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INSIDE>>
NEWS: College strike update // PAGE 5 SPORTS: Wrestling at McMaster // PAGE 24-25 ARTS & CULTURE: Destigmatizing mental health in the Muslim community // PAGE 20-21
The Silhouette Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017
HSR U KIDDING ME? WHAT ’S THE DEAL W ITH HSR? PAGE 3
23 BUSES CANCELLED EVERY DAY ON AVERAGE IN OCTOBER 1400 TO 1600 HOURS OF MISSED SERVICE IN OCTOBER 2017-2018 $187.67 IN FEES TWO YEARS AGO $138.65
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Volume 88, Issue 12 Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 McMaster University’s Student Newspaper
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EDITORIAL BOARD editor-in-chief | thesil@thesil.ca Shane Madill @shanemadill digital media specialist | dms@msu.mcmaster.ca Aaron de Jesus managing editor | managing@thesil.ca Rachel Katz production editor | production@thesil.ca Catherine Tarasyuk online editor | online@thesil.ca Haley Greene sections
Sasha Dhesi news reporter Cassidy Bereskin news@thesil.ca news editor
Emily O’Rourke
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features@thesil.ca
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Reem Sheet opinion@thesil.ca Justin Parker Jessica Carmichael sports@thesil.ca
sports editor sports reporter
& culture editor Daniel Arauz arts & culture reporter Razan Samara aandc@thesil.ca arts
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Madeline Neumann Kyle West production coordinator Grant Holt production coordinator Timothy Law production@thesil.ca photo editor
photo reporter
Yvonne Lu social media coordinator Jaime Cook online content coordinator Susie Ellis online@thesil.ca video editor
COVER PHOTO Madeline Neumann
{((Master Heads Isk For Increase i, Arts Holdings
Will Students Ride Cheaper? City Council To Decide Soon by M ike Johnstone
While books are disappearing from ■Master’s libraries a t an ever-inis rate, university o fficia ls are ;rned *1 (^e need fo r a vastly ,,ed store o f books. E. T. Salmon, principal o f .ersity College, said in his unreport. ‘The building u p o f libholdings. so it seems to me, iould have priority over everything ice-even over recruitment of staff, ace it is certain that good sta ff can ■cruited and retained only if the nractian of an outstanding library
Dr. H. E. Petch, director o f refireh, in his review o f last year's c:>ities, said, “On the A rts side, herecan be no question but that the -iding need is for a greatly exided library. The library will be be vital factor in an expanded proand its resources must therefore c built tip immediately to the point •here it ran adequately serve faculty rj graduate student research as w ell . undergraduate needs.” Dr. Salmon emphasized in his rern the increasing num ber o f grad i e n t s expected in arts, as -ot departments offer M.A. work ^departments begin to offer P h .D .
T H IS IS T H E W A Y W E G O TO SC H O O L . . . Bus D river scowls as tw o p o o r M cM aster students forfeit their last wordly pennies and embark o n a perilous journey w ith the H am ilton Street Railway. Students’ C o u n cil is attem pting to obtain fare reductions . . . or should that be F A IR reductions. photo by C alam ai
A lth o u g h m ild w eather tried to people involved in the activities. I been better organized. I would like c q ^ i o r the resources o f th e j row n jn s]ush, the first M cM aster think it was a pretty good showing to see the dance on Saturday in a -»---- u — u~ it an annual location m mArft fittincr to to the th e dance. dance. well received and* this should make ore fitting -to be expanded enorm ously w in te r C arn iv al event A lso I would like to see the choice M y||fous and first class g rad - b y th e stu d en t body. of the Snow Queen put to a student JackN DBrown, honours com m erce IV, ^ ’ 1 1 7 W 1 1 , HV_riiVJt.no np« .£ T A S ilhouette poll, tak en this week work is to be produced in our pleased with the weekend and vote. T he rest of it I liked fo u n d students sym pathetic to the was ^ Hnp OnecpmnrI secondvf»ar yearstllden student also had Jepartments”. p roblem s presented by the w eather his faculty. a com m ent concerning the Snow present the Mills M em o rial a n d in general by th e undertaking. think that ;t was well organized contest. .—eo rg e Faw cett, a first y ear science »*_a.and *. « we]1 iwor _________ c—firc-t winter G run cnpnri1 for our first “I think that since the Snow ------ =■___ y has a stack capacity o f 133,ooks and periodicals and is al- stu d e n t, expressed enthusiasm tow ards carnival and j was especially happy * c^ l n on ~Thureda~v ' it to see how well the com m erce depart- ^ " uhave been announced on h“ rsday’ * th e carn iv al. should so she lull. The o p e n in g o f the new th o u g h t it w as quite good al- ~ gnt djd could have reigned over the w hole ion to it will m ore th an d o u b le th o u g h th e w eather w as unfortunate. T h e dances drew ITnxed com m ents w eekend.” .apacity. I t w as a good idea to get so m any On the w h ole it was felt the D an ce M ike V an Every, Students’ Council on Saturday night w as a success treasurer, gave a tentative rep o rt on w hile that on Friday was to o high fjnia,n cia] success of the weekend alcoholic content which spoiled it “We were $260 below the expected revenue on the dances. W e estitoo som e degree. Brock Colby, H um anities I, felt m ated $1000 income on the Saturday this way. night dance but got less th an th at, “ 1 thought the dance on Saturday ow ever we nay H Mowevei wc made nmuc it u up to som e degree w on Friday ... night when night was great,” he com m ented, enieu, but uui gICC ........... .... we esti-
hgineers B all A t Brant Inn
htertainment A t H alftime
dance on Friday night stunk beIcMuter's engineers will leave th e R epresentatives from the engineei- the-------------ause f the drunks. I w ouldn't take FRS and join the ladies as they ing societies o f o th er universities cause oof the drunks girl I •respected -------- to a dance like that.” out to their annual E ngineers also be present. 1 com — ~ mAended &A r»pr M r. C olby also G erWat the Brant Inn next F rid ay . -yyc ^av e already received an acry T okaruk on the work he■1 had put 1_ >karuK on m e » » * The ---------week“Wv Begg a local band le ad e r cep tan ce from M cG ill U niversity, CQn {he provide the sounds fo r the oc- added M r. N avin. “ It is the custom into the organization o and added: S the tickets to which co st $3.00 o f E ngineering societies to reciprocate env, — attem pt IOU ailciiijn. ^ are available from m em bers c f in vitations to dances. If you w ant a w hO ole it w as year a goo t student ne first hum anities ticket to » dance a t LfBC we can had this to say: “ I thought the dance : tngmeering Society. on Friday was h o r r ib le - a ll sorts o f Oancing will be from 8:30 pm till get you o n e.” raucous screeching grade ten level tm. During the interm ission enm usic with gobs o f heaving, sw eating inent will be provided by som e ^ engineers. bodies clum ping around.” T he hockey games w ere well a t ' “ aren't sure yet just w hat the tended. It was felt that they w ere a ‘inmem will be,” said Frank good expression o f school spirit, r a^member of the Society E xBeth V ernon, another first year e. “but we will come up with science student, felt this way. im8 pretty striking as usual." I thought the hockeyT.gam cHH H|w atronage In the interest o f public discussion, --- e- on F ri0£ dance is unaer under cne the ppatronage of ti^ ^ R P K K le , D ean H odgins fo u r students (it is h oped) will debate: i .................. p e e r i n g departm ent,’ ~ »h«t S tudents’ C ouncil day night inhibitions was terrific.o fIt school was one of spirit • ,]... aep an m cn t. D r. ‘ R esolved th a t session th? best exhibitions w e’ve had this year. W .th m ore ^cor j W k o t t t e physics d ep artm en t Should be A bo is ■ W ent- wc ve l,au ‘" ‘fu V i ’m sure the carW t a McCallion. d ire cto r » J t W r . l f W“ o p m .j" , ^ ' Z i n « » » , o f the nival will become a m am w o rth H ouse m en’s lounge. “nsicrn.
Editor-in-Chief (905) 525-9140, ext 22052 Main Office (905) 525-9140, ext 27117 Advertising ccpc@mcmaster.ca 8,000 circulation published by the
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m ated an attendance o f 400 people and got 800. It looks like people w ant m ore buttery dances— m ore 25 cent ers On the success o f the weekend in ' general Mr. V an Every com m ented: ..jt was a trem endous success. T hose who went are telling those w ho didn’t t.
Ten Year Projection Shows 8000 Students, More Land
B y 1 9 7 0 M cM aster w ill have alm ost 8 0 0 0 d ay students, a m ed ical sch o o l and buildings stretching into current R o y a l B otan ical G a r d e n s . p r 0 p e r t y. r r
This is the prediction o f the p resident’s report for 1 9 6 1 -6 2 , published recently. D ouble In Five Y ears Projected enrollm ent figures show that day students’ enrollm ent will double the present enrollm ent of 2300 students by the 1967-68 session and will m ore than triple by the 1970-71 session. M eanwhile, extension enrollm ent is expected to rise from the current 2,expccicu i«j u s t l. u , 000 to alfnost 6,000. T his implies there will be a total Mr. Van Every was also pleased at the showing m ade by the com m erce faculty. “ Y ou m ight notice that com m erce is the sm allest faculty. W e might be |ow Gn num bers but were high on
how m uch they m isled. T his is a thing th at will have to be built u p y ear by Sp' r“ ' year just like M aroon and G rey .” See also pictures '
Page three ’ r d se inree,
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SC Necessary? Debate To Decide
T h e debate has been arranged by the D eb atin g Society. “ W e w ish to em phasize th a t just because w e a re a rran g in g the debate does n o t m ean w e a s a club su p p o rt o ne side o r th e o th e r o f the questio n ,” said society president Jim King-ham. “T h e d eb a te will be strictly d"'r-htaver voters fell all over ■ . -------.„ w ;lh n o a ijx v u , ____ people o r th eir « In Con T : ,0,.a .t (tn r* o n the theoretical toaspects ladiSHPOdldates n J ’ sPecific references to peopl
ye a r.” g Df, Sutton felt the weekend compared favourably to the one held sim ultaneously at the U o f T “I spent half m y tim e a t M a c s w inter carnival and half at T oronto s. O urs w as just as well organized i n o t better. In the com petition here the kids did )t in fun but in T oronto r i— ' j *'-* — — u„r,> rom netition— it was a sort o f barbaric com petitionbraw ls all o v er the place.” H istory and Eng-
c"8w4 Were to a d d re ss . specta.. S upporting the resolution will be Peter r ? Were on h and. D avid H itchcock, N F C U S C hairm an ; for the e|nc'J’ was an elegible an d actin8 i u n io r president, and Brian in question. po ole. • havp the outr y w! « l v , "cancelled” said chairm an -‘W e h° Ping l° h a v e .,the o u !' up the haii f ggoing °m g and in com ing council presid. een <»■&“ ■■■■; the resolution, but nI ®eeti0g non" n ts ddeu e b aaic te against the hall fo r the th e nonents — cost the students’ students’ they they have not definitely ag
L arry Scholes I f com m en,ed : „T hc sclllp(l,nng was great. T he C arnivaI should be m ade an annual affa ir on cam pus— it has been missing fo r tooMenzies, long, M arvin econom ics II,
Packs H a ll
ticized th e
organization o f
Question “ M ac students, however, have clas ses at all hours, from M onday until Saturday. T h ere is the question o f telling the difference between people w ho are going home and people sim p ly going downtown.
