The Sputnik Issue 14

WEDNESDAY MARCH 9, 2016 ISSUE 14 WWW.THESPUTNIK.CA @SPUTNIK_NEWS THE SPUTNIK

SPCA

NEEDS LAND 5

FEATURED ARTIST

CHANTELLE BENJAMIN 8

YMCA BUILDING DELAYED 10

The BRANTFORD Issue

Jamaal Owusu-Ansah/ The Sputnik

A great place to shop all year round

Meats, dairy, fruits, vegtables, chocolate, cheese, baked goods & so much more.

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THE SPUTNIK

WEDNESDAY MARCH 9 , 2016

WLUSP BRANTFORD 202-171 Colborne St. Brantford, ON N3T 2C9 (519) 756-8228 ext. 5948

THE SPUTNIK TEAM

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Taylor Berzins eic@thesputnik.ca PHOTO EDITOR Christina Manocchio photography@thesputnik.ca LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Jamaal Owusu-Ansah leadphotographer@thesputnik.ca GRAPHIC EDITOR Sai Gnanaharan visual@thesputnik.ca WEB EDITOR Jaclyn Brown web@thesputnik.ca NEWS EDITOR Anya Eland news@thesputnik.ca ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Now Hiring FEATURES EDITOR Brittany Bennett features@thesputnik.ca ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Matthew Burley arts@thesputnik.ca SPORTS EDITOR Devon Momy-Gamache sports@thesputnik.ca OPINION EDITOR Josh Adesina opinion@thesputnik.ca

THE SPUTNIK ADMIN PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER Bryan Stephens (519) 884-0710 ext. 3565 president@wlusp.com ADVERTISING Care Schummer (519) 884-0719 ext. 3560 care.schummer@wlusp.com MANAGER OF OPERATIONS Taylor Berzins manager@thesputnik.ca EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Lakyn Barton lakyn.barton@wlusp.com Treasurer John Pehar Vice-Chair Abdiasis Issa Director Thomas Lillo Director Rafey Sattar Director Fred Kuntz Director Angela Foster Director Gary Doyle Corporate Secretary Emily Crump The Sputnik is a bi-weekly campus newspaper intended to engage and inform the community.

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The Brantford Issue

Christina Manocchio Photo Editor Brantford is definitely a strange town, but it has some loveably quirky parts.

Growing up in the suburbs in Toronto, Brantford is a huge contrast. One of my favourite changes is every pizza place in town will deliver to my house in Brantford. In Etobicoke, there are about five places that will deliver to my house. YOU ARE A BLOCK FROM MY HOUSE; WHY CAN’T YOU DELIVER? Etobicoke isn’t the most central location in Toronto. If you don’t know where that is, it’s the west end of the city. The suburban sprawl provides a wonderful amount of traffic every hour of the day. In Brantford, driving anywhere takes fifteen minutes at most. Although, a huge downside to Brantford is the lack of public transportation. At the same time, Etobicoke has some of the worst transportation in the city. There are only three subway stops, and of course Vaughn can have one.

One thing I learn while living outside of the city, there isn’t easy access to basic activities and shopping. The mall in Brantford doesn’t have a wide selection nor is it good for Saturday entertainment.

Hamilton is the next best shopping location, but it still requires a car.

Ikea is another thing that Toronto and the GTA has plenty of. Outside the city there is a small Ikea in Burlington but that’s really not too close to Brantford.

Aside from the lack of big box stores and malls, Brantford has a pretty interesting culture. The downtown has enough coffee shops to keep this sleepy town awake.

There are unique stores and events that go on in Harmony Square.

There are plentiful amounts of events that happen in Toronto, but it either costs you some dough or the crowds are so unbearable that it makes the event less enjoyable.

The price of living in Brantford is significantly cheaper compared to most surrounding cities. Housing is nothing compared to Toronto, cars are cheaper, even gas is way cheaper.

Brantford is definitely a town with unique qualities. This town has potential but the citizens need to offer some optimism for Brantford. The downtown has the space but it needs more business to add some life to it. There are many small businesses outside of the downtown core. This, of course, takes away from the pedestrian lifestyle that a downtown should offer.

Brantford definitely is no shiny downtown with chichi boutiques, but with some hard work and optimism it has the potential to be a flourishing city.

On the cover What do you love about Brantford?

Kaitlyn Ammaerman

“I was born and raised in Brantford and I am proud to say that there is no better place to call home”

Rylee Barber “What I enjoy about Brantford is all of the events that take place in Harmony Square for the community”

Toyin Oteri “Brantford is a relatively quiet city that makes it easy to focus on school”

Emily Tran “Laurier Brantford compliments Brantford’s closelyknit community because our campus is diverse and welcoming”

Qasim Chaudhry “I like living in a small town”

John Rebry and Tiago Alves “Diversity”

Kristina Malecki “I love living in a smaller town, my friends are here, my family is here, and Brantford is only an hour away from other cities. And the cost of living is better too”

Ibnul Chowdhury “I love Lonnie’s poutine”

RCW Christina Manocchio/ The Sputnik

Brantford, a city brimming with potential Josh Adesina Opinion Editor If there is one thing that is certain, it’s that we all want to know what Brantford will develop into. Thus far, Brantford doesn’t have that much to offer as far as eateries, facilities and entertainment for students. I have spent two summers in Brantford, and I have not been impressed. Although the city of Brantford has not proved to be the most exciting of places, it’s worth considering the potential it has – especially if you’re in your first year.

I’m not saying that Brantford is horrible, I’m saying that it has potential for a lot of development.

We’ve seen proof of this, with the new YMCA gym that is under construction and new restaurants opening up near campus. However, when considering what Brantford will turn into I immediately think about one thing; Market Square.

