THE C RD THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926
VOLUME 57 ISSUE 9 • OCTOBER 26, 2016
A HAUNTING IN K-W The things that go bump in the night in Kitchener-Waterloo Arts & Life, page 12
A SPECIAL VISIT
ACCESSIBLE SPORT
CONNECTING THE BEYOND
MISTREATED IN A STRIP CLUB
PLAYOFFS IN SIGHT
Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor at Laurier
Ontario’s first blind soccer team in K-W
A psychic reading and a lost connection
A gay man’s experience in a male strip joint
Men’s football finishes season 7-1
News, page 3
Features, page 10
Arts & Life, page 14
Opinion, page 16
Sports, page 20 WILL HUANG/CREATIVE DIRECTOR
65 Regina Street, Waterloo (behind Ethel’s Lounge) 519-885-4770 info@gentledentist.ca
HEALTHY & BEAUTIFUL SMILES ARE TOP PRIORITY!
• General and cosmetic dentistry • Whitening
• Orthodontics-INVISALIGN • Wisdom teeth removal/sedation
2 •
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016
VOCAL CORD
What was the weirdest thing you ever got while trick-or-treating?
The Cord
@cordnews
@cordwlusp
CordNews
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
“The weirdest thing I’ve ever gotten while trickor-treating is an apple.” –Jassi Dosanjh, fourthyear research psychology
“The weirdest thing I ever received was a candy cane.” –Sarah Stickland, second-year business administration
“Wine, because I was told adults need to have fun too.” –Klevisa Berberi thirdyear business administration
“I’ve never been trickor-treating.” –Kamil Ahmed, second-year global studies and political science Compiled by Safina Husein Photos by Marco Pedri NEXT ISSUE: NOVEMBER 2, 2016
EMILIA ZIBAEI/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Last Friday, Busty and the Bass graced the stage and Maxwell’s Concerts and Events. The venue was packed and the audience loved every minute of it.
Letter to the editor: CAS negotiations With negotiations stumbling on for Contract Academic Staff (CAS), it has made me pause and consider the startling inequity that exists on campus. If I were a student, I would assume that the university employs quality, superior instructors to deliver courses. I wouldn’t know, as a first-year student, the difference between a CAS instructor and a full-time instructor. That is, until I need them outside of the classroom. Students deserve the same access and level of commitment, regardless the “status” of the instructor (contract or full-time). How can an atmosphere of trust and commitment exist when CAS have to live from term to term, not knowing if they’ll receive any teaching assignments? The university aims to deliver quality education. Students are charged the same price for each class, yet one set of instructors is paid at an abominable rate, without benefits (they receive a small
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Maddy Cutts news@thecord.ca
CORD STAFF
FEATURES EDITOR 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 Vacant photos@thecord.ca
percentage of their wage in lieu of benefits). The difference between wages can be tens of thousands of dollars. If Laurier truly stands behind its motto: “Leading lives of leadership and purpose,” it will address the inequity. It will give Contract Academic Staff, who have dedicated themselves to teaching Laurier students, the ability to live above the poverty line. It will ensure that CAS members have access to critical medical benefits such as prescriptions and dental needs. Laurier should stop treating CAS as disposable and show a commitment to these outstanding instructors. The university exists for the students. Our Laurier students deserve the best. Their future should not be hindered in any way because of the status of their instructor. In my humble opinion,
READING NOT YOUR THING? WE MAKE VIDEOS, TOO. WATCH AT THECORD.CA
Sandra Dalpe, administrative assistant, sociology
CONTRIBUTORS
EDITOR’S CHOICE: COLOPHON
Garrison Oosterof Meaghan Ince Simran Dhaliwal Nathalie Bouchard Dylan Leonard Abigail Barrett Erik Danudjaja Zachary Habayeb Chris Luciantonio Kira Gelbard Alex Trkulja Emilia Zibaei Victoria Panacci Jessica Dik Mira Busscher Brigitte Kloss
The Cord is the official student “Hello from the other of the Wilfrid Laurier side” by Zachary Habayeb newspaper University community.
EDITOR’S CHOICE ONLINE: “Cord Weekly Update featuring Madeline McInnis” by Garrison Oosterhof
SENIOR COPY EDITOR Christian Paron copyeditor@thecord.ca
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES
SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Brittany Ditizio socialmedia@thecord.ca
All advertising inquiries can be directed to Care Schummer at care.schummer@wlusp.com or 519-884-0710 ext. 3560.
Started in 1926 as the College Cord, The Cord is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. WLUSP is governed by its board of directors. Opinions expressed within The Cord are those of the author and do not necessarily refl ect those of the editorial board, The Cord, WLUSP, WLU or CanWeb Printing Inc. All content appearing in The Cord bears the copyright expressly of their creator(s) and may not be used without written consent. The Cord is created using Macintosh computers running OS X 10.10 using Adobe Creative Cloud. Canon cameras are used for principal photography. The Cord has been a proud member of the Ontario Press Council since 2006. Any unsatisfied complaints can be sent to the council at info@ontpress.com.
The Cord’s circulation for a normal Wednesday issue is 6,000 copies and enjoys a readership of over 10,000. Cord subscription rates are $20.00 per term for addresses within Canada. The Cord has been a proud member of the Canadian University Press (CUP) since 2004.
PREAMBLE The Cord will keep faith with its readers by presenting news and expressions of opinions comprehensively, accurately and fairly. The Cord believes in a balanced and impartial presentation of all relevant facts in a news report, and of all substantial opinions in a matter of controversy. The staff of The Cord shall uphold all commonly held ethical conventions of journalism. When an error of omission or of commission has occurred, that error shall be acknowledged promptly. When statements are made that are critical of an individual, or an organization, we shall give those affected the opportunity to reply at the earliest time possible. Ethical journalism requires
impartiality, and consequently conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest will be avoided by all staff. The only limits of any newspaper are those of the world around it, and so The Cord will attempt to cover its world with a special focus on Wilfrid Laurier University, and the community of Kitchener-Waterloo, and with a special ear to the concerns of the students of Wilfrid Laurier University. Ultimately, The Cord will be bound by neither philosophy nor geography in its mandate. The Cord has an obligation to foster freedom of the press and freedom of speech. This obligation is best fulfilled when debate and dissent are encouraged, both in the internal workings of the paper, and through The Cord’s contact with the student body. The Cord will always attempt to do what is right, with fear of neither repercussions, nor retaliation. The purpose of the student press is to act as an agent of social awareness, and so shall conduct the affairs of our newspaper.
Quote of the week: “That was saváge! How dare you bring my baby into this.” - Web Director, Brian Phillips to News Editor, Maddy Cutts about vaccinations
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 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
GOVERNMENT
Lieutenant Governor visits Laurier campus MADDY CUTTS ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
Immigration Migration Research Centre. In the evening, Dowdeswell went to Laurier Brantford to give a presentation on residential schools and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Wilfrid Laurier University welcomed a special guest last week when the Waterloo campus received a visit from the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Being a constitutional democracy, the Canadian head of state is technically Queen Elizabeth ll, who lends her power to be exercised by the Canadian government. While Ontario’s premier is the head of the provincial government, the lieutenant governor is the reigning monarch’s representative at the provincial level, having been appointed by their federal representative the governor general.
And so a school like this, that starts from the premise that everything is linked to everything else, is surely a good place to start. -Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.
BRIAN PHILLIPS/WEB DIRECTOR
The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell toured multiple departments in Waterloo before going to Laurier Brantford
A Lieutenant Governor has an opportunity to touch the hearts and minds of people.
-Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.
In this role, the Lieutenant Governor is responsible for signing legislative bills into law, approving government business, reading the Speech from the Throne and a myriad of other duties which relate to the successful continuation of
the province. In addition to her official duties, Dowdeswell has additionally taken to heart her responsibility of ensuring that the will of Ontarians is upheld. “Someone once said that the government, of course, handles the day-to-day management and operations of a province and a Lieutenant Governor has an opportunity to touch the hearts and minds of people. And they may not have any direct power over decision making, but you have the opportunity to really engage with people. It’s just an amazing privilege,” she said. Since she was appointed into the position in 2014, Dowdeswell has chosen two topics in which to raise particular interest: sustainability
and Ontario’s place in the world. The topics speak to her work prior to holding the position of Lieutenant Governor, when she spent many years working abroad in such positions as executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme and under-secretary-general of the United Nations. “I think we’ve got a lot to contribute to the world and I’m very interested in finding ways in which we can tell those stories and help the world understand who we are in Ontario,” said Dowdeswell. “But the other side of the coin is that because we are such an inter-dependent and complex world, we have to know how to live in the world. You have to know
other countries or else we run the real risk of getting left behind. And so when I see and talk to students, as I’ve just done, it’s really inspiring and encouraging to find students who understand that this is a different world in which we’re living and we have a contribution to make but we also have a lot to learn.” Though originally scheduled simply to meet and speak with university president Max Blouw, Dowdeswell filled her afternoon at Laurier with visits to multiple departments, including a meeting with professor Gavin Brockett to discuss a course he developed on Waterloo Region’s response to the Syrian newcomers, as well as a discussion with members of the
The visit allowed Dowdeswell the opportunity to tour the Waterloo campus and experience first-hand some of the work being done by students on the Waterloo campus. “Wilfrid Laurier has two things going for it. One is that it’s still a small enough size that people can really feel a part of everything, at least, I mean I say that as an outsider, but it really has a sense of belonging. The other thing that I always like to see on campuses is when there are mechanisms that allow various disciplines to come together in some way,” said Dowdeswell. “And so a school like this, that starts from that premise that everything is linked to everything else, is surely a good place to start.”
4 • NEWS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016
COMMUNITY
CONTRIBUTED IMAGES
Pictured above: cultural performers and celebratory decor that was put on display during the Victoria Hills Community Centre Diwali celebrations that took place on Saturday October 22
Local neighbourhood celebrates Diwali Victoria Hills Community Centre invites people of all cultures to honour the festival of lights EMILIA CURCIC NEWS EDITOR
Diwali, or the festival of lights, will be celebrated in households across the world this Sunday October 30. The celebrations will last for five days and marks an important part of the Hindu religion. However, over time the celebrations have been adopted by
It was for the first time in our neighbourhood that we had this kind of fireworks.
