to the prize round,” he said.

“I look forward to the contest because on one hand we’re going to see some good quality literature, and we’re also going to see some completely wacky stuff that’s also lot of fun to read.”

REAL ESTATE

FILE PHOTO

Ontarians discouraged with housing market ASHLEY BARRY LEAD REPORTER

Buying a home isn’t easy these days, as the housing market continues to skyrocket in prices,

Lazaridis school ranked among top 10 Canadian schools for accouting Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University has been recognized by Brigham Young University for excellence in accounting research.

“The Brigham Young University rankings highlight some of the accounting faculty’s research achievements,” Ling Chu, a professor and head of Accounting at the Lazaridis School said in a Laurier press release.

“We have become known for our behavioural and archival research, and we are also known for our diversified research interests and agenda.

With our core of highly reputed, productive and hardworking researchers, we are attracting many strong researchers interested in joining us.”

IAN SCHAKEL NEWS INTERN

Wilfrid Laurier University’s Brantford campus is hosting the third ever Stedman Prize competition for high school students in the area. The competition is held biannually and awards around $12,000 in prize money for the chosen fiction stories.

Ken Paradis, English professor at Laurier Brantford and coordinator of the Stedman prize, said the last two competitions, held in 2018 and 2020, showcased very outstanding works of creative fiction.

“We’ve had tremendous quality in the stories in the past two competitions and we look forward to having the same quality of writing coming in this year,” he said.

This will be the first time the competition will be held since the shifts to and from remote learning that high school students experienced over the last two years of the pandemic.

This has changed the outreach strategies Laurier’s been able to use and means the Gala dinner normally held to celebrate the winner must move online.

Still, the basic process of writing and submitting work electronically has stayed the same, allowing students to participate even if teaching conditions may be different from early 2020. Because of this, Paradis has hope that these changes won’t impact the quality of submissions this year.

“COVID has changed some things in terms of the ways we interact with the high schools, and it certainly has altered our awards

NEWS IN BRIEF

leaving many first-time homebuyers to miss out on important life milestones. In the past nearly two years of experiencing the repercussions of COVID-19, home prices have risen 40 per cent.

Ontarians have watched homes listed for $400,000 jump to average prices between $800,000 to one million dollars.

Now, the average price for a residential home in 2022 is $955,655,

and saving for a down payment is forcing first-time homebuyers between the ages of 20 and 30 to miss out on significant life achievements, such as marriage, kids and buying a home.

It’s currently unrealistic to have all three with the increasing cost of homes, and many feel the system is against them.

The unpredictability of lockdowns, reduced hours in work, getting sick and mental health are a result of COVID-19 and are factors that contribute to financial stability or instability.

For some Ontarians, these effects of COVID-19 have made it extremely difficult to compete with the housing market and maintain financial stability, so they are avoiding life milestones to save money. As most young adults prioritize buying their first home, the cost of also affording a wedding or raising a family isn’t feasible.

The lack of affordability of these homes isn’t just a cause of concern for now but will also affect future generations of home buyers.

Scotiabank estimated that 1.2 million more homes are needed to meet housing demands, and additional funding and planning will be needed to help build homes faster.

Wilfrid Laurier University’s faculty of music is welcoming back live audiences through productions hosted by Opera Laurier. The triple bill productions include Etiquette, Singing Only Softly and the premiere of Borderless.

The performances are set to take place at the Maureen Forrester Recital Hall on March 4 and 5 at 7:30 p.m. and March 6 at 3 p.m. Tickets can be found through Eventbrite and are free for all students.

Laurier researcher listening to the experiences of young, Black entrepreneurs Oliver Masakure, an associate professor and program director of Wilfrid Laurier University’s Business Technology Management program and associate director of Laurier’s Tshepo Institute for the Study of Contemporary Africa has begun the research project “Paths Less Traveled: Experiences of Young Black Entrepreneurs.”

“We want to document the lived experiences of Black entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 30 in Ontario in order to understand how their education, skills and aspirations led them toward entrepreneurship,” Masakure said in a Laurier press release about the research study.

“We also want to compare the lived experiences of women and men, and their views on, and approach to, postsecondary education and self-employment.”

“This research is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and co-led by my Laurier colleagues Stacey Wilson-Forsberg and Ardavan Eizadirad,” he said in Laurier’s news release.

7 • GAMES

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

THE CORD’S SPRING PLAYLIST A MIX FOR LONGER DAYS AND WARMER WEATHER

MArch holidays

FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE // YO LA TENGO

Tuesday, March 1

National Peanut Butter lovers day

DREAMS // FLEETWOOD MAC SECRETS FROM A GIRL (WHO’S SEEN IT ALL) // LORDE

Tuesday, March 1

WHERE THIS FLOWER BLOOMS // TYLER, THE CREATOR (FEAT. FRANK OCEAN)

Pancake day

TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET // THE FOXIES

Thursday, March 3

THE FIRST DAYS OF SPRING // NOAH AND THE WHALE

I want you to be happy Day

SUNFLOWER, VOL. 6 // HARRY STYLES BRIGHTSIDE // THE LUMINEERS

Sunday, March 6

NOW I’M IN IT // HAIM

dentists day

FLAMING HOT CHEETOS // CLAIRO

DEJA VU // OLIVIA RODRIGO

Thursday, March 17 st. patrick’s day

SUMMER DEPRESSION // GIRL IN RED LET’S FALL IN LOVE FOR THE NIGHT // FINNEAS EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD // TEARS FOR FEARS

Sunday, March 27 scribble day

GARDEN SONG // PHOEBE BRIDGERS CLAY PIGEONS // MICHAEL CERA COUGH SYRUP // YOUNG THE GIANT

Riddles

APRIL COME SHE WILL // SIMON & GARFUNKEL

1. What can’t talk but will reply when spoken to?

YES I’M CHANGING // TAME IMPALA

3. I shave every day, but my beard stays the same.

What am I?

MR. BLUE SKY // ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA

1. an Echo 2. Your word 3. A barber

AUSTRALIA // THE SHINS

2. What can you keep after giving to someone?

4. What can you break, even if you never pick it up or touch it?

5. What is always in front of you but can’t be seen?

6. The more of this there is, the less you see.

4. A promise 5. The future 6. Darkness

CLOUD 9 // BEACH BUNNY

GAMES • 8

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022 SUDOKU HARD

EVIL

Radio Laurier presents ...

Tic-tac-toe x-o

DirtyBingo Thursday March 10 @ 7:00 pm on Zoom $5 entry fee = 2 cards Prizes from the Stag Shop available xoxo

Start

Maze finish

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

• 11 ARTS & LIFE

Arts & Life

ARTS EDITOR AMICHAI ABRAHAM arts@thecord.ca

LIFESTYLE EDITOR CRYSTAL XUE lifestyle@thecord.ca

ANIME

CONTRIBUTED IMAGE

Breaking down the cultural impact of Attack on Titan BRONTË BEHLING MANAGING EDITOR

In the first month of 2022, the second part of Attack on Titan’s final season was released worldwide.

This release was anticipated greatly by fans of the anime and manga alike, as they waited with baited breath for the conclusion of Eren Jaeger’s story. Episode 76, titled “Judgement,” picks up where the first half of the season left off.

However, over the course of the second part of the season thus far, one episode in particular has stood out.

The episode ‘Two Brothers’ actually ranked second in IMDB’s top ten rated episodes ever list with a 10/10 - on par with episodes from Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones.