Laurier Brantford’s acquisition of Market Square has excited a lot of students but we still haven’t seen anything develop yet. All of the times that I have walked through Market Square, I’ve thought

about some ideas that would likely captivate Laurier Brantford students. There are plenty of empty stores that await business owners. I’ve thought of a few potential businesses that should move into Market Square while there is still a chance to: Student bars, cinema, diverse restaurants, libraries, and more lecture halls for the university. Once we see something happen with Market Square, this is when I will become excited about living in Brantford.

Most students know that Laurier Brantford is a young campus, and still requires a lot of work. I feel that this will attract a lot of investors to Brantford in the future.

It’s worth noting that Brantford has been ranked number four under ‘Canada’s Top 10 Cities to Buy Real Estate Now,’ according to Canadian Business. Hard to believe isn’t it? It took me a while to believe this but I understand now because I do see potential in Brantford.

As a student, if you find that you are bored in Brantford, I recommend venturing out and finding different places to go to. The bars and restaurants in the downtown area are pricey but worth it. If you’re still bored after that, then you’ll just have to be patient and wait for more development in Brantford to take place.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 9, 2016

THE SPUTNIK

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NEWS

ANYA ELAND | NEWS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS

Brantford to get its GO bus

GO Transit to roll into Brantford Anna Principato/ The Sputnik

. us. . ow

Many Laurier students are overjoyed that their voices have been heard as the Ontario government confirmed that there will now be GO Bus routes to Brantford.

The GO bus will run from Brantford to the Hamilton area, as well as Brantford to Aldershot.

The first phase will be the link to Hamilton. Brantford residents as well as Laurier Brantford students will be able to benefit from these new transit routes, thanks to Ontario budget choices.

This GO bus will begin later this year and will give travellers connections to the GO trains in Aldershot. Students who used the VIA or drive to go home now have a more cost-efficient alternative to use with the new GO bus. The GO

of our government’s commitment to making the daily commute and quality of life better for Ontario families,” said Minister of Transportation, Steven Del Duca in an earlier article from the Expositor.

Lawrence also understands that students have been looking for a more cost-efficient way to get home on weekends and is hoping the new GO Bus will finally help them. “Transportation, [as in] getting from “home” to Brantford and Brantford to “home”, concerns have consistently been an issue for students, so I hope the GO bus service can address that.”

“It’s amazing to feel heard I know so many students who wanted this and now it’s finally happening it’s great, I know it’ll make commuting home to see family 100 times easier,” said Laurier student Jess Rafacz.

fol l

Anya Eland News Editor

bus seems to be lower in cost as well as have better times which is more convenient for students, especially.

Since the campus opened in 1999, commuting has been tough for many students and their voice has finally been heard. This new bus will definitely give students and Brantford residents more options of commuting in and out of the Brantford instead of driving or using the VIA rail.

Many students are extremely happy with the new GO Bus. Adam Lawrence, Laurier Brantford’s Dean of Students is happy with the voices of student’s being heard.

“I am so proud of all the students who continued to advocate for this transportation. I would like to especially thank the Students Union for their continued dedication to advocating for students needs – and for working with the city of Brantford to make this change happen.”

“Our unprecedented public transit investments are making transit a better choice for commuters. This is further proof

@sputnik_news

Ontario’s new The place you call home: student housing in brantford approach to tuition Vikrant Jaswal Staff Writer

It is important to get a head start on housing Anna Principato/ The Sputnik

Shreya Shah Assistant News Editor One of the most daunting tasks a university student faces is moving out of residence and finding a new home. For many students, this will be their first time looking at property listings, comparing rental prices, and understanding and signing a lease.

There are quite a few things to keep in mind. What is your budget?

What type of lease are you looking for? How far away from campus are you willing to live? And of course, who will your roommates be?

A good place to start looking is online. Laurier is partnered with the website, Places4Students, to help guide students through this process. The website offers options for students to find roommates,

look at property listings, and view rooms and apartments that are available for subletting.

However, it’s not just the students that are shopping. Kent Durant, a landlord in Brantford, shares what he looks for in a tenant, “We look for someone who is focused on their school work. We look for people that are not partiers; that’s not to say they might not get together with their friends one night and have them over, but we try to find people who are like-minded and are at school to learn.”

In fact, Kent says, “Looking for a place to rent is similar to heading to a job interview – students should aim to impress.”

Students should also be aware of what types of utilities are being offered. Most commonly, students should expect garbage pickup, water, gas, heat, and electricity.

Most landlords will also provide amenities such as a washer and dryer, a refrigerator, a microwave, a stove, and internet usage.

For Kent, providing students

with necessary amenities was vital, “We basically wanted to make it as simple and easy as possible for the kids and their parents. I drew on my experiences with having to live with other people and knew what the pitfalls were. There are a lot of little arguments that can come up about whose turn it is to buy the toilet paper or the laundry detergent. We wanted to prevent this by supplying things that are the essentials. So, for example, toilet paper, laundry detergent, dishwashing soap, internet, and furnished rooms.”

Despite being challenging, looking for a new place to live can be a seamless process. Students should make a conscious effort to understand what they would like out of a new home, and what potential landlords can offer. As for advice, Kent has the following, “Start looking early.”

People tend to leave house hunting until March, though that’s when people start getting really desperate to look for houses. Better to look early than late.

On Feb. 25, Financial minister Charles Sousa released Ontario’s 2016 budget plan, which outlines how the Ontario government will be spending our money for the next year. Sousa has unveiled a record of a $133.9 billion spending plan with a $4.3 billion deficit, which he hopes to eliminate by the time he balances the books next year.

A proposition was made, introducing free tuition for students who come from families who earn less than $50,000 a year, which should start in the 2017-2018 year.

With this revamp on our student aid system, the Ontario government hopes to eliminate financial concerns that prevent students to further their studies in postsecondary education. The Ontario government indicates through the budget plan that by canceling the tuition tax credit and the education tax credit, this will result in saving $145 million in 2017 and as well being able to fully operate this new grant plan.

