September 20 2017

Volume 17, Issue 2 – September 20, 2017

The Sputnik, We Orbit Around You News, pg. 4

NO FENCES, NO BORDERS

Giving people rights and freedoms

Features, pg. 6

GRADUATING CLASS OF 2021

Welcome home Golden Hawks

Arts & Culture, pg. 9

Sports, pg. 10

LAURIER XC KILLS THE STEDMAN PRIZE MEET

Award recognizes creative writers

Laurier Cross Country team dominates

Opinion, pg. 11

PERSONAL IDENTITY

How private do you think you are?

Let’s Raise Awareness

Radical O-Week News, pg. 3

JAMAAL OWUSU-ANSAH/DESIGN MANAGER

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What is the biggest adjustment you’ve made moving to Laurier?

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“Not having my mom around telling me what to do.”

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CONTRIBUTORS Hyrra Chughtai Christopher Kunkel Meghan Slotegraaf Malcolm Smith Savannah Dale Katherine Timon

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03 NEWS EDITOR SHREYA SHAH news@thesputnik.ca

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR AVERY MCISAAC assistantnews@thesputnik.ca

ACTIVISM

Black Lives Matter hosts breakfast SHREYA SHAH NEWS EDITOR

On Sept 15, the Laurier Brantford Diversity and Equity office (DEO) and the Laurier Students’ Public Interest Research Group (LSPIRG) held a Black Lives Matter Breakfast in the west wing of the Research and Academic Centre.

The breakfast, which included fresh fruits, coffee, and pancakes was an interactive way for members of the Student Opportunity for Unity and Leadership (SOUL) to interact and introduce themselves to the Laurier student population.

“This event is to introduce SOUL to everyone and meet different people, meet the first years, and introduce SOUL to them and tell them what we’re all about,” stated fourth year Criminology student and SOUL’s finance administrator, Deborah Akinwale.

The event was also held to help raise awareness and conversation around issues affecting racialized populations, specifically the Black Lives Matter cause.

“Every year the Diversity and Equity office, in coordination with LSPIRG as well as the sexual assault centre of Brant, hosts something called radical orientation week, or Rad Week, and [there are] a series of events that happen that are political in nature that are open to everybody to try

BRYCE JAMES/PHOTO EDITOR

Fourth year Social Work student, Elizabeth Clarke, helps serve fresh pancakes and fruits in the RCW lobby at the BLM

and talk about some of the issues that might impact the community around diversity and equity,” said Lauren Burrows, the Education and Inclusion coordinator.

“This event is put on by the DEO [and] they are in charge of creating safe spaces for all students, which I think it’s very important for black lives matter and black students.

Specifically, because there has been a lot going on within the

media lately and a lot going on in the United States,” said fourth year Social Work student Elizabeth Clarke.

“I just think it’s important for us to be aware of what’s happening, where we stand, what our rights are, and how to go about them.

So I think it’s really important for students here in Ontario and here at Laurier Brantford to know their rights and what they can do to get

involved, and advocate for other people. I’ve had racist experiences, back in high school and even here in Brantford. I had people swear at me on the road and call me the n-word and stuff like that as they were driving past,” stated Clarke.

The scene described above by Clarke, is unfortunately, not an uncommon occurrence.

“Funny enough [something] like that has happened to me, but

in the moment you don’t really know what to say [or] the right thing, but for me, to be honest I just laugh and I keep walking.

It doesn’t really phase me too much, because then what’s the point if I’m going to react? What if I make it worse by reacting?

So it’s just about turning the left cheek,” stated third year Health Administration student, and SOUL member, Tombra Ben-Abali.

Burrows also shared the complexities these situations, “That’s a really complex question. If someone were to say all lives matter, all lives do matter obviously, but in this particular conversation we are talking about black lives because they experience increased amounts of harm. Also I think when people say all lives matter in response to black lives matter, what they are doing is essentially taking away from that conversation, which can be really harmful, so we just encourage people that if we are going to be talking about diversity and equity that we also create spaces to talk about specific issues that impact specific communities,” she stated.

“So we need to create a time and a space to specifically talk about Islamophobia or we need to create a time or space where we talk specifically about antiblack racism, or specifically about transphobia, or specifically about sexism because these issues are

Laurier International Film Guild SHREYA SHAH NEWS EDITOR

On Sept 19th, at 4 p.m., the Research and Academic Centre was filled with students who were interested in the idea of sharing their stories and experiences through film.

The opportunity to do so became possible with the introduction the Laurier International Film Guild, one of the campus clubs.

The event is a chance for club members to showcase their photos and artwork, inlcuding short films.

Talha Naeem, third year Digital Media and Journalism and director of the club,describes how the idea of the club came about, “Our goal is to basically get students engaged by helping them with essential skills that they need for the aspects of film-making.”

“This is a Laurier initiative. What happened was that at one point I was making videos on my own to help show international student perspectives and the struggles of international students from the

Our goal is to basically get students engaged by helping them with essential skills that they need for the aspect of film-making.

-Talha Naeem, Director

first time they arrive in Canada. So what kind of challenges in terms of

While the club is hoping to recruit intenrational students, all Laurier students are welcome to join.

integration that they have, and give [the challenges] a voice through video,” stated Naeem.

While the club is hoping to recruit international students, all Laurier students are welcome to join. The team that runs and organizes the Laurier International Film Guild, is a diverse group of students with differing backgrounds and academic interests.

Naeem founded the club in 2015, following his arrival from Pakistan.

“I wanted to [create] a student base where we could come and learn from each other, and students would [have the opportunity to] become, a videographer, photographer, sound editor or video editor. So let’s get together, create an idea, think about an idea, craft a story, polish a story, and film it,” stated Naeem.

Further information about the LIFGUILD club can be found through their Facebook group.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

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NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2017

No fences, no borders HYRRA CHUGHTAI STAFF WRITER

As part of their Radical Orientation Week, the Laurier Student Public Interest Research Group (LSPIRG) hosted a presentation by No One is Illegal on September 12.

No One is Illegal is a social justice organization that fights for the rights and freedom of people whose voices cannot be heard.

There are chapters all over Canada and one of their primary goals is to end immigration detention.

LSPIRG’s goal with the presentation at Laurier was to inform students about what is happening around them and relate it to themselves.

