The Cord November 16

THE CORD THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926

VOLUME 57 ISSUE 12 • NOVEMBER 16, 2016

Laurier defeats Western in Yates Cup finals Sports, page 20

PREPARING FOR ELECTIONS

KEEPING STORIES ALIVE

THEY’RE BACK AGAIN

TRUMP: A BAD DREAM

PICKING UP THE PIECES

Students’ Union preps for annual vote

Holocaust survivor visits UW

Nick Carter answers Waterloo’s call

New president brings new ideology

Women’s hockey looks to rebuild and improve

News, page 4

Features, page 10

Arts & Life, page 13

Opinion, page 18

Sports, page 19

WILL HUANG/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

2 •

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016

VOCAL CORD

What animal makes the best pet?

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Bag O’ Crime

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Location: Nils Willison Hall Reported: Monday, November 7, 2016 @ 12:15 a.m.

SCS is investigating the theft of a set of ‘Beats’ headphones reportedly stolen from the residence over the weekend after the residence room was left insecure. There are no suspects and no surveillance cameras in the area to assist with the investigation.

“The perfect pet is a dog because of its unconditional love!”

–Caroline van Krugten, third-year interrelation business communication

Location: 50 University Place Reported: Tuesday, November 08, 2016 @ 6:50 p.m.

WILL HUANG/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

“Sugar Glider: They’re adorable and fit into your pocket.”

–Liam Cavanaugh, third-year chemistry and spanish

For the first time since 2005, the Laurier Golden Hawk’s football team claimed the Yates Cup. Next stop: Quebec.

Letter to the Editor: PhD student teaching opportunities Re: Bargaining Continues between WLU and WLUFA, November 9th, 2016

“Ferrets: they’re super crazy and friendly.”

–Lily Sparey, third-year geography

“Bears: They’re cuddly, cute, friendly and find you honey.”

–Kojian Rasoul, thirdyear business administration

Missing from your lengthy article last week was the PhD student perspective relating specifically to bargaining point #2: job security.

As a student leader dedicated to ensuring that the graduate student experience at Laurier is second to none, I offer this rebuttal to WLUFA’s claims that, “the push to make doctoral students responsible for teaching their own courses after only two years may jeopardize the students’ ability to complete their doctoral degrees”.

The opportunity for PhD students to teach during their degree is critical to their future academic career success. Laurier’s designation as a comprehensive University implies a particular level of excellence in preparing PhD students for any career choice. While we acknowledge that some of our PhD students pursue careers other than

teaching, many commit their lives to their research and to teaching with the end goal of a tenure track appointment. No one is “pushing” them to teach.

We fully support the administration’s commitment to increasing the number of teaching opportunities for graduate students. We believe that PhD students should be afforded as many teaching opportunities as possible during their degrees.

Student teaching evaluations are consistently required when applying to tenure track openings.

Ensuring that our PhD students have gained the necessary skills in teaching has to be a Laurier priority.

Laurier ensures that all graduate students are supported throughout their degrees and are consistently encouraged to consider time to completion. WLUFA suggests that teaching negatively affects PhD time to completion rates. Where is the data that supports this claim?

SCS and WRPS responded to 50 University Place to investigate the report of an unidentified male observed walking through the residence carrying an axe. The male was located and identified as a student and resident of the property. The axe was determined to be a Halloween prop.

Location: C.H. Little House Reported: Sunday, November 13, 2016 @ 5:40 p.m.

As graduate students, we know that data is important. We also know that while Laurier is committed to ensuring manageable time to completion rates for graduate students, there are many complex factors that affect an individual’s ability to complete their degrees within the Ministry guidelines.

We do not view teaching opportunities as having a negative impact on PhD completion times.

While our association has historically refrained from weighing in on ongoing contract negotiations between Laurier and any bargaining unit, this particular bargaining point has a direct affect on our members, and on this point specifically, we stand with the university and their desire to increase teaching opportunities for our PhD students.

- Samantha Deeming, president of Wilfrid Laurier University Graduate Students’ Association

SCS and Waterloo Fire Rescue responded to C.H. Little House residence for a fire in a second floor kitchenette. The cause of the fire was determined to be a stove ventilation fan that malfunctioned and caught fire. Damages were limited to the kitchenette and are being assessed.

Location: Off Campus Reported: Thursday, November 10, 2016 @ 4:54 a.m.

SCS received a complaint regarding a male student having been defrauded of an undisclosed amount of cash in the CIBC at King St. & University Ave. On November 7th an unknown male had asked him to cash a personal cheque which was later returned NSF. The suspect was given the amount on the cheque in cash by the student.

The matter is being investigated by WRPS.

Compiled by Safina Husein Photos by Marco Pedri

NEXT ISSUE: NOVEMBER 23, 2016

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Maddy Cutts news@thecord.ca

CORD STAFF

FEATURES EDITORKK Mitchell Consky features@thecord.ca

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bethany Bowles editor@thecord.ca

ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Manjot Bhullar arts@thecord.ca

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Will Huang creative@thecord.ca

OPINION EDITOR Madeline McInnis opinion@thecord.ca

WEB DIRECTOR Brian Phillips online@thecord.ca

SPORTS EDITOR Rob Fifield sports@thecord.ca

SENIOR NEWS EDITOR Kaitlyn Severin news@thecord.ca

GRAPHICS EDITOR Fani Hsieh graphics@thecord.ca

NEWS EDITOR Emilia Curcic news@thecord.ca

PHOTO EDITOR Paige Bush photos@thecord.ca

ONLINE EDITOR Andreas Patsiaouros online@thecord.ca VIDEO EDITOR Vacant editor@thecord.ca LEAD REPORTER Safina Husein news@thecord.ca LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Marco Pedri photos@thecord.ca LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Emi Zibaei photos@thecord.ca SENIOR COPY EDITOR Christian Paron copyeditor@thecord.ca SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Brittany Ditizio socialmedia@thecord.ca

CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR’S CHOICE:

Chris Luciantonio Faraz Iftekaruddin Tarique Plummer Emily Waitson Bianca Beemer Philip Su Meghan Ince Samantha Chow Vidish Parikh Nicole Stumpf Eliza Moratz Omair Ansari Pranav Desai Owen Martin Garrison Oosterof Qiao Liu Victoria Pan Tanzeel Sayani Alex Trkulja Chad Butt Jessica Dik

“Community voices opinions on Trump” by Kaitlyn Severin

EDITOR’S CHOICE ONLINE: The Cord Weekly Update

by Garrison Oosterof

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES All advertising inquiries can be directed to Care Schummer at care.schummer@wlusp.com or 519-884-0710 ext. 3560.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Quote of the week: “I can’t tell if I’m hungry or if I just like the way food makes me feel.”

- Photo Editor, Paige Bush, on our way to pick up dinner

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016

News

SENIOR NEWS EDITOR KAITLYN SEVERIN news@thecord.ca

• 3 NEWS EDITOR EMILIA CURCIC news@thecord.ca

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR MADDY CUTTS news@thecord.ca

POLITICS

Community voices opinions on Trump KAITLYN SEVERIN SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

After Donald Trump was announced as the 45th president of the United States of America, students, staff and faculty at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Waterloo campus began reacting to the news in various ways, especially concerning how Trump’s presidency could impact Canada’s relationship with the U.S. Last Thursday, the Diversity and Equity Office and the Laurier Students’ Public Interest Research Group hosted a healing space for those who found the results of the election to be overwhelming and wanted a space to talk. All students were welcome to participate.

Barry Kay, associate professor in the department of political science and an expert in American politics, explained that president-elect Trump may be on his way to a problematic presidency.

“I can’t predict what he’s going to be doing once he’s president.

He’ll be inaugurated on January 20,” said Kay. “He ran his campaign as if he didn’t understand what was in the constitution concerning cheques and balances and separation of powers.”

Kay noted that there are two main issues that could impact Canada after Trump becomes president: energy and free trade.

Over the past few years, Trump has shared his opinion on global warming through various posts on his official Twitter account. One of his tweets from 2012 stated that the concept of global warming was

reason for people who are legal immigrants in Canada or the United States to feel they are about to be deported, there may be additional challenges for people crossing the border [and] without question there’s going to be less acceptance of refugees,” he said.

In 2015, Trump announced that he would deport 11 million undocumented immigrants from the United States. On Sunday during his 60 Minutes interview,

I can’t predict what he’s going to be doing once he’s president.

FANI HSIEH/GRAPHICS EDITOR

by, and for, the Chinese, in order to make United States manufacturing non-competitive.

Kay noted that one area of most relevance to Canada on energy is Trump’s suggestion that he will most likely approve the Keystone XL Pipeline, a proposed pipeline that was intended to be a project for energy security in the United States and to strengthen their economy, it would begin in Hardisty, Alberta and extend to Steele City, Nebraska.

In 2015, Obama denied the presidential permit for the construction of the Pipeline.

“I’m not sure if it’s good for the environment bill, [but it would] probably be good for energy jobs in Alberta, so that’s one implication for Canada,” he said.

Trump has also suggested that

he will renegotiate or terminate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a trilateral trade agreement between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico that was implemented in 1994. The first trade agreement between Canada and the US was the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that came into force in 1989.

According to Kay, if the 1994 Agreement is renegotiated, the 1989 Agreement will still stand.

“Even if that was scrapped, we would probably still have a free trade agreement with the United States, however it’s clear that he wants to renegotiate the terms,” said Kay. “Americans are a bigger economic player than we are, [which] means there was some uncertainty for the impact on Canada, particularly in industries like

the automobile industry but there [are] many others that are heavily integrated with the American industry.”

Kay also believes access to the United Stated might be more challenging particularly for non-citizens, as well as larger border delays.

“I’ve heard it suggested that the bridge currently being planned, there’s an additional bridge being planned between Windsor and Detroit that might be in some jeopardy.”

While there is concern over what will become of the relationship between the United States and Canada when Trump officially becomes president, Kay believes the greatest concern are families of undocumented individuals.

“I don’t think there should be

-Barry Kay, associate professor in the department of political science

Trump said he would deport up to 3 million immigrants in the United States with criminal records.

As an associate professor in political science, Kay said there have been many conversations surrounding the election results.

“In general, most of my students have certainly been critical of Trump and frankly, most of my students, because I asked this question, would have supported Bernie Sanders rather than Hillary Clinton.”

MEMORIAL

Remembering lost soldiers Laurier commmunity comes together to commemorate KAITLYN SEVERIN SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

On the morning of November 11, students, staff and faculty at Wilfrid Laurier University came together in the concourse to commemorate members of the armed forces.

The event, hosted by the Wilfrid Laurier University History Students’ Association, featured numerous presenters, including Laurier’s vice-president of student affairs, David McMurray, who read the famous war poem, “In Flanders Fields.”

“I am so honoured to have participated over many years now in Laurier’s annual Remembrance Day ceremony with the reading of “In Flanders Fields,”” said McMurray.

Braeden Suggitt, president of the History Students’ Association, said the ceremony was a big success

with the high turnout of attendees and various new speakers.

“This year we introduced a couple of new speakers to the program, Sarah Morelli, who worked as a tour guide in France at the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland War Memorial, as well as Stephanie Plante who recited “In Flanders Fields” in French,” said Suggitt via email.

Suggitt also noted that in terms of donations, the associations raised a total of $328.05, which will be taken to the veteran organization Royal Canadian Legion Branch 530 in Waterloo.

As a result of the construction in the Kitchener-Waterloo Region, the annual Remembrance Day ceremony this year took place in front of Kitchener City Hall at Carl Zehr Square last Friday at 10:30 a.m.