The government is trying to make paying tuition easier by providing a single up-front grant before tuition is due. This is a critical aspect of the plan, as many students in the OSAP program receive grants later in the year or through a tax rebate, which can happen at the end of the year.

Adam Lawrence, Dean of Students at the Laurier Brantford campus, likes the idea of the new change. “The idea of turning tax credits into grants – some might

lose money, but access to education is an important priority.” This initiative can be the first step of solutions regards making financial accommodation for students. “This will give students with financial as well as academic concerns some relief when already having to deal with typical daily tasks,” said, Lawrence.

Consequences that can offset the costs in the future are unclear.

As well, issues of implementing this new grant system could arise since tuition fees have been increasing since 2003. The Ontario government intends to use a new funding formula, which takes into account the resources accumulated in each program and gives grants accordingly. Meaning programs such as music that have more costs are refunded the amount with more grants, and programs for businesses that don’t use a lot of resources receive less accordingly.

This new grant plan is being implemented after the maximum tuition fee increase cap of three per cent is set to expire in 2017. This offers the government to increase the tuition fees as high as they desire and as well buried the fact how maximum loans are to be increased to as high as $40,000. Although this information has been released recently as it is development for implementation for 2017. Students that are currently a part of the OSAP program will not receive any debt wipe for years already paid. But this new student aid system should be looked as a positive opportunity for fewer costs for when it is available.

As well, for students not from lowincome families, changes may result in a slight reduction in costs.

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WEDNESDAY MARCH 9, 2016

NEWS Laurier Brantford’s Pink Feather Society ANYA ELAND | NEWS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS

Anya Eland News Editor Laurier Brantford students in the Indigenous Community Organizing class have created a non-profit organization, in partnership with students from Six Nations Polytechnic called The Pink Feather Society.

“We are trying to raise awareness towards missing and murdered Indigenous women & children, as well as fundraising for the victims families,” said Mat Beaulieu, a student at Laurier Brantford who is part of the organization.

“Raising awareness also helps bring accountability to the government. They have known about the growing number of missing and murdered Indigenous women for years, but have not taken action to combat the issue.

In 2008, former Prime Minister Stephen Harper made an apology to the Indigenous peoples for the

inhumane treatment they faced in the Indian Residential School system. This apology was supposed to be a beginning to the path of reconciliation between Canadians and the Indigenous peoples, however, the government has yet to actually do anything that shows change.”

According to their mission statement, “as a direct response to the challenge of the Government of Canada, the Pink Feather Society partners with communities across Canada and Indigenous peoples to address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. We provide resources, education and awareness on this national tragedy. We fight for those who have been silenced.” They hope to see “ women, regardless of race, ethnicity, social and cultural background...be free from exploitation, discrimination and abuse.”

New grocery store set to open

Farm Boy on King George Road Konnor Huard/ The Sputnik

Shreya Shah Assistant News Editor On March 17, the residents of Brantford will have a new space to buy fresh, Farm Boy is coming to town.

The store, which will be located on King George Road, promises to be a one-of-kind experience.

Farm Boy boasts of an assortment of fresh produce, butcher quality meat, sustainable and eco-friendly seafood, artisan cheese, variety of organic dairy products, a 60-item salad bar and in-store bakery.

“What we’re going to bring to Brantford is what the customers in Brantford are lacking. They’re going to have a great fresh experience, great fresh produce, a custom butcher shop. We’re going to have the best assortment of cheese. We’re going to have a salad bar. They can get fresh sushi, custom pizzas – people are going to love it,” promises Jeff York, CEO of Farm Boy. Stores similar to Farm Boy, such as Whole Foods Market, are often praised for their selection of high quality, organic foods, but have a notorious reputation for being increasingly expensive – and sometimes, downright unaffordable.

York assures that this is not the case with Farm Boy, “Our buyers are buying every day from everywhere, we’re constantly looking for the best quality at the best price. It’s because we’re looking consistently, every day. So we’re talking to the farmers, we’re

talking to the markets, we’re all around.”

Farm Boy promises to offer high-quality food at supermarket pricing, sometimes even lower.

According to a survey conducted

by Field Agent Canada, Farm Boy was also voted as Canada’s favourite grocery store.

Natalie Anderson, who acts as the Healthy Lifestyles Committee Coordinator for Laurier Brantford, shares her opinion on what the opening of Farm Boy might mean for Laurier students, “I think some of the biggest challenges faced by students when it comes to healthy eating is the cost of healthy food and the convenience of it. Many students have low budgets and busy schedules so quick, cheaper foods often become the easiest and more popular choice.”

However, the one downside is the location of Farm Boy. For students, grocery stores such as FreshCo are much more accessible due to their proximity to campus.

“I don’t personally think that many students without access to a car will go out of their way to go to Farm Boy. I would think that students who have access to a car might make the trip more often to access the foods offered by Farm Boy. The Brantford Farmer’s Market is already close by and offers some of the same foods so I think this would be a better and more convenient option to students living on campus,” says Anderson.

This is the second year for the Pink Feather Society; previously called the Pink Feather Promise.

Dave Levac, MPP Brant, recognized this organization last year for their March and vigil to commemorate International Women’s Day and bringing awareness to the missing and murdered Indigenous women of the community. On International Women’s Day, this year, The Pink Feather Society is planning to organize a similar commemoration.

“The Pink Feather Society was primarily created to provide funding, resources, and education to the people affected by the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada,” said Beaulieu.

These students think that this country is quite uninformed about what is happening to these innocent Indigenous women and children and they are hoping to change that by raising as much

awareness possible.

Since this organization, is student-run, it is unique. As young people and the new generation of this country, they hope to inspire others, “The beauty of having a student-run group such as the Pink Feather Society is that we can hopefully inspire other students like ourselves who have the same passion for social justice. I feel as though students possess the most influence on creating change.