-Nadia Muhammad, vice-president of the Victoria Hills Community Centre
many Indians, regardless of their religious beliefs. According to National Geographic, Diwali signifies the victory of good over evil. Originating as a
harvest festival, the celebrations now consist of family gatherings and displays of lights. It is celebrated with the lighting of lanterns and fireworks. Families also cook lavish feasts and use it as an opportunity to visit one another. On October 22, the Victoria Hills Community Centre hosted their second annual Diwali celebration. The event was open to all members of the community and met its intended capacity of 300 attendees. Among the attendees was mayor of Kitchener, Berry Vrbanovic. Rangoli, an art display that is common in India during Diwali celebrations, was featured in the community centre as a part of the
celebration. The display features an array of different colours with dyed rice and colourful lentils. “The most important thing, there was a firework display. When we did it for the very first time, then it was not allowed in Kitchener to have fireworks for Diwali. So a team of youngsters went to city council where they asked for
QUANTUM: THE EXHIBITION
“Will Quantum physics find life in other galaxies?” Welcome to the Quantum Revolution THEMUSEUM.ca
DOWNTOWN KITCHENER
permission and they were granted permission,” said vice-president of the Victoria Hill Community Centre, Nadia Muhammad. “For our event, we had to follow special permissions because this was happening earlier than the actual day. It was for the first time in our neighbourhood that we had this kind of fireworks.” The community centre focuses on multiculturalism and encouraged everyone to attend. “It was to promote multiculturalism also and to showcase how different communities celebrate their events,” said Muhammad. The event was free, excluding the tickets used to buy food or drinks.
“It is really very important because if they have something in their neighbourhood, our community is a mixed population. We were trying to keep it as low-cost. Basically it was free, but even for the food, we tried to keep it minimum so that everyone could attend,” said Muhammad. The neighbourhood association also organizes events for other community groups, having celebrated Eid for the second time this past September and Christmas for more than 30 years. “It is still open to any community who wants to celebrate it or our neighbourhood to bring it close to each other. We support all community groups in any way we can. It is a very open environment,” said Muhammad. Muhammad shared her thanks to the community group that organized the event and to the city for supporting their initiatives. “It was a very well organized event. The community group who organized it, they were pretty good at it,” said Muhammad. “It was well attended and it was better than the first year. More people attended and we are really happy about that.”
NEWS • 5
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016 LOCAL
Waterloo company wins innovation award TrustPoint Innovation is recognized for their contributions to the technology industry DYLAN LEONARD CORD NEWS
On October 5, local company, TrustPoint Innovation, was named to the Canadian Innovation Exchange 2016 Top 20 Program, a program recognizing the 20 most innovative technology companies in Canada. TrustPoint Innovation is a Waterloo-based company that focuses on developing innovative products and solutions for the security needs of the “Internet of Things,” “Machine to Machine communications” and connected vehicles in particular. The IoT (Internet of Things) is a growing industry and refers to devices that collect and transmit data via the internet. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, the IoT will have a total economic impact of up to 11 trillion US dollars by 2025. TrustPoint Innovation, upon coming into contact with the CIX (Canadian Innovation Exchange), filled out a nomination form. Forms from across the country were reviewed by a panel of CIX investors and technology experts to decide which companies would be
This hub is expected to help create and attract companies, as well as urban jobs. “We want to build a quality of life into our community that students who are here today and subsequently graduate, if they
FANI HSIEH/GRAPHICS EDITOR
considered for the Top 20 program. The program is also considered to be Canada’s largest showcase of innovative tech companies. One of TrustPoint’s most innovative products is their BlackSeal technology, which makes use of Near Field Communication (NFC) tags to transmit information in a way that is more secure and versatile than traditional Quick Response Codes. “Blackseal uses a NFC tag that has information on it which has been cryptographically modified. This tag can be put on products and every day objects. What makes it interesting is that these
tags can be tapped by a phone and you can tell whether the tag has been duplicated and that’s for anti-counterfeiting. Or it can take you to a URL that can provide you more information about a product or promotion,” said Sherry Shannon-Vanstone, president and CEO of TrustPoint Innovation. Blackseal tags have the ability to be turned on and off by the issuer, allowing companies to carry out time-specific promotions. By downloading the Blackseal phone app you can also verify if a NFC tag is legitimate and the source that it had been produced from.
“Waterloo certainly is a centre of innovation. In our strategic plan we outline the vision of Waterloo as consisting of two key things: discovery and entrepreneurship, which is what innovation is all about,” said Dave Jaworsky, mayor of the City of Waterloo. The City of Waterloo encourages innovation through strategic investments. These include investments such as the Accelerator Centre in the University of Waterloo that mentors new companies, and an investment in Communitech, a local hi-tech association that is starting a data-hub in Uptown Waterloo.
In our strategic plan we outline the vision of Waterloo as consisting of two key things: discovery and entrepreneurship, which is what innovation is all about, -Dave Jaworsky, mayor of the Cirty of Waterloo
find there are jobs available, if the great community they’ve fallen in love with, just as I did when I was a graduate of University of Waterloo 25 years ago, becomes a great place to live, then they’ll be here with their friends and family,” said Jaworsky. “That’s our ultimate goal.”
WORKSHOP
High school students learn about local water issues Touring the Centre for Cold Regions and Water Science SAFINA HUSEIN LEAD REPORTER
The Aquatic Science Outreach Network for the Grand workshop was hosted by Wilfrid Laurier University this past fall.
It’s a chance to see how their potential degree could apply to real world situations and to their every day lives -Scott Stevens, teacher at Woodland Christian High School
It allowed high school students from across the Waterloo Region to learn about local water issues while being able to experience hands-on work in their research laboratories. The workshop consisted of various different engaging learning experiences. High school students were first able to go through the procedure of collecting water samples from a variety of points of the Grand River near the waste water treatment
centre. The students were able to take their samples and test the local water for various samples in the appropriate scientific way, ensuring the samples weren’t contaminated. After spending time at the Grand River, the students were taken back to the Centre for Cold Regions and Water Science. At the centre, they were able to look at the high tech equipment used to analyze water samples, were taken on tours of the fish lab area and were able to speak to graduate students who explained the research they were conducting more in detail. After a short lecture from a Laurier professor, the students were able to experience a bit of their own hands-on analysis in the research laboratory. “They got to do hands-on water testing and see a very practical aspect of things that I was teaching in my class. Things that I wouldn’t have been able to do because I simply didn’t have the knowledge or equipment and go as deep as we were able to do at Laurier,” explained Scott Stevens, a teacher at Woodland Christian High School, whose students participated in one of the workshops. Gena Braun, research instrumentation technician at the Centre for Cold Regions and Water Science Analytical Facility, said
the workshops were a great way to provide the broader community with an understanding of local water issues. “What they do in their own homes and schools and what they put down the drain can end up in the river and the river provides some of our drinking water. Sometimes it’s hard to get a handle on research when it feels really big and far away, so it’s nice to give it a local spin,” said Braun.
Water has an effect on them... so being able to see real-world application of putting knowledge and experience to use, I thought was pretty cool -Scott Stevens, teacher at Woodland Christian High School
Teaching high school students about the importance of local water sources and how their actions can potentially effect drinking water also allows them to make a real-life connection to the lessons they learn in class. “Water has an effect on them,
VICTORIA PANACCI/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
we use it everyday, so being able to see real-world application of putting knowledge and experience to use, I thought was pretty cool,” said Stevens. Stevens also explained that it gave his students the opportunity to see what pursuing a degree in geography might be like in a post-secondary institution such as Laurier.
“It’s a chance to see how their potential degree could apply to real world situations and to their every day lives,” said Stevens. “It shows the local community what’s going on here and it lets us stay in touch with the community and get an idea of what high school students might be interested in or how we can capture their interests,” said Braun.
6 • NEWS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016 REMEMBRANCE
ENVIRONMENT
Sustainability recognized Laurier awarded place amongst greenest universities SAFINA HUSEIN LEAD REPORTER
Wilfrid Laurier University was recently included in The Princeton Review Guide to 361 Green Colleges. The book features the most environmental and eco-friendly colleges in North America. One of only ten Canadian institutions included in the review, the recognition demonstrates Laurier’s dedication to the environment and sustainability on campus. Claire Bennett, manager of Laurier’s Sustainability Office, said the sustainability office is particularly proud of this specific recognition as the report was completely unsolicited by the Sustainability Office. “We were not nominated, no one called for information. This was a very well-respected American group who did their own research and found us and included us in their report. We had no involvement in terms of trying to promote ourselves,” she said. Since the Laurier Sustainability Office was established in January 2010, the office has worked to show the business side and potential of sustainability in order to ensure major players at the university were fully on board. “[Sustainability] became something that absolutely provides value to the university, not only in terms of fantastic recognition, but also in terms of financial savings and our ability to be much more compliant to legislation in relation to green house emissions and waste reduction,” said Bennett. Participation from all stakeholders, including student groups, community partners and senior administrative staff has been an essential aspect to the Sustainability Office’s success throughout the past few years. “We have fantastic organizations within the Waterloo Region that we have worked with who are really putting Waterloo Region on the map. Without them we wouldn’t
PAIGE BUSH/FILE PHOTO
New bike share station is part of Laurier’s push for sustainable initiatives.
be able to be so successful,” said Bennett. The Sustainability Office’s biggest strengths are currently in waste and energy management. Laurier has implemented an industry leading waste management program — not only have other universities modelled their program similarly, but private sector employees have followed suit as well.
We have fantastic organizations within the Waterloo Region that we have worked with who are really putting Waterloo Region on the map. -Claire Bennett, manager of Laurier’s Sustainability Office
A successful program which the sustainability office hosted last year was the Residence Move-Out Program. “When students move out every year there’s an enormous amount of waste that are items that can be used again,” said Bennett. Sustainability Office also works
with Laurier Food Bank and Textbook for Change to collect items such as non-perishable food items, furniture, re-usable clothing and more from students. The program has allowed Laurier to divert thousands of pounds of waste. In regards to energy management, Laurier as recently embarked on a major initiative across all of its campuses in order to reduce energy consumption through very innovative and progressive means. “We’re looking into applications such as power storage and renewable technology. Once this is implemented full, we’re going to be considered one of the leaders in Canada. There’s no where else in Canada that has a fully functioning micro-grid application,” explained Bennett. Laurier’s sustainability was also recognized for its bike share and bike storage spaces, along with its offerings of essentially every alternate mode of transportation. Additionally, the Sustainability Office’s partnership with Young City Growers has allowed them to build an inspiring community garden. “We’re particularly proud because it’s a great social sustainability initiative as well, not just environmental, which is what we absolutely want. It’s the economic and social side as well.”
MARCO PEDRI/PHOTO EDITOR
Students gathered in quad to honour black lives lost across North America.