The ceremony started at Victoria Park and the parade marched to

I am so honoured to have participated over many years now.

VICTORIA PANACCI/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER -David McMurray, Laurier vice-president of student affairs

Carl Zehr Square.

In attendance were numerous local community members, as well as the Waterloo Regional Police Service chorus and band, who opened the ceremony with the Canadian national anthem.

According to the Waterloo Chronicle, the City of Waterloo

applied for a LAV III’s monument through a Canada-wide program and spent up to $28,000.

Kitchener is also in the process of getting their own monument as well.

The LAV III (Light armoured vehicle) brought soldiers and weapons across Afghanistan during conflict.

Local groups who helped bring the monument to Waterloo included the 48 Engineer Squadron, the Royal Highland Fusiliers of

Canada, the 404 K-W Wing RCADA and the K-W Naval Association, as well as Branch 530.

“Laurier is an authentic community, one where students, staff and faculty genuinely care about each other,” said McMurray.

“Coming together on November 11 to regard, to pay respect and above all to never forget those who sacrificed their lives for us all, will never be enough, but nonetheless a meaningful and enriching experience to commit to forever.”

4 • NEWS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016

STUDENTS’ UNION

2017 ELECTION PREP HAS BEGUN

ANDREAS PATSIAOUROS/ONLINE EDITOR

MADDY CUTTS NEWS EDITOR

With the American presidential race winding down, Wilfrid Laurier University must now look ahead to their own upcoming election season. The Laurier student elections are held across campuses every new year, when the student body is given the opportunity to elect their own Students’ Union president, as well as the members of the Students’ Union board of directors, the members of the senate and the student representatives on the university board of governors.

While elections have been held typically during the first week of February over a two day period, the decision was made to both move ahead the voting date, as well as to stretch voting out over a

three-day span. This will occur on January 24, 25 and 26.

“The University of Waterloo FEDS [Federation of Students] did a poll with their students and found out what weeks they were the least busy, and so they said that week three and week four were the least busy before they get into midterms, so we said ok let’s do week four,” said Elizabeth Thompson, assistant returning officer with the Students’ Union. “We’re hoping to get a better audience and my thoughts are if you have time to do fun things in the first week of school, you have time to vote.”

As a result of the earlier voting dates, the deadline for nominations was additionally changed, with it falling this year on January 9, the first Monday of the winter semester.

This will ensure that candidates retain their two week campaign

We want to get more personal engagement from the people currently in those positions, to see if that’ll be able to help out.

-Nick DeSumma, chair of the board and CGO of the Students’ Union

period prior to voting, the primary method by which students gather the information necessary to

choose where to place their vote.

To accommodate these changes, information sessions are being held throughout the months of November and December in order to allow students the chance to prepare their campaigns, though there will also be a set held in the winter semester.

“We have two info sessions on the 3 and 4 [of January] at 10 p.m., but hopefully by having them in November and December, as well, more people will want to participate,” said Nick DeSumma, chair of the board and chief governance officer of the Students’ Union.

“So, over the Christmas break they at least have it on their mind and come January they’re set to go or know what they’re thinking in that process.”

The information sessions are

additionally of greater importance this year, as the decision was made to eliminate the usual training sessions due to low candidate turn-out and instead incorporate training information into the information sessions. The Students’ Union is hoping to continue on last year’s trend of an increased number of board of directors’ candidates by seeing an increase in the number of candidates in every category by placing a greater onus on current members to make themselves accessible to students who are considering running.

“We want to get more personal engagement from the people currently in those positions, to see if that’ll be able to help out,” said DeSumma. “Hopefully with that personal connection, it allows more people to want to run.”

GOVERNMENT

Ontario to fund Waterloo Low Income Transit Program The province announced they will be funding $551,100 VIDISH PARIKH CORD NEWS

On Nov. 8, the province of Ontario announced that they would be providing $551,100 in funding to Waterloo’s Low Income Transit Program. The money will come from the Ontario Poverty Reduction Fund.

“The local poverty reduction fund will see more than $16 million going to 30 projects across Ontario.

These projects focus on community partnerships and include third-party evaluation with the goal of identifying innovative local solutions,” said Daiene Vernile, MPP for Kitchener-Centre, via email.

The Low-Income Transit Program will aim to improve the quality of life for those living in low-income households.

The program is looking to break the cycle of poverty and help low-income families move towards more income security.

“This community approach to studying poverty is both collaborative and compassionate,” said Vernile in a recent press release on

her website.

One of the ways Waterloo is looking to support those in need is through discounted transit fare products. The region currently provides nearly 1,800 discounted adult bus passes each month to people below a low-income threshold.

This community approach to studying poverty is both collaborative and compassionate.

-Daiene Vernile, MPP for Kitchener-Centre

However, the wait list is upwards of 1,000 people who are each in dire need of support.

This prompted Waterloo Region to apply to the province for monetary aid that would allow for a

thorough investigation.

The pilot study will look to answer questions such as who is using the passes, how frequently and where they are going.

“Applicants may qualify for TRIP [The Transportation for Reduced Incomes Program] if their income falls below the low income cut-off as determined by Statistics Canada. If they do qualify, they can apply through the Working Centre, in Kitchener or Lutherwood, [or] in Cambridge. Once the applicant is approved, agency staff will assist them through any remaining steps,” said Vernile.

The aim of this Waterloo pilot study is to better match the passes offered to how they’re being used, which will free up more money to be put back into the program for the future.

In a recent press release, Douglas Bartholomew-Saunders, commissioner of social services for Waterloo Region, pointed out that, “Ultimately, it’s more people served.”

The data gathered from this program will provide the necessary knowledge to support future

QIAO LIU/CORD PHOTOGRAPHY

The Low-Income Transit Progam hopes to break the cycle of poverty.

poverty reduction programs across the province.

“These studies allow us to tailor current and future programs to the day-to-day needs and requirements of low-income families across the region. This will not only benefit Waterloo Region, but programs right across Ontario,” said Vernile.

The recent funding also opens the door for future commitment

from the province towards Waterloo’s Low Income Transit Program. “[The Low Income Transit Program] does clearly indicate where our province’s priorities are. With this funding, our government is indicating a dedication to helping low income families throughout our province, and a strong acknowledgement of the importance of transit in our community,” said Vernile.

NEWS • 5

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016 BUSINESS

Closed restaurant finds harmony After closing, Harmony Lunch’s building has sold to Waterloo development and construction groups SAFINA HUSEIN LEAD REPORTER

Harmony Lunch in Waterloo is set to reopen after its recent closure a few weeks ago.

The historic restaurant has been owned by the Marks family for the past 86 years.

The restaurant brought numerous regular customers to the building on Oct. 29 for their last meal before shutting down.

It made a lot of sense to me because I was sad to see [Harmony Lunch] go, along with a lot of other people.

-Nick Benninger, Taco Farm and Nick and Nat’s Uptown 21

Community members valued Harmony Lunch before they closed and the restaurant became a staple in the Waterloo region.

After their decision to close the restaurant’s doors, the building was sold to HIP Developments (“HIP”) and the Melloul-Blamey Construction Group.

Both of these organizations operate and are located in the Waterloo region.

Joel Melloul, president of Melloul-Blamey Construction Inc., said that their decision to acquire the building was motivated more by their hearts rather than their minds.

“We’re all local boys with a sense of a bit of nostalgia and soft spot for the history of where we come from,” he said.

“We didn’t want to see that go away. We felt it’s such a part of the history of Waterloo that we wanted to keep it alive for as long as we can.”

The group also felt that Harmony Lunch added a sense of vibrancy to uptown Waterloo, something that would ultimately support their other investments in the same area.

Nick Benninger of Taco Farm and of Nick and Nat’s Uptown 21 will be taking over the kitchen of Harmony Lunch.

“Bringing on Nick Benninger was great because he has a vision for the actual restaurant,” said Melloul. “He knows where to take Harmony in the future in terms of the vibe of the place and the menu and honouring the past while looking towards a new direction.”

Benninger explained that his genuine love for the restaurant inspired him to make the decision to help take over when he was approached by HIP Developments and the Melloul-Blamey Construc-

tion Group.

According to Benninger, he already had a personal connection with the group.

“From a personal standpoint, I loved the place, I always have. So it made a lot of sense to me because I was sad to see it go, along with a lot of other people. So when they first asked, it was super exciting,” he said.

Much of Harmony Lunch will remain the same, including the famous burger the restaurant was most known for.

Though the previous owners have not released the recipe to Benninger, he hopes to get as close as possible to the original.

Only minor renovations will be completed, including new bathrooms.

The rest of the menu will also be updated and new items will be added.

“We will be making some fairly sweeping changes to the menu.

We plan on making everything else [besides the slider] on the menu almost as exciting as that,” said Benninger.

The reopened restaurant will potentially have a liquor license and will serve draft beers, liquors, and booze milkshakes.

Benninger hopes the new restaurant will bring in a younger demographic in the Waterloo region.

“We’re hoping, amongst other things, to open it up to a new and younger demographic,” he said.

“There’s a lot of people that sort of just walk by. We want it to become a place that people come to for food or just to hang out.”

You don’t get many more opportunities to carry on an 85-year old tradition. That’s unique in and of itself.

-Nick Benninger, Taco Farm and Nick and Nat’s Uptown 21

Benninger also explained that he is excited to take on a project that has a concept that already exists and is quite relevant to the region, in contrast to creating a completely new concept which is what he has done in the past.

“You don’t get many more opportunities to carry on an 85-year old tradition. That’s unique in and of itself,” he said. “We’re not talking about a concept that has become outdated or anything like that. It’s a diner. We’re not talking about reviving an old-age forgotten thing that no one cares about. It’s very much still relevant.”

CHAD BUTT/FILE PHOTO

Waterloo’s Harmony Lunch, owned by the Marks family, was in business for 86 years before it closed on Oct. 29.

6 • NEWS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016

ADVOCACY

New sexual violence policy moves forward Feedback from staff and students incorporated in policy MADDY CUTTS NEWS EDITOR

The Gendered Violence Task Force held a town hall meeting last Thursday on Wilfrid Laurier University’s Waterloo campus, to provide students a space to discuss and ask questions about the newly released sexual violence policy and procedure.

Town halls were additionally held on both the Laurier Brantford and Kitchener campuses earlier that same week, ensuring that all interested students had the opportunity to voice their concerns, without restriction due to geography.

Though the Task Force is happy with the engagement they received, attendance at all town halls was extremely low, with a mere 10-12 individuals at the Brantford and Waterloo meetings and a single participant showing up in Kitchener.

“Though there weren’t a lot of

people, the people who came were really engaged in the conversation, [and they were] really well informed about the policy and so they had a lot of good questions,” said Lynn Kane, manager of gendered violence prevention and support.

Though there weren’t a lot of people, the people who came were really engaged in the conversation.

-Lynn Kane, manager of gendered violence prevention and support

“[At] Both of them, we had [the] opportunity for an hour and a half

[for questions] and it went the full hour and a half because there was lots to talk about.”

All of this feedback from the town halls was combined in addition to emails and electronic submissions, as well as meetings held between the Task Force and the Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union and Graduate Students’ Association.

“A significant change we made was to enhance the section around appeals and we added more information about who would appeal as filed against, so it’s really filed against the university, not either party, and more clarity around people’s right to choose not to participate in that process should they wish,” said Kane.