Students are able to network to other students, and those students will tell other students from different schools, and it will create snowball effect. That’s what we are going for,” said Beaulieu.

This organization is supposed to be a class project, but it feels like so much more to the student’s who are a part of it. Even after the semester is over, many of the students plan to continue working with this group.

They have many future plans for

this organization. “I talked to the students in this organization, and as for future plans they want to raise awareness on generational trauma faced by the victims of missing and murdered Indigenous women and children, to ensure that the issue stays a priority with all levels of government, and to provide financial assistance for funeral costs of those victimized by the issue.”

Since this organization is a direct response to the challenge of the Government of Canada, they hope it to even reach Prime Minister Trudeau. “It is one of our plans to get Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to speak out about the issue/ our group, whether that be over Twitter, a speech... Even something as small as wearing a Pink Feather Society pin during one of his speeches would be a good start in helping us carry out our mission statement,” said Beaulieu.

BTM Students Present the inaugural Case Competition Shreya Shah Assistant News Editor This upcoming weekend @BTM, a faculty and student facilitated club, will be hosting their first inaugural case competition. The competition will be starting at 5:00 pm on Friday and is open to all current BTM students.

This competition allows students to showcase the skills that they have learned over the school year by presenting a solution to a case study that will be announced on Friday night.

@BTM has held several similar workshop for BTM students over the course of this year. During one of the workshops, Professor Paul Curwen, presented on the topic of Digital Marketing. Students were given a case in which they had to find innovative ways for taxi companies to compete against their biggest rival – Uber.

For the upcoming competition students will be asked to work in teams of four to research and analyze a case, and then present a solution. Each team will be required to give a twenty minute

presentation explaining their solution, and then must allot ten minutes to judges for any questions.

The panel of judges will include faculty from Lazaridis School of Business and Economics as well as representatives from the industry to which the case study is related.

The winning team will be awarded with a prize.

This competition will present BTM students with the opportunity to work on their analytical and presentation skills – skills that will be required of them in their fields.

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NEWS

ANYA ELAND | NEWS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS

Brantford SPCA in need of new land Taylor Burt Staff Writer Brantford’s SPCA works hard to help animals in need. The SPCA is now the one in need. They are looking for a new property to build on, though the City of Brantford has stopped the SPCA’s move to a new location.

In September 2015, the City of Brantford offered the SPCA a piece of land at, 10 Kraemer’s Way. “The original gift from the City of Brantford to the Brant County SPCA was a gift of a parcel of land at 10 Kraemer’s Way which was approximately seven acres of fully serviced land in the City,” said Robin Kuchma, Executive Director of Brantford’s SPCA, in an email.

The land itself is approximately $490,500, and the building of the new shelter is estimated to be anywhere from $3 to $5 million.

The City of Brantford also offered the SPCA some money towards their expenditures. “Ten per cent towards the overall build cost with a cap of $600,000 to the project,” said Kuchma, in an email.

In December 2015, the City of Brantford, took their offer off the table for apparent Animal Control

Program reasons. Kuchma could not speak on this due to the fact that the information was talked about during an in-camera meeting.

An in-camera meeting is a meeting that is private. Information that is given in these meetings is usually not recorded or written, and not divulged to the public.

The SPCA is in desperate need for land and a new shelter, as

Brantford’s SPCA building Christina Manocchio/The Sputnik

Two-year-old Mystic from SPCA Christina Manocchio/The Sputnik

their location was described as an “embarrassment” by Mayor Chris Friel, according to an earlier article in the Brantford Expositor.

The SPCA has $1 million as a building fund, so they will need to fundraise the rest to cover everything.

No information on what the guidelines of the Animal Control Program have to be, in order for the SPCA to get the 10 Kraemer’s Way land offered back to them.

The City Clerk was directed, however, to conduct a review of

the Animal Control Program. “The direction from Council was for the City Clerk to do an in-depth review of the Animal Control Program and look at things like, what would it look like and what it would cost if the City was to bring all or portions of the Animal Control Program in house. That report was done and presented to Council,” said Alex Wolosinecky, Manager of Communications for the SPCA, in an email.

The report written by the City Clerk can be found on the City’s

website under “Animal Control Program Review”.

The SPCA is currently looking for other land options. “We are still in need of a home as the existing shelter is no longer adequate for the work we do and the service model we wish to deliver now and in the future. We are in need of land so we are currently seeking options to purchase,” said Kuchma, in an email.

The Mayor’s office was contacted, though they were not able to give a reply due to time restraints.

Things to explore beyond downtown Melissa Weaver Staff Writer University is a time for students to learn, grow, meet new people and get a degree, but it’s also a time for exploration. Most students can identify where Tim Horton’s is and where various university buildings are, and certainly we all know what bus to take to get to the mall the quickest. Brantford has a bad repu-

Spring is a time for growth and prosperity. While most flower shops are expensive and time consuming, Walter’s Greenhouse has a great selection of low maintenance plants like cacti, succulents and air plants. The staff is knowledgeable and eager to help out first-time growers. There is also a greenhouse cat that keeps the plants and shoppers company. They offer various workshops to assist first-time growers.

Crossroads Trading Post & Flea Market Calling all hipsters: The Crossroads Trading Post and Flea Market is the perfect place to get an-

Crossroads Trading Post & Flea Market Melissa Weaver/The Sputnik

tation with students for being dirty and dangerous, but check out these hidden gems and maybe your mind will be changed.

As suggested by Adam Bloomfield, Assistant to the Dean of Students and my boss, here are some of Brantford’s least well-known but most interesting gems.

Walter’s Greenhouse

tiques and memorabilia. Saturday mornings are best spent exploring Brantford’s flea market on Colborne Street East. With countless vendors and items, there is something for everyone here and maybe a little more.