WLU ABS holds on-campus vigil Event in honour of lives taken by police brutality and haitian hurricane KAITLYN SEVERIN SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
On the evening of Wednesday, October 19, Wilfrid Laurier University’s Association of Black Students held a candlelit vigil to remember those who have died in Haiti and the victims of police brutality in the United States and Canada. The “Don’t Forget Their Names” vigil, which was held in the Quad on the Laurier Waterloo campus, brought together ABS members, as well as allies and various members of the Laurier community. Holding lit candles, ABS started the vigil with a moment of silence. The first part of the vigil was dedicated to the victims of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti.
After the names stop trending, we tend to forget that these are lives that are actually lost due to police brutality. -Abigail Appiahene-Afriyie, vice-president of ABS
According to BBC, as of October 7, over 400 people have died in Haiti as a result of Hurricane Matthew. After the disaster hit the Caribbean country on October 4, an estimate 1.4 million people are now in need of food assistance, according to a statement by the government of Haiti, the Haitian National Coordination for Food Security, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the United Nation’s World Food Program. The second part of the vigil was dedicated to remembering those who have died as a result of police
brutality in the United States and Canada. Members of ABS announced only some of the names of people of colour who were killed by police. Among those who were named was Brendon Glenn, an unarmed person of colour who was fatally shot on May 5, 2015 by a Los Angeles police officer. Andrew Loku, a 45-year-old father of five who was killed by Toronto police in July 2015, was also among the names announced by ABS. After Loku’s death, the activist group Black Lives Matter – Toronto went to the Toronto Police Services Board and demanded for both the police chief and mayor to apologize. “Every single day, black bodies in this city face violence,” said the group’s co-founder, Rodney Diverlus to the National Post. “Whether it’s carding, whether it’s surveillance, whether it’s physical violence, and whether it’s death. This is life and death for us.” “The vigil was created because we noticed that after the names stop trending, we tend to forget that these are lives that are actually lost due to police brutality. It almost seems like a never-ending list where it’s hard to keep up and remember their names,” said Abigail Appiahene-Afriyie, vice-president of ABS. “We also wanted to include the tragedy that occurred in Haiti with Hurricane Matthew. The country has just been through so much absolute devastation and it’s often ignored.” According to Appiahene-Afriyie, ABS hopes people can remember the names of the victims of Hurricane Matthew and police brutality, even after their stories stop going viral. “We just wanted to do something to move past all the hashtags. Often times, after things are no long viral, we tend to forget that people are continuously affected by these tragedies.”
NEWS • 7
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016 ADVOCACY
Congratulations FANI HSIEH/GRAPHICS EDITOR
Laurier to be flagged for pride? Topic has been raised on whether a pride flag should be flown on campus NATHALIE BOUCHARD CORD NEWS
A recent discussion has sparked about the lack of a presence of a pride flag on Wilfrid Laurier University’s Waterloo campus. While this topic may not be actively discussed amongst university administration or student government, the question still remains: Why there is not a pride flag on campus or if there is any interest in displaying one. A pride flag would represent Laurier’s support of the LGBTQ community as well as spread awareness on the topic of LGBTQ issues. Jai Eden, coordinator of the Centre for Women and Trans People, as well as Cassie Bray, marketing coordinator for the Rainbow Centre, were able to voice their opinions on the matter, as well as provide input on how the community would be affected. “I have never been informed about this information, neither has the Rainbow Centre … but for me, this is a good idea for inclusivity and diversity on our campus. Yes, it is a good idea but I’m not sure if this is the best idea,” said Eden. Bray also agreed that it would cause a reaction. “It’s definitely hard … to see what would happen and how everyone else would react, but I think something like that would show support, it would be very nice,” said Bray. Tyler Van Herzle, president of the Students’ Union, was also able to comment on the matter by reiterating the importance of
acceptance and diversity on our campus. “Well, there’s lots to say about this topic, about pride in general. I’m happy to say that there is a pride flag located on campus, in the Diversity and Equity Office. It actually has a Golden Hawk right in the middle of it, pretty cool,” he said.
CELEBRATE Your Convocation
With Family & Friends at Borealis
Having the flag flying on our property here at Laurier, that is absoluetly something I’m interested in.
-Tyler Van Herzele, Students’ Union President
Van Herzele was additionally able to discuss the importance of the discussion surrounding the possibility of having a pride flag flying on the Laurier property. “But aside from that, having the flag flying on our property here at Laurier, that is absolutely something I’m interested in. Laurier ironically prides itself on the fact that we create an inclusive environment for all students. I’m actually surprised we don’t have one yet. That being said, I’ve spoken [sic] with a couple people today about just seeing what is possible. Hopefully I’ll have more information … in the coming weeks.”
October 26-28, 2016 Reserve On-Line @ BorealisGrille.ca/reserve
4336 King Street East (at Sportsworld Crossing), Kitchener 519-219-9007 | BorealisGrille.ca
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 The Cord, I wanted to know what happened with the football team this weekend. What happened? Sincerely, I guess it’s not great to be a Laurier Golden Hawk after all Dear Life, When your expectations don’t meet reality. Sincerely, Why is life like this?
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016 Dear Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, If you really want people from the other faculties to stop thinking of you terribly; if you really want there to not be inter-faculty rivalries and hatred; then please stop being such assholes about the new business building. There is no good reason for so many of the rooms to be locked at all times just as there is no good reason for you to not allow bookings in the building for non LSBE related activities. Just because you tagged yourself onto job markets that are paid more than they are worth and thus allow you to get more donations does not mean you are worth more than the rest of this school. Sincerely, We hate you for a reason Dear Life, To anyone who was in any way triggered by the events that took place on October 20th, 2016 in the concourse please know that there are several people around our incredible campus who are here to
help support you and help you get through any feelings you may have towards the demonstration. I for one am one of those people and I want you to know that you are not alone and that we as a community love you. So please do not be afraid to speak up, we will all support you if you do. Sincerely, Someone who supports you Dear Life, Roses are red Harambe is in heaven George W. Bush Did 9/11 Sincerely, A boy that misses his ape Dear Life, Please stop throwing anti-choicers my way. I’ve never even had an abortion and seeing that kind of militant ignorance, especially in a place of learning, sends me into a borderline anxiety attack. I have no issue with people who do not believe that abortion is okay. All are entitled to their own values and
to come into our community and spew that kind of hate speech. Sincerely, Seething
opinions, but staging protests that use guilt tactics and skewed statistics to shame people into believing that they do not have control over their bodies (which they do) and that their choices are immoral and selfish (when they aren’t) is something I simply cannot stand for. Abortion is NOT murder, and birthing a human being should NOT be considered punishment for having sex. MY body, MY choice. Sincerely, The autonomous owner of a liberated vagina
Dear Life, THATS SO RAVEN Sincerely, Cory in the house Dear Life, The clock struck 12 — the bell rings 5 times. Sincerely, Anonymous Dear The Cord, I will make my return soon ... Sincerely, E.A.P.
Dear Life, In the past few weeks my newsfeed, dashboard, and life have been inundated with conversations about gendered violence. The last thing I needed was to come face-to-face with a demonstration trying to shame me for wanting the right to choose what happens to my body. Goodness knows men have tried to decide for me far too many times. This group is trying to take rights away from marginalised people - why are they allowed to take up the entire Quad? Why is the Students’ Union okay with this? Sincerely, Stressed-Out Survivor
Dear Cordies, Thank you for coming out and celebrating The Cord’s 90th birthday this past weekend! And thank you to those who put the event together! That poutine bar tho. That spin dip tho. That whip cream in Bryn’s beard tho. Sincerely, Cord4lyfe Dear Life, To whoever stole my cream soda, that wasn’t very creamy of you. Sincerely, So-damaged
Dear Life, How do people get away with scummy pro life abortion protests? Especially a SU funded club. Why dont we get a pro choice club? Good on those who pulled out those stupid flags. Sincerely, Someone who is frustrated to no end
Dear Life, *Successful bottle flip* Sincerely, I AM THE ONE Dear Flying Bird, I know you have hurt your wings. I know you cannot fly. I know you no longer can see out of your right eye. But I also know you did not die. Sincerely, The Raven
Dear Life, Please do something about the people co-opting your name for their cause. I sincerely doubt they actually care about the people they are hurting, and the lives they are *ruining* for the sake of pushing their misogynistic ideologies. Sincerely, Proudly pro-choice
Chère Elizabeth, Publierais-tu un message en français? Sincerely, Devine
Dear Pro-Lifers, How DARE you? You have no right
LIKE US ON
WATERLOO HALLOWEEN SUPERSTORE
BE
AL RT
N SU ST
ST EN WEORE LLORST HA SUPE
ST
W
VIE
TER
LIP ST
140 UNIVERSITY AVE W.
IL PH
IN THE MEL’S DINER PLAZA
LES
SUPERSTORE
BR
N IXO
SIT
UN
R IVE
EE
V YA
GAMES • 9
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016 SODOKU
In UpTown Waterloo, construction is a four-letter word: OPEN! It creates, builds, grows and improves. The current ION project is designed to reduce traffic congestion, limit costly road expansions and attract more people and businesses to UpTown Waterloo. And while construction is ongoing, so it will be for us. Support your local business area - over 470 reasons to live, work, learn, play and shop. It’s all here and it’s all open. WATERLOO PUBLIC SQUARE
RT
E ALB
ST.
BRIDGEPORT ST.
KING ST. REGINA ST.
WEBER ST.
#uptownOPEN www.uptownwaterloobia.com For current information about Regional construction in UpTown Waterloo, visit www.rideion.ca.
UNIVERSITY AVE.
WLU
10 •
FEATU
FEATURES EDITOR/MITCHELL CONSKY/FEATURES@THECORD.CA
Features Editor Mitchell Consky speaks with blind soccer athlete Hillary Scanlon about her love for the game.