A com m ittee of H am ilton City Council will decide within the next “I d o n ’t think there w ould be any tw o weeks w hether to grant reduced bus fares to M cM aster students. problem , though,” she continued. “If they w ere going east, fo r instance, Students’ Council W ednesday night decided to subm it a brief to they could only get on a t one stop, M ayor V ictor Copps seeking the reduced fares. M ayor C opps will present a t the university.” the brief at the next m eeting of the H am ilton Street Railway 'Fare Review C om m ittee. T he exact date o f the m eeting is not yet known. Since the b rief calls fo r reduced fares for all students over 17, it is A rt Comley, Science C ontroller, said at the Students’ Council meeting expected that high school organiza W ednesday th a t he had seen M ayor C opps last week about the brief. tions will support the request. “He’s going to represent us,” Mr. C om ley said. “He was very co O ther Business operative, and he said th at this is the right tim e to present it.” A t W ednesday night’s m eeting, T he brief outlines the reasons the M r. Com ley acted as Students’ council also approved a one night H SR and the city should reduce the C ouncil representative on the comblitz cam paign to raise funds fo r students* fares. It cites the fact that m ittee which drew up the brief. The -V c**** ‘ UA'US IOr the oity bought the com pany to en- group, composed mainly of first-year 'an nlversi Y ervice O verseas and ratified proposed am endm ents sure adequate bus service, regardless students, originally presented a petio f possible losses. It also states that tion to council in Decem ber, sug- to the Engineering Society constitu tion. students pay over $50 a year travel- gesting that it seek a reduction in ling to the university by bus every fares. The blitz, if approved by the un i versity adm inistration, will take place C*ay' Prepared Feb. 28. A t present, students up to the age , , _ , , , „ _ , T he brief was prepared several o f 17 pay reduced fares. The Stud- weeks ag£) and was read at {he )ast T h e am endm ents, subject to th e approval o f the Engineering Society, ents’ Council brief asks that all stud- Students’ C ouncil meeting. will separate the officers o f Engineents be allowed to pay the low er rate, C arol Dennison, w ho circulated ering C ontroller and President of the both in high school and in university, the original petition said there were Society, w ithout a lim it on age. objections to the request. W ednesday night was the last re“T here is a fear th at the privilege gular meeting o f this year’s council, will be abused,” she explained. “H igh A ny business left over after the joint school students pay low er fares only m eeting o f both incom ing ,an<L,cttjti hn" r': *" " over to the new council.
Carnival Scores Despite Weather P oll Shows Continuation Favored
actions.”
MUSC, Room B110 McMaster University 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4S4
N o. 19
Mayor Copps To Help Students Will Present Fare Plea To H SR
One Voter
LEGAL
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HAMILTON, O N T AR IO , FRIDAY, FE B R U A R Y 8 t h , 1 9 6 3
The report is contained in the pre sent's report, 1961-62, published re-
opinion editor
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McMaster University
th e
cri: events. “In a lot o f ways it co u ld have
“ I M A D E IT, but w hat is it?” E rcole D i Pietro, unknow n H am ilton sculptor, ponders hiq recent w ork fashioned from infam ous coffee shop cups. R um or has it th a t the W entw orth H ouse A rts com m ittee h as offered to purchase th e sculpture and plans to pay $500 to add it to the perm anent a rt collection. photo by Calw ay
o f alm ost 14,000 students walking around the cam pus in 1970. Figures were com puted by W. J. M cCallion, director of educational services on the basis o f current rates of growth. Medicail School D r. H. G . T hode, university p re sident, gave strong indications th at a medical school would be forthcom ing shortly at M cM aster. “In the near future,” he said, “we will alm ost certainly be called upon to establish a Faculty of M edicine. Predictions are that C anada will require three o r four new M edical Schools by 1971. “H am ilton, w ith its university and large population, is the logical site for one o f these new schools.” T en-Y ear Plan M cM aster h as begun preparing a ten-year plan to cope with th e ex pected increase, according to the p re sident’s report. “It was clear from the outset,” said D r. T hode, “that o u r land holdings o f 103 acres were com pletely inadequate and th at we could not provide the university facilities required w ithout further land acquisitions. A cquiring Land “Steps have therefore been taken to acquire as m uch land in the neigh borhood as possible to provide space fo r future buildings and playing fields. “The R oyal B otanical G ardens hold lands adjacent to the cam pus w hich can be used fo r university purposes. “N egotiations were started in 196162 fo r the acquisition of certain of these lands which, it is felt, can be properly developed for university pur poses in keeping with the spirit o f th e original agreem ent between the university an d the G ardens.”
N om in ation s for A rts C on troller have b een reopened, and w ill rem ain so until T u es day. T w en ty signatures o f qualifed voters are required on a n om ination.
M r. K ingham said.
“Bus Driver scowls as two poor McMaster students forfeit their last wordly pennies and embark on a perilous journey with the Hamilton Street Railway.”
WE WANT YOU TO CONTRIBUTE As always, we will continue to accept volunteer submissions, feedback and inquiries. Feel free to visit our office in MUSC B110 or send an email to the section you would like to contribute to.
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017
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News HSR misses the mark this October Between missing buses and absent drivers, the HSR has been struggling to keep up with the city’s needs Emile Shen Contributor
The Hamilton Railway Service missed the mark in Oct. To be precise, there were 1,400 to 1,600 hours of missed bus service in October leaving students, McMaster staff and faculty and Hamilton community members late for work, class and appointments. Across campus, students stood in mass crowds waiting for the 5, 51 and 1A. There was an average of 23 cancelled buses per day in Oct. This problem cannot be blamed on the negligence of the Hamilton Railway Service alone but is symptomatic of more substantial labour relations and workplace burnout complications. The cancelled bus problem is troubling for both the occupational safety for bus drivers who have to step up and continuously work overtime as well the failure of contract fulfilment between the McMaster Student Union and the HSR. The issue arose from the high rate of employee absenteeism, 19 per cent, among drivers. In turn, other employees were asked to work up to 68 hours per week voluntarily. The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 107, which represents all the bus drivers for the HSR says that this short-term solution is only leading to more burnout and illness amongst employees. The director of transit for the HSR, Debbie Dalle Vedove, explained that the HSR’s troubles did not come to fruition overnight. “The result of multiple issues that have been building over a long period of time,” she said. The long-term issue is most accurately highlighted in the statistic that showed overtime costs due to employee absenteeism have doubled since 2012. It is not surprising that poor service may lead much of the student body to believe that our ever-increasing bus fees are
During the month of Oct., there were an average of 23 buses missing per day. MADELINE NEUMANN / PHOTO EDITOR
not being efficiently put to use with the HSR. Students voted overwhelmingly in favour of maintaining this level of bus service provision during the January referenda. As of the 2017-2018 academic year, each undergraduate student pays $187.67. The bus agreement was only $138.65 per student two years ago. But within the next two years, MSU members can expect to pay $255.55 per student. “It will take some time to address the root causes of the problem, but in the meantime
we are implementing short-term actions to address the problem and provide reliable service,” said Dalle Vedove. “Service throughout the main corridor [serving McMaster] is expected to be improved as service hours are approved by council.” It should be noted that the bus drivers’ union has previously called for Dalle Vedove to be fired. On the advocacy side of the McMaster Students Union, vice president (Finance) Daniel “Tuba” D’Souza stated that, “We are currently completing our
new agreement with the HSR and will be sure to reinforce that students expect reliable, efficient transit.” The way forward must be sustainable for hard-working bus drivers, with the sizeable budgetary contribution of MSU students, and have a contingency plan if mass amounts of busses are cancelled again. Given the large budgetary contribution MSU members make every year to the HSR, some of the key issues include creating more sustainable working conditions for drivers
and a contingency plan if mass amounts of buses are cancelled again. “[I would] like to apologize for the recent route cancellations that McMaster students have experienced. This is unacceptable,” said Dalle Vedove. Hamilton city council voted on Nov. 8 to hire up to 58 more drivers. HSR users may also attend the Emergency HSR Meeting on Nov. 14, held by Environment Hamilton, to talk about ways to improve the service. @theSilhouette
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NEWS
Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
My Lil’ Health Bots come to Mac McMaster is one of the first Canadian post-secondary institutions to carry personal care product vending machines
MADELINE NEUMANN / PHOTO EDITOR
Cassidy Bereskin News Reporter
Students can now find two My Lil’ Health Bots on campus. Carrying over 50 personal health and care products, these touch-screen vending machines have been placed in Mary Keyes Residence and the Commons Building. Tim Decker co-founded My Lil’ Healthmart with a mission to make necessities such as Advil, shampoo and toothpaste convenient and accessible to students. Before the introduction of these vending machines, the only places one could find all of these products were in the pharmacy in the McMaster Student University Centre. The convenience store in MyMiniMac offers some basic tolietries. The McMaster Students Union Student Health Education Centre also offers some heatlh and care products, free of charge,
such as condoms, lubricant and menstrual products. None of these locations, however, are available 24/7. The pharmacy is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday.
