Issue 11 - February 4, 2015

News...........................................................2 Features...................................................4 Arts & Culture.......................................6 On Campus............................................8 Sports.......................................................13 Opinion...................................................15

Issue 11 | Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015 | www.thesputnik.ca

Sitting down with the WLUSU presidential candidates

WLUSU Board of Directors platforms

Page 9 Page 8

WLUSP president & Board of Directors platforms

Information on how & when to vote

Page 11

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Brantfords Farmers’ Market Open year round . Friday 7am - 5pm . Saturday 7am - 2pm Laurier Students get 10% discount Located close to Laurier downtown campus & residences . 79 Icomm Drive

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The Sputnik

News

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Taylor Berzins | news@thesputnik.ca | @sputnik_news

The limelight on Brantford’s family violence rate Shreya Shah Staff A report released by Statistics Canada in January has brought to light the growing issue of family violence in the country.

Within the report, Brantford is ranked at ninth for Canadian cities with the highest rates of domestic violence, and at number one for cities in Ontario.

Domestic violence, or family violence, has been defined by the federal Family Violence Initiative as, “…a range of abusive behaviours that occur within relationships based on kinship, intimacy, dependency or trust”. Abusive behaviours include, but are not limited to, emotional abuse, physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse, and financial abuse.

Most often this type of violence is directed towards women, who account for more than 68 per cent of victims of domestic abuse. According to Joy Freeman, the Executive Director of Nova Vita, these statistics were not too much of a surprise as she states, “In the Maclean’s report a few years ago, Brantford was identified as the seventh most dangerous city in Canada”.

Joy has been working for the women and children’s shelter for over 20 years and says that there has not been an increase in the number of victims that seek help from Nova Vita, as their numbers have been relatively high for many years. When asked to explain the reasoning behind a static rate of victims seeking help, but an increase in the rate of domestic violence abuse, Joy answers that her organization is unsure as to the cause, but she believes the answer may be, “…Police are laying more charges, or more women are coming forward and reporting”.

According to police reported incidents,

“Despite the high rate of female targets, it is apparent that domestic violence has a large impact on everyone, especially children.” the most common type of family violence is amongst spouses. It is in this type of abuse that female victims are most common, as they account for approximately 8 out of 10 victims.

Despite the high rate of female targets, it is apparent that domestic violence has a large impact on everyone, especially children. As confirmed by Joy, the detrimental effects of family violence can have long lasting impacts that range from poor health to poor academic performance.

The rate of reported violent and sexual abuse against family members has decline between 2012 and 2013. The total decrease of such reported incidents has been within the range of 14 to 15 per cent.

Nova Vita offers emergency beds and transition homes for women and children, as well as counselling for victims and perpetrators. However, as highlighted by Joy, there is always room for community members to get involved through volunteering as there is always a need for an extra helping hand.

Follow Sputnik News on Twitter! @sputnik_news Brantford is ranked at ninth for Canadian cities with the highest rates of domestic violence, and at number one for cities in Ontario. Neha Sekhon

Sorcerers and Lattes: Brantford to get a board game café Taylor Berzins News Editor Brantford’s downtown is about to get nerdier, as Devil’s Bench gears up to open its doors April 2015.

According to Bill Dungey, one of three partners behind Devil’s Bench, the board game café will be a space, “created equally for the 400-hour-deep-Minecraft player as it is a young family looking for a Tuesday night activity.”

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Layla Bozich eic@thesputnik.ca MANAGER OF OPERATIONS Nathanael Lewis nathanael.lewis@wlusp.com PHOTO EDITOR Cody Hoffman photography@thesputnik.ca ART EDITOR Neha Sekhon visual@thesputnik.ca WEB EDITOR Dylan Kellendonk web@thesputnik.ca

In what began as devoted gamer clan, Devil’s Bench has worked to build a recognizable brand in Brantford’s “nerdcore” scene. Currently producing material like the Benchcast podcast, to Dungey, a board game café seemed like the next step.

Taking over the former Three Blind Mice Cheese Company at 436 Colborne St. E., Devil’s Bench is hoping to give Brantford’s “nerdcore” community, a place to call home.

“There is nowhere in Brantford to interact with like minded nerds. No Friday night Magic, no D&D, nothing. We’re trying to make the place that college-Bill

would have loved to hang out at. That place doesn’t exist in Brantford. It’s a giant hole in Brantford’s culture-driven downtown.

We’re looking to fill that up completely.” says Dungey.

Alongside providing access to a diverse collection board games and a safe haven to nerd culture, Devil’s Bench will offer “typical nerd hangout munchies” and “good coffee”.

“We know coffee. We practically bleed it. We have a distributor lined up that is mainly family-based, with product actually from the places it advertises. Not just a sticker with a “100% Columbian” label

or something.” says Dungey, “that said, it needs to be affordable, so we’re trying to find a good fit for everyone.”

Despite the recent media attention surrounding the unpredictable nature of business ownership in Brantford’s downtown, Dungey says that Devil’s Bench looks forward to the challenge, “I’m super excited for Brantford right now. I mean, we went from the city that needed very little set design to film Silent Hill to a bustling university town.”

COPY EDITORS Roberto Belardi Adrienne Fiander Dana Tenn-Miller

CONTRIBUTORS Luc Daviau Jacob Dearlove Shelby Do Anthony Fusco Fatbardha Lajci Christina Manocchio Nadine Saba Shreya Shah Miles Smith Davis Vallesi Melissa Weaver Marissa White

ADVERTISING Tammy Rowe (519) 884-0719 ext. 3560 trowe@wlu.ca

NEWS EDITOR Taylor Berzins news@thesputnik.ca ON CAMPUS EDITOR Josh Adesina oncampus@thesputnik,ca FEATURES EDITOR Karly Rath features@thesputnik.ca ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Dillon Giancola arts@thesputnik.ca SPORTS EDITOR Kyle Morrison sports@thesputnik.ca OPINION EDITOR Brittany Bennett opinion@thesputnik.ca

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Wednesday, February 4, 2015

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The Sputnik

News

Taylor Berzins | news@thesputnik.ca | @sputnik_news

Oil prices key factor in Bank of Canada prime lending rate cut Davis Vallesi Staff The Bank of Canada lowered its prime lending rate from 1 to 0.75 per cent, in a decision that will affect many economic sectors such as the housing market, imports/exports and the value of the Canadian dollar.

In a press release on January 21, the Bank of Canada announced they are, “lowering its target for the overnight rate by one-quarter of one percentage point to 3/4 per cent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 1 per cent and the deposit rate is 1/2 per cent.”

The decision serves as an attempt to stimulate economic growth in Canada and is a direct response to the recent decline in oil prices. Dr. David Johnson, an Economics Professor at Wilfrid Laurier University, discussed how the drop in oil prices led to the Bank’s decision.

“The Bank was concerned that a fall in aggregate demand associated with the fall in oil prices needed to be offset. Lower oil prices reduced investment in new oil production,” Johnson stated via e-mail.

A lower prime lending rate has effects for many different stakeholders; some being positive, while others are negative.

Prior to analyzing the Bank of Canada’s decision, it is important to understand how the drop in Alberta oil prices occurred. Dr. Justin Smith, also an Economics Professor at Wilfrid Laurier University, explained the origins behind the declining value of Canadian oil.

“The Bank of Canada’s Monetary Policy Report notes that oil prices have fallen by more than 55 per cent since June. There are two key factors that lead to this: The first is a fall in demand for oil globally.

The second is a relative increase in supply, owing to continued growth in shale oil production in the U.S., and an unplanned increase in production elsewhere in the world. This combination of a decrease in demand and an increase in supply has put strong downward pressure on oil prices,” Smith explained.

Additionally, there have been clear signs that the decreasing value of oil has drastically affected Alberta’s economy. In fact, Alberta Premier Jim Prentice publicly announced last December that it is estimated declining oil prices will cut the province’s revenue by $7 billion over the next year. In his state-of-the-province address, Prentice went on to say, “The changes have been so deep and so dramatic,” and “all Albertans will feel the consequences.”

Dr. Smith also weighed in on the repercussions that will be felt in Alberta due to the oil price decline.

“In Alberta, where most of the oil production takes place, there will undoubtedly be negative consequences. There will be increases in unemployment, or the risk of unemployment, and a reduction of incomes for people involved in the oil sector. There may also be a potential decrease in the housing market, as people are uncertain about the future,” Smith stated.

While most Canadian’s have enjoyed the low prices of oil and natural gas for fueling automobiles and heating their homes, the emergence of cheaper oil comes with greater economic implications. The province of Alberta has entered an economic downslide and the entire country will likely feel the impact. This can be seen in the Bank of Canada’s recent decision, which has the potential to improve Canada’s real

The Bank of Canada lowered its prime lending rate from 1 to 0.75 per cent, in a decision that will affect many economic sectors. Marissa White

estate market through creating low mortgage rates.

In a news conference the morning after the rate reduction, Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz stated, “The drop in oil prices is unambiguously negative for the Canadian economy. Canada’s income from oil exports will be reduced, and investment and employment in the energy sector are already being cut.”

The sharp drop in the price of Alberta oil has subsequently caused the value of the Canadian dollar to fall as well. The Bank of Canada lowering its prime-lending rate will help achieve their inflation target of 2 per cent, however it comes at the cost of causing the value of the Canadian dollar to drop even further. On Jan. 28, the value of the Canadian dollar fell to 79.95 cents US, marking the first time it dropped below 80 cents since 2009. This is still significantly greater than the record low for the Canadian dollar, when it dropped to 61.98 cents US on Jan. 18, 2002.

The low Canadian dollar makes importing goods more expensive for Canada, which could mean a rise in the price of consumer products. Large retail chains will likely raise prices at their Canadian franchises and it also spells trouble for smaller businesses, since they may face a greater challenge in making ends meet. Additionally, a rise in expenses for Canadian retailers becomes a hindrance for employees, as companies will have further justification to reduce employee benefits and avoid salary increases.

The Bank of Canada is hoping to amend some of these economic issues through the prime-lending rate cut. The most prominent beneficiaries of this decision are Canadian homeowners who have a variablerate mortgage, since the amount of interest on the debt they owe will be reduced. The decision is also likely to rejuvenate activity surrounding Canadian stocks, since investors benefit from lower interest rates.