Kami Chisolm, a No One is Illegal collective, came to Laurier Brantford and presented on what the organization stands and fights for.

“A basic principle we agree on is that no one is illegal … Imperialism happens many ways: war, trade agreements, and managing and enforcing order. We can see this through the many ways people are being displaced, like climate change today,” said Chisolm.

The presentation included stories of Canadians whose lives were spent in immigration detention.

Chisolm showed a video of various protests that occurred in To-

ronto and Mississauga because of the hidden immigration problems the Canadian government faces.

“There’s places around the world and people who have less access around the world to resources…

The presentation included stories of Canadians whose lives were spent in immigration detentions.

-Name, position

its happened to trade agreements, climate change, and when we contribute [to these factors] we have an obligation to take people in… when this is happening to people they should be able to move to someplace that is safe, but borders are making it difficult… ensuring that masses of migrants don’t come in,” said Chisolm.

The Indigenous community is also greatly threatened by migration.

Chisolm briefly talked about the

two-row wampum, a framework of two blue bands parallel to each other but not touching, representing the separate migration of two different people.

“Indigenous Sovereignty is an artificial construction of these lands. That people have to cross borders and show papers to move is all about societal constructs…

First Nations are a nation to themselves and they have the right to themselves,” said Chisolm.

The presentation was a view of how Canada is also struggling with border problems, and yet not much media coverage is given to this, so many do not see the problem. Chisolm answered many questions involving the organization’s struggle to protest and get Canadian cities to become a sanctuary for immigrants, not a place to be reported based solely on suspicion of illegality.

Toronto was the first Canadian city to become a sanctuary city, and as of February 2017 the numbers are continuing to grow due to mass protesting.

“We see a lot about how Canada is the land of opportunity, but in practice we see that people cannot access social services and they can be kicked out any time… anybody that is here should get all the opportunities and resources as the rest of us,” said Chisolm.

BRYCE JAMES / PHOTO EDITOR

On September 12, LSPIRG hosted the “No One is Illegal” event in RCW .

FESTIVAL

Day on the Grand features local artists AVERY MCISAAC ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

On September 9 more than 70 local talents including musicians, performers, and visual artists participated in the A Day on the Grand festival.

It was estimated, by one of the event organizers, that more than 600 people came to the event, which ran from noon into the evening. The festival was at Brant’s Crossing Park, where stages and art galleries had been set up alongside the river. Some artists even preformed on the riverbank and on sandbanks below the bridge.

Organizations including zzzBTFD and Brantford Art Block who partnered with Brant Theatre Workshops created the event to help showcase local talent since there are so few venues to do so. Previous places for artists to preform including The Arts Block,

ALEX VIALETTE

LOCAL ARTISTS, MUSICIANS AND DANCERS SHOWED OFF THEIR TALENTS BY THE GRAND RIVER SEPTEMBER 9.

Station Gallery, and Crawford Collective have all closed, leaving minimal options to feature talent.

One of the event organizers Gerry Lafleur, spoke with the Brantford Expositor, saying, “There is no real place for people who do art to just hang out and do it.”

Lafleur also added, “Lack of funding is a big problem. I joke that dogs in Brantford are better off than artists. They have Dogford Park. We have nothing.”

Some of the art pieces featured turned heads of individuals at-

tending the event.

A fish head stuck out of the water with its mouth open. It was brightly colored and made from a cloth like material over a wooden frame.

Other demonstrations of art included a brass quartet, acrobats

hanging from the bridge over the river and even people selling their art.

People may have even noticed a gold bus. A school bus painted gold was also put on display as musicians played inside.

Indigenous dancers also took part in demonstrating their creative side.

The skate park within the park seemed to be where a lot of the acts were performing.

There was no lack of art for attendees to view or hear.

A few of the art pieces remained by the Grand River until this past weekend, allowing for a larger audience.

Lafleur has no doubt that more festivals such as A Day on the Grand will happen. After the event he was quoted saying, “The feedback we got is that people want to participate and help make it happen.”

THE SPUTNIK

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 , 2017

NEWS

05

Radical week and activism on campus AVERY MCISAAC ASSITANT NEWS EDITOR

VIVIAN YAN/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

Jaydene Lavallie, Rad Week Organizer handing out free supplies to students.

From September 11 to September 15, Laurier Students’ Public Interest Research Group (LSPIRG) ran their Radical Orientation Week, or Rad Week.

The concept is similar to Orientation Week, but promotes activism and involvement on both Laurier campuses.

Jayden Lavallie, who coordinates Rad Week, explained the purpose as, “a week’s worth of programming to get LSPIRG out there and let people know who we are and what we are doing on campus.”

This year’s lineup involved button-making, discussions about Donald Trump’s travel ban, an art project to give an outlet to people who needed it, a movie and pizza night, a breakfast to discuss diversity, and a lunch to discuss reconciliation with indigenous peoples.

Lavallie is the volunteer and community engagement director on the Brantford Campus. She deals primarily with student volunteers, and provides guidance to the action groups and volunteers who are running events.

The Brantford campus is LSPIRG’s satellite office. According to Lavallie, “LSPIRG has been in Waterloo for 15 years, and has

been on Brantford for one. There are two employees in Waterloo and only one in Brantford.”

Lavallie explained that “LSPIRG is a nonprofit organization that is student funded. We offer opportunities for students to get involved in activism and we do a lot educational campaigns, as well as workshops, to help students develop tools around advocacy and social justice.”

LSPIRG also provides a lot of volunteer opportunities, so students that are interested can volunteer generally with the group, or create their own action group and get funding each semester to run events and campaigns. Students can also put on one-time events.

Lavallie is on campus to help students with funding as well as event and group planning.

Lavallie explained that there has been huge difference between this year and last year’s Rad week.

“I have had really good attendance this year, but last year it was really hard because it was [LSPIRG’s] first year here. Primarily what I did last year was just explain to people who I am and that LSPIRG existed. But this year it has been so much better because people do know we exist, and so now I have been able to focus on the actual events and things like that. This year I have been getting a

lot more emails from people wanting to get involved.”

The dinner and a movie night featured pizza and the movie Just Do It: A Tale of Modern-day Outlaws.

The film features a behind-thescenes view of climate change activists who put themselves on the line, despite varying threats, including arrest.