Carrying over 50 personal health and care products, these touchscreen vending machines have been placed in Mary Keyes Residence and the Commons Building. My Mini Mac closes at midnight most nights, with the
exeption of Saturday, when it closes at 10 p.m. MSU SHEC is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday and from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday. “We've all been there, where it's late, it's cold and you need something but you either can't get it or it's too far away so you want it, but you don't want to go get it,” said Decker. “Most people suffer through and end up making that trip.” After bringing his vending machines to a few other Canadian universities, including Wilfrid Laurier University and University of Toronto (Mississauga), Decker reached out to Chris Roberts, the head of McMaster hospitality services, who expressed interest in introducing My Lil’ Health Bots to McMaster. This initiative comes along during what some critics are calling the undergraduate mental health crisis, with one
Maclean’s survey finding 14 per cent of all students surveyed in poor mental health and 31 per cent saying their mental health was affecting their ability to perform academically. Although it is not the case for every individual, in some cases stress and anxiety may compromise someone’s immune system, making them more suseptible to physical illness. Though the vending machines have just been set up, they are already making a tangible difference. "When school gets stressful, especially during exam season, I know a lot of students neglect to prioritize their own health,” said Parnika Godkhindi, a first year arts and science student. “Having this machine so close by makes it easier for students to set aside time to take care of themselves." My Lil’ Health Bots also allow students to buy personal care products without being
scrutinized by employees and ensures that its products are affordable. “We hope to benefit students by making access to health and personal care products more convenient but also just as affordable as other alternatives,” said Decker. “This is why we price our products to the closest local competitor.” The vending machines also accept student card. When asked what’s in store for the future of My Lil’ Healthmart, Decker said he hopes to expand to every campus in North America. McMaster is fortunate to be one of the first Canadian post-secondary institutions to work with My Lil’ Healthmart.
@cassidybereskin
NEWS
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017
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An update on the college strike Classes still on hold as the strike enters its fourth week Donna Nadeem Contributor
Almost four weeks into the faculty and staff strike at Ontario’s 24 public colleges and McMaster students whose programs are conjoined with Mohawk College are beginning to wonder how they will make up for all the missed class. Since Oct. 16 students in McMaster’s nursing, Bachelor of Technology, medical and radiation sciences, specific social science classes, have all had clinical placements and labs put on hold. As Nov. begins, students in these programs have been unsure of what was going to happen with their classes. Negotiations were first being held since the strike began on Oct. 15. The most recent negotiation was on Nov. 3, between the Ontario Public Sector Employees Union, which represents the 12,000 striking college workers, and the College Employer Council, which represents the province’s colleges. As the strike continues, students have been updated via email. The average tuition of a full-time student is $5,000 for two 13-week semesters which means that a students tuition divided throughout the year is closely equivalent to paying $40 a day. Students are concerned that they are losing out. McMaster maintains they have worked to minimize the strike’s effects on McMaster students. “Since the strike started, classes, labs, tutorials and clinical placements delivered by McMaster employees at McMaster locations have continued. Access to the Main Street campus has not been impacted by pickets and the classes led by McMaster faculty in our sites have continued,” said Gord Arbeau, a representative from the university in a press release statement. Nevertheless, Ella Han a second-year medical radiation sciences student has had all of her midterms postponed and her classes have been cancelled because all her professors are from Mohawk college. Other that her elective, all her medical radiation-related courses are on hold. “They sometimes send us
C/O KELLY BENNETT
emails and in the first one they said that we aren’t going to miss a semester or redo anything, but then the second one we got was that if the strike lasted more than three weeks our exams would be moved to January, and we got one a couple days ago saying that we might need to do night classes and class on weekends to catch up and that exams might not be pushed. So I think they don’t really have a plan for us at the moment,” said Han. Camille Ramsperger is in the last year of her nursing program and is missing out on a research course because of the strike. She is concerned because the strike happened before they were allowed to pick their topics and figure out where they would
be doing their research and with whom. “So far in the course I have done nothing worth marks, so at the present I have zero per cent [in the course],” Ramsperger said. “We even missed our midterm. We are supposed to be conducting our own research as a practicum and we can’t do that so we’re all kind of wondering how those hours will be made up later on.” Mohawk College has pushed back the end date for its fall semester. If the strike ends by Nov. 11, classes and final exams will continue up to Dec. 22. Originally, classes and final exams were scheduled to end by Dec. 15. If the strike extends beyond
“We are supposed to be conducting our own research as a practicum and we can’t do that so we’re all kind of wondering how those hours will be made up later on.” Camille Ramsperger Nursing student Nov. 11, classes will continue through to Dec. 22 and final
exams will be held in early January. Students have been told they should now expect to be attending school during the week of Dec. 18 to 22 and that the completion of the semester may require them to attend evening and weekend classes.
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NEWS
Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
A rundown of the MSU’s health services review An online survey asked students to reflect on their experiences at the Student Wellness Centre
TIMOTHY LAW / PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
Cassidy Bereskin News Reporter
From Oct. 23 to Nov. 5., the McMaster Students Union surveyed students about their experiences with the Student Wellness Centre. This MSU health services review was two years in the making, and was constructed by the University Affairs committee in collaboration with the Student Health Education Centre last year and taken up again by Ryan Deshpande, MSU vice president (Education). On. Oct 23, the health services review survey was made available on the MSU website, giving students a platform to share their SWC experiences with the MSU. The survey, in part, asked students about their demographic background. In the
“Health Support Services” section of the survey, students were asked about their SWC experiences. Questions largely concerned wait times, the accessibility of SWC, blood test advisory, referrals to an off-campus health centre and the accessibility of counseling in the SWC. In addition to facilitating this survey, the MSU held focus groups, giving students the opportunity to voice their opinions on student medical support at McMaster. The results of the health services review will be used to inform the MSU’s stances on health and wellness. “While all [our] policy papers are based on evidence and best practices, nothing is as valuable as large-scale input from McMaster students,” said Deshpande. “The great thing
about running this survey is that we can see what McMaster students are really having problems with and focus our advocacy accordingly.” Deshpande notes that the results of the survey will also
“The great thing about running this survey is that we can see what McMaster students are really having problems with and focus our advocacy accordingly.” Ryan Deshpande Vice president (Education) McMaster Students Union
be used to ensure that future advocacy efforts from MSU vice presidents (Education) and associate vice presidents of University Affairs are exclusively student-driven. “We don’t want to fall into a trap where the opinions of a small group of students are guiding large-scale advocacy efforts, so it’s important we get the input of the student body,” said Deshpande. However, the MSU health services review survey was not emailed to all students, being instead promoted heavily through social media channels such as Twitter. Turnout rates from previous MSU surveys and elections suggest that students are increasingly disengaged from the union. It is unlikely that a significant portion of the student body participated in the
MSU health services review. Moreover, the fact that the survey was extended to Nov. 5, even though it was projected to finish on Nov. 3, implies that an insufficient number of students initially participated. According to the Your City Survey from 2016, they only received 484 responses, which is less than 2 per cent of the MSU population. While the survey results may reshape MSU advocacy, they may continue to be unreflective of all students’ voices.
@cassidybereskin
Policing black lives NEWS
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017
| 7
In conversation with Robyn Maynard
Suzany Manimaran Contributor
On Nov. 2, McMaster Womanists and E/race/ed Out hosted black feminist activist and author, Robyn Maynard for a conversation about her book Policing Black Lives. The book documents Canada’s history of state-sanctioned violence against the black community and its targeting of the most marginalized within that community. “I was going through not only information around Canadian slavery but also dozens of government reports and studies, so many different kinds of texts to try to create a bigger picture of what we’re facing as black peo-
ple in Canada. It took a lot of focus to really take the time to go in depth to tell the story that I was trying to tell,” said Maynard in a previous CBC interview. Maynard’s research focuses on the intricacies of Canadian history of anti-black violence, one that is not as recognized as America’s. It is a history that dates back to the slave trade and continues in the present. Canada’s history with slavery is usually only associated with Harriet Tubman and the underground railroad that portrayed Canada as a safe place but does not accurately describe Canada’s history with slavery and anti-black violence. “I think many black folks in Canada have been
aware that there has been a continuous history of oppressing black people in Canada since slavery. But really looking at the minute details in which that took place across different government agencies. There is so much that came out of doing that,” said Maynard in the same interview. Maynard argues that Canada has a tendency to erase its history of anti-black violence, making it so that the histories and effects of the slave trade are rarely examined in a Canadian context. Despite many Black historians’ work addressing these issues, Maynard states that they are explicitly not taught, which makes it difficult to understand the contemporary issues.
One of these contemporary issues Maynard focuses on include the higher incidents of police brutality against black Canadians. For example, Pierre Coriolan, a 58 year-old man, was shot dead by Montreal police in his apartment after a noise complaint on June 27, which sparked an outcry from both the community and Black Lives Matter, an organization committed to ending police brutality. Policing Black Lives especially focuses on the role of the state in perpetuating anti-black violence and the disproportional rates of incarceration, deportation and profiling. Maynard discussed a myriad of topics, from the gendered racial violence faced by black women, to the high deportation rates of black migrants, to the number of black Canadians that are victims of police brutality.
“In Montreal, police are still not realizing data surrounding the racial makeup of people that are arrested. And Quebec won’t release the makeup of black prisoners in provincial jails. I think we have an issue where not only are we not addressing the problem, but we’re not making it easy to address what the problem in fact is,” said Maynard in a previous interview. Maynard hopes that the conversations that come from discourses like Policing Black Lives spark new interest in Canadian activism and force Canadians to look into the histories of Canada.
@theSilhouette
C/O E/race/ed Out Twitter Fatin Chowdhury
PRESIDENT’S PAGE
November 9, 2017 | thesil.ca
join the Undergraduates of Canadian Research-Intensive Universities (UCRU), an informal coalition of undergraduate student unions from some of the largest research-intensive universities across Canada. Along with McMaster, UCRU is comprised of prestigious schools, including University of British Columbia, University of Toronto, and McGill. This week, we are in Ottawa lobbying to the federal governRYAN ment on our priorities for the year. Naturally, one of those priDESHPANDE orities is research funding. As Vice President (Education) a research-intensive university, McMaster relies heavily on fedvped@msu.mcmaster.ca eral grants from the National 905.525.9140 x24017 Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the The federal government is not Social Sciences and Humanities traditionally associated with Research Council (SSHRC), and the support and operation of the Canadian Institutes of Health post-secondary institutions. Research (CIHR). Nevertheless, This is not an unfounded as- across the country, undergradsumption – education is a pro- uate students struggle to receive vincial mandate, resulting from access to paid research opportuthe separation of powers within nities, often defaulting to their the Constitution Act. Despite fourth-year thesis. To address this this, the federal government still reality, we are asking SSHRC and plays a role in supporting certain CIHR to create an undergraduate key aspects of universities. This student research award, similar to includes, but is not limited to, how NSERC operates one. immigration, Indigenous supWe are also advocating for port, research funding, student Indigenous student support – financial aid, and copyright law. another area in which the federTherefore, it is important that al government is involved. The students actively engage in fed- Post-Secondary Student Support eral advocacy. Program, which allocates money Provincially, we are lucky to Indigenous bands and is disto be part of the Ontario Un- tributed to students, is severely dergraduate Student Alliance. underfunded. There have been However, the MSU has not con- investments, yet the backlog is sistently stayed with an organi- still in the hundreds of millions, zation that represents students due to annual funding increases federally. This year, I decided to capped at 2%. We are calling for
a reform of this system, along with consultation of Indigenous student groups. On the same topic, we are asking the federal government to create a grant for institutions to implement reconciliation initiatives on their campuses. Provincial underfunding can sometimes leave little room for this important issue to be addressed, but the federal government can help alleviate this burden, especially at smaller schools.
count towards points that ultimately lead to permanent resident status. However, co-op experience does not count towards this program, adding another barrier to the immigration process for international students. We are asking for this to be fixed. Finally, we are requesting the elimination of the tuition tax credit, as it primarily benefits parents and high-income students. Instead, we want this money to be allocated to upfront Federal advocacy work grants in the Canada Student Grant program, modelled after is an exciting and imthe recent OSAP reforms. portant part of the Federal advocacy work is an MSU’s mandate exciting and important part of the MSU’s mandate, and I am Our third priority relates to excited to play a part in one of the reduction of barriers to per- the most effective years yet. You manent residency for interna- can find out more about our curtional students. There exists an rent federal advocacy week and Express Entry program, where UCRU at msumcmaster.ca/ucru, work and student experiences and follow #UCRUontheHill.