However, it is important that caution is exercised when implementing these policies, to avoid creating a situation of overspending that could lead to a real estate collapse. A prominent factor in the financial crisis of 2008 was US real estate policies that did not address long-term financial sustainability, causing the eventual crash of the market. Finding the correct balance through these policy decisions is crucial in stabilizing the economy.

Dr. Christopher Schneider, professor of the Law and Society course at Wilfrid Laurier University Brantford and sociologist by trade, discussed the dynamics of the issue from a social perspective.

“While we on an individual, personal level might be enjoying cheaper gasoline and cheaper oil prices, we know on a broad social level that it is not good for Canada’s economy and not good for our long term projections,” Schneider stated.

Schneider also drew a connection between the timing of the prime lending rate cut and the upcoming federal election this fall.

“The Harper administration, the Bank

of Canada and other organizations, want to have, or at least have the appearance of, good long term economic strategies that are going to help us all out. I think that in part explains why some of the discussions are happening now, because it’s an election year… I think that the timing is not necessarily coincidental.”

“Now, we can’t say of course that the government tanked oil prices intentionally, that’s too conspiracy theory-ist and we don’t have any evidence really to support that. But the takeaway of the discussions: what’s being discussed, how it’s being discussed and how it’s being featured prominently in news media discussion and organizations; I think a lot less of that is coincidental,” added Schneider.

A further development occurred on Jan. 27, when many major Canadian banks including RBC, Scotiabank, CIBC, TD and Bank of Montreal made announcements that they would also be cutting their prime lending rates. The banks cut their rates from 3.00 per cent to 2.85 per cent.

Through a financial forecast, TD has recently predicted that the Bank of Canada will soon make another cut to its prime lending rate. Their “Dollars and Sense” report released on Jan. 26 stated, “Given the Bank’s [of Canada] focus on mitigating the downside risk to Canada’s economy from oil’s price collapse, we expect that the Bank is likely to cut rates another 25 basis points in March.”

The Sputnik

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Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Features Karly Rath | features@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikfeatures

Laurier’s Living Wall exemplifies Brantford’s commitment to green initiatives. Cody Hoffmanw

Cleaning up its act: Brantford’s green initiatives Nadine Saba

Staff Have you noticed the compost and recycling bins spread across campus?

According to Laurier Brantford’s 2014 Green Guide, the university introduced an organics program where compostables and green bins can be found in the RAC building and Students’ Union.

As Laurier tries to reduce its ecological footprint, people outside of the university are hard at work doing the same for Brantford.

Ken Burns, a member of the Green Party of Ontario and the vice-chair of Brantford’s Environmental Policy Advisory Committee,

said the city is home to a lot of local heroes who contribute to the green initiatives.

Burns said the redevelopments seen in the past few years have built a stronger community and improved the vibrancy of the downtown.

“Brownfields in our community being redeveloped like the Greenwich Mohawk [site] being one of the largest initiatives that is taking place,” Burns said. “We have increased economic activity, better urban intensification of our city [and] better use of our land.”

Tracey Bucci, a Laurier alumna, runs the Grand River Environmental Group that focuses on cleaning up natural areas in Brantford. In collaboration with Roger Chandler of Blue Heron Rafting, the group has cleaned up truckloads of garbage dumped in Mohawk Lake and the Grand River.

While Brantford may be home to different environmental groups, Bucci said the Grand River Environmental Group is the most consistent when it comes to cleanups.

“Six Nations has just recently contacted me and has looked into environmental groups in the city and from what they could see, our group was the only active environmental group,” Bucci said. “There might be other environmental groups in the city that have meetings … but as far as taking big initiatives to do something I would say that our group is at least the most active group.”

Burns said Laurier Brantford has been a significant actor in the community and in improving and building the sustainability of Brantford.

“Laurier now has a sustainability office and officer and it’s really grown and continues to grow,” Burns said. “The RAC building is an incredibly beautiful building and I think everybody who goes into it experiences the difference that a [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] certified building presents … It’s more engaging to be in that building and it’s more conducive to the academic purposes and social purposes.”

The Environmental Policy Advisory Committee and EcoHawks are not currently associated but Burns said he would love to work with the group in the future. “I can say on behalf of the community, we would be open to any initiative they want to do.”

Unlike surrounding cities, Brantford pays attention to the care of its parks which helps the social aspect of sustainability.

“Parks are important to a vibrant community and one where people want to get out and about and see each other,” Burns said. “It increases the amount of commerce that we have downtown as well. It increases the economic activity when we have walkable communities where there is shade and places for people to sit.”

Bucci said that while the city is becom-

ing more environmentally friendly, the Grand River Environmental Group returns to the same locations during cleanups. “We have our huge community cleanup every May and the amount of garbage we find is pretty terrible to previous years,” Bucci said. “As far as the ‘don’t litter’ message getting out there, I feel like we have a bit of work to do.”

Increased scheduled cleanups have helped Grand River Environmental Group promote environmental awareness to the public but Bucci said the group receives the same people volunteering every year.

“We definitely have a group of people in the city who do know the long-term [implications of pollution] and do care about that but unfortunately we do still have a group of people who don’t care about that,” Bucci said.

“So I’m appreciative of the ones who come out year after year and try to encourage and promote [awareness].”

Burns said he thinks the public responds to the efforts taken by the Committee and local volunteers. He said activities such as the Grand River environmental clean-up see people from all areas of the community assist with initiatives.

In Brantford’s 2010-2014 Strategic Plan, the city highlighted environmental leadership as one of its strategic goals. “I think this [progress] is reflective of that and I hope that the city will continue to maintain that strategic emphasis on environmental leadership,” Burns said.

The activities planned by the city’s environmental groups are ways to educate the public on the long-term impacts of neglecting the environment.

“That is why we need to do activities like the Environmental Recognition Award to build awareness and capacity within our community, to show what is already happening,” Burns said. “[It also shows] the economic, social and environmental benefits of these various activities to all of our citizens.”

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Features

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The Sputnik

Karly Rath | features@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikfeatures

To serve, to protect and to be violent?

Karly Rath Features Editor Just because the shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri no longer dominates your newsfeed, does not mean the issues behind this act of police violence are resolved. With Brown being one of many victims in the recent years, some suggest the issue is systemic, while others believe police who may be unnecessarily violent, are just a few bad apples.

Second-year criminology student Alexander Klimek, 19, has always had a “severe respect” for what police do and he aims to one day be a police detective so that he can uphold the law, improve the sometimes tainted image of police and, most of all, help others.

“There are some officers that feel as if the badge and the gun make them better than everyone else but, as a whole, I think police stand for what is right in society,” Klimek said. “The actions of the few unfortunately sometimes define the image of the entirety and I feel that those few need to be weeded out.”

Laurier professor Todd Gordon completed his PhD critiquing policing.

“Most of what policing is doing has nothing to do with community safety. That’s a perception more than it is a reality, if you look at what the day to day of the majority of policing is actually about,” he said.

Prof. Gordon said that police spend the vast majority of their time reinforcing public order, not controlling criminal violations, with some exceptions such as targeting racial minority communities for drug violations.

One of the main ways in which police maintain social order is by increasing their presence at protests to prevent the apparent possibility of chaos.

In 2002, Prof. Gordon helped organize a protest against the Ontario Conservative Convention. He was peacefully walking ahead of the march when suddenly an unmarked van with tinted windows appeared beside him.

“Before I knew it, seven riot cops had me down to the ground,” he said. “Knee in the back, they stuck the baton, like I had my pants on, but they stick it right into my ass.”

“The brotherhood mentality …

It encourages cops to lie for each other.”

He then spent 12 hours in jail without being charged with anything.

“Police have such broad discretionary powers, they can pretty much do whatever they want and not be reigned in,” he said. “I already hated the police. [The incident] just confirmed for me what I already knew.”

Klimek has also experienced police violence but he said he understands why the police chose to do what they did.

Klimek was at a rowdy underage party while he was in high school, when he was handcuffed by police and forced to the ground.

“The officer in question was a little more physical than he probably should have been,” he said. “[As] someone that was not intoxicated, I don’t feel that I was subjected to actions that were acceptable.”

But Klimek said that police need to make many instantaneous decisions and in an environment with drunk teenagers everywhere, he understands why they took control.

Laurier professor Marcia Oliver believes the hypermasculinity of police culture is an important factor in understanding why police violence occurs.

“It celebrates toughness, assertiveness, courage and obedience to authority,” she said.

Prof. Oliver said that the fact that most of the police officers who shoot seemingly innocent youth are not punished for their actions or charged demonstrates another gendered aspect of police culture.

“The brotherhood mentality … It encourages cops to lie for each other,” she said.

For instance, a key witness for Officer Darren Wilson, the shooter of Michael Brown, allegedly lied under oath to protect his comrade.

Prof. Gordon explains how the economy plays a large role in the history and purpose of policing.

“Policing is about a reinforcement of an extremely unequal status-quo that benefits a small, tiny hierarchy of the population against the majority,” he said.

The Vagrancy Act, established in England in 1824, criminalized being homeless

Some believe police abusing their authority is a systemic issue, while others believe it is a rare occurrence.

Neha Sekhon.

and by extension, those who were unemployed and out in public were targeted. Prof.

Gordon said this allowed police to legally arrest poor-looking people standing around outside.

Prof. Gordon believes police have this same mentality today: the unemployed are dangerous, lazy and unruly. He believes police reinforce economic inequality by forbidding the poor from being in public space.

He provides the example of the banning of panhandlers and squeegee kids, poor youth washing windows for change. “[Police] are basically saying, ‘You avoid wage labour? We are going to target you.’ Because they don’t target poor people who are at work,” he said.

As Prof. Oliver points out, police vio-

lence can take many diverse forms, even passive forms such as the institutionalized ignorance of the missing and murdered Aboriginal women across Canada. In a postG20 era, many people are aware of police violence but many disagree on the frequency and reasons behind it. Yet, there is one thing we can all agree on: peeling back the many layers of the issue of police violence is one thing but determining how it can be changed is quite another.

Follow Sputnik Features on Twitter! @sputnikfeatures

The changing face of cheating at universities Pearl Leung The Cord WATERLOO (CUP) - Academic integrity has been an issue that has long frustrated professors and school officials. With the rapid production of new technology, students have come up with new methods of cheating on assignments, tests and exams.

Information can now be accessed more easily, quickly and discreetly than ever before.

For professors at Wilfrid Laurier University, technology is also changing the way they monitor cheating and plagiarism.

