Issue 10 - January 22, 2013

sputnik

the

Wednesday, January 23, 2013 - Issue 9 // www.thesputnik.ca

News

3

On Campus

5

Features

8

A&E

10

Sports

6

Opinion

12

The return of Canada’s favourite sport page 6

Partnership with Laurier likely page 3

Idle No More hits Toronto page 8

WLUSU campaign period begins page 4

Curiosity: to Mars and back page 12

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, January 23, 2013

When it comes to gambling, taking precautions just makes sense. safeorsorry.ca Take our quiz online for a chance at a home entertainment system.

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, January 23 , 2013

NEWS

Jordan Johnston // news@thesputnik.ca

MNR amendments could put wildlife at risk EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Olivia Rutt eic@thesputnik.ca ADVERTISING & DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR

Angela Taylor angela.taylor@wlusp.com (519) 884-0710 ext. 3560 PHOTO EDITOR Cody Hoffman photography@thesputnik.ca ART EDITOR Diane Sison art.editor@thesputnik.ca WEB EDITOR Caitlin Henshaw web@thesputnik.ca COPY EDITORS Alicia Saunders Ahmed Minhas Jessica Lalonde SECTION EDITORS Jordan Johnston, Local News Melissa McGuffin, On Campus Layla Bozich, Features Courtney Langstaff, A&E Kyle Morison, Sports Leisha Senko, Opinion

CONTRIBUTORS Olivia Rutt Diane Sison Cody Hoffman Dillon Giancola Amber Richardson Stephanie Di Bartolo Craig Hagerman Elizabeth Medeiros Alicia Saunders Cody Groat Sebastien Bell Karly Rath Anthony Fusco Sikander Panag Efua Afrane Desiree Lavoie Caitlin Henshaw

WLUSP BRANTFORD MANAGER OF OPERATIONS Allison Leonard allison.leonard@wlusp.com PHONE (519) 756-8228 ext.5948 202-171 Colborne St. N3T 2C9

WLUSP OFFICE 205 Regina Street Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5 PRESIDENT Emily Frost (519) 884-0710 ext.3565 emily.frost@wlusp.com ADVERTISING Angela Taylor (519)884-0710 ext. 3560 angela.taylor@wlusp.com The Sputnik is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo. Contact Emily Frost - WLUSP, 205 Regina Street The Sputnik is a proud member of the Canadian University Press (CUP) Opinions expressed in The Sputnik are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the Editorial staff, The Sputnik, WLUSP, WLU or CanWeb Printing Inc. FRONT PAGE PHOTO CREDITS: Main: Elizabeth Medeiros Left: Olivia Rutt Centre: (Graphic) Right: (Art) Diane Sison

Jordan Johnston News Editor

The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is looking to remove the restraints on hunters and trappers. If the population of an species is a problem, the municipality currently requires a permit in order to have a hunter come in and handle the situation.

The changes the MNR is proposing could seriously hinder the population of fish and fur bearing animals. “Anyone with a gun and a hunting license will be able to collect tax dollars for killing animals on municipal property,� explains Adrian Nelson, spokesperson for the Association for the Protection of FurBearing Animals (APFA), “Not only is this a serious ecological problem, but clearly a massive safety issue.�

The new MNR proposals will allow individuals to hunt on municipal property without the once needed permit. Instead of having MNR approval for wildlife problems, there will simply be rules to follow that belong under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act. Other areas affected concern reporting incidents of hunted and trapped animals; rather, people will register that they will be engaging in these activities. “The deregulations - named as efficiencies by the government - will remove important questions and processes currently in place to increase safety and prevent accidents, provide alternatives to lethal enforcement in conflict situations and, at times, end needless slaughter of young and at-risk wildlife,� the APFA reported.

With minimal understanding on the matter, municipal property includes a homeowners’ property when a problem with an animal is reported. MNR will not have to approve these reports. These new proposals have the potential to cause a very messy situation when it comes to

Pine Martin hiding. (Photo by Desiree Lavoie)

certain populations of animals.

A higher risk of inhumane treatment, and the killing and captivity of animals is an issue that could result in the relaxation of rules and regulations set out by the MNR. As to the endangerment of certain species like the red tailed hawk, there will no longer be a requirement to obtain a certificate. Instead, the incident is reported into a system.

Future talks suggest a fee may be involved in this ‘free range’ that will be given, but as of now nothing has been set out. More exceptions are likely to be made for the killing in off-seasons. But seasons will still be regulated for most animals as they have been in the past. Public

commentary on the matters was accepted and taken into consideration until January 21.

The permission and approval from the MNR will be reduced dramatically if these motions pass. Not only will animals be affected, but so will the people and local communities. The safety of domestic pets and people in general will be put into question once anyone who holds a hunting license and is armed with weapons to kill are able to do so without needing special permission.

While the Government of Ontario and MNR suggest that the outcome of the new proposals should be positive, animal activist groups like the APFA have

Laurier introduces emergency notification system Sikander Panag Staff

A new notification system is in place to help alert Laurier students of campus emergencies. Students will notice a new subscription for the Laurier Emergency Notification System on their LORIS account. By registering their phone numbers, students will be able to receive alerts regarding any emergencies on campus.

Kevin Klein, the campus’ External Relations Coordinator, explains that the new service is set up for the entire Laurier Brantford community, which includes faculty, staff and students. “The emergency messages will be sent via text message to anyone who subscribes to the service with their cell

phone number. Messages will also be sent to the campus televisions (LBTV) and all computers on campus. The text message service is especially useful for students who are commuting from out of town,� explains Klein.

Students are assured that if they register that their phone numbers within the system only text messages will be sent to their phones, and will not be disclosed to any third party. Any costs associated with sending an alert will be paid by the university.

Klein recalled a power outage 4 years ago that left much of the Laurier campus without power and caused class cancellations as an example of a time when

this service would have been helpful. “That would have been an opportunity where this service could have been used in the past.� he explains.

However, the service is being offered now that the technology has become available. Along with power outages, environmental hazards and severe storms, the service can also be used transmit information regarding safety on campus.

Students are encouraged to subscribe for reasons beyond convenience. “This service allows special constables to focus on the task at hand instead of worrying about notifying everyone,� says Klein.

Brantford hit hard with flu in the New Year Dillon Giancola Staff

The flu season is upon us, and like the rest of Canada, Brantford has been hit hard. A recent report from the Brantford General Hospital’s website said that there have been 110 confirmed cases, with 80 people in isolation. The hospital also expects these numbers to rise.