Elberta Farms Farmers feed cities, as the saying goes. For students having a hard time coughing up $5 for a head of

cauliflower, perhaps checking out Elberta Farms produce section will be a relief, especially knowing that it was grown in a safe environment, and that they are helping out a local farmer. The farm includes produce, home-baked desserts and seasonal activities. In the fall, there are pumpkin patches for carving jacko-lanterns. In the spring, there are sunflowers for photo-ops. In the summer, there is a petting zoo with emus and goats.

Alternate Icons Comic Books Comic nerds unite! Alternate Icons is located on Marlborough Street, not far from campus and features a wide variety of comic books, games and toys. Comments on their Facebook page insists that the owner, “goes out of his way to hook up customers.” Since opening in 2001, Alternate Icons has become a fantastic place to shop for comics and collectibles in Southwestern Ontario.

Brantford Symphony Orchestra Book Fair The book fair occurs once a year, April 27 to 30 this year. It is going into its 51st year. The fair takes over an abandoned public school and is open to everyone. All proceeds from the book fair support the Brantford Symphony Orchestra.

Students can donate any magazines, novels and textbooks to the book fair, as long as they are no more than five years old.

Woodland Cultural Centre Located on Mohawk Street, the Woodland Cultural Centre is a

Alternate Icons Comic Books Melissa Weaver/The Sputnik

living historical structure in Brantford. It was previously known as the Mohawk Institute, a residential school that ran until 1970. Tours are offered at a fee of $7 for non-identifying Aboriginal peoples (free for all Six Nations of the Grand River, Tyendinaga & Wahta peoples) by appointment only. Listen to the tour guides tell stories of abuse and neglect at the hands of the Canadian government.

Brantford Train Station Coffee House and Gallery Located on Wadsworth street right beside the VIA Rail train sta-

tion is a small coffee house and gallery. Their menu consists of soupsof-the-day and pastries along with wine and coolers. Every Sunday from 2-4pm there is a live concert series with half the proceeds going towards the musicians themselves.

There is also a gallery featuring local artists.

University life is more than just getting a degree; get to know the city you live and learn in. The best way to learn is to get out of your comfort zone. Explore Brantford.

Find your own hidden gems.

Woodland Cultural Centre Anna Principato/The Sputnik

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WEDNESDAY MARCH 9, 2016

FEATURES

BRITTANY BENNETT | FEATURES@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS

Getting to know the real Brantford Jaclyn Brown Web Editor I swore when I applied to Laurier I thought I was going to the Waterloo campus.

Laurier Brantford students are far too familiar with this melancholy sentiment. It echoes through hallways and bubbles in classroom chatter, yet we go about our lives entertaining a half-hearted curiosity about the true nature of Brantford. Swaddled with rumours of past economic turmoil, we sympathize without much regard for the stories nestled within the cracks in the cobblestone and people on the street.

Through the eyes of one of Brantford’s most decorated politicians, I was exposed to the most intimate view of the city’s unique history.

Beneath the buildings of our classrooms and the businesses we frequent, there are endless stories to be unearthed. I was given the pleasure of extracting such stories from a man whose hands and willpower have shaped countless initiatives and buildings in Brantford.

At 76 years old his passion for this city is almost palatable as he enters the room. As the current ward five councillor and former mayor of seven years, David Neumann embodies and promotes and authentic legacy of love for the community. After a 23-year break from politics he has returned to city hall to serve ward five once again in 2010.

I was first introduced to this incredible man during a political assignment in my first year. I vividly recall leaving city hall with an awakened perspective, as his enlightening tales shone a beautiful light on a city I never bothered to acquaint myself with.

I enter his office on the second floor of city hall and see a lonely desktop computer sitting solemnly on a wooden desk. With a quick shake of the iPhone in his left palm, he grins and explains his true office resides at his fingertips. His office walls are adorned with maps of Brantford, including one from 1875 complete with tiny sketches of horses and spacious streets. I glance at the old map with wide eyes. Neumann pauses for an impromptu history lesson, (perhaps a ghost from his old teaching career) and asks if I know how Brantford earned its name.

As I fail the pop quiz he chuckles and explains, “Joseph Brant, where he crossed the river, the word ford is when you don’t have a bridge, you find a low spot in the river and you cross at the low spot with your horses and wagons. It’s called fording the river. So Brant’s ford, where he crossed the river- it’s near the Lorne Bridge.”

I smile in the warmth of such a satisfying fact and take out my notebook. I anxiously pull up a chair, my ears buzzing with the anticipation

of knowing the man across from me brims with stories about Brantford.

I settle in and ask where his path to Brantford city hall started.

While studying history with an English minor at McMaster in Hamilton, Neumann filled up his spare time with additional courses in politics and public service. His affinity for politics was sparked by an unusual coincidence in residence.

Roommates were assigned and his new roomie happened to be from Kenya. Neumann was soon introduced to many foreign students on campus through him, which brought him to an abrupt realization.

“I was forced to re-educate myself because people from other lands have a lot of new questions about Canada, and I couldn’t answer them. My education didn’t prepare me to answer the questions they were asking, so through finding answers I learned so much about my own country through the eyes of these foreigners,” said Neumann with a glimmer of nostalgia in his eyes.

He accepted a teaching job at Pauline Johnson Collegiate and moved to Brantford in 1968 after growing tired of the Hamilton commute.

Local politics sneaked into Neumann’s life when the controversial construction of an expressway through the heart of the city was announced. Since the project was proposed without any prior consultation, many citizens were concerned. Neumann quickly joined a petition that eventually made it to the Minister of Transportation, and the project was later reduced to an access road.

“

His enlightening tales shone a beautiful light on a city I never bothered to acquaint myself with.

With his roots planted firmly in the community, Neumann aspired to higher political agendas. He ran for Alderman in 1974 losing by only 100 votes, but claimed success two years later as he was elected ward five Alderman. Four years later his passion coaxed him down the path of a fruitful mayoral candidacy.