Lavallie explained the movie as, “a fun film based in the UK. The documentary film maker got some pretty great behind-the-scenes access to a lot of climate change activists doing direct action and civil disobedience work. It’s a pretty interesting documentary since you do not normally see the actual activists talking about their experiences or their plans or what they are doing.”

Lavallie also mentioned there’s always food at LSPIRG events because “Everyone is a student, so why not.” After the film Lavallie facilitated a discussion about the movie.

For anyone that is looking to get involved as a volunteer or start a new group with LSPIRG Lavallie said, “I am a pretty approachable person. If you just send me an email we can go for coffee and discuss how you would like to be involved.”

UWO finds new drug to reverse pot effects MEGHAN SLOTEGRAAF STAFF WRITER

Researchers at Western University in London may have discovered a drug that can reverse the psychiatric effects that chronic marijuana use can have on adolescents’ developing brains. Frequent marijuana use has been linked to psychiatric disorders, namely schizophrenia due to Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a psychoactive component of the drug that gives users a euphoric high. THC lowers levels of Gamma Aminobutyric Acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that blocks impulses between nerve cells, in the brain. Low levels can contribute to anxiety and depression. Adolescents’ brains are particularly at risk of being affected

by THC because they are still developing. Chronic marijuana use by youth under the age of 25 can be dangerous. However, Canadian youth have the second highest rate of marijuana use in the world (second only to France). A study conducted by Statistics Canada in 2016 found that adolescents in Canada were more than twice as likely as adults to use marijuana.

The study also found that one in five Canadian adolescents had used marijuana that year.

Despite this, there are also proven benefits to marijuana use.

It has been known to decrease anxiety, surpress nausea, and relieve pain. This is due to another active chemical in marijuana called Cannabidiol (CBD), which is used for medical purposes. A team of Western researchers, led by Dr. Steven Laviolette, found a way to use pharmaceuticals to counteract the negative effects of THC exposure. They exposed adolescent rats to high levels of THC. After the rats

had reached adulthood, they were given drugs that boosted levels of GABA in the brain, reversing some of the symptoms that had been caused by the THC. “What this could mean is that if you are going to be using marijuana, in a recreational or medicinal way, you can potentially combine it with compounds that boost GABA to block the negative effects of THC,” said Laviolette in an interview with Global News.

He warns people that marijuana on the black market often contains high levels of THC. “This is very concerning from a mental health perspective because it’s really these high levels of THC that’s causing the problems,” Laviolette said during the interview with Global News. This scientific breakthrough came just shortly after the federal government announced its plans to legalize marijuana on July 1, 2018. The minimum age requirement set by the government was 18, with provinces given the option to raise it. In Ontario, the legal limit will be 19, the same age requirement for purchasing alcohol and cigarettes. Canada’s police are concerned about legalizing marijuana so soon, saying there is no chance that they will be ready in time. While legalizing marijuana would reduce Canadian police officers’ workloads (last year, there were 16,000 charges laid for simple possession), it is expected to cause several other problems like an increase in grow-ops, robberies, and home invasions. Police will also have to be trained to recognize and handle drug-impaired drivers.

Canadian police do not have a sufficient amount of time to obtain the training and resources that this legalization will require. “If legislation is ready to go July 2018,

policing will not be ready to go August 1” said OPP commissioner Rick Barnum during a meeting with the Standing Committee on Health. “It’s impossible. The time, the damage that can be done between the time of new legislation and police officers [being] ready to enforce the law in six months or a year can make it very, very hard to ever regain that foothold.

The police are pushing for a later legalization date. “It’s a great step,” said Barnum, “But we have to do it right.” Trudeau’s government is set on legalizing marijuana by the summer of 2018, with the intent to keep marijuana out of the hands of young people. Canada’s police, however, are concerned that the new laws allowing people to grow marijuana could provide easier access to Canadian youth.

BRYCE JAMES/PHOTO EDITOR

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 , 2017 ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR ALEXANDRIA CLÉMENT arts@thesputnik.ca

BRANTFORD

Brantford art collective to host festival

ZZZBTFD will put on an outsider music festival weekend, with an art auction supporting sexual assault centre ALEXANDRIA CLÉMENT ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

ZZZWKND is a weekend-long festival being held by Brantford art collective ZZZBTFD. The event will run over September 22nd to September 25th and will feature over 30 unique bands and artists. The show will take place at and around The Creamery Pub and Eatery in Brantford.

ZZZBTFD is an art collective that focuses on promoting and creating outsider art, culture and music.

Events held by ZZZ are organized with the goal of being accessible to everyone.

We want representation. We want people of color, trans people, women. We want people like that at the forefront.

-Gabrielle Camirand, Member of ZZZ

Passes for this festival weekend are pay-what-you-can on ZZZ’s website. Limited tickets will be sold at the door. The event will feature many local and Ontario bands and artists, with bands coming in from Hamilton, London, Guelph and more, as well as a few bands from the United States.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Gabrielle Camirand, one of ZZZ’s team members, said that this is inspired by many festivals bringing in artists from outside of the local scene. “Our whole goal is to bring outsider music and art into Brantford because Brantford is so under-serviced when it comes to arts and culture,” she said.

The event will also feature an art auction of ten unique gig-posters.

All of the proceeds from this auction will be donated to the Brantford Sexual Assault Centre, which relies on public and donated funding to remain in operation.

“We’ve always wanted to collaborate with them.,” said Camirand. “They’re a really important organization.”

Part of the inspiration behind ZZZ’s collective and weekend is to

bring the “weirdos” of Brantford into the spotlight, and to encourage creative people to come out and join in.

This is driven in part by the desire to include new students who are eager to create and be involved.

“I want people from Laurier to do stuff that connects Laurier to Brantford,” said Camirand. “I want

them to bring more weird art and creative things that people have never seen before.” Seven bands will play evening shows on Friday, September 22nd, at The Creamery in Brantford.

Saturday’s shows run all day also at The Creamery, both indoors and outdoors. Sunday will feature a more toned-down set at Rivergreen Park near the venue during the daytime until the last performance at 5pm.

ZZZWKND is also committed to diversity in their events, and are invested in creating spaces for underrepresented artists and people.