The season started earlier this year, and it has been worse than in past years.

The report claimed that due to the high demand, the Brantford General Hospital had to schedule two more vaccination clinics, with the most recent taking place on January 19. More clinics are expected to be scheduled soon. While flu activity has been said to be slowing down in the last couple of days, a second wave is thought to be on its way.

The Public Health Agency of Canada reported that there were 107 flu outbreaks in Canada in the first week of 2013. There

are temporary shortages of some drugs with the flu and contain the outbreak. and vaccines, including the anti-viral Appointments can be made by flu drug, Tamiflu. There have also been visiting www.bchu.org, and information reports of health facilities closing their regarding with the virus can be found at doors to visitors. www.flightflu.ca.

The Public Health Agency has listed some ways to prevent yourself from contracting the virus at its website.

These include eating healthy foods, staying physically active, and keeping your hands away from your face.

If you do get sick, you should stay at home until you recover.

Brantford General Hospital is staying well-staffed during this time, and is doing all it can to treat those 5PMM 'SFF

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, January 23, 2013

ON CAMPUS

Melissa McGuffin // oncampus@thesputnik.ca

WLUSU campaign period begins Justin Smirlies and Elizabeth DiCesare The Cord Photos by Nick Lachance and Kate Turner, the Cord.

ANNIE CONSTANTINESCU

CALEB OKWUBIDO

DANIEL SAAD

Annie Constantinescu, a fourth-year business administration student at Laurier, is using her experience in residence life as the basis for her reason for running.

By being a don for the past three academic years, and as last year’s Inter-Residence Council (IRC) chair, Constantinescu is looking for ways to support the student public in a different capacity.

“By living with the students and actually engaging them on a day-to-day basis … I learned a lot about what this campus really means to a lot of different people,” she explained. “I was fortunate enough in the last three years [as a don] to accomplish that and I’m always looking for ways to give back.”

Current board director Caleb Okwubido, a fourth-year global studies and political science student at the Waterloo campus, has been looking for ways to get more connected to the Laurier community.

“I’m going to relate this to my personal experience,” Okwubido told The Cord. “I was disconnected to the community, and I was isolated. I had no one to talk to.

That’s when I realized there was something in the Students’ Union.”

Okwubido joined the board of directors this year after being elected last February. He added that within the board, he was elected to ownership linkage committee and gathered more experience that way.

While Daniel Saad, a fourth-year political science student at Laurier, has never had any experience within WLUSU before, he has made the decision to put his name forward for president and CEO in the upcoming elections.

“The main reason I’ve chosen to run is because I think I can bring a fresh perspective to the entire process and kind of give an outside look on how things operate within WLUSU,” Saad told The Cord. “I’m involved in the school, just not specifically there [in WLUSU].”

Prior to the start of the campaign, he said he has already been making connections with various staff members and students within the Laurier community, in order to ensure that he is well-known, approachable and that his platform is understood.

CHRIS WALKER

JENNIFER TABOROWSKI

Chris Walker, a fourth-year political science student, is no stranger to WLUSU, having been involved with the organization since his second-year. After being elected to the board in first-year, he then moved towards being the chair of the board and then into the role he currently has — vice-president of university affairs.

“It’s something that I’ve thought about for awhile and it’s definitely not an easy decision because it could have dramatic impacts on an individual and certainly on the organization,” he told The Cord about his reasoning for announcing his decision to run on Jan. 10.

The only presidential candidate from the Brantford campus, Jennifer Taborowski, a fifth-year concurrent education student and WLUSU director, told The Cord that her reasoning for placing her presidential bid was because she wanted to further her experience at Laurier in a stronger way.

“I basically love Laurier, I love the students, my peers and everyone who works at the university, especially within WLUSU,” Taborowski explained.

“I thought it was a perfect opportunity to continue on with my experiences in a bigger capacity.”

VOTING BEGINS FEBRUARY 4, 2013 AT 8 AM AND RUNS UNTIL 8 PM THE FOLLOWING DAY. ONLINE VOTING WILL BE OFFERED. CHECK OUT WWW. THE SPUTNIK.CA FOR UPDATES AND COVERAGE OF THE BRANTFORD OPEN FORUM.

Prof Profile: Bruce Gillespie Efua Afrane Staff

Bruce Gillespie (Photo by Cody Hoffman)

With his passion for writing and his curiosity to learn about anything and everything, Bruce Gillespie, an award-winning journalist, has proven why he makes such a great assistant professor at Laurier Brantford. However, Gillespie has had quite the adventure before landing here at Laurier Brantford.

Gillespie had an early start in the industry at age 15, working parttime at Mid-North Monitor, a local community newspaper. With his role as a type setter, he typed handwritten work.

He gained his undergraduate degree from Ryerson University focusing on magazine journalism.

“It was great; I really liked it actually, which I think is partly why I like teaching undergraduate classes here because it reminds me of being there again,” said Gillespie.

He worked behind the scenes at a summer internship for Canadian Business magazine fact checking and copyediting. With this experience, Gillespie was offered a job from MoneySense magazine and immediately started work upon graduation.

With ample experience in contract editing, he worked for various magazines and newspapers

including This Magazine, focusing on arts and politics, editing special issues for the Financial Post Business Magazine, editing books and even Bankrate.ca, an online magazine in personal finances. His work has been published in Chatelaine, Applied Arts, the National Post, and he has received prestigious awards including four honorable mentions at the National Magazine Awards.

Gillespie has travelled across Canada and has had his share of interesting experiences.

Gillespie remembers one of these experiences which involved a ice fishing assignment for the Canadian Geographic.

“We didn’t really know how to fish, and once we finally got a fish we didn’t know what to do with it… a photographer had actually come with us and he was taking a picture of us with the fish and we were like… now what?” said Gillespie.

During coffee with an old Ryerson professor, he was told about an opportunity to teach a magazine writing course. Though he didn’t get the job initially, he later received a call to replace another candidate.

“I find that working with journalism students is a lot like the relationship that editors have with new writers … it’s something that I’ve always really enjoyed so after that I thought, wow this is great,”

said Gillespie.

Gillespie uses a fun approach to teach his students. While teaching journalism skills, he also uses his experience in the field to provide lessons that require his students to actively participate.

He has advice for students to succeed, emphasizing the importance of showing interest and initiative. He explains that it shows work ethic above and beyond the required minimum.

