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The Silhouette
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015
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The Silhouette
Volume 86, Issue 6 Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015 McMaster University’s Student Newspaper
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NOV. 18, 1982
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In 1982, student ballot counters came forward to confess that they added votes to the MSU Presidential, Board of Governors and Student Representative Assembly elections. The election rigging helped about 10 SRA members into office. The thenChief Returning Officer, Mark Rodrigue, confirmed his involvement with the scandal in a written, public resignation.
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In our Sept. 24 article on page 6, “Keeping up with OUSA,” we mistakenly printed that OUSA releases policy papers on two topics. They actually print a total of six.
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015
In this
issue:
The Silhouette
News
Founder of Black Lives Matter speaks at McMaster Page 4
Perspectives on Peace: McMaster President reflects Page 6
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New nursing exam causing alarm amongst grads Page 11
Making McMaster accessible In an effort to increase awareness about accessibility on campus, the MSU ran a weeklong campaign called Maccess MIchael Running Contributor
Most of us take time for granted. Whether you’re talking about the 10 minutes you have to move from class to class or the hour and a half you’re given to write your midterm, few people are actually cognizant of its value. This past week, the MSU hosted Maccess, a campaign held on campus to raise awareness for the issues faced by McMaster students living with different forms of disability. These students are especially aware of how important their time is, and one of the main goals of the campaign was to help others understand the struggles that they face on a daily basis. These struggles include not having enough time to reach their next class due to obstacles like stairs or snow-covered sidewalks in the winter, dealing with a mental disability or illness that requires having to seek accommodations for more time on tests or extensions on assignments and having to wait over a month to get an appointment with Student Accessibility Services for the aforementioned accommodations. Maccess attempted to raise awareness for these issues through activities including chalking off areas around campus to demonstrate the level of accessibility, holding training sessions where students could learn sign language or how to be a sighted guide, hosting a presentation and discussion on mental health, and even an event called “Accessible Perspective” that put able-bodied people in wheelchairs in an attempt to demonstrate the difficulties one could face moving
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The main focus here should be that everyone, no matter your ability, deserves to learn in a barrier-free environment.
Dean of Students Sean Van Koughnett and a student participated in the Accessible Perspective event.
Sarah Jama Ontario Director, National Educational Association of Disabled Students around campus. VP (Education) Spencer Nestico-Semianiw, was one of the driving forces behind the campaign. “We wanted to have a very holistic campaign that tried to highlight a variety of different disabilities to make students more aware of the challenges on campus,” said Semianiw. However, some people questioned the direction that the campaign took. Sarah Jama, the Ontario Director for the National Educational Association of Disabled Students and a McMaster student, stated, “I think there were pros and cons to the Maccess Campaign. I love the interactive map concept because it was tangible and works to better the lives of people with disabilities on campus.” Jama was conflicted over events like Accessible Perspective. “What I questioned were the various simulations that [catered] to people without disabilities that were intended to give them a feel for what it
C/O MIKE BEATTIE
Maccess banner signed by members of the McMaster community. C/O MIKE BEATTIE
was like to have a disability... The main focus here should be that everyone, no matter your ability, deserves to learn and experience a barrier-free environment,” she explained. While Semianiw acknowledged that there were concerns about running these events, he felt it was important because it provided a snapshot for students and staff at the university to gain some understanding of the struggles students may be facing. “We wanted it to be something where we actually have the university be able to see how accessibility affects
students.” He also mentioned that they facilitated a session with Sean Van Koughnett, McMaster’s Associate Vice President and Dean of Students. “These are the decision-makers that we want to have a very good understanding of these problems because they’re the ones ideally who are going to be looking at funding or looking at decision-making that improves accessibility on campus,” he said. Regardless of whether or not they approached the topic from the right perspective, the
campaign garnered considerable attention. Days after the campaign’s conclusion, at this Sunday’s SRA meeting, the Assembly voted in favour of launching a full-flegded, official service with the same name. The service will function as a peer support network for students with disablities. Although the campaign and the launch of the service are not directly linked, this decision indicates that the campaign is just the beginning of long-term advocacy efforts for increased accessibility on campus.
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NEWS
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
Black Lives Matter More than a hashtag
Last week, McMaster hosted one of the founders of the Black Lives Matter movement. However, even within the movement, power struggles and oppression continue
has a strong focus on advocating for black women, LGBTQ+ Rachel Katz persons, and persons with News Editor disabilities. Despite these leaps forward, On Sept. 24, McMaster played work remains to be done. host to Alicia Garza, one of During the last presentation the founders of the Black Lives by McMaster professor Vanessa Matter movement. Watts, three protesters who go “It was a huge, huge deal,” under the group name Projsaid Ismaël Traore, one of ect Black disrupted the event. the event’s organizers. Traore Kermeisha Williams, Kayonne explained that he and the other Christy and Halima Hatimy organizers began working on were all involved with “Black, the initiative to bring an activist Brown, Red, Lives Matter,” the to McMaster in late 2014. “We OPIRG-run chapter of BLM at wanted to bring in a millennial, McMaster. Christy and Hatimy someone who’s on the front were originally slated as co-faline,” he said. cilitators of the Sept. 22 event. During the Black Lives However, they felt marginalized Matter presentation, Garza and abused within the BBRLM talked about the beginning of community and chose to leave it the movement and how it has altogether. changed since its inception. “It “Even when we would leave began as a love letter to black the group, specific members people,” she said during her would come and try to pull us speech. Garza spoke fondly back into an abusive situation. about the beginning of the We’d leave to protect ourselves movement and shared her fear and they would pull us back about its possible slide into a to further exploit our labour,” passive social media phenome- Hatimy said. non. “Hashtags are not moveThe trio maintained an air ments,” she said. of professionalism throughout Garza’s presentation struck their protest. They stood quietly a chord with many audience at the back of the room while members, including Traore. Watts gave her presentation. “This is actually a civil rights They waited until they were nomovement... [but] lot of people ticed by Alicia Garza, who then aren’t giving it the seriousness invited them to join her outside that it deserves,” he said. He the room to discuss their constressed, however, that the cerns. After the presentation, movement differs from the civil they marched to the stage and rights movement of the 1960s. listed their demands. “It is advocacy for all identi“The demands were broken ties of blackness… The older down into three sub-categories. civil rights movement was very One addressed Black Lives Matheterosexual and dominated by ter, one addressed McMaster, men,” he explained, while BLM OPIRG specifically, and the oth-
er addressed the city of Hamilton at large,” Christy explained. The group hopes OPIRG will hold its working groups more accountable for their actions, and check in with members of said groups to ensure they are maintaining anti-oppressive practices. Even with these changes, Hatimy was adamant that the current organization is not working. “At this point we want BBRLM to be dismantled, the reason being it doesn’t have a good history. There were a lot of people who were hurt and oppressed,” she said. “We want it dismantled because we don’t want there to be an avenue for certain people to be able to bully and harass members of the community and obviously students at Mac.” While Hatimy, Christy and Williams are proud of their first step in diminished the internal conflict within BLM, they feel there is much work that remains to be done. “We feel our actions were radically misunderstood by people in the community. It was treated, specifically by the moderators of the group, like it was just another segment, so I think that really minimized the significance of why we did what we did,” Hatimy explained. Traore, for his part, spoke positively about the disruption. “I appreciate disruptions. I am an activist myself… and these disruptions are strategically necessary sometimes,” he said. “And so I think it was great that a space was made for these three women to be able to
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This is actually a civil rights movement... [but] a lot of people are not giving it the seriouness that it deserves. Ismaël Traore Co-organizer of Black, Brown, Red Lives Matter
speak, instead of [shutting them down].” He did mention, however, that ideally the demonstration would have taken place during the question and answer period rather than during the presentations. “Vanessa Watts is an amazing speaker… and I felt hurt that the protest occurred while she was speaking,” he said. “How can we talk about the erasure of the voice of one group [when] the protest is also erasing the voice of another group?” @RachAlbertaKatz
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct.1, 2015
NEWS
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NEWS
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
New perspectives
McMaster celebrates the launch of the new Perspectives on Peace initiative on campus
>> Patrick Deane reflects on launch Isaac Kinley Contributor
McMaster’s Perspectives on Peace campaign began on Sept. 21 with a field trip to Brantford’s Woodland Cultural Centre and a tour of the Mohawk Institute residential school. Teddy Saull, a former MSU president, launched the campaign during his 201415 mandate, in partnership with President Patrick Deane. Perspectives on Peace is set to involve a number of activities including public lectures, artistic showcases, film screenings and storytelling circles, all centred around the goal of creating dialogue within McMaster and Hamilton about local and global conflicts. An idea foundational to the campaign is that conflict is at
its root the result of inequality. President Deane’s experience growing up in apartheid-era South Africa partly informed the initiative. “My recollection of my own childhood growing up in an appallingly unjust society is that at the root of many of the problems in that culture was a failure to apprehend the humanity of the other,” he said. He was an undergraduate at The University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg at the time of the Soweto uprising, and remembers feeling then that universities cannot cut themselves off from politics. But unfortunately, they have, according to Deane. “Universities as a whole have become a little shy of dealing with big political questions. We have our origins in monasteries, so there’s that sense that
what’s done in the university is best done at a distance from the real world,” he said. Some have argued that McMaster is no exception, having not done enough to address last year’s Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions controversy related to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Deane thinks this is unfortunate since universities are so well positioned to deal with issues of this kind. “You have to be able to talk about any issue in the university,” he said. “[It] can’t be always comfortable. And it’s an odd mistake to think that whenever people feel discomfort the discussion’s got to stop. You have to see your way through the discussion to a different kind of comfort on the other end.” A sense of critical self-evaluation is central to this, says
Deane. The campaign’s overview states that it will involve a “critical [evaluation] of Western liberalism,” which is the dominant perspective at McMaster and in the Western world. “It’s important to realize that one’s own position is ideologically inscribed in some way,” Deane pointed out. “What in one culture you’d characterize as peace another culture might characterise as economic violence of one sort or another.” He believes that events such as last Monday’s residential school visit can help students understand this, and achieve a combination of empathy and self-scrutiny that he sees as essential for productive dialogue. Deane hopes that Perspective on Peace will facilitate a newfound understanding of the issues at play amongst students,
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Universities as a whole have become a little shy of dealing with big political questions. Patrick Deane President, McMaster University
and a better understanding of our fellow peers. “I don’t think people want to just be a tissue of prejudices and assumptions and opinions. If that’s what they’re content to be, university is not the ideal place for them.”
>> Indigenous initiatives on campus Patrick Kim News Reporter
On Sept. 22, McMaster was host to a panel of Indigenous speakers and representatives as part of its continued awareness efforts through Perspectives on Peace. The session, titled “Truth & Reconciliation Teach-In: Residential Schools in Canada,” highlighted a joint effort between the Indigenous Studies program and the Perspectives on Peace campaign to educate students about the problematic history of the residential school system in Canada. “We wanted to give an opportunity to the university community that maybe isn’t able to take indigenous studies courses,” said Vanessa Watts, full-time lecturer with the Indigenous Studies program. Part of the timing of the event stemmed from the recent conclusion of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Canada, which identified 94 “calls to action” to remedy the legacy of residential schools.