“In the past, to copy off an assignment you had to have the physical assignment,” said Sofy Carayannopoulos, the BU111 course coordinator. “Now it’s easy to share that assignment, and store it, and share it again and again and again.”

The advent of wearable technology is a big concern. Google Glass, recently put on the market, is one such example. It is, essen-

tially, a pair of glasses with the capabilities of a computer. Smart watches will also enable students to access information very easily.

“We haven’t seen any on the [Brantford] campus yet,” said Judy Eaton, the academic integrity advisor at Laurier’s Brantford campus. “But once that becomes popular — if it ever becomes popular — that could be an issue for us.”

Although students are using technology to find new ways to cheat, professors are also using technology to maintain academic integrity.

“In the same way that it’s easier for students to cheat, it’s easier for me to catch them,” said Carayannopoulos.

However, because of the fast rate at which technology advances, there will always be a lag between the time a new way of cheating becomes popular and the time professors can stop that method.

“I’m sure many of my academic colleagues won’t agree with me, but I don’t think that faculty members can beat students in the use of technology,” said Lea Caragata, the academic integrity advisor at Laurier’s Waterloo campus. “Technology is of [the stu-

dents’] generation.”

Instead of strictly policing students, Laurier has opted to educate them. The purpose of the academic integrity advisors is to promote knowledge about the negative effects of cheating.

“When [students] act without integrity, they’re diminishing their degree and everyone else’s degree if people come to think of Laurier as a place where you can cheat,” said Eaton.

“So they’re hurting not only themselves, but other people.”

Caragata echoed Eaton’s opinion.

“I think the way out of this isn’t to try to kind of develop a game plan and stay a step ahead of students, but rather work with students so that they understand that we’re all in this together, that Laurier’s reputation is their reputation,” she said. “If Laurier begins to have a reputation as a university where grades and degrees don’t matter because everybody knows that integrity lapses are rampant … that affects us all.”

At Laurier’s Brantford campus, all students take four core courses, which focus heavily on academic integrity. They learn

what it is and how to avoid cheating.

One component of these courses is a test on which students must score at least 70 per cent. If they do not pass, they must either retake the test or participate in an academic integrity workshop.

“We try to bring them back to the ‘you don’t want to cheat,’ not the ‘here’s how we’re going to catch you,’” Eaton explained.

Because the Waterloo campus is larger, students do not take core courses. However, professors often stress the importance of academic integrity within their own classes.

For example, all first-year business students are required to complete an assignment that teaches them how to source properly.

Additionally, a student-led conference on academic integrity is expected to be held in the spring.

“I can talk until the cows come home about academic integrity and why it’s important, but I think the real power of a message will come when the students themselves are talking to each other about integrity and why it’s important,” Caragata said.

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Arts & Culture

The Sputnik

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Dillon Giancola | Arts@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikarts

American Sniper doesn’t sit well with everyone. Nathanael Lewis & Neha Sekhon

American Sniper: shots fired Miles Smith Staff American Sniper has come under a lot of fire lately (my comedy career hasn’t lifted offff the ground yet). Whether it is making fun of the ridiculous baby, the hammy acting, the awkward pacing or outward obstruction of the source material, there is a lot to make fun of and point out. While it is healthy, and if you ask me, outright wonderful that people are questioning what they see in movies and TV nowadays, it must be asked if we are being too hard on director Clint Eastwood.

How much is a director allowed to botch the

source material (artistic interpretation) before it gets offensive and ridiculous? Apparently, American Sniper crossed the line, and people aren’t completely wrong.

Where do I even begin? The baby seems fitting. There have been joke after joke about this stunt (my personal favorite being the Million Dollar Baby parodies), and they are well deserved, however, this does have a explanation. On the one hand, the laws in California (where part of the movie was filmed) regarding child actors, specifically babies, are very strict. A child must be at least 15 days old, and any child under six months old can only be on set for two hours a day. Furthermore, the hours a baby is allowed to be on set is from 9:30 am - 11:30 am, and 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm and one studio teacher and one

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nurse always have to accompany the child.

However, the laws are no excuse, but the time schedule is. They had two baby boys lined up for filming. Child #1 had a fever that day and obviously couldn’t participate, and child #2 never showed up (he should get a better agent). In typical Clint Eastwood fashion, he improvised, and gave the actors a mechanical baby as a stand in. It was an unfortunate circumstance and ultimately the actors did the best with what they were given, which wasn’t a whole lot, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t get a rise out of multiple audiences.

Now the second big problem with the movie is the script, and the liberties (oh the liberties). To be fair, Eastwood chose both an excellent and extremely difficult persona to covey into a movie. Chris Kyle was a complex, very opinionated man, stating in his book that Iraqis were savages and wanted all Christians dead, and that he enjoyed killing them. Admittedly it is hard to write a subtle character with that source material; it’s an all or nothing scenario. Adding to the difficulty, Kyle got into events that are beyond the realm of speculation such as killing two carjackers and getting a pass from the local law enforcement, and shooting looters from the New Orleans Superdome in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Eastwood decided to tone things down, giving the character of Kyle much more remorse after killing, and making him visibly shaken when he returns home from his term. He still has the strongly rooted religious views of Kyle, joking that he was killing savages, though he offered much more remorse than the man himself was reported to. Furthermore, one of the antagonists of the movie, the enemy sniper Mustafa, was not a big part of the original source material. In fact, Mustafa warranted two sentences of the memoir itself.

“When it becomes a whole different sto-

ry is when [artistic liberty] goes too far.” said Daya Williams, a first year Child and Youth Studies student. “I don’t think they have the right, I think they’ve given themselves the right.”

“Overall I liked it, it was a pretty good watch. Any Hollywood director that gets hold of a story that’s a biopic they always throw in stuff to spice it up. They’re going to take out all the dirty dark things that they don’t necessarily want people to know about, then they sprinkle some Hollywood magic on it.” said Bryce James, a first year Journalism and Digital Arts student. “They dazzled it up a little bit, but that’s why you go see movies anyways.”

Of course, the whole kerfuffle with Seth Rogen doesn’t help things at all. Seth Rogen’s tweet: “American Sniper kind of reminds me of the movie that’s showing in the third act of Inglorious Basterds.” Take that as you will, but many people took that completely wrong way, taking it as Rogen insulting their country rather than offering his opinion on the movie. Alec Baldwin came to Rogen’s rescue however, diverting the heat and ultimately turning the thing into a joke.

There is much debate among critics, as there should be. Some argue that the pacing between Kyle’s terms is awkward, and brings the action parts to a grinding halt, while others argue that it is necessary for the movie and for Kyle’s character to be three dimensional. Some argue that the film should not have all of the nominations it has currently has, the one under most criticism is the nomination for Best Picture. Personally, I think the point of cinema is to get people talking and American Sniper has been doing exactly that.

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

7

The Sputnik

Arts & Culture

Dillon Giancola | arts@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikarts

WTFest – Brantford’s huge, exciting new music festival Dillon Giancola A&C Editor Brantford just added a new festival to its growing list of fantastic events. This June 13 and 14, Brantford’s Lion’s Park will be a hot destination in southern Ontario, as “WTFest”, or “What The Fest” as it is commonly called, will take place for the first time.

This festival has been in planning for som time now by Jamie Stephens, who also runs the Brantford Comedy Festival.

Based off the comedy festival and others that he runs as part of JSE, expectations for the line-up were very high. When the lineup was released two weeks ago, it did not disappoint.

Performing is an all-star list of top Ca-

nadian acts. Big Wreck will headline the first day, and the Trews and I Mother Earth will also perform. The second day features more big names, with Hedley headlining, along with Lights and USS. Lights, students may recall, has played in Brantford before, performing during Laurier Brantford’s O-week in 2013. She puts on a great, energetic show that is great for this type of atmosphere. And there is perhaps no better act to pair her with than Hedley.

Brantford music-lovers have waited a long time to see the Canadian pop-punk band. Hedley was supposed to headline Hockeyfest way back in 2012, but that festival was infamously cancelled, causing a huge outcry amongst fans that were prepared to travel from as far as Montreal to see the group, and fans who wanted a ticket refund. As The Brantford Expositor’s Susan Gamble tweeted: “2.5 years

later, concert-goers still some mad about Hockeyfest but some ready to support.”

This sentiment was echoed all over Twitter under the hashtag #WTFest, as many were impressed with the line-up, and especially Hedley.

In addition to the headliners, there will also be a lot of local bands performing.

Peeler, Sons of Revelry and Ghost Town Orchestra will perform Saturday, with The Ascot Royals, Harbour and Steven Ryan taking the stage Sunday, amongst others.

Perhaps the best thing about WTFest is the price. Day passes for Saturday are selling for $39.99, with Sunday tickets going for $49.99. A full weekend pass is only $59.99, a price that you will not find anywhere else for a two-day festival.

There will not be any VIP tickets, with some getting more access to others or a special seat. The festival is all about the fans getting up and close with their favourite

bands. The festival comes at an interesting time for Laurier students. While many will be away from the festival for the summer, it provides a great excuse to come back and visit with friends or roommates for a weekend. And because of the festival’s location, it will be easy for students from Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo and Toronto to make the drive out.

A battle of the bands will be held on Friday, March 29 for a spot in the festival.

Visit Jamie’s website at www.jamiestephens.ca for more info on this and other events he is putting on throughout the year.

Follow Sputnik Arts & Culture on Twitter! @sputnikarts

The Tibor Nyilasi Exhibit is currently on display in the Glenhyrst Art Gallery. Christina Manocchio

The Tibor Nyilasi exhibit: A taste of Brantford’s artistic history Shelby Do Staff

Dipping into the art and culture of Brantford can sometimes be difficult, especially when you don’t know where to begin. The Glenhyrst Art Gallery of Brant is an excellent first step in getting involved in the city’s culture.

The Tibor Nyilasi Exhibit is currently on display in the Glenhyrst Art Gallery.

The exhibit features a wide array of different art mediums, including sketches, oil paintings, mosaics and mixed mediums.

The exhibit opened on Saturday, January 10th and will be on display for two months.

The gallery is open to the public six days of the week, only closed on Mondays.

Tibor Nyilasi, a Hungarian refugee, has an extensive and deep history with Glenhyrst. After spending some time in To-

ronto, Nyilasi had contracted tuberculosis and was admitted to a sanatorium for two years here in Brantford. In the sanatorium, Nyilasi met a doctor who encouraged his talents, assisting him in getting accepted to Toronto’s Ontario College of Art and Design. Before graduating, Nyilasi was featured in Glenhyrst Art Gallery in 1963, becoming one of the first artists featured in Glenhyrst. The gallery is also home to Nyilasi’s first exhibit.