“I know from somebody who’s hired young writers, I think the best thing you can do in school is to develop some sort of portfolio of published clippings … it doesn’t matter where your clippings come from … most editors would be happy to see your stuff in a student paper or a year book or a local paper,” explained Gillespie.

Currently, Gillespie is co-editing with Lynne Van Luven on two collections of personal essays about the changing nature of the 21st century family.

“It’s a privilege to help people tell those kinds of stories that are obviously really personal and intimate on the one hand, but they feel real need to share with the world at large. It’s fascinating to hear,” said Gillespie.

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, January 23, 2013

ON CAMPUS Melissa McGuffin // oncampus@thesputnik.ca

Candidates prepare for WLUSP election ACCLAIMED PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER CANDIDATES

ALLISON LEONARD

AUTUMN SMITH

I’ve spent the majority of my university career in Brantford’s WLUSP office, as both volunteer and management. I am now prepared to bridge the gap between campuses as President.

For two years I’ve worked as Brantford Manager of Operations; acting as an ex-officio member of the Board and overseeing the production and growth of the Sputnik, the Carnegie and branches of Radio Laurier, The Blueprint and Laurier Student Poll. These positions have greatly developed my skills in many facets, from managing to marketing, policy development and strategic planning. I come to the student body with a strong understanding of the organization and fresh eyes that can aid in providing the best possible volunteer experience, financial growth and leading on-campus media.

Volunteers are what make this organization thrive. Encouraging greater involvement through furthered training opportunities and appreciation will prove beneficial for volunteers and WLUSP. As the student population shifts and grows between campuses, WLUSP needs to accommodate this by providing strong volunteer experience and media for all, regardless of campus or publication.

I take a responsible and realistic approach to budgeting, focusing on departmental accountability for expenditures and fundraising commitments. My personal understanding of WLUSP’s financial status and direction is priority.

WLUSP’s active position in various campuses and communities has the potential to break the norms of the mediascape. I firmly believe that Student Publications and its volunteers can set the standard for the ever-changing face of journalism and guarantee my full commitment as President in achieving this ambition.

As a proud member of WLUSP on Radio Laurier for two and a half years, I have had the pleasure of witnessing an incredible amount of work and dedication which created the amazing institution we have today. As Street Team Coordinator I have successfully lead a team of volunteers in a new direction at Radio Laurier. We have effectively increased our presence on campus through numerous outreach efforts and events. The experience and success I gained from this has prepared me for the challenges of the 2013-2014 year.

In an effort to bring each publication together, as President I will introduce a WLUSP wide marketing team. This team will perform the function of creating and implementing ways in which each publication can stay connected. In addition, WLUSP can work as a whole to create a larger presence at Laurier as well as establishing stronger relationships within the campus and community.

As President of Student Publications I will continue with our collective belief in synergy and creating an institution that works as one. As we are part of a small community at Laurier, our coherence is crucial to making us a strong force on campus. I feel each publication holds a valid contribution to our efforts as a whole.

The value and dedication I see happening every day within WLUSP has inspired me to run for this position as I will have the honour to engage with and value each and every publication in Waterloo and Brantford.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS LUKE SCHULZ From the beginning of my University education here at Wilfrid Laurier University I’ve had the privilege of working alongside some of the most dedicated volunteers an organization could hope for. Being an active member of Radio Laurier, I’ve worked as an on-air host, morning show co-ordinator, and now currently hold the position of Programming Chair. From my time with this publication, I’ve come to fully appreciate the work experience and family atmosphere that Student Publications offers to all of its volunteers, and would like to ensure that this is the way our organization continues to function. As a member of the Board of Directors I will strive to further build a strong relationship between all of WLUSP’s publications, while working closely with the other members of the board to ensure our work continues to maintain its current standard of excellence

TOM PADDOCK I have been fortunate enough to serve two terms as Director and Treasurer for Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publication’s Board of Directors. If re-elected, as a Director, I will strive to use both my board and academic experiences to ensure that WLUSP continues to head in the accurate direction. Over the past year I have successfully developed an investment portfolio with the help of Bryn Ossington (Executive Director) and Randy Moore (Finance Manager) to ensure financial stability for the organizations future.

My current knowledge of WLUSP’s finances will serve as a crucial asset that I can bring to the table for the upcoming year. The growth and development that this organization has gone through is truly remarkable, and as a Director, I will work with the board, volunteers and staff to ensure that this development continues for Canada’s premier student publication organization.

Sign up for safety!

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Waterloo | Brantford | Kitchener | Toronto

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, January 23, 2013

SPORTS

The return of

Kyle Morrison // sports@thesputnik.ca

GNBJDX Anthony Fusco Staff

When the lockout ended on January 12, many NHL hockey fans had to grapple with the question of “To watch or not to watch?”

The lockout was a grueling process that stretched from September to January. The league ended up cancelling a total of 510 games, or 41.5 per cent of the season. Once a deal was finally reached, the NHL was able to come up with a shortened season of 48 games.

The return of hockey has brought out many emotions in the fans. The general consensus among people is that they are happy that the NHL is back. With the rush of excitement produced by the lockout being over, it seems many have buried the resentment they felt towards Gary Bettman and Donald Fehr.

Blake Ralston, a second year criminology student said it best: “During the lockout, we all hated Bettman and Fehr. It seemed as though they were only in it for the money and that the fans got left behind at every turn. But now that hockey is back, what they did will be forgotten.”

Preston Eadie, a concurrent education student echoed his remarks.

“The focus was on Bettman and Fehr the entire lockout. But now that hockey is back, both of them have quickly been swept to the back of our minds,” said Eadie.

It is amazing how quickly people are willing to forget the lockout negotiations of the past few months. It now falls on the teams to try and draw their loyal fans back into the fold for this shortened season. Judging by how well some clubs have done luring back their fans to events like open practices, it does not appear that getting the fans back on board will be too difficult.

The Winnipeg Jets hosted a practice and invited fans to attend and the arena was packed. There was excitement in the air with music and hordes of cheering fans. If you walked into the building knowing nothing

EQNL SGD RS@MCR---

LDK@MHD RSDHMADQF “You betcha, for sure. I watched the first game and it was pretty good.”

C@UD GNVD “Yes, oh yeah.”

about hockey, you would have easily believed that you stepped into the arena for the home opener.

Similarly, the Montreal Canadiens held an intra-squad game and allowed fans to attend. The players were greeted by a cheering and enthusiastic crowd of 17,000. I can’t imagine the reaction at the home opener on Saturday.