“I felt there were more challenging things you could do with the office of mayor in promoting the city and moving things forward. And so I ran against the incumbent Mayor, Charlie Bowen, and I won,” said Neumann with a hint of pride.

However, being Mayor of Brantford during an era with a 22 per cent interest rate cultivated a devastating economic impact on the community.

“In 1982 which was my second year as Mayor, we had an unemployment rate of 25 per cent and the big challenge was bringing a new in-

Ward five councillor and former mayor of seven years, David Neumann Jaclyn Brown/The Sputnik

dustry in, diversifying the economy away from farm equipment,” said Neumann.

The recession struck Brantford much harder than surrounding communities as the closing of several major farming equipment companies revealed the community’s dependency on manufacturing. As mayor, he was devastated to witness the impact of unemployment on the city and knew action had to be taken. Lucky for him the answer was only a few radio waves away.

“I was listening to the CBC one morning and the government of Canada announced a program called ILAP, Industry and Labour Adjustment Program, and it said this is designed for cities that have been dependent on a particular industry, and that industry has gone and they need help,” said Neumann.

The program sounded like the perfect fit for Brantford and he immediately contacted the federal government to apply. His quest was hindered as he discovered there was no application- the government simply bestowed the program on the cities they saw fit.

A recurring trend in David Neumann’s political career is certainly perseverance, as he refused to accept no for an answer. After assembling a group to lobby the government, he was given some commitment stating he would hear back within the year. Christmas holidays rolled around without an answer so he decided to take it to the big man himself and call Pierre Trudeau. Although he didn’t get the Prime Minister himself, it was announced a few months later that Brantford would be an ILAP recipient. The establishment of ILAP in Brantford was a highlight of Neumann’s time as Mayor and the program began to work its magic as unemployed factory workers were retrained in new sectors.

Neumann was later approached

by Premier of the time David Peterson and was encouraged to run as the Liberal candidate. He was torn because he was overwhelmed by his love of being Mayor. An old friend Max Sherman advised him to take

the position- but with one condition, “He said you have the chance to get something, not for yourself don’t ask for anything for yourself, don’t ask for a counter position, don’t ask for anything for yourself but decide what are the most important things for the city,” said Neumann.

He would agree to run if the province granted him two things.

First, the 403 must be finished from Woodstock east to Ancaster and second, he wanted funding to help establish post secondary education in the community. It’s no surprise that his political vigour aided the successful fulfillment of both wishes. Mohawk College was established largely due to Neumann’s social persistence at an event with their President. The presence of Mohawk planted the seed for education and their presence appealed to investors and even Laurier. Neumann also anxiously anticipated the impact of having a college in town on the community.

“The other thing that I saw as a teacher, was that during the years of economic vitality where Massey, Ferguson and White Farms had the highest paid jobs in the community and other smaller industries were in a similar position that a lot of my students would quit school in grade 11. Their father would get them a job at Massey’s, or they’d get a job at White’s or some other business so there were job opportunities and they didn’t have to finish their high school,” said Neumann, “You couldn’t look around your city and say ‘oh there’s a university there maybe I’ll go to university.’ Even if they don’t go there, they’re inspired by seeing a university in the community. We didn’t have that so that’s what I was hoping to overcome.”

Another major highlight of his time in office was the construction Icomm centre, but we affectionately know it as the OLG Casino.

Significant artifacts from Alexander Graham Bell were sitting in a warehouse begging to be on display.

So Neumann along with a board of directors started an initiative for a technology and science hub - The

Icomm Centre. Bell Media hopped on board to help with the funding but unfortunately the project collapsed in the hands of the subsequent mayor. Bell got cold feet and pulled out of the project entirely but the problem was the museum was completely constructed. Heartbroken, Neumann attempted to raise independent funds but couldn’t save the project. The name of the adjacent street, Icomm Drive, is the final trace of the ghost museum.

He still quotes the OLG as a blessing considering the city receives nearly five million dollars annually from their share of slots. Coincidently, these very funds paid for the restoration of the Carnegie building to appeal to Laurier when they were contemplating a Brantford campus.

“I remember Mayor Friel telling me it was a big political risk because, he spent I think $400,000 dollars, and then they registered their first 38 students, and people would easily say you spent half a million bucks to get 38 students here?” Said Neumann with a laugh.

Thankfully there is a few more than 38 of us now. I know students can attest that even over the past few years Brantford is steadily establishing itself as a thriving city.

I shake of his hand and thank him for indulging me with such treasurable stories. It is tales like these that add colour to the little nuances that make Brantford unique. Sharing and indulging in stories about the community has the undeniable impact of integrating us into its very fabric. Knowing these tiny treasures about our surroundings sheds a refreshing perspective on the Brantford we thought we knew.

Trotting down the stairs of city hall, I’m bursting with the ecstatic energy that accompanies falling in love with Brantford all over again.

If you would like to meet councillor David Neumann he will be at the 645 Colborne Street on Thursday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m for the ward five town hall meeting. After all, the entire Laurier campus is in ward five.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 9, 2016

THE SPUTNIK

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FEATURES

BRITTANY BENNETT | FEATURES@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS

What ’s Your thing?

Meet Khalil Stemmler, the master of sound

Tayler Buchanan Staff Writer Born and raised in Brantford, Ontario, Stemmler is a leader in the city’s indie music scene. Going by the name of Cyanide Canaries, Stemmler continues to be Brantford’s very own pioneer in trip-hop, a genre of music that is a blend of jazz, hip-hop and alternative rock, which all comes together to form a symphony of post-punk sound.

“I started Cyanide Canaries in high school,” Stemmler explains.

His interest in music was peaked when at around 8 years old, his father handed him a guitar, which he claims was too big for him to even fit his hand around.

“I mainly wrote acoustic songs in high school,” Stemmler says. “I had a friend who had this ridiculous

knowledge of music. Every time I showed him something, he knew it – I then took that as a challenge to listen to as many artists as possible.”