“We added a little bit more information about the training and education that would be provided to staff members who are enacting the policy and to staff members who are key points for receiving disclosures, so we make a commit-

JESS DIK/FILE PHOTO

Laurier is waiting for its sexual violence policy to be accepted or rejected.

ment to educating those folks in a trauma informed way and that’s something that we heard loud and clear through the policy consultations.”

Students have been involved in the drafting of the policy in various capacities since the lack of policy was brought to the university’s attention by a group of Brantford students who created Advocates for Student Culture of Consent, a group who was involved in drafting the policy portion of the document.

Though work began on the policy in 2014, the process was recently sped-up as a result of the passing of Bill 132, which requires all Ontario universities to have a sexual violence policy implemented come Jan. 1, 2017.

The policy will go to the Laurier board of governors on Nov. 24, on which date they will vote on whether to approve the policy and procedure. *Note: WLUSP HR Manager, Taylor Berzins, is a co-founder of ASCC

WASTE MANAGEMENT

Costco rattles trash Waste collection delayed last week due to store opening across street SAFINA HUSEIN LEAD REPORTER

Garbage collection in the Waterloo Region was recently delayed as a result of the grand opening of the new Costco store in Waterloo.

Costco’s grand opening took place on the same day that many residents in Waterloo were to have their garbage collected.

The high volume of people coming into the Costco parking lot, which happens to be right across the street from the entrance to the landfill, caused traffic and backups along Erb Street.

“There were a lot of excited residents to come out and see the new facility when it opened,” said Cari Howard, project manager of Waste Management Programs.

“That happened to coincide with the time that our trucks normally come to drop off their first round of waste.”

With the first round of waste drop-off completely delayed, the rest of the day’s pick-ups were thrown off schedule.

“The trucks were delayed because of the traffic and that just had a snowball effect throughout the day. There ended up being couple of neighbourhoods that had their garbage delayed,” she said.

The residents’ garbage that was not collected on that day was picked up the following morning, and if still not collected, residents were asked to contact waste man-

agement to ensure timely pick-up.

Following the bulk retailer’s initial opening morning, there have been no other major delays for waste removal.

The trucks were delayed because of traffic and that just had a snowball effect throughout the day.

-Cari Howard, project manager of Waste Management Programs

The Region is also looking into alternate plans and routes for garbage trucks to take if traffic spikes again.

The routes will allow the trucks to enter from a different location, if necessary.

Announcements of the delay were posted on the Region’s website as well as on all social media accounts.

“We, of course, issued a press release which was picked up in the local news as well,” said Howard.

“I think it was just a one-time occurrence. Certainly there’s been more traffic, but the roundabouts keep everything moving.”

NEWS • 7

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016 AWARDS

GSA introduces new Leaders of Laurier The award program was created to be an expansion on their previous ‘Researchers of Laurier’ EMILIA CURCIC NEWS EDITOR

The Wilfrid Laurier University Graduate Students’ Association recently announced that they will rename their Researchers of Laurier program to Leaders of Laurier.

The change comes with the introduction of two additional categories that graduate students are eligible to apply.

The three categories include Researchers of Laurier, Innovators/ Entrepreneurs of Laurier and Community Champion of Laurier.

The Researchers of Laurier program has been successfully run since 2012, choosing one winner per year.

According to GSA vice-president of student development, Rebecca Friesdorf, the change was brought on by a need to recognize students whose work didn’t fall into the category of research.

Students who are in domains such as business and social work might not have been able to apply with their graduate work...

-Rebecca Friesdorf, GSA vice-president of student development

“Students who are in domains such as business and social work, might not have been able to apply with their graduate work because it wouldn’t fall under the umbrella of research,” said Friesdorf. “[Those are] the key changes, that we really wanted to include those people because there’s such a diverse number of different types of work being done by graduate students and we want to kind of promote and recognize and celebrate all of those and not have it be specific only to research.”

Application forms were made available on Nov. 15, after which students have the opportunity to submit until Jan. 15. The process includes submitting both an application and a video.

Once applications are submitted, invitations will be sent out to students to present the work to a review panel in late January and early February, after which a showcase will be made available to graduate students to vote on an overall winner.

Many of the dates will remain flexible as the process moves throughout the winter semester.

The submissions must adhere to the 2016-17 theme of “Agents of Change”.

“This year’s theme is “Becoming Agents of Change” and thus applications might discuss how the project transforms our understanding of a particular concept or mechanism, how the student or project acts as a catalyst for change, how the student or project alters human capability or

of bigger event because we will be broadcasting it through various social media channels that will allow others to be aware of their work and they can receive recognition for that.”

It’s a really good opportunity for their research or other graduate work to have more visibility within the Laurier community.

FANI HSIEH/GRAPHICS EDITOR

organizational systems to achieve a higher degree of output or self-actualization, etc.,” said a statement released by the GSA. Students will have the flexibility to decide how their work fits into any of the three frameworks.

“We created the three streams to help students. It’s really hard to describe the type of work we’re looking for, if you leave it very broad. So we still wanted to have some level of specificity, so that’s why we went with Researcher of Laurier. That way there is also continuity with there being a Researcher of Laurier each year.

Then we added the innovator/ entrepreneur of Laurier category and the community champion of Laurier category, to kind of help people have something specific and concrete to apply to.”

In order to accommodate for the changes, the GSA will be implementing a new showcase review panel.

“We are going to recruit graduate students from programs that are representative of the three domains. Those students will then be provided with, at the first stage, a broad evaluation form. That’s still in the process of being developed because now there’s the different streams and we’re going to try to be as specific as possible towards those different streams. We’ll put out a call once the application period is open to recruit people that can be on this adjudication

There’s such a diverse number of different types of work being done by graduate students.

-Rebecca Friesdorf, GSA vice-president of student development

committee. They can then gain experience with that process, as well,” said Friesdorf.

There will be three overall winners at the end of the entire process.

“Previously, with researchers of Laurier, there was one 500 dollar prize and professional develop-

ment package. Now there will be three of those, so one for each stream. There won’t be an overall winner, there will be three winners and it won’t be reduced to one at the end,” said Friesdorf.

According to Friesdorf, the award presents an opportunity to be recognized for an individual’s graduate work and can also make a great line on a resume.

“It’s a really good opportunity for their research or other graduate work to have more visibility within the Laurier community, potentially also within the wider community, the global community and the Waterloo Region community,” said Friesdorf.

“They have the potential to have their work showcased in the library, as well. That’s an even kind

-Rebecca Friesdorf, GSA vice-president of student development

The Graduate Students’ Association holds a number of events throughout the year to encourage student development. The three awards given this year will be among the biggest given out by the association.

8 • GAMES

Dear Life Dear Life is your opportunity to write a letter to your life, allowing you to vent your anger with life’s little frustrations in a completely public forum.

All submissions to Dear Life are anonymous, should be no longer than 100 words and must be addressed to your life. Submissions can be sent to dearlife@thecord.ca no later than Monday at noon each week.

Dear Life, Roses are red On Wednesdays I’m bored I missed having a Harambe poem Last week in the Cord.

Sincerely, A girl who misses the boy that misses his ape Dear Life, What is with all these people who’ve seen an advanced screening of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them? More importantly, how can you get me on the list next time?

Sincerely, Excited Gryffindor/Thunderbird Dear Life, After a very shitty November so far, I’d like to thank the Joe Biden memes for making me smile again.

Sincerely, Don’t answer the door

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016 Dear Roommate, I know you’re reading this and I want everyone to know how great you are. You’re so compassionate and caring. I can give you a hard time, but it’s all petty. When it comes down to it, you mean the world to me and you’re the best friend I’ve ever had. You deserve to be happy and you deserve to be loved. You will be. That’s just the type of person you are.

Sincerely, You are worth more than your mental health is telling you Dear Life, If you make someone genuinely feel like a fuck up, even if you’re angry, you’re probably not a very nice person. Everyone needs a little more kindness, so watch what you say and picture what the other person will be hearing. Care, compassion, and consideration go a long way.

Sincerely, There’s absolutely never an excuse to be rude or vengeful Dear Life, I’d like to know why facebook keeps recommending softcore porn groups and divorce support pages.

Sincerely, So many boobs Dear Life, What’s the deal with the Schlegel Centre in Lazaridis Hall? With the

constantly locked doors and fallen newsprint in the glass windows it looks like a storefront from the zombie apocalypse.

Who is in charge? Do they care at all? Are we trying to build Canada’s WORST Business School?

Sincerely, Puzzled Student Entrepreneurs

Dear Life, Hbd PGL Sincerely, Moon face

Dear Adults, Why does everyone keep telling me that having a full-time job is harder than being a student, but then are surprised as shit when being a student involves working on school related shit from up to 8:30 am to the wee hours of the morning, seven days of the week.

We have no defined work hours, we have no weekends, we basically live and breath our “job”, without even getting paid for it.

Sincerely, University isn’t what it was 30 years ago, acknowledge that

Dear Life, You suck. I’m stressed out.

Sincerely, Stressed out

Dear Life, Roses are red Violets are blue I am gorilla Who misses the cincinnati zoo Sincerely, A boy that misses his ape Dear Life, I will never get over my ex Sincerely, simp

Dear Roommates, I am NOT a Ravenclaw.

Sincerely, Gryffindor

Dear Life, Don’t let anyone (especially yourself ) convince you that you can’t draw. You can draw!

Sincerely, Artist Dear UK grading system, Just ... Why? Sincerely, Why is a 100% grade called an 80????

Dear Ezra Miller, Although I’m the biggest Harry Potter fan, you’re pretty close and you’re pretty cute.

Sincerely, Appreciative Dear Trump, Grab yourself by the dick and fuck right off.

Sincerely, Should have been Bernie

Dear Life, As I consumed my coworker’s entire Pringles stack of sour cream and onion chips, I did some experimenting.

The results? ALWAYS put the flavoured side on your tongue... otherwise you’ll start bleeding uncontrollably from the roof of your mouth.

Sincerely, Taste, don’t Haste Dear dude who doesn’t like me, Stop snap-chatting me. You know I like it. Fuck you and your emotional unavailabily.

Sincerely, Snap Chat Kween Dear Paige, Do you believe in a thing called love?

I do.

Do you believe in a thing called Grower’s cranberry cider?

You do.

Thank you for getting drunk, but still getting your shit done.

Sincerely, Your boss.

Dear Life, I need an adult to protect me from the real world because I am a child trapped in an adult’s body and I like Grower’s cranberry cider too much.

Sincerely, A mess

TELL US YOUR WOES. CONFESS YOUR LOVE. COMPLAIN ABOUT YOUR ROOMMATES.

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GAMES • 9

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10 •

FEATU

FEATURES EDITOR/MITCHELL CONSKY/FEATURES@THECORD.CA

“I would like to thank everyone for coming,” Paula Goldhar said after the microphone’s technical difficulties were sorted out.

The presentation was held last Wednesday in a University of Waterloo Mathematics Auditorium, hosted by Hillel Waterloo, for Holocaust Education Week. Paula sat between her two grandchildren, Dayna and Eli Goldhar, in between two projector screens at the front.

“I am 91-years-old, I am still driving and I am on the computer. I graduated from a laptop to an iPad and I’m on the market for a smart phone,” proudly explained Paula.

The diverse crowd of 300 students, from both Wilfrid Laurier University and University of Waterloo, chuckled throughout the lecture hall.

“As long as I’m here on this world I don’t want to miss out on anything,” said Paula.

“Now I’m going to tell you a little bit about my past.”

That’s when Paula transported the room of students — coming from a wide range of backgrounds — about 75 years back in time, suddenly unravelling humanity’s darkest days.