Many NHL teams are in the midst of promotions to get fans back into the arenas.

The Florida Panthers have been selling season tickets, free parking and a jersey for only $7.00 per game. The Philadelphia Flyers had a week-long fan-fest, complete with giveaways, player meet and greets and many open practices.

The reigning Stanley Cup champions, the LA Kings, are being just as generous.

They held a private party with 5,000 season ticket holders where fans were welcomed to see and take pictures with the Stanley Cup. The club also made an excellent move by donating one million dollars to local charities.

The hometown Maple Leafs have also been treating their fans well. They held an open practice attended by some 1400 fans.

The Leafs will also be giving away 1000 tickets before the home opener against Buffalo.

In addition, more than 15,000 season seat holders will see the home opener for free.

Hockey is back and fans will be jumping at the opportunity to see it. Many have forgot the misdeeds and greed of Bettman and Fehr; however, I am not one of them.

I’m very happy hockey is back, but I am not naïve enough to believe that either of those men made it happen out of the goodness of their hearts.

So the question remains: To watch or not to watch? I have my answer. I will definitely be watching as my favourite team takes the ice and the NHL hockey makes a triumphant return.

Will you keep watching hockey?

I@RNM DQVHM “Probably, yeah.”

BGQHR LDSYFDQ “Yes, I already have.

I can’t stay away.”

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, January 23, 2013

SPORTS Kyle Morrison // sports@thesputnik.ca

Hockey rinks to be used for climate change study Kyle Morrison Sports Editor A brand new year is upon us, and so is a new NHL season. A tentative agreement was reached between the league andEvery year when winter rolls around and the snow begins to fall, many North American hockey fans look forward to one thing: skating on the frozen pond you discovered in the outskirts of the neighbourhood, or on a local outdoor rink. The outdoor rink is iconic for many Canadians, no more so than in Brantford where Wayne Gretzky would spend hours upon hours skating around on his backyard rink.

However, Laurier Geography and Environmental Studies associate professor, Robert McLeman, along with fellow associate professor, Colin Robertson, and Master of Science student Haydn Lawrence have created RinkWatch. The website is an easy way for outdoor rink skaters and owners alike to help keep track of the effects of climate change.

McLeman and Robertson are both involved in environmental science and promote getting families and regular people to take part in the research they do and there is no better way to get Canadians involved in environmental research than through hockey and their outdoor rink.

“We [McLeman and Robertson] wanted to use this as one, a way to track winter weather trends and two, to help people get connected to our research from their own backyard,” said McLeman.

Those who want to get involved simply have sign up on their website, RinkWatch.org. Each day you tick a box stating whether or not you did or could skate on your rink

on that particular day.

In the first week and a half of launching the website, there were more than 350 backyard and community rinks taking part in the study – from up north in the Yukon to out east in Nova Scotia and P.E.I. A wide range of Americans have also registered their rinks.

“It’s changed from a research study almost into a cultural phenomenon,” said McLeman.

Participants want to take it to the next level, asking for a user forum, the ability to input ice rink data from years past.

“We’re trying to beat the user demand and keep up with them,” said McLeman.

McLeman and his team could never have imagined such a great response, but now there is a solid possibility that their data may be published in the future.

“If we can get people coming back winter after winter, in a couple years there might be some hard scientific data to it,” said McLeman.

It just goes to show what kind of good some hockey diehards can do when there is reason to unite them. Outdoor rinks are hallowed grounds in which you pretend you’re scoring the game-winning goal in game seven of the Stanley Cup final. Who knew they could also be the site for some substantial environmental science?

You can join the study at www.rinkwatch.org, be sure to like Rink Watch’s Facebook page and follow them on Twitter at @RinkWatchOrg.

Waiting to skate. (Photo by Elizabeth Medeiros)

Comedy night for Laurier Brantford dodgeball team Craig Hagerman Staff The Laurier Brantford dodge ball team has been gearing up for their last tournament of the season when they will head to George Brown College on January 24, but unfortunately this year the team faces some challenges not seen in previous years.

This year the dodge ball team has had some financial hills to climb. Proceeds to enter tournaments have gone way up, so for the Golden Hawks this has made fundraising efforts a must if they hope to compete, as team captain Tim Miller explains.

“Well when we started the team this year we found that with the three tournaments and the Laurier gear that our cost was going to be ten times as much as we paid last year (Last year it was $20, This year it was $200),” says Miller.

So, to raise money to give the team the opportunity to attend the upcoming tour-

nament, the team has decided to hold a night of comedy for Laurier Brantford students to attend. Miller has been the leading force behind bringing comedians Patrick Haye and Arthur Simeon to Brantford – an idea that came to him after catching one of Haye’s shows at a Yuk Yuks location.

“About a year ago I went to Yuk Yuks and saw this comedian named Patrick Haye, one of the guys that will be coming to our campus! And I thought he was one of the funniest guys I’ve ever seen before,” says Miller.

For those who might not be familiar with Haye and Simeon, Haye was the runner up in the Yuk Yuks Great Canadian Laugh Off, a title that would have earned the up and coming comedian a hard $25,000. Accompanying Haye on the RCW stage will be Ugandan native Arthur Simeon.

Simeon moved to Canada when he was a kid and like Haye has been hitting Yuk Yuk Stages around the country and making a name for himself. Simeon has made several T.V. appearances in the past few years such as spots on Just for Laughs, both the Halifax and Winnipeg Comedy Festivals (broadcasted on CBC), and a spot on HBO’s Funny as Hell.

The money that the show will raise will help to go towards paying for transportation and entrance fees for the tournament, while also subsidizing other fares the team has endured.

Originally the team was looking at holding a dodge ball tournament at a local high school, but that idea was swept under the rug after the team realized that the fundraiser may not bring out as many Laurier students as the team would like.

The tournament at George Brown is a site where the team has played some of their best games. The team came home with a very respectable second place finish last year and will be hoping to do even better this year and bring home a championship.

So, for students looking to enjoy a great night of comedy while also supporting Laurier Brantford’s extramural dodge ball team, tickets can be purchased at the U-Desk in the Student Centre for just ten dollars.

The show will take place on January 29 at 10 p.m. in RCW 002 and Miller believes those in attendance won’t be disappointed.

“I promise that these guys are funny. They perform all over Northern America in stand up comedy clubs and have been on tour with some of the funniest guys on this planet,” says Miller.