With his history in art firmly embedded in Glenhyrst, it is not surprising to hear how positive the reaction to Nyilasi is. Ana Olson, the partnership coordinator at the Glenhyrst Art Gallery, discussed Nyilasi’s past, such as how he got to Brantford, and she complimented his style of sketches. “He has a very candid eye. He loves drawing people, and so he captures people in their very normal state, like you see pictures of people in coffee shops, people waiting for

buses. They’re not posing.”

Not only does Nyilasi have a long history in Brantford, but Glenhyrst does as well. The gallery has been a staple in Brantford’s art scene since its establishment in 1956. Glenhyrst Gardens turned the exquisite property into an art gallery after being given ownership when Edmund Cockshutt left his property to the City of Brantford.

Since then, Glenhyrst has displayed a multitude of art exhibits year round, which, in the past, has included local and national artists, displaying the many different styles and forms of art. The gallery also holds an annual exhibit filled with art from schools in Brantford and Brant County.

Not only is Glenhyrst an art gallery, but it also offers other services, such as an art rental service, classes and workshops for children and adults, and is home to The Golden Teapot, a tearoom for high and low

tea sittings.

Despite all of the events appealing to adults and children, when it comes to art there is sometimes a stigma of exclusivity surrounding it that can keep people who aren’t artists from attending galleries. The intimacy and warmth of Glenhyrst Art Galley is an effective way to combat any feelings of intimidation that may come from these stigmas. When asked about Glenhyrst’s influence on art culture in Brantford, Olson commented, “At Glenhyrst we’ve really worked hard to dispel that notion (of exclusivity) and show people that art is accessible to anybody. It doesn’t matter what you know, it’s how you feel when you look at art, and that is unique to every one individual.”

The Tibor Nyilasi exhibit will be followed by the Arlene Laskey and Doreen Wilson exhibit, opening March 14.

8

The Sputnik

On Campus

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Josh Adesina | oncampus@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikoncampus

the path

TO

PRESIDENCY

Frank Cirinna

Laurier is my home. Four years here has changed my life. Four years in University Affairs, including being Coordinator, 3 years on Senator, the Gendered Violence Steering Committee, House Council, IceBreaking, everything. It has all been amazing.

I want to phase out the hiring system STARR. I do not believe it properly prepares students and it restricts them from volunteering. We need increased safety by better funding ERT and Foot Patrol as well as advocate for 24 hour SCS in Brantford. I also want to introduce Association Visas so that students do not have to worry about a large financial burden.

The President is an advocacy based role, I have spent my last four years advocating for students. I would love nothing more than the opportunity to give back more.

Please check out my platform at www. frankforpres.com, as well as my facebook page at www.facebook.com/

Olivia Matthews The Students’ Union is only as strong as its students, volunteers and partnerships.

There are three main foundations that drive my vision for the future as your President of the Students’ Union.

I will build and strengthen our relationships with other university departments, which will enhance the student experience across both of Laurier’s campuses.

I will engage and connect with the student population as a whole in order to truly represent and advocate on their behalf.

I will help volunteers get the most out of their experience by reducing inefficiencies and appreciating them, while continuing to provide high quality programming and services for all students.

I’ve spent my Laurier career building relationships that matter and I truly believe that the focus of the Students’ Union should always be collaborating with student voices because we are better together. To see my full platform, check out www.oliviaforpresident. ca and remember to vote!

All candidate headshots provided by Heather Davidson, Will Huang, and Cody Hoffman.

Josh Adesina On Campus Editor

Melissa Weaver Staff Editor’s note: Dave Patterson dropped out of the WLUSU presidential campaign on Monday, February 2, 2015.

The student election is only a few days away, and the WLUSU presidential candidates are doing all they can to guarantee their position as president. Each candidate has been given the opportunity to work with Wilfrid Laurier University, and help students get the most out of their time at the university. There are currently three presidential candidates: Olivia Matthews, Dave Patterson and Frank Dominic Cirinna. The candidates are prepared to proceed with their plans to help improve students’ experience on the campus, as well as resolving other issues involving the university.

One of the priorities of presidential candidate Dave Patterson was to improve the mental and physical health of students. Patterson’s knowledge of dealing with mental health came from working with the Mental Health Education Group. With this experience, Patterson hopes to develop peer driven support on campus. The peer help line will be an issue that Patterson will work on to assist students with mental health issues.

Patterson understood that the Student Life Levy, and other faculty associations, will benefit students in the future and therefore stands behind its development.

“As far as program associations go, they’re really important. They allow the Student Union to have reach into pockets of students, and also spread the net of student engagement for students who are here for a variety of reasons, and programs,” said Patterson.

Furthermore, Patterson turned his attention towards tackling the WLUSU debt. He mentioned that there are plans put in place to rid WLUSU of its current debt.

“We have to try and make sure that we are providing the highest quality program while maintaining fiscal responsibility,” said Patterson.

Student engagement was a subject that Patterson will focus on as well. The value in volunteer positions is something Patterson will try and bring to the attention of students. Patterson touched on the importance of students being knowledgeable about extra-curricular activities, and the positive affects it can have on them. Patterson will be working with the Student Union to captivate students, and make volunteering a beneficial experience for them.

“You need to view it as something students want to do because they see the tangible value in it,” said Patterson.

In regards to Laurier’s sexual assault policy, Patterson feels that communication with students and professionals can help end sexual assault. Patterson sees it as a responsibility to push the voice of students that want to feel safe on campus - along with the help of the Diversity & Equity office.

In addition, Patterson believes that there ought to be transparency between WLUSP and WLUSU. He mentioned that these organizations ought to work on telling students what is going on. In addition, Patterson will work on allowing students to know how they are being represented.

“I think transparency. Improve transparency.

The more we can tell WLUSP about what WLUSU is doing, the more the students hear it and the value in that is endless,” said Patterson.

Patterson plans to work with external sources to allow for Special Constables Services to be available to students 24/7. Safety on the campus area has always been an issue for students. One of Patterson’s goals will be to keep buildings open for longer, so that students can access them at late hours.

In regards to meal plans, Patterson aims to help Laurier Brantford create “mandatory meal plans” and help bring a dining hall for students.

Patterson strives for better food on campus for students, and will work on providing better dining services.

Presidential candidate, Frank Domenic Cirinna, believes his extra-curricular experience can give him the upper hand in the election. Cirinna has involved himself with marketing and managing experience throughout his time at Laurier, as well as three years as a Senator. One of Cirinna’s priorities will be to help improve parking services for students by terminating the Re-Park By-Law. Cirinna knows about the impact that the Student Life Levy has had on the Waterloo Campus.

He believes that the Brantford campus can also be affected positively once SLL has been introduced.

“Brantford would be excited about the Student

Life Levy if they saw what Waterloo has done,” said Cirinna.

The WLUSU debt remains an issue for all candidates. Cirinna was honest about his stance on the debt. He does not think much can “change the debt problem” because plans have been made to tackle the debt. Cirinna mentioned that payments for the debt had begun three years ago, and that minimum payments were being made.

Furthermore, Cirinna believes that marketing and social media are key components in helping to raise awareness about volunteer positions at Laurier.

“That’s why it’s so big at the Waterloo campus because one person does it then their roommates see it and apply for next year,” said Cirinna.

Cirinna is part of the Gendered Violence Steering Committee, and believes that his involvement committee will help put a stop to sexual assault.

“I’m on the Gendered Violence Task Force and I am also a member of the Waterloo Regional police task force. Safety is my number one priority,” said Cirinna.

In regards to WLUSP and WLUSU, Cirinna uses honesty as a factor that can build a connection between these organizations. Cirinna mentioned that WLUSP and WLUSU were working better than they were in the past, and that its development will continue to take place.

Cirinna’s stance concerning safety involved resolving the issue of parking, and helping to put more safety poles around the campus. Cirinna believed that putting more safety poles would decrease crime rates. He added that he would push for Special Constables Services to become 24/7 in Brantford. Due to the fact that it would not cost the SCS or WLUSU any money, Cirinna believed that this subject needed immediate attention.

“We have this on the Waterloo campus and there is no reason not to have it here. Students need to feel safe 24/7, every day of the year and not just when they’re in operation,” said Cirinna.

In addition, Cirinna plans to work with the University Affairs office to dismiss the Re-Park By-Law. He felt that students had a tough time with parking, and that terminating this regulation would benefit students.

“Brantford has a lot of students and they’re dependent on Laurier. Why are they making it harder on students? They should be more accommodating to students,” said Cirinna.

Presidential candidate, Olivia Matthews, detailed her future plans for Laurier, and the changes she would be able to bring.

In regards to the WLUSU debt, Matthews

explained that debt came from poor management of funds. As president, Matthews would avoid the cutting of Central Services budgets, and look towards cutting other costs. In addition, Matthews plans to make sure that the WLUSU budget plans fall through.

“At the end of the day, my stance on the budget is that we continue with this plan to get rid of the debt. However, not at the expense of students,” said Matthews.

Matthews pointed out the importance of the university and union working together to improve safety. Extending the hours of the Special Constables Services is an issue that also concerns Matthews. She understood that students will be out late, and that the SCS would need to stay open later for students.

“With that improvement of 24 hour Special Constables Services, I believe we can extend the hours of Foot Patrol here,” said Matthews.

Matthews also spoke about her plans to let students know about volunteer positions at Laurier. She plans to send out monthly emails to students that include information about WLUSU’s accomplishments. In addition, Matthews intends to create a Google Calendar of events so students can stay updated. Matthews felt that the enhancement of volunteer experience was necessary, and that volunteers ought to be appreciated more.

“If volunteers feel that their voices are heard and that they feel appreciated in the hiring process, they will keep coming back to volunteer,” said Matthews.

As president, Matthews will work with the Diversity and Equity office and Gender Violence Task Force to prevent sexual assault. In addition, Matthews intends to properly train all volunteers involved.

“I think the response should be to always be in support of the student voices who are speaking out against it,” said Matthews.

Furthermore, Matthews believes that WLUSP and WLUSU need to have an “open line of communication” to strengthen their partnerships. Matthews pointed out that getting out information to students is the most important thing, and that these two organizations need to work together to make this efficient.