Stemmler explains that musically, his influences change depending on the phases of what’s new that he’s listening too. However, a constant inspiration throughout belongs to the originators of trip-hop, the UK band, Massive Attack. “[Massive Attack’s] sound is just so… full. From the deep lows to the nice, tiny, crisp highs. They were doing things I never thought you could actually do as a band… That’s when it clicked and I found my identity.”

His musical identity came through in high school, when he decided to release music under the pseudo-name of Cyanide Canaries. The name, he explains, derives mainly from the lyrics he was writing at the time.

“I was writing a lot of cathartic and cynical kind of songs, but they were also all acoustic and pretty,” he says. “[Cyanide Canaries] is kind of

like that, the way I write is very sarcastic so the name fit.”

Stemmler is currently working on his second full-length album, which he says will incorporate some new sounds that were mainly influenced by his time spent as a student at Sheridan College.

“I took a creativity course and one of the challenges was to find a space and sit there and you’re not limited by any environmental barriers. So I sat there and I just… everything I thought about music I wiped away and then I just started making a mess of things. Then when I looked back most of it was crap,” he explains with a laugh. “But I’ve continued to work on it for a year now.

A major influence [for this album] is 70s and 80s post punk and a band called The Birthday Party. They’re my favourite at the moment.”

Stemmler acknowledges that growing up in a relatively dangerous part of Brantford did have its challenges, but also provided inspiration for many of his songs.

“The last record [Death by the Police Force], was way more personal,” he explains. “The song ‘Heather’s Got a Gun’ is actually about a rape or something that I heard happened in Brantford. It made me think hey, I have family here. It made me realize how unsafe it is, the place I live, and it made me uncomfortable.”

The Sputnik features a lot of up

Anna Principato/The Sputnik

and coming artists, so we asked what he had to say to others trying to make it in the industry.

“You have to love music,” Stemmler concludes. “You have to make time to do it and you have to have the drive. But if you’re an artist and making music that’s something you already know, I don’t have to tell you that.”

Cyanide Canaries’ music equipment Courtesy of Khalil Stemmler

The campus of language programs Julian Panchaud Staff Writer Wilfrid Laurier’s Brantford campus has a strong history with an international student program known as the Laurier English and Academic Foundation (LEAF), making it an especially inclusive campus and an ideal place to meet new people and learn about new cultures. However, beyond this, there is a less known program called the Language Support Program. Unique to Brantford, this program is designed to help integrate international students deeper into the community of the university.

“We pair international students

who have trouble with English with volunteers from the campus, and they meet up and chat. Sometimes about school, sometimes about life, anything really,” says Karley Doucette, co-ordinator of Writing and Learning Support.

Doucette describes the program as an outlet for international students who join the campus through the LEAF program to get more involved in campus life and build their confidence in interacting with primarily English speaking students. By extension, helping them to feel more involved in the bigger community as opposed to distanced.

But why Brantford for a program like this? Why does Brantford have this over the Waterloo campus?

“It’s definitely a smaller community here than Waterloo, and I think that helps international students adjust more easily,” Doucette explains. She believes the transi-

tion process is much easier in the smaller campus environment, and that the location is just by nature more relaxed, making for a much less stressful environment.

Doucette primarily manages the undergraduate volunteers on campus interested in meeting with international students for the sake of the program. “We try to pair them up for one-on-one meetings, one person is a lot less scary to get to know versus a giant community,” she says. “It’s typically up to the LEAF student how they get paired, if there’s a girl in LEAF who would rather talk with another girl or a boy who’d rather be paired with a boy we try to make that happen.”

“Typically there are more LEAF students than undergrad volunteers, so sometimes volunteers are assigned multiple students if they feel they can handle it and schedules allow it, but they would meet separately obviously,” says

Doucette. She says that the uneven ratio is likely because of how few people actually know the program exists. “I try to advertise in the weekly news, it’s just sometimes not enough depending how many people actually read it.”

The students who volunteer are trained to be role models for the international students, as well as to show them the services that Laurier Brantford has to offer. “If an international student is feeling homesick or depressed for instance, the volunteers know to direct them to the health and Wellness Centre.

We also get the volunteers to sign a confidentiality agreement to make sure personal stuff stays personal,” says Doucette. “The volunteers are great people, great students, model students.”

There are two different branches of Laurier Brantford’s Language Support Program. One for direct assistance with school work, note

taking and studying, whereas the other is for more personal interactions. “There isn’t really any restriction on what can be talked about of course,” says Doucette. “Just in one case it’s more intended for academic help, and the other the students can go shopping or something, go to lunch, just generally learn about each other’s respective cultures.”

Each branch of the program operates by having the students meet up, chat for a while and work on school. “I get volunteers to write a reflection piece too that they email to me after each meeting, just to keep me up to date on what’s happening,” says Doucette.

The Language Support program is, according to Doucette, a great way to build up a resume and volunteer experience for undergrads interested in applying, and by extension, a great way to meet new friends and learn about new cultures.

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THE SPUTNIK

WEDNESDAY MARCH 9, 2016

ARTS & CULTURE MATTHEW BURLEY | ARTS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS

Featured Artist: Chantelle Benjamin

Matthew Burley A&C Editor The Featured Artist is a Laurier Brantford student who is constantly striving for creative and artistic excellence. The medium isn’t what’s important; it’s the art. This weeks Featured Artist is Chantelle Benjamin.

How long have you been singing for?

I’d say I started singing around the age of five or six. My mom and I were humming Christmas carols one night and then apparently I actually started hitting all the notes and even adding my own little twists on them. Growing up, I started singing in front of my church, and from all of the positive feedback, realized that I actually had potential.

Do you write your own music?

If so, how do you feel about performing something you’ve written compared to something someone else has written?