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, January 23, 2013

FEATURES

Layla Bozich// features@thesputnik.ca

“First Nations have never been idle”

Layla Bozich Features Editor

Idle No More protest, Toronto (Photos by Olivia Rutt)

It couldn’t have been more perfect timing.

As Prime Minister Stephen Harper was wrapping up his meeting with First Nation leaders in Ottawa on January 11, I arrived at the heart of Idle No More’s downtown Toronto protest and blockade.

Lit by flickering candles and the passion of a group of strangers standing in solidarity, College Street and Ossington Avenue were re-opened to traffic by the police shortly after my arrival.

“First Nations have never been idle,” said nonNative Gabriella Caruso, “They are the leaders in terms of non-Native people waking up, because [this issue] is affecting all of us.”

The Idle No More movement is protesting – among many other bills – Bill C-45, an omnibus bill which runs over 400 pages in length. The bill changed the Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA) of 1882, calling it the Navigation Protection Act (NPA).

The NWPA outlined a process of approval and consultation, which must take place in order for construction to occur around any water that could be navigated by a boat of any kind. The new NPA requires only an approval process for development around one of a refined list of waterways set by the Ministry of Transportation, many of which pass through traditional First Nations land.

“I come from Métis ancestry, and I think this is a really important time to stand up for our nations and to stand up for the rights not only for our indigenous brothers and sisters but as well for the land,” said artist and protester Moe Clark.

The goal of Idle No More, as outlined by its founders, “revolves around Indigenous ways of knowing rooted in Indigenous sovereignty to protect water, air, land and all creation for future generations.”

“It even affects him,” said protester Cathy Walker, pointing to her son. “His rights are being taken away and unfortunately when a Native child is born, he can’t just be born a child – he has to fights for his rights.”

The January 11 meeting, which included National Chief Shawn Atleo, Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan, and representatives from the Assembly of First Nations, saw Stephen Harper attend for the entire length, even though he had earlier announced he would only attend portions of the meeting.

“For years we have been pushed around and judged and called names,” said Métis protester Alisa Courriere, “There’s no reason for it. This is just one big family and this is us saying ‘We are here and we are not going to sit around while you destroy us.’”

Bonnie Whitlow, an Aboriginal Student Support Co-ordinator at Laurier Brantford, is working on putting together teach-ins on campus to inform students of the reasons behind the protest. She explained that if 100 Nipissing students were to enter her office, 20 of them would be doing placements where they are required to teach Indigenous Studies.

They approach her for resources, telling her they want new and real information.

“I think our job is to educate our neighbours in a broad sense,” said Whitlow, a Mohawk woman from the Bear Clan who was born and raised on the Six Nations reserve.

She is planning to organize the teach-ins for mid-February.

Many criticisms have arisen since the birth of Idle No More. Some Natives assume that the Governor General, David Lloyd Johnston, acts as a representative of the monarch and can directly contribute to policy discussions and act separately of the federal Cabinet when talking with First Nations.

“The Crown is the one that signed the treaties with the Native people, and if the Crown is not there, how can those treaties be honoured?” asked Philip Côte, one of over 200 protestors standing in downtown Toronto.

These people, 200 strangers standing in solidarity for equal rights, now stand on either side of the street holding dripping candles and handpainted banners.

“It’s a really exciting time to be involved and be a Native woman,” said Clark, “The paradigm is shifting and this movement is changing the stereotype of what it means to be a Native woman.

It’s changing to strength, changing to empowered, changing to active voice.”

9

The Sputnik // Wednesday, January 23, 2013

FEATURES

Layla Bozich // features@thesputnik.ca

The unconstitutional age of consent Karly Rath Staff Go ahead and sleep with your cousin.

Incest may be illegal in Canada, but the law excludes first cousins, aunts and uncles.

When you take a closer look at the Criminal Code, it is amazing what you can find.

Anal intercourse is illegal except for those who are married or when both consensual partners are above the age of 18, as long as there is not a third person present and it is in private. But the age of consent for vaginal sex is 16.

In other words, 16- and 17-year-olds can legally have vaginal sex but not anal sex.

If two gay youth have sexual intercourse, they risk facing up to 10 years in prison for the indictable offence.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Men who have sex with men are 17 times more likely to develop anal cancer than heterosexual men.”

Laurier student Luc Daviau, 19, points

out that even if anal sex can spread certain STIs more easily, vaginal sex has other risks too—like pregnancy.

Daviau is surprised to learn that the age of consent for anal sex is 18 years old.

He believes that in our current society, youth are much more educated on safe sex—regardless of which type of sex they participate in.

In 2010, the Sex Information and Education Council of Canada released a study revealing Canada’s teen pregnancy rate fell 36.9 per cent from 1996 to 2006. The main reason for this decline is education.

“The level of maturity does not vary among those who choose anal or vaginal sex. So the age of consent should not vary either,” said Daviau.

In 1995, the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that this difference in the age of consent discriminates against sexual orientation and thus violates the Canadian

Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Despite ruling this section of the Criminal Code unconstitutional, no changes have been made. Several bills have been put on the table, but none of them have been passed.

Section 159 not only remains unchanged, but it is also acted upon. If you stroll down to a local court and look at the docket, you may very well see that this law is actually enforced. Regardless of this criminalization, some people choose to do what they want.

Associate professor Marcia Oliver, who has a doctorate in Sociology, cannot imagine how the youth who are charged with this crime must feel. Besides humiliation, she believes it could jeopardize relationships, especially if the youth is not yet open about his homosexuality. “[Having a criminal record] can only add to the stigma that those who are gay are already facing in our society,” she said.

An NDP MP, Craig Scott, introduced a private member’s bill just last month to eliminate this discrimination.

Bill C-448 is a self-proclaimed “enactment [that] repeals section 159 of the Criminal Code, thus removing the distinction between anal intercourse and other forms of sexual activity.”

Oliver, who specializes in gender and sexuality, said it is important to look at how this distinction affects society as a whole.

She said this regulation produces the assumption of what normal, healthy, moral sexuality should be: heterosexuality.

“Essentially this law is saying one of these acts is more normative than the other,” said Oliver.

As society’s views of homosexuality continue to evolve, gay rights activists fight for legal acknowledgement in the bedroom.

Mushroom kingdom

Mushrooms (Art by Diane Sison)

Sebastien Bell Staff * Names have been changed.