The TRC itself lasted for over seven years and came as a result of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement in 2007, the largest class action settlement in Canadian history. The residential school system existed in Canada from the 1830s and on, with the last federally-operated facility closing in 1996. In that time, it has been estimated that out of the 150,000 indigenous children that passed through the residential schools, at least 4,000 of them died while attending the schools. “[The goal was] to put some context to what’s been in the media lately. It’s one thing to read recommendations or see it in the news, it’s another thing to visit an actual residential school,” said Watts. “It was an extremely successful event.” The day before the panel, members of the university community were invited to visit the formerly-named Mohawk Institute in Brantford, which served as the first and longest-running residential school from 1831 to 1970. It now stands as the Woodland Cultural Centre, and
Members of the Teach-In panel at the Sept. 22 event. C/O MATT CLARKE
acts as a reminder to the history of schools just like it across the country. The panel itself consisted of survivors from the location, who shared some of their experiences at the residential school. “To see a panel of Indigenous speakers speaking to the university community about their experiences, their personal stories, even that in and of itself
without context is a feat because that doesn’t happen often,” said Watts. “People need to learn about what happened, and to know that it’s not that far in the past,” she continued. “What we tried to do was to talk about the knowledge that is inherent with stories of those survivors, what healing looks like, and why there is a need
for reconciliation. It’s not just a policy issue, or a historical fact; it’s a lived repercussion for many people.” Perspectives on Peace was officially launched in late 2014, with an aim to promote understanding and discourse on various issues that relate to the greater, global community. @patrickjkim
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HUMANS
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
Theo Abraham Communications III
What is one thing that most people don’t know about you? I am deeply into spoken word poetry. I love writing it. I love hearing it. It’s the most moving piece of art - I think - that’s ever been created. I’ve been writing my own since Grade 4. But I am terrified to perform it for people because I’m not Shane Koyczan, I’m not him, and I’m not that good yet... So I don’t perform. The only people who have heard me do my poetry are my girlfriend, and my mom.
So, what are you guys doing here?
Eli Popp, Carly Mason and Mustafa Patwa English II, Civil Eng. Management IV and Economics III
Carly: In the Community Garden, we grow produce, mostly over the summer, and we donate most of the produce to Mac Farmstand. In the past years, we’ve also donated to other organizations as well. Right now we are just tidying the garden. The first frost is supposed to be coming on Reading Week... yeah! I looked it up. So we have to take most of the plants out probably by then because the frost will kill them anyways. But this weekend, there’s going to be a tour of the garden, so we’re trying to make it look better, so people would want to walk in it. Most people ask me how it started from the Sustainability Office, but it was actually started by two students in Integrated Science, and then it was under the MSU for a little bit, and then the Sustainability Office took it over. It’s pretty new - it just opened in 2012. When you see all the things you’ve grown, how does it make you feel? Carly: Oh, it’s so exciting. The first day that we came out and got cucumbers, I was crying. It was so great. Mustafa: You should have seen when it just started... It was just dirt. We had none of this stuff. [Carly] really worked hard with weeding, [and] watering every morning, and it shows!
JASON LAU/ PHOTO REPORTER
What got you all interested in working with Sustainability? Eli: Honestly, I think it kinda goes over a lot of people’s heads in Western culture. This sort of idea, that [growing your own food] is still practical. It doesn’t take a lot of knowledge, and it only takes a little bit of effort, but there’s still not a lot of
people doing it. You can see that this is a student-tended garden — Carly’s hard work, and all of us helping out — so it actually makes sense to grow your own food. Just by having that, I think people can walk by this and know that students do this, and they’ll know that it’s possible. Is there anything else you want McMaster to know?
Carly: Make sure to recycle! I also do waste [management]... We used to have a bad [recycling to garbage] ratio for a while, but things are better. They are improving. We’re also trying to get more Fair Trade products on campus. Eli: Grow your own food. It’s a big deal, and we should be doing more of that. This whole
garden can easily feed a family for weeks, and it didn’t take that much work. Mustafa: Turn off the lights. That was my motto for the entire summer. That’s basically my job. Just please, turn off the lights, spread the word. Carly: His shirt literally says, “turn down for watt.”
HUMANS
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct.1, 2015
What is it about spoken word that captivates you? I guess it’s just the freedom in it. I’ve never been someone who’s good with a set of rules, or structures. When it came to math or the sciences, I loved them deeply, but I struggled. When it came to words, with writing and language, there were just so many possibilities. I’m a deeply creative person, so when I sit there, I just think: “god, I want to make this sound so good.” I just want to morph it and change it, and make it something great. Language and poetry really allow me to do that. How does spoken word poetry make you feel? It all depends on what’s happened to me in that moment or that day or what I’m drawing my experience from. One of my own personal favourite poems I’ve written was taken from me not being on the football team anymore. That was a mixture of joy and happiness. Just because
I got to have a new experience, and you know, no more 6 a.m. morning wake-ups for workouts. But at the same time, it was a devastating experience because that’s been part of my identity for so long. Walking away from that, [even though] I’m pursuing something else that I’d like to be, was scary. Because you don’t want to lose who you are. You don’t want to lose your friends. Thank goodness I didn’t lose any of those things. It was hard. It was hard at first, but it’s the people who stand by you and help you through it, they’re the fuel for my poetry. It’s the “in-between” moments when you’re not sure how you’re really feeling, but you need to get something out and figure it out. Poetry helps you. It’s like a roadmap to your emotions. That’s really wise. That’s the reason why people don’t know I do this. People say I put myself out there, but I don’t. I like talking so I talk. But this poetry thing is the darker part of me. It’s the same reason
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why I started playing football. It’s the outward expression of things I [would be] feeling. For football, it’s a great way to get out aggression and a great way to feel like you’re getting stronger and moving forward — physically accomplishing something. At the same time, poetry was that [too], all the other emotions that weren’t figured out. That was, “how am I going to get from sad to happy? How can I flip this? Can I see a better version of myself?” This is something you want to put out into the world, but also something you want to hoard yourself as well. It’s always this “give and take” with it. It’s just for you, but that to me is what a real hobby is. What do you want to do? What do you want to obsess over, and the same time, hide from the world? I think that’s where you find your art, right? ‘Cause art is really that beautiful expression of all the things you’re thinking that you’re also trying to hide from the world, and you actually just put it in a format where people can see it.
Abbey Jessome, Maddie Glover and Ashley Jang Humanities I, Social Sciences I and Nursing I
Describe your friendship in a tweet-sized sentence.
Abbey: We get each other’s vibes.
Ashley: This is hard...
Do you finish each other’s sandwiches?
Abbey: We’re always on the same wavelength. All: Yeah!
Ashley: Um, yes, actually. Because I’m usually the one that eats their leftovers. But
yeah, I don’t want to say [we’re a] “squad”... But you know, like, when you’re in a married relationship? And you don’t need to keep a conversation going? You just like each other’s company and presence. That’s like us.
You can view more photos online on the Humans of McMaster Facebook page: facebook.com/HumansOfMcMaster
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NEWS
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
The future of Alzheimer’s Last week, Canadian broadcaster Jay Ingram gave a keynote address on the state of Alzheimer’s research as part of the McMaster Health Forum’s Optimal Aging Event Series Steven Chen Contributor
On Tuesday, Sept. 22, a public talk was held at McMaster Innovation Park addressing the latest findings in Alzheimer’s research. The talk, called “The Science of Alzheimer’s: Where Are We Going,” was directed as part of McMaster’s Optimal Aging Event Series.
The Optimal Aging Event Series is a program initiated by the McMaster Health Forum and focuses on sharing the insights of experts in the scientific community with the intent of promoting better provision of service and care for the aging population. One the key themes of the program is to ensure that the aging population remains healthy, active and engaged in
society. The talk featured Jay Ingram, a renowned Canadian broadcaster and author, known for hosting the CBC Radio program Quirks and Quarks and the television show Daily Planet. “I’m interested in all aspects of Alzheimer’s, from the personal to the scientific. The audience that McMaster serves
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is one that likely already has a personal connection to Alzheimer’s but might not be familiar with the science. It may be important to know something of the disease with which you’re dealing,” said Ingram. His keynote talk brought out central ideas from his newly published book, The End of Memory: A Natural History of Aging and Alzheimer’s. In it, he combines a historical perspective with practical details of leading research on the disease. “I set out to answer what I believe are the three questions everyone has about Alzheimer’s,” said Ingram. “These are: Am I going to get it? What can I do to mitigate my risk? And if all else fails and I do get it, what is in store for me?” The event also featured Dr. Christopher Patterson, who contributed additional content with regards to the state of Alzheimer’s research. “In recent years there has been a surge in investment into Alzheimer’s disease,” said Patterson. “Unfortunately, many trials of promising medications have
been unsuccessful, but more and more is being learned about the genetics and biochemistry of Alzheimer’s, together with new knowledge about risk factors and ways to delay or even prevent the disease.” Considering the prevalence of Alzheimer’s in our aging society, it is hardly surprising that raising awareness is absolutely critical. With around 700,000 Alzheimer patients in Canada at present and a projected increase of 100 percent in the next fifteen years, the statistics themselves underline the scale of this issue. “[Our healthcare system] is already strained to provide proper care for patients, and there are no new drugs on the verge of becoming part of the treatment regimen,” said Ingram. “There needs to be changes to [the research] and national policy of the disease.” Additional information on “The Science of Alzheimer’s: Where Are We Going,” and upcoming events may be found on the project’s website.
Jay Ingram spoke on a variety of topics surrounding Alzheimer’s, both personal and scientific. C/O MCMASTER HEALTH FORUM
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Code red: new nursing exam cause for alarm A new licensing exam is troubling nurses with a decrease in passing grades. The McMaster School of Nursing is looking to address the issue Alexandra Florescu News Reporter
The Canadian Council of Registered Nurse Regulators is facing backlash after moving to an American practicing nurse licensing exam called the National Council Licensure Examination last January. All nurses are required to pass the licensing exam in order to begin practicing. These changes were brought forward because the CCRNR wanted to move to an online system with the NCLEX. However, this marked the end of the Canadian test, the College of Nurses of Ontario Registration Exam. Carolyn Byrne, the Associate Dean and Director of the School of Nursing, is among those pushing for reassessment. “We are the only country in the world, excluding the United States, that uses an American exam. [There was] no discussion about this, it was just announced that it was going to happen.” Those who wrote the exam for the first time struggled with the American adjustments to
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We are the only country in the world, excluding the United States, that uses an American exam. Carolyn Byrne Associate Dean and Director of the School of Nursing
Carolyn Byrne, Associate Dean and Director of the School of Nursing, is disappointed with the results of the new American licensing exam. C/O SCHOOL OF NURSING
the test, including the use of the generic names of drugs dominant in the U.S. and the use of the U.S. imperial system instead of the Canadian metric system. Due to this gap between U.S. and Canadian convention, there was a drop from an average pass rate of 90 percent to 72 percent across Canada. This fall is indicative of a similar decline in the number of people who achieved a passing grade, with
a drop from 94 percent to 85 percent for McMaster students. “It’s very upsetting, you know? These are bright students,” said Byrne. When asked about if there is a capacity for change with the CCRNR, Byrne said she does not know. “But we are certainly fighting back. We did have a conversation with [the CCRNR] but to me at this point they’re not
prepared to change anything.” The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree will not change their curriculum to suit the exam, but there has been an overwhelming response to support the students. “In [Ontario] students only have three chances to write an exam. In the States sometimes they can write forever. We are trying to make changes. We would like a Canadian exam
[but] I don’t know if we will get that. If we use NCLEX for the rest of this year, we would like to give students four chances to write rather than the three, with the fourth one being free. Say none of this changes, we are putting in special workshops to help the students learn how to write that exam,” said Byrne. @alexxflorescu
Is there a story at McMaster you want to report on? Our News team meets on Tuesdays at 12:30 p.m. If you can’t make it, email them at news@thesil.ca to get involved.
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The McMaster Students Union
PRESIDENT’S PAGE Canada is officially in election season. The 2015 federal election is slated for October 19th, with a variety of opportunities leading up to this date for students to vote and get involved. With provincial and municipal elections last year, some of you may already be seasoned veterans at submitting ballots. For the rest, however, the federal election is the perfect time to enter the realm of civic life. In order to assist student voters, the MSU will host the MacVotes campaign. This campaign will advertise to students how,m when, and where to vote in the federal election, while also helping students to make an educated vote. Moreover,
the MSU’s Advocacy Street Team will be in the McMaster University Student Centre (MUSC) throughout the next few weeks, answering questions about the election. The team consists of a variety of passionate and informed student volunteers. They will direct students to appropriate resources and promote the MSU’s election awareness events. Speaking of events, the MSU will host People, Politics, and Platters in TwelvEighty on Thursday, October 1st. All are invited to enjoy free food, mingle with their peers, and ask questions about local candidates, party leaders, and platform points. The MSU will also host an all-can-
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.