Elections will be held on February 4 and 5.

The elections results will be announced on February 5 at the Waterloo campus.

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

The Sputnik

9

On Campus

Josh Adesina | oncampus@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikoncampus

Board of Directors - Acclaimed

Colin Aitchison

Kanwar Brar

Matt DeSumma

Nick DeSumma

Over the past year, I have served as Vice Chair of the Board for your Students’ Union.

This is my second term on the board, and it is the experience I have gained from advocating on behalf of students that has caused me to seek re-election. If successful, I plan on pursuing the position of Chair of the Board and Chief Governance Officer.

If re-elected, the majority of my initiatives will come from the Chair of the Board portfolio.

I will work to ensure that the Student Life Levy committee has adequate student representation during the summer, to make sure student money is being spent appropriately, as well as continue to increase transparency from the Board through better marketing of meetings. I will also utilize my experience by promoting engagement from directors, as they represent you at the board table.

Remember to get out and vote on election days Laurier!

My name is Kanwar Brar and I’m a second year Political Science Student. If elected, I will help develop long-term strategic goals for the organization, provide oversight, and manage the President through our policy governance system. From the winter term of my first year, I have attended more board meetings than the first-term directors of the current board. Students from both campuses can rely on me to engage in critical discussion on the table.

I have been involved with the Students’ Union in a multitude of settings including: The First Year Project, Food Bank, Winter Carnival, O-Week, Elections, University Affairs and more.

I have also been involved with political campaigns at the municipal, provincial and federal level. My contributions have been recognized as I have been awarded the Students’ Union Volunteer of the Year Award, Residence Life – Outstanding Leadership Award, and Hawk Weekend Spirit Award. www.yeswekan.ca

My name is Matt DeSumma and I am a Law and Society student at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Brantford campus. I would be an effective member on the Board of Directors because I am passionate and dedicated to what I believe in and not afraid to voice my opinion on the matter. In regards to the Students’ Union, I would like to take that strong voice of mine and use it to represent the entire student body, not just myself. If elected, I will use my position to try and create a stronger presence of the Board in school functions and medias. There is a lack of clear communication between Brantford and Waterloo, and students have the right to know about what’s going on at WLU as a whole, not just their own campus. Your vote can help make that happen. Thank you.

My name is Nick DeSumma and I am a Concurrent Education and Human Rights student seeking re-election on the Students’ Union Board of Directors. I currently live in Brantford for my studies at Wilfrid Laurier University.

When I entered this position, I promised to use my role as a Director to enhance connectivity between both WLU campuses. I demonstrated this over the past year by promoting communication and cooperation between the two. Additionally, I have sat on five committees and was privileged to sit as Chair for three, including the Finance Committee, where I ensured that money-spending policies are compliant. This type of experience and leadership led me to seek re-election.

If re-elected, I will bring my expertise to the table to ensure that all students are well represented. I will continue to be a passionate, vocal, and dedicated member of the Board, who advocates for all Laurier students.

Giovanni Giuga Andrew Harris Melody Parton Johnathan Ricci My name is Giovanni Giuga. I am running for a position on the Board of Directors because I truly want to enhance every student’s experience at Laurier.

My platform is built upon further developing three key areas, but really it boils down to one word; communication. I believe that positive communication and consistent meaningful dialogue is at the heart of good governance.

A director is responsible for leading the strategic direction of the Student’s Union; I believe that my friendly and approachable personality will enable me to provide students with an avenue to express their opinions and ideas.

I intend to increase the transparency of the board to ensure that the general student population receives information of board activities that is more readily available and easily accessible.

I want to further develop and strengthen the multi-campus relationship to ensure the needs of all Laurier student are properly addressed.

If elected to the board, I will exercise prudence in any statement I put forth to ensure I am advocating change that will result in better governance and direction. The current direction that I would like to see the board in is as follows. I want to make the feedback from the presidential mid-term review accessible to students, incorporate a diversity policy within the Executive Limitations and include a limitation that prevents the president from withholding from engaging with the student body via social media. I also see it necessary to institute an updated lobbying and advocacy policy within the Executive Limitations, as the previous policy has been repealed. If elected to the board I will advocate for change, for proper direction and implementation and for adherence to policies. Ultimately, I will advocate for you.

My name is Melody Parton and I am a third year Criminology student minoring in law on Laurier’s Brantford campus. This year I am seeking re-election to the Students Union Board of Directors. Having just served a term on the board, I am confident that I am able to represent the students on both the Waterloo and Brantford campuses adequately and impartially. Last year it was very important to me to ensure that there was open and free communication within the board. Having seen success in this communication style this year, it is my goal to see this continue, as it is very effective when addressing issues in policies that we as a board come across. With my experience as a Director of the Board, Volunteer within the Students Union as well as a student who uses the services of the Students Union I believe that I am definitely qualified to serve you as Director of the Board once again for the upcoming year.

My name is Jonathan Ricci and I am a third year Political Science student here at Laurier seeking re-election to the board. During my time on the board, I have served on two committees, one of which I had the honour to chair.

If re-elected, I will bring my previous experience back to the board table. The focus of my term will consist of three components: Experience, Communication and Collaboration. Having served on the board for one term, I will help mentor and transition the new directors into the role. Second is Communication. It is important as directors that we are approachable and communicate with the students we represent.

I will also continue my engagement with students over social media and in person. Lastly Collaboration, it is important that we work with each other and students on both the Waterloo and Brantford campuses. On February 5th re-elect Jonathan Ricci!

Follow @Sputnik_News on Twitter for Timely Election Updates!

10

The Sputnik

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

On Campus

Josh Adesina | oncampus@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikoncampus

Board of Directors - Unacclaimed

Ryley Fletcher

Abdiasis Issa

Sujaay Jagannathan

Sam Kennaley

My name is Ryley Fletcher and I am in second year Concurrent Education at Laurier’s Brantford campus. I am currently seeking election for the Wilfrid Laurier Students’ Union’s Board of Directors.

My colleagues credit me as a devoted, vocal, and knowledgable student, which is why I would be a quality asset to the Board of Directors. I am very passionate about the Wilfrid Laurier University student experience, which I would demonstrate as a Director of the Board.

If elected, I will use my marketing and communication experience to utilize social media in order to make Board resources more accessible to students. Additionally, this could highly increase multicampus communication throughout Laurier.

An informed student body allows for stronger and more collective decision making.

Help me ensure that your voice is being heard: Start Trying to Make Fletch Happen.

It’s with great enthusiasm and honour that I declare my interest in running for election on the board of directors of the Students Union. Having spoken to hundreds of students I often hear about students concerns about being adequately represented and engaged by the students union.

Unfortunately, far to many students feel disconnected, remote and unengaged when it comes to having their voices heard. My platform will focus on three vital areas; experience, engagement and advocacy. I am currently finishing my term as vice-chair of Wilfrid Laurier University Students Publications, and have used this opportunity as a foundation to further develop my skills as a student leader. Outside of Laurier I have been a youth leader and community organizer focusing on ways to improve civic engagement and build healthy, sustainable and vibrant communities. I believe that my experience both from within and outside of the Laurier community will enable me

My name is Sujaay Jagannathan and I’m running for the Students’ Union Board of Directors position to put forth my experience and passion towards developing the best student experience for Laurier. As a current board member, I have proven to be a strong advocate for students by sitting on multiple board committees including one I was an integral part of creating. Other involvements like Laurier Food Bank, Faculty of Science Students’ Association, and intramurals help me understand the student experience well.

If re-elected, I hope to better advocate students through increased outreach, to bridge gaps between the Union’s role and student needs through communication, and to formulate an ideal vision for the Union through research. I also plan to mentor new future board members to foster a strong, productive team. In essence, support me in bringing my board experience, initiatives and passion to promote the best student experience at Laurier.

Laurier has become my home over the last three years and I am grateful for the opportunities that it has offered me. My journey here has been one of both self-discovery and personal growth.

I owe these experiences to my school, and that is why I want to serve as a Board of Director, so that I can return the favor.

If you have a question, I will answer it, if you have a concern, I will address it, and if you have a good idea, I will push for it. I’m happy to take time out of my day to help bridge the gap between students and the student union. As your representative I promise to be both accountable and accessible.

Study space is becoming scarce. I will push to make the turret an available study space and also to make information regarding study space off campus both

Hem Patel

Derek Worden

My platform consists of three extravagant and explicitly important pillars, which consist of different methods of accomplishment. The first of which is Advocacy. I want to ensure that further and more sincere efforts are taken towards bringing a transparent and a cohesive bridged connection between the students of the entirety of Laurier and the Student’s Union. My second pillar is Approachability. The only way to build such an interconnected university, as mentioned above, is through a Union that regularly communicates with the student body of both campuses; further enforcing transparency. Last, but certainly not the least, I want to provide and promote equal representation across both campuses and to be known as a “Laurier Director,” not one of just Waterloo.

Good luck to all candidates, and I hope to see everyone at the polls!

By running for Board of Directors, I’m committing to being knowledgeable and up-to-date on Students Union structures and policies in order to provide critical discussions and analysis during board meetings. I am also committed to ensuring that the President’s performance is in compliance of the ends, and executive limitations of the organization. My platform focuses on three key points: communicating the opportunities and services the Union provides, making Students’ Union resources accessible and visible on the Students’ Union website, and using my reach to encourage my peers to become interested in the Union. I believe that in doing this, I can help to improve the overall student experience here at Laurier. I firmly believe that I’m a strong fit for this position and will go above and beyond to fulfill the role of Director of the Board for the Wilfrid Laurier Students Union.

Maxwell Zibaei Calvin Da Silva My name is Max Zibaei and I am seeking election onto your Students’ Union Board of Directors. If I am elected, I feel that I will bring a fresh perspective to the Board table. If elected I promise to be accessible to all students at all times and act promptly on all issues. As a Director of the Board, I also will be accountable to you, the students, and work to maximize the quality of your univeristy experiences. If elected I am here to represent each and every one of you and in doing so I will strive to ensure that the President accomplishes each of the Ends of the the Students Union. If I am fortunate enough to be elected, it is my intention to utilize my life experiences and passion benefit the functionality of the Board and create a safe and empowering environment on campus.

Ashley Lieu

SBESS President

Vanessa Buttinger

Senate Kanwar Brar

No platform submitted.