In a small living room with two TV’s, an Xbox, and a Super Nintendo, Tommy* dropped a record on the turntable and fished a small plastic bag from his pocket. The contents of the bag were dark, dry, and brittle. Magic mushrooms.

Relatively little is known about magic mushrooms because in 1971 there was a prohibition against their use in scientific experiments.

In 1962, though, there was an experiment called the Marsh Chapel Experiment, in which 20 students from a theological school were given a dose of the drug.

This experiment was conducted to determine whether or not a religious experience could be induced. The results, though by no means conclusive, pointed toward yes. Not only were these students having a trip, their lives were being changed forever.

Tommy, for his part, felt that his life improved after he took mushrooms.

“Just, sort of, an adjustment of the brain,” he said.

He claimed that before his experience he would often get tongue tied, especially in front of women. Since his experience, though, he found that words came easier and he could speak with more confidence.

An adjustment of the brain is not always for the better, though.

Jerry*, a seventeen-year-old

senior in high school, comes from the southern United States. He can play several instruments, but his favourite is the guitar. He is also a recreational drug user.

His experience was very different from Tommy’s. The problem came after the high. He said he felt “cold and pretty much dead inside.”

“After that mushroom trip,” he explained, “I honestly felt, and I know this sounds very arrogant, better than everyone else. I began to hate everyone my age for being generic and so close-minded.”

His coldness and distaste for his peers even extended to his girlfriend. After eight months of dating with little to no conflict, Jerry broke up with his girlfriend.

Tommy said he felt something similar. He called it a “’shroomhangover.” For a few days following his trip he said “there was something not quite right or missing. Emotionally, there was just a lack.”

The effects of the drug are unpredictable. Though some people have reported psychosis after prolonged use of magic mushrooms, little research has been done on the drug so that there are firm conclusions.

Though little is known about the drug, the effects of its use are striking and can be momentous.

Having one’s life change forever is a very big gamble, but for some, the risk is worth the reward.

Don’t blow up! (Photo illustration by Olivia Rutt)

10

The Sputnik // Wednesday, January 23, 2013

A&E

Courtney Langstaff // arts@thesputnik.ca

Let the 2013 award season begin Courtney Langstaff A&E editor 2012 was one of the most exciting years for both film and television, which means this winter’s award season are a must watch.

A-list actors became singers and performers, and even, for some, big-time and now award winning directors.

This is the time of year where everyone, fans, peers, fellow actors and other celebrities around the world; take the time to acknowledge their hard work.

The Golden Globes kicked off the award season on the right foot with ‘Saturday Night Live’ queens Amy Poehler and Tina Fey guiding the show through an eventful and hilarious evening. Every host of a show likes to make their usual stabs at A-listers sitting in the crowd, and from the two jokesters we could not expect anything less. A personal favourite was Poehler’s reference to director James Cameron’s marriage to fellow director Kathryn Bigelow, who directed the nominated film Zero Dark Thirty.

“I haven’t really been following the controversy over ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ but when it comes to torture, I trust the lady who was married for three years to James Cameron,” joked Poehler.

There were many big winners that Sunday night, including Les Miserables, Argo and Lincoln. Not a big surprise there as the actors, actresses and films themselves were buzzing with award talks initially after the cast was named.

Les Miserables brought home Best Supporting Actress, taken by Anne Hathaway; Hugh Jackman was named Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy, and additionally one Best Motion Picture: Musical or Comedy. But one of the most exciting awards of the night went to A-list celebrity Ben Affleck, who took home the award for Best Motion Picture: Drama and Best Director for his film ‘Argo.’

This was a typically exciting night as Affleck’s work was unacknowledged for the Oscar race, so winning two big awards was very exhilarating and well

Spice it up!

Amber Richardson Staff

Oscar line up (Art by Diane Sison)

deserved.

In television there were some repeat winners that took a few awards home, including the show ‘Homeland’ which ranked in a total of three awards home including: Best Series, Drama; Best Actress, Drama; Best Actor, Drama.

Other big winners included the HBO show “Girls”, and “Game Change.”

The Oscars are only a few weeks away, so if you missed your chance for watching the films for the Globes, definitely catch up on the Academy Award contenders this year as it will most definitely be a tight race for first place in all genres.

One particular aspect of the Oscars that is greatly being anticipated is the tribute to the James Bond legacy.

Grammy Award winner and, as of last week, Golden Globe Award singer, Adele will be singing “Skyfall”, the song she wrote for the most recent installment in the Jame Bond series, for the show on February 24.

In case you missed the nominations take a look below and get yourselves caught up on the 2013 Academy Award Contenders.

Also be a part of the conversation on any award night on Twitter using the greatly powerful hashtag.

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CONTACT: emily.frost@wlusp.com for more info

It’s a brand new year and people have an annual habit of creating selfish resolutions that only benefit themselves. This year, why not make a second resolution to benefit your sex life (and your partner) as well? I interviewed a slew of 20-somethings, and they managed to muster a grand 13 ways to tweak your sex life to make it better.

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Dirty Talk Almost everyone I spoke to, both men and women, stated interest in having their partner talk dirty to them. However, if you have a shy partner, you should ease into this.

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Direction There is NOTHING wrong with telling your partner what to do while your making love. Your lover will enjoy the experience more just knowing that you are enjoying it more.

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Masturbation It must be said that no ladies chose this, but men reported finding it “over-the-top sexy” when their female counterparts masturbated before having sex.

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Location, Location, Location Some people really don’t have the option to defile the dining room table, the couch, or the washing machine but, if at all possible, try mixing up where you have sex. If you always have sex at one partner’s house, go to the other’s (if you have to sneak around parents or siblings it may make it hotter). Also, bathroom sex is always a steamy alternative.

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Swinging This option didn’t receive too many votes, but those who are interested are usually very interested. If this is something you and your partner have ever considered, go for it! It is a sure fire way to change things up in the bedroom.

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A little bit if Vanilla Some people only ever have crazy sex (what’s the problem, right?), but apparently even that gets old. If you and your partner only have fast and hard sex, try slowing it down and doing something that most other couples consider boring, it may excite you.

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Rough it Up Contrary to the previous suggestion, some couples only have vanilla sex. This is a tougher habit to break because it usually requires one or both partners to breach their comfort zone. If you’re feeling adventurous, just take charge during the act and make it a little saucier.