I had written a few songs when I was about 14, I haven’t sat down to write (in a while). I had a rough patch, and writing about my life

sort of helped me get through it.

Other than that, I usually sing songs that I can relate to or that match my vocal range. I think that if I did write songs, I would prefer to perform my own. It would be easier to relate to the lyrics of a song that I’ve written myself as the emotion in my voice would ultimately enhance my performance. I usually find songs that have relevance to my situation, and that helps me a lot when I’m singing.

Who are some of your biggest influences?

My mom is for sure my biggest influence. She has an amazing voice that I was lucky enough to grow up hearing. Being raised by someone who is so musically inclined has definitely helped me develop a strong passion for music. Celebrity wise, I would say from the beginning Alicia Keys was my biggest influence. Other influences would be Jennifer Hudson, Whitney Houston, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Chris Brown, Keri Hilson, Ne-Yo and all the old time R&B singers.

Have you ever taken singing lessons?

I’ve never taken singing lessons.

Everything I’ve learned was either from my mom or listening to covers on Youtube. I guess I could say Youtube covers were my

version of lessons. I would sit at the computer for hours on hours trying to learn notes I couldn’t hit or certain ranges that may have been difficult. I’m amazed at what I learned from just watching Youtube videos.

What is your favourite topic to sing about? Why? My favourite topic to sing about would most likely be perserverence. In life, we have all overcome a lot of obstacles.

Singing about confidence and overcoming those situations is definitely something that I love to express with music any chance that I get. I love to be able to motivate and encourage others to strive with my music. The world is ours, it’s all about taking advantage of it. Jessie J is one of my favourite artists that do that.

A lot of her songs are about having confidence in who you are and using that confidence to make yourself a better person. She also sings about strength, and being able to pick yourself up when you’re down, and that’s something that I find very important So I’m aware that you participated in a contest called Hidden Talent Canada over the summer. What was the format like and how did you do?

My mom actually heard about auditions for Hidden Talent Canada. She asked me to audition,

and although I was hesitant at first, I built up the courage and actually did. There were about 500 people who auditioned, and I made it to Top 50. Top 25 were group auditions. We had to choose a song that fit everyone’s vocal types. It was pretty difficult but we did an amazing job given the time it took and distance everyone was away from each other during the practice period. Unfortunately we were eliminated, however it was a really fun experience. I got to meet tons of talented people from all over Canada.

As this is the “Brantford” issue, I’m going to ask some Brantford specific questions. How do you feel living in Brantford has affected your singing/style?

Living in Brantford hasn’t necessarily changed my vocal styles. There are a few places that host karaoke nights that I’ve taken advantage of a few times, however it’s not really something that I do too often.

What are some of the major differences between your home town and Brantford?

It’s hard trying to find somewhere that truly caters to vocalists. I’m originally from the Toronto area, and there are studios everywhere that you can rent out and record music in.

Toronto’s obviously a bigger city,

so it wouldn’t necessarily be fair to compare the two, however there are definitely a limited amount of opportunities for vocalists in Brantford.

Who are some other artists in Brantford that you’ve worked with? How about people from Brantford that you would like to work with in the future?

I actually haven’t worked with anyone from Brantford, as I’m very shy when it comes to my vocals. I haven’t ventured out in search of any vocalists in Brantford so there isn’t a particular artist that I’ve thought about working with in Brantford. If I do find any, it would definitely be cool to meet them and work on something together!

Is there anywhere that people can check out your work?

I used to run a Youtube channel, however as the rush of university came, I haven’t posted anything in awhile. I do have some covers on my instagram @ChantelleDesiree, however other than that, I usually sing in person, and not so much online anymore. I would love to open up a new channel to do some covers on in the future when things slow down but as for now, I’m on a little break to focus on school.

Chatting with the Starving Artist Shelby Do Staff Writer

The Starving Artist Gallery Cafe Jamaal Owusu-Ansah/The Sputnik

In September of 2015, former Sputnik staff Chandler Berardi and Meghan Gauvin, interviewed the owner of the Starving Artist Gallery Café, Christina Hajiioannou, about opening up her business last year, right in the heart of downtown Brantford.

Having been open less than a year, it’s heartwarming to see people coming in and enjoying what the Starving Artist has to offer. When asked about how her business has changed and developed in the last year, Hajiioannou was very

enthused about how regulars of the café have now become friends of her’s and the other staff.

She went on to explain, “We’ve developed a really nice community, but I find that, now that’s it’s after Christmas, we’re actually getting different people coming in. So, now we’re getting brand new faces that have never come in before, which is amazing because we can hopefully create a little community with them as well.”

With her business, Hajiioannou not only brings great food (grilled cheese!), but more artistic culture to Brantford as well. Having previously lived in Toronto, Hajiioannou was very involved in the art scene, “When I came to Brantford, I really felt like a lacking of that [art]. I felt a little bit empty because I wasn’t in touch with

that culture, and the dynamics of a big city. So, I just always had it in my head that I wanted to open up something in Brantford.”

The Starving Artist gives home to all sorts of artists. Musicians in need of a venue to play in can perform for crowds with smiles on their faces and crêpes in their stomachs, like Chris Strei and Cory Mercer, whose played a show covered in the Sputnik back in January.

For photographers and visual artists of all kinds, space can be rented out on the walls, with all proceeds for sales going directly to the artist. Not only does this promote local talent, but it also means the Starving Artist’s walls are constantly changing. Every time you step in, there will be something new. There are sometimes even events where aspiring artists, or

people who just enjoy painting for fun, can go and take part in an art class.

With new businesses opening up frequently around town, Brantford is constantly changing. Businesses like the Starving Artist consistently bring new ideas, products and culture to the city of Brantford, so it’s important to embraces these changes, and allow any artistic culture Brantford has to develop and expand.

Want to write ARTS? Email arts@thesputnik.ca for details.

THE SPUTNIK

WEDNESDAY MARCH