How has an anime series managed to have this large of an impact on today’s culture? What could possibly be so special about it?

For the uninitiated, Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) is a manga/anime series that has become a worldwide phenomenon.

The series spans over 34 volumes and 83 episodes (as of the end of February). Written by Hajime

Isayama, the series tells the story of Eren Jaeger, a young boy from Shiganshina inside of Wall Maria on the Island of Paradis. Growing up inside of Wall Maria, Eren and his friends Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Arlert have their childhood innocence snatched from them as their city is crushed by titans due to the unexpected emergence of the 60-meter Colossal Titan. Spurred into action due to his mother’s death during the flattening of the city, Eren and his friends join the Survey Corps - a group of soldiers dedicated to land expansion, exploration and the study of titans.

Of course, this is a simple explanation of the series. Anyone who has watched the series or read the manga will tell you that there is far more - the story behind the titans is elaborate and as the series progresses the storylines only become more complex and intertwined.

Any further information would be a huge spoiler - the series is one that should be started without any prior information given. Unfortunately, due to its popularity, spoilers surrounding the series can be difficult to ignore.

To gain an understanding of

Don’t be caught unprepared.

why Attack on Titan has had such a large cultural impact, I spoke to Sandra Annette, Associate Professor in the Film Studies department at Wilfrid Laurier University with a focus in digital new media, animated film and Japanese film.

When addressing Attack on Titan’s immense popularity, Annette noted the shift in reception to animated media that has been happening in the west: ”For a long time we had this impression in the west that animation is for kids - it’s all cartoons, right?”

However, as Annette states, there is now more acceptance for “animated works that tell serious and complex adult stories.”

With dark storylines and scenes featuring extreme violence, Attack on Titan is far from being appropriate for a young audience. In addition, it isn’t for the faint of heart either - the range of emotions viewers will experience when watching the series is intense.

Due to the rise in popularity of anime in the 1980s and 1990s, the popular culture landscape has reached a point where the medium is taken seriously as an art form - a sentiment that is only exemplified

by Netflix’s adoption of the medi-

um in recent years: “With Netflix picking up a lot of anime series and Attack on Titan gaining such huge followings in the west, there’s this idea that animation is not either for kids or really ultra violent stuff only for adults.”

This has lead to a “medium that can appeal to people across a wide range of ages”, as stated by Annette.

While Attack on Titan is loved

by Otakus and causal anime fans alike, the series has also gained recognition from the academic community.

Annette discussed how she is the editor with Mechademia: Second Arc, an academic journal focused on the study of East Asian popular cultures that is doing an issue on 2.5D culture, where theatre and concerts merge.

“I’m editing a paper on bronze statues of anime characters that have been popping up.” Annette explains, detailing how one of the key studies centers on bronze statues of characters from Attack on Titan that have been erected for a dam. The exhibit incorporates AR technology through the use of an app that shows an AR version of a titan coming over the dam.

“Scholars are really interested in how it’s become integrated into public experience”, Annette enthusiastically explained.

Scholars are really interested in how it's become integrated into public experience.

-Sandra Annette, Laurier film studies associate professor

Attack on Titan is also the subject of multimedia franchise and thematic studies due to the series’s complex narrative and the moral questions it inspires: “we get this sense that the monster is within us.

And then academics like to make a big deal out of that - they’re like “oh, it symbolizes the abject” and there’s all kinds of psychoanalytic studies of how the titans represent inner monstrosity rather than just

something coming to kill us from the outside,” Annette elaborated.

Another interesting aspect of Attack on Titan is the character of Hange Zoe - a character who is not referred to by one specific set of pronouns.

This, as described by Annette, is a common character trope: “It’s like a common character trope to have a female character that uses the masculine first-person pronoun ‘boku’. They’re called ‘bokukko ‘ the girls who say ‘boku’, the girls who call themselves masculine ‘I’”.

Due to the fluidity of Hange’s identity, they have become a beacon for the LGBTQ+ community, with many fans feeling connected to the character.

The connection between Attack on TItan and the LGBTQ+ community is only further tied through the many ‘ships’ present in the series. Ships in this case refers to the romantic pairing of characters rather than those that cross large bodies of water.

“It’s a shonen series for boys and action oriented. There’s a big tradition too of girls reading shonen manga so that they can ship the male characters, sometimes with each other,” Annette explained.

One such popular male ship that is loved by many women in the Attack on Titan fandom is EruRi, the pairing of Captain Levi Ackerman and Commander Erwin Smith.

The pairing has inspired over 9,000 works of fanfiction on Archive of Our Own, one of the most popular fanfiction websites on the internet.

Other ships of note are Eremika (Eren x Mikasa), YumiKuri (Ymir x Historia) and JeArmin (Jean x Armin).

It is easy to see why Attack on Titan has become so popular. As elaborated on by Annette, the series has been not only a Japanese “media mix” success, but a “global fan culture success.”

With the final season continuing to air every Sunday, it is the perfect time to give the anime a try.

As we know, anime is not just a medium for children - as more people begin to recognize this, the medium will only continue to grow in popularity as more series get the recognition they deserve.

Attack on Titan will be in the forefront - an example of what both future live-action and anime series should aspire to become. It will stand the test of time and be a series that will continue to be loved by generations to come.

sign up for the wlusp newsletter for updates & info.

STUD

Before the end of the 2021 f members of the Wilfrid Laurier Union executive team left their The departure of the executi public until members of the stu of directors mentioned the vac during their bi-annual midterm There was no reason specified during these specific conversat One of the former team mem to remain anonymous in order identity, agreed to speak with Th experience working for the stud executive position from May 20 same year.

After dealing with what they curve” within the operational s union, the previous executive n began to arise as the months w “I noticed more and more is management, I would say, abo things. And that just didn’t ma valued member of the team. I s other members of the student e they felt — and still feel to this aren’t appreciated, they aren’t ions aren’t valued,” they said.

“I even felt that upper mana their boundaries, and started t department. I noticed this with as well. I wasn’t even given the part of decisions that only imp So that was just a little bit of wh mately apply for other jobs and When discussing “upper ma source was directly referencing dents’ union president and CE who was their sole supervisor d of employment.

The former executive, when president’s guidelines regardin and their communication with tions — which suffered a signifi breakdown in contact this year [Jamalof ] was very adamant ab to Student Publications. And

TRIGGER WARNING

This article contains mention of suicidal ideation.

Written by Emily Waitson

DENTS’ UNION EXECUTIVE REFLECTS ON A DIFFICULT, UNFINISHED TERM

fall semester, two r University Students’ r roles. ives wasn’t made udents’ union board cancies to The Cord m board reviews. for their absences tions. mbers, who wishes r to protect their The Cord about their dents’ union in an 021 to mid-fall of the

y cited as a “learning side of the students’ noted that problems went on. ssues with upper out a number of ake me feel like a very spoke with a lot of executive [team] and day — that they just valued, their opin-

agement overstepped to micromanage my h other departments e opportunity to be pact my department. hy I decided to ultid then leave.” anagement,” the g the current stuEO, Pegah Jamalof, during their period

asked about the ng the executive team h Student Publicaficant strain and r — noted that “she bout no one speaking d she didn’t really

provide a reason why, but we weren’t given the opportunity to promote Orientation Week, the events that were coming up, or any other cool stuff.”

Although not aware of the breakdown of any other relationships between the students’ union and other campus partners while they were in their role, the source alleged additional partnership problems potentially arose after they left. “I believe there are some more strained relationships at this point after,” they said.