W
hen second-year global studies student, Hillary Scanlon, was diagnosed with Nystagmus, a rare condition that involves involuntary and rapid movements of the eyes that complicates her vision, the first thing she wondered about was soccer. “In January, things started to deteriorate. I’m still not completely confident on why that is. I’ve always had visual impairment — I don’t have a retina in my right eye. I’ve always adapted and played sports,” Sanlon explained. “When I got registered with the CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the the Blind) in February of this year, that day, the first thing I was thinking to myself was, “well, what about soccer?” “What am I going to do about soccer?” So I spent the whole night researching if there was a way to play soccer with visual impairment.” Scanlon played soccer since she was four-years-old and has always had a burning passion for the game. She was recently a driving force in sighted intramural soccer over the summer, but it wasn’t until her reduced vision started interfering that she had to come to terms with an unfortunate truth: soccer was too difficult to play with her condition. Until now, there wasn’t another way for those with visual impairments to play soccer in Ontario. At the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto, Canada participated in every sport except for one: blind soccer — soccer for the visually impaired. The sport is open to athletes from different ranges of visual disability and requires much training and support to breed success. Wondering how it works? It’s a sport entirely dependent on echolocation. In other words, the players’ audio reception is the primary sense required to play. The specially designed ball is equipped with a bell, sounding like a baby rattle, so players can listen to the direction of the game and coaches
along the sidelines are expected to further instruct where the action is. Because there’s many levels of visual impairment, each player is blindfolded throughout the game. This throws every player within the same blackedout perspective as soon as the whistle is blown. This year, Scanlon will be playing on Ontario’s first blind soccer team, part of the Kitchener Soccer Club, with hopes of eventually participating in the Paralympics. “It’s actually a great sport for anyone to play, sighted, not sighted, visually impaired, because it taps into so many different senses that regular soccer doesn’t,” Scanlon said. “It’s definitely an opportunity that I didn’t think I would have.” The team is still in it’s early stages of development and is looking for more legally blind players to jump on board, but the game is encouraged to be played by anyone. “Blind soccer is a way for anybody to play the game of soccer,” said John Fearnall, a volunteer coach with the Kitchener Soccer Club who has had up to twenty years of experience coaching sports for players with special needs. Goalies are permitted to shout out prompts when the ball is in their zone, but this is done minimally to avoid disclosing positioning to the offensive players. “LEFT! RIGHT! FORWARD! BACK!” These are the common shouts echoed throughout the game. “We’re looking for more visually impaired players along with two sighted goalies,” Fearnall explained. The team is welcoming members from different ages and many levels of previous soccer experience. However, for players like Scanlon that are used to playing the sport sighted, it’s important to gain a feel for the field. At the start of each practice, players are led throughout the dimensions of the turf with blindfolding masks on — this allows them to develop an
I’m glad I didn’t have to give it up. - Hillary Scanlon internal understanding on the distancing of lines, where the opposing zone is and how much space there is before each net. Practices also entail passing around and interpreting the positioning of their teammates based on the coaching staff’s instructions. For Scanlon, the sport can be considered a beat of hope. “It means a lot to me because I didn’t have to give it up.” Scanlon is also a member of the Wilfrid Laurier University club Eye to Eye, which focuses on education and resources for visual impairment. With them, Scanlon will be conducting a Blind Soccer tournament on November 19. “It’s just an opportunity to get people out for an event for Eye to Eye,” said Scanlon. “It will be educational, breaking the stigma for why people are visually impaired and why there’s adapted sports. It’s going to be fun for everyone.” “What I really love about the game is that it’s so global and it’s so accommodating. Anybody could play it. There’s always a way to play it. There’s always a place to play it. There’s always something you could do.” For now, Scanlon will continue playing the sport she loves, with the end goal of playing on Ontario’s first blind soccer paralympic team not far out of reach.
URES
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016 • 11
WILL HUANG/CREATIVE DIRECTOR
12 •
Arts & Life
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016 ARTS & LIFE EDITOR MANJOT BHULLAR arts@thecord.ca
HALLOWEEN
Tri City Ghost Tour Waterloo: Outfront of A.R. Goudie Eventide Home
Kitchener: Joseph Schneider House
History books suggest that in the field out-front of what is now the A.R. Goudie Eventide Home, a long-term care facility, lays an unmarked graveyard where more than 260 bodies were buried from 1869 to 1907. These were folks who lived in a house of refuge that provided accommodation for those who were homeless and in need of financial assistance. Those who died there, but were not claimed by family, were buried in the lawn out front of the care facility. It was just past 9:00 p.m., but arriving at a lawn where I knew bodies were buried was unsettling, even with a strip mall and Fredrick Street just adjacent. I wondered what their stories were and why their families didn’t provide them a proper burial.
Now a popular museum, the Joseph Schneider House is the oldest, still-standing building in Kitchener, built in 1840. Apart from the restored artifacts that are arranged in the multiple buildings, the house has quite an interesting resident. The phantom seamstress can be seen working away in the upstairs bedroom and also in the attic of the house. Nestled just on the outskirts of downtown Kitchener, stepping foot on the property takes you back to the earlier days of the city and although there were other areas of the house that seemed eerie, I couldn’t take my eyes away from the small attic windows. Despite not being able to have a run-in with the seamstress, the feeling of being watched never stopped for a second. Maybe it was her, or maybe it was a neighbourhood watch.
Kitchener: Homer Watson Park This legend dates back to the Indigenous times as John Robert Colombo states in his book, Mysteries of Ontario. Legend has it, there is a spring where the “tragic deaths of an Attiwandron maiden and a Petun warrior” occurred. They met at the Oromoncto Spring and were ill-fatedly slain by the Iroquois. Steep drops and the ground being littered with slippery, wet leaves did not make it easy finding the ruins and the spring. It was far creepier navigating in the dark, and the possibility of running into any modern day forbidden lovers was all that was on my mind. Although unrecorded, there have been sightings of the young Indigenous woman crying, walking along the banks of the Grand River. If you are planning on further investigating this haunting, bring extra layers as the temperature drops significantly out of the blue.
Cambridge: Sulphur Springs Hotel Possibly the most troubling stop on our ghost tour was the Sulphur Springs Hotel, which has had numerous other names throughout the years. On the corner of King and Fountain, the typical “prestigious hotel suffering from low revenue and has to shut its doors” storyline encompasses only one of the building’s struggles throughout time. Later opened as a short lived retirement home that was abandoned, this building supposedly houses spirits that do not want the structure renovated. The sheer size of the hotel would deter anyone from venturing through its numerous floors. More than the possibility of encountering the supernatural, the possibility of encountering other explorers was unsettling. Although it had previously been easy to get into, there was now only a basement window open for entry for which an exit would be near-impossible. The grand finale of our ghost tour came to a bitter end, but perhaps in the future it may become possible to have a run in with spirits who have yet to leave the physical world.
Compiled by: Manjot Bhullar Graphics by: Andreas Patsiaouros
ARTS & LIFE • 13
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016 MOVIES
Charm witching hour with new flicks CHRIS LUCIANTONIO STAFF WRITER
As we are all long past the acceptable age for trick-or-treating, it seems nowadays the only Halloween tradition from our childhood we still get to take part in is the zealous indulgence of horror films. “We are all entitled to one good scare,” as the classic quote goes and with roaming killer clowns and the worst of elections dominating the news, horror films seem to currently be the only sure fire and safe way to indulge in the spine tingling thrill of fear. Maybe Freddy, Jason and Leatherface just don’t do it for you anymore? Well, luckily enough for you, horror seems to be the one genre Hollywood never gave up on. In case you are so inclined to spend All Hallows Eve watching movies until the sun comes up, here are some lesser known modern films to fill the witching hours.
CONTRIBUTED IMAGES
Tales of Halloween (2015) Horror-comedy is rarely, if ever, done properly, but this anthology film from last year makes up for this by being more indebted to the illusive and festive spirit of Halloween than any other film. Weaving ten tales of gory campfire stories from ten different directors into a single film, the variety and the sheer absurdity of some of its premises is what makes this film an absolute delight. Chronicling a Halloween decoration contest that evolves to bloodshed and a trick-or-treating adventure with the Devil himself, the corny writing, subpar acting and obnoxious direction are likely to stop some from enjoying it. The boundless love it has for the holiday makes up for all of this.
THEATRE
Heavy on the Salt MADELINE MCINNIS OPINION EDITOR
On one of the stops on their nationwide tour, the play Salt Baby made a stop at The Registry Theatre in Kitchener, this past weekend. It follows the journey of an Indigenous woman and her struggle to identify her ethnicity. She debates having her DNA tested, but is afraid of the result. Meanwhile, she experiences the hardships of a fair-skinned Indigenous woman with passing privilege. At the same time, she struggles with having a white boyfriend and the pressure of having Indigenous children. The turnout was very diverse. Notably, there were two Syrian women who were just learning English in attendance with their guide. For them, The Registry Theatre did something that warmed my heart — they used their data projector for subtitles. As I arrived early, I had the opportunity to explore the lobby, which was filled with art inspired by the musicians of the theatre. This was an excellent way to pass the time and it encouraged the creative thought beyond the stage. However, I was a bit disappointed with the Salt Baby play. I had some serious problems with the humour of the play, which came across as very misogynistic at times. A male actor often dressed as female characters and attempted humour of the female gender, as
well as a psychic character. There was also a joke about molestation, which got some groans of distaste from the audience. None of these jokes were motivated by the plot—it so easily could have been avoided. Even if the male actor were to play the female characters again, why make him the butt of the jokes? Why make him a stereotype, when this is what the play is telling viewers to avoid? This being said, at its core, the themes it stood for in regards to the Indigenous experience were still very strong. The play discussed identity and passing privilege. From micro-aggressions to downright racism, it was as educational as it was a dramatic performance. The character for which the play is named, Salt Baby, just wants to feel like she belongs. She doesn’t want to hide her Indigenous culture, but her skin colour makes that nearly impossible unless she vocalizes it. Another aspect of this play that I enjoyed were that all Indigenous characters (spare one part) were played by real Indigenous actors. Though they were all from the prairie provinces, the play was set around Brantford, giving this an eerily close to home feel. Overall, I’m not sure if I would recommend the play to another viewer. For me, I’m not sure if the unsettling jokes outweigh the moral messages because they are so conflicting. What I would recommend, however, is The Registry Theatre. They’re worth venturing out of the university bubble. I’ll certainly be heading back.
The Babadook (2014) Horror films have always taught us to fear the familiar and what is more familiar to us than our own parents? The Babadook expertly draws on this with its parable of desperate motherhood that turns dire once a storybook monster comes to life to terrorize her only son. Knowing that we are all tired of petty jump scares littering our horror experiences, this one works by amplifying the overall sense of tension until it consumes you fully. The Babadook becomes so effective because it draws you naturally into this mother-son relationship at the film’s centre only to rip it asunder before your eyes. It’s a harrowingly visceral watch that, more than a lot of horror films today, can get under your skin and stay there.