“We want representation. We want people of colour, trans people, women. We want people like that at the forefront.,” said Camirand. “Brantford needs it. Laurier students want to see that and that’s what we want to represent.”

ZZZWKND will join Brantford’s burgeoning arts and culture community in hosting outsider musicians and artists at an inclusive event.

Laurier students interested in alternative and outsider music and art can find more information online. The event begins at 7pm on Friday September 22 and sees its final performance starting at 5pm on Sunday September 25.

Passes can be purchased paywhat-you-can on their website, and tickets can be purchased pay-what-you-can at the door.

More information regarding the event can be found on ZZZBTFD’s Facebook page.

KICKER HERE

Ending summer with craft beers Brantford Beer Fest’s second event brings ongoing success ALEX VIALETTE VIDEO EDITOR

The Brantford Beer Fest sent summer off with a few pints Saturday Sept. 9.

The festival returned to Brantford for a second time, having started it’s now annual tradition last year. The festival was founded

by Chris Wagner and Ben Feuerstein, both craft beer enthusiasts.

While the event does focus primarily on beer, proceeds from the ticket sales are also donated to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada’s Grand Eerie Chapter.

Last year the event raised $1000 towards the cause, and another $1300 this year.

“Last year was actually a lot more successful than we thought it was going to be,” said Wagner.

“We had a really good turnout and that’s why we decided to go ahead and do it again this year. [...] We have more of the craft breweries that came out this year, we have nine as opposed to the five that did last year.”

“Of all the festivals we’ve done, same with last year, this is the best one,” said Chris Whiting of Bell City Brewing Company. “It’s just all local, small brewers, it’s just good.

You can keep the big beer festivals

in Toronto, not interested for me.

This is what it’s all about, this is the best.”

The festival pours only craft beer rather than the more prevalent mass produced brands that are commonly known, making things a little more interesting.

Of all the festivals we’ve done, same with last year, this is the best one. It’s all local, small brewers. It’s just good.

-Chris Whiting, Bell City Brewing

ALEX VIALETTE/VIDEO EDITOR

People of the public got to enjoy the end of their summer by tasting craft beers and visiting local food trucks.

The farthest breweries drove a few kegs into town from London and Barrie.

Both Mash Paddle Brewing Brewing Co. and Bell City Brewing Company made the much shorter drive from their respective corners of Brantford.

“Brantford Beer Fest is a celebration of everything local,” said Feuerstein. “We bring out a lot of

the hook vendors from Brantford, from southern Ontario, as well as local food trucks and other businesses come out and support their business.”

The festival takes it’s love for “everything local” a step further by having helped a new brewery gain traction last year.

Joe and Lindsey Mrav have yet to open Grain & Grit Beer Co. in Hamilton, but have poured their

beer at the festival two years in a row.

Last year, they entered the homebrew competition held by the Brantford Beer Fest and won. It was this success led them to opening their up-and-coming brewery.

“I was starting to plan the brewery at that point but it wasn’t something real, now it is” said Joe Mrav.

“We entered the homebrew

competition, we won it, and that was one of the things that made us say ‘let’s put a stake in this and let’s do this”.

“All nine of the breweries are phenomenal,” said Sam Fleming, a brewer for Bell City, “there wasn’t a single brewer that was like ‘ah, not them’!”

“There’s really good breweries here—and Mash Paddle!” Whiting added jokingly.

THE SPUTNIK

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2017

ARTS & CULTURE

09

TELEVISION

Fall season television premieres begin

With end-season hiatuses ending on most networks, fall season TV premieres start this month - and soon!

ALEXANDRIA CLÉMENT A RTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Television’s summer hiatus is over – fall season shows return in the next few months. Here are a few that are returning this season.

SEPTEMBER 21 Gotham (on FOX) Gotham returns for its fourth season, centering around a young Jim Gordon and Bruce Wayne of DC’s Batman franchise. The show continues with its cast list of mainly well-known Batman villains, in all new fashions.

SEPTEMBER 26 The Mick (on FOX) The Mick returns for its second season after its successful first. The show stars It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’s Kaitlin Olson. Fans of Sunny can see Olson as the new guardian of three children after their parents flee the country to escape the FBI. SEPTEMBER 26 Brooklyn Nine-Nine (on FOX) Brooklyn Nine-Nine returns for its fifth season after its oddly harrowing season-four finale. The comedy brings Jake Peralta and the 99 back together after their two best detectives were falsely convicted of bank robbery.

SEPTEMBER 28 Will & Grace (on NBC)

Will & Grace returns more than ten years after its series finale in 2006. The popular sitcom will see its ninth season this year in a tenepisode run, bringing Will, Grace, Jack, and Karen back to the screen.

The sitcom was one of the first to feature gay principle characters and has been credited with breaking ground for comedy television.

SEPTEMBER 29 The Exorcist (on FOX) FOX’s horror show The Exorcist will return for its second season, with John Cho of the Star Trek franchise joining the cast. The first season was a sequel to the 1973 movie of the same name, and the show continues as part of The Exorcist franchise. Fans of NBC’s Hannibal or FX’s American Horror Story should tune in.

OCTOBER 1 Bob’s Burgers (on FOX) Bob’s Burgers’ eighth season begins on October 1. The animated sitcom, which began in 2011, will feature guest appearances from Adam Driver, and Fred Savage. The show premieres before The Simpsons’ and Family Guy’s premieres respectively.

OCTOBER 3 Fresh Off The Boat (on ABC) Fresh Off The Boat’s fourth season premieres October 3. Nahnatchka Khan’s sitcom is based on Eddie Huang’s memoir of the same

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

title, which talks of his experience growing up in an Asian-American family and his early life.

OCTOBER 5 Scandal (on ABC) Kerry Washinton stars in ABC’s Scandal again for its seventh season. This season will be its last, so be sure to tune in for Shona Rhimes’s critically acclaimed political drama.

OCTOBER 9 Supergirl (on The CW) Supergirl will air its third season, and its second season after its switch to The CW. The series will continue with DC’s best Kryptonian hero, and Superman will likely also make an appearance.

The series will have its season premiere the day before other DC series The Flash and DC’s Legends

of Tomorrow.

OCTOBER 11 Riverdale (on The CW) The Archie comics television show will see its season premiere on Wednesday October 11.