According to the past executive, the issues they experienced were furthered by an apparent lack of consideration towards their mental well-being and an overall carelessness shown in regards to their general concerns, specifically from the president.

“I was around for the time of Kanwar Brar, Tarique Plummer [and] Devyn Kelley. I think in terms of a comparison I can make, it would be that, for those individuals, I sensed they genuinely cared about the people working under them. And I personally did not feel that way working with the students’ union this year,” they said.

A large part of Jamalof’s presidential platform during the 2021-22 election period focused on the importance of mental health awareness and the prioritization of wellness initiatives on Laurier’s campuses.

“I had brought up some concerns that I was having, some difficult situations I was [going through] in regards to mental health to the president, and that was basically brushed off. I was never once asked, ‘how are you doing?’ ‘Are you okay?’ There was no kind of follow-up after that. So that’s one of the things that led me to wanting to leave and feeling [like] I wasn’t truly valued,” they said.

“My thoughts, my opinions, my ideas were shot down without really even being considered by the current president. It was not a good working environment for me.”

Although the information session that was conducted with human resources about the options student executives could access in terms of mental health support was described as having been “solid,” the source alleged that the remainder of their onboarding training was lacking.

“I had brought up that I wanted to get us all trained, the student executives, in mental first aid and assist training. [Specifically], the suicide intervention training because I recognized that I was having some issues with supporting some people with that. I was [previously] trained and I had that experience of interacting with students who were having suicidal ideation,” they said.

“But I recognize the rest of the executive [team], most of them [did not have formal training], they didn’t have that experience. I was concerned, especially with coming out of the COVID year and how difficult and how hard a lot of students were hit by that mentally. I was concerned about our preparedness for that.”

“I [mentioned] that idea to the president of ‘okay, well, let’s go and let’s get us trained.’ This is before Orientation Week so that we could be able to support any students during O-Week [and] beyond.

Some of the VPs decided to do self-directed mental first aid training. But in terms of assistance that was, I think, quickly forgotten about despite me bringing it up multiple times. I just don’t feel that the current student executive [team] is prepared enough to handle it.”

The past executive participated in an exit interview before officially vacating their role, making it known to the full-time staff in particular what their concerns were while working under the students’ union president.

“I had a whole exit interview, you know, with [human resources] and the students’ union. And I talked to a lot of the professional, full-time staff about my particular concerns. That wasn’t the first time I was vocal about my concerns. I definitely, as I saw things, brought them up throughout the year,” they said.

“And the full-time staff did make an effort to talk to the president about issues that myself and other VPs and executive members were having. I do believe they had those conversations, but in terms of actual change that came out of that, it didn’t seem like any change [happened]. I believe it was just because of a lack of willingness to change.”

When questioned as to whether or not these were

individual feelings specific to their role or if other people within the students’ union shared similar concerns, the source highlighted that these problems appeared to extend outside of their position and into the current volunteer base as well.

“Yeah, it was definitely widespread. I’ve heard things coming from the volunteer base about their perception of the president in particular. And I know, the student executive [collective], I can’t speak for every single one of them and their beliefs, but within that group, and I believe within the greater full-time staff, the students’ union [overall], everyone is kind of aware and on the same page about these issues,” they said.

“There really isn’t anything that can be done beyond talking to the president, and then, even so, it’s up to the president to decide whether or not they want to change.”

As the incoming students’ union president prepares to take on the role next for the 2022-23 period, the source put forward some advice for when they enter the position.

“For the next president, you don’t need to know everything about the students’ union. There is time for you to learn and transition. But above all else, I believe you need to truly care about your team, about the students about the organization. And I think you really need to be willing to change and to take the feedback that your team [and] the full-time staff give you,” they said.

“If you’re not willing to change, I think you’ll end up with a workplace environment that’s toxic, like the current students’ union [is].”

Looking past the problems the former executive dealt with during the time they spent in the role, they stressed the hope they have for the students’ union to return to a positive place to work and the possibility that exists for constructive improvement moving forward.

“I know it’s not a great place for anyone to work right now, but I hope it gets better because I think a lot of the full-time staff genuinely want it to [improve]. And it’s been, I think, pretty good for the past couple of years. I hope we can get back to that, that point of being a good place to work.”

* President Jamalof did not respond to The Cord’s request for comment.

12 •

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

GRADUATION IS JUST

THE BEGINNING

Apply today to enhance your education through a specialized Graduate Certificate program.

centennialcollege.ca/graduate-certificates

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

• 13 ARTS & LIFE ENTERTAINMENT

CONTRIBUTED IMAGE

From Pam and Tommy to Euphoria, TV shows continue to push boundaries with explicit male nudity. Cal Jacobs' "I am who I am" scene resulted in countless internet memes after it aired.

Penises popping-up everywhere: what has caused this recent trend in popular television?

EMILY WAITSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

It’s no secret that streaming services like HBO  or Crave, for Canadian viewers  haven’t held back from including nakedness in their television shows with the odd penis peppered in here and there for good measure.

The latest example I can think of before 2021 would have been Game of Thrones, which during its prolific eight-season run included a smorgasbord of gratuitous nudity.

But with the constant violence, incestuous relationships and a disappointing finale, it’s easy to forget about the handful of bottomless male moments audiences were privy to.

Over the past year or so, it seems as though television shows have expanded their visual repertoire to include more and more phallic guest appearances.

Well-seasoned fans of the

massive TV hit and latest cultural phenomenon Euphoria are already aware of the show’s usage of nudity, specifically its casual inclusion of penises. It’s become a running joke amongst viewers that you can’t really watch an episode of Euphoria without seeing at least one dick.

The age of the prosthetic peen has somewhat suddenly been showcased on our television screens with full-frontal force.

Euphoria’s Cal Jacobs demonstrated this with his less than pleasant reveal in season two episode four.

Actor Eric Dane had complete operational control of the fake but convincingly realistic member that peed on the floor and hung out of his pants for what felt like an eternity.

Sebastian Stan’s portrayal of Motley Cruë drummer Tommy-Lee in the Hulu drama Pam and Tommy has featured several moments with the drummer’s appendage. A notable scene captured a “conver-

Expectation Images Reflection

sation” between the character and his penis – voiced by Jason Mantzoukas and operated by a separate puppeteer.

This is all to say that I don’t really have a problem with this recent trend that appears to be taking over popular shows. In fact, it’s well overdue that dicks took the spotlight for a change in entertainment media instead of the constant onslaught of highly sexualized and often unnecessary shots of women’s bodies.

The male gaze has desensitised audiences to see women in various states of undress and not bat an eye. Outside of indie, arthouse cinema, a penis, flaccid or otherwise, is still something of an anomaly.

It’s a social conundrum. Male nudity is not even close to as demonized as it is for women  just watch Pam and Tommy to get the entire scope of the truth behind this statement  but it feels risquè to witness because it’s still so new.

The Sex and the City reboot

And Just Like That even ventured into this relatively unexplored television territory with prudish Charlotte, of all people, at the helm of that particular penis cameo.

For a show that’s grounded itself in the sexual exploration of single women living in New York, the original series never went so far as to actually show the genitals the leading women often graphically discussed amongst each other over brunch.

The two sides of this coin seem to centre on power or vulnerability.

Take Oscar Isaac in Scenes from a Marriage, who is also one of the few examples on this list that didn't use a prosthetic for his nude scene.

A man in the midst of a mid-life crisis is exposed with his nakedness and it feels like it serves a legitimate narrative purpose.