From left to right: Ryan Deshpande, MSU VP Education, Urszula Sitarz, MSU AVP Provincial and Federal Affairs, Terry Duguid, MP for Winnipeg South, Tanjit Nagra, President of the University of Manitoba Students Union
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The President’s Page is a space sponsored and used by the McMaster Students Union (MSU) Board of Directors (BoD) to communicate with the student body. It functions to highlight the Board’s projects, goals, and agenda for the year, as well as the general happenings of the MSU.
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017
EDITORIAL
| 9
Editorial Moving up hiring without due process Without informing students in due time, hiring the new cohort of PTMs will leave out qualified candidates
On Nov. 1, 11 part-time manager positions were posted on the McMaster Students Union employment page and will be up for two weeks until Nov. 15. Most of the jobs are usually put up later in the year, which calls into question whether the hiring board has considered the challenges this date change creates. For those unfamiliar, a PTM is the coordinator or director of one of the 35 MSU services offered. Always a fulltime student, a PTM is in charge of running the service and sets the tone for said service for the year. The majority of the jobs put up earlier this month usually aren’t up this early in the year. Typically, PTM positions such as Queer Students Community Centre, the Student Health Education Centre and Diversity Services are hired early second semester. It may seem like a minor shift to change to move up the hiring of these PTMs, but moving these particular jobs to Nov. with little promotion drastically hinders students’ ability to apply.
I’ve applied to work for a few services before, and the hiring process isn’t easy. Writing the cover letter that each job asks for is stressful and if you move on to the next hiring stage, you’re likely going to have to complete an assignment in addition to the interview. While difficult, the hiring process usually lands during a relatively calm time for students. But no matter what faculty you’re in, Nov. is probably the busiest month of the semester. Hiring during Jan. has worked well for students as it ensured they had ample time to work on their applications. That is, of course, if students are even aware these jobs are available. The MSU news page only promoted the job openings on Nov. 6 even though the positions had already been up for five days. The MSU used their typical methods for promoting positions, but considering that the majority of the posts were delayed and that students were not expecting this sudden change in the first place, I’m wary that the typical efforts will be as effective. Considering that most services have yet to hold their
major events meant to promote their services, it’s unlikely that qualified students are aware that these jobs are available unless they personally know the current PTMs or coincidentally saw the recent social posts. All of these factors will limit the number of applicants for each role, which is troubling considering how important services such as the QSCC, SHEC and Diversity Services are. The PTM will set the tone for what the services will do next year and without making the jobs accessible to all possible applicants, the MSU is limiting each of these services’ potential. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with moving up the hiring date for some positions and I’m sure the higher-ups have their reasons. But without accounting for the student schedule and sufficient promotion, I’m concerned of how fair and efficient this round of hiring will be. With that said, I do wish all applicants good luck and hope that this editorial motivates those who weren’t aware of these jobs to apply.
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to a week extension on thesis proposals to art socks to screamo covers of “Let It Go” to butt warming bus seats to birthday cake after birthday for breakfast cake to Brain 3:16 to peer support princesses to standing up for pugs’ rights to meme queen history at York to twilight discourse to cupcake origin debates to thicc birds
to expensive bok choy to crying in the club (office) to going to expensive supermarkets and buying unneeded stuff to targeted ads for Old School Runescape to Nov. chilly willy death willy to the North American internet outages to people who make you do all the emotional labour in your relationship to guys being dudes to jorts discourse to the removal of PlayDoh privileges to morning pudding
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HUMANS
Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
go through the same or similar experience always makes you feel better when you’ve gone through it.
Sydney Cumming Life Sciences II
What is your service dog’s name? His name is Frankfurt, or Frank for short. He is named after a city in Germany. And it means sausage in German. Well, he’s a pug too so I thought the name fit him very well. What has helped you most on a personal level? I think honesty is why I did so well. I did have to learn how to tone it down, but it also really helped me tell people exactly what I felt without shame. So I think it’s just being honest with situations and to each other; we can’t help each other unless we fully know what’s going on; what’s going on in your head, what’s going in your life.
The next LRT meeting will take place on April 19. C/O CBC HAMILTON
It’s easier to fix things if everyone knows the full story. And the stigma sucks because that’s what stops a lot of people from being fully honest and they don’t even realize they’re stopping themselves. It’s just so built into their brain and they think they can’t mention it because of societal rules, but I didn’t follow societal rules as a kid or anything, this is how I feel. Anytime I talk to people, I find that they benefit most when they keep un-layering and get to that honest point and that’s when they can fix the circumstances and make it better in the future.
“I think it’s just being honest with situations and to each other; we can’t help each other unless we fully know what’s going on; what’s going on in your head, what’s going on in your life.” Done in collaboration with Student Accesibility Services Individual struggle = collective struggle
Kyle West Photo Reporter
Could you introduce yourself? Sydney Cumming, 19, second year, Life Science What it is it like on a day to day basis for you? It depends on the day. I put a lot into self-care and always put self-care first. I didn’t for the first few months of first year, and it was just a terrible time and it was like, maybe a degree’s not worth anything if you’re not actually feeling good and able to learn. How does the university accomodate for service animals? We actually had a really horrible
policy on service dogs until last year, and I changed it because I needed to bring him and they tried to tell me “no”. So I went to the Equity and Inclusion Office and was like, “please help me because that’s against the law, they can’t say these things.” They said they only allow service dogs for sight and mobility, which is not the law. What was the process like getting a service dog? Basically, he is an emotional support animal. So on days where I am having extra trouble he will follow me around so that I actually get up and go out. He makes me eat, he makes me exercise. I remember I had to fight for him with my mom so I made this whole list of reasons why I needed him. She didn’t want me to get a service dog so I made this whole list of the
pros and it convinced her. What were some other services that helped you? Student Health Education Centre was another space that really helped me. It’s helped me come out of myself and find a sense of community and the stuff I go through. It’s hard for me,t more access to resources to try and improve my position than other people have. It’s kind of a leadership role where a lot of people will tell me about their stories or ask for some form of advice or options they have because they just don’t know. It’s empowering to be considered a leader when you feel like you’re struggling so hard. Then I’ll talk Frankfurt to other people and they’ll tell me I’m acknowledgeable and it’s good to feel like a mentor. And having other people who
facebook.com/HumansOfMcMaster
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017
The Silhouette
| 11
Opinion Unchecked Comments Think before you comment, not just before you speak
MADELINE NEUMANN / PHOTO EDITOR Ubah Ahmed Contributor
Content warning: this article contains a racial slur. Wayne Welsh, an average American father of three, was an assistant police chief in his hometown of Estherwood Los Angelos, a small town where everyone knows everyone and news travels fast. Recently, Welsh liked and reposted a picture on Facebook of a mother drowning her daughter in the bathtub, captioned “When your daughter’s first crush is a little Negro boy.” To this, his response was, “It’s not against [the law] if you share stuff on Facebook. It’s [sic] social media. Internet.” Welsh’s response is an example of an important conversation that is reigniting today: can hateful or discriminatory comments made on personal accounts be a considered an offense if it is still a means of free speech? The lines between personal and public are becoming inconsistent. With the rise of social media and the internet, it’s no longer enough to
claim your opinions belong only to you when you are in constant contact with individuals who may be vulnerable to hurtful comments. You can’t make offensive comments directed at certain groups of people for the whole world to see and not expect repercussions because of free speech. Free speech doesn’t mean speech without consequence. Spotted at Mac is an example of this. What started off as anonymous Facebook page used by the McMaster community to send communal positivity and support is now doing quite the opposite. A recent post on the page about a guy who was “spouting transphobic and misogynistic garbage in Thode… and then whining ‘poor me, I’m a nice guy’” is an example of the offence that can be caused by commenting freely in public. The comments, some now deleted, were a mess. Between the people who took it as a joke, those who tried to rationally and logically explain why the student in Thode was correct and those who liked those comments, it
became clear that a lot of people are not afraid and unapologetic to share their hate in a very public manner. This is not okay, and responsibility needs to be taken into account whether it is in public or not. These individuals don’t leave their hateful, racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, anti-Semitic and Islamophobic beliefs and views at home. When posting online, one must be considerate of those who may take offence to certain comments, and who should not have to be subject to hurtful commentary. It’s not something they check at the door and then manage to treat individuals they inherently see as less than them with the respect they deserve. They’re rooted deep within and when the people tasked with your protection see you as nothing more than a stereotype, caricatures, you get a world where a cop, Greg Abbott, can tell a nervous white woman stopped for a traffic violation, “But you’re not black. Remember, we only shoot black people. Yeah, we only kill black people, right?”
Spotted at Mac is an example of this. What started off as anonymous Facebook page used by the McMaster community to send communal positivity and support is now doing quite the opposite. Estherwood Police Chief Ernest Villejoin’s response to Welsh was: “When I found out about it, I couldn’t believe I had to call him… I know Wayne didn’t do this on purpose. He didn’t do this [to] offend anybody.” It is a great privilege to be able to claim that one “didn’t do it on purpose” when referencing a grown man’s decision to repost an offensive and vile picture
when that man himself sees no issue with it. Just because something is on the internet, does not make it free from the standard we hold to all other human interaction. Scott Woods, an activist and psychologist, famously said “The problem is that people racism [and its manifestations] as conscious hate, when racism is bigger than that. Racism is a complex system of social and political levers and pulleys set up generations ago to continue working on the behalf of whites at other people’s expense, whether whites know/ like it or not.” Inequality is so ingrained in our society in its many different forms and manifestations that it will find its way into all your interactions until we begin to become more aware of its existence and actively work to rid our society of its iron grasp.