Fans of the grim adaptation of the cheerful comic can see the mystery continue in its second season.

Fans will also be able to catch their favorite show on Netflix.

LAURIER

Laurier Stedman Prize for writing launched

Laurier and Stedman’s estate have launched one of the biggest creative writing prize for Brant high schoolers

BRYCE JAMES/PHOTO EDITOR

Wilfrid Laurier’s President and Vice Chancellor, Deborah MacLatchy, gives speech about the development of Stedman and the reputation the name came carries around with it.

ALEXANDRIA CLÉMENT ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

The Laurier Stedman prize was launched September 18 at Laurier Brantford’s Research and Academic Centre.

The launch began at 2pm and featured speeches from president and vice-chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University Deborah MacLatchy, as well as Laurier Brantford professor Kenneth Paradis, who is acting as liaison with high schools for this prize.

The Laurier Stedman Prize was initiated as a way to honor the generosity of the Stedman family and Mary Stedman in particular, after whom the Stedman bookstore is named after.

Mary Stedman passed away in 2014, leaving an endowment and estate gift to the university, its best use to be determined by the university.

“Stedman’s name has become synonymous with generosity.” Said MacLatchy during her speech.

Keep pushing, keep evolving, keep challenging. Keep those young kids in your heart.

-Dave Levac, Brant MPP

The Laurier Stedman Prize is open to high school students in the Brant region. It is a competition for creative writers.

The students have the opportu-

nity to write a work of fiction up to 1,500 words long to submit for the chance to win up to $3000.

The Laurier Stedman Prize will award these writers with a total of $10,000 in money awards.

First place will be awarded $3000. Second prize will be two prizes of $2000 and third will be three prizes of $1000.

“We’ve been planning this program for many months, perhaps even years.” Said Dean of Liberal Arts Heidi Northwood.

Mary Stedman was managing director of Stedman Bookstore Ltd for over twenty years. Stedman Bookstores were started by Stedman’s father, Samuel W. Stedman, and his brothers in 1904, in Brantford. She was also director of the Samuel W. Stedman Foundation, and was a supporter of the university in Brantford.

Mary was one of the first donors to the new Laurier Brantford

campus back in 1999. Gifts from Stedman also helped to support the construction of the Research and Academic Centre on campus.

Deborah MacLatchy quoted Mary Stedman during her speech: “I didn’t make the money. I just have the opportunity to give some away.”

Brantford MPP Dave Levac spoke at the event. LeVac created the Speakers’ Book Award, which honors Ontario’s outstanding authors.

Feeling that recognizing published Ontario authors wasn’t quite enough, Levac came to speak at the launch of the Laurier Stedman Prize.

This honors unpublished high school writers.

“I recognized as someone … that taught elementary school that those gifts exist already,” said Levac.

“And it’s how we feed those gifts,

as to whether or not they bloom.”

High school English Departments will choose their own students’ works to submit.

Each individual school can choose their own method of writing.

Laurier Stedman Prizes will be awarded in early February 2018.

There will be a special celebration.

The award’s goal sits in recognizing youth talent, and celebrating the art and literature that young people create.

Laurier Brantford continues to impact the Brantford community.

They do this in social and academic ways, offering opportunities for students, organizing recognition for people involved in liberal arts, and more.

“Keep pushing, keep evolving, keep challenging.,” said Levac.

“Keep those young kids in your heart.”

THE SPUTNIK

10

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2017 SPORTS EDITOR JESSA BRAUN sports@thesputnik.ca

VARSITY

Laurier Brantford’s first XC meet TAYLOR BURT EDITOR-IN-CHEIF

Laurier Brantford’s men and women’s cross-country teams had their first race of the season on Saturday.

Out of the 17 schools that ran the race, Laurier finished in the single digits.

With men finishing in fifth and women finishing in eighth, Coach Cory Curry is happy with the results of their first race.

The men’s team started their race at noon and ran eight kilometers, while thewomen ran six kilometers at 11 a.m.

The race was an invitational meet, meaning all schools could bring as many racers as they wanted.

Laurier Brantford represented with six racers for each team.

The course the teams ran, is also the same course used for provincial championships. This caused a lot of the Ontario Colleges to come out and preview the course.

This course is a lot more difficult than the other courses involved in events for the Ontario College Athletics Association (OCAA).

New addition to the team, Ahad Naim, was Laurier’s star runner at the meet, finishing in tenth overall, helping the men’s team make it to

fifth.

Cambrian College’s Mary Strain finished first in the women’s division while Tyler Jones of St. John’s College, finished first in the men’s.

Laurier Brantford was not far behind however in the rankings.

Naim, finishing tenth out of 84 runners, and Jessa Braun finishing eleventh out of 62.

Overall Fanshawe’s women’s team and Mohawk College’s men’s team finished first.

Curry feels confident in his team and both the men and women are looking forward to their next race.

Their next race is to take place on September 30 at Seneca College.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

SOCCER

NWSL should be talked about more JESSA BRAUN SPORTS EDITOR

It’s not televised nationally, it’s not talked about at the sports bars, and it’s doesn’t generate a whole lot of revenue. The problem is that all of these things should be happening.

If you guessed that I’m talking about a professional women’s sport, you’re right. I’m referring to the National Women’s Soccer League.

Carrying ten American teams and about 200 players from all over the globe, the NWSL is the most popular professional women’s soccer league in the world. But by popular I mean an average of 5,000

fans per game.

The question is: why? Why is the NWSL such a low priority, especially in comparison to the MLS, the North American men’s league?

The games are the same length, the objective of getting the ball in the opposing team’s net is universal and every game ends in a win, tie or draw.

The excuse of saying that women’s sports aren’t as exciting to watch shouldn’t even be an option when it comes to North American soccer. The majority of the NWSL is made up of Canadian and American national players who gained so much more success in the last few years at Olympics and World Cups

than any of our men.

I personally believe it to be the media. NWSL media attention seems to only happen in the cities that have their own team. Without the articles, magazine stories, televised games and newscasts floating around elsewhere, how is the league supposed to hold anyone’s attention and gain any popularity outside of the teams’ towns?

Unfortunately media typically only covers stories and events that will draw lots of attention. Therefore it’s a huge risk for national news sources to spend time on a league that’s not very popular.