The HBO trope of randomly inserted topless women doesn’t have to be the only way nudity is presented to audiences.

Nudity for the sake of nudity in

the media we consume doesn’t really seem necessary unless there’s a specific reason and meaning for its placement.

The male gaze has desensitised audiences to see women in various states of undress without batting an eye.

I can’t definitively say what the tipping point was for this newfound penis phenomenon, but perhaps it isn’t a bad thing.

Especially if it begins to shift the focus and pressure away from female actors who are expected to bare it all because it’s become the entertainment expectation.

Submit your work to Blueprint Magazine's Perception issue Anything can be seen from multiple perspectives, and the point of

*Submit your poetry, prose and artwork to submissions@blueprintmagazine.ca by March 19.

view can be unique to everyone. There are many ways to interpret something, and many ways to communicate it to others.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

ARTS AND LIFE • 14

poetry Are you a poet and you didn’t even know it? Submit your work to managingeditor@thecord.ca.

Tired CHANTELLE COOLIDGE POETRY CONTRIBUTOR

I am tired.

I am tired of us seeing people on their surface Skin deep is as deep as we’re willing to dive Afraid if we see more what we’ve been taught our whole lives Will no longer apply Because we are taught to judge a person by appearance Their skin colour, their gender, what they can and cannot do Is this all we’ll ever see?

Or are we willing to see the truth?

We tend to assume our ignorance is bliss, Unaware of all the opportunities we miss Opportunities to grow, opportunities to know what we thought we’d never know Because what if the people we throw aside, Are the very people who could change our lives?

Yes, I am tired.

I am tired of seeing Christians who claim to speak for God, Cast aside the ones He made because they claim they’re different, unworthy, unloved Because I know what Christ would really say I know He would want this hy-

The time to lie NICHOLAS BAYOU POETRY CONTRIBUTOR

pocrisy to change For us to open our eyes and be willing to see the light Because like a candle, truth continues to flicker, even during this dark night A candle that can burn unity into our lives Melting away all the cold heartless lies Lies that come from those who step up on their pedestal of prejudice and try to put labels on people People are people, that should be a fact simple and plain Why do we want to create categories and separate?

Why do we want to twist the truth until all we see is disdain, heartache, pain?

It’s as if we desire to discriminate I am tired Of looking at the world and seeing all of this hate Arms crossed, chins raised, we built houses in which we stay Unwilling to step out and see the light of day Unwilling to take the hand of our neighbour and shake We say we’re isolated now…

But hasn’t it always been this way?

Was it ever better in the old days?

You see, I am tired

The time to lie is the time that I always dread.

Absolutely necessary, but blasphemous.

The temptation of the dark side.

I always wanted to be a Jedi though.

That is unfortunate.

The time to lie is one that is powerful.

Ruining relationships- laying waste to previously strong foundations.

Pulling out the roots that took absurdly long to get to where they are.

I did always hate gardening.

Saying whatever to downplay

what is important.

The time to be truthful is one that is cherished.

A glimpse into the soul with only a few words.

Respect is earned and fought for.

It is always harder to tell the truth.

They say the right thing is always the most difficult thing to do.

The time to be truthful should be every time.

It isn’t though.

Liars lie to liars. Liars lie to anyone they want.

Open books are only open to readers that are in the mood.

I’m not in the mood, but that doesn’t mean I never will be.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Looking into the mystery behind Spotted at Laurier AMICHAI ABRAHAM ARTS EDITOR

The Spotted At Laurier Twitter account is perhaps the most influential social media account associated with Wilfrid Laurier University.

It’s the place where the voice of the students can and has been heard for nearly a decade.

Everything from funny observations, disgruntled callouts, romantic pursuits, general inquires, and more are routinely featured on the account.

It has consistently been the best place for students to have their voices heard. However, there has always been a mystery surrounding the account. Who is Spotted At Laurier?

What are their intentions? How do they feel about the popularity their account has garnered? I reached out to Spotted At Laurier for an interview and while they declined a traditional interview, they were happy to answer questions in an email format. Here were the questions I asked, and the responses I received from Spotted At Laurier.

(SAL = Spotted At Laurier) Q: Your account has been active since late 2013, do you know why

KASH PATEL/MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

the account started in the first place?

SAL: @SpottedLaurier was initially created to allow students to simply connect and send a message to someone they saw on campus. It quickly grew and evolved to a place where students could have their voice heard by not only fellow students, but by staff and administration.

Q: Why do you choose to remain anonymous?

SAL: Anonymity is an important aspect of the account. When individuals send in a message to be posted, they expect that their submission will remain anonymous. We believe that not knowing who is on the receiving end of the message helps double-down on

the sense of anonymity.

Q: Is there one person in charge of the account or is it run by a collective?

SAL: There is a single owner of the account. We have had a number of partners since 2013 that have lent a hand here and there when needed, but it is primarily a solo-effort.

Q: Is Spotted at Laurier passed down or has the same user been posting on it since 2013?

SAL: We have seen many other imposter accounts pop up over the years and have watched all of them fail quickly. Running an account like this isn’t for everyone, which is why we’ve never been able to pass it down and have continued to run it since 2013.

Q: Do you deny any requested tweets, if so why?

SAL: Yes, we do have to deny some requested tweets. Every tweet is reviewed to ensure it follows our internal guidelines. These guidelines ensure that we aren’t personally identifying someone in a hurtful way, posting inappropriate or threatening content, or posting “lost and found” messages.

We also receive a lot of questions from students, so we will try to answer them directly rather than posting them. We also receive a high volume of messages, so not everything can be posted. With the large number of messages we receive we try to avoid posting repetitive content.

Q: Over 25,000 followers, that

is more than the estimated total student population currently attending Wilfrid Laurier. What do you attribute the success of your account too?

SAL: We have remained dedicated to running the account since it started in 2013, which has played a big role in maintaining its success.

However, the success is mainly due to the Laurier community continuing to use and trust the account.

If a student has a question they need answered, they know they can use Spotted and get a credible, accurate response from staff, administration, or another student.

This engagement and trust helps keep the account running.

Q: Is there any kind of statement trying to be made with your account (social, political, etc.).

SAL: No, our goal is to provide a resource that our followers can depend on to stay connected with the Laurier community.

Q: Is there anything you’d like the Laurier population to know about you or consider?

SAL: We’d just like to thank everyone who has followed the account, sent in a message, or engaged with a Tweet. We are very proud to have seen the account grow over the past nine years and to see the impact it’s been able to have.

• 15

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

Editorial

OPINION EDITOR SAMUEL DUFFY opinion@thecord.ca

EDITOR’S NOTE

Coping with catastrophizing EMILY WAITSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Quite often – and by that I mean almost daily – my mind jumps to the worst possible conclusion of nearly every scenario and I dwell on any number of my various fears and perceived failures.

Get a phone call out of the blue?

Obviously, it’s some sort of devastating news.

Random ache or pain? Definitely a life-threatening illness.

Receive feedback from a professor? Likely going to be all negative.

You get the idea.

Some people may say that I’m dramatic, I would say I’m pragmatic.

Realistically, I know my tendency to envision the worst outcome to life’s everyday situations is not healthy or reasonable.

But there’s a little voice in the back of my mind always suggests my biggest fear: what if this time, in this one circumstance, I’m right?

Catastrophizing is a type of distorted thinking that often stems from anxiety and depression.

Enter: me.

The problem I’ve run into is using the bad things that have happened in my life as a justifiable cause for my paranoia and anxiety.