The Neon Demon (2016) This may be seen as an unconventional choice for a “Halloween Horror” film, but I will be damned if I would be able to find a film this year that disturbed me more and left a lasting sense of dread like this one did. A headfirst dive into the disturbing psychological underbelly of the Los Angeles fashion model scene, Neon Demon walks the line between high art and gory trash so carelessly it is no wonder the reviews were so polarizing. Nothing may jump out and scream “boo” in this film, but the way it mounts this salacious sense of menace underneath its pretty neon visuals messes with your sensibilities. If a tangible fear is what you are looking for, then Neon Demon fits the bill perfectly.
Trick R Treat (2004) A horror film solely based around one Halloween night has been a rarity since John Carpenter’s original masterwork, but this scrappy cult film proudly took up the task back in 2004. A multifaceted series of stories all revolving around the gruesome consequences once you break the age old traditions of the night in question, Trick R Treat is like Tales of Halloween without the levity. It works because, again, it just extols the holiday like no other horror film out there, gleefully finding ways to murder with candy and haunt you with jack-o-lanterns. Its premise might not be as inventive as other such anthology films, but the spirit it envelops you in is enough to make it an enjoyably experience.
14 • ARTS & LIFE
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016
CONCERTS
Busting out their classic horns KIRA GELBARD STAFF WRITER
Last Friday, Busty and the Bass graced the stage at Maxwell’s Concerts and Events as they performed their unique jazz, rap, pop, electronic musical fusion. This was not the first time the Montreal-based band stopped in Waterloo, but it was the first time their energetic sound was able to draw in a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd at Maxwell’s. Busty and the Bass has come a very long way since their beginning at McGill University. Known as the band to play at every house party, they have now transitioned to perform at music festivals such as Jazz Fest and Osheaga for upwards of 30,000 people. Each member cohesively works together as their differing musical specialty cultivates their unique sound. The band is complied of nine members: Nick Ferraro as lead
vocalist and on saxophone, Evan Crofton keyboardist and vocalist, Scott Bevins and Mike McCann on trumpet, Chris Vincent who plays the trombone, Louis Stein on guitar, Julian Trivers on drums, Eric Haynes on piano and Milo Johnson on bass. I had the opportunity to speak with bassist Milo Johnson about the band’s groovy sound for their new EP lift. “This was the first project entirely done on our own — we did the production, we recorded it at our house, we decided to keep the process under one roof, the more we work, we write, we record, the easier it is to manage that process to create our sound,” Johnson said. The band opened the concert with their hit new single “Miss Judge” and concluded it with an extraordinary trumpet solo. The energy was translating from the stage to the audience as people waved their arms, danced on their feet and sang along to the tunes,
truly embracing the vibe their energetic music emulates. Every band member jammed along with large grins on their faces as the crowd kept moving their feet. At one point, audience members even began to breakdance to the uplifting sound. The band was so impressed by the hype of the room they took a selfie with the crowd to bookmark the moment. “This was the best concert I have ever been to … I’ve never heard a sound like this … it’s just so unique. I couldn’t stop dancing and moving my feet,” said third-year Laurier student, Rachel Watson. It’s so rare a jazz-based band can appeal to a young audience. Busty and the Bass’ ability to have a large stage presence and communicate to the crowd is the key to their success. But having their exclusive, progressive sound pulls the band together to create their musical identity.
EMILIA ZIBAEI/CORD PHOTOGRAPHER
Being a part of such a large band definitely has its ups and downs, but Johnson said it’s definitely rewarding because each person is such an important piece of the puzzle. He said the key is to, “find your individual space even if it’s just for a half hour.” This concert is reminiscent of the first time I ever saw Busty and the Bass in Toronto. The comforting sound brought a sheepish grin on my face. It felt so familiar to hear their contagious sound. The only difference: the crowd was much bigger.
It’s clear their fan base is only getting bigger. They are truly the reigning kings of funk as more people are hopping on board the Busty train. Johnson has big plans for the band in the future. “[We are] starting different music projects and companies within Montreal, from a publishing arm, label arm, recording studio, so everyone has their own little area to build something.” Keep on grooving, Busty — the ‘loo will be waiting for you when you come back.
PSYCHICS
Arts & Life writer Zachary Habayeb lifts the veil on psychics and mediumship With Halloween around the corner, we are constantly bombarded with the images of spirits, ghosts and horror movies about the paranormal. To some, the idea of the supernatural is pure fiction — just folklore used to provide a quick scare to children. To others, however, it represents a way of life and a livelihood. The notion of psychics and mediums as a way to predict the future and get in contact with loved ones from beyond the grave has become prominent in society. With hit reality TV shows like Ancient Aliens, Ghost Hunters, Long Island Medium and the scary-successful Paranormal Activity series, the supernatural has moved from the fringes of society and may act as a ritualistic practice reserved for the religious and spiritual to becoming mainstream entertainment. But is it all reality TV smoke-and-mirrors and special effects? Or does the ability to connect to the spirit world beyond us exist? Seeking some insight into the world of spiritual connection and with the hope of channeling the spirits of my dead relatives, I visited Laurie Voigt, a Laurier Alumni, and Doreen Ford; both charming and charismatic psychic mediums at Beyond The Veil in Waterloo, ready to experience a perspective shift towards the paranormal. The ability to gain access to the beyond is not something one can
learn. “You spend your lifetime with this … wondering why you know things others don’t and why you see things other don’t see,” Voigt said. When attempts at dismissing her abilities to connect with the beyond proved fruitless, Voigt embraced her gift, becoming certified in Reiki, hypnosis, spiritual cleansing and mediumship, taking courses in churches and with various associations. After taking these classes, the spirits would follow Voigt home. “I’d go home with spirits and they would invade my sleep. It felt like I was losing my mind … I had to set ground rules so I could only hear one voice at a time.” Excited by this, I walked into a dimly lit room with blackout curtains to cover the windows, images of a fox and ram adorned the wall and we settled around a large round table with crystal balls and stones lining the edges.Jumping into my medium session, Ford and Voigt began with a prayer to the spirit guides, asking for their direction and protection throughout our reading, ending with a call for the white light to provide its love and protection over us. To begin, I hand over my wallet, which Ford grasps tightly. To effectively channel the energies of the person being read a personal item is needed.
“We usually do this in people’s homes surrounded by personal objects,” Voigt said. Voigt and Ford closed their eyes. The process of conjuring up spirits involved them sensing the energies around the room and asking questions about thoughts or intuitions that come into their mind. With me saying yes or no, they can tune into a present spirit like one would tune a radio. “Do you know a Richard or a Charles” Voigt asked. I did not. “I’m getting a connection to Sudbury,” Voigt continued, there was no connection; I’ve never been to Sudbury. “I’m seeing flowing veils and fabric around you.” Again, I’ve never had an association with flowing fabric. This goes on for 10 minutes with no luck. None of their intuitions managed to click with me. The radio frequency didn’t seem to be strong today. Dismayed, Voigt mentions that she’s unable to pick up on any of my energies in the rooms and the conversation moves over to their past experiences. The duo recalled a time when the owner of a failing restaurant had called them to do a spiritual cleansing of the store’s basement. “The owner was told not to remove the mirrors on the walls since they were portals to the other world
… We go in to see the mirrors on the floors and we can feel this tense energy. One of our seven person crew goes into trans-mediumship, the spirit is talking to her and starts screaming and yelling at us in a man’s voice and she goes out of control,” said Voigt. “We didn’t know what to make of her,” added Ford. They describe the energy as suffocating. “I looked over at one of the mirrors behind Doreen and there was a large carving knife that appeared on top of it out of nowhere. It felt like either that knife was going to fly into one of us, or we’d grab the knife and start stabbing each other,” Voigt recounted. Thankfully no one was hurt. We tred to continue the medium session with no luck. None of their intuitions resonated with me.Was it performance anxiety on their end? Was I just a difficult person to read? I came into the session with an open mind, ready for anything to happen. Ready to be convinced that the connection between our world and the spiritual world did exist. However, in my eyes, the evidence has yet to be seen and I remain skeptical. Paranormal experiences are very individual and though I remain open to the idea of the supernatural, I suppose I have not yet been convinced it exists.
WILL HUANG/CREATIVE DIRECTOR
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016
• 15
Editorial
OPINION EDITOR MADELINE MCINNIS opinion@thecord.ca
Constant cellphone connections are contaminating always transfer well. Looking at a more specific example, the use of Tinder is an incredibly popular way to meet a partner, whether for a relationship or for a night. So you have weeks of conversation with a potential beau, ignoring your friends, only to meet your potential mate and text your friends about them. Isn’t that counterproductive? What happens when you build an electronic connection only to meet in person? When you become infatuated with someone’s portrayal of themselves, you’re meeting a whole new person when you meet them in the physical world. You fall for a caricature, not someone’s real character. When did we start living in a culture that sends an anonymous tweet that someone was good-looking instead of actually approaching them? One of the members of our Editorial Board even developed a serious mental illness because of constant connection to the internet. It’s hard to feel like you’re good enough when you’re constantly comparing yourself to others. Even a few years ago, the way to meet people was to go to the bar and talk, making a genuine attempt to get to know a physical face, not a picture. Now? That’s the exception, no longer the rule. We think that’s kind of sad and scary. Let’s call our cellphone use what it really is: an addiction. Today, we’ve developed a culture where we have to make the choice not to use our cellphones. Our data controls us. We’re so constantly connected that hitting the power button seems scary. Though our cellphones allow us to be social and connect us to the rest of the world, they have to be used in moderation. As beneficial as they are to staying connected, we all have to be wary of having genuine connections with the people around us. At the end of the day, these real-life, genuine connections are the ones that matter.