Thus begins the endless cycle of the media not doing coverage

because the league isn’t popular and the league not being popular because the media isn’t covering it.

So, let’s break the cycle. Below is a small news update on what’s happening with the NWSL team currently in first place: North Carolina Courage is well on their way to sweeping the National Women’s Soccer League title for the 2017 season.

The team currently carries a season record of 15-6-0. However, the title could still easily be swept from them, as they’re only two points ahead of the Portland Thorns, the second place team, and still have four games left in the season.

Being one out of twelve Cana-

dian NWSL players, goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo is the only Canadian player on Courage’s 2017 squad. She’s recorded 15 shutouts out of the eighteen games that she’s played this season.

North Carolina’s remaining games are against the, Sky Blue FC, Houston Dash, and Orlando Pride. Despite Courage being in first place, the team already lost twice to Sky Blue, won once and lost once against Orlando, and has yet to know where they stand with Houston.

Their next game will be against Sky Blue FC on September 24 in Bridgeview, Illinois.

COMMUNITY

Lions Park hosts annual Terry Fox Run

JESSA BRAUN

PARTICIPANTS OF ALL AGES LEAVE THE START LINE ON FOOT, BIKE OR ROLLER BLADES AT LIONS PARK ARENA IN BRANTFORD, ONT. THE COURSE FORKS INTO THE CHOICE OF A 2KM, 5KM OR 10KM ROUTE. JESSA BRAUN SPORTS EDITOR

Some time before he passed, Terry Fox said, “I’ve said to people before that I’m going to do my very best to make it, I’m not going to give up. But I might not make it . . . if I don’t, the Marathon of Hope better continue.”

And it did. Once again, Brantford hosted its annual Terry Fox run on Sept. 17 in Lion’s Park.

The event drew in 202 participants and 32 volunteers who all share a common goal: to end cancer.

Many people participate in honour of friends and family who have passed away due to cancer.

“They’re looking down on you,”

said participant David Sargent.

“Even if you can’t see them, they’re looking down on you. Honour them.”

Sargent has participated in Brantford’s Terry Fox run for 15 years, this year running in memory of his former co-worker and best friend, Clarence Miller, who he knew for 20 years.

Even after 15 years of participating in the run, Sargent won’t be stopping any time soon.

“I’m going to do it (the run) as long as I can do it,” said Sargent.

The run had distance options ranging from 2km, 5km and 10km.

The course was wheelchair, rollerblade and bicycle accessible, as well as dog friendly.

The community raised a total of

$14,250. The amount is expected to increase in coming days as the foundation typically receives more online donations after the event.

School Terry Fox runs also add to the community total. Last year Brantford reached 50,000 altogether.

Eighty-two per cent of the proceeds go to cancer research, while the other 18 per cent pays Terry Fox Foundation administration.

People and companies around the Brantford area donated everything that made the event happen, ranging from the food to the water to any equipment.

Volunteers had to buy all supplies, including pens and paper.

“Thankfully the city is now helping us a lot,” said the event chair,

Velika Kitchen-Janzen.

The City of Brantford used to cover the $1000 facility rental fee up until a few years ago when it became free for the Terry Fox event.

Kitchen-Janzen has chaired for five years, been on the committee for 10 and participated for 29.

“We’re changing the feel of it every year and hopefully that will attract more people,” she said.

Specifically, Kitchen-Janzen says she hopes for more participation from Laurier Brantford students in the future.

“I’ve put out the posters to Laurier for so many years in a row and I just thought it would be a natural fit for Laurier students,” she said.

The Terry Fox Foundation aims to carry on the values and mission

of Terry Fox. He had a dream of finding the cure for cancer by raising $1 for every Canadian.

With more and more participants getting involved, the Brantford Terry Fox run hopes to do its part in raising at least a dollar for each person in the community.

On September 1, 1980, Fox was forced to end his run due to his cancer spreading to his lungs, but his dream didn’t stop there.

The Terry Fox Foundation remains the leading national investor in cancer research.

Last year the Foundation raised $26.6 million across the nation.

The research focus is multi-site, including research on lungs, brains and pediatrics.

THE SPUTNIK

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2017

11 OPINION EDITOR MEGHAN GAUVIN opinion@thesputnik.ca

Technology: obstructing communication MEGHAN GAUVIN OPINION EDITOR

It’s 2017 and now, more than ever before, we’re using technology to communicate with others in our everyday lives.

Along with all the conveniences technology has brought society, it has also made it easier to separate ourselves from our actions, leaving no connection between our decisions and the consequences they have.

Our devices do such a good job at distancing us from the person with whom we are communicating. Since a screen physically separates us, we can often forget there is an actual human on the receiving end of those messages.

Technology allows us to feel a sense of security, and so we feel comfortable doing things we may not be able to do in person.

Whether it’s building the courage to text your crush or calling out a friend when you feel they have been unfair to you, most of us have experienced this bravery in hiding behind our cell phones.

As seemingly harmless as it may be, this power can be quite dangerous on a larger scale.

For some people, technology can be used as more of a weapon than a tool.

This seems to be apparent in

the case of Conrad Roy III and his former girlfriend, Michelle Carter.

Roy was just 18 years old when he took his own life back in 2014.

As tragic as this story is, it was not until a police investigation uncovered hundreds of text messages between Roy and Carter that the situation gained large-scale media attention.

I believe that empathy is a natural reaction to physically witnessing another human’s pain.

The messages show that when Roy first brought the idea of ending his life to Carter, the teen tried to convince her boyfriend to seek medical attention.

Unfortunately, the situation took a horrible turn for the worst when Carter decided to support, and even encourage her boyfriend’s suicidal thoughts.

According to other texts between Carter and a friend, Carter

encouraged Roy over the phone to “get back into the car” when she knew it was filling with toxic carbon monoxide.

It was this that ended Roy’s life.

Two years later, Carter, who’s now 20, has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and will serve at least 15 months with a possible maximum penalty of 20 years.

It’s hard to imagine how someone could be capable of such an atrocity. I soon became obsessed with reading whatever material I could find on the story.

One of the facts that stood out to me the most was reported by Toronto’s Global News, it read, “The couple had met in Florida in 2012 but had only seen each other in person a handful of times.”

The two had spent almost their entire relationship communicating solely through technology and I have to wonder how this could have affected the way Carter responded.