Falling down this rabbit hole of thinking has left me adamant that everything will end in disaster and disappointment.

It’s almost like I need to think of the most tragic and disappointing outcome in order to prevent it from happening, and when it doesn’t, my mentally ill brain pats itself on the back for another job well done as if it just saved me from heartache.

As a result, this pattern of thinking eventually becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I’m convinced my self-doubt is

justified and I avoid stressful situations altogether.

My fight or flight response unfortunately pushes me towards the latter.

It’s not something I’m proud of, and it’s resulted in a lot of missed opportunities to supposedly protect myself from being let down, needlessly put through stress or hurt.

I recently applied for a job that I never would have taken a chance on before.

The entire time I was drafting my application I couldn’t believe I was even trying.

My cyclical thought process of “what if you invest all of this time and energy into something you don’t even succeed with?” was still very much present, but I started countering it with: “so what?”

To my complete shock, I was accepted into the next stage in the application process the day after I applied.

And while I continue to silently obsess over whether or not I’ll be accepted any further, I have to keep telling myself that right now, that doesn’t matter.

I got this far, and that counts for something. If nothing else, it’s proof to myself that I am capable, as long as I at least try.

And it’s better to put your best foot forward, as corny as it sounds, and get a definitive answer, than to not try and never know what the outcome could have been.

This is not to say that I’m a completely rejuvenated person with a new outlook on life. I’m not a “That Girl” TikTok. If I get rejected from this job that I really want and have invested time into, I will be disappointed.

But maybe this time I won’t use that as fuel for self-pity and proof as to why I shouldn’t have bothered wasting my time in the first place.

Instead, I’ll take this as a chance to keep putting myself out there for the experiences that might be intimidating, but ultimately rewarding no matter what the outcome is.

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EDITORIAL

Hey schoolboard, leave those kids alone SAM DUFFY OPINION EDITOR

A Tennessee school board has removed Maus, a graphic novel depicting the Holocaust, from its grade eight curriculum.

The novel, which uses cats and mice to symbolize Nazis and Jews, was removed on the grounds that it contained profane language and an image of a nude mouse.

Librarians, teachers, parents, and many in the Jewish community have challenged the school board, but they have stood by their decision. This has opened debates about whether there are grounds for removing material from school curriculums.

Unfortunately, this isn’t a new phenomenon, or one that is particularly rare in modernity.

Debates over the availability of material in schools became news in the past year amidst conversations about teaching diversity, equity, and inclusion. Florida’s recent move to ban the teaching of Critical Race Theory springs to mind.

This issue is important to me because I believe it is directly tied to our most fundamental mistake in modern discourse and political thought.

We have become people who cannot entertain opposing views.

Many people today have made up their minds about the issues of the day.

When presented with something in opposition to this view, no chances can be taken. The opposing idea must be purged from the mind with vigour, to uphold a sense of self, whether for you or for others.

That is, people do not want anything to challenge the views they hold to such an extent that they don’t dare think critically about an issue, even if they have never considered any of the counterarguments to their ill-conceived perceptions.

The true mark of a wise person is the ability to consider an argument and allow it to ruminate in the mind without judgement or praise.

To simply consider the circumstances that may have contributed to the argument, the conclusions, and how it would feel on a daily basis to believe in such an argument.

If you can do that, you become more peaceful and understanding, but also engage in an intellectual tradition that has brought forth the greatest ideas of mankind.

So, to bring us back to banning books from schools or removing their curriculums. This is never acceptable.

To deprive people of the oppor-

tunity to engage with ideas, even if you believe them to be dangerous, is not education. You must encourage people, and especially children and young adults, to read works by a variety of authors and make up their own minds.

Don’t make it up for them and then build a curriculum around it.

If you have to ban books on Critical Race Theory from schools, you’re not allowing for education, you’re engaging in indoctrination because the “correct” way of thinking has been decided by politicians.

True education begins when the mind is furnished with thoughts one agrees with and disagrees with vehemently. Only from there can true wisdom be found.

And on Maus, it’s quite evident no critical thinking was at play in the Tennessee schoolboard’s decision.

If what you take away from Maus are profane language and a nude mouse, you have pulled off the near-impossible task of missing the entire message of the book.

You must allow students to engage with the material you find egregious because this allows them to engage with the broader idea of the novel Maus, which has served as a way to explain the Holocaust to young people through its symbolism, storytelling, and accessibility.

Hands off our books.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

16 •

Opinion

OPINION EDITOR SAMUEL DUFFY opinion@thecord.ca

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Pierre Poilievre is not the right choice for Conservative leader CONOR COLUMB OPINION COLUMNIST

If the Conservative Party’s leadership problem has shown us anything in the last few years, it is that the Party is a coalition of right-leaning political thinkers.

Since Erin O’Toole was ousted as leader of the Conservative Party, there has been much speculation on who will be the new leader.

Pierre Poilievre has predictably put himself forward as a candidate

for the Party leadership.

He is known for being a passionate opponent of the government of the day, which has propelled him to the centre of conservative federal politics in Canada.

He is a Western-Canadian blue tory with a strong social media presence and even stronger support among the fringe of the Party.

Recently, he has come out in support of the “Freedom” convoy— calling these truckers “bright, joyful, and peaceful Canadians

championing freedom over fear.”

Considering that Poilievre is politically poised, it must be asked: is he too controversial?

First, let us look to the Conservative Party itself to understand the political landscape. As Party leader, O’Toole had to deal with many problems and squabbles between factions. This is not unique to him— it is the Conservative Party, after all.

His greatest problem though was that he failed to keep the

peace within the Party. Not since Harper has any party leader been able to control these factions and maintain unity. Considering the divisions of the Party, it makes sense why a figure like Pierre Poilievre should emerge to the centre of conservative federal politics, but what was the straw that broke the camel’s back? COVID-19, of course.

It is important to understand the factions within the Party. The traditional division of the Conservative Party is between colours: Blue tories, who oppose government activity and generally concur that markets yield greater positive outcomes than government programs; and Red tories, who accept the role of government in society.

Perhaps the biggest difference is their view on collectivity. Whereas the blue tory will emphasise the individual, the red tory will emphasise community.

The pandemic has led the government to do two notable things: one, spend at extreme rates without any known plans of servicing its debts; and two, to establish vaccination mandates across multiple sectors of society.

One would think that government spending and mandates coupled together would unite the Conservative Party in its opposition to Prime Minister Trudeau, no? No. Instead, the Party’s fringe has mobilised its means to deviate.

The fact that O’Toole was ousted in such haste indicates this, among other things.

By ousting O’Toole, the remainder of the Party’s support has lost leadership security.

Who is a part of this remainder?

It is the vast group of conservatives ranging from progressive conservatives and centrists to people who simply do not support Trudeau.

Poilievre would not comfort this group. One must also consider the politics of vaccines. Many conservatives support vaccines, or at the very least, do not wish to diverge their opposition to the government on the subject. He, however, is thrusting it right into the Party’s agenda. If he became the leader, he would thrust this to the centre of its platform.

By emphasising the issue of vaccine mandates, and going so far as to support these truckers in their hollow fight of “freedom,” the Party risks doing two things: one, minimising the very significant issue of the government’s overspending; and two, Party unity, which is in their best interest if they wish to be seen by Trudeau as a legitimate threat.

What would the Canadian public think? Of course, I must not fall prey to speculation, but it seems intuitive.

Most Canadians who are centrist or centre-right will gravitate towards Prime Minister Trudeau.

This would give him another election, should there be one— and if Poilievre were the Party’s leader.