Life in the ghetto “I was born in Poland, on Dec. 25, Christmas day, 1924. I was 14 years old when the war started. I was a happy a teenager. We finished school in June. I had a whole summer ahead of me. Little did I know what awaited.”

The Second World War started in September of 1939.

“It was just at the start of the school year. I didn’t know if I would go to high school because in Europe you would have to pay — it was expensive. I was the youngest of a family of eight. My parents couldn’t afford it,” she explained.

“I was always wondering: what am I going to do with my life?”

These words were immediately relatable to many of the students sitting quietly in the auditorium. The words following were not so relatable.

“I lived in Lodge in a big city. For the first few months of the war, it did not take long for the Germans to come into Lodge. It was about a week for them to come in day and night with tanks. Fortunately, though, there was very little fighting. Very little bombs. Lodge was not ruined.”

In the beginning of 1940, there were big signs all over the city warning civilians of prohibited exit, claiming that if anyone wanted to leave, they should do so as soon as possible. Paula’s parents were away at the time, attending a wedding for her oldest brother in a small Polish town. Upon their return, Paula’s family found themselves in what was known as the Lodge Ghetto — a segregated city area occupied by Polish Jews.

“If anyone went out of city limits, we didn’t see them again.”

“The youngest of my four brothers went out once and never came back,” Paula told the crowd.

“Life was getting harder in the Ghetto. We did not work, it was a little town with not much room. Food was very scarce. We would buy some grains from the peasants that lived around. We couldn’t go out of city limits so we had to wait until they came and they brought some food for us. We paid them with what little money we had.”

“Night was very dark in the Ghetto,” Paula said.

“Sometimes, German soldiers would drive in on motorcycles and force people to work.”

In 1942, Nazi Germany implemented what was then called “The Final Solution” — building gas chambers and extermination camps throughout Europe.

“In October, we knew it was coming — that we weren’t going to be able to stay there. The Polish people lived around us and they were giving us all the news from the radio.”

“They came in the morning,” recalled Paula.

German cattle trucks rolled into the Lodge Ghetto at dawn. It was announced that all the young civilians should come out of their shelters

and into the Ghetto’s centre market.

“Young people were told to come out to go to work for the Germans.

My father pushed us to go.”

“You are young! You could save yourself!” Paula’s father told his children, dragging them along into the centre market.

“From every little house you could see young people running,” said Paula.

Paula’s mother prepared her children a week before, anticipating their need to leave the Ghetto. She packed them items like blankets, bread, salt and toothbrushes.

Paula’s family scurried into the square.

Around 300 children lined up to be selected for work.

“If someone was small or frail looking, they sent them back,” she said.

“My mother was hugging me. She wouldn’t let me go. I was the youngest. My father practically pried me away from her. She was screaming and crying.”

“Go!” Paula’s father shouted, amongst the chaos. “They’re waiting for you!” Paula’s father pointed to her siblings standing before the truck ahead. He pushed her away.

With her heart rattling in her chest, Paula looked back at her screaming mother, helplessly waving back as she was swallowed by the shouting crowd.

“That was the last time I saw my mother and my father.”

A trip to the unknown As the evening neared, hundreds of selected children were loaded into the cattle trucks.

“We drove a whole night. I don’t know why it took a whole night. We landed in a city called Skarzysko. They had ammunition factories which the Germans took over.”

The children were told to sit on the ground; it was a mild October night. Paula and her siblings found themselves in a gated field. They noticed a four-story building in the distance, glooming over them.

Whispers hushed through the children. The building looked like some sort of barn to keep animals. Little did they know, the dark structure would be the barracks in which they would sleep.

For hours they sat on the ground, nervous, cold and shivering.

Paula told the crowd that in a following moment, something happened in which she would never forget, something that was deeply engraved in the haunting darkness of her memory from then on.

“We took our knapsacks off. Everything was crumpled because all night on the bus we leaned and slept on them. I took my knapsack and I started to shake it out. There were crumbs at the bottom, pieces from a bar of soap and so on. And then a young girl came running over. I’ll never forget her face.”

Paula described the face of this young girl as “skin and bones.”

“She had big eyes and a shaved head. As I was shaking out the knapsack, she came over and held her hands out.”

Paula was stunned by the desperation in this child’s expression, the disbelief in her widened eyes as she glared at the few crumbs with shaking hands.

“I gave her the crumbs and she put them in her mouth. She ate them.

We all looked at each other. Then I knew for sure, that’s what awaited us.”

Life at the labour camps Paula and the children were led into the large building. At first, straw was scattered across the floor, but because of a lice infestation, they resorted to sleeping on wooden boards.

URES

Life at the labour camp was treacherous. Paula and the other children would work twelve hour shifts at the ammunition factory, with the deafening clatter of machines ringing through the area at all times.

They were fed only cans of soup and a rare slice of bread for nourishment. Many other children died of starvation as time passed. Sickness spread as the seasons changed. They struggled for warmth on winter nights.

Most of Paula’s siblings were divided amongst other surrounding camps — some more deadly than others. Luckily for Paula, she was not separated from her older sister.

“She watched over me and I watched over her,” said Paula.

One of her brothers, who worked carrying vegetation at another camp, was shot dead after three months of labour. The Nazis were unforgiving to hunger or any signs of weakness.

“If I couldn’t get up to go to work, if I was hungry, cold, my sister practically pulled me down from the barracks to go to work. She knew if I wouldn’t go she wouldn’t find me again. I did the same to her. That’s how we survived.”

One dark night, Paula, her sister and the other children were forced to witness a man being executed. Paula watched the mortified expression of this young man as he waited for the pointed gun to fire.

Diseases spread and hundreds of people died everyday.

“We were in the camp for three months when we were hit with the typhus epidemic,” said Paula.

Typhus sickness was an extreme fever that led to death in many instances during the poor wartime conditions.

Paula was struck with it but managed to survive thanks to the aid of her older sister, who was then immune to it because she already faced the sickness as a child.

Paula eventually grew accustomed to the sight of dead bodies surrounding her each day.

“Later on, you know, you get used to everything,” Paula said.

“We’d look up and see the sun in the sky and know that was the only thing that was familiar to us from our previous life.”

A year later, Paula and her sister were relocated at another camp with another ammunition factory.

At this point, there was more food available because there were far less prisoners still alive.

“Life was a little bit better. They gave us another piece of bread. They lost a lot of people. There were no more young people to bring to work.

By that time already, the Polish Jews were gone.

We knew that our mothers, our fathers, our brothers, sisters, little children, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews — that they were all gone.”

Most of the boys from Paula’s home town were killed. Out of 200 boys her age, only a few remained. One of them would later become her husband.

Liberation On Jan. 16, 1945, Paula and her sister came back one night to discover that there was no whistle to indicate the next shift the following morning.

“There was no whistle. Everyone was looking at everyone else. What’s happening?”

Everyone was afraid to leave the barracks, uncertain of what circumstances had arose. The silence was interrupted by an announcement.

“Everyone should come out of the barracks!” someone shouted to them.

They all walked out of the barracks and headed to the gate at the end of the camp. From there, they entered a large warehouse on the other side that was initially used to store the ammunition that Paula and the others had been producing.

Through the doors, the children looked up at the sky and saw, in the

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016 • 11

distance, that it was ignited with red light.

“We knew that the Russians were here.”

They stood in the freezing January air for long hours. Trains arrived and picked up large sums of survivors. However, Paula, her sister and a group of friends remained still, too nervous to leave the borders of their imprisonment.

Far ahead, gunfire crackled through the whistling of the cold winds.

A group of brave boys ran over to witness the commotion.They returned shortly after bearing implausible news. They were free.

“We didn’t know how to react to that.”

Paula and her little group stayed in the barracks for another night, timidly listening to the thunderous booms of bombs falling in the distance around them.

“Survival depended on luck. I believe strongly. It was all luck.”

In the morning, they walked out to find their old city no longer recognizable. There was no longer a place to stay, no shelter to sleep in. They turned back to the barracks to sleep another night. It had become the only home they knew.

It was up to Paula and her friends to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives.

Shortly after, they began working for the Russian army, peeling potatoes. They were fed generously and even paid small sums of money.

Paula went on to move to Canada and start a big family.

As a 22-year-old, she moved to Canada in 1948. She met and married her husband in 1950, later having three children. She now has eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

The responsibility After showing the audience some family photos on the projector screens, Paula shared some final thoughts.

“Who could imagine that a country like Germany, with all their science and all their poets, would construct something as diabolical as gas chambers?”

As a Jewish student, who fortunately has not had any family members directly impacted from the Holocaust, it was an honour to hear Paula speak. It was an even greater honour to be permitted to write her story down.

As each survivor ages another day, it’s more important than ever for these stories to be shared.

It’s more than a significant pursuit, it’s a responsibility — an obligation to share these heart-wrenching stories so such darkness will never surface again.

The reality of the matter is unsettling but undeniable: my children, all of our children, will likely never get the opportunity to hear a survivor recount their torment first hand.The Holocaust will be lost in literature, textbooks, movies and any means of communication that can keep the past alive.

Unfortunately, thousands of stories have already died, shutdown and buried, lost in a progressing world that is always susceptible to have history repeat itself.

This is why our responsibility hangs in the air. This is why our duty to share must never be overlooked.

Unbearable cruelty was unprecedented during Paula’s past, but so was the unconditional love and selflessness that allowed her to speak before us over 75 years later.

This past shows us how terrible humanity can really be, but also how resilient and devoted we can be for those we care about.The Holocaust reflects our worst and best sides. These recounts are our only access to that mirror.

“It’s up to the future generations to talk about it and think about it so those lives will not be forgotten,” Paula said somberly.

“Six million lives. They deserve to be remembered.”

12 •

Arts & Life

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016 ARTS & LIFE EDITOR MANJOT BHULLAR arts@thecord.ca

MUSIC

HEALTH

Songwriters are lyriculous Starboy: The Weeknd

ELIZA MORATZ CORD ARTS

Music is an essential part of life. We all listen to it; whether it’s a playlist you made, music on the radio, or the background music at a party.

It’s inescapable. At the same time, most of us aren’t going to take the time to analyze the lyrics to our favourite songs; we get enough of that in class. For many songs, underneath the catchy beats are lyrics that are complete nonsense.

Sucker for Pain: Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, and Imagine Dragons ft. Logic, Ty Dolla Sign and X Ambassadors “Tongue kiss a shark, got jealous bitches up in the boat Eating peanut butter and jelly fishes on toast And if I get stung I get stoked, might choke Like I chewed a chunk of charcoal Naked in the North Pole” This song, showcased in the popular movie Suicide Squad, was etched in the minds of fans. With so many contributing artists, it’s reasonable to believe they’d all be on the same page. However, Lil Wayne’s verse is where it gets really weird. I’m honestly not sure what he was going for here and based on the context of the song, it could be anything.

But please Lil Wayne, don’t tongue kiss a shark or get naked in the North Pole. There’s no way that’ll turn out well.

Set Fire to the Rain: Adele

“House so empty, need a centerpiece 20 racks a table cut from ebony Cut that ivory into skinny pieces Then she clean it with her face man I love my baby”

“But I set fire to the rain, Watched it pour as I touched your face, Well, it burned while I cried ‘Cause I heard it screaming out your name”

Starboy recently reached #2 on Canadian Billboard charts and if you’ve been anywhere lately, you’ve probably heard it. However, it seems like you need to be fluent in another language to understand the lyrics. I feel like most of us at Laurier live a life far detached from that of The Weeknd. Let’s be honest, we’re all pretty sure that this song is about drugs. What about those drugs, however, I need a translator to find out.