In today’s society, there are always two versions of a person that you will come to know in any relationship – the person they are when you’re physically with them, and the person they are when you’re communicating with them through technology (text message, Facebook, direct message, etc.).

In some cases, these versions

ADRIENNE HOE/GRAPHICS EDITOR

of a person can be drastically different.

When communicating over text message, you miss out on all the other forms of communication.

Body language, facial expressions, and vocal pitch are all lost through the written word.

In a way, we can often find ourselves guessing at the emotions of the person we are communicating with – the emotions that would otherwise be displayed through body language.

And so we rely on emoticons and punctuation for context in a message. If I receive a text message in all caps or an exclamation point is used, I can imagine the sender maybe feeling either excited, angry

or a sense of urgency.

Is this assumption really the same as experiencing emotions first-hand? Is reading “lol” really the same as hearing laughter?

I believe that empathy is a natural reaction to physically witnessing another human’s pain. That being said, the direct line to our empathy could be lost when we aren’t there to see pain but instead read about it in a text message, Facebook post, news article, etc.

There could be 100 reasons why Carter made the choice to encourage her boyfriend’s suicide, but I cannot help but think that technology played a huge role in helping her make such a devastating and irreversible decision.

You don’t own your personal identity In an age where privacy has become so important to individuals, are we really as protected as we think?

CHRISTOPHER KUNKEL STAFF WRITER

Hackers have proven yet again that we will never be safe.

If you have OSAP, a credit card or any sort of loan, you will likely have your identity stolen in the future.

If you’re a member of CAA, have obtained a payment plan for a computer or are unfortunate enough to be American, it’s likely

We know that hackers have breached the innermost sanctums of our society.

ADRIENNE HOE/GRAPHICS EDITOR

already gone, along with over half of everyone in the USA. Equifax, one of three companies entrusted with your most sensitive information and paid to track all of your financial activity, has demonstrated that even the most cautious of us are only as safe as the least cautious gatekeeper.

Their safeguards fell over this past summer, and almost 150 million identities and financial histories were spouted into the hands of an unknown entity, but we only heard about it recently.

In that time, credit could have been applied for in your name – destroying your credit score and potentially drowning you in debt.

I could blame the hackers. These degenerates, either motivated by

the all-mighty dollar or something more subversive, have shaken the foundations of civilization that 5,000 years of humankind have sought to build.

However, they aren’t the ones to blame.

Another group of degenerates, dressed in suits and designated as trustworthy stakeholders of Equifax, left some of the most precious and vulnerable information out for anyone to take, and it’s the banks of the world who allowed this to happen.

The idea seemed simple; competing companies track all credit-based activity so banks will have an excuse to charge greater interest rates.

Then basic business principles came into play.

A company must primarily concern themselves with the bottom line by maximizing profits and

minimizing expenses.

One such forgone expense was the safeguard that would have prevented this catastrophe: fixing a website vulnerability that was brought to Equifax’s attention nearly two months before the first cyber attack in May. The results were clear.

Your life may be ruined, and millions of others are already permanently altered because a company skimped on its protection.

To elaborate, Equifax was contacted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in March regarding a tool.

This tool was meant to let customers access their profiles that incidentally could also allow hackers to seize complete control over the website – allowing access to a wealth of private information.

Equifax claimed to have attempted to fix this issue, but the

website was utilized by hackers several times from May until July.

Despite having been informed five months prior, Equifax’s cheap security team didn’t notice any of this activity until July 29.

So where does this leave us?

We know that Russia, China and an alliance of non-aligned groups form an army of hackers constantly scaling the cyberspace walls to our North American kingdom.

We know that hackers have breached the innermost sanctums of our society.

We know that if any one of them truly wanted to ruin your life, they could.

That doesn’t bother me. I have made peace with the fact that my entire life could crumble in an instant.

No, what curdles my bile and boils my blood is that our gatekeepers had stolen our identities

long before these hackers ever did.

This information was not accessed a couple of weeks ago; it was accessed months ago, but Equifax did not bother informing the public about the breach until September.

Had they informed us immediately, we could have taken reasonable precautions.

Yet whoever hacked this information has been able to do whatever they intended to do with it during this time.

Equifax demonstrated with this action that our identities have always been their property to sit on – to make money off of – and they don’t care about us.

Plus, they further showcased this by pouring salt on the wound.

Instead of true damage control, Equifax proceeded to offer ‘free credit watching’ that would turn into a paid subscription after one year.

Basically, they handed out fish hooks that they intend to reel in.

The average consumer has always just been a statistic to them.

In the eyes of the greedy, we are seen as more money.

The worst part, our governments allow this to go on.

No private company should have ever been given this amount of control.

So, hackers, I thank you.

You have proven that our identities will never be safe.

You have verified concerns that our system – the almighty capitalism run by the golden cogs of banks – is a corrupt illusion of safety.

You can have our identities when you want them.

They were never truly ours to begin with, and they are currently being protected by buffoons.

THE SPUTNIK

12

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, SEPEMBER 20, 2017

A great show will come to an end in 2018 CHRISTOPHER KUNKEL STAFF WRITER

Game of Thrones is awesome, and it’s about to end.

It has long been speculated, but now confirmed, that the next season of this hit show will be its last.

Befitting such awesomeness, each episode will be equivalent to a feature-length movie and we know they’ll be filled with tension, love, despair and dragons.

Why else have we stuck around so long?

With its end will surely come sadness.

People have adorned their homes in decorations of their favourite houses, purchased limitededition wine from the LCBO and taken to naming their daughters Khaleesi; this show has made its way into our everyday lives.

We’re about to lose a part of ourselves – that injection of wonder and sadism we’ve religiously lined up for each year.

However, I won’t be shedding any tears.

I’m simply grateful to have had the chance to experience this phenomenon.

I’ve been across our country and have met many Canadians, and much of them have demonstrated a knowledge of, interest in or passion for Game of Thrones.

Other than breathing and maple syrup, I can’t think of anything else we have all shared in common.

When “dracarys” was uttered,

ADRIENNE HOE/GRAPHICS EDITOR

we cheered. When throats were slit, we seethed. When bastards met with armies, we sat at the edge of our seats. And when something fell because of an icy spear, we cried.