What would be the best course of action for the Conservative Party? If the Conservative Party functions most effectively as a coalition, then it must opt for a leader who can maintain unity within the Party, and on political issues.

Pierre Poilievre would be a mistake for the Conservative Party because he is far too controversial, divisive, and thwarts the political issues that unite conservatives alike.

As for the public, he would emulate a radicalism that would make them gravitate to Trudeau.

Poilievre might not be entirely to blame for the Party schism, but he will certainly expedite it.

How much control should governments have over cryptocurrency?

MATT MCKENNA OPINION COLUMNIST

With the regulation of cryptocurrency, its foundational feature is kicked out from underneath.

I’ve been a casual follower of humanity’s recent cryptocurrency project. The idea of a safe and decentralized currency outside of the influence of government manipulation ignites feelings of freedom and liberation.

Government inflicted inflation eats away at the purchasing power of interests and savings, which is one of the reasons for increased attention and investment in cryptocurrencies in recent years.

One of the primary assets of cryptocurrency is its decentralized nature. Meaning, they are not controlled by a government.

Cryptocurrency cannot be printed on mass at the whims of politicians. Cryptocurrencies are finite, which is a bulwark against inflation. This dream of a decentralized currency has been threatened recently as the RCMP has requested that various crypto-

currencies stop the flow of funds to Freedom convoy protestors.

Some crypto advocates argue that governments or the facilitators of cryptocurrencies have no right to disrupt the free exchange of goods between consenting actors.

Although decentralization, freedom, and anti-regulation are core tenants of the cryptocurrency movement, they may be its greatest weakness.

For cryptocurrencies to be taken seriously as a legitimate metric of exchange used by individuals, corporations, and financial institutions, regulation is thought to be a requirement.

For a system to be widely implemented, there must be assurance of the system’s safety and legitimacy among users. Critics argue that regulating cryptocurrency defeats the purpose of its creation, however, it seems this a price crypto supporters have to pay for widespread implementation.

To signup for a platform to acquire cryptocurrencies in Ontario requires an address. Social Insurance Number, and proper identi-

fication for security and taxation purpose. The Canadian Government recognizes interest gained from cryptocurrency as taxable income. Also, the Ontario Securities Commission requires cryptocurrency platforms to adhere to its regulations to operate in Ontario.

In 2021, Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency platforms, was banned from operating in Ontario after being unregistered by the OSC for failing to comply with regulations.

Legislation surrounding cryptocurrency already exists and is growing. It doesn’t seem like an overreach for the RCMP to ask cryptocurrency companies to stop the flow of funds to protestors while the ability to create legislation has already been demonstrated.

If the RCMP can ask cryptocurrency companies to stop the flow of funds to social movements and protests, then what’s stopping the Canadian Government from passing further legislation surrounding the use of cryptocurrency?

This opens to door to a more

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fundamental and devastating question for the cryptocurrency advocates. If the government can pass legislation surrounding cryptocurrency and can influence cryptocurrency companies, then what’s preventing the underlying value of cryptocurrency from being free from government influence?

What’s preventing the existing infrastructure from being altered?

While on the other hand, some argue that cryptocurrency shouldn’t be regulated at all.

One of the original intentions of cryptocurrency was to be free from government influence, and any legislation seems antithetical to this original goal. One can reasonably assume that governments and financial powers will not voluntarily surrender their economic control.

In this case, it doesn’t matter whether cryptocurrencies should or should not be regulated. If they aren’t regulated, they won’t be allowed to succeed.

OPINION • 17

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

Low Olympic Games viewership amidst controversy SAM DUFFY OPINION EDITOR

The Olympic Games, since their emergence from antiquity, have been a spectacle. The incredible athletes never fail to arouse the world’s attention as we look on, bewildered by their prowess. But despite this fact remaining unchanged, Olympic Games viewership is down this year in every country except the host nation, China.

And while defenders of the Olympics rush to an explanation that maintains time-zones are to blame, because events are happening while much of the world sleeps, there is another reason this Olympics is receiving less attention than its previous iterations.

The reason is, of course, that it has become difficult for viewers to divorce the athletic spectacle from the totalitarian backdrop.

The Olympics, in their modern form, were created to encourage unity amongst nations, and allow nations who would normally not get along to build comradery outside the stodgy world of international politics.

There are definitely some notable examples of Olympic Games causing more controversy than peace, but in theory unity remains the goal.

And in the case of these Olympics, it’s very hard to believe that unity is the goal because the host nation does not have that quality domestically. And no, I’m not referring to the political rivalries that characterize Canadian discourse.

When the host nation segregates

a portion of its population on the basis of ethnicity, as China is currently doing to Uyghur Muslims by placing up to a million of them in internment camps, it’s hard to believe that we have a common goal.

The government’s of both Canada and the United States have declared the treatment of Uyghur Muslims in China a genocide.

When that’s in the back of a viewer’s mind, athletic achievements seem to lose their lustre.

In the case of these Olympics, it’s very hard to believe that unity is the goal because the host nation does not have that quality domestically.

It’s also quite clear that in the host nation, the ideology of the CCP means much more than sport. You only need to look back to the treatment of Peng Shuai, who disappeared after she made allegations of sexual abuse against a member of the CCP. Disappearances like this are frightening enough in Orwell, never mind when they happen to someone so known to the public.

Even Peng Shuai’s recent statements seem coerced, as they deny she made any allegations in the first place.

DARYL DONATO/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

If sport is not at the front of the viewer’s mind, it’s not at the front of the CCP’s mind either.

And lastly, I’ll quickly comment on the location of events. The Big Air event, that is essentially a large ski jump, made news when in the background of the events, viewers were treated to the image of an old

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Should Whoopi Goldberg lose her spot on The View?

SAM DUFFY OPINION DUFFY

On a recent episode of the American talk show The View, panellist Whoopi Goldberg claimed that the Holocaust, the systematic killing of Jewish people under Nazi rule, was not related to issues of race. Critics were appalled and baffled. Goldberg was eventually suspended for two weeks.

The comments made by Goldberg were wrong and historically

inaccurate at best, and she should have known better. But the real issue is not the content of her remarks, because every person with a working knowledge of history has been able to point out Goldberg’s mistake.

Now, a more fruitful conversation can occur where we discuss standards for forgiveness and redemption for people in the public eye. In society’s quest to dichotomize every news story, a standard has been set that requires those

who engage in wrong thinking, or make mistakes, to be ousted from the spotlight. We lovingly call this “cancel culture.” But as many fans of Whoopi Goldberg and The View have become aware of this week, it is one thing to silence people with whom you disagree based on their opinion, and another thing entirely to hold to this standard even when people you love may be left out in the cold.

I’m old enough to remember when Kevin Hart was given the op-

steel mill, which has huge smokestacks that look like they could belong to a nuclear power plant.

This looks to me like something out of a dystopian fiction, where the absurdities of capitalism are on full display.

The skiing may have been appealing to the eye, but an old steel

mill is surely not.

The athletes and the events remain as enthralling as ever, and I’m sure that the next Games to be held in a country that respects human rights will be popular. But for this time around, totalitarianism has put viewers off, prompting a much-deserved drop in ratings.

portunity to host the 2019 Oscars.

The date and the venue were set.

It was Hart’s lifelong dream. His big moment.

A sign that he had finally “made it” in cutthroat Hollywood.

But some weeks before the big night, some of Hart’s old tweets emerged where he used some anti-gay slurs.