This week, we received an anonymous “Letter to the Editor” from a student who was concerned with making meaningful relationships. This student, rather than wanting to be printed in the paper, wished to spark a discussion and highlight the dangers of our frivolous small talk. Sparked by this student’s letter, we decided the best course of action was to take the discussion to the Editorial Board. We made the assumption that a lot of these issues stem from our excessive use and connection to our electronics. In what way does our connection to our cellphones have to do with our connections to other people? In every way. Most of us got our first phone (probably some awful flip phone in a neon colour) just so we could contact our parents in case of an emergency. Boy, has that changed. We’re all guilty of looking down at our phone and completely ignoring what someone else is saying to us. Other times, we miss the context for a story and it can cause extreme reactions that are completely unwarranted, simply because we were sending a text instead of listening. It happens to the best of us, but it shouldn’t. Have you ever been in a group situation where two of the individuals are texting each other in the middle of an event? You just know they’re shit-talking someone in the room and it is anxiety-inducing for everyone else there. Most people also use their phones for work these days. Work days are no longer nine-to-five; they’re twenty-four-seven because we’re always dialed in. It becomes routine to instantly reply. Not only is that an unrealistic expectation, but it is incredibly harmful to our mental health. There’s an anxiety that comes from being disconnected. The internet does provide a way to meet extraordinary people from all walks of life all over the world. Even in this, however, the end goal is to actually meet these incredible people face to face. That doesn’t
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
Vaccinations save lives MADDY CUTTS ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
On October 14, Wilfrid Laurier University students received an email from the Office of Student Affairs informing them that the Wellness Centre was holding flu shot clinics again for another year. They’re held on various days throughout the month of November. After booking a time slot online, all you have to do is show up with your OHIP or UHIP card and receive your free vaccination. They even welcome walk-ins. What I fail to understand, given how incredibly easy Laurier and the Ontario Ministry of Health have made it for students to get vaccinated, is why so few of us get it done. Vaccines work through a technique where dead forms of a disease are introduced into the bloodstream in the hopes that your body will be able to create antibodies and subsequently be better prepared to fight the real illness should you come into contact with it. Though vaccinations only came
into existence a little over 200 years ago, large-scale immunization campaigns by governments around the world were able to quickly and efficiently disseminate the radical technology. Those early vaccinations are largely responsible for the widespread eradication of many previously prevalent and deadly diseases, such as polio, measles, or chicken pox in developed nations and even managed to globally eradicate one of the oldest diseases on earth: small pox. In developing nations, individuals are still dying by the millions due to disease, which could be avoided if they have access to vaccinations. Yet, here in Canada, we can’t be bothered to take advantage of our incredibly accessible healthcare. While some fear vaccination because of adverse health effects, with notable movements accusing them of causing autism, the argument holds no scientific basis. Rather, I believe the bigger issue when it comes to university age students not getting vaccinated is ignorance. We don’t understand the potential gravity of these diseases because we’ve grown up in a world free from the threat of deadly rampant viruses (thanks to those previously mentioned campaigns) and we don’t care to learn.
Sure, we see the epidemics breaking out overseas, such as with the recent Ebola and Zika outbreaks, but they’re still foreign incidents to which we remain removed enough to crack jokes and make online memes. With the onset of midterm season comes countless complaints of the Laurier plague, made infamous by the “Spotted” twitter account. This is, in reality, nothing more than a cyclical illness perpetuated by the student lifestyle of close quarters, little sleep, high stress and poor self-care. We may not have the option to eat perfectly balanced diets or get a full eight hours every evening, but the vast majority of us could easily get a flu shot. There are, of course, those few who either for medical reasons, allergies, or even religious beliefs cannot get inoculated – they are dependent, instead, on you, the average healthy Canadian, to take the initiative and provide for them the needed herd immunity. I can’t force you to get the flu shot. I can’t book your appointment, remind you to bring your health card to campus that day, or walk you to the Wellness Centre. I can, however, tell you that I’ve already booked my appointment and should you choose not to do the same, I better not see any fucking tweets about you getting sick.
16 •
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016
Opinion Undressing preferences OPINION EDITOR MADELINE MCINNIS opinion@thecord.ca
ANDREAS PATSIAOUROS ONLINE EDITOR
I like to think I’m a fun, outgoing guy. I’m always up to try new things and try to make the most of any experience. That’s why when I had the opportunity to go out to a strip club in Niagara Falls with two friends of mine, I thought I was ready for a new opportunity. I had actually been looking forward to the experience for a while. My first time at a strip bar was entirely different than I expected. We decided to go to Peppermints in Niagara Falls, a club with both female and male performers. As a gay guy with two straight female friends, we ventured over to the male performers to see some Magic Mike inspired action. We sat up at the stage and started to enjoy our time, when staff members approached me and said I had to move away from the front row because not all the performers were comfortable with a man sitting so close to the stage. This was a serious plot twist in how I thought my night was going to go. They were apologetic, but expressed that it was the owner’s rules and that some of the performers were “old school.” I’m assuming it’s common knowledge by now that guys and girls can both be attracted to men. So, as a male performer, you should probably expect people of all genders and many sexual orientations are going to come in for the exact same experience. I paid cover just the same as everyone else. I paid for drinks just as everyone else. They were happy
to take my money, just not to let me actually enjoy my time there in the same way that female customers could. There were a lot of excuses thrown out that night as to why I had to move. “It’s not personal, it’s the owners.” “It’s not as socially acceptable.” The phrase that was used the most is that some of the performers were “old-school.” I’ve developed a profound distaste for those words. We all know what that really means. These are men who aren’t comfortable with their sexuality and don’t want to hurt their manly, heterosexual pride. One of the male performers, arguably one that wasn’t “oldschool,” had a conversation with us. He said that I could have just sat at another table or just gone to a gay club where I can “grab and fondle them.” My friend explained that she, as a woman, would never be turned away from female performers. I know female friends who’ve paid for dances from female performers. The performer seemed to think that women going to a female strip club were more socially acceptable. So, in the end, the double-standard viewpoint is that two girls kissing isn’t necessarily gay or straight, but just for fun. But two guys together? Well that’s undeniably gay as fuck. A straight male performer immediately thinks that my eyes laying on his penis is the same thing as actually sucking it. Because that logic stands in Peppermints, it apparently justifies making me get up and sit somewhere else. It’s ironic that the stamp they mark you with when you walk in is the two gender rings linked together. It's a clear misrepresentation of what Peppermints stands for as they don’t treat male and female customers the same. I not only felt
uncomfortable with them, but with myself at that point. It was a feeling I haven’t often felt before. I’ve gone about my days feeling entitled to the same treatment as everyone else, no matter their sexual orientation or gender. That night, it occurred to me that we don’t live in a perfect world. What you may feel entitled to, others may not see in the same light. When it comes down to it, we aren’t entitled to anything that you aren’t willing to fight for when it is taken away. My friends took to Facebook to write reviews to let people know how this club treats its customers. The girls sitting across from us had left when they saw what happened. They were complete strangers, but they gave me hug, which is something I still feel so grateful for.
Irrelevant topics are being highlighted in the United States' presidential race
ERIK DANUDJAJA OPINION COLUMNIST
That night, it occurred to me that we don't live in a perfect world. What you may feel entitled to, others may not see in the same light.
I’m choosing to write about this because I want everyone to know what happened to me and why it isn’t right. When it comes down to it, for the business owners, they lost six paying customers. If you work at a strip club and don’t understand that there are no barriers between sexuality or gender, apart from the ones you make up in your head, then you are working the wrong job.
QUANTUM: THE EXHIBITION
“Will Quantum make my internet faster?” Welcome to the Quantum Revolution THEMUSEUM.ca
Personality trumps
FANI HSIEH/GRAPHICS EDITOR
DOWNTOWN KITCHENER
Looking south of the border, the first thing that comes to mind is likely the United States’ political circus in full swing. The current contest between Donald J. Trump and Hillary Clinton is making history and (spoiler alert) it’s not good history. The 2016 presidential election will go down as the election with the most disliked candidates of all time and it’s easy to see why. You likely have heard much about the antics of Republican candidate Donald Trump. So far, he has been accused of mocking a disabled reporter, sexually assaulting women, shady business practices, not paying enough taxes, inspiring Islamophobia, insensitive comments towards Mexican immigrants, advocating for killing terrorists’ families and some very inappropriate “locker room talk.” On the Democrat side, Hillary Clinton’s scandals may be slightly more hidden from the Canadian eye, but there are still plenty to discuss. Whether it is her clearly unlawful email server, donations from horrible human-rights squashing governments to the Clinton Foundation, Wikileaks uncovering speeches where she admits she has completely contradictory private and public opinions, or her ineptitude in the wake of an attack on an American embassy in Benghazi, which got four Americans killed. These scandals have defined the election. Let’s be real folks: both these candidates are awful. They are, as it appears, incompetent, corrupt, rotten human beings that should not even come close to the oval office. Lost in the mirage of this race are very important points that weren’t even being discussed in the presidential debates. There are serious concerns over the Supreme Court. Will Trump nominate judges who will regress the United States in terms of marriage equality? Will Clinton nominate judges that will assault free speech on campuses and work towards the destruction of the right
to bear arms? Why was there no discussion of how the United States will reduce the $19 trillion of debt until the moderator at the last debate forced this discussion? Is it not an issue that the interest on that debt is set the triple over the next decade? The Heritage Foundation estimates that by 2026, the U.S. government will spend as much as $719 billion dollars a year just paying interest on the debt. Yet, the candidates squabble about the merits or demerits of a border wall with a cost of $10-20 billion. Is it not an issue that Clinton wants to extend the economic policies of Mr. Obama — policies that gave the United States the weakest economic recovery since the Great Depression. Neither candidate mentions that the United States has $1.6 million less breadwinner jobs than when Bill Clinton left office 16 years ago — a pathetic record under both Republican and Democratic administrations. Seemingly in the background is Trump’s plan to repeal NAFTA. For anyone with even a basic grasp of economics, this will be a net negative for all parties involved. Similarly, a forgotten issue is the economic effects of Clinton’s tax plan. According to the Tax Foundation, her plan would reduce GDP growth by 1 per cent, wages by 0.8 per cent and in no way pays for her spending increases (let alone the mounting of debt looming over the next administration). Military and political aggression from Russia. Refugee crisis in the Middle East. Failing schools. Crumbling infrastructure. A nonsensical health system. The retirement of baby boomers that will wreak havoc on government budgets. The list goes on for poorly omitted topics. At this point, it’s too late for real policy discussions, sound candidates and maybe even a little bit of logic and reason. As Canadians, we watch breathless as the circus rolls on. It’s a daunting lesson. In our next elections — provincial, general, or otherwise — we must be sober and thoughtful when we go to the ballot box. We mustn’t allow ourselves to be faced with an election like our neighbours to the south, placing policy behind personality.