This song is often overshadowed

by Adele’s new songs, like Hello, but it’s worth returning to. We can all belt out Adele without thinking too much, but there’s no avoiding that this song is nonsense.

Listen, Adele.

You can’t set the rain on fire.

Rain can’t scream someone’s name. It’s just not possible. The lyrics to the song are questionable and can even make you worry about her.

However, they’re just poetic — possibly a metaphor.

Break Free: Ariana Grande ft. Zedd

Bohemian Rhapsody: Queen

“I only wanna die alive Never by the hands of a broken heart I don’t wanna hear you lie tonight Now that I’ve become who I really are”

“I see a little silhouette of a man Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango?

Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very fright’ning me”

I’m very curious as to what Ariana Grande was thinking when she agreed to sing this. As far as I’m aware, there’s no way to “die alive.”

Please share your secrets if you’ve discovered something different.

And who are you really, Ariana?

Why couldn’t you just use the word “am.” It would’ve taken up the exact same amount of time and it would’ve made fewer English students cry.

She’s said before that she was hesitant to use these lyrics, but her producers thought it would be funny.

Start playing this song anywhere and you’ll immediately have a chorus of people singing along. It’s a classic and it’s likely that most people have no idea what the lyrics actually mean.

Which is understandable, because for the most part, without intense research, they make no sense.

Even the members of Queen have refused to attach a meaning to this song.

How did this song become so famous? Maybe because it’s just so great to sing along to.

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Sit down for this NICOLE STUMPF STAFF WRITER

Students not only have to work their butts off, but also have to spend a lot of time sitting on them too. On any given day, you find yourself sitting in a lecture, then on your way home you either sit down on the bus or in the car. Once at home, it’s usually sitting down once again to either study or watch Netflix. Being constantly seated is not the best for someone’s health.

“As humans and animals, we are not made to sit down for long periods of time. We are essentially meant to do low grade movements all the time,” said Jenny TelferCrum, a physiotherapist at World of My Baby in Milton.

Telfer-Crum explains that sitting down for long periods of time can be a double edge-sword to your health. The first aspect of sitting down is that people do not sit with a proper posture. We often sit with a slouching posture with our heads forward and upper back forward.

Sitting like that for a long period of time can create a lot of tension in our muscles. The second aspect of sitting down for long periods of time is that it can hurt your cardiovascular health like your heart and blood cholesterol.

People often think that they can offset sitting down the whole day with a period of exercise, which is not true. Even if someone does set aside time to exercise, sitting for the majority of the day will cause them to experience the negative aspects of sitting.

So how should we be sitting?

Telfer-Crum explained that we should aim for a position with neutral joint angles. What this essentially means is that our feet are on the floor about shoulder width apart, knees bent at a 90-degree angle and our knees are on the same level as our hips. Our shoul-

ders should be rolled back and we should not have our chin protruding in front of us.

What students can do is change their position frequently while sitting in lecture. Aim to switch between a slouching position to one with neutral joint angles about once every half-hour. Keep track of this by setting up a silent notification on a phone or laptop to remind yourself to change your sitting position.

Often in longer lectures, professors give students a 10-minute break. Use this break as your chance to move around. You do not have to have to be on a mission during this break; even just simply getting up and walking around can be beneficial.

Breaks from sitting should also be part of a student’s study time.

As Telfer-Crum suggests, giving yourself a two-minute movement break while studying can help your health as well. If you are into yoga, you can do some sun-salutations or even just getting up and walking around the house can be very helpful.

A change in study space can help with posture. Students should have their screens at eye level using a raised platform to adjust the height of their screens.

Cellphones also impact many aspects of our lives; in fact, they can change how we sit. As TelferCrum pointed out, often when we use our phones, we usually have them close to our chests, causing us to bend our necks to look directly down at the screen, putting strain on our backs and necks.

Sitting is unavoidable for many university students, however there are many ways that students can make small changes to improve their lifestyle and reduce the negative impacts that sitting has on their health. Small changes can lead to big improvements.

ARTS & LIFE • 13

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016

Editor-in-Chief Bethany Bowles rekindles a lost romance with Nick Carter On Thursday, Nov. 10, Nick Carter’s tour bus was spotted pulling into Maxwell’s Concerts and Events in Waterloo.

The 36-year-old pop star added a show in Waterloo to his tour list, much to the excitement of anyone who is and was a die-hard Backstreet Boys fan.

I have to admit, I was very confused when I heard that Nick Carter was playing a show in Waterloo.

The Backstreet Boys first toured in 1996 and quickly became one of the most popular boy bands in the world, next to N’Sync. In the late ‘90s and early 2000’s, Nick Carter was in a group that could sell out a massive stadium in a matter of seconds.

And now he’s playing at a small venue in Waterloo?

“Washed up” was all I could think when I saw this show advertised.

I was always too young to see Nick Carter in concert in the Backstreet Boys’ hey-day. My older sister’s bedroom was plastered with boy band posters when we were growing up, so obviously, as a typical little sister, I followed suit. I didn’t love the Backstreet Boys because their music was good, I loved them because I wanted to be cool like my big sister and I loved them because every other young girl in the early 2000’s did.

They were performers. They were charismatic. They were dreamy.

As “washed up” as I thought Nick Carter at 36 may be, I was not going to miss my opportunity to see a Backstreet Boy live, even if it was a solo gig. But, as someone who generally only goes to heavier rock shows, I wanted to see Carter (from an adult viewpoint) more so for the element of nostalgia than for the love of his music.

The venue was packed, which was to be expected. As an all-ages event, the crowd was diverse. There were middle-aged women, university students and even pre-teens with their parents. The energy was high as the lights dimmed and the crowd roared as Nick Carter came out on stage.

He opened with a song off his solo album. Much to my surprise, it was heavier than I expected. Carter was even playing guitar alongside his band.

His solo stuff wasn’t at all like the pop-anthems the Backstreet Boys performed in the new millennium. It was more pop-rock, pop-punk, even.

As the show progressed, I found myself becoming more and more surprised. He sounded fantastic and he looked amazing. Even at 36, he’s still the dreamboat of the Backstreet Boys.

His stage presence was outstanding, which shouldn’t have come as a surprise. After all those years of touring with a boy band and learning choreographed dance moves, I should have expected Carter to be constantly flirting with the crowd. And boy, did he ever.

The crowd boomed as he took a break from songs off his solo album and sang Backstreet Boys hits like, “Incomplete,” “As Long as You Love Me” and “The Call.”

The whole crowd, including myself, was belting along.

But then, something interesting happened.

Carter left the stage for about five minutes without explanation. His band continued to play during this absence.

Carter finally came back out and explained that he was losing his voice and that he didn’t want to end the show early. My heart sank. He had only played for about 30 minutes.

He said he would continue the performance, but that there was the chance that his voice could crack. He then joked that he sounded like a ‘90s grunge singer.

His band, in response, started playing the intro to “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana.

Yes. Nick Carter covered “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

And you know what? It was really fucking good.

Because he was losing his voice, he had the low huskiness of Kurt Cobain. He didn’t change the song, either, like some performers do when they cover popular songs. He didn’t try to make it his own and it couldn’t have been more perfect.

Following “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” he also covered

Weezer’s “Buddy Holly,” another song that couldn’t have been further from the Backstreet Boys’ style. He also covered Oasis’ “Wonderwall,” a surefire crowd pleaser.

I didn’t expect him to pull out these classic 90’s rock tunes, but then I realized, just because his band was a pop boy band doesn’t mean that when Nick Carter was a teenager in the ‘90s, he didn’t immerse himself in all of the wicked music that was produced in that decade.

Even with a sore throat, he continued to play for nearly a two hour set with high energy and seductive dance moves.

For the encore, of course he performed “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).” Although this song relies on all five members, he still did the song justice performing alone. Every single person in the room was singing along.

I’m pretentious when it comes to music. I don’t have respect for performers who rely on heavy sound editing, songwriters and extravagant lights to make them appear to be more talented than they really are.

That’s what I expected a Nick Carter show to consist of.

Not only was Nick’s vocal performance strong, but his band was also impressive. While he introduced them, they each played a short solo, proving that they weren’t just a paid-to-play generic back-up band.

They seemed to have musical cohesion — the kind of “togetherness” that you see in a band that has been playing together for years.

Live music is a chance to test the artist and Nick Carter passed the test.

This was, hands down, the most diverse show I have ever been to.

Not only was I brought back to being eightyears-old, singing along to Backstreet’s Back playing on my boom-box, but I was so pleasantly surprised with how talented Carter actually is.

Without the heavy marketing, without the choreography, without his four brothers standing beside him in matching white suits, Nick Carter is a talented musician.

He just had to be stripped down at a local venue for me to believe it.

PHOTO BY ANDREAS PATSIAOUROS/ONLINE EDITOR

14 • ARTS & LIFE ANIMALS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016

An age old question

DOGS vs CATS Dogs - Loyalty There is a reason dogs are known as “man’s best friend,” that reason being the innate loyalty of domesticated dogs. Dogs have been known to save babies from burning buildings, as well as achieving heroic feats such as starving after their owners pass on, rather than eating them like their feline counterparts. In terms of companionship, canines are far more trusting than cats, quickly becoming attached to groups of people, rather than shutting them out in exile, a common trait of new cats.

Cats - Funnier & Quick-Witted Dogs may be more obedient simply because they’re trained, but that’s the beauty of cats, no training is required. When picking a more entertaining pet, it always comes down to our feline friends. From jumping up walls to spending hours chasing the exact same toy mouse, cats are hilarious to watch. They’ll grab at your ankles when you walk away or swat at you during a vicious play fight, but the bottom line is that they love their humans. They’re friendly, but they know how to stand their ground. Have you ever seen a kitten stand up to a dog quadruple its size? The best.

Dogs - Physical activity Though some may argue that taking one’s dog out for a walk on a daily basis is a sheer inconvenience, it can do wonders for the physical wellbeing of their lucky owners. Dogs can be taken out for walks, runs, swims, as well as hunting expeditions. The sight of a cat outdoors, however, inspires nothing but fear. Dogs are truly the most physically rewarding traditional household pet, outperforming the lazy, fat who which would do nothing but shirk away from any form of activity, as well as occasionally throw shreds of questionable affection in order to secure treats.

Cats - Less Responsibility Most people have indoor cats which means that cat owners have it easy when it comes to bathroom duties. They do their business in the litter box and you scoop it out every now and then — easy. You don’t have to take your cat to the groomers because they wash themselves, and you don’t have to take them out for walks since they’re happy running around on their own. You can go out for the day and not have to worry about your cat, as long as you make sure to fill your cat’s food bowl on the way out.

Dogs - Sheer utility From dogs employed by the fire department, to police dogs and service dogs, there is a plethora of skills mastered between them. Dogs are often relied upon, not only for their keen sense of smell, but also their adaptiveness to different situations. These furry friends, time and time again, prove their loyalty and do so out of a sense of duty. All things considered, dogs are a far more useful companion to any rational human being.

Cats - The Best Snugglers Both dogs and cats can be cuddly, but dogs won’t last long curled up beside you. If you plan on having a nothing-but-Netflix kind of day, odds are your cat doesn’t have a problem spending the day doing the same.

Dogs, however, need to be running and playing whenever they’re not asleep, similar to toddlers. A cat has no problem laying on or beside you.

How comfortable is it when your fifty-pound dog lays on your stomach?