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... the federal election is the perfect time to enter the realm of civic life.
didates debate on October 8th in the MUSC atrium. The Conservative, Green, Liberal, and NDP candidates for the riding of Hamilton West - Ancaster - Dundas will all be in attendance. There will be time for students to pose questions directly to the candidates. In order to encourage youth voting, Elections Canada will operate polling stations on 40 campuses across Canada, with McMaster being one of them. As a result, from October 5th - 8th,
students can come to Celebration Hall to vote in either their home riding or the riding corresponding to their temporary McMaster address (on-campus or off-campus). Appropriate documentation is all that is required. Speaking of documentation and other details of the voting process, check out msumcmaster.ca/macvotes for information on how, when, and where to vote. If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact me at vped@msu. mcmaster.ca, or the MSU Advocacy Coordinator Christine Yachouh at advocacy@msu.mcmaster.ca.
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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015
The Silhouette | 13
Editorial There goes the rebrand The university got a flag. It is OK.
Amanda Watkins Editor-in-Chief
This week, McMaster unveiled its latest project — a university flag. The university already has a logo, slogan, colours, but was always lacking the presence of a waving banner. In response to this missing element, President Deane arranged for his office to draft a design of the flag and pass it through a few university groups including media personnel from his office and the Board of Governors. The flag went through a few stages before being finalized, and after some debate, the final product is a maroon background with the school crest and “McMaster” written beneath it in a serif font. It’s not bad, but it isn’t great. As a university with close to 30,000 students and access to a variety of design-related resources, the flag is
disappointing — even more so when you think about the time and effort that went into its creation. Don’t get me wrong, I’m as big a fan of Microsoft Paint as the next person, but when you have a student body filled with talented individuals who could create something iconic and timeless, yet you choose to work internally and mostly independent of the students to create a lackluster product, it seems like a very myopic decision. This new flag came about as a way to meet a certain university standard. One that many other schools live up to with a prominent and noticeable brand. McMaster has the ability to create an image for itself that entices students and represents its creative and innovative population. Instead, it chose to work without students and create an image that falls behind the progress of the school. And while we’re on the topic of Mac’s branding not mirroring the
student population, I think now is also a great time to bring up our slogan. McMaster’s Greek motto reads, “Ta panta en Christoi synesteken,” or in English, “All things cohere in Christ.” While McMaster’s Baptist history is important, it is no longer relevant. I mean no disrespect to our Christian students and staff, but a motto that essentially translates to “Jesus powers this school” is not the most representative of our student — or staff — population. It’s another element of the university brand that could be changed, but isn’t being addressed the right way. It’s exciting to see that the president and the university want to revamp the school’s branding to reach its full potential, but it would be nice if our potential-reeking student body could be included as part of these decisions when it could be of use. @whatthekins
Welcome (back) to Mac!
to reunions.
to TGIT.
to order screwups at a certain underground campus restaurant.
to a fridge full of pizza.
to the reign of Bitch the Fly.
to Ashley Eom, whose byline will never be forgotten again.
to dried toner.
to DΔNI3L.
to Hotel Transylvania. to hot doggy smells. to the plant. to attention to ear detail.
to “yeah, I’ve seen you around before.” to an empty office. to the windows we don’t have. to tragic ear loss.
Want to write a response to one of our articles? Email thesil@thesil.ca to send us a letter to the editor
MAPS is your student association. We are here for you and have been working hard over the summer to make sure you have what you need to navigate your success!
Mentor
MAPS Awards
Nominations
Need a Mentor?
There is 1 vacancy on the MAPS Board. Visit the link below for details.
Visit: eepurl.com/bzwYpz
MAPS recognizes students, supporters of part-time learning, and great CCE instructors. And we increased the cash awards for this year!
Applications close Oct 5th
Nomination deadline: Oct 15
Want to be a Mentor?
Nominations close Oct 20th
Survey
Tour
Health and Dental
Let us know what
Still getting your bearings?
Health and Dental Plan Opt-in
social events you'd
MAPS offers individualized
Ends for Term 1 on Sept 30th
like MAPS to host?
tours to help you be efficient.
Who we are MAPS represents part-time undergrad and CCE students and students enrolled in the Clinical Behavioural Sciences Program.
VOTE ONLINE @ MACVOTE Tuesday, October 6, 2015 – 8:30 a.m. until midnight Wednesday, October 7, 2015 – 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Vote online at https://elections.mcmaster.ca/voter/index.cfm Voters will need their MAC ID and password to cast a ballot. Board of Governors: Graduate Representative: Anna D’Angela – M.B.A. Co-op, Level I Ala Shaabana – Ph.D., Engineering, Level III Heston Tobias – M.A., Humanities, Level I Senate: Faculty of Science Undergraduate Representative: Sunia Hassan – Honours Biology, Level IV Veronica van der Vliet – Integrated Science, Level II
For all candidate résumés and results: www.mcmaster.ca/univsec/elections
Check out eepurl.com/bzwYpz for more info! Contact Rm 234, McMaster University Student Centre (MUSC) 905.525.9140 x22021 maps@mcmaster.ca
STUDENT ELECTIONS TO McMASTER GOVERNING BODIES
Follow us www.mcmaster.ca/maps mcmasterpartttimestudents
Questions? Contact the University Secretariat, 905.525.9140 x24337, or unielec@mcmaster.ca
Abilities AbiliTEAS Launch
MSU Peer Support Line Launch Event
MacBEAT Jam
When: October 01, 2015 from 10:00AM
When: October 01, 2015 from 08:00PM
until 11:00PM
until 11:30AM
until 11:00PM
Where: SWELL (MUSC B118)
Where: Bridges Cafe
MSU Diversity Services’ Abilities pillar
The MSU Peer Support Line invites you to
er wherein students collaboratively create
is beginning a biweekly series called
our 2015/2016 school year launch event!
music! Contact macmusicnet@gmail.com for
AbiliTEAS!
For the first time ever we are hosting a
more information.
When: October 06, 2015 from 08:00PM
Where: Bridges Cafe MacBEAT invites you to a musical get-togeth-
coffee house for people to enjoy, socialIf you are a student with a disability, we
ize, and talk about the line! Contact psl@
will be offering snacks, resources and
msu.mcmaster.ca for more information.
peer support in a space where you can bond over lived experience and engage in meaningful dialogue. Our official launch is in the SWELL MUSC B118, from 10:00am-
Campus Blood Donor Clinic
Mac Local Food Fest When: October 07, 2015 from 11:00AM until 03:00PM Where: MUSC/MILLS Plaza (Near Starbucks)
11:30am! From then on, we will alternate
When: October 06, 2015 from 10:00AM
between Clubspace and the SWELL for
until 04:00PM
the rest of the year.
Where: McMaster University Student
at McMaster’s first Local Food Fest! This
Centre - 3rd floor in CIBC Hall
open air festival in MUSC/Mills plaza will
Consider donating blood with someone
feature live music, fun games and activi-
you know - bring a friend & save twice the
ties, local food exhibitors, and the Farm-
lives!
stand local food market! Stop by to talk
QSCC Book Club: For Today I Am A Boy
Where: MUSC 207 Together with the Student Success Centre and the Women and Gender Equity Network (WGEN), the Queer Students
we celebrate our local food community
with local experts and on campus groups,
When: October 01, 2015 from 05:00PM until 06:00PM
Join Mac Farmstand on October 7th as
Men4Men Sexual Health Educator When: October 06, 2015 from 01:00PM until 04:00PM
Community Centre is thrilled to centre
Where: QSCC MUSC 221
our book club for first term around the
James Diemert, the AIDS Network’s Gay
Common Reading Program novel: For
Men’s HIV Prevention Worker will be
Today I Am A Boy.
available hanging out at the QSCC to chat with our queer men about hooking up and staying healthy. Have questions? Into guys? Come get real answers!
and try a sample of delicious food.
VISIT: msumcmaster.ca/calendar to view the full calendar of events!
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015
The Silhouette | 15
Opinion Down with corporate feminism Feminism is not the radical notion that women are customers
Talia Kollek Opinions Editor
Last week, a video about body image appeared on my Twitter feed. “Fact: 97 percent of women have an ‘I hate my body moment’ every day” begins the clip. “That’s a lot of women looking in the mirror, wanting to change something.” The film goes on to call for women to love themselves, a message that I can get behind. Here is the issue: the video was an ad for Special K cereal. In the past few years I’ve noticed a rise of “corporate feminism”—the use of feminist rhetoric in an attempt at marketing. Despite the potentially positive messages contained within this media, it should not be mistaken for legitimate feminist activism. One of the most well known examples of corporate feminism is the Dove “Real Beauty TM” campaign. In one video, the ad tackles the way women view themselves. Sketched by an artist, women can
see that they are more beautiful than they had previously thought. The video is moving, and as a woman who has struggled with my body image, it had an effect on me. So what exactly is the problem? The short answer is that corporate feminism doesn’t care about you or me, it only cares about our money. This marketing may be powerful, but in the end it is still an ad, with the end goal not being self-acceptance, but purchases. Dove would be very displeased at the prospect of universal self-acceptance because satisfaction does not sell beauty products. For example, the company is owned by Unilever, which also sells “Fair and Lovely,” a skin-bleaching cream, which capitalizes on white supremacy in the beauty industry. Our ability to love our bodies without the assistance of cosmetics and soaps is Unilever’s worst-case scenario. If we were to whole-heartedly love our bodies, then
why would we need shampoo to help manage our split ends? At this point you may be thinking that it is not news that corporations aren’t perfect. Maybe if the ads are not entirely sincere, then at least they are promoting discussion. Perhaps some change can come out of questionable content if consumers take a moment to think about feminist issues when purchasing breakfast cereal, or a bar of soap. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The problem lies with corporate feminism’s lack of diversity—not just in its media, which mostly features white, able-bodied women— but in its choice of topics. Bonafide feminism is as diverse as its membership; it encompasses everything from conception, to race, to occupation. Corporate feminism instead focuses solely on ideas that can make money, mostly
sanitized messages about body image. These are concepts which everyone can comfortably support, but do not address the root of the problem. While great change can come from diverse feminist dialogue, corporate feminism instead fosters a conversational monoculture, one which is not intended to produce anything other than sales. Furthermore, corporate feminism often misses the point or leads us astray when it comes to meaningful social change. The Dove “Real Beauty TM” video focused on acceptance through appearance, not holistic self-love. The advertisement for Special K cereal had women throwing off the bonds of the patriarchy through physical fitness, which is not an option for many women with disabilities, nor should it be the sole path to self-acceptance. Both campaigns put the onus on women to change, not questioning the societal structures that make us feel the way we do about our bodies. Corporate feminism’s “solution”— through the magic of retail therapy—is also inaccessible to those who can-
“
Corporate feminism doesn’t care about you or me, it only cares about our money.
not buy their way in. It reduces a movement that is meant to be inclusive to one that is only available to those with disposable income. At its core, corporate feminism is emotional manipulation wielded to divest you from your cash. Somewhere during the production of the ad for Special K, someone in marketing turned around and said, “The majority of women feel badly about themselves. How can we use this to sell cereal?” I don’t believe that self-acceptance is going to come tucked in with my breakfast food, and neither should you. @TaliaKollek
16 |
OPINION
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
Let’s make MacServe a student priority Students should receive course credit for service-learning experiences Sunanna Bhasin Contributor
Last February, I partook in one of the best learning experiences of my life: MacServe Reading Week. MacServe is a service-learning program run by the Student Success Centre that coordinates opportunities for groups of students to volunteer in the city and abroad. It differs from community service by combining personal reflection, critical discussion, and working alongside community members as opposed to working for
them. It encourages students to recognize their responsibility to engage in civic life. While MacServe provides opportunities elsewhere, I chose Hamilton because I wanted to get to know the city beyond McMaster. The overwhelming emotion and connection I felt each day is indescribable. Service-learning was an integral part of my growth into a compassionate and well-rounded individual. Outside of personal growth, students should be encouraged to be active in their community outside the
“McMaster bubble.” There is sometimes hesitation on the part of students about exploring downtown Hamilton, partially because of the uncomfortable reality of poverty in the city. This unfamiliarity should not translate to an unwillingness to learn about our surroundings, especially since it is our home for at least eight months of the year. One issue is the social stigma associated with poverty, which we can perpetuate if we ignore the issue. There is prejudiced language I have noticed
NOW on
facebook and twitter!