OPINION • 17
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016
CHASING DEATH When we grab the bull by the horns and face our morality, we make ourselves feel alive CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
MICTHELL CONSKY FEATURES EDITOR
Bull riding is one of the most dangerous sports known to man. It ain’t your typical rodeo — it’s an eight-second quest of spine-snapping, head-gashing, bone-rattling, body-paralyzing cowboy-mayhem. It’s not a matter of if these riders get hurt, it’s a matter of when they do. Injury is inevitable. So why would any level-headed buckaroo be so bold to try it? Why would they saddle up on a demonic monster for eight seconds and risk their lives for nothing but the roar of the crowd and the thrill of the moment? If you told me it’s because of the money, I’d tell you to eat shit and slam a thousand dollars on black at the roulette table — but a human life is typically worth a little more of a gamble. Why would a 160-pound man get on a 1000-pound (or more) untamed, horned, merciless beast
for eight seconds of body-jolting, skull-quaking anarchy? It’s sure as hell not just for the money. It’s not even only for the glory. There’s a deeper, more complex, more fucked-up obsession behind it—the same obsession that causes artists to spend countless isolated years pouring themselves over their craft and wars to be fought because of the threat of clashing beliefs. We’re looking at a societal obsession with immortality. An obsession so great, we’re willing to die for it. We are mortified by the thought of dying. So terrified that, in desperate attempts to conquer the ticking clock of our lives, we urgently try to insert our essence into the same world that we will eventually, inevitably leave behind. Sound like a load of philosophical bullshit? Sure, we know our bodies will eventually be underground. It’s how we present ourselves and interact beyond this internal knowledge that questions the essence of our external identities — identities we desperately attempt to immortalize in the eyes of the public. It’s the pursuit of our impending legacies that makes us feel ground-
ed within our physical world. Sometimes these legacies come in the form of branding our names on a university building and sometimes it means holding on for dear life as a fucking bull attempts to skewer you with its 40-inch horns. Take your pick. But what’s the problem with our obsession to leave our legacy, to immortalize our identities? Sometimes it’s taken too far. Sometimes when we are so desperate to leave our legacy, to build ourselves up as perfect humans, to make history, we are hiding our vulnerabilities, hiding our imperfections and making the world we know a much colder place. But worse than becoming inauthentic, while we are reaching for fame and fortune, popularity and glory, we are throwing ourselves in harm’s way. Ironically, because we fear death so greatly, we try to stare it in the face. We take death out on a date and get way too close. This is an unhealthy relationship — I hear the guy’s a cheap-fuck who won’t pay for your meal. This isn’t about feeling invincible. It’s about feeling fragile and being scared shitless by it. So scared that we must prove our
resilience to danger at all costs. We’re so tormented by our fragility that we spend every waking hour convincing the world that we’re more than flesh and bones. Simply put, we’re all a bunch of bull riders. We’ll risk everything to convince ourselves and everyone we know that we’re worth something. For many of us, that’s our only goal. We hang on to society as it viciously thrusts us around in countless directions, telling us how to look, how to communicate and even what to believe. My greatest fear has always been leaving this world misunderstood and of dying with all my thoughts and memories. That’s where writing comes in for me; the one reassurance I’ve always had is that words don’t die. Words are the only anchor I’ve got, securing my existence to the ground, preventing me from drifting away and becoming forgotten. Without the risk of head trauma, writing is the bull I ride, the jarring legacy I hope to leave behind and the moments of exhilaration before I fall on my ass. Leaving our legacy is one thing, devoting our existence to the pursuit is another. We wake up each day and try to
make another dollar, meet another person, achieve another goal. Through these strenuous routines of making a name for ourselves, we are forgetting a core principle in our own humanity: we are good enough. I know, it’s a hard pill to swallow when every Instagram post and history textbook would tell you otherwise. The very system of our evolution would say the opposite. We needed to develop and progress in order to exist today. But take a second and repeat the following words: “you are good enough.” I’m not saying you don’t need to work to improve your life. I’m saying that constantly striving for excellence and proving yourself worthy is an unhealthy manner in which to live. There’s goodness in every life that does not need to be earned. There’s joy that does not need to be granted by public approval. There’s acceptance that doesn’t need to be won through glory. We can still fight to be great, but we must understand that there’s more to life than greatness. Don’t let go of the bull, but don’t let the ride define you.
throw out a bunch of adjectives, passions and interests to fill in the blanks, but I never feel satisfied that I have truly painted a picture of who I am because my identity is relative. A year ago, I came to the conclusion that my failure can define who I am, due to the fact that, “I am not even who I am yet.” I love that quote. This is my go-to line if you should ever ask me who I am. For me, and many other diasporic bodies, it is a constant struggle. It is a struggle to assert yourself in a new land that you have not spent years getting to know, a place where you don’t have the same memories as your friends. You belong somewhere else. Where is that somewhere else? Home. It is often said that it takes
the absence of some things to appreciate others. For the diaspora, it could not be more true. It often takes moving away from a place to really pick up on the things that you like about it, so you try hard to recreate these things in what you eat, how you dress, the music you listen to and even the friends you choose. It might even feel like a form of resistance being done at the expense of the host country. With this sort of migration and engagement, there comes with it a disarray for those who ever make a “return to the homeland” journey. When we go back to our countries of origin, who are we? When I visited my homeland a few months after I left, I was convinced it had changed. Home went on without me and I
made a home in Canada. The people at home did not feel as though a lot had changed. How do we belong to a home that we left? Simple: we don’t. It is still home, we still feel a sense of duty and loyalty to it, but we can never truly belong like those who never left. The same is true for when you migrate elsewhere. You don’t belong in the same way that others do. So, as a diasporic body, understand that my identity is not as clear-cut as others would make it seem. The next time you ask a person who they are, if you really want to know, be more specific about the answer that you are looking for. An identity cannot be defined in just three words or a 30 second advertisement.
Identity tug-of-war ABIGAIL BARRETT STAFF WRITER
Migrating to Canada from a tropical, third-world country, in my first-year of university, I found myself in what some would call a mid-identity crisis. Whenever it came up that I was not Canadian or that I didn’t know how to skate or ski, there was always one lingering question: where was I from? For me, however, my identity is a lot more than what I can and can’t do and even more than where I’m from. As I sat and listened to my professor explore the meaning of diaspora and the loss of a homeland, I was moved by how much history, culture and places mattered when we think of our identity and how it outstretches the boundaries of nationalism. Something I have always struggled with was defining who I was. I remember vividly one time in middle school when I was moved to a new class and my first task was on a sheet of paper to answer the question: who am I?
I must have taken the entire three periods to complete the assignment and all my classmates stared in perplexity wondering why the Hell the new girl was taking so long. I was in tears before the teacher tended to me. All I had written was: My name is Abigail Barrett. I am in grade 3C. More than ten years later, even though I’m not physically in tears, MEAGHAN INCE/CORD GRAPHICS
When I visited my homeland a few months after I left, I was convinced it had changed. Home went on without me and I made a home in Canada.
there is still an overwhelming feeling when I am asked to describe myself or find myself with that very famous interview question, “without using your name, tell me who you are.” I have now acquired enough knowledge and experience to
18 •
Sports
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016 SPORTS EDITOR ROB FIFIELD sports@thecord.ca
WOMEN’S SOCCER
The Golden Hawks fall short ROB FIFIELD SPORTS EDITOR
On a rainy Thursday evening at University Stadium, the Laurier women’s soccer team suited up to face the McMaster Marauders. This one had a steady pace early on, with both teams exchanging possession of the ball. At the 29th minute, the Marauders struck first as they rushed down the far side of the field and managed a score on a high shot over the head of Laurier goalkeeper, Ashley Almeida. The Golden Hawks managed to gain some momentum near the end of the half when they had a corner kick and a chance in close, but the McMaster goalkeeper continued to stand tall and keep the Marauder’s up 1-0 as the teams broke for half. Laurier had a quick start to the second half, until the 48th minute when a Marauder attacker was able to sneak through the Laurier defence and gave herself a breakaway. The initial shot was turned aside by the Laurier keeper, but the Marauders forward was able to pick up her own rebound and head it into the back of the Laurier net. The Marauders then had a two goal lead with 42 minutes remaining in the match. McMaster had gained the momentum and continued to attack. At the 58-minute mark, Laurier keeper, Ashley Almeida, made a beautiful jumping save off a
PAIGE BUSH/PHOTO EDITOR
McMaster corner, kick bailing her team on a play that looked to be almost a sure goal with three McMaster players around the ball and a Laurier defender no where to be found. Ten minutes later at the 68-minute mark, a Marauders player was given a yellow card after she came too close and intentionally blocked a Laurier free kick that was awarded from an aggressive tackle.
The Golden Hawks struggled in this one, getting the net on goal as it seemed that every opportunity they had to take a shot on net the ball ended up going wide of the McMaster goal. At the 72nd minute, Katie Bishop showed the rest of the team how it was done as she took a long shot from 35-yards out that hit the post and rolled on the line before crossing the goal line and giving
the Golden Hawks their first score of the game with just under 20 minutes to play. The goal seemed to give the Golden Hawks new life as they gained the momentum and began to press for the equalizer in the final 10 minutes of this one. The Hawks couldn’t seem to get any quality chances towards the goal and ended up dropping the contest 2-1.
MEN’S HOCKEY
Familiar faces meet again ROB FIFIELD SPORTS EDITOR
On Friday evening, The Laurier Golden Hawks travelled down the road in hopes of defeating their playoff rivals from a year ago, The Western Mustangs. The Mustangs controlled the pace early on in this one as they hemmed the Golden Hawks into their own end and the Golden Hawks ended up taking an early penalty as a result. Two minutes had elapsed and the Golden Hawks continued their streak and were 12 for 12 on the penalty kill so far this season. With just under five minutes left in the first period, the Golden Hawks headed to the power play, as Western’s Andrew Goldberg earned himself a hooking penalty. The Mustangs were also able to kill their penalty and this one was 0-0 at the first intermission. The Mustangs came out strong, once again, to start the period, but Golden Hawks goaltender, Colin Furlong, was able to shut the door
on two great saves to keep the Mustangs off the board. “Furlong has been generally really consistent for us this year, it’s been good. Whenever we gave up turnovers, Western was able to generate some scoring chance and he’s been solid,” said head coach, Greg Puhalski. Western’s Mitchell Fitzmorris was given a two-minute high sticking penalty at the 11-minute mark and the Golden Hawks were back on the power play and in search of this game’s first goal. On a bit of a sloppier power play, both teams exchanged chances but the score was still 0-0 with nine minutes to play in the second frame. With five minutes to play in the second period, Laurier’s captain, Kyle Morrison, was given a minor penalty for slashing and the Mustangs were back to the power play. Only 30 seconds later, Mustangs forward, Rylan Bectehl was awarded two penalty minutes of his own and was ejected from this contest for hitting to the head.
Laurier had a handful of great chances later on, but the Mustangs turned them aside and the game remained scoreless heading into the second intermission. The third period got underway and both of these teams were in search of the game’s first goal.