Trevor Thompson

Shadi Varkiani

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

On Campus

11

The Sputnik

Josh Adesina | oncampus@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikoncampus

WLUSP Presidential Candidates

Emily Crump

Nathanael Lewis

Bryan Stephens

In the past year and a half, I have had many opportunities thanks to WLUSP. I have worked with Radio Laurier as a DJ, a street team member, a manager and now program director. I have worked hard to help recruit and grow this department and hope to do more for the entire organization.

I believe to continue to grow we need to promote cohesiveness as an organization. I hope to ensure that all departments have the resources they need to reach their full potential. I will encourage working together through promotion across campuses and departments.

If I am elected president I would like to ensure a stronger board presence and ensure that all volunteers are aware of whom each member of the administration is.

I would like to foster strong relationships with each department. My year with Radio Laurier has given me an in depth understanding of the workings of the department, I hope to have the same understanding of all departments. In my position at Radio Laurier I have learned communication and interpersonal skills, which has enabled me to develop relationships with people throughout the organization.

I would like to encourage all volunteers to do the same.

I would like to provide the support and guidance needed to all department heads to help them run their department to their full capabilities. I believe that many of our dual campus productions can be expanded. If I am elected president I will help strengthen our organization.

Starting as a volunteer at the beginning of 2013 and transitioning through Advertising Assistant, News Editor and eventually finding myself as the Brantford Manager of Operations by 2014 was not easy. But if anything, I can tell you that those experiences have made me familiar with almost every level of WLUSP. Over the past year as Brantford’s administrative member, I have come to learn two things: communication is crucial and professionalism is the key to success.

Throughout this year, I have built strong relationships with people from both the Brantford and Waterloo campuses. I have attempted to further equality between offices as far as my position would allow me, and I have tried to contribute to the publications I directly have a hand in.

WLUSP Brantford and Waterloo need to be looking at a more unified system which supports long term forms of reliable income, stronger content, a more comprehensive policy, and better training practices.

Change is a necessary component when building a stronger, more unified organization.

There are some things which will take the next ten years to attain, but there are others still that need to change starting on May 1, 2015. I have always liked the idea of thoughtful solutions rather than prolonged problems – I believe any staff member would agree that this is exactly what WLUSP needs.

I hope to be able to work alongside a strong, unified, multi-campus staff over the next year to see WLUSP come closer to even a few of these goals.

Being president and publisher should be about serving the interests of a student body that is producing high quality publications and providing meaningful student opportunities.

Transparency, accountability and upholding morality are the kinds of traits that this position should facilitate for WLUSP. I want to see the management of WLUSP reflect the incredible staff working within it. The work that is being cultivated within this organization reflects this commitment to quality.

When I started at The Cord two years ago, I quickly discovered that the work environment would help create a memorable experience that added meaning to working for the paper. Contributing stories on a weekly basis was more than a repetitive work schedule but something I looked forward to. It’s this experience that I want to help others experience as part of WLUSP. I want to see volunteers be comfortable here and realize that their work and contributions are the core of WLUSP. From the work I have accomplished as Arts & Life Editor, I understand that facilitating a positive and encouraging experience for volunteers is at the core of what makes their participation within WLUSP a positive one.

Countless hours of hard work and determination towards creating an engaging, high-quality publication have shown me that without the efforts of volunteers the larger bodies their work contributes to wouldn’t be possible. I want to create an environment that empowers volunteers to act as a catalyst for ensuring WLUSP remains a premier student media organization in Canada.

WLUSP Board of Directors

Abdiasis Issa: Over the past year I have the distinct honour and privilege of serving WLUSP as a member of the board and as vice-chair. My experience with WLUSP has been nothing short of extraordinary! From the amazing volunteers that keep WLUSP in operation to the unprecedented and unmatched publications produced, WLUSP continues to be the voice for Laurier students. At the centre of WLUSP’s success is it’s volunteers; there is no doubt that their hard work and commitment enables WLUSP to continue producing quality, meaningful and engaging content. I intend to further support WLUSP’s volunteers by acting as a liaison between the Board and the frontline volunteers that make WLUSP possible. I believe that make experience on WLUSP along with my vision for WLUSP in partnership with fellow board members and the President will enable WLUSP to provide the best possible experience to Laurier students.

Thomas Lillo: If elected to the board of directors I will ensure that I make educated decisions when dealing with matters of importance, and I will work with the rest of the board to expand Wilfrid Laurier Student Publications in a sustainable manner. I hope to find new and creative ways to save the company money without sacrificing the quality of our publications. I will make sure that I have good professional relationships with members of WLUSP management, and am always available to talk. I plan on being as transparent as possible and work on communicating board decisions to who they will affect.

John Pehar: As an Economics student with a background in finance and accounting, I have been fortunate to sit as Treasurer on the WLUSP Board of Directors for the past five months. I have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience in this role and I am interested in continuing in this position for another term.

As custodian of the WLUSP Board of Directors, I will guide the actions of the Board with economic facts. During the past five months, I have proven that I am capable of handling figures and cash. I have an orderly mind and methodical way of thinking. I have a proven track record of providing accurate and timely updates to ensure WLUSP stayed on budget. My understanding of the cash inflows and outflows of the organization, as well as my experience with reviewing this fiscal year’s budget, would allow for a seamless continuation in this role.

Rafey Sattar: With experience working for a regional magazine in my hometown and The Cord I consider myself to be an ideal candidate to contribute to the strategic governance of WLUSP. As an associate at the Oakville Voice magazine I experienced the breadth of functions required to run a successful publication, including advertising, distribution and public relations. My experience in the most crucial aspects of a community paper’s operations puts me in a unique position to understand and advise on the future of WLUSP. Most importantly, as a staff writer for The Cord and a guest on Radio Laurier, I bring an appreciation for the diverse opportunities for selfexpression, discovery and personal growth that WLUSP and its various publications provide for students. Working with WLUSP has been one of the most rewarding parts of my undergraduate experience. As a second year BBA student here at Laurier, and I’d look forward to serving on the BOD next year.

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

13

The Sputnik

Sports Kyle Morrison | sports@thesputnik.ca | @sputniksports

Athletic complex delayed, project managers stay optimistic Although students may not see the polished gym floors and fancy exercise equipment of the long-awaited athletic facility until 2017, many athletic opportunities await the campus.

Athletic Director Peter Baxtor is confident that the YMCA will be a monumental facility for Laurier students and the Brantford community, even with the construction delays. Cody Hoffman

Kyle Morrison

Sports Editor Laurier Brantford’s current athletic situation is far from ideal and it looks like students are going to have to wait an extra year for any improvements to be made.

Originally scheduled for a 2016 fall opening, the very long awaited YMCA/Laurier Brantford Athletic Complex is now pushing for fall 2017.

Announced way back in 2011, the construction of the athletic complex has not been entirely smooth, with many parties, including the university, YMCA, the city of Brantford and Six Nations councils, constantly trying to work toward getting the state-of-the-art five-storey facility underway. But the latest obstacle is hitting the hardest. As reported at the end of October, only a little over a month into construction, archaeological artifacts were found on the site, shutting down all progress on the university’s athletic complex until at least the spring.

There have been 10 different areas onsite found to contain artifacts and before winter started, only two had been fully documented. In total co-ordinators expect the process to take two to three months to complete. “Prior to construction we knew the potential was there,” Mark Dettweiler, Director of Planning, Design, Construction and Physical Resources said. A stage one archaeological assessment was conducted which identified that there could be something buried within, based on the land being occupied for so long. “What we found

is that the findings are actually more extensive than we had thought they might be and that’s something you really can’t know until getting in there and digging things up,” Dettweiler said.

It’s a frustrating process now for organizers and students that will test everyone’s patience. “[The archaeological study] is a by-hand process, not an excavator or that kind of stuff,” Brian Posavan, Vice President, Facility Development & Membership Operations YMCA of Hamilton, Burlington and Brantford explained. “With the winter delay and a little more work to happen in the spring, we will have to tighten the schedule to meet expectations,” he said.

Posavan and the rest of the teams involved are trying to determine what can and can’t be worked around or accelerated in the meantime, but without even the beginnings of a foundation in place, winter or not, there’s not much one can do. Currently on the agenda, come March, is re-routing sewers through the site and begin shoring of the construction site, which will allow the complex to be built into the hill on Colborne Street.

The goal was to begin actual construction on the facility itself in June, but Dettweiler said it is looking like it will be September at the earliest. “If we get started in September of this year, that’s a two year build and for this size of facility that’s a reasonable amount of time,” he explained.

“We’d prefer not to start in September because you’re doing a lot of your foundation work in the winter, but that’s just the way it’s going to be.”

All of these factors bring cost into question and whether or not they can stay on budget. The budget for the YMCA/Lau-

rier Brantford Athletic Complex is fixed at $56.7 million, so it is very imperative to adjust and manage where funds will be going.

In order to cover operating costs, organizers are looking to community enrollment from both people in Brantford and students to be a huge catalyst. Posavan expects that between the Brantford community and Laurier students, there will be 5000-6000 YMCA members come opening and that those numbers will double within the first year of opening, which may seem ambitious.

By the time the complex opens in 2017, Laurier Brantford will have lost a significant core of its student body with the closing of the Nipissing Concurrent Education program. However, Peter Baxter, Wilfrid Laurier University’s Athletic Director is very optimistic that membership will not be negatively impacted. “[The loss of Concurrent Education] is going to affect the whole university – I’ve been through these up-and-down cycles,” Baxter said. “I think once we have that facility in we are able to establish … a place where students want to be when they’re not in class. And on a recruitment tour to be able to walk through that facility it’s going to enhance enrollment.” He saw this happen on the Waterloo campus – there was a co-relation to the number of applications Laurier received as it enhanced the brand of the university.

It will also pay great dividends and allow Laurier to slowly make a proper entrance into OCAA (Ontario Collegiate Athletic Association) sports. At first Baxter wants to find sporting opportunities where Laurier can partner with the community, whether it’s cross-country running, bad-

minton or curling and go from there.

We have currently have some extramural teams, but when it comes to a sport like basketball, they’ll be able to become full-fledged varsity teams participating in a full OCAA schedule. “Basketball teams, in terms of travel obligations and so forth can be upwards of $100,000,” Baxter said. “I still certainly want to pursue what we can … as long as there’s good student interest and we also get the coaching leadership behind I’m very optimistic that sooner than later we’ll have Laurier Brantford people competing in varsity sports in OCAA competition.”