Compiled by: Omair Ansari

Compiled by: Brittany Dtizio

SELF-HELP

Indecent life hacks BRIAN PHILLIPS WEB DIRECTOR

University is a busy time for everyone. Students are constantly juggling school, jobs, relationships and extra-circulars, not to mention trying to figure out what to do in life once university wraps up. With the constant busyness of life, it’s no surprise that “life hacks” circulate online daily. They provide shortcuts to make everyday tasks faster, easier or more convenient.

But what about the life hacks that are a bit more mischievous?

There are countless unethical shortcuts that can be taken, which circulate online less frequently.

DISCLAIMER: These are unethical life hacks. Tread lightly and use sparingly to avoid being a dirt bag.

Alternatively, read them and laugh, but don’t use them.

ONE: When telling a lie, add an embarrassing element to your story — people are less likely to question your honesty if you’ve admitted to something humiliating.

“I couldn’t finish my part for the group presentation because I had an upset stomach and was making constant trips to the bathroom.”

Are your group members going to ask you to elaborate on that? No way. You just bought yourself an extra day to do your work.

TWO: At a packed bar and can’t get a drink? Find the most attractive person there and hit on them.

They probably won’t be interested and will take off — now you’ve got

a spot at the bar. Alternatively, if your plan backfires and they are interested, you’re now talking to the best looking person in the room.

THREE: When buying something at the store, tell the cashier you don’t need bags and save the 5 cents. After your transaction is complete, say “on second thought, can I grab a bag?” The cashier won’t want to ring through 5 cents on its own and will give you a bag for free.

FOUR: Post a fake job listing for the type of job you want. You’ll get dozens of resumes and cover letters allowing you to check out the competition. BONUS: The competition just applied to yet another job without hearing back — that’s disheartening and makes your job search a little bit easier.

FIVE: Go to a funeral. Eat free cake.

SIX: Having trouble regularly finding a parking spot? Put a traffic cone down to reserve your spot when you leave. There’s a good chance no one will touch it. After all, have you ever moved a pylon?

SEVEN: If you find an item you want on Kijiji, make a posting for the same item, only a bit cheaper.

Use it as a negotiating technique.

(Hint: don’t make the price too low or you will get a ton of emails).

EIGHT: Collect buy-one-get-one coupons from restaurants. Offer to make a food run at work and take orders. Use the coupons, pocket the difference.

NINE: If you’re going out with a group of people for the first time, tell them you don’t usually drink.

There’s a good chance they’ll offer to buy you a drink ... or seven.

TEN: Agree to the terms and conditions without reading them.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016

• 15

Editorial

OPINION EDITOR MADELINE MCINNIS editor@thecord.ca

Personal stories of tragic historical events are essential right now is the time to listen. It’ll be our responsibility to bring these stories to the next generation.

That’s why video is so important.

As survivors are succumbing to time, we are losing so many stories and perspectives.

Having a video, even an edited one, is better than losing that history completely.

This doesn’t just go for Holocaust survivors either.

Part of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was to have indigenous survivors of residential schools tell their stories. These are stories that need to be shared and understood so we never return to that way of thinking again.

The Rwandan genocide, Irish resistance and the IRA, Jim Crow laws, Armenian genocide, Russian revolution — every tragic event has something we have to learn from.

We have to listen. We have to think critically.

History, as they say, is often written by the victors.

That’s what goes into our textbooks; that’s what’s traditionally taught. It’s our responsibility to listen to individuals and their experiences.

We rarely hear about the Russian perspective on World War Two, even though they were the ones to liberate Auschwitz and they, by far, lost the most soldiers to the war.

Why? Our books are only a set number of pages and it’s impossible not to have a bias. Individual stories fill in the pieces that authors miss and can’t express. Personal stories are moving.

People become more than a statistic when we acknowledge their memories and perceptions of historical events. Recording people’s stories is so important for remembering the past as more than events. Every event was a moment in someone’s life.

Remembering the people, even after they’re gone, is essential in preventing this kind of tragedy from happening again. We can’t let the tragedies fade into statistics.

This week in Features, Mitchell attended a presentation delivered by a Holocaust survivor at the University of Waterloo. These stories of survivors are much more personal and effective than reading a story in a textbook.

As time goes on, we’re losing more and more of the people who can share their personal stories about the Holocaust and other tragedies.

What happens when all of them have died? Will we forget the history? Likely not, that’s in the textbooks.

But will we ever have the same connection that we get from a personal story?

It’s going to be extremely difficult to regain that connection to history after the people have been lost.

Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union who was responsible for millions of Russian deaths, supposedly once said that “A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic.”

By telling these single tragedies, getting to the personal stories behind the numbers, we’re defeating the “statistic” mentality.

Millions of people died. Millions of individual lives, stories and tragedies were torn apart and flipped upside down.

That’s why it’s so important to hear these people directly. It’s hard to understand the real implications of actions and events when there’s no personal connection.

We have to learn if we ever want to make amends with our past. We have to understand the people who were impacted by these events.

At the very least, we need to listen in order to prevent the same mistakes from happening again.

Many survivors, like many people involved in a horrific event, only begin to feel comfortable talking about their memories and experiences toward the conclusion of their lives.

Whether this is due to the fear of their experiences being lost or to the time they’ve had to heal scars,

These unsigned editorials are based off informal discussions and then agreed upon by the majority of The Cord’s editorial board, including the Editor-in-Chief and Opinion Editor. The arguments made may reference any facts that have been made available through interviews, documents or other sources. The views presented do not necessarily reflect those of The Cord’s volunteers, staff or WLUSP.

THE CORD IS PUBLISHED BY WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY STUDENT PUBLICATIONS 205 REGINA ST. N., WATERLOO

WLUSP ADMINISTRATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

DIRECTOR Matt Burley

CHAIR Meghan Roach

TREASURER John Pehar

VICE-CHAIR Abdiasis Issa DIRECTOR Maddy Cutts DIRECTOR Mynt Marsellus

PRESIDENT Meghan Roach president@wlusp.com FINANCE MANAGER Randy Moore randy@rcmbrooks. com ADVERTISING MANAGER Caroline Schummer care.schummer@ wlusp.com

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Lakyn Barton lakyn.barton@wlusp. com HR MANAGER/CORPORATE SECRETARY Taylor Berzins hr@wlusp.com

FANI HSIEH/GRAPHICS EDITOR

It’s okay to feel a bit lost WILL HUANG CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Everyone, at some point in their lives, will feel lost and astray about their future and that inevitably comes with a side of melancholy.

But this state of mind — this gloomy feeling — isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Since early grade school, I have always wanted to have a career in tech, mostly because my dad was so immersed in his job at Hewlett Packard (otherwise known as HP). At the time, I was still going through the typical system, while my parents encouraged me to also take up art and piano lessons. I quickly took a liking to art and music.

I was taught that you can have dreams, but dreams don’t make you money. So, with that in mind, I ventured down my academic path towards a degree with a steady job.

Fast forward to grade 12, having endured countless calculus and biochemistry classes, I found myself slowly gravitating more and more towards art and design after playing with my dad’s DSLR. However, with pressure from my

parents’ expectations of me — and honestly not knowing what else to do at the time — I decided to accept the offer to Wilfrid Laurier University’s Psychology BA program.

The biggest difference is that I’ve learned to accept that it’s okay to be lost. The thought of bewilderedness doesn’t frighten me anymore.

A year quickly passed by and I found myself in a familiar situation, stuck on a path that I knew I wouldn’t like the destination to.

At this point, I enrolled in courses in different fields of study, but nothing seemed to peak my interest as much as photography and design. I also knew it was nearly impossible to have a successful career in arts compared to one in psychology.

So I aimlessly continued onwards, slowly completing a pointless four-year degree, with not the

slightest clue of where my life was heading. Now and again I would have panic attacks thinking about my future and even the slightest thought of it would drain away my sleep.

That was until one day when I ran into a photographer that also went to my high school, who also happened to be enrolled at Laurier.

He invited me to come check out the student newspaper — The Cord.

After a quick meeting with the photo editors, I started out as a volunteer photographer, but I became more and more involved, playing around with video and design and three years later, I’m sitting here as the creative director.

Even though I seem to have taken a step into a more promising future, I’m still the same clueless and lost kid. The biggest difference is that I’ve learned to accept that it’s okay to be lost. The thought of bewilderedness doesn’t frighten me anymore.

I’m agnostic, so I don’t think there is anything beyond our control that’s guiding our lives into an inevitable direction, but sometimes you have to wander around before you can find the right path for you.

It may take a while and a few tries, but as long as you keep practicing what you do best, something good will come.

16 •

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016 OPINION EDITOR MADELINE MCINNIS opinion@thecord.ca

ACADEMIC CHALLENGES Taking an “easy A” isn’t making the most out of your degree

ALEX TRKULJA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

CHRIS LUCIANTONIO STAFF WRITER

Bird course. Easy A. We all know what these are and have all seen students go out of their way and demand to know which courses offered at Laurier can be called one.

The prospect of a class on your schedule which can seemingly fade into the back of your mind and still pass with a decent mark while you focus on the things which “matter” is a tempting one.

Sometimes, when bogged down by the stresses and trials of life, it is a comfort knowing that a part of your education can be lumped out of that anxiety, your GPA won’t suffer and you can still have a full course load. I take no issue with this concept, but what concerns

me is the fearful attitude that could come with applying yourself fully.

In all the desire for an easy A and taking a course you can breeze through, there lurks a denied fear of a true challenge to your academic prowess.

Yes, failure can be a terrifying consideration and your GPA is important to consider.

Sometimes, however, it isn’t all about how many 90’s you get on your midterms.

For many of us who don’t see ourselves continuing our education past this point in our degrees, this is our last chance to prove our

intellectual mettle, see how smart we really are and learn what we can get out of our education once we become invested.

The idea that there are people who only want to coast through their degree, making it as easy as possible around every corner, is fundamentally undermining the purpose of higher education.

So what if that course you considered taking has a “hard marker?” Who cares that the credit you need has “too many assignments?”

You only get out of education what you put it into it and shirking away from the challenge of it all shows how little you care about the process itself.

Yes, failure can be a terrifying consideration and your GPA is important to consider. Sometimes, however, it isn’t all about how may 90’s you get on your midterms.

Sometimes it is about what you learned about yourself in regards to what you (as a student or a person overall) are capable of.

Succeeding in a bird course is meaningless because, by definition, everyone is meant to do just as well. You become just one more “pass” in the crowd of hollow achievement. I don’t see how anyone can feel good about that, especially to the point they model their whole path through university by that standard.

Personally, I’d take a course where I know I will fail if I try and drift through it, over one that I don’t ever have to care about.

If I am going to earn a degree at this level of education, I want to have the personal satisfaction of knowing that I earned it without ever being fearful to test what I am capable of doing. I want to get something more than a diploma.

I personally was offered to take a graduate school course in my fourth year over the summer and jumped at the opportunity.

Am I currently confident I will be attending grad school in the future? No. Do I see failure as a po-

tential result of this undertaking?

Of course I do, because that’s what makes the experience so rewarding and the “pass” all the more satisfying.

Succeeding in a bird course is meaningless because, by definition, everyone is meant to do just as well. You become just one more “pass” in the crowd of hollow achievement.

Take your bird courses here and there to relieve some of that academic stress. But never become complacent with the meaningless “A” you get out of it. In my mind, you learned nothing that counts.

Be mindful of your mental health word choices BIANCA BEEMER OPINION COLUMNIST

CONTRIBUTED IMAGE

It is hard to miss how much attention and awareness around understanding mental health has increased recently.