UNIVERSITY PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SERVICES
at McMaster, such as the term “Code Red” used to refer to the especially impoverished areas of the city, further segregating the Hamilton and student population. We miss the bigger picture when we buy into this rhetoric, and fail to see the strong, hard-working community in this city that’s fighting to end this stigma. This bigger picture is something that cannot be fully understood through detached research. I met the Hamiltonians behind the stereotypes by conversing with a woman asking for extra snacks at the food bank, or sitting at a shelter, not only serving food to the customers but also eating and conversing with them. Participating in service-learning is a fantastic way for McMaster students to break through the barrier separating them from misunderstood members of the community. I urge McMaster’s administration to consider giving students the option to partake in service-learning for course credit. With overwhelmingly heavy course loads, many stu-
FEEDBACK
dents find it difficult to balance schoolwork with extracurricular activities, but this could allow more students to get involved. If professors encouraged community engagement and increased interaction with Hamiltonians by providing academic incentive, more students may become interested. This model already exists in the university: McMaster’s Nursing program has taken steps to make 32 hours of service-learning mandatory in first and second year. Nursing 1K02 and 2K02 make up two parts of a course called “Health and Well-Being of Diverse Populations” which includes service-learning. Giving students an extra push to partake in what may be the most memorable experience of their university career could be the answer to not only cultivating compassionate minds, but also building up the Hamilton community. It is the application of textbook knowledge that becomes an effective means for social change.
Where would you volunteer if you had time?
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“Anywhere that involves helping out women. The YWCA Young Women’s Advisory Council, which I’m a part of.”
“I’d probably volunteer at a nursing home. That’s what I did in elementary school. I had a lot of great experiences there.”
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OPINION | 17
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015
Canada’s refugee crisis Learning from our history of immigration Nimesha Wickramasuriya Contributor
The 2011 Syrian civil war has resulted in more than ten million individuals in need of humanitarian assistance. Many have fled to neighboring European countries but some have been denied access. For example, last week Croatia was overwhelmed with the number of refugees entering their country and sent thousands of individuals to the Hungarian border without the assurance that they will be granted safe access. In light of these recent events, I would like to take a look at the Canadian history in refugee assistance and what we can do to alleviate the Syrian refugee crisis. Canada has a long history of involvement with refugee assistance, even before the country became independent of British rule. In 1776, 3,000 African-American individuals escaping slavery were granted safe passage into Canada. In fact many Canadian citizens can
trace their origins in Canada back to humble refugee beginnings, which contributes to the Canadian population’s multicultural blend. Unfortunately, Canada also has a history of hostility; in 1939, 907 Jews fleeing Nazi persecution boarded a ship called St. Louis and headed to Cuba hoping to escape Germany. The Cuban government, as well as the United States, and other Latin American countries refused to grant them access. As a last resort, they started their journey towards North America hoping Canada would take them in. After a month long voyage at sea, they reached our border only to be refused entrance again as Prime Minister Mackenzie King felt that this was “not a Canadian problem.” They were forced to return back to Germany where all of them were placed in concentration camps, and where 254 of them faced excruciatingly horrible deaths. This occurred over 75 years ago, and the outcome of St.
Louis still haunts our collective consciousness, yet this event did not hinder the hostility of Canadians in the future towards accepting refugees. In 2010, after the end of the Sri Lankan civil war, a boat occupying 490 refugee escapees reached British Columbian coastal waters after a three month long voyage. They did not receive a warm welcome; they were faced with armed border guards and RCMP officers, as if escaping the war-torn country was not enough. Their boat was thoroughly inspected by officials for human trafficking, drugs and “terrorist-like activities” and even after the full inspection they were detained in the boat for several months until Canada made a decision. Meanwhile, the health of the refugees declined greatly without medical assistance, resulting in one death and several others severe cases of illness. I hope history does not repeat itself with the Middle Eastern refugee crisis. Fortunately, some European countries have
been providing assistance: Germany has granted access to 50,000 refugees per year, while the UK has pledged to take in 20,000 refugees directly from Syrian refugee camps by 2020 and France has consented to 24,000 individuals. But with over 10 million individuals displaced from their homes, this is not enough. Canada and the Harper government has agreed to take in an additional 10,000 refugees from Syria and Iraq over the next four years but has also elusively stated that there may be “processing delays.” This is a pitifully low number considering that Ontario being larger than Germany, the UK and France combined. After the St. Louis and the Sri Lankan-Tamil boat, one would think the barriers that we put up would be broken down, so what is keeping our country from accepting more? At the moment the government and media seem to be one-sided, only focusing on the negative aspects of accepting refugees.
“
After the St. Louis and the Sri LankanTamil boat, one would think the barriers that we put up would be broken down.
This type of coverage can result in racism and damaging stereotypes. I believe accepting more refugees might actually help Canada by contributing to a more diverse population and better unifying Canada with the Middle East. We ought to learn from our past mistakes, disregard our prejudices, and allow more refugees into our country.
The price of gluten-freedom Gluten-free is not just a fad diet Taryn Cornell Contributor
As someone with a serious case of celiac disease, I often get questions about my thoughts on those who, for a variety of different reasons, decide to go gluten-free. Firstly, there are a variety of non-coeliac gluten sensitivities with which people can be diagnosed. There is currently no indisputable evidence for the existence of these intolerances, but whether or not they are the result of a placebo effect is irrelevant. After cutting out gluten, these people feel better, and that is what matters. The problem I have is the way many gluten-free “foodies” have reduced the diet to a fad. The problem I have is with the people who claim to be gluten-free and then pick apart a sandwich or navigate a crouton-laden Caesar salad, or even devour an entire pizza with a wink and an “I’m so bad.” The problem I have is that, while 10 years ago I had to explain what
gluten was, now I have to assure weary waiters that I’m not, in fact, doing this for fun. Celiac disease is not glamorous. It means turning down local food abroad without even trying a piece, unable to explain my rudeness. It means apologizing, mortified, to passengers around me because an airhostess—forgetting to use different serving utensils—has made me sick. It means cancelling dinners out and special events more times than I can count and being on my guard at every one. I’ve actually had more reactions since gluten became popularised, because despite more ostensibly gluten free foods being available there is now little demand or effort to manage cross-contamination. Now just because something is labelled gluten free doesn’t mean it is necessarily safe for me to eat. Because people are so sceptical and dismissive when I say I can’t eat gluten, it’s made the age-old “So what happens when you eat it then?” question
somehow more acceptable for strangers to ask. The answer is that it is really none of your business and I’d really rather avoid people envisioning me in my worst condition. Sometimes I want to respond with “explosive diarrhea” or “early stage leprosy” just to make them as uncomfortable as they made me. On one occasion, I responded that it was highly contagious just to see how quickly the conversation could end. For the record, every celiac is different and there is a wide range of symptoms. For me, the symptoms include severe and unabated nausea, sometimes vomiting, uncontrollable shaking, big fluctuations in body temperature (usually cold), considerable stomach pain, rapid weight loss, eyesight problems and a pretty vicious personality change. I also know a celiac who bloats and gets appalling headaches. It is a manageable condition, but it varies from person to person. I’m very lucky my own case is not more severe. It’s been 11 years since I
was diagnosed. I’ve become accustomed to it and I don’t mind respectful curiosity, but those who use the diet flippantly have made my life difficult because it has reduced the gluten-free diet to a fad, or a stereotype. If you need to be gluten-free because it makes you feel better, you should. But please be a bit more scrupulous when you eat out so
that we can avoid cross-contamination continuing as the norm. If you don’t need to be gluten-free but want to be because you wish to lose three pounds, well, then let me assure you that the only way it will make you run faster is if I see you taking the last of the good gluten-free bread.
18 |
OPINION
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
Syeda Imam Contributor
The NHL doesn’t care about women Athletes accused of sexual assault do not belong on the ice
LA Kings Ice Girls literally on parade. C/O PRAYITNO (FLICKR COMMONS) INSET: Patrick Kane
Westdale United Church Distinguished Visiting Speaker October 3 - 4 the ar in of t s r ion upe ‘a s rpretat gious e reli int ern ght’ d o m thou
‘the pre-eminent social ethicist in North America today’
Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics Union Theological Seminary, New York
prize-winning author of 16 books; a powerful voice in print and on the public platform for economic, racial, and gender justice.
A Public Address and Reception:
Saturday, October 3, 7:30 pm
Gary J. Dorrien
Social Ethics for Social Justice: Renewing an Ecumenical Tradition Also on Saturday
The Social Gospel in Black and White: A workshop on the theology and ethics of difference 9:00am gathering with muffins and coffee/Session 9:30-12:00
And at Sunday service
‘On being a Christian, or How I Got this Way’ Westdale United Church 99 North Oval Hamilton, Ontario L8S 3Z2
westdaleunitedchurch@bellnet.ca Admission: $10 • Students Free
Saturday, October 3, 7:30 pm westdaleunitedchurch@bellnet.ca Admission: $10 • Students Free Please register 905-528-4215
Sunday, October 4, 10:00 am
Everyone Welcome
All Events Are Open To The Community
westdaleunitedchurch@bellnet.ca www.westdaleunited.ca
The NHL doesn’t care about women. Is this a bold claim? Maybe. Is it a ridiculous one? I don’t think so. It’s not as if I ever had any delusions that I, as a woman, mattered to the NHL. In fact, between the skimpily dressed ice girls employed by most NHL teams or the misogynistic chants during games, it was clear where women interested in professional hockey belonged on the totem pole. Still, I was shocked when I heard the news about Blackhawks superstar, three-time Stanley Cup champion, Patrick Kane, being investigated for rape. Previous experience told me not to expect much from the league. At the very start, both the league and the team refused to comment. When it became clear this wasn’t just going away, they went on the defensive. The Blackhawks made the decision to allow Kane to attend training camp, following it with a press conference held by the team and backed by the league. In the midst of a criminal investigation, Kane shouldn’t even be at training camp, and the league shouldn’t be allowing him to keep playing throughout preseason. Training camp and preseason are like a preview of the year, of different player combinations, new acquisitions over the offseason, the various strengths and weaknesses of your team. Kane being with the Blackhawks during this time gives those who are watching a clear message: it does not matter if Kane is being accused of sexual assault, all that matters is that he can play hockey. I do believe Patrick Kane is guilty. It’s a personal policy of mine to believe victims because I know that only four to six percent of sexual assault allegations are false. Whether or not you make it your personal policy to believe the survivors of sexual assaults, Kane still shouldn’t be allowed to play. The league’s response to the whole situation regardless of the final verdict speaks volumes. At the very least, out of respect for the investigation and the alleged victim, Kane ought to have been suspended.
“
Allowing Kane to participate in training camp as if nothing has happened isn’t remaining neutral, it’s a show of support.
Allowing Kane to participate in training camp as if nothing has happened isn’t remaining neutral; it’s a show of support. There is a clause in every player’s contract that allows the league to exclude them from team activities if it is believed “their presence could be detrimental or harmful to the team or fans.” It would have been well within Kane’s contract to be suspended with pay. Instead of removing him from camp and team events until the investigation was finished and sending the message that the NHL takes allegations of sexual assault seriously, the league allowed Kane to hold a press conference. He was allowed the opportunity to defend his innocence and apologize for the “distraction” to his team, his fans and everyone but the alleged victim. This could have been used as an opportunity to show that the league takes these accusations seriously. They could have shown the women watching or the young men hoping to make it into the league that it doesn’t matter if you can score a beautiful goal—if you may have allegedly committed assault, you don’t deserve to play. Instead, when all eyes were on them, they supported their star and helped him defend himself. Approximately every two minutes you spent reading this, another woman was sexually assaulted in the United States and 68 percent of the assaults will go unreported. The day after his press conference, Patrick Kane was greeted with a loud cheer from fans as he stepped onto the ice at training camp. It’s business as usual in the NHL.