Whether we shared these literal emotions, waves of them could be seen across the internet and heard through workplaces everywhere.

That’s something magical that seldom happens in a lifetime.

I daresay it’s the emotional equivalent of a significant war.

Call me ridiculous, but I guarantee that the lines to see Game of Thrones actors at FanExpo are significantly longer than any line would be to sign up for the Canadian Armed Forces if war broke out.

We have witnessed pop culture history in the making.

From this point on, television and cinematic experiences alike will be compared to Game of Thrones, and the actors will be immortalized.

The series has swept up numerous awards and nominations, and it has helped keep HBO a cut above the rest.

Even the second-richest man on our planet instructed Amazon to make him a show like Game of Thrones.

I’m sorry, Jeff Bezos, but you can’t just buy this sort of stuff.

The Iron Throne sits atop a unique crossroads that has been in the making for years.

A Song of Ice and Fire, the incomplete book series that the hit show is based off, originates from a rich history of high fantasy that was born with Lord of the Rings and continued by Dungeons and Dragons.

If you were into table-top games or reading about naked hobbits running around fields, I’m certain you wouldn’t be willing to talk about it with most of your friends or even strangers.

However, society has grown more accustom to the fantasy genre with the likes of Harry Potter, Star Wars and even Lord of the Rings (albeit without naked hobbits) becoming box-office hits.

A Song of Ice and Fire opens with a scene depicting the promise of fantasy, but the first couple seasons of Game of Thrones were highly diluted.

Instead, they focused more on the medieval environment that has been romanticized to the point of instant adoration.

Then, HBO added another high-traffic route to that crossroads: pornography.

Although a cause for embarrassment when watching with family, breasts and butts have contributed toward the overwhelming success – so much so that adultfilm actresses were intentionally sought to add a believable element of lust among the knights, dueling monarchs and undead opposition.

Many came for the promise of sex but stayed for the compelling plot and dynamic characters.

No matter what compelled us to begin watching, Canadians are snared with anticipation for the coming season.

It will come, blow us away and then depart, leaving us to pick up the pieces that remain.

Some of us will immediately re-watch the show, reliving eight years of memories across three straight days of footage.

Others will wander aimlessly through a vast sea of available, subpar television, never quite able to find another that can compair with this magnificant show.

Perhaps one of us will go on to create something else to truly impact the masses.

However, powerful emotions will return when old friends meet in twenty years and reminisce, “Do you remember where we were when the wall fell?”

An issue of gender equaulity in sports Inequality between men and women is real in professional hockey, but Laurier does not follow this trend JESSA BRAUN SPORTS EDITOR

Wilfrid Laurier University has two passionate, hard working and highly skilled varsity hockey teams.

For now I’ll refer to them as Team One and Team Two. Team One was established in 1921.

Since then, they’ve won a total of three Ontario University (OUA) Athletics championships, their last one being in 1990.

Team Two has been around since 1994.

The team has brought home 11 OUA titles.

Their last OUA championship victory happened only three years ago in 2014.

Team Two has been named champions seven years in a row

The homecoming organizer, SAA (Student Alumni Association), is so much more golden than I had realized.

from 2003 to 2010.

They were also given the Canadian Interuniversity (CIS) Sport title in the 2004-05 season.

Both teams are hard working and deserving of opportunity.

However, considering both their accomplishments, it would seem apparent that Team Two has gained more success overall.

It sounds strange to say it is actually Team One that seems favoured and gets selected to play in the homecoming hockey game here at Laurier Brantford every single year.

This year I was ecstatic to hear Team Two, the women’s varsity team, would be playing instead.

Unfortunately, my excitement didn’t last long.

When I decided to write an article to share the news, head coach Rick Osborne told me in an interview that the women were asked because the men’s schedule was too full to fit the game in.

So . . . the females are just a backup option? Frustrating. No. Infuriating.

If it’s because “women’s hockey is a joke,” then that’s the most hilarious joke I’ve ever heard.

But I shot that puck too quickly. The homecoming organizer, SAA (Student Alumni Association), is so much more golden than I had realized.

While the men’s hockey team have in fact played for every homecoming except for two (the baseball team played in 2009 and the women’s hockey team played in 2010), they are apparently given the same amount of opportunity as the women’s team.

What Osborne said about the game not fitting into the men’s schedule was correct, but I was under the impression the men had been given the choice over the women’s team.

Members of the SAA had me stand corrected and shared that both teams are considered equally and selected based on their availability.

I proceeded to fact-check this and indeed discovered the women have had away games on the days

ADRIENNE HOE/GRAPHICS EDITOR

of Laurier Brantford’s homecomings every year, with the exception of the 2010 homecoming.

Laurier Brantford should be excited.

The women’s varsity team is stacked with talent.

This year Laurier signed eight PWHL (Provincial Women’s Hockey League) players.

The two new goalies, Cohen Myers and Hannah Miller, both consistently recorded save percentages above average during their years in the PWHL before coming to Laurier.

Furthermore, veterans Madison MaCulloch and Emily Woodhouse were both named to their OUA All-Rookie team in their first seasons and they continue to be a force on this year’s team.

Osborne said the two of them, as well as second year forward

Jaden Head, will be the core of a successful team this season.

I’m glad these girls have this opportunity to play in front of such a large crowd.

It’s wrong to see gifted players get cut off from their sports journey because they were born the “unlucky” gender.

Someday you’ll be signing your five-year old daughter up for hockey for the first time ever, assuring her, “Sports are for girls too” and “Don’t believe you are anything less than the boys.”

Only a few years go by before she realizes it’s all a lie.

The men’s football games become the main high school and university events, and the world only pays attention to the NHL. How are we supposed to convince young females they are capable of achieving a male’s athletic

success when they and their gal pals will never even get a chance to star in anything?

Well, if they play hockey, send them to Laurier and they might get that chance.

With the larger campuses, I get it.

Football is the favoured homecoming sport, and if there’s only a men’s team, there’s not much one can do other than let the men play every year.

However, with Laurier Brantford and the annual homecoming hockey game, there are absolutely zero reasons as to why the men and women’s teams can’t be given equal opportunity when it comes to playing in the big game.

Thank you Laurier Alumni for recognizing the importance of giving men and women equal opportunities to go out and do what