The tweets are by no means good or funny, which makes this situation relevant to our discussion of forgiveness.

Hart quickly emerged as the target of tweets and news stories that called for his Oscar appearance to be cancelled.

He stepped down and then apologized.

The critics remained as loud as ever, and the Oscars proceeded with no host.

It’s not the first and it won’t be the last of online “cancelling” campaigns. James Gunn and Gina Carano spring to mind.

Keep in mind you don’t have to agree with these people, about their controversial statements or, for that matter, anything they’ve ever said.

But if people feel they have made an error, and apologize sincerely, that must not go unnoticed. There must be redemption.

This standard of redemption must be applied equally.

If Whoopi Goldberg can make an apology, vanish from airwaves for two weeks, and return relatively unscathed, this path must be available to people like Kevin Hart.

I don’t believe that Whoopi Goldberg should be fired from The View.

Perhaps we benefit from ours not happening in front of millions of people on live television.

She made an uneducated comment that offended many. She apologized sincerely and was educated on the matter by the Anti-Defamation League’s CEO. Goldberg made a mistake, as we all have on numerous occasions.

Perhaps we benefit from ours not happening in front of millions of people on live television.

Now let’s apply this standard in the future and stop treating people as the media did Kevin Hart.

We are all flawed people, and those flaws sometimes rise to the surface.

But that doesn’t mean we should be doomed forever, forced to never live out our dreams.

Forgiveness, not cancel culture, should be at the heart of these discussions.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 18 OPINION • 15•

Sports

SPORTS EDITOR MARK CASCAGNETTE sports@thecord.ca

LEAD SPORTS REPORTER ETHAN CAPLAN sports@thecord.ca

CHAMPIONSHIP

Women’s curling program defeats Waterloo MARK CASCAGNETTE SPORTS EDITOR

The Golden Hawks Women’s Curling team is back on top of Ontario after heading into Kitchener this past weekend and defeating the Waterloo Warriors in a tightly contested final to win the 2022 OUA Championship.

Laurier put forth an impressive performance at the Westmount Golf and Country club, having lost just once over seven games of competition, and capping off their near perfect weekend with the programs 10th OUA championship.

Led by Coach John Gabel and skip Isabelle Ladouceur, the Golden Hawks survived a thrilling gold-medal match against the cross-city rival Warriors - winning 5-4 with a single in the extra end. Lead, Emma McKenzie and second, Kelly Middaugh were both pivotal parts of the team’s title, being named first team and second team OUA all-stars respectively after the tournament.

In addition to being honoured as a first-team all-star, McKenzie was named both Laurier and OUA athlete of the week.

The 2020 team MVP and Academic All-Canadian shined throughout the competition displaying her all-around skillset throughout the seven matches. The third-year, Elora, Ontario native showcased her sweeping and came

through in the clutch, playing her best two games in the semi-final and final - shooting 84 per cent in both contests.

The Golden Hawks began the three-day championship in dominant fashion on Friday, easily defeating Ontario Tech, Carleton and Algoma - outscoring their opponents 24-5.

Laurier suffered their only loss of the tournament in their next contest on Saturday against Trent, finishing the round robin with a 3-1 record and the fourth seed heading into the playoff rounds.

The Golden Hawks took care of the Ryerson Rams with a comfortable 8-2 victory in the quarter-final to set up a semi-final rematch with the Ravens on championship Sunday.

McKenzie curled 84 per cent against the Ravens, winning 4-1 as Laurier advanced to the final on Sunday afternoon where they squared off in the “Battle of Waterloo” – an exciting back-and-forth contest. McKenzie and her team began the title game strong and led 4-2 heading into the seventh end, before the Warriors scored a single in consecutive ends - including a steal of one in the eight end – to tie the game at four and force a decisive extra end.

After missing the knockout in the eight end, Ladouceur made no mistake with the hammer in the final frame as the skip curled

TIM HARRISON/PHOTO EDITOR

the final rock to the button for a single, to give the Golden Hawks a 5-4 victory and a first-place finish – winning the first OUA championship in the 2022 calendar year.

After a third-place finish last season in 2020, the storied women’s curling team returned to their elite status and added to their impressive trophy case, having now won nine provincial championships in the past 14 seasons of competition.

While the Ontario title would

normally qualify the Hawks for the national championship, USPORTS and Curling Canada made the difficult decision to cancel the Canadian championships this year.

In addition to their ten total provincial championships, the women’s curling team have won four national titles. Coach, John Gabel who led the women’s team to a bronze in 2020, won OUA coach of the year at this year’s championship after leading his talented team

to a 6-1 record over three days.

With their tenth championship, the Golden Hawk curling programs, both men and women, continue to be seen as one of the most successful and consistent across all Laurier sports. The men’s OUA championship will commence in Guelph, in just over two weeks time, as Coach Matt Wilkinson and his squad will hope to win a second consecutive provincial championship and their 12th overall.

move Laurier into second place in the OUA far west division with a 6-5 record.

“I think we’re just playing a little more competitive; battling, blocking more shots… our need to want to win is greater,” Coach Puhalski said.

“I think the biggest thing is if you are giving yourselves opportunities to score, that’s what you are looking for,” he continued.

Barring a late-season collapse, the post-season seems like a near certainty for the Golden Hawks as they attempt to win a playoff series for the first time in over a decade.

Eight of the ten teams in the OUA far-west and west divisions will advance to the playoffs in two weeks time.

Led by a deep mix of veterans and newcomers such as captain Anthony Sorrentino and rookie of the year candidate, Propp, the Golden Hawks have not lost in over two months, with their last defeat coming against Guelph on December 2nd. While the Christmas break and OUA January pause certainly accounts to that stat, Laurier has put forth an impressive four-game stretch since they returned to the ice in mid-February – outscoring their opponents 14-2 during the streak, while giving themselves the opportunity to score, averaging over 30 shots per game.

“In our locker room, we feel like

we can beat anyone on any given night,” first year forward, Patrick Brown said.

The Golden Hawks began their 2022 schedule with a statement 5-1 victory over the 10-3, OUA West leading Windsor Lancers.

Propp had a dazzling 44 saves that night, starting what would be an astounding run for the first year Burlington, Ontario goaltender. Following the win over the Lancers, Laurier swept a homeand-home series against their cross-city rival Waterloo Warriors, with Propp allowing only one goal during the two games. The Golden Hawks kept rolling last Thursday in what was anther opportunity for them to avenge their 2020 playoff loss to the Gryphons. In the highly anticipated 12th annual frosty mug game, the Golden Hawks opened the scoring with goals by captain Sorrentino and Michael Silveri. The two veterans opened the scoring for Laurier before rookie, Nick Guinta scored his first career goal with the school and Caleb Rich sealed the deal with his third goal of his first season.

“It’s a great atmosphere and a game we look forward to every season, especially in a year like this year,” Puhalski said.

Propp made 23 saves for his second consecutive shutout, having now gone 133 minutes without allowing a goal. The former OHL

standout has caught fire since the schedule restarted, stopping 116 of the last 118 shots he has faced.

Over the four-game win streak, Propp has a stellar .983 save per centage and 0.50 goals against average, in four wins.

The impressive first year OUA goaltender was named Laurier athlete of the week for his performances last week and is putting university hockey schools across the country on notice with his season.

“He’s a big part of our team, he’s played really solid for us all season long,” Coach Puhalski said of Propp. “It’s obviously great for our team, it gives them confidence and a greater belief… goaltending is always your best penalty killer,” he continued.