@theSilhouette
Follow #MacTalksMoney throughout the month for money myths and truths.
November 2017 Workshop: Keeping up with your credit score GH 110 12:30–1:30 12:30 1:30 p.m.
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Financial Spotlight: CFMU 93.3
Special Event: Careers & Money
Workshop: Game of Loans
#ItAllAddsUp/ Resumé Blitz
Dining Room Faculty Club 5:30–7:30 p.m.
GH 110 12:30–1:30 p.m.
9:30 –9:45 a.m.
MUSC Atrium 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
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Workshop: Wheel of Fortune: Building Wealth
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Workshop: How to shop for a credit card
GH 110 12:30–1:30 p.m.
GH 110 12:30–1:30 1:30 p.m.
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Ask Me Anything: Money Talks in Residence Mary Keyes Lobby 5:00–5:45 p.m. Centro 6:00–6:45 p.m.
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money.mcmaster.ca @MacsMoneyCentre
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Register for all events and workshops on OSCARplusmcmaster.ca. Search Mac’s Money Centre. For more information visit: bit.ly/macflm
McMaster Students Union’s
EVENTS CALENDAR Jersey Night Thursday, November 9, 2017 Time: 10:00pm Where: TwelvEighty
Friday, November 10, 2017 Let's Talk Queer: Relationships Time: 3:30pm to 5:30pm Where: MUSC 224
Dine for a Cause
Friday, November 10, 2017 Annual Drag Show
Thursday, November 9, 2017 Pop-up Showcase
Time: 7:30pm to 11:00pm Where: Gift Shop Gallery
Time: 5:00pm to 9:00pm Where: Boston Pizza
The QSCC is hosting its annual Mac Pride celebration, and you’re invited! To close off our week, we’ll be having our annual drag show, featuring Sapphyre Poisone!
MacPride November 6–10, 2017 Thursday, November 9, 2017 Queer Coffeehouse
Part-Time Manager Hiring
Time: 8:30pm to 10:30pm Where: TBA
Where: msumcmaster.ca/jobs
Stay Connected:
November 1–15, 2017
/MSUMcMaster
Shave for a Cure - Smiling Over Sickness Wednesday, November 22, 2017 Time: 10:00am to 2:00pm Where: MUSC Atrium McMaster students and faculty shave their hair for Camp Trillium, a camping experience exclusively for pediatric cancer patients and their family. There will be shows and performances from prominent McMaster clubs. For more info, email sos@mcmaster.ca
Check out the full Events Calendar at: msumcmaster.ca/events
@MSU_McMaster
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OPINION
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017
| 13
The fear of feminism
Feminism doesn’t need to be scary, it needs to be understood Jordan Graber Contributor
I used to be scared of feminism. I think a lot of people are still wary when they hear the word and connect their understanding of it. Often, those associated with the word feminism are often seen as angry, aggressive and in opposition of men. This is the first problem with this many people’s relationship with this term; misunderstanding. Feminism by definition is, “the advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes”. In recent years, it has taken the world by storm, forming a movement of uprising men and women fighting for the equal rights of all genders. Only recently has it truly been a topic that is important in my own life. At first, I didn’t really know what the term meant in order to understand my own stance on the subject. As a young woman growing up, I never really recognized the stereotypes towards women, and have been lucky to have experienced no discrimination against my femininity. I am also fortunate to say that I am confident in my abilities and my feminine qualities. I am a warrior woman and I know that I don’t need a man to tell me who I can be. Given my experiences, why should I inquire further about this social movement. Unfortunately, this is a common thought that women today may have. It is almost an ignorant stance to take on a relevant social issue. Feminism is a difficult subject to grasp and is often viewed as an unpleasant subject to discuss openly. But just because the topic may be difficult does not mean that we should be oblivious to the struggles and positions within the movement. Despite the media coverage worldwide, it seems as though topics such as feminism and human rights are constantly pushed to the wayside, ignored and forgotten. I myself have lived my life without fear of prejudice towards my gender. Although I have experienced it, it’s not something I let take me down. Though the term implies that women should be concerned with the movement, experiences vary from woman to woman.
As a result, not all women share the same views or interest in the topic. Nonetheless, this topic should be addressed and understood, not feared. In order to achieve this, we should practice open-mindedness and free discussion. Although your stance may come as second nature, we can’t let our own experiences define those of others. Women have always, and I predict will always face some injustice when it comes to competition with men. As they are different in nature, misinterpretation and generalizing are bound to exist. Every aspect of our culture is full of stereotypes about marginalized communities.
In recent years, it has taken the world by storm, forming a movement of uprising men and women fighting for the equal rights of all genders. Only recently has it truly been a topic that is important in my own life. The best way to learn about the movement is to take part in it. And no, you don’t have to call yourself a “feminist” in order to do so. For those looking for a nearby cause for female awareness, invest some time in Take Back the Night. An annual march in Hamilton organized by the Sexual Assault Centre (Hamilton Area). A feminist, community based organization that works to end sexual violence against women and break social and political boundaries. Similarly, the “Slut Walk” is a transnational event that is held at different times of the year around the globe, including Hamilton and Toronto, that works to end rape culture and slut shaming of survivors of sexual assault. Events that work in this greater social movement encourage us to question, our
MADELINE NEUMANN / PHOTO EDITOR
roles and responsibilities. This is not a simple question, and does not come with an easy answer. Personally, I’m terrified of confrontation, and I guess the millions of silent watchers are too. However, I think the issue is that people just don’t want to see what is going on. This can definitely be seen an ignorant position to hold against 21st century ideals. This is a problem because many may be too afraid to take responsibility for our mistakes and misjudgements, are too
scared to stand up and do so. I understand the struggle. Being a feminist is not easy. Being any sort of activist is going to be come with struggle, but my take is, if there is something that you believe must be addressed, fight for it. We as humans inherently fear being singled out by others, but this is minor next to the larger issue. One does not need to organize a rally to show support for one another. Responsibility is as simple as taking the initiative to learn about a cause.
An issue like gender equality isn’t something to be fixed overnight, but with some effort, it can be understood overnight. I no longer fear feminism. I identify as a feminist. I will fight for my own rights and for the rights of those who cannot fight for themselves.
@theSilhouette
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OPINION
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017
| 15
Confessions of a cisgender student My identity matches the one I was born with, but that does not mean that I am closed-minded Reem Sheet Opinion Editor
I think it is time to admit that I don’t know as much as I should about gender identity. According to gender taxonomy and from what I have learned about gender identity, I am a cisgender, heterosexual female whose preferred gender pronouns are she and her. However, just because I am a practicing Muslim woman who wears a hijab, does not mean that I align myself with heteronormative ideals and beliefs. I believe in being able to practice and define personal identity on an individualistic level manner as a human right and an obligement to personal freedom. But with that being said, I should disclose that, before attending McMaster, I was unconsciously ignorant to gay pride and gender identity. The sexual taxonomy I knew was what I learned in my Grade 11 biology class, and it wasn’t until my second year at McMaster, when I entered an office of open-minded and gender-conscious individuals that I began to do my research. After walking into the middle of a discussion on Judith Butler’s Gender Trouble and having no idea what anyone was talking about and feeling like I was a tourist in a foreign country, I felt the need to educate myself. I googled, I read, and I studied. But even then, as someone who came from a pretty binary-minded small town, I was still lost. I am now realizing that I can’t be the only one that is nervous about being in the midst of a discussion on gender identity. Coming from an educational background that did not speak about topics of gender identity and sexuality, university was a whole new ground for me. People seemed far more educated on these topics than I am and amongst this huge congregation of identities, I found myself feeling like I was significantly less informed than those around me. I was lucky to be placed in the middle of a discussion about gender expression and surrounded by people who are from the LGBTQ community. If I hadn’t been, I may not have taken the initiative to do my
research and inform myself on a topic I have never looked into about before.
All I took for me was to put my fear aside, and, when appropriate, modestly ask those around me to help me learn how to define their identities and tell me how I can respect their gender identity. Gender identity is one’s personal choice and experience of one’s own gender, and from what I have learned, it does not have to be binary. Yes, gender identity can correlate with an individual’s assigned sex at birth, but it can also differ completely from that based on one’s persona choice and experience. This is something I now understand, but admittedly, never did before. Today, different societies have a different set of categories to define gender that can serve as the basis of the formation of a person’s social identity in relation to other members of society. Along with this definition, Google also taught me the meaning of terms like cisgender, transphobia, gender normative, queer, bisexual, cissexism, pansexual, gender fluidity and two-spirited. As you can tell by me needing to define the word queer, I really did not know much. What I learned from my mission to understand gender identity was that experience is the best way to learn. All I took for me was to put my fear aside, and, when appropriate, modestly ask those around me to help me learn how to define their identities and tell me how I can respect their gender identity. Though I am a cisgender, heterosexual female whose preferred gender pronouns are she and her, I am trying and I am learning. @ReemSheet
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Arts & Culture Culinary Class Act
Mesa
James Street Mexican restaurant offers large portions of nachos, tamales and burritos perfect for sharing
Large burrito, filled with rice, beans, meat and veggies. Topped with salsa, lettuce pico de gallo and sour cream.
Tamales served with black bean, salsa and sour cream. Come filled with either chicken or cactus.
C/O FACEBOOK @MESAHAMILTON Hafsa Sakhi Contributor
What is it?
How to get there:
Must-order item:
Why it’s great
I’m always looking for new places to eat, and Daniel, our Arts & Culture Editor, recently suggested Mesa, a Mexican restaurant tucked near the end of James Street North. Upon entering, I was awed by the beauty of the interior. Jewel toned light fixtures hung near the entrance, and a traditional mosaic pattern decorated both the walls and ceiling. A large cactus decorated with fairy lights sat next to our table, and Latin pop played in the background. The menu offered popular dishes like quesadillas, burritos and nachos plus some Mexican gems like tamales, chimichangas and cactus salad. The menu is sure to cater to those who are new to Mexican cuisine or those who already have their favourites. It also features a range of options for vegetarian diners.
Take the 1, 5 or 51 and stop at Main at MacNab. Head east on Main Street West toward MacNab Street South. Turn left onto James Street North, and walk straight until you see your destination, which will be a block past James and Robert Street.
Since the sizes are large, I recommend going with a friend or group. I went with my small family of girls, and comfortably ate by splitting several plates. We ordered a large burrito, quesadilla plate and nachos, and still had enough to take home. The nachos were my favourite, with deliciously spiced steak meat, hot cheese and topped with fresh salad and tangy sour cream. The nachos added that crunch, and the dish was served with salsa and pico de gallo.