It is now far easier to seek support or counselling from professionals and to have a mental illness recognized as a serious issue that can affect one’s ability to perform academically or in a workplace, which is absolutely well overdue.

I question the impact that the constant circulation of articles and posts about mental health awareness has made. I have found that although it may be easier to talk about, it’s also become harder to be heard.

Mental health has become such a widely discussed subject that perhaps people have become desensitized to the topic, causing them to not acknowledge the potential severity.

A whopping 20 per cent of people live with mental illnesses, but what does this mean for the rest?

It is very important to recognize the difference between experiencing the regular emotions and

stresses of life versus experiencing a mental illness.

Using hyperbolic statements like “I’m so OCD” when you like having your things in order, “this is so depressing,” or jokes about “feeling suicidal” need to stop.

Of course I understand that people don’t make these comments with the intention of hurting anyone, but it’s important to be cautious of who you may be affecting.

Words that can take every ounce of a person’s strength to utter can be recieved so casually by someone who doesn’t understand the weight they carry.

Not only can they be seen as trigger words or be considered very offensive when used in the wrong context, but using the words incorrectly can take their meaning away for someone who is actually living with a mental illness.

Imagine going through a difficult

situation and needing to share and get support. Then, you don’t know how to express your emotions because the words you need to explain your feelings no longer carry the weight that you needed them to.

Words that take every ounce of a person’s strength to utter can be received so casually by someone who doesn’t understand the weight that they carry.

If whenever you have an assignment deadline approaching or a relationship problem and you say “this is so depressing,” how can your friend come to you and say, “I’m feeling depressed” and feel as though they are being taken seriously?

If you say, “this gives me anxiety” about each thing that stresses you out, how is your friend that has panic attacks and can’t sleep at night going to approach you about their anxiety and feel heard?

In a time where we are working towards a greater understanding and support of mental illness, it is crucial that we start with ourselves.

It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that people feel comfortable bringing their struggles to light.

Always be cautious about the words you use.

You may be taking them away from someone who really needs them.

OPINION • 17

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016

Our hyper-critical society Every action we take seems to be the wrong thing to do

EMILY WAITSON STAFF WRITER

A few days ago, I was nonchalantly scrolling through my Instagram feed when I came across a photo of a girl was leaning over a table at McDonald’s and the view was focused clearly on the underside of her dress.

Little was left to the imagination and it was probable that she didn’t know what people on the other side of her could see.

The caption underneath projected disgust and shame toward her, while she remained oblivious to the fact that the picture was even taken in the first place.

Rather than, I don’t know, not show this image to the world and either inform the girl that she was unknowingly exposing herself or simply walking away like a decent human being, this person decided to descend to a despicable level that I see far too often today.

I recently read a story about Playboy model Dani Mathers, who took a nude photo of a 70-year-old

woman in the locker room of a gym and posted it to Snapchat alongside her shocked face with the caption, “if I can’t unsee this, then you can’t either.”

She has since faced numerous repercussions for her disgustingly horrible actions and could face up to 6 months in jail, with a hefty fine to boot.

Women are berated for being any size, whether it’s large, small, or anything in between. Overly fit, or not fit enough — there’s no winning.

The unsettling side to this story is that it’s not that much of a rarity.

No matter where you look today, there seems to be endless forms of “shaming” ingrained in our society.

It’s a facet to media that seemingly can’t be avoided and the frequency in which it’s done is

alarming, to say the least.

A notable downside with social media is the fact that people can’t seem to get away with living out their lives as they wish without the forced judgement from every keyboard warrior willing to announce their greatly unwanted opinions at the click of a button.

Women are berated for being any size, whether it’s large, small, or anything in between. Overly fit, or not fit enough — there’s no winning.

Fat shaming is treated as a laughable myth by numerous people, but looking at the Facebook comments of a plus sized model induces cyber wars of head-shaking proportions. Insults tearing apart her looks, claiming concern for her “health,” are what dominate the majority, rather than anything positive.

Conversely, when looking at a post of a fit couple at the gym, the comments are equally unnerving.

They focus primarily lying on their distaste for their looks or how “manly” a woman appears with abs.

These are just two of the common examples that I see. Shaming seems to exist in every corner of our world, no matter what someone does or looks like.

SAMANTHA CHOW/GRAPHIC ARTIST

Women breastfeeding in public, men wearing makeup, people who are vegan, people who eat meat, women wearing revealing clothing, people with tattoos — the list goes on.

Rather than simply acknowledge to ourselves that we may not personally like or agree with something, our society seems set on making dislike known loud and clear — whether their opinions were asked for or not.

The decision to sift through a comment section on any social media platform is usually a dangerous one.

I like to look at it this way: if you wouldn’t feel comfortable walking up to the person your negativity is targeted towards and saying it

directly to their face, then don’t say it.

People tend to fall back on the overused, “but this is a free country! Freedom of speech! I can say whatever I want!”

Well, yes, you can and those things are true, but when did basic human decency just go out the window?

I’m not saying that everything is always going to be sunshine and roses or that everyone always has to be nice all the time. That would just be unrealistic.

My point is to practise mindfulness, especially with how easily accessible and expansive social media is today. Be kind and spread love instead of hate. Heaven knows, we all need it.

CENTRE FOR TEACHING INNOVATION AND EXCELLENCE (CTIE)

Award for Teaching Excellence PURPOSE

To honour the Laurier faculty and instructional staff who innovate and excel in their teaching.

AWARD CATEGORIES

NOMINATION DEADLINES

Ü Sustained Excellence in Teaching Award Ü Early Career Excellence in Teaching Award Ü Innovation in Teaching Award Ü Excellence in Internationalization

Faculty/School Dean January 15, 2017

One full-time and one part-time faculty member can be awarded in each of the categories, for a maximum of eight potential awardees annually.

CONTACT Program and Events Coordinator, CTIE T 519.884.0710 x3507 E teachingawards@wlu.ca

WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY Waterloo | Brantford | Kitchener | Toronto

wlu.ca/ctie/awards

CTIE February 1, 2017

18 • OPINION

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016

The lessons from Trump’s historic win FARAZ IFTEKHARUDDIN STAFF WRITER

Even though Trump won, we still need to keep moving forwards.

It has now been over a week and we are still trying to get through denial and shock.

Donald Trump will be the 45th president of the United States. This is not just a bad dream.

The faster we accept this reality, the better.

On November 9, 1989, a wall came down in Berlin. On November 9, 2016, America elected a president who campaigned on building physical and metaphorical walls. Nevertheless, Trump is merely a symbol of a society divided to tragic extents.

How we got here is no mystery.

With endless articles and videos already analyzing what went wrong, there are various simple and complex factors used to explain what happened.

What is more important now is where we go from here. Do we declare our loss of humanity and take solace in the fact that we live

in Canada? Surely not. America and Canada can both take lessons from what happened and change the way we try to engage in politics.

Not everyone will hold the same ideas and views as us, but it is time we stop shutting ideas out, insulting people, classing them as ignorant or “baskets of deplorables.” As we have seen, these strategies do not work anymore.

This will be a test and will require the best of people more than ever. As we have seen, the old ways of name and shame will not work any more.

Half a country voted for Trump as a form of revolution. Indeed, conditions had been created whereby millions of Trump voters refrained from declaring their views, until they stepped into the voting booths. This predicament had been reached through the normalization of certain ideas and

the demonization of all others.

Going forward, there needs to be an increase in discussion and a decrease in insults. If we want to fix legitimate harmful ideologies, we need to be more tactical about it.

The fears and uncertainties are bigger than just Trump. They are in the dark side of humanity he has unleashed.

It has only been a few days and we have already seen a glimpse of what the future might hold with the emancipation of racism, sexism and pure hatred. This will be a test and will require the best of people more than ever. As we have seen, the old ways of name and shame will not work anymore.

The result of the election go beyond the half of America that is being called racist, sexist and bigots. Beyond these people, it was because many felt alienated from what is considered “normal” ideals.

In Canada, it’s prudent for us to take note, learn what went wrong and not let it be repeated here. We can no longer suppress any kind of voice, even a politically incorrect one; they need to be carefully addressed.

This is the only way we avoid the type of built up revolution like the events in the United Kingdom and the United States.

FANI HSIEH/GRAPHICS EDITOR

Wrongful CBSA deportation

A refugee is being sent back home — to the wrong country

TARIQUE PLUMMER STAFF WRITER

There are quite a few issues within our social construct that we neglect to acknowledge, speak about or even probe.

One such topic is that of deportation and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

This lovely country deports over

10,000 people every year and a heavy portion of this group is sent to nations with absolutely horrific human rights record.

There were approximately 148,000 people deported between 2004 to June of this year.

More than 70 per cent of these were failed refugee claimants, as noted by the records prepared by the CBSA. Due to privacy legislation, information regarding individual deportations is not released.

The rare case is when the media gives us the occasional anecdote which exposes the system which

oftentimes mercilessly removes people from the country.

Within that 10,000, here is one very real, very true case.

Betty* came to Canada as a refugee from Eritrea a year and a half ago, fleeing the repression in her country.

She had a son here, who is recognized as a Canadian citizen.

Since she arrived, she filed for refugee status and just a few weeks ago, she was notified to provide proof that she is truly an Eritrean.

She is unable to do so after losing all her documentations during her escape from Eritrea.

CONTRIBUTED IMAGE

In response, the CBSA notified her that they believe she is Ethiopian pretending to be Eritrean so she can reside here.

They told her to get her things together for they would be deporting her to Ethiopia in five days, though her one-year-old son could remain in the country.

Eritrea and Ethiopia are not even close to being the same country, so how does Ethiopia fit in?

Refugee fraud is a big dilemma and recently, quite a few Ethiopians claiming to be from elsewhere have made the system suspicious of everyone.

Because of these suspicions, a massive and false assumption was made.

Imagine if you were this 30-yearold mother with your one-year-old son living in Canada for more than a year.

Imagine being told you will be deported to a country you have never been to a day in your life.

Imagine how much would that hurt.

The day came and she went to the airport broken, emotional and with her son by her side.

She had one final card to play and that was to appeal to the officer to stay on humanitarian grounds.

This mother had been abused by men in the past and she was faced with the situation of exposing herself, demonstrating all the scars she obtained from the highly volatile political situation back in her country.

She cried, screamed, explained until the officer gave her until the beginning of December to get proof of her citizenship or for her child to get a passport.

Sound simple?

The National Post reported on the Eritrean Consulate in Canada

being investigated by the Foreign Affairs Department on charges of blatant corruption.

Therefore, with such a sordid history record, it’s very unlikely she will be able to ascertain proof.

Imagine if you were this 30-year-old ... living in Canada for more than a year.

Imagine being told you will be deported to a country you have never been to a day in your life.

Secondly, her child couldn’t get a Canadian passport as the law, according to the Government of Canada website, stipulates that for the first child passport to be issued, the child has to be at least two years old.

Her child was one and a few months.

The Coordinator of the Committee to Aid Refugees, Richard Goldman, said it best, “This is because changes introduced in 2012 have led to a much-accelerated refugee system with many people having no right of appeal. Consequently, there are fewer checks and balances to ensure that people are not sent back to situations of abuse in such countries.”

With very little assistance being afforded to her here, it is truly heart wrenching to know that the inevitable seems bound to happen. * Name has been changed for privacy purposes

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016

Sports

• 19 SPORTS EDITOR ROB FIFIELD sports@thecord.ca

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

Off to a sluggish start OWEN MARTIN STAFF WRITER

PAIGE BUSH/FILE PHOTO

The Laurier women’s hockey team has gotten off to a rough start in their 2016-17 season, winning just one of their first seven games.