Propp is near or at the top of all goaltending statistics in the OUA and across USPORTS. Having started in eight of the team’s 11 games, Propp has won six games – accounting for all of the team’s wins – while recording a 0.943 save per centage, first in Canada and a 1.63 goals against average, third nationally. Laurier’s defensive and goaltending statistics are among the top in the province, with Propp having only allowed 13 goals and recording two shutouts – both top in the OUA – in eight games.

Read the rest of the article on thecord.ca.

WINNING STREAK

TIM HARRISON/PHOTO EDITOR

Men’s hockey continue perfect start to 2022 MARK CASCAGNETTE SPORTS EDITOR

Coach Greg Puhalski and his men’s hockey team continue to fire on all cylinders, recording their fourth straight win last Thursday in a commanding 4-0 victory over the defending Queen Cup Champion Guelph Gryphons. With the regular season ending in just under two

weeks, Laurier has recovered from a 2-5 start and have their sights set towards their sixth straight post-season following a dominant four-game stretch to start the calendar year. In front of 2,000 fans at the Sleeman Centre for the 12th annual Frosty Mug game, redhot rookie goaltender, Christian Propp stopped all 23 Guelph shots to extend his shutout streak and

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022

SPORTS • 19

BASKETBALL

Sow and Taylor lead Golden Hawks to sixth straight victory after sweeping the Mustangs MARK CASCAGNETTE SPORTS EDITOR

The Laurier Golden Hawks men’s basketball team continued their impressive start to the 2022 season, sweeping the rival Western Mustangs in two games this past week. Spearheaded by dominant performances from the backcourt duo of Romello Taylor and Ali Sow, the Golden Hawks won their sixth straight game on Saturday to improve their record to 8-4 after starting their season with two wins in their first six games.

“This one feels good,” Coach Justin Serresse said after the first victory over Western in London last Wednesday. Serresse and his team were pleased to sweep the Mustangs and beat Western at Alumni Hall in London, avenging a loss two years ago, when their season came to an end in a heartbreaking 104-103 overtime loss in the semi-final.

I think we’re playing up to our standards ... taking it one game at a time.

-Justin Serresse, Laurier men’s basketball coach

The Golden Hawks have not lost in over three months, since a home loss against the Windsor Lancers on November 27th. While the Christmas break and OUA January pause has a certain impact on that stat, Laurier has stepped up their game on both sides of the ball and put the province on notice, winning in a variety of ways over this six-game undefeated run.

“I think we’re playing up to our standards,” Serresse said, reminding his team to take it “one game at a time,” limiting mistakes and continuing to play their type of composed and unselfish type of basketball.

The Golden Hawks now sit tied for second place in the OUA west division with McMaster as they set their sights towards a first-round bye in the Wilson Cup playoffs which begin in just under two weeks.

The top six seeds in both the east and west division will make the playoffs, while the top two seeds will earn a first-round bye to the quarter finals. Barring a major collapse, Coach Serresse and his team will make the post-season for a fifth consecutive season, having not missed under his tenure. The Golden Hawks can clinch a playoff berth with a win this Wednesday against Guelph.

Laurier swept two games against Algoma in rather dominant fashion when the season restarted in mid-February.

Laurier then defeated Waterloo and Western in four hard fought

games, breaking a three-game losing streak to Western and winning their seventh straight contest in the Battle of Waterloo.

The 95-point output and 15-point win on Saturday afternoon, was Laurier’s third highest point total this season. Guards, Ali Sow and Romello Taylor continued their dominant seasons shining on Saturday, combining for 61 points and leading Laurier to victory as they have done all season long.

Sow scored a season high 36 points on Wednesday against Western – his sixth 30-point game this season - as he led an impressive Laurier comeback on the road.

Sow scored 17 points in the second to cut into the Western lead and closed out the victory with 12 of the team’s 28 points in the fourth quarter.

As one of the best university guards in the country, Ali Sow may be putting forth the best season of his remarkable four-year career at Laurier. The former All-Canadian, two-time OUA all-star and 2019 Laurier athlete of the year is at the top of nearly all offensive categories in the OUA and nationally across Canada.

Sow is averaging 25.6 points per game this year, while shooting over 45%. No one in Ontario has scored more points then Sow this year, with 308 in 11 contests.

The future Laurier Hall of famer has also averaged over five assists and rebounds per game this season – career highs - while sitting second in the OUA in points per game, minutes per game, assists per game, and free throws made per game.

His minute, point and assists totals rank top five in USPORTS, as Sow was named Laurier athlete of the week for the 14th time this past week.

While many Golden Hawk fans have become accustomed to Sow dominating in the purple and gold, his back-court partner, Taylor, has taken a massive step forward and is enjoying a career-year this season.

Taylor has doubled his average from 2020, now averaging 16 points per game on 46 per cent shooting and nearly four rebounds and four assists.

In his fourth year with the team, the Driftwood, Ontario native has continued to improve throughout the season and recorded his first career 30-point game on Saturday against Western – making a career high 13 field goals in 40 minutes of play.

Taylor is averaging over 18 points per game during the sixgame win steak, having recorded four or more rebounds in every game, and three games with four steals, displaying his versatility and all-around skillset.

“I think Romello is playing with a lot more confidence right now, he’s so crucial to our team,” Coach Serresse said. “I’m very happy and proud of him, he’s unleashing is potential right in front of us,” he continued.

Both Sow and Taylor lead the team in points, assists, free throws and steals. What might be the best

backcourt duo in Canada, Sow and Taylor have accounted for nearly half of the team’s scoring output this year – 500 of the team’s 1018 points. The two have made 109 of the team’s 157 free throws as well.

While Sow and Taylor have carried the load for the team, Laurier has received important contributions from many of their role players such as Majok Deng, Ben Stevens, KJ Massela and Benhur Gebrekidan. Deng had a game-winning dunk over Western in the dying seconds last Wednesday, while Stevens leads the team in rebounds.

Massela is the team’s third highest scorer while playing remarkable on the defensive end, while Gebrekidan has become a deep shot specialist, ranking top five in the OUA with over 30 made three pointers.

Laurier has improved immensely on the defensive side and have limited their mistakes during the six-game stretch. The Golden Hawks are top three in the league in turnovers given up and have the

fourth best rebounding margin in the conference. After allowing 89 points in four of their first six games, the Golden Hawks have not allowed more then 81 in their last six.

I think Romello is playing with a lot more confidence right now, he’s so crucial to our team.

-Justin Serresse, Laurier men’s basketball coach

Laurier also ranks near the top of the offensive statistics, top ten in the country in points per game and field goals made, while ranking first in the OUA, averaging over nine three pointers per game.

Their balanced play hopes to earn Laurier a national ranking, with the Wilson Cup set to tip-off later this month, while Serresse remains committed to his goal of reaching the national championship in Acadia next month.

Serresse has been steadfast on bringing a trophy to Laurier since being named the youngest coach in the country six years ago.

Laurier will hope to extend their six-game win streak and remain hot in their final four games of the season.

They will return to the court this Wednesday with a road matchup against the 3-7 Guelph Gryphons, before playing the home fixture against Guelph on Friday at the Athletic Complex.

Laurier has won five consecutive road games, having not lost away from home since opening night on Nov. 3rd.

Laurier will then close out their season with two pivotal games next week against McMaster, including senior’s night next Wednesday at the AC.

Finally.

You can order your 2021/2022 yearbook.

Scan the QR code below to secure yours:

- Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications (WLUSP) & Lifetouch

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