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Fantasy Sex/ Role-playing Everyone has a fantasy - Everyone. Whether or not you or your partner is willing to divulge this personal information is a different story. If you are willing to share your fantasies, then hopefully your partner receives it well and it can be acted upon. Remember, sharing this information is very personal, be very sensitive especially if it’s something you’re not willing to do.

9.

Bondage If you want to make your sex life kinkier, add a blindfold and some ropes. Experiment with different things, especially if there is no established sub or dom.

10. Foreplay Couples who have been together for a while tend to start skipping the foreplay and going straight to sex, as if it’s a race. Slow down and enjoy the build-up. The sex will be much more satisfying.

11. Anal Men seem to have an overwhelming lust for the back door. If you are not comfortable with it, say so. But if you are, this may be an exciting new venture for you and your partner. Remember to always start slow, you need to work your way up to penetration.

12. Watch or Make a Video (but keep it off the internet) Some couples love porn, some hate it. If you hate it, try making your own video for personal viewing. Only choose this option if you trust your partner not to show friends, or the entire world.

13. Correct Positioning Hands down, the easiest thing you can do to spice up your sex life, and the most commonly suggested, is to change up the positions.

A lot of couples stick to the same two or three, so whip out the Kama Sutra and have some fun experimenting with new positions.

11

The Sputnik // Wednesday, January 23, 2013

A&E

Courtney Langstaff // arts@thesputnik.ca

Justin Timberlake makes return to music with new single Suit and Tie Stephanie DiBartolo Staff On Thursday January 10 at 9:01 a.m., Justin Timberlake treated his fans to a gift they thought would never come. For years, fans have been begging Timberlake to grace their ears with his music as he once did, but the 31-year-old pop star seemed preoccupied with other projects and kept avoiding the wishes for new music. Now, seven years have gone by but Timberlake has finally given the fans what they want.

Earlier in the week Timberlake sent out a tweet that had fans going crazy.

“To whom it may concern...I think I’M READY! #JT2013,” he wrote.

He then released a teaser video called “I’m Ready” which addressed his fans’ yearning for new J.T. tunes and provided an explanation as to why his music has been on the back burner for seven years.

“I don’t want to put anything out that I feel like is something that I don’t love. You just don’t get that everyday. You have to wait for it. I’m ready,” explained Timberlake.

Cue the millions of screaming girls around the world because Timberlake brought more than they could have ever expected. At 9:01 a.m. Suit and Tie, the new track from Timberlake, took over the internet,

trended on Twitter, was added to every playlist on every radio station, and became the number one selling song in iTunes.

“Just woke up and heard we’re #1 on iTunes!

Wow... Speechless. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” tweeted a very happy Timberlake.

January 10 has become a part of pop music history and the feedback from music lovers has been nothing but love.

“Undoubtedly an awesome track. The lyrics have a general meaning, which is pleasant. Thing is, it can be used as slow or dance... To say I’m eagerly awaiting the rest of his album is an understatement! It’ll be interesting how he portrays it in a music video, that is.

It will show the artist’s intentions...though I like the interchangeable genres of the song!” tweeted @TheOriginalAK95.

Timberlake is continuing to finish his third studio album, and since he has only put out two solo records in the last decade, it can be assumed that his fans will be lining up in advance for the sound of some modern Timberlake and that 2013 will be a Justin Timberlake takeover.

ON MY PLATE

THE CHARTS By: Stephanie Di Bartolo, The Sputnik’s watchdog of the local, national and everchanging music scene. On this week’s agenda:

S T E P H’TOP S TEN T OGYM P FBEATS IVE

Reviewing the mouth-watering, the memorable and the mistakes of on-campus dining.

Nom Chomsky Staff

Establishment: The Pantry Café, once a hidden-away feature of Brantford’s courthouse has revamped its service and clientele by moving on campus. The Dalhousie Street establishment masters the soup and sandwich combo that caters to students, staff, and the ever-loyal courthouse crowd. The small space (where many Laurier veterans will remember one Tops restaurant) though slightly bleak in décor, hosts ample seating, food made-to-order and a friendly staff.

Menu: The grilled chicken wrap; comprised of a whole wheat wrap, generous roast chicken chunks, tomato, lettuce, cheddar cheese and mayonnaise was still hot after taking the order to go. The item’s best feature was easily the succulent roast chicken but the wrap called for a different cheese. Cheddar belongs on a burger. Despite the column’s title,

what I really want to rave about is what was in my bowl. I’ve tried various soups from the Pantry Café and though hearty and homemade, the chicken barley soup still does not outrank the always-popular cheddar and broccoli cream soup. Finally, the butter tart, though a tasty end to my comfort food feast was not homemade.

Recommendation: What does every student need after a greasy night at NV? An equally greasy breakfast. Thank goodness someone is offering all day breakfast for under $5.00 on campus.

The Pantry Café will remain in my repertoire of on-campus eats. When you can’t go home for chicken soup, nothing beats a soup of the day at your classic mom-and-pop joint.

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Santigold- Disparate Youth Kid Cudi- Erase Me Mark Foster + A-Trak + Kimbra- Warrior The M Machine- Faces Alex Clare- Up All Night OneRepublic- Feel Again The Black Keys- She’s Long Gone Ellie Goulding- Anything Could Happen Imagine Dragons- On Top Of theWorld Cider Sky- Fall

Suggestions? Tell us what album, band, or artist you want to see reviewed or featured in The Sputnik by emailing arts@thesputnik.ca

12

The Sputnik // Wednesday, January 23, 2013

OPINION Leisha Senko // opinion@thesputnik.ca

Curiosity: to Mars and back Caitlin Henshaw Staff Last year was a year of great achievements for the international space community. One of the most notable achievements was the landing of the Mars Science Laboratory, more commonly known as the Curiosity rover, on August 5. This isn’t the first rover to land on Mars, but it is the biggest and most ambitious. This plutoniumpowered rover is about the size of a Mini Cooper, and spent eight and a half months travelling to our sister planet. It entered Mars’ atmosphere at a terrifying speed of roughly 20 000 km per hour (faster than the speed of sound) and landed only two kilometres off from its predicted landing site. The rover’s goals are to study climate and geography, discover if Mars could ever have supported life, and lay the groundwork for eventual human missions.

As a long time Trekkie, the idea of having a remote controlled robot on another planet is really exciting. I get geek-gasms just thinking about the possibilities. Outside of Earth’s atmosphere lies a world completely untouched by humanity. Rovers like Curiosity finally allow us to not just observe, but also physically touch the surface of a new world. Data and commands can be sent to and from the rover within only 25 minutes. That’s not bad considering we’re sending signals from one planet to another.