You get your money’s worth at Mesa. The appetizers look like entrees, and the beautiful decor is comfortable and inviting. The restaurant caters to a variety of dietary restrictions, with gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian and halal options. You also get to choose the filling from several meat and veggie options with your dish, and in this way, you pick and choose your favourite tastes. With the warm ambience and the fun Spanish pop playing in the background, my family and I decided we must come back. Before we left, I asked our waiter the meaning of Mesa. He smiled and explained it meant “table”. So grab a mesa and enjoy the taste and experience of Mexico.
Price range: Appetizers range from $10-$14, but the sizes are larger than your typical starter size. The entrees are around the same price, between $11-$16. Choose from desserts like tiramisu, flan and cheesecake all for $5. Alcoholic drinks average at around $8, soft drinks at $2.25 and hot beverages at $2.75.
The menu is sure to cater to those who are new to Mexican cuisine or those who already have their favourites.
Cactus salad, served with pico de gallo and cheese on top of lettuce and spinach.
@theSilhouette
Mesa’s refreshing mojito.
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A&C
Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
Recreating yourself after losing your loved ones Losing a piece of yourself when your loved ones die Sasha Dhesi News Editor
Halloween is a hard holiday for me. As the festivities come and go, I’m ultimately reminded of the death of my grandma, who passed away a few years ago following a series of health complications in the early morning of Halloween. Along with my mom and my dad, she was a constant presence in my household and her passing not only spurned a blanket of grief, but marked a new batch of cultural anxieties. My earliest memory is of my grandma teaching me how to pray. In the bedroom we shared, my grandmother would tell me to repeat after her as she taught me different Sikh hymns to recite every night. In broken Punjabi, I whispered them back to her, more scared of upsetting her than upsetting God. Despite her small stature, she was a commanding presence; even the simplest instruction sounds harsh in Punjabi. She remained this looming figure, so much so that it never occurred to me that she was
going to die one day. She would wait up for both me and my older brother everyday, asking us why we were so late and constantly driving to do better. So when she suddenly passed away when I was 17 years old, I had no clue how to handle it.
“
I don’t have the same relationship with my cultural and ethnic identity as I did growing up. Paradoxically, I find myself more invested in it now that I’m the most isolated I’ve ever been from it.
Losing her meant more than just losing my doting grandmother, it meant losing the person who most connected me to my ethnic and cultural identity, the one person I could rely on to teach me about the history that shaped my family. There’s a certain isolation in growing up in a diaspora. The amount of cultural knowledge lost through the process of immigration seems to keep growing the older and older I get. Growing up, I always wanted to distance myself from my Punjabi identity and become what I deemed to be the right kind of Canadian, a desire that ultimately strained my relationship with my parents and grandma. But as I grew up and unpacked why I felt that way, I started to realize what it is exactly that I gave up. So for me, belonging to the South Asian diaspora meant making peace with what I can feasibly take on and what I can’t from the culture that shaped my childhood home. I don’t have the same rela-
tionship with my cultural and ethnic identity as I did growing up. Paradoxically, I find myself more invested in it now that I’m the most isolated I’ve ever been from it. At a university far from the Punjabi alcove I grew up in, I rarely speak my mother tongue, if at all. My parents, who have both now spent 20 years in Canada, can’t ever imagine themselves going back to India for more than a few weeks at a time. My parents have adopted a new relationship with their identities, something I’ve been trying to do in the last few years. I grew up under the assumption that there would always be time for me to learn more about my own identity and the history and traumas behind it. But now that I’m trying to build the identity, there’s always something I didn’t pick on, an insurmountable amount of knowledge that I could never absorb since I didn’t grow up in the region. From the small traditions to the larger traumas, the knowledge exists at the fringes of my elders’ minds. Sometimes
A&C
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017
“
It’s undeniable that we carry the history of our family within us, whether we understand said history or not. More than anything I wish I had more time to make sense of all of the things that shaped my caretakers.
they will talk about it, but most of the time, they don’t. My grandma lived in Punjab during the Partition of 1947, one of the most deeply affected areas during an extensively horrifying event. Despite this, I have no idea what happened to her during it. I have to wonder, did she carry that weight by herself all these years? This kind of lapse in knowledge makes itself evident all the time, although they aren’t as dark. Once, while at a Ladies Sangeet — a traditional party for the bride’s family — I watched all of the older women sing songs for the bride. I turned to my cousin, who had only recently immigrated and asked her who would sing at my and my future children’s weddings. She said she would, but I realized that with my limited grasp of the language, I’d probably struggle to teach a child Punjabi in the first place. Would this ritual make sense to my future child? Would they want any of this? I’m not sure. The difficult part of maintaining your cultural identity is that it’s not something you passively
experience. I have to actively make sure I’m engaging with it all the time, but right now, that just means talking to my parents a lot and asking them lots of questions. But my grandma’s death made me realize this technique is flawed. My parents aren’t going to always be there to explain the significance of every holiday, teach me how to make every dish and patiently help me practice my Punjabi. One day this is going to be up to me to maintain and pass on. It’s undeniable that we carry the history of our family within us, whether we understand said history or not. More than anything I wish I had more time to make sense of all of the things that shaped my caretakers. Existing within a diaspora means constantly creating and recreating yourself to mesh the multitude of cultures you’re exposed to growing up. I was almost done high school when my grandma died; I’m now three semesters away from being
done my undergraduate. The more time passes, the more questions I have for her that I can never ask. But that’s okay. The best thing I could do for her memory is to make sure that I practice the things she did pass on to me and try my best to learn more. She may have been my main link to my Punjabi identity, but she isn’t the only one. Nowadays, I find myself wearing my grandma’s gold hoop earrings out and making all of my friends and coworkers try the Indian food I grew up eating. At night, I try to recall the exact syllables my grandma so painstakingly taught me all those years ago, and make sense of what they mean. My mom tells me stories from the years she spent living in a hostel when she was completing her master’s degree in Malipur and reminds me to read up on the significance of Sikh holidays. These little things keep me grounded and in touch with the commu-
nity that so lovingly raised me. At the end of the day, it’s only a snippet of what my cultural identity actually is, but I have to reckon with the fact that it will have to evolve into something unprecedented. It’s all I have for the time being, but it’s enough. @SashaDhesi
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A&C
Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
ضعف ال إ� يمان عيب What will
people say?
Students start dialogue on mental health in the Muslim community Razan Samara A&C Reporter
Content warning: this article contains mentions of suicide The mental health crisis is growing at an alarming rate in Ontario. Despite the widespread prevalence of mental illnesses, especially amongst young adults, communities have been struggling to start dialogue and take action. Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. Everyone has mental health, but often times how we experience it and cope with our problems, is largely shaped by our cultural and religious context. In the Muslim community,
culture and religious expectations tend be heavily intertwined. Unfortunately, some of these expectations contribute to the stigma against addressing mental health and illness. The McMaster Muslims for Peace and Justice, a social justice group inspired by the values of Islam, organized an event to create a safe space for students to listen to mental health advocates in the Muslim community, start discourse, and spark the end of stigmatization. “A lot of [Muslim] organizations focus on external problems, such as Islamophobia or inclusiveness at work… but I feel like as a Muslim community, we don’t like to talk about ourselves. There’s [little] discussion about mental health,”
explained Co-President of MMPJ Sahar Syed.
“
I feel like as a Muslim community, we don’t like to talk about ourselves. There’s [little] discussion about mental health,” Sahar Syed McMaster Muslims for Peace and Justice CoPresident
Ayb: to feel shamefulness and disgrace
Daef al’iman: to have weak faith
The Arabic word may be short, but it carries enough weight to prevent individuals who are struggling with their mental health or suffering from mental illness from seeking guidance and help from their family, friends and community. “I come from a South Asian background and I know a lot of people in my family who have gone through these issues,” explained Syed. “It tends to be hushed and no one wants to talk about it. When they want to seek help, it’s seen as something that is shameful.” Sometimes families are incredibly supportive with helping their loved ones to cope with mental health problems, but then there’s also pressure to keep the dialogue within the family. “There is a cultural belief that what happens within the family, stays within the family, what happens within you, stays within you. People have a hard time opening up… I think that it’s extremely dangerous to keep these things to yourself and not seek help,” explained co-president of MMPJ Youssef El-Feki. These cultural expectations, alongside feelings of fear of failure, hindering ambition and looking weak, often lead to boxing Muslims into a lonely environment where their mental health needs are not supported.
There’s a misconception amongst Muslims that all mental health problems and illnesses are attributed to a lack of belief and patience with Allah. When Mohamed Mohamed, a Mohawk college graduate, sought help from a religious clergy, he was told that he had weak faith. “That scares an individual, especially when you are on the edge, when the only thing you are really holding on to is your religion and your faith… I think the last thing that I wanted to hear was that ‘you really have weak faith,” explained Mohamed. “All of the sudden the only thing that is holding you together is gone… I think what I was waiting to hear was ‘you are really strong’. If you hold on to God, that can help you.” Mohamed is now a motivational speaker focusing on overcoming the stigma and supporting others with mental health problems. He has advocated for the Canadian Mental Health Association as part of the Talking About Mental Illness speaker lineup and is now working on writing a book on his experiences. At six years old, Mohamed immigrated to Canada to be raised by his single father. He had difficulty coping with being separated from his mother and the cultural and societal pres-
A&C
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017
ا لتعليم Obligation to educate sure to be a successful individual. He wasn’t aware of it at the time, but depression and anxiety started to take hold of his life. “[When I was] 18 years old, I was pretty sure that I wasn’t going to be doing anything with my life… [i]n 2010, I lost someone very dear to me to suicide, which opened up these floodgates of emotions and feelings and issues that I never knew existed,” explained Mohamed. “[It] made me discover and understand the essence of mental health and depression and what I’m going through.” Despite the stigma, Mohamed learned to cope with his depression and anxiety with the support of his father and by researching mental health. He
“
[It] made me discover and understand the essence of mental health and depression and what I’m going through.” Mohamed Mohamed Motivational speaker
didn’t have many places to turn to for support and realized that others in his community may feel the same way. Mohamed started sharing his experiences of struggles and adversity on a platform he coined the MoeMoe3xperience in hopes of inspiring other people to start dialogue and find support. Two years later, Mohamed found himself talking someone out of jumping off the bridge on Upper Wellington Street. This experience sparked an epiphany. He wanted to start a movement. Even though speaking about his experiences often left him feeling exposed and vulnerable, Mohamed was determined to make a change. He decided to support and empower youth and show them that it’s possible to cope with mental health issues. Through his platform, Mohamed was able to start a conversation with his family and community. He’s held mental health talks at mosques and started dialogues at high schools. There’s still much more work to be done in the Muslim community. Mohamed believes that the religious community can play an important role in overcoming the stigma by taking mental health more seriously and integrating solutions into religious practice.