Whenever we gave up turnovers, Western was able to generate some scoring chance and [Furlong’s] been solid. -Greg Puhalski, head coach
Only three minutes into the third period, the Western Mustangs were headed back to the box. This time the Golden Hawks
power play clicked and Danny Hanlon was able to bury a rebound just before the net was knocked off and the Golden Hawks were ahead 1-0. Only a minute later and Western’s Spenser Cobbold was able to get the goal back, resulting in the Mustangs being able to even up the score at one a piece. With just over 12 minutes left in the period, Western was able to get another goal and grab their first lead of the game, as Connor Chartier managed to find the back of the net for the Mustangs. Laurier forward, Will Cook was given a 2-minute penalty on a soft slashing call, while he was pressuring the Mustangs’ defence as they tried to escape their own end. Laurier was once again able to kill off another penalty. With six minutes left in the game, Derek Shoenmakers looked to be on a break away but the play was whistled down, as the stretch pass through the air was offside by a matter of inches. Just moments after the ensuing
draw, Western goaltender, Greg Dodds made an incredible glove save as he flashed the leather and kept the Mustangs up by a goal. With two minutes left, on a beautiful passing play, Morrison fired the puck on net, but Dodds was able to make the diving stop with his head. With one minute left in the game, Laurier goalkeeper Colin Furlong made his way to the bench and the extra attacker jumped on for the Golden Hawks. With 18 seconds left in the game, coach Puhalski called a timeout to rest the players for the final push to try and tie the game. The extra attacker was not enough and the Western Mustangs skated away with a 2-1 victory at home, defeating the Golden Hawks once again. “It wasn’t our best it wasn’t our worst. Our energy was good. We just turned the puck over too much but other then that it was a pretty good road game,” Puhalski said. “Nobody likes losing so we just have to move on to the next game.”
SPORTS • 19
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016 PROFILE
Flockhart, the golf sensation PRANAV DESAI CORD SPORTS
ALEX TRKULJA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
It would be an understatement to say that Eric Flockhart has been on fire this season. After winning a remarkable three consecutive gold medals, Flockhart was recognized as the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Peak Performer on October 12, 2016. “I started playing golf from pretty much the time that I could walk,” Flockhart said. Golf has always been in Flockhart’s blood, as his father and cousin were both professional golfers. Growing up in Mississauga, Flockhart was born a natural athlete. Although he was adept at a multitude of sports, he developed a passion for golf from the time he started participating in tournaments at age nine. “I played a ton of sports growing up. My main sport was baseball for a long time, but after I started playing in tournaments, I decided to take golf more seriously,” he said. Coming out of high school, Flockhart went to a Division 1 school called Mount St. Mary’s, in Maryland. However, after the golf team didn’t receive enough
funding, it was time for Flockhart to come home. “I had a few options in the U.S., but ultimately it made more sense to come home,” Flockhart said.
I worked really hard on my game all summer and after having some success in the summer, just transitioned that work ethic into the fall. -Eric Flockhart, Laurier golf
“Even before I went to U.S., I applied to Canadian schools and after receiving interest from multiple schools, Laurier was my top choice.” Flockhart credits his success this season to his hard work. “I worked really hard on my game all summer and after having some success in the summer, I just transitioned that work ethic into the fall,” said Flockhart. The hard work paid off, as the Mississauga native finished with a
3-under par 140 in route to a first place finish at the Waterloo Invitational earlier this month. He followed that up with another first place finish at the Guelph Invitational after shooting a 1-under par 69. He topped off a magnificent run with a third straight gold medal at the Toronto Invitational. His efforts were rewarded as he was named Laurier’s Athlete of the Week on October 11, 2016. When asked about his future, Flockhart is looking forward to completing his education before he pursues a career in golf. “My plan is to do a master’s degree next year and once I’m done that I’ll definitely consider turning pro,” said the 21-year-old. When asked to comment on his gold medal streak this season, Flockhart said it’s great to represent Laurier at such a high level. “I’ve never really won anything. I’ve had a lot of second and third place finishes in my life, but I just somehow have never been able to break through to get a victory. It’s nice to see my hard work paying off and it’s great to bring a little more recognition to our golf team.” After this run of form, it would be anything but a suprise to see Flockhart continue this success.
20 • SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016
FOOTBALL
Hawks end 7-1 DANIEL JOHNSON STAFF WRITER
The Golden Hawks faced off against the Windsor Lancers in a one sided endeavour favouring the Hawks 38-9 this past weekend in Windsor. This effort puts them at 7-1 and they are now the second seed in the OUA. “With the win we’ve ensured ourselves a bye, so that’s what we went in to do. We played a fairly good game in all three phases and came away with the win,” said head coach, Michael Faulds. Their victorious regular season allows them a well-earned week off to rest and get ready for their semi-final game on November 5. “It’s going to help some of the guys that have little small injuries here and there, to get them as close to 100 per cent for November 5. But it’s also nice just as a whole to be able to kind of fine tune some things this week in practice and in meetings,” Faulds said. The team was playing well coming off a three game winning streak as they enter the playoffs. Their momentum and intensity has been increasing each week, but in the thrill of victory, perspective is needed to focus the team. “The post season is kind of its own season. So everything we’ve done up to this point doesn’t guarantee that were going to play
well in the OUA semi-finial game,” Faulds said. The competition in their upcoming game will be no pushover and the team knows it. “In meetings, today we expressed to the guys that whoever we face … it’s going to be a really quality opponent that’s going to come in here guns blazing and try to win that football game. So we know we’re going to have two good weeks of preparation. Get healthy and play a really clean football game for us to have a chance to play for a Yates Cup the following week.” Part of the reason for the team’s recent success can be attributed to Michael Knevel. The team made the change to spark the passing game and cut down on turnovers. Since week three, this change has resulted in 1413-yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions. This production in the passing game adds another wrinkle to the offence, one that the defence now has to plan for. They can no longer stuff the box and stop the run when Knevel can throw deep strikes to his wide outs. Knevel’s ability to read the blitz and know he has-one-on one matchups that were showcased against Windsor. Laurier was backed up in their own end and Windsor sent the pressure, which Knevel made them pay for as a result.
PAIGE BUSH/PHOTO EDITOR
“On our own one-yard line and Michael threw a great ball to the outside shoulder of Brentyn. He made a great catch, getting one foot in bounds. And that kind of got us out of the shadow of our own goal post and gave us some breathing room,” Faulds said about the big play. In football, the nice weather of the early weeks flutters away in exchange for high winds and dropping temperatures. This is why staples of championship teams have long been stout rushing attacks and punishing defence. “Most definitely, we do play a brand of football that is well suited for inclement weather that is very common to this part of the world this time of the year. You can run the football and you can play stout defence and that’s really good,”
Faulds said about the weather conditions anticipated for playoffs. The Golden Hawks were playing fast and loose, but at times, the team was toeing the line between passion and recklessness. Faulds knew this and addressed it by calling a timeout. “I felt the game was getting a little out of hand. In total, we committed 18 penalties, which is just far too many. Some, we thought, were warranted. Some, we felt, weren’t, but the message to the guys there when we called the timeout is: we just got to clean things up.” Faulds said. When a team has to use a timeout for something like this, it shows how important the message was. That timeout could be valuable later, but in a blow out game, it’s better to settle your players down
and refocus the team. “That’s the message going into the playoffs. We can’t ever win a football game when we have 18 penalties from here on out. So we’ve got to clean things out,” Faulds said. The team will go into the semi-final game prepared both mentally and physically. Although their opponent is unknown, one thing is for sure. Everything they have accomplished so far pales in comparison to the task at hand. “It doesn’t matter the opponent,” Faulds said. “It’s going to be a really good challenge for us … even though we’re 7-1 and we have this nice bye week, it really means nothing at this point. We’ve got to really prepare this week. We’ve got to get healthy and have our best two weeks of practice.”
MEN’S SOCCER
McMaster edges the Golden Hawks ROB FIFIELD SPORTS EDITOR
After the women’s soccer game wrapped up, it was time for the men to take the pitch as they were set to host the McMaster Marauders, as well. In the 10th minute, OUA leading goal scorer, Niklas Bauer, was given a red card and subsequently ejected for kicking one of the Maruaders players in the head as he fell to the ground on the McMaster goal line. The Marauder’s defender was clearly displeased by the late kick and quickly threw a punch while Bauer was on the ground, but only received a yellow card for his misconduct. This caused a stir from the rest of the team, who were more than upset at the referee’s judgement on this sequence. Head coach Mario Halapir was also annoyed that his team has been on the short end of more than a few calls so far this season. “Being down a man, we’re fucking down a man for 87 minutes of that game. This is a third place game that we’re playing for and you want to give the kids a proper chance to compete for that. When you have refereeing, this isn’t the first time, this is the fourth time this year that we’ve had a game taken away from us by referees.
MARCO PEDRI/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
It’s disgusting and shocking. I just don’t see referees capable of doing this level of game. It just shouldn’t be allowed,” Halapir said. In the 21st minute, the Marauders had a great chance as they chipped the ball behind the Laurier keeper, Rocco Strazzella, but a Laurier defender was able to get back and chip the ball out of the air right before it crossed the goal line to keep this one a scoreless draw. In the 31st minute, a beautiful
chip shot got over the Marauders goalkeeper’s head and a Laurier striker was there to tap it home and give the Golden Hawks a 1-0 lead. In the 33rd minute, the Marauders answered right back as they ripped a shot past the Laurier keeper. Halapir was visibly displeased by the missed hand ball from the referee and kicked some pylons onto the pitch after the goal. The referee spoke to Halapir, but noth-
ing further was to come of it. The game went into the half a 1-1 tie. The Marauders were pressured after the break and hemmed Laurier into their own half as the Golden Hawks couldn’t get anything going. It started to look like being down a man for almost the entire game was beginning to catch up with the Golden Hawks. At the 64th minute, the Marauders were able to convert on a
beautiful cross and one touch goal that gave the Marauders a 2-1 lead. At the 78th minute, the Marauders had a partial break and the Laurier goalkeeper made an incredible jumping save to keep the deficit to only one. In the 83rd minute, Laurier conceded another goal after from another nice cross in the box that managed to beat the Laurier goalkeeper. Laurier was unable to come back and dropped this crucial third place match 2-1 to the Mauraders.. “I’m proud of them. There’s not much else you can say. We work so hard to take anything away from our guys for working as hard as they did. I don’t want to do that. We made some crucial errors even though we were down a man, but we made some crucial errors and all of our hard work almost went to waste, but I give every one of our guy’s credit for the way they competed out there,” Halapir said. Halapir finally reflected on the game by saying, “We’ve got to pick up our heads. This game is done like every other game we’ve played before. It’s disappointing, but we have to move on.” The Golden Hawks playoffs begin tonight as they host the Western Mustangs at University Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. as the two sides battle it out under the lights.