Unfortunately, a project like this can never take place without some media critique. In fact, it seems like every great scientific achievement eventually has to face up to the same old media debate: is scientific exploration worth its large price tag?

I hate this question. Not only is it tiresome, but in the case of NASA it’s also a moot point. When it comes to the space program, NASA’s annual budget has been between 14 and 17 billion dollars annually for the past decade. That’s only 0.5 per cent of the total U.S. federal budget.

In the case of Curiosity, the total cost came in at 2.5 billon dollars. Now this sounds like a lot of money, but what critics fail to mention is that it was spent over the course of eight years. Only a fifth of the budget went into the cost of the rocket.

The majority of the budget went into the salaries of the hundreds of engineers, programmers and contractors that NASA and JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) employ.

The number seems even smaller when you consider the other things our global community spends its money on.

The 2012 London Summer Olympics, for example, cost 14 billon dollars. That was

Future space travel (Art by Diane Sison)

two weeks of sports, and they spent almost as much as NASA’s entire annual budget.

Nevertheless, critics of the space program will continue to ask why we spend money on space exploration at all.

Why not focus on the problems we have on Earth? What are the real world applications of studying stars and planets? I could cite a dozen examples to argue why this is important. I could crunch numbers, show pie charts and explain some very practical applications of the technology developed for space travel. I’m not going to bother doing that though because I find that entire line of questioning ridiculous.

Why is it important to study how the universe works? Well, if you’re going to ask that you really should ask why we bother to question anything in life at all.

Socrates would say that the unexamined life is not worth living. I would respond to that question much more simply: because I’m curious.

Curiosity is one of our most basic human instincts. We question and analyse and explore our world on a daily basis. We constantly search for and absorb new information, whether it’s the daily gossip on Kim Kardashian or the structure of a white blood cell.

When critics ask why studying the universe is important to me, it’s because I’m curious. I want to know how big the universe is. I want to know what stars are made of. I want to know how the earth was formed, how black holes work, and how the light from a star can keep a tiny little planet like Earth alive.

In the days of an economic downturn, we’ve started attaching dollar values to our knowledge. Learning for learning’s sake seems like a waste of resources, but projects like the aptly named Curiosity rover represent every instinct that has pushed our species forward. That drive to explore is what sent our first frontiersman across the seas to discover new continents. Our desire to study and learn is what has brought us to our current understanding of medical science, engineering, mathematics and so much more. Curiosity is the fire that fuels all progress. If ever you doubt that, think for a moment where our society would be if no one had ever asked the questions how and why?

Standing against rape Cody Groat Staff Collectively, the movies A Clockwork Orange, Gran Torino, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo earned roughly $529 million at the box office. Besides a wide fan base, these films, which have release dates ranging from 1971 to 2011, also share another commonality.

Although less incredible than the money generated, all three films depict, or have scenes, of men or women being raped. We live now, not only in a world were media causally shows violent murder, property damage and kidnapping, but also the violent act of sexual assault and rape. Sure, they’re rated R in theatres, but when that movie gets into a household, it seems now that an R rating means anyone older than eleven has access.

Depictions in media, be it through movies or by pop icons, have the power to sway human ideas, and interests. This can be seen innocently by people adopting fashion trends from what they saw the latest stars wearing in film (off-the-shoulder sweaters after Jennifer Beals’ work in 1983’s Flashdance) or more obscure trends as with rather enormous, flamboyant hats after Prince William and Kate Middleton’s

wedding. Yet, our natural human inclination to move towards what we find interesting, can lead to much more disastrous things than a hat with a huge feather. This includes miniature fight clubs after Brad Pitt’s 1996 film. Some people are even starting to think that things such as gun violence and rape shown in film are leading to the real life cases visible around the world today from Newton to New Delhi.

On December 16, five men and one onlooker gang raped a physiotherapy intern in New Delhi, India. From physical attacks, to using weapons as part of the sexual strike, a night of seeing Life of Pi with her friend ended with the friend being gagged, beaten and left unconscious, while the unnamed victim of the rape ended up in the hospital with only 5 per cent of her intestines remaining and brain damage among other injuries. She died of a cerebral edema on December 29, 2012, a mere thirteen days after boarding what was believed to be a city bus, but was rather part of a six man joyride turned deadly assault.

The public would not keep this quiet.

The world wouldn’t either. Protests started in the town where the incident took place, New Delhi, at the Parliament of India and the Official Residence of the President.

Clashes commenced between Rapid Ac-

tion Force units and the civilians, who were blasted with water cannons and baton charges. This was followed by outcries from major cities such as Paris, marching to the Indian embassy and the United Nations releasing a public statement on the safety of women.

Finally, peace is starting to be made in India in regards to the sexual assault of women, but in a way, I think it’s too late.

Yes, many women will be saved from fear and indignation now with courts rushing legal cases after the incident in December, and word of a law being made in the honour of the victim. But still, too late.

In New Delhi, India, a rape is reported on average every 18 hours. This is only one city out of many, not to mention rural communities where most cases are never reported. Never once have I heard a story of a rape case coming out of that part of the world, or even in Canada. In my opinion, I feel it’s from the negative stigma around the instances. I don’t mean to the perpetrators, they deserve all the negative comments and jail sentences they can get. The reason I feel we never hear about, and the reason we may be too late already, is because the stigma is also shown to the victim. This needs to stop if the epidemic of rape is to stop. That’s what the world is fac-

ing, an epidemic. Rape is quickly becoming an infectious disease at a physical and social level. These acts are being committed and no one is speaking, instead we pretend that it didn’t happen.

Many victims don’t speak out because of the mental scars of rape. Those who haven’t been affected need to show those who have, and are too afraid to talk, that they don’t need to hide their scars from the world. With a social stand, I feel any issue can be greatly decreased if not removed entirely. We need to show the perpetrators that a stand is being made: in India, in France, in Canada.

Maybe starting to decrease the prevalence of sexual assault in television and the media can be the next step. Possibly keeping the perpetrators name in secret so they don’t get the pleasure of infamy can be the third step. But the first step? Let the victims know they can fight. Let the victims know we’re here to fight with them every step of the way.

On December 31, Google had a small image under their search bar. It was a virtual candle in honour of the unnamed physiotherapy intern from India. This is in honour of everyone else who never received a real or virtual candle vigil. We’re here for you.