Coach Rick Osborne addressed his team’s poor play. “We just haven’t played well enough yet,” he said.

“We haven’t been able to play back-to-back games well. We seem to lose our intensity sometimes on the second game in a weekend.

We’ve found ways to throw points away.

It’s been a combination of [bad] puck luck and [lack of ] focus and we just all have to do a better job,” he added.

More than anything, the team has been injury plagued, which has made it hard for them to find their groove in the early going.

While speaking to Osborne, he made it clear that most of these injuries were simply bad luck, with the bulk being freak injuries or concussions.

Despite the team’s lackluster record, Osborne did point out that there have been some bright spots.

“Our top scorer is Emily Woodhouse. She started quick. I think

our rookies [in general] have played well moving in. [Jessica] Prevette has also chipped in with three points over seven games,” he said.

“We’ve got some players that are just underperforming and trying too hard. Some of our older players

We’ve got some players that are just underperforming and trying too hard.

-Rick Osborne, head coach

are in mild slumps, but the rookies have picked up the slack.”

As for the rest of the season, the team hopes to get back on track quickly and become much more competitive than their current position in the standings would indicate.

With a healthier team, it should

be much easier to gain some stability and in turn, more consistent play.

“Our plan [moving forward] is to really make a concerted effort to play solid defence. We tend to have some players who kind of play like they’re top scoring players when they really need to be looking after defence first and scoring maybe on counter-attacks. We’ve always generated our offence from good defence and we’ve just gotten away from that a little bit this year. I think we need to realize that we’re at our best when we play like we did last year during our playoff run: not giving up [goals] and grinding teams down,” Osborne said, expressing disappointment with his team.

He was very focused on that “defence first” mentality, adding, “Our group needs to be able to look after our own zone first and make our offence work from good defence.”

This is the style that took Laurier to the OUA semi-finals the past couple seasons. Should things turn around for this group, they seem to know where to start.

Women’s hockey looks to get their season back on track this Thursday as they host the Ryerson Rams at Sun Life Financial Arena.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Hawks split the weekend against Algoma PRANAV DESAI CORD SPORTS

A resilient effort from the Laurier men’s basketball team wasn’t quite enough as they lost 78-72 to the Algoma Thunderbirds on Saturday and were unable to complete the weekend sweep.

We gave up 78 points to a team that doesn’t score more than 65 points a game.

-Justin Serresse, head coach

TANZEEL SAYANI/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

After being down by as many as 14 points in the first half, the Golden Hawks fought back and took a one-point lead into halftime, thanks to their deadly three-point shooting. They finished 11-26 (42 per cent) from three-point range for the game.

However, the game fell out of reach in the fourth quarter, as the Thunderbirds delivered the knockout punch. Although Laurier had

a one-point advantage heading to the fourth, the Thunderbirds stormed back and led by as many as 10 points.

In the end, it was simply too much for the Hawks to overcome.

The offence was not the problem on this day for Laurier.

Their defence, however, was a letdown as they gave up a total of 78 points. Laurier struggled to contain the Thunderbirds dynamic

duo of Jermaine Lyle and Sean Clendinning.

They combined for 35 points while shooting an efficient 50 per cent from the field.

Head coach Justin Serresse spoke about his team’s shortcomings after the game.

“Maybe we ran out of gas. Our rebounding was an issue. We were getting stops, but we didn’t complete the stops and that was

definitely hurting us. Overall, the defence was also a problem. We gave up 78 points to a team that doesn’t score more than 65 points a game.”

Despite the loss, the Hawks got a great performance from starting guard Chuder Teny. The Kitchener native hit five 3-pointers on his way to a 17-point performance. He also put on a great playmaking display as he dished out 5 assists.

Another bright spot for Laurier was the play of guard Tevaun Kokko as he scored 13 points to go along with 5 assists. Kokko has now strung together back- to-back impressive games.

A scare for the Hawks came in the third quarter as Kokko took a hard hit on his face. Fortunately, it didn’t appear to be serious as he re-entered the game in the fourth.

“He’s okay. He just got hit in the face and nobody saw it. But that’s a part of the game,” said Serresse.

Although his team couldn’t get the win, Serresse did have some positive things to say about his team’s effort.

“The pace was much better. We were getting after them and that’s what I was trying to tell them. We can’t be passive defensively. What happens is we get very lazy and complacent at times on defence.

That hurts our transition game.

When we got some energy, we showed that we can score 20 plus points in a quarter.”

The Hawks record is now 1-2.

The good news for the Hawks is that the season is still young. They have four months to right the ship and make a run for the playoffs.

The team should continue to improve as they adapt to coach Serresse’s system.

The Hawks’ next obstacle is Queen’s University, as they head on the road to face the Gaels.

20

• SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2016

FOOTBALL

YATES CUP CHAMPIONS Laurier Golden Hawks win their first Yates Cup championship since 2005

MARCO PEDRI/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

ROB FIFIELD SPORTS EDITOR

On a beautiful fall afternoon at TD Waterhouse stadium, the Western Mustangs were set to host the Laurier Golden Hawks in the 109th Yates Cup. The Laurier Golden Hawks defeated the the McMaster Marauders in their semi-final matchup to advance to the Yates Cup, while the Mustangs handily defeated the Carleton Ravens to stamp their ticket to finals.

The Laurier Golden Hawks have had an impressive and historic season lead by head coach ,Michael Faulds, who recently received the Dave ‘Tuffy’ Knight Award as OUA coach of the year.

When Faulds first took over as head coach of the purple and gold in 2013, the football program was at a low, finishing the regular season 1-7 in his first year.

Since then, the team and its players have only gotten better going 4-4 in the last two seasons and then this year, finishing the regular season an impressive 7-1.

Not only has Faulds contributed to this transformation of the purple and gold, but many of the Golden Hawks’ key players including Kwaku Boateng, Nakas Onyeka and Brandon Calver were also present for the team’s ups and downs.

The team grew up together, with Faulds leading the ship to the Yates Cup. The national anthem was sung by the crowd and the fans from both teams were loud, anxiously awaiting kickoff. The energy was undeniable.

The Golden Hawks kicked it off with a great return by Mackenzie Ferguson and the Hawks were already backed up to their own 30-yard line.

Less than three minutes in, the Mustangs would take the game’s first points as Alex Taylor ran it into

the end zone.

Just like that, the game was 7-0 for the Mustangs.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Mustangs attempted an onside kick and were able to pull it off according to plan. The Mustangs had the ball back inside the Laurier 40.

The Mustangs would go for the field goal on the drive, as they extended their lead to 10-0. You could already see some doubt in the faces of the Laurier faithful.

The Hawks had the ball back and Michael Knevel was able to make some solid completions downfield and the Hawks settled for a field goal, cutting the Western lead to 7.

On the next drive, The Mustangs would attempt a fake field goal, but were given a penalty because the holder’s knee was down and the Hawks got the ball back.

On the next Laurier drive, the Golden Hawks attempted a fake punt, but this was sniffed out by the Western defence and they forced a Laurier turnover on third down.

This would wrap up the first quarter with the Hawks trailing 10-3.

To start the second quarter, the Mustangs led a charge downfield and coverted a field goal to extend their lead and bring it back to 10.

On the next drive, Laurier was forced to punt, but the Mustangs fumbled the ball and the Golden Hawks were able to recover in the Western end.

The Hawks were unable to score a touchdown but managed to pick up three points on a field goal.

The Mustangs lead 13-6 with under seven to play left in the half.

On the next drive, Western’s Chris Merchant threw a pick six to Godfrey Onyeka and the Hawks took on the Western 42.

Laurier wasted no time, as Levondre Gordon ran it all the way to the house on the next play and Laurier tied it up at 13 a piece.

Things were looking up.

The Hawks had the ball back and with a few big plays, including an impressive run by Osayi Iginuan.

The Hawks were inside the Western 10-yard line searching for more points.

The Hawks were able to convert on their field goal and for the first time in the game, had the lead.

On the Mustangs’ next drive, they were charging downfield with George Johnson making back-toback grabs to move the chains.

This is the one team we’ve never beaten, so it feels absolutely phenomenal.

-Michael Faulds, head coach

The Western drive would come to an abrupt end as they fumbled the ball and the Golden Hawks were able to recover it.

The Hawks were able to add another field goal before the half ended and the teams would break with Laurier leading the Western Mustangs 19-13.

The Mustangs started the second half with a bang, scoring a touchdown just over two minutes in and Western had taken a 20-19 lead.

Western got the ball back and Merchant escaped danger on a few occasions, making some high pressure completions before Taylor was able to run it in for the score.

Western missed the extra point and was back up by seven, halfway through the third quarter.

On the Mustangs next drive they

were able to get the ball moving down the field again.

Merchant made a run for the end zone and was hit hard, forcing him to temporarily leave the game and backup Stevenson Bone was subbed in.

This didn’t stop the Mustangs offence, as they were able to score a touchdown, courtesy of Alex Taylor, again.

The Mustangs didn’t stop there, as they quickly scored another touchdown, thanks to a nice catch and run by Harry McMaster.

The Golden Hawks played strong as they charged down the field and made some key third down completions.

The drive finished up with Laurier’s Michael Knevel airing one out to Brentyn Hall in the end zone for the touchdown.

The Golden Hawks stopped the Mustangs and got the ball back, looking to try to come back.

The Hawks had a huge drive, making the best use of their third downs and Knevel was able to find Carson Ouellette in the end zone to cut the Western lead to seven, with less than three minutes to play.

Tensions were high. The crowd was on edge.

Western was trying their best to slow down the clock and hold onto their lead, but the Laurier defence was making things very difficult for the Mustangs’ offence. The pressure forced a Western fumble

by Taylor and the Golden Hawks recovered the ball on Western’s three-yard line.

Knevel found Kurleigh Gittens Jr. in the end zone and the Golden Hawks had come back to tie the game after being down by 21 points.

On Western’s next possession, they failed to get a first down and the ball was back in the hands of the Laurier offence. A charge downfield led by Gordon left the Hawks in search of a field goal to

take the lead with less than a minute on the clock.

The Hawks were able to get some first downs and were standing on the Western 14-yard line before they killed the clock down to 0.9 seconds in the game.

Laurier kicker, Nathan Mesher, took the field with all eyes on him.

Mesher’s 25-yard field goal caused the Laurier bench to erupt.

The Laurier Golden Hawks were the 109th Yates Cup Champions.

This was the first time the Hawks had defeated Western in ten years.

The celebration got even bigger as the fans who travelled from Waterloo jumped over the railings at TD Stadium and joined in on the celebrations on-field.

Michael Faulds was extremely pleased with the comeback but was already looking forward to the task at hand.“Obviously, this is the one team we’ve never beaten, so it feels absolutely phenomenal …

I’m the type of guy that I’m already moving on to Laval, so I want to prep for them tonight.”

Michael Knevel was at a loss for words. “It’s totally surreal. It’s crazy,” he said.

Michael Knevel was also named the Dalt White trophy winner and the Porter Airlines player of the game.

Kwaku Boateng was quick to praise the play of his quarterback.

“We always knew Knevel could do this, since we saw him in firstyear, we all knew he had the skill set and once he figured out the systems and the playbook he would lead us to a Yates cup.”

“When we were down by 21 points it hurt a lot, but we knew we could just slowly chip away and we knew our defence had to stop their offense and that’s exactly how it played out,” Boateng concluded.

With the win, the Golden Hawks will now travel to Quebec City to take on the Laval Rouge et Or on November 19 in the Uteck Bowl.