MMPJ’s panel also included Huma Saeedi from the confidential phone counselling service Naseeha, and Yusuf Faqiri, the brother of Soleiman Faqiri, a man diagnosed schizophrenic whose death in an Ontario correctional facility sparked the Justice for Soli movement. Like Mohamed, these advocates for mental health, organizations and social justice activists have taken it upon themselves to educate the Muslim community on mental health and create opportunities for support and healing. “Overcoming stigma is not going to be a short term process… It goes back to the concept that you can’t change the condition of the people, if you won’t change yourself,” explained Syed. “Every single one of us needs to [overcome stigma], seek help when we need it, and learn to recognize the signs. That way we can implement a long term solution to the current crisis in our community.” Only if the Muslim community continues to challenge the stigma will it be able to fully foster positive mental health. It’s time that Islamic and cultural values are used to shape a supportive environment. @theSilhouette
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GAMES
Puzzle 1 (Medium, difficulty rating 0.50)
Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
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Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Wed Nov 8 17:28:59 2017 GMT. Enjoy!
Puzzle 2 (Medium, difficulty rating 0.52)
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6 31. Emancipated 32. It’s human 33. Sunblock letters 36. Silver screen 37. Mother of Perseus 38. Soft drink choice 39. Posed 40. Satisfied 41. Pie nut 42. Sensitive spots 43. Assisting 44. Prison 47. First name in cosmetics 48. Eagle’s home 49. End-of-workweek shout 50. Vietnamese New Year
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Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Wed Nov 8 17:28:59 2017 GMT. Enjoy!
Puzzle 3 (Easy, difficulty rating 0.37)
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1 26. Winning the race 27. Folk wisdom 28. Some PX patrons 29. La Scala solo 30. Loudness units 32. Spud 33. Organizations 34. Scheme 35. Tooth 37. Challenge 38. Relinquish 40. Somehow 41. Trap for the unwary 42. Struck, old-style 43. ____ live and breathe! 44. Figure skater Cohen
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53. Seawater 56. Spring up 58. Charlemagne’s realm: Abbr. 59. ____ Grows in Brooklyn 60. Silt deposit 61. Raggedy doll 62. Brewer’s need 63. Misplaces
Down 1. Take ____ from me 2. Calamitous 3. Astonishment 4. Acquire 5. Put up 6. Appears 7. Western pact 8. Baseball bat wood 9. Architect I.M. 10. Drool 11. Skater Boitano 12. Pong maker 13. Bright bunch 19. Fleshy fruit 22. ____ the ramparts... 25. Graf ____
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Across 1. Proverb, saying 6. Ginger cookies 11. Pow! 14. Race official 15. Stand used by painters 16. Hwy. 17. Fit to be tied 18. Abyssinian 20. Dispenser candy 21. Crooner Perry 23. Carries 24. ____ Park, Colo. 26. Republic in S. Europe 28. Treat with excessive indulgence 30. Blacksmith, at times
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45. Discover 46. Senator Specter 47. Marsh bird 49. Golf pegs, northern English river 51. “____ quam videri” (North Carolina’s motto) 52. Hardy lass 54. Bolted down 55. Singing syllable 57. Aussie hopper
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7 Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Wed Nov 8 17:28:59 2017 GMT. Enjoy!
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The Silhouette
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017
| 23
Sports Laurier flys high over McMaster
In a season marred by an inconsistent offence, McMaster fell short of the OUA finals once again at the hands of the Golden Hawks Jessica Carmichael Sports Reporter
After ending the regular season with a rough 40-15 loss to the Laurier Golden Hawks on Oct. 2, the McMaster Marauders’ win against the Queen’s Gaels on Oct. 28 brought them back to Waterloo for the Ontario University Athletics semi-final game. And reminiscent of the last time, the Marauders’ playoff season was brought to an end with a disappointing 16-9 loss. Thanks to an early 11-yard touchdown run by the Golden Hawks’ running back Levondre Gordon, Laurier made their presence known early. The No. 5 U Sports team’s defence stopped several attempts made by the Marauders’ offence. By the half, the 2016 OUA Rookie of the Year Adam Preocanin was able to kick Mac on to the scoreboard, bringing the game to 7-3. The low-scoring game was courtesy of both teams’ defence, but Laurier was able to move the ball just enough for “No Pressure” Nathan Meshur to kick four good field goals. Despite another good kick from Preocanin, Mac was unable to close the gap in the score. Along with struggling on the field, penalties were a big issue for both teams and officiating in general was sometimes just inexplicable. With a total of 31 penalties (Laurier with 14 and Mac 17), some of Mac’s penalties were the result of mental errors including too many players on the field and offside, while others were more extreme like their three objectionable conduct penalties. Two of those OC penalties were the aftermath of a verbal altercation on the field after a hard hit by Laurier’s defensive back Isaiah Guzylak-Messam on Mac receiver Mitch O’Connor. O’Connor was unable to get up for a long period of time and several players became extremely upset. By this point Mac’s frustration was at an all-time high,
while Laurier had started to prematurely celebrate their win. For the Marauders, this is their third-straight time getting knocked out of the playoffs by the Golden Hawks. This game’s outcome has surely intensified the rivalry between the two teams going forward, especially for the Marauders. For first-year quarterback Jackson White, his first playoff loss happening so close to his hometown of Cambridge was the last thing he pictured for this season. “Obviously it didn’t go how we wanted it to, but right now I’m just feeling for the fifth years,” said White. “If you look at the positives, they didn’t expect us to make the playoffs and we made it all the way to the OUA semi-finals.” The game exhibited room for growth within the Marauder program and raised some questions about the OUA’s officiating. “Our inexperience has shown all season but I think the kids played hard and it is what it is,” said McMaster head coach Greg Knox. “Congrats to Laurier and best of luck at the Yates Cup.” With this being several senior players’ last game, Mac will be loosing key players especially on the defensive side of the ball. Fifth-year players including linebackers Eric Mezzarila and Alec Robertson will be among the major losses for the Marauders. “Were going to lose a lot of great players but we just have to fill those spots and be better for the 2018 season,” said White. The Golden Hawks will be face off against the Western Mustangs in London on Nov. 11 for the 110th edition of the Yates Cup. Laurier will be trying to defend their title as the 2017 Yates Cup Champions by fending off the No. 2 Mustangs, who have yet to lose this season and will be looking for revenge along with another shot at the Vanier Cup. @jaaycarmichael
Freshman quarterback Jackson White is one of five Marauders named to the 2017 OUA All-Rookie Team KYLE WEST / PHOTO REPORTER
Meet the stand outs OUA All-Rookie Team QB Jackson White RB/WR Justice Allin WR Tommy Nield G/C/T Wyatt
OUA All-Stars Team First Team
DE Mark Mackie DT Hassan Barry
Second Team
CB Robbie Yochim WR Dan Petermann
24 |
Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 | www.thesil.ca
SPORTS
Flipping with excitement
After the departure of their long tenured coach, the Mac wrestling team is revitalized and energized to tackle a new season and dominate the competition Justin Parker Sports Editor
The world of sports is no stranger to near-constant coaching changes, with some teams considering installing a revolving door in the coach’s office. That was not been the case for the McMaster wrestling team as it has been under the watchful eye of coach Nick Cipriano for the last 36 years. But at the end of the 20162017 season that ended with an Ontario University Athletics silver medal finish for the men’s team and fourth place for the women’s team, Cipriano decided to hang up the singlet and left a big pair of shoes to fill for the team’s next head coach. Enter Cleo Ncube, a Kingston-raised Canadian national team veteran who spent time training with the Montreal Wrestling Club, one of the premier programs in Canada. Ncube is accustomed to being around talented individuals, as the club has produced over a dozen Olympic athletes since its founding.
No matter the pedigree, taking up a head coach’s mantle, especially from someone who has held the title for multiple decades, is never an easy task. But amidst the various changes and adjustments that come with a coaching change, coach Ncube is already off to a great start. Fourth-year Jenna Leslie, who has wrestled for the women’s team since her first year, noted the considerable changes over the course of this transitional offseason and how Ncube has handled his new role. “Cleo is a phenomenal coach,” said Leslie. “With a new coach it is always different and getting used to that coaching style definitely takes time. There’re some growing pains. He’s still getting used to coaching us, we’re still getting used to a new coach. But he is very patient, very willing to work with everyone on the team - no matter what level they’re at, no matter what their goals are for the season.”
According to the veteran wrestler, who has been wrestling since middle school, coach Ncube’s style is very accommodating and he makes sure to take time to work with each wrestler individually. “He always says if we are committed he will be there, and he will be there to help us reach whatever goals we have,” Leslie said. “He’s very accommodating and everything that he does is very individualized to the athlete. So when you are in a match and he is telling you to do something, he knows that you know how to do that technique because he has shown you and you’ve worked on it with him. He is very [much there] for the athletes, and wants us to do well. And he’s willing to put in the effort for that.” This individualized approach has worked to revitalize the wrestling team and has wrestlers excited for the upcoming season. Among the most excited
wrestler is Leslie who is coming off an OUA bronze medal in the women’s 59 kg category last season. This year, Leslie has her sights set high: to medal at OUAs again and compete nationally at the U Sports tournament in 2018. “I had some close matches at OUA, it was one of my best tournaments last season,” explained Leslie. “The one match I lost was against a girl I wrestled two weeks before and she beat me 11-1. At OUAs, she was my first match and I was winning with a minute left and got thrown, but I still want to say it was one of my best matches of the day. That’s the weird thing about the sport: you can lose a match but it can still be better than a match that you won.” Leslie has a long history with the sport, tracing her early days of wrestling to Grade 8,
when a sprightly 90 lb girl was keen to try out for her school’s team. She soon became one of two girls among roughly 20 boys who made up the school team. Leslie spent most of her career training and wrestling with the boys, but found it to her advantage as they would work to push each other, and the men’s and women’s teams both train together today. According to Leslie, male and female wrestlers have different patterns and tendencies so there are positives in wrestling with both men and women. Leslie continued to wrestle throughout middle school, dedicating the next five years of her life to the sport. So it was an obvious choice to continue this into a collegiate career.
SPORTS | 25
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017
“When I was applying to university I was like ‘I can’t not wrestle,’” Leslie explained. “I was drawn to Mac for many reasons. I had met girls from the team when I was still in high school so I came down here and trained with them a few times and immediately just felt like this team was such a great fit for me.” “I knew right away that the team had such a different feel than other schools and other teams I had been around. As soon I was at Mac and training with their team, it just clicked. I knew that the atmosphere and all that was exactly what I was looking for,” she added. From her dedication to the sport and the time she has spent at McMaster, Leslie easily exemplifies a sense of team unity camaraderie that is characteristic of this Marauders wrestling team. In a sport that features only individual matches, it is often tough to form a team mindset when you are not fighting to win directly alongside your teammates. “I just want to wrestle the best that I can and see the team grow, compete and do well as a full team,” said Leslie. “Last year, our women’s team did place better than the last 10 years at OUAs. I hope we can continue
to grow on that can continue to be a more competitive team. We have the potential to do it and we have room to grow. With some of the first years coming in and some of the other girls becoming more comfortable and already seeing the amount of improvement from last year to this year, I’m really excited to see how the season goes and see how it plays out.” At the end of October, the Marauders participated in the Concordia Invitational as their first tournament of the season, sending only members form the women’s team to this smaller event in Quebec. Despite the smaller size, the team encountered a lot of tough matches but were able to place highly. At the event, rookie Olivia Menard finished second at 48 kilograms, Jenna Leslie placed third in the 59 kg category, and rookie Sandra Bay also finished third in the 63 kg category. The Mac women were able to bring this momentum back home as the team was able to officially kick off the season in a welcoming environment, hosting the annual McMaster Invitational in Burridge Gym. In a tournament that featured over 150
athletes from across 20 university and club teams, the Marauders women’s team finished 5th overall, with the men’s team placing fourth overall. “I think it is a really good predictor for the rest of the season,” Leslie said. “There were definitely some tough match-ups but the team in general did really well. Everyone wrestled well and the Mac Open is always a good good start. I always like how it is the start of the season.” While the teams missed the podium collectively, several individual Marauders placed highly in their respective weight class. Fourth-year Erik Joy, the 2017 U Sports bronze medallist, came first at 68 kilograms while Ameen Aghamirian also came first in his weight class (100 kg). The rookie wrestlers also continued to shine as Olivia Menard finished second at 48 kg and Connor Quinton finished second at 65 kg. Rounding out the top finishes for the women’s team, Leslie added another third place finish on the young season, this time in the 55
kilogram category. Next up, the Marauders will head to the Ryerson Open on Nov. 11, the second last tournament before the Ontario Senior Championships in Kitchener on Nov. 25. After an offseason of changes and new routines, the Mac wrestling team is ready and able to resume their dominance on the Canadian wrestling scene. This sure promises to be an exciting season. @justinparker81
GRANT HOLT / PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
SPORTS
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017
| 26
Not all that glimmers is gold The first round bye seemed to haunt the men’s soccer team as their quest to glory was put on hold for yet another year after a disastrous championship weekend in York
MADELINE NEUMANN / PHOTO EDITOR Lucas Uggenti Contributor
The Marauders were flying high entering their quarterfinal matchup against the reigning Ontario University Athletics champions, the Guelph Gryphons. Mac was administered a tough task against the Gryphons, knowing Guelph had previously won their first round matchup with ease. Coming off a bye week, the Marauders were well rested and determined to capture the trophy so many other teams sought after. Despite a season with questionable defending, the Marauders were able to slow down the Gryphon offence, keeping them at bay allowing only four shots, en route to their impressive 1-0 win while getting redemption for last year’s early playoff exit. The quarterfinal win sent McMaster to the final four for the first time in three seasons. On Nov. 3, York University played host to the medal round after finishing first place during the regular season, granting them the pleasure of home field advantage. This weekend saw the final four teams battle headto-head, all attempting to claim the right to be crowned cham-
pions. McMaster was seeded to face an explosive Carleton University, who previously won their quarterfinal matchup 7-0. “I believe we were all mentally prepared heading into Friday’s game, knowing that if we came out victorious, we would get the opportunity to play in British Columbia for nationals,” said keeper Jesse Di Domenico. Inevitably, the game began with both teams reluctant to make the first mistake, resulting in a series of long balls and errant passes while the teams tried to feel each other out. The first half saw neither team able to distinguish who was more dominate, making room for an exciting and highly anticipated second half. Unfortunately for McMaster, the second half was abysmal. The Marauders came out flat, conceding the first goal within the first five minutes of the second half. The opening goal changed the dynamic of the game for the Marauders as they were forced to attack. Unfortunately, this left their defence as a liability, which the Ravens intended on fully exposing. Offence was the issue for the Marauders as the Ravens kept McMaster off the score sheet throughout the en-
Five Marauders were named to the OUA All-Star team. Striker Dusan Kovacevic and midfielder Yunus Mollayev were selected to the First Team. Tony Li, Sasha Ricciuti and Jesse Di Domenico were added to the Second Team. tire 90 minutes, securing their 3-0 victory. “They had a strong attacking line which exposed us on the counter attack,” explained Di Domenico. “We kept up and played well during the first half but we just couldn’t generate any attack, which led to no scoring chances. We lost control of the game in the second half.” Di Domenico was McMaster’s best player throughout the duration of the match. Despite conceding three goals, he made multiple saves in consecu-
tive fashion helping keep the frustrated Marauders in the game for majority of the match, ultimately stopping 12 of the 15 shots he faced. With Friday’s game in the past and the bronze medal match on the horizon, the Marauders were looking to sharpen up their attack against the Ryerson Rams. This anti-climatic match had the Marauders stunned within minutes. Down 2-0 less than 20 minutes into the match, McMaster was forced to play catch up once again and come from behind for the second time in two matches. Disaster struck and frustration finally hit its peak when Yunus Mollayev was sent off with a red card in the 27th minute. Down two goals, and now forced to play with 10 men, the game was all but over entering half time. McMaster had one last surge, directing seven shots on net throughout the course of the second half, unfortunately to no avail. Ryerson added another goal late in the match, solidifying their victory and the bronze medal. All said and done, McMaster ended the season in fourth place, falling two spots from where they ended the regular season. Despite having a
postseason to forget, there were many bright spots on this young McMaster team. Five players were named to the OUA All-Star list, with two of those players being named to the First Team list. Striker Dusan Kovacevic and midfielder Yunus Mollayev were selected to the First Team, while Tony Li, Sasha Ricciuti and Jesse Di Domenico were added to the Second Team. The future is bright for this young Marauders team despite finishing without a medal after a strong outing in the regular season. Although the team was unable to meet expectations, the bar has been set for the future and the possibilities are endless. During a season of many highs and lows, the Marauders showed a great deal of camaraderie in their battle against the odds to win an OUA Championship. Morale must remain high and confidence should not waver, as the McMaster Marauders will continue to strive in the right direction before entering their new season.
@theSilhouette
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THE
HAMILTON SPECULATOR Table tennis fans since 1934
November 9, 2017
NOTSPEC.COM
Students cannot find places to sleep on campus I once tripped over a napping student into another napping student
There are a maximum of 150 words on that laptop screen, and it is already time for a nap. What hope do essay writers have?
SAINT PETER VEGAS Dreaming is the work of the Devil
Nap pods are not just a weird meme pick for student feedback sessions, apparently. Could have fooled me. With the wave of sleepyheads and lack of beds on campus, students are becoming tired of the lack of sleep accessibility at the university. Odd circles of students have been appearing all over campus. These are seemingly in opposition to the university’s lack of response to the piles of students sleeping on every single couch and surface available. However, it is currently unknown if students are legitimately protesting or are simply falling asleep on the floor. “Honestly, seeing all those sleeping people put me over the edge and I couldn’t stay awake,”
said Jacob Miller, first-year political science student. “It only takes me 10 minutes to walk back home, but I can’t make it that far after a tough day.” Miller is currently unaware that the issue will only increase over the next few years as their workload and existentialist crises increase. There are a few theories to this common phenomenon, but they have yet to be acknowledged by the university. How intensive workloads are, the lack of coordination on scheduling midterms and assignments within faculties and the minimal amount of lobbying for safe and efficient transportation home at night are a few of the hypothesized causes. The number of flat surfaces for students to sleep on will eventually increase, but it may
POLL: Where is your favourite place to sleep? At home
The student centre
Your place ;)
Mills library
I haven’t slept for three years
In the office
After drinking enough alcohol, anywhere is fine
All of the above
take up to 50 years, accounting for construction delays, for any of the new buildings on campus to go up. These new buildings are completely coincidental to helping solve the issue as ignoring students sleeping on campus has been the course of action for the last few decades. “Were naps part of my Forward with Integrity letter? I don’t think so. Must not have been important enough to mention, and thus, not important enough to address,” said Bobby Scar, president of the university. “When I think of integrity, I think of the people, I think of intelligence and I think of honesty. Are any of those words nap or sleep? I rest my case.” Charles Ibay, president of the student union and lead singer of the hottest ska band
on campus, has released a statement to help distract from the issue. “You know, this Student Activity Building is gonna be pretty cool. Look at all these signs and feedback sessions! Election season is coming up in a few months too, and hiring for next year’s part-time managers is starting soon. I’m a big picture guy. Someone else will deal with smaller issues like this.” When told that no one else will deal with smaller issues like this because they have never been of any priority, Ibay pretended not to hear. We could not reach any of the vice presidents for comment because they are all on vacation. Moving forward, nothing will change.
Tweets to the Editor Students are lazy. What are they getting tired from? I don’t get it.
My bed is always warm and I always get a good sleep. My peers just need to try harder.
- Jason, 34, doesn’t believe in sleep
- Jeremy, 21, lives at home
INSIDE AM I COOL NOW THAT I’VE SWITCHED TO CAPTAIN FALCON? SURVEY SAYS NO A1 WHAT KIND OF BUTTER IS OUR FAVOURITE KIND? THE RESULTS MAY SURPRISE YOU B2 WE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT THIS COMPETITION WAS A MONTH AGO, BUT BY GOLLY, WE’RE GONNA WIN C1 WE HAVE A BUNCH OF REALLY CUTE SLEEPING DOGS IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO PET THEM C3 WHO SAID WHAT? SHAGGY THE MUSICIAN OR SHAGGY FROM SCOOBY-DOO EDITION D2 SO WHEN ARE WE GETTING ADOBE LICENSES? D4 PER ISSUE: One mysterious barcode that no one has bothered to try. You should. It’s a fun result.
Disclaimer: The Hamilton Speculator is a work of satire and fiction and should not under any circumstances be taken seriously. Except the tripping over a napping student into another napping student. Y’all gotta get your lives in order.