It’s exciting because the athletic complex completely puts sports in Laurier students’ hands to decide what they want to play because the facilities will finally exist in order to play them. “It’s all about offering a spectrum of opportunities, and that’s from open recreation to intramurals and extramurals,” Baxter explained. “I want to talk to the current leaders in sports and recreation in Brantford and other students and see what’s the interest in particular sports that becomes say, an OCAA Laurier Brantford team.”

The foundation for a strong student athlete is being laid – even if the facility has yet to. And although the recent archeological dig has brought a screeching halt to Laurier Brantford’s very long-awaited and long overdue facility, the excitement and optimism is still very strong that not only will students be able to have access to more recreational resources and sporting opportunities that they deserve, but it will give Laurier Brantford a marquee facility to drive the growth and legacy of the university for years to come.

14

Sports

The Sputnik

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Kyle Morrison | sports@thesputnik.ca | @sputniksports

Kate Stepanov reaches out for an opponent’s flag in this past weekend’s powderpuff football tournament at McMaster University. Luc Daviau

Powderpuff football team finishes with mixed results Luc Daviau

Staff

On the weekend of January 30 and 31, the Laurier Brantford women’s powderpuff football team played their first tournament of the year at McMaster University. On both Friday and Saturday, the team faced back-to-back games.

They lost games against the Waterloo Shockers and Sheridan College, and fell shy of a win against Humber College with a score of 6-0.

However, the girls came back the next day and won their first game of the season 14-0 against D.C.-U.O.I.T (Durham College-University of Ontario Institute of Technology).

Despite the disappointing losses on the first day and the close loss against Humber on the second, one of the coaches, Marcus Tansley, remained quite hopeful for the team. “We never felt like we were down and out in any games,” he explained and the team is made up of a lot of rookies that are new to the sport. “It’s tough

getting chemistry and plays together,” Tansley continued. “Offense has struggled a little bit, defense has played unreal.” In spite of the frigid cold weather of -11 degrees Celsius, the team’s spirit was never dampened.

The offense appeared to show a spark of magic in their final game of the tournament, putting up two touchdowns to completely outmatch the team from D.C.-U.O.I.T. The first touchdown was scored by number seven, Samantha Machado as she carried the ball into the end-zone after breaking through the defensive line swiftly and untouched. After receiving a pass and facing little coverage, number 13, Demi Cartwright took advantage of the opportunity and put Laurier Brantford up two touchdowns to none. The superior defense of Laurier Brantford made it impossible for their competition to make any damage on the scoreboard. The strong defense stomped down any chance D.C.-U.O.I.T. had and forced the opposing quarterback to overthrow and rush plays.

Laurier Brantford forced their competition out

of their comfort zone, making their victory a solid one.

The team was ecstatic with the victory. “We are a new team,” Captain Tamara Skoretz explained. “We only have about a handful of veterans that came back [from the previous year] and we are actually playing against a lot of our own players at this tournament.” Facing old teammates as competitors while having new players can be difficult to create a strong chemistry, but these tough ladies did it so well. With only one win under their belt this tournament it was safe to say they did not advance, but after watching a solid performance, one can expect this team to quickly develop into a much stronger force.

Unfortunately, working with a new team and players new to the sport, they face a financial struggle as well that makes it difficult for the team to strive to imminent success. “Athletics has forced us to take buses to every tournament,” Skoretz explained. “We have like 10 girls, we have to pay four hundred dollars for a bus.” This is a large price to pay as Skoretz ex-

plained that, “[Laurier] gave us a hundred dollars towards our season.” The insufficient funds to their team place pressures on the girls that want to play to pay out of their own pockets and their own time. It truly is “all what the girls put in fundraising” that makes or breaks the team.

Currently the team is making efforts to fundraise money through bottle drives, taking empty bottles and cans from people and bringing them back to the store for deposits. The girls are always looking for donations either money or empty bottles.

The Laurier Brantford powderpuff football team will play next weekend at the O.U.A. tournament in Waterloo. This is one of the biggest tournaments the team will face this year because the competition is spread across all of Ontario.

Show your support for fellow Golden Hawks as the Brantford team showdown against all of the other universities.

Men’s hockey team outmatched at Fanshawe Anthony Fusco

Staff The Laurier Brantford Men’s Extramural hockey team knew they had a tough task in front of them. They needed to impress in their second tournament of the season. The squad travelled to London, home to Fanshawe College to test themselves against stiff and tough competition.

The team first matched up against University Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and it was a tough game to start the tournament off.

The boys ended up dropping the decision after a hard fought battle.

They took a much-needed break after that first game before returning to the ice to face Mohawk. According to Blake Ralston, a defenseman on the team, the squad played much

better this time around. “Our second game was a lot better than our first for sure. No contest actually. We came out a bit flat against UOIT, but corrected that mistake against Mohawk. We were able to control them in the key areas and eventually secure the win,” he said.

The final game of the day was against Redeemer Christian University College. “We played a solid game against Redeemer. It was extremely close through the entire thing. It was the shootout that finally ended our day. We thought we had a good chance of winning and the shots just didn’t go our way,” Ralston said.

“Overall in this tournament, we gave it a valiant effort, but we were just out-matched,” the defenseman from Fergus, Ontario said.

“We played some good hockey throughout the three games. One positive I caught was easily our penalty kill. It was dynamic and top-notch for the entire tournament. One negative was our defensive zone coverage. We had trouble controlling the puck in our own zone as well

as cleanly breaking out. It was a problem that we hope to address in upcoming tournaments,” said Ralston.

Ryan Smitheram had a unique vantage point during the games. The former Laurier Brantford player and student acted as a coach for the games. “It was a very cool experience.

I was able to take stock of all the players and keep an eye on exactly what was happening. I would definitely do it again if given the chance.

It was nice to see all the guys again and to help them out wherever I was able to.”

When asked about what Ralston would like to see improve for the next set of games he said, “It would be nice to have a few more practices.

It helps the guys bond and develop chemistry that can then be used on the ice. Having a full team would be beneficial as well. If we get everyone out to the games, it will reflect once we hit the ice. When everyone is together, we gel a lot better. That’s what I’ve noticed.”

Laurier Brantford’s team has one big tour-

nament coming up that everyone is extremely excited for. It’s the team’s final one of the year and it will be held on home ice at the Wayne Gretzky Center.

A clearly excited Ralston said, “I’m really excited to be able to play in front of our hometown fans. We’re definitely looking for lots of school spirit. Everyone should come out and watch. It will be a great experience for the boys and for the fans at our campus.”

With the final tournament on the horizon, Ralston feels a bit sad that it’s all coming to an end. “I’m in my final year at Laurier Brantford.

It’s really tough to leave behind this team. I’ve been a part of it since my second year. It’s also not just me leaving, there’s a ton of veterans that will be playing in their final school tournament ever. It’s bittersweet to say the least. I’m sad to be moving on but I’ve had a great time and I’m looking forward to the next challenge.”

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Opinion

15

The Sputnik

Brittany Bennett | opinion@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikopinion

Why is there an anti-Islamic community in Germany?

Fatbardha Lajci

Staff In the city of Dresden in the former East Germany a protest broke out recently by a new grassroots movement called Pegida (Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West). This group has been holding events for the last couple of weeks, and the numbers of protester have steadily increased. According to the International Business Times, on Oct, 20 about three hundred and fifty people attended the rallies compared to the 18,000 on Jan. 5, and over 25,000 on Jan. 12. In regarding this issue, there is a popular book called “Deutschland schafft sich ab”, meaning “Germany is doing away with itself” translated into English, written by the Thilo Sarrazin. In the book it discusses the dangers of immigration.

So just how dangerous is immigration?

How can immigration lead to the danger of the people within a society (particularly in this case the German society)? How did we do by life without realizing the dangers of immigration? What are we trying to protect by being anti-Islamic?

As I was gathering information about the Germany protest to further help my understanding on this topic, I discovered some concerns that the Germany people have regarding the immigration of Muslim individuals. The reason for the grassroots

Wikimedia Commons

“I believe one of the biggest factors that has led to the anti-Islamic protests in Germany has been the media and a lack of knowledge about the Islamic faith or belief system.” movement, Pegida, was the preservation of the German identity and to prevent the erosion of the German Judeo- Christian culture. Pegida also demanded that foreigners who commit criminal offences are expelled from the country. In addition, Many German’s believe those immigrants will take advantage of the German system. One of the many questions people are asking, “is this a genuine concern or just racism?”

I believe one of the biggest factors that has led to the anti-Islamic protests in Germany has been the media and a lack of knowledge about the Islamic faith or belief system. In opinion this is because Germa-

ny isn’t as culturally diverse as Canada and doesn’t have the exposure to the Muslim population.

Not all Germans are against the immigration. A top-selling German tabloid called Bild published a “No to PEGIDA” appeal on Jan. 6. Within the appeal there were quotes from the fifty politicians and celebrities. Bild’s deputy editor, Bela Anda, wrote in a commentary that they are trying to put a stop to xenophobia and instead encourage diversity and tolerance.

Counter-protesters (individuals in support of Muslim immigrants) have been attempting to prevent the fanning of racism and intolerance in the Germany society. The Reuters UK reports that German Chancellor, Angela Merkel shuns the anti-Muslim protesters, “saying their hearts are full of hatred and argued that hostility towards foreigners has no place in Germany.”

The media has been a big factor that affects the Muslim population, even the Pegida Facebook page. There is a certain misconception and stereotype around the Muslim population that can hinder people to make irrational decisions.

Follow Sputnik Opinion on Twitter! @sputnikopinion

Political extremities: A lack of choice

Tristan Wright Staff Politics have always been a very heated discussion topic, with academic and the media pointing towards Liberalism as the correct ideology. They usually point out problems with both parties, but highly focus on conservative issues. Let us briefly examine some issues of the extreme right wing for just a moment. They want to take away some of your freedoms reported the National post, such as keeping certain drugs illegal like marijuana, despite the cultural demand. They want to keep homosexuals from marrying as reported by the American Conservative. They also would like to restrict or eliminate a woman’s ability to have an abortion and make divorce harder to achieve. The CBC reported that the Conservative government is limiting the free speech of scientists from talking about global warming. The modern Russian government that runs under this political sphere doesn’t let transgender individuals get drivers licenses as reported by the BBC in Russia. They seem mainly to be trying to keep a Brave New World from approaching. The conservative sees the cultural decadence that surrounds us and tries to protect us by enforcing a strict code of morality. Having learned nothing from the Stoics, that the only virtue you can focus on is your own, you cannot force virtue upon other people.