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015
The Silhouette | 19
Lifestyle THE SKINNY Jason Woo Lifestyle Editor Tesla Model X
STREETWEAR MON AMOUR
Tesla motors continues to solidify its reputation as the up and coming luxury electric car company. The Silicon Valley unveiled the Model X, the first electric SUV. The standout feature of the futuristic design is the falcon door. It’ll be available in a year, and only if you have $100, 000 just lying around.
I love streetwear, but the culture isn’t my own
Government Sandwiches
Jeffrey Ye Contributor
The Canadian government has very specific sandwich requests. The Department of National Defense is accepting bids to supply sandwiches for air force personnel in Trenton, On. The 35 page document demands that there be no vegettable in sandwiches, and that they must be cut diagonally. Bring RaRa Home
When Toronto Pearson airport staff members found a lost stuffed teddy bear, RaRa, they sent him back home. They chronicled his journey to Saskatchewan, which included a security check, going on a moving sidewalk, trying on some Blue Jays swag, making friends with a sock puppet from The Bay, and finally making it home with a teddy chaperone.
Streetwear started out as a simple idea, but grew increasingly broad and complex beyond the word’s dictionary definition. When we think of streetwear, the words “hype” and “exclusive” often come to mind. We think of brands like Supreme that take influences from skate, hip-hop and various other youth subcultures, all combined to make a potent mix of nostalgia and on-trend styles that makes hype beasts foam at the mouth. However, these notions of streetwear represent only one aspect of the word that seems so difficult to define these days. In the past few years, an incredible number of youth are embracing streetwear without having any connection to the various subcultures that shaped it. Look at me: someone who didn’t have the faintest interest in hip-hop, skate culture or even fashion growing up, but now streetwear is one of my biggest interests. It’s a topic that I love sharing and learning more about. What is it about streetwear that draws millions of kids like me around the world to it – kids who have no connection whatsoever to streetwear culture?
For one, I think attitude plays a large role in the appeal of streetwear. Streetwear is expressive and personal, almost an escape from the path that I personally rarely ever stray from. Growing up as a first generation immigrant, there is a lot of pressure to work hard and find success quickly. There are times when I feel like I not only carry my own goals and expectations, but those of my parents as well, who left their previous lives for me. Similar themes of familial pressure and expectation are present in the backgrounds of many of my friends. Some grew up in religious families, private education and generally the farthest things from what is traditionally considered streetwear culture. Attitude is taking a step away from the pressure and knowing what it means to be an individual. I’m not saying streetwear is a way of giving the finger to one’s upbringing, neither is it disdainfully stating, “You can’t tell me what to do.” What I feel streetwear represents is a medium to experiment and express yourself however you want to. The second reason may
come as a surprise, but I think that the endless possibilities of streetwear are key to its popularity. You might be thinking, “Wait, there’s more to streetwear than bogo tees and Jordan’s?” Yes, because streetwear isn’t just exclusive drops and the hypebeast uniform. Perhaps even deeper than its roots in skate/ surf culture, streetwear embodies a haphazard melting pot of the myriad fashions on the streets. These other aesthetics range from high fashion looks inspired by streetwear (“Raf Simons, Rick Owens usually what I’m dressed in,” A$AP Rocky), to Japanese streetwear (Visvim, Undercover), to what seems like an entire cult dedicated to biting off Kanye’s latest fits. The point is that there isn’t really a particular look or wardrobe that you need in order to get into streetwear. You can really experiment with whatever you already have, take inspiration from magazines, blogs, or people, and build your wardrobe from there. This is a powerful idea and part of the reason many prefer streetwear over
the uniformity and rigidity of classical menswear—don’t forget to leave the bottom button unbuttoned! It seems now prudent to address the issue of cultural appropriation and whether or not taking pieces of basketball history (or any other subculture) such as Chuck Taylor’s, and turning it into a fashion statement dilutes the significance of the object. I can relate this to seeing others adopting aspects of my own culture, but as long as it’s not done in a mocking manner I personally cannot see any harm. Hopefully that doesn’t stop anyone from experimenting and developing their personal style. Sometimes I look back and see how different I look and feel since I got into streetwear, even if I’m the same kid trying to decide what looks good and what looks bad. As Rachel Zoe said, “Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.”
20 |
LIFESTYLE
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
Chickpea Salad Recipe Materials Needed:
Steps:
•
1. Dice all vegetables into small, bite-sized pieces, and then mix thoroughly with the chickpeas. 2. In a separate container, mix the olive oil, salt and pepper, cilantro, lemon juice, and then pour over the chickpeas and vegetables. 3. Toss the salad, and let it sit in the fridge for about an hour. 4. Serve as a side dish, or on its own!
• • • • • • • • •
1 can of chickpeas, drained and washed 1 medium-sized tomato, washed 1 medium-sized red onion, peeled 1 cup of spinach, washed 1 hass avocado, cut in half with the pit removed 4 teaspoons olive oil 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 sprig of cilantro salt and pepper turmeric
Learning to cook
Sasha Dhesi Contributor
Mac students get
on orders over $20 (must show Mac ID)
India Village
India Village
100 King St W Dundas, ON L9H 1T9 Tel: 905.628.1314
370 Wilson St E Ancaster, ON L9G 4S4 Tel: 905.304.1213
www.indiavillage.ca
Many young people are nervous about stepping into the kitchen, and know very little what goes into the food that they eat. This was especially apparent to me last week when my friend had to explain to our acquaintances, that yes, you can use spices to cook chicken. It’s common to be nervous about cooking, but cooking at home is a must for the student on a budget. And ultimately, you really can’t enter adulthood without knowing how to make yourself lunch. Knowing some basic aspects of cooking will allow you to not only save money, but also save yourself a lot of embarrassment in the future. My brother likens cooking to following procedure in his chemistry labs. In both scenarios you’re given your materials and the steps needed to achieve your desired outcome, but have the capacity to change it as you see fit to suit your needs. This perspective allowed me to relieve some of the stress I had
Attention McMaster Students! You are entitled to $600 in dental coverage.
about entering the kitchen. To become a good cook, you have to master the rules before you can start bending them. Another reason why people avoid cooking at home is the short-term cost, which is much less than that of those who buy all their food for the week in one go. But in the long run, eating out will cost you much more money, and will likely cause a myriad of health problems that you will have to pay for later. And if you’re savvy, you can easily offset the cost of buying groceries. Take fruits and vegetables. Most people will throw out their now droopy carrots and celery after they wilt, but you can easily revitalize your old kale and spinach by letting it sit in ice-cold water and watch as they perk right back up. Now you won’t have to go back to Metro in order to fulfill your rabbit-esque cravings. Another way to get more out of your aging vegetables would be to sautée them. This is a technique especially useful with bitter greens that tend to
be forgotten once your cravings for a green smoothie have died down. This is especially helpful for those who cannot bear eating vegetables on their own. Speaking of smoothies, a great way to save on the cost of off-season fruits would be to either buy them frozen, or chop them up and freeze them yourself. I always keep some frozen pineapple in my freezer so that I can quickly whip up some pineapple purée, a delicious and healthy alternative to ice cream. Knowing some simple recipes is also something I would recommend. You will get sick of eating beans and rice everyday, and diversifying your diet is particularly important in maintaining your physical health. One of my personal favourites is the chickpea salad. It takes about half an hour to prepare and the ingredients can easily be switched out to fit your preferences. You really could add whatever vegetables to this salad and would still be left with something nutritious that did not require you to touch a stove.
Did You Know? Full time students enrolled in 18 units or more are entitled to $600 in dental coverage from Sept. 1st to August 31st.
FREE* Take-home Teeth Whitening Kit. * with the completion of your new patient exam and professional cleaning appointment.
1685 Main St. W. Hamilton
Filice Dentistry happily accepts the MSU Dental Plan. www.filicedental.com | filicedental@bellnet.ca | 905.529.4200
LIFESTYLE | 21
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015
Out cold: The inevitability of sickness Simple tips for overcoming the common cold Christine Chow Contributor
It’s a swift and effective ambush that sweeps across Hamilton by night, catching Mac students unaware as they toss and turn in their beds, dreaming of a life where midterms and assignments don’t exist. For those who have not yet been infected, I say to you with caution: beware the common cold. Laugh all you like, but when you (inevitably) find yourself trying to clear that persistent, gunky feeling from your throat, know it’s only a matter of time before you’re next. Getting sick doesn’t really seem like a big deal until you remember that those fictitious midterms are, in fact, real, and happening with or without you. Particularly with the new MSAF modifications, one would have no choice but to believe it is absolutely vital to haul your sorry, infectious butt to class, lest you
miss that one lecture that turns out to be a quarter of the final exam. But this is exactly how colds propagate, and in a school of over 30,000 students, there’s just no escaping it. The key to surviving both school and sickness is to get rid of the sickness fast. The best way to do that? Sleep. Anything less than seven hours not only increases your susceptibility to a cold, but also decreases the production of cytokine proteins and antibodies that regulate sleep patterns and fight off infections in the immune system respectively. Don’t stay up until 3 a.m. just so you can squeeze in that one last Avenue quiz, especially if it means you’ll be keeling over in your morning lecture the next morning. Keeping yourself hydrated allows your body to function normally and to flush toxins from your system. If your throat feels like sandpaper every time you open your mouth to speak,
eating ice chips provides an interesting alternative to tossing back that mundane eight-glasses-a-day requirement you’ll probably never fulfill, as it relieves both thirst and irritation. Similarly, while hot liquids like broth, tea, chicken soup, which has anti-inflammatory properties, and Neocitran (a personal favourite) might not deal with the direct cause of sickness, they do help tackle some of the symptoms associated with the common cold. It’s important to ease up on your intake of caffeine and alcohol while you’re feeling under the weather, as they actually cause dehydration and make it harder for you to reach your daily quota. Instead of staying out late and deceiving yourself into thinking a morning coffee will solve all your problems, consider a good night’s rest instead. You’ll scare off less people without an overactive microbiome at your back.
Above all, the key to surviving a bad cold is to have the right mentality. Sure, you’ve been turned into a temporary mouth-breather, your nose is a leaky tap, and you have a headache that makes it feel like elephants are trampling your brain, but take a look around: everyone else is sick too. So
until some sort of system is implemented that allows us to miss class without reaping the consequences, shameless plug for the advantages of podcasted lectures here, cue the melodramatics if you must, but remember that it’ll pass. How soon is entirely—well, mostly—up to you.
Mind over matter Looking at the link between mind(fulness) and body (image) Michal Coret SHEC
You look in the mirror and go through your list of things to improve about your body. Flatter stomach, perhaps? Thinner arms? Or more muscular arms? Maybe “nicer” legs? Regardless of your favourite target for scrutiny, you are not alone in this attitude. According to a 2011 study by Wade et al., body image disturbances and eating disorders affect over 30 million Americans at some point in their lifetime. That’s an unfortunately high number, and the situation isn’t much better in Canada. We all know body image affects self-esteem and confidence. These factors, in turn, have been studied and shown to negatively affect academic performance, and are correlated with increased drug and alcohol
use, as well as increased risks of depression and anxiety. What can you do to improve your self-esteem? Maybe you aren’t comfortable going to see a (free) counsellor at the Student Wellness Centre in the basement of MUSC. Maybe you haven’t yet heard that SHEC has (free) peer support in MUSC 202, or that there is an anonymous (free) Peer Support Line provided by McMaster students. I can go on promoting other (free) services, but they might not be the best answer for you. It can be difficult to walk into a counsellor’s office and openly admit that you are having trouble with your body image. It can be difficult to call a support line and tell them your story. Asking for help can be incredibly challenging and will be perceived differently by each person. So if the above services do not work for you at this moment, there
are ways you can help yourself. The beneficial effects of daily yoga and meditation have been a hot media topic recently. To people new to the idea, all the benefits that are advertised can be hard to believe but most are actually supported by solid research. A new and uprising area of study focuses on the effects of mindfulness on body image. The researcher Jennifer J. Daubenmier said in a press release about her study on how yoga benefits body awareness and reduces self-objectification: “This study suggests that women may have intuitively discovered a way to buffer themselves against messages that tell them that only a thin and ‘beautiful’ body will lead to happiness and success.” Yoga was found to reduce self-objectification due to its focus on body awareness
and responsiveness. Although that specific study focused on the effect of yoga in women, it is important to acknowledge that body image certainly affects men as well, and the effects of yoga are likely not limited to one gender. DBAC offers yoga classes as well as free mindfulness meditation classes. There are also plenty of apps, books, videos, and classes off-campus that teach yoga or meditation. The benefits of yoga extend beyond improving self-esteem and include improving sleep quality, bone strengthening, increasing your focus, and boosting your immune system. We are fortunate to have these opportunities around us. Join SHEC in this challenge to benefit from these options and become more selfaware and develop a healthy (or healthier) attitude towards your own body, one breath at a time.
IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO REGISTER FOR UPCOMING FALL RECREATION COURSES
FALL RECREATION COURSES STANDARD FIRST AID
OCTOBER 3 & 4
ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED SWIMMING LESSONS FOR ADULTS
OCTOBER 28 TO DECEMBER 2
DISCOVER SCUBA
NOVEMBER 7
STANDARD FIRST AID
NOVEMBER 14 & 15
#CHOOSEBETTER GE T CE RT I F I E D AT M c M A S T ER FITNESS INSTRUCTOR SPECIALIST
OCTOBER 16 TO 18
PERSONAL TRAINER SPECIALIST
OCTOBER 16 TO 18
BRONZE MEDALLION & EMERGENCY FIRST AID
OCTOBER 17 & 18
Registration for winter programs begins December 1. Download the McMaster Get Rec’d App for a list of programmes, courses and the fall guidebook. www.marauders.ca
facebook.com/McMasterMarauders
@McMasterAthRec
LIFESTYLE | 23
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015
Join the club Jason Woo Lifestyle Editor
What inspired you to make the Exclusive Club Card? I came here as an international student. I didn’t know anything about the city and for the first year, Hamilton was unknown territory for me. I hated every time that I would do something I would have to go to Toronto. But when I started working and living in the city I started falling in love with it. I started seeing James Street, Augusta Street, Ottawa Street, Concession Street, streets that have a lot of historical meaning. These are places that are under explored or under utilized by students... [we wanted] to get students out to the city and help local businesses. What is it like being a recently graduated student entrepreneur? It’s difficult because there’s a lot of uncertainty. At the same time though when you go to downtown Hamilton there is a really good vibe for entrepreneurs. We’re based off a place called Commotion on King, it’s a new coworking place and there are so many recent Mac graduates there doing the same thing, launching their own business. They’re excited about the city, they have a lot of great ideas, they believe in the potential of the city and being in that environment really motivates you to make something happen. It’s really amazing because right now is a time where people still underrate the city and there’s a lot of potential in the entrepreneurs and the people taking risks right now. We really believe in the city and we want to take it to the next level. Hamilton will be booming within the next 10 years. For sure. Just the past few years I’ve been here, the change has been incredible. You can sense the change right? Even the attitude and the way people speak about Hamilton.
The downtown core is revitalizing slowly. A couple years ago when you walk by at night, the businesses were closed. There were all those cash for money places. I was, like, what’s going on, right? But now there’s a new company called Ambitious Realty and they’re renovating businesses and opening up new places. Commotion on King is the perfect example. A building that was run-down has been renovated and now entrepreneurs are moving in and a new lounge is moving in downstairs. So it’s definitely a very cool time to be in Hamilton and be an entrepreneur. Can you go into your background in business and what you studied in school? I didn’t have a background in business. I did Political Science here at Mac. For me, that’s the biggest challenge. The biggest challenge is not having the background to fall onto, the fact that I didn’t take business classes, the fact that I didn’t really have much business experience before. But the people I’m working with and the network I’m trying to build with Exclusive Club Card as well really helps... People are willing to collaborate with us and a lot of the young entrepreneurs we’ve talked to really think our plans have potential. This is how we’ve kind of started off strong and can do the student card and everything else. We’re trying to grow our network within McMaster, within Hamilton, all over the place. You finished school and then went on to do this venture. What do you think about people who drop out of school to pursue a business venture? I am of the opinion that school is essential because those four years of school really made me learn a lot and formed me as a person. I definitely agree that you can drop out of school and launch your own business, but
Former McMaster students are starting their own business, the Exclusive Club Card. One of their founders, Gabriel Gadala, shares his entrepreneurial tips and how you can benefit from their business
for your personal development, your development as a person, school is more than just going to class and writing exams and that’s it. School is also about growing as a person. For me I came here at 18 years old not knowing anybody. I didn’t know one person in Canada. I came from El Salvador in Central America and I moved here by myself. So the network of students around McMaster, associations like the Latin American Student Association, the McMaster Political Science Society, just the network of communities that McMaster has is really embracing. That for me is essential. I don’t think I could be doing what I’m doing without my four years at McMaster. And the networking I assume helps with reaching out to other people once you’ve graduated and started this venture. Yeah, exactly. The more people you know the more people are willing to help you out and, you know, right now there are so many associations. I’m not sure if you’ve heard of Hamilton Hive, this organization with the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce which we recently became part of. They’re really pushing people to go out and take risks and do what they believe is going to be successful, especially in Hamilton. So there’s really a good support network from the University and from networks and organizations in the city. So even though it definitely is difficult, you do feel like there are people who are there to push you forward and telling you that you can do this. What advice do you have for a student entrepreneur who is in school right now? If they have an idea and they believe strongly in it, I think they should definitely pursue it. For me, for example, when me and my partner, John Gabriel, started getting the vision of
Exclusive Club Card I really saw the potential and I really believed in what this card can provide to both businesses and students. I think it’s a good idea and I think if it’s done well it could be really successful. So applying that to people who have their own ideas, if they really believe in them, that’s what will drive you to work hard, to network, to put in the time when it seems like it’s uncertain. Because you never know. When you start your own business uncertainty is going to be everywhere. So I think that if you believe and you’re passionate in your ideas, cliché as that may sound, when you wake up in the morning and there are ten things to do, that’s what differentiates whether you’re passionate or not. When you’re passionate about it, those ten things are not chores. The passion is what determines your level of excitement. And that makes a huge difference. Do you have any additional things you want to talk about the Exclusive Club Card that you haven’t had a change to say thus far? Our goal right now is to get students to know about our card because it’s really difficult for them to use it without them knowing what it is. This free card we’re giving them is so they can explore these places and see that Hamilton has more to offer than what they’ve heard or what they’ve seen before. I want them to think that it’s worth their time to go out into the city and check out these local businesses that are exclusive to Hamilton, can’t find them anywhere else, and slowly but surely if they do that, the student community will start embracing Hamilton, thinking that it’s their city. That’s ultimately our goal. We want everyone in the community to come together, and our card will hopefully help with that. For more information visit www.exclusiveclubcard.com
HAVE YOU
RECEIVED AN
EXCLUSIVE
CLUB CARD? Here are just a few of the places you can use your card:
No Cover before 11:30 p.m. and VIP line bypass all night
Get a free bag of chips & Salsa when you purchase a burrito or a Quesadilla.
10 percent off all food purchases
25 percent off all chocolate products
20 percent off all services
20 percemt off selected services, Student Members get 30 percent off
LIFESTYLE
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015
CROSSWORD
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| 24
8
Expy
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015
FOR HOCO COVERAGE visit pages 26-27
The Silhouette | 25
Sports
Strength in numbers
LEAGUE AT LARGE
McMaster Women’s Basketball team uses community support to adjust without head coach, Theresa Burns, on the court
Football OUA
CIS Top Ten W L
5 5 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 0
GUELPH WESTERN McMASTER CARLETON QUEEN’S OTTAWA TORONTO LAURIER YORK WINDSOR WATERLOO
0 0 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 4 4
CALGARY LAVAL WESTERN MONTREAL GUELPH MANITOBA McMASTER SASKATCHEWAN SHERBROOKE UBC
Men’s Soccer OUA West
OUA East W L
W L
8 7 6 5 4 3 2
WINDSOR McMASTER YORK GUELPH LAURIER WESTERN WATERLOO
1 2 1 1 2 2 7
RYERSON TORONTO CARLETON QUEEN’S UOIT NIPISSING LAURENTIAN
6 6 5 5 4 3 1
2 1 3 2 1 3 1
Women’s Soccer OUA West
OUA East
W L
8 7 7 6 4
LAURIER WESTERN YORK GUELPH WINDSOR
C/O YOUSIF HADDAD
Sofia Mohamed Sports Editor
With the start of the 2015-16 season around the corner for the McMaster Women’s Basketball team, a new challenge has shown up for the ladies. It goes far beyond points on a score sheet or standings in their division and it is a test that will show their strength and resilience for a team that plays with their heart on their sleeves. For 22 seasons now, head coach Theresa Burns has helped push her team to greatness. Under her leadership the team has won OUA championships and made CIS national appearances. Burns has also been named OUA West Coach of the Year and CIS Basketball Coach of the Year for her hard work with the team. While Burns was often busy dealing with challenges on the court, one of her greatest struggles was battling breast cancer. After overcoming her first diagnosis years ago, during a routine mammogram this summer, Burns learned that the cancer had returned. Though the team was given
the news by Burns during the summer months, the support they give each other when the season starts will be important for a team that wants to make a national championship appearance. Coming off an improved 15-4 record last season, the team’s morale is high. This new season will feel different than past ones without Burns on the sidelines calmly cheering her team on. “You hear it all the time that the best life skills you learn are through sport. There are going to be roadblocks but it is how you get through them that matters most. To have a locker room full of girls that are all going through the same situations makes it easier for us to rely on each other,” said captain Danielle Boiago. With Burns currently undergoing treatment, the squad is currently looking to assistant coach, Anne Marie Thuss, who is in constant communication with Burns filling her in on the team’s growth and the progress made in the gym. “They are extremely strong women and have continued with the process that coach Burns has laid out for them,”
said Thuss. Though Burns’ absence in Burridge is noticed, her expectations for the team are still present and the work ethic has remained the same on the court. Practices and lifts haven’t changed, and the hunger for a team with potential is untouched. Teams come together on the court with the common goal of winning, but this Sunday, Oct. 4, the McMaster Women’s Basketball team will take part in the CIBC Run for the Cure: to bring awareness to the lives affected by breast cancer and to help fight for a cure. McMaster basketball alumni, friends, families and the McMaster community have supported Team TB (Theresa Burns) with more than $15,000 currently raised, showing just how much of a positive impact she has had on so many lives. “The run is a small way for us to do something for a person that has done so much for us,” said Boiago. The McMaster campus is no stranger to breast cancer initiatives. McMaster Athletics hosts Think Pink week, dedicated to breast cancer awareness. It is always a success on campus
and brings people together through the love of sport and the awareness to find a cure for breast cancer. This past year’s basketball game was special as guard Siobhan Manning scored a season-high 15 points, months after her mother was diagnosed with the disease. Though Burns is not able to be in the gym with her team at the moment, the things she has taught her players on and off the court will be the push needed for them to strive for excellence. From basketball plays and drills to life lessons and wise words, Burns has taught her players how to succeed on hardwood and in life. “Coach is a fighter in every sense of the word. She has taught us to put 110 percent effort in everything that we do but more importantly to believe in our abilities as athletes and as people,” said Boiago. As the season starts in just a few weeks, the team is aware of the support they have from their coach, whether she is on the sidelines or watching from home. @itssofiaAM
OTTAWA LAURENTIAN TORONTO UOIT QUEEN’S
1 3 1 3 6
W L
6 5 5 5 4
2 2 1 2 3
Men’s Rugby OUA W L
4 3 3 3 2
GUELPH WESTERN QUEEN’S McMASTER BROCK
WATERLOO LAURIER TORONTO RMC
0 0 1 1 2
W L
1 0 0 0
2 3 4 3
Women’s Rugby SHIELS
RUSSELL W L
QUEEN’S YORK McMASTER TORONTO TRENT
3 2 2 0 0
0 1 1 3 3
GUELPH LAURIER WESTERN BROCK WATERLOO
HoCo 2015
W L
3 2 2 0 0
Big wins this weekend Football 67 - 10 Men’s Rugby 43 - 5 Women’s Rugby 77 - 12 Men’s Soccer 2-0
0 1 1 1 1
26 |
SPORTS
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
Less than 200
Jaycee Cruz Sports Reporter
The Silhouette tackles the hottest football news of the weekend in under 200 words
Homecoming domination
McMaster cruises to homecoming win over York with a sellout sea of maroon in attendance to support their Marauders, No. 7 McMaster made work of the York Lions in a 67-10 homecoming victory. Third-year wide receiver Danny Vandervoort broke the school’s all-time touchdown receptions record hauling in two against the Lions. Vandervoort now holds the school record with 21 career touchdown catches, passing Matt Peressini’s previous record of 19. Quarterback Asher Hastings continued to add to his already impressive season stats completing 80 percent of his passes (20/25) for 306 yards and four touchdowns in only two and a half quarters. Along
More banners to come
with Vandervoort, wide receivers Dan Petermann and Max Cameron were the recipients of Hastings’ touchdown throws. On the ground, first-year running back Jordan Lyons found paydirt twice. The high-octane Marauders’ offense did not turn the ball over at all, while the Marauders’ defense forced York to cough up the ball three times. McMaster is now 10-0 in their past 10 games against the Lions. The win pushes McMaster’s overall record to 3-1. McMaster will travel south as they visit the Windsor Lancers on Saturday, Oct. 3.
On the eve of their Homecoming victory over York, McMaster resigned football head coach Stefan Ptaszek to a multi-year deal to keep Ptaszek coaching for the Maroon and Grey. This was the right decision. His successful resumé speaks for itself. In his 10 years as head coach he has won one national title (2011), three provincial titles (2011, 2012, 2014), OUA Coach of the Year twice (2012, 2014), and CIS Coach of the Year in 2012. Students of his program have become CFL draft picks. His football program came just short of the school’s second national title last winter. McMaster has a work-
ing formula here and there is currently no sign of it changing. Since coming to McMaster in 2006, coach Ptaszek has helped build Mac football into a perennial powerhouse that sees postseason action year in and year out. With this kind of success, there is no reason to let him go. “We don’t want to let successful people get away and start over,” athletic director Glen Grunwald said in an interview with Scott Radley of The Spectator. “It was kind of a no-brainer.” @_jayceecruz
H O S T O F T H E 2 0 1 6 C I S M E N ’ S V O L L E Y B A L L N AT I O N A L C H A M P I O N S H I P S F R O M M A R C H 1 0 - 1 2 , 2 0 1 6
UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA VS McMASTER MARAUDERS THURSDAY OCTOBER 1ST 7:00 PM
FRIDAY OCTOBER 2ND 7:00 PM
ADULTS: NON-MAC STUDENTS / KIDS OVER 6:
SATURDAY OCTOBER 3RD 7:00 PM
$8 $5
MAC STUDENTS: FREE with student ID and maroon tee JOIN US AS WE TAKE ON THE DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
For all group ticket information, please contact Nicole Grosel (905)-525-9140 ext. 24466
SPORTS | 27
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015
HOCO 2015
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C/O ALISTAIR BOULBY JON WHITE/ PHOTO EDITOR
SPORTS
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
BASEBALL SEASON RECAP
Covering the bases of the Marauders’ Baseball team’s first few games of the season
John Bauer Contributor
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Halfway into coach Adam Strongman’s second year at the helm of the McMaster Men’s Baseball team, it appears that his team is still at least a year away from contending with the OUA’s best. The good news for the team is that junior outfielders Michael Campagnolo and Michael Westlake have been the offensive leaders for the team through 10 games, with major contributions from freshman Andy Falcon-Gonzalez and senior Travis Flint. On the defensive side of the ball, sophomore pitcher Kenny Noguchi has put in two decent starts and freshman Carson Braun has had three solid relief appearances. Unfortunately for a group focusing on the future, the team’s two aces, Chris Novachis and Tomas Rincon, are in their senior year. Both have been very good, each with earned run averages below 3.5, but the Marauders will need to develop some young pitching to take the next step in the coming seasons. The campaign began with a pair of close losses to the Queen’s Golden Gaels. The first game was a 7-4 decision. The second game of the doubleheader was a 3-2 heartbreaker, with Campagnolo driving in a run with a double and scoring himself in the first, only to see Queen’s tie the game in the 3rd on account of a balk by Novachis and win in the 7th on an error. The next week brought the Guelph Gryphons to town. The Marauders dropped the first game of the set 12-2, and then erased an eight-run deficit in the second game before coming up just short in a 15-11 decision. The game was a sloppy affair and errors abounded, with McMaster actually scoring sev-
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Pitcher Kyle Angelow went the distance for the team, but watched a three-run lead evaporate in the 7th.
en earned runs to Guelph’s six. Jake Chiaravalle homered in the loss, with Campagnolo, Keith Woodcock, Philip Hache, and Brett Herlehy each contributing a double. The team suffered its most frustrating loss at the hands of the York Lions. Pitcher Kyle Angelow went the distance for the team, but watched a threerun lead evaporate in the 7th when an error scored two runs and then passed balls thrown to consecutive batters scored two more in a 7-5 defeat. The Marauders hammered the Lions 11-1 in the late game however, buoyed by Falcon-Gonzalez’s five-RBI afternoon. Third baseman Aaron Giroux drove in three runs of his own, and Rincon held the Lions to a paltry four hits. A trip to Waterloo the next weekend to face the Warriors dropped the Maroon and Grey’s record to 1-7 after 8-5 and 14-5 defeats. The Marauders then split a home doubleheader with the Toronto Varsity Blues, taking the first game 12-11 and dropping the second 12-6. Next up for McMaster is a home set against the 4-4-1 Western Mustangs on Oct. 3, before a quick trip down the QEW to face the second-place Brock Badgers.
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015
The Silhouette | 29
andy Jazz Cartier is right on the brink The Toronto rapper sets his sights on becoming a household name following the release of his debut album Tomi Milos Andy Editor
When I first met Jazz “Jacuzzi La Fleur” Cartier in 2014, he was still relatively unknown to those not tapped into the Toronto rap scene. In the crowd waiting to get into the A$AP Ferg show, my eyes would have been drawn to Cartier even if a mutual friend hadn’t quickly introduced us. The rapper was sporting a murdered-out fishing vest with what I think were Gucci loafers, and naturally stood out from the masses. At age 22, Cartier comes off as a man beyond his years both in his lyrics, and in casual conversation. The son of two parents whose nomadic careers led them across the world, Cartier moved around a lot in his youth. By the time he was 16 Cartier was living on his own in his native Toronto, and dealing drugs to get by. A club connoisseur, Cartier could be regularly seen enjoying the nightlife downtown. His first album, Marauding In Paradise, is an expression of these dark influences. The cover artwork references the Adam and Eve creation story, and in many ways the album’s release saw Cartier reinvent himself from a guy people knew for his drug-induced debauchery to a promising musician. It was a difficult path, with the album taking many different shapes since work began on it in 2011, but one that saw Cartier come into his own as an artist. Cartier wasn’t alone in his development, as his long-time friend and executive producer of MIP, Lantz, has been working with him since they were teenagers. While I wanted to profile him before the album dropped, things never seemed to pan out. When I finally get the chance to reconnect with him, it’s through a FaceTime call he takes from a studio in Toronto. While Cartier is polite throughout and eloquent in his responses, he shows little interest in reflecting on past achievements for too long and
seems to be itching to finish up press and start recording. Aware of the platform Marauding In Paradise has given him, Cartier exudes a businesslike urgency about what needs to be done to take his career to the next level. The discipline he’s shown in this past year is something he sees as a product of the maturity that he picked up living alone and continually working towards something that he takes seriously, unlike some people who take up rapping as a hobby after they’re done school and stuck in their parent’s basements. “A lot of people still live at home with their moms. Not to discredit them, but you can’t really flaunt independence or exude some kind of character when your whole support system is based on the fact that you have stable living conditions at home. I think living on my own since I was young has given me a bigger perspective on life. I see things a lot differently now,” said Cartier. Much has been made of Drake, who lived with his own mom in Toronto’s opulent Forest Hill neighbourhood during his early days as an artist, so one can understand why Cartier would seek to subconsciously distance himself from the so-called “6 God”. While Toronto is now a
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This year I was just starting out, but next year I’m gonna snap and I’m gonna make sure the wave is felt, because I’m not content with staying where I’m at right now. Jazz Cartier Toronto-based rapper
household name thanks to Drizzy’s exploits, the picture many have of the city is at odds with the grittier version Jazz has been living, far from the reaches of the city’s north end. One similarity that Cartier has with Drake is a close relationship with his favourite producer. Where Drake had 40, Cartier has Lantz. The latter duo can be assumed to be on much more personal terms as they’ve been working together since they were 15, and it shows. With MIP coming off as a polished debut, Cartier is eager to see where their professional relationship takes them. “If something were to ever happen to Lantz, it wouldn’t be the same. As long as he’s breathing and I’m breathing, I think we’re gonna be working together. It’s even hard for me to work with other people now because I’m just so used to our relationship and how fluently we work… He’s the furthest thing from a yes-man and I’m the furthest thing from a yes-man, so we get at each other a lot. He’s the kind of guy I can text at 5 a.m. with a random idea.” Keeping things in-house is the utmost priority for Cartier at the moment. In an era where rapper’s personalities are normally diffused throughout a massive ho-
mogenous crew, Cartier’s brashness and single-handed commitment to his own vision is refreshing. You know that when he tweets something, it hasn’t been watered down and you can appreciate him for his willingness to stick his own neck out. Given the nature of his songs, where crazy parties and ensuing late-night trysts figure prominently, one could wonder what his recording process is like. Cartier is quick to denounce the idea that he indulges in any drugs while behind the mic or on stage. “Everything I talk about is usually just from going out at night. In the studio, and when I perform, I keep things one hundred percent professional. I don’t drink before I get up on stage so I can keep a clear mind. Now, I’m in the studio every day, so I don’t have time for parties. I’m like full straightedge,” said Cartier. The music industry is fickle in its propensity for casting aside artists as quickly as it hypes them up, but Cartier doesn’t appear to be putting himself under pressure to release a quick follow-up only to sacrifice losing the fans he gained from his intense first-person narratives. “This year I was just starting out, but next year I’m gonna snap and I’m gonna make sure the wave is felt, because I’m not content with staying where I’m at right now.” Unwilling to speak on a solid release date, Cartier simply smiled and said his sophomore record would come out “when it’s ready and the time’s right.” Cartier often calls his own number on tracks and says his own name in the midst of spitting bars like he does on MIP-standout, “Switch.” If he continues to thrive at the same quick pace, he’ll soon have arenas full of people shouting along with him.
@tomimilos
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ANDY
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
The Andy approval matrix
COMING UP IN HAMILTON
The best and worst in arts and culture. This is a concept borrowed from New York Magazine. We hope they don’t mind.
MUSIC
BALTIMORE HOUSE OCT 1 > Pony Girl OCT 2 > L Con
HIGHBROW Vancouver Art Gallery reveals plans for a new building designed by Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron.
Jeb Bush doesn’t think that the Washington Redskins name is offensive, nor that they should change it.
OCT 9 > Perdu THE CASBAH
OCT 7 > East of Avenue OCT 8 > The Sourkeys
Ryan O’Connell releases his book, I’m Special: and other lies we tell ourselves. It is promptly picked up by Warner for a comedy series.
THIS AIN’T HOLLYWOOD
OCT 1 > Devin & The Dark Light OCT 3 > Hey Clown
ART HAVN
Lecture > Dr. David Galbraith and Dr. Conrad Sichler
This week’s quick pick
The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die
Harmlessness
It’s kind of reassuring to have a band like The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die in existence. After taking a breath upon pronouncing their name, you can fully appreciate the fact that they’re an 8-piece emo band making music in 2015. The World’s first record was an expansive one that featured a whole catalogue of emotions that all harked to the heyday of emo in the early 2000’s. The sophmore follow-up, Harmlessness, expands upon their morose vision and will serve as the perfect musical companion to long walks during the fall.
Cuba Gooding Jr. to play O.J. Simpson in a TV series.
OVO releases an official Hotline Bling cap.
Justin Bieber gives a bizarre interview to Complex where he gives us his half-baked insights on religion.
Father John Misty continues to be stupid with dumb comment about masturbating onto his cat.
Paul Walker’s daughter sues Porsche for what she believes was her father’s “wrongful death .”
Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro’s The Intern tanks upon release, which begs the question of why it was ever made .
LOWBROW
BRILLIANT
Current Exhibition > The Unvarnished Truth
DESPICABLE
McMaster Museum of Art
Viet Cong finally agree to change their band name, after immense pressure to respect the trauma endured by Vietnamese citizens.
ANDY
www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015
Interview: Goodnight Sunrise Andy catches up with the Toronto outfit before they head out on an East Coast tour to promote their new record, Deal With It
David Kochberg, Vanessa Vakharia, Paul Weaver of Goodnight Sunrise
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Rachel Katz News Editor
It’s always a pleasure to hear the passion in a person’s voice when describing something they love. It’s even better when a group expresses that same passion. This is exactly the case with Goodnight Sunrise, a Toronto band currently on a tour of Eastern Canada to promote their new record, Deal With It. I got to catch up with the members of GNSR recently during the drive between two of their shows. Their enthusiasm for music was infectious even when running on little sleep and not nearly enough coffee. Interestingly, neither David Kochberg nor Vanessa Vakharia, the band’s guitarist/vocalist and keytarist/ vocalist, respectively, came to music at a young age. “My parents made me take piano lessons against my will,” Kochberg explained. Paul Weaver, the band’s drummer, however, got an earlier start. “I got into rock and roll because of my mom. My mom was super badass and she used to buy me cool records. And my parents used to truck me around to like, Pearl Jam concerts,” he said. Vakharia had a similar experience to Kochberg growing up. “But when I was in high school I got really into becoming Britney Spears and I tried out for Canadian Idol three times in a row, stood in line for 10 hours and got rejected after the first note… I really wanted to be a pop star,” she explained. She added that one night she confronted a band playing at a bar. “I was like, you guys would be so much better with female harmonies…and then they asked me to come jam with them the next day.” That became the first band Vakharia was part of. “We found David on Craigslist and we were in this other band for a few years and then we started Goodnight Sunrise.” The creation of the band’s songs is a group effort. “Usually what happens is either David or I will come up with a chunk of a song, like a riff or a melody…and we’ll bring it to the other person,” Vakharia explained. “Then we’ll bring it to our bassist or [Paul] and they’ll really put the meat of the song together… but it’s mostly me and David writing the lyrics.” Goodnight Sunrise’s genre
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But when I was in high school I got really into becoming Britney Spears and I tried out for Canadian Idol three times in a row, stood in line for 10 hours and got rejected after the first note… I really wanted to be a pop star. Vanessa Vakharia Vocalist/Guitarist of Goodnight Sunrise
is difficult to pin down as it combines its members’ varied musical interests. Kochberg is a fan of classic rock, while Weaver has been influenced by Alice in Chains and 90s grunge, along with his classical jazz training. “I love rock, but really I grew up listening to pop and house music,” Vakharia said. Despite their differences in musical inspiration and preference, Kochberg, Vakharia and Weaver all agree on their favourite performance as a band. They played the first day of Turtle Music Fest in Parry Sound this summer, and while their performance went well, Vakharia explained that things took an unexpected turn. “After we played, everything went to shit. The festival got cancelled,” including the sets of the two headlining bands, I Mother Earth and Our Lady Peace. “So on Sunday at 3 p.m., we were still in town [with] all these people in Parry Sound who wanted to party…We ended up providing the gear for I Mother Earth so they could play a show at the local bar and the agreement was that since we brought all the gear, we would get to open for them.” The crowd was appreciative and enthusiastic. “No one was too cool to dance that night,” she said. @RachAlbertaKatz
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ANDY
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
In Concert: Godspeed You! Black Emperor
A view of Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s stage setup, which they’ve been using throughout their current tour. VANNESSA BARNIER/ ANDY REPORTER
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This past weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing the monolithic Canadian post-rock band, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, at Danforth Music Hall. The eight-piece group created an orchestral atmosphere that hushed the crowd into an appreciative silence. There was a union of strumming and dragging that was dreamily distorted, layered and clamouring, lulling the audience into a highly emotional reverie. Between their droning and visuals, I was engulfed in a seismic wave of inspiration. I spent the first half of the show in the second row, which gave me a fantastic view of the details of the musicians: the shoeless violinist, curly-headed guitar player and the vaping bassist. I actually wasn’t supposed to get that close at all. I had purchased a mezzanine seat, but upon entering the building I was forced into a polite conversation with a security guard. He finished off our one-sided conversation by letting me into the general admission section. It was nice to be able to stand twenty feet away from the stage, but still have the option of retiring to my seat upstairs once my legs got tired. Upon getting upstairs,
and getting into my middleof-the-row seat, I found the overwhelming sounds to be less intense and my knees took solace in sitting. From the added height of the mezzanine section, I had a great view of the show’s visual component. There were distorted images of snakes, abandoned buildings, flora, telephone lines and travelling clips overlapping each other. The projected diptych was just another hypnotic layer of the performance, washing over the musicians and pairing well with the music. During the opening number, “Hope Drone,” the visuals cast behind the musicians featured the word “HOPE” etched into each frame. This was the only word present in the entire set, as GY!BE is a wordless project. Despite their lack of lyrics, their music is still incredibly effective. The experience of GY!BE was unequivocally calming, and from start to finish, I was in the most comfortable trance. Despite being in the business for so many years, they have not lost a puff of steam. With their breakups and makeups, GY!BE is still at the forefront of their musical niche. As a footnote, I’d like to give a gentle nod to Xylouris White, who did an admirable job in the opening slot. @vjbarnier
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ANDY
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015 | www.thesil.ca
Album Review
Michelle Yeung Lifestyle Reporter
When Lauren Mayberry isn’t busy putting misogynistic assholes in their rightful place, you can find her on another plane of existence along with the rest of Chvrches (multi-instrumentalists Iain Cook and Martin Doherty) as they bless us all with infectious electronic bangers. This blessing has recently manifested itself in the form of the band’s sophomore album, Every Open Eye. A combination of tantalizing synth hooks, clever beats, and emotionally-charged lyrics, Chvrches has delivered once again with their usual finesse and charm. The signature filigree quality of Mayberry’s voice infuses every song with a dreamy, iridescent quality. From start to finish, the album is so pure and crystalline that each tune slices you right in the jugular—but you won’t complain in the slightest. Winning critics and audiences over with their acclaimed debut album, The Bones Of What We Believe, there were high expectations for the Scottish trio to meet. In Every Open Eye, the sounds are more
The Verdict
complex, the instruments more diverse, and the songs a whole lot bigger. The album feels unrelenting and honest, bursting with themes of emotional pain, healing and surviving in between the two states. The album is a carefully curated repertoire of desperate pleas and resolute defiance that documents the journey through a meaningful romantic relationship. There is pain, but it is far from the cry of the wounded. The album swells—almost cinematically— with strength and synth twirls, consuming you with spine-tingling shivers and glimmering epiphanies. Songs are unhinged and vulnerable, but also self-reliant and redemptive. Despite being filled with great singles (“Leave A Trace”, “Make Them Gold”, “Down Side of Me”), its strongest (and my favourite) has got to be “Clearest Blue.” The song builds up until it finally releases with Mayberry’s plea of “Will you meet me more than halfway up?” It’s easy for anyone to identify with the plead for compromise and understanding, but the lucidity of Mayberry’s voice over the hard edges of the tune makes it even more vivid. A few songs later in “Bury It,” she boasts pride
and self-confidence. There is no space here for emotional obfuscation. These songs will wrap you up in a wave of emotions that will prove to be invigorating, cathartic and perhaps even a little healing. One of the album’s criticisms (if you could even call it that) lies in the repetitive nature of certain songs, or the redundancy of their upbeat style. Though this is their self-defining factor, the repetition could prove to be overwhelming if you’re not in the right mood. This, however, is extremely minor compared to the abundance of refreshing buoyancy that the rest of the album offers. The most exemplary quality of Every Open Eye is the generosity and openness of its songs. Their lucidity and sharpness will stun you. While at first glance this may seem just to be another solid electronic record, it is an expertly crafted chronicle of the ups and downs of human relationships. Chvrches manages to merge a cavalcade of electronic beats and thoughtful lyrics to take this album—and their artistry—to another level. @mich_yeung
Viet Cong (the band) finally decide to change their name Emily O’Rourke Contributor
With the release of their self-titled, debut album this year, Calgary’s post-punk prodigy, Viet Cong, garnered a lot of praise. The band played over 130 shows across North America and Europe this year alone, and even stole a spot alongside Canadian Indie music luminaries on the Polaris Music Prize Short List for Album of the Year. But the quartet’s recognition has
stirred some dark controversy regarding the historical burden that their moniker carries. The Viet Cong was a Vietnamese communist guerrilla force that fought against South Vietnam and the United States during the Vietnam War, and the name still comes with strong associations of death and suffering for the Vietnamese community. For a group of four Canadian white men to derive their aesthetic from such a complex historical event is offensive in its
own right. Several open letters have been written to the band explaining how their appropriation of a group that inflicted terror onto so many is distasteful, even going so far as to protest to have the band removed from lineups. In March, a promoter pulled the name from a bill and profusely apologized to “anyone made hurt or uncomfortable by the name and its connotations.” Although the band has been facing criticism over their name for years, the scrutiny reached
its peak in the past few months. In an eloquent and semi-apologetic statement issued to their Facebook page on Sept. 19, the band announced their plans to rebrand on their upcoming album. The statement goes on to say that throughout the course of their growing popularity they’ve “been listening, talking and having lots of valuable conversations with the members of the Vietnamese community about the name,” which ultimately convinced them on the
change of heart. “We are a band who want to make music and play our music for our fans,” they wrote. “We are not here to cause pain or remind people of atrocities of the past.” The four-piece’s new name has yet to be announced. In their statement, the band noted that the replacement will take time. In the meantime, they say that they “owe it to their fans” to honour the shows that have already been booked under the problematic title.
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POTHOLE PROBLEM Why bur ying your ganja in your back yard may not be your best option C1
THURSDAY
THE
HAMILTON SPECULATOR Questioning your flag choices since 1934
OC T. 1, 2015
NOTSPEC.COM
Hamilton residents shut down festivities with side-eye from top storey windows The best way to get students to listen to you? Stare at them endlessly until someone else calls the cops.
Local resident keeps an eye on student neighbours. INSET: Student remains oblivious to public drinking laws.
CASSIE NOVA-MOORE Do you know where your children are?
Hamilton residents have recently banded together to get students to quiet down and cool it with the partying. After a rowdy weekend saw several students charged for noise violations and many a resident angered by crop top-wearing youngins gyrating on their front lawns, residents have decided to target students by collectively staring at them from their windows until the cops show up. “To be honest, it did not occur to any of us that there were other people living here,” said Smitty Delsworth, one of the students recently charged for noise violations. “To be honest, it did not occur
to any of us that some students were unaware of the noise they were creating,” said Henrietta Steiner, one of many complaining residents. Historically, Hamilton residents have chosen not to get involved with students or simply approach their student neighbours and get to know them before an incident occurs. They believe that watching them from afar will get their point across. Historically, local students have chosen not to get involved with residents or simply approach their resident neighbours and get to know them before an incident occurs. They believe that not acknowledging their presence will get their intentions across. “Just because we live in an actual functioning city, it doesn’t mean
we should ever have to interact with its citizens,” said Delsworth. “Just because we live in a university town, it doesn’t mean we should ever have to interact with students,” said Steiner. Obviously these two groups of people are very different and have absolutely no similar opinions or misunderstandings. “I really think there is just an age gap that prevents students from getting along with us residents,” said Steiner. “I really think residents don’t understand that sometimes we get really drunk and forget where we are,” said Delsworth.
“There’s just something about the sound of drunk students singing ‘Sweet Caroline’ that really sets me off.” Henrietta Steiner Retired former Wooo Girl
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