Now, let us examine what the left-leaning individuals would like to take away.

Such as your ability to defend yourself with a weapon, as the Toronto Now told us that we don’t need guns. They want to take away your freedom of speech; your ability to speak out against policies that you don’t happen to agree with. Their ideology of forced equality, diversity and mass im-

migration is compulsory in our schools and debate halls; with dissenters being labeled and weaponized words being used against them to forcibly shut down any debate. I’m sure you’ve heard them all before: racist, Nazi, fascist, ignoring whatever points any critic makes and using ad hominem attacks.

I’m sure you may have heard that men are all evil oppressors. This is blatantly sexist and morally wrong to say. Even men who were unfortunate enough to grow up in the politically correct era and had nothing to do with anything before it. As for race well it’s quite simple as Arizona State University pointed out in one of their course titles: you can find out the inherent problem with “whiteness.” Except there is no inherent problem with you, the problem is with your skin, how dare you be born European and the class will examine this terrible issue of Europeans existing. You are not allowed to question it, this new form of Liberalism is as oppressive and intolerant as the supposed patriarchy and authority they fight. They seem to be intent on bringing about 1984 by taking away your freedom to speak out against any non-sense, either with outright laws against such things or by calling you names and slandering your reputation.

But of course it’s for “the right reasons” from both the right and left. Whatever they do will help fix society and make everyone equal; the end always justifies the means to them. If I was allowed to debate and slow progress of the society, I might prove holy relics like mass immigration to be a horrendous idea, or even worse, hurt somebody’s feelings. I might also prove global warming to be right. How dare I, prove fools to be fools and stupid ideas to be stupid.

People who wish to take part in a rational discussion should not label the opinions of their opponents simply because they do not agree with their secular religion. They need to take them on with logic, facts and

reason alone. Something that modern day Feminism and Social justice disagrees with, “your rights end where my feelings begin.” This is a common phrase not up for discussion.

The right-winged arguments are a little harder to conquer. Limiting our freedom of speech is always wrong. Period. Now, by doing drugs or divorcing your spouse you are surely not impacting your close friends, family or children. After all, what’s best for you is best for everybody and you are entitled to do with your own body however you want. Which is incorrect, the right wing argument makes sense when by acting selfishly an individual effects other people whether that be children or fellow full grown citizens. They want to limit that behavior which is reasonable, the problem comes when you over extend. Choosing who can drive or vote based on the morality you possess is a problem. You cannot force your morality upon others, it will always remain a point of debate, one that Conservatives are willing to discuss.

They key difference however is that I am allowed and encouraged to debate Conservatives, while the church of “Liberalism” is to remain untouched. How many offensive Stephen Harper jokes do you hear? How many offensive Obama jokes?

How many Sarah Palin jokes versus Joe Biden? They are both idiotic and vapid, full of comedy gold. But only one made it onto Saturday Night Live. Although some people are coming around, #TweetLikeAFeminist is hilarious and completely accurate. The other problem is that people of course vote for groups, in tribes, and are reluctant to leave their tribes. Thus the main parties are very hard to dig out of their trenches and the mainstream Conservative and Liberal parties remain in control. Is that the sound of jackboots I hear? No, it’s Ugg boots.

RANTIN’ & RAVIN’ A column by Opinion Editor Brittany Bennett on the mind blowing occasions that really make her question her faith in humanity.

It’s raining babies As many of you may know, there are a lot of young parents here in Brantford.

I find it is usually the young mothers I see pushing the strollers around town, without the fathers in sight, but this day was different. I was walking downtown, from my place to Grand River Hall, a short five minute walk if that. It was a pretty crappy day, there was a nippy wind chill and it was spitting rain. In front of me I see a man pushing a stroller, the first thing I think is, why doesn’t he have the stroller cover up? Not considering having a rain guard over it, but instead, this man had the stroller’s cover tied back, child sprawled out in the rain, wearing pants and a little tee-shirt. What in the name of sanity was going through this dude’s head? I gave him the dirtiest look I have given a person in a solid amount of time. But to my great surprise, I turn the corner to the alley way in between Williams and the Therapy Lounge to see MULTIPLE men with babies just chilling out in the rain. It was some sort of daddy-day-off while stuck with the kid in the rain day. I could seriously not believe my eyes. First of all, why do you even have your babies outside while it is raining out?

Second of all, why are these children not properly dressed or covered? And third of all, why is this seen as a normal thing to do by not one, but multiple fathers? Finally, I understood why I see young Brantford mothers pushing the stroller of their babies alone through the streets all the time, the fathers are obviously incompetent.

The fairy tale feminist Earlier this school year I found myself writing an article on actress, Emma Watson’s speech to the United Nations. I went into it wanting to praise her of course, but ended up taking a different angle and pursued where I believed she may have been slightly hypocritical, and where she hadn’t followed through on her statements. All in all, I still looked up to her as a role model on the controversial topic of feminism, up until last week at least. It was a regular day, avoiding my responsibilities by scrolling through my Facebook feed, but what I fell upon took me completely aback. Emma Watson will be casted as Belle in the remake of the fairy-tale story, Beauty and the Beast. You have got to be freaking kidding me! I honestly thought it was a joke until I read enough articles quoting her excitement over the whole ordeal to realize this was actually happening. So, we have the Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women, a role model for girls across the world in feminism, playing a role that portrays physical and emotional abuse as a necessary components in a happy relationship.

Well that is just great. Totally makes sense to me…

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Opinion

The Sputnik

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Brittany Bennett | opinion@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikopinion

ATTENTION: You may be a rapist

The increase in the crime rate in Canada is directly related to the increase in youth crime. Neha Sekhon

“Yes means yes” is the new “no means no”. Marissa White

Karly Rath Features Editor Rape automatically brings up images of violence and alleyways in our minds but in reality, sex without consent happens all of the time: upstairs at a house party in a bed smelling of beer, in the back of your boyfriend’s car or even on your own comfortable couch with your long-time spouse.

It’s hard to separate the “R” word from our preconceived notions. It’s hard to label someone who may mean no harm a rapist.

And it’s certainly hard to face the fact that rape is rampant in our Western, and socalled civilized society.

But the fact of the matter is that with many sexual assaults that happen, the offender truly believes the woman is consenting to the sexual act. In other words, before, during and after the crime, sex offenders often don’t realize what they did was rape. According to a 2013 study by the UN called “Prevalence and Factors Associated with Non-Partner Rape”, one in four men admitted to raping someone when the question used the euphemism “forced sex”.

While at a student journalism conference, NASH, in Ottawa, I had the privilege of seeing Glen Canning, the father of Rehtaeh Parsons speak about his experience and the shameful state of Canadians’ knowledge of what constitutes consent.

Canning’s 17-year-old daughter committed suicide in 2013, after being gang-raped by four boys at a party just over a year prior. His voice filled with hopelessness, Canning said that to this day, some of the rapists still do not believe they raped Parsons because even though she was naked,

unconscious and covered in her own vomit while being passed around, she never said “no”, screamed, or pushed them off of her.

If these Canadian boys truly believed Parsons was providing consent in a situation that is seemingly unquestionably rape, imagine the number of people who would not consider it rape if she was less drunk.

Not understanding consent is essentially condoning certain forms of rape.

In 2013, the Ontario government and sexual assault advocacy groups worked

cial expressions and body language: a hesitant person who mumbles “Okay, fine, I guess” is not consenting. Consent needs to be nothing less than an audible, continuous, enthusiastic “yes”.

Firstly, consent cannot be implied.

SlutWalk, a movement to stop victim blaming, was created in response to an instance of implied consent in 2011 when a police officer in a Toronto court told a girl that the reason she was raped was because she was dressed like a slut since she was

“Consent must be verbal, uncoerced, given by someone in the right mind and maintained throughout the entire act.” together and published a comprehensive 52-page document called “Developing a Response to Sexual Violence: A Resource Guide For Ontario’s Colleges and Universities”. Although it recommends that consent be properly defined in university policy, nowhere in any of Laurier’s policies does it even mention consent.

Let’s break down what true consent is really all about.

Before we launch into defining consent, it is important to note that although Health Canada’s 2008 study “Rates of victims of police-reported violent crime” states that women are 10 times more likely to be sexually assaulted than men, men are also victims of sexual assault and women can certainly rape.

On Jan. 26, Premier Kathleen Wynne announced that changes will be made to the Ontario curriculum to teach students about proper consent. After a campaign run by two girls in grade 8 called “We Give Consent”, Wynne agreed that children and teenagers need to understand context, fa-

wearing a skirt.

When I attended the protest this past summer, I saw people holding signs exclaiming things like “Marriage does not equal consent” and “There’s no dress code for rape.” Relationship status or wearing provocative clothing are not automatic green lights – no assumptions can be made.

Secondly, silence does not mean consent. In other words, an absence of “no” does not mean “yes”. There are many reasons a woman may not voice her concerns – being alone with a large, powerful man with testosterone pumping through his veins can be a terrifying experience.

Thirdly, consent cannot be obtained through coercion. Even if there is a verbal “yes”, the context of this “yes” must be examined: look at the situation and the tone.

Are you harassing her until she reluctantly submits to your wishes? If you aren’t truly giving her an option to say “no”, then that is not consent.

Now, there are some situations when

consent is impossible. Even with an enthusiastic “yes”, the person cannot be underage, drunk, or under authority, such as an employee sleeping with his or her boss.

These factors severely impair judgment.

Lastly, note that consent must be constant and that it can be withdrawn at any time. This means that you can be fooling around, entirely naked with your significant other, and change your mind.

In summary, consent must be verbal, uncoerced, given by someone in the right mind and maintained throughout the entire act.

Many people believe these rules are much too harsh or unrealistic. Some argue that men are not mind readers, so how is a guy to know whether she wants it or not?

Well, you have to look at the context.

Analyze the aforementioned factors, communicate and think.

A huge problem regarding rape is that the majority of cases go unreported. Survivors struggle to report for many valid reasons but this means that the rapists walk free. According to the YWCA, out of 1000 sexual assaults, only three offenders are punished.

If everyone understood consent in this depth, women may feel more comfortable reporting because everyone involved would at least be certain it was rape. If everyone knows the rules, they can be better enforced. Talk to your partners, ask questions throughout, and think about the context.

Truly understanding consent will ensure that the next sex you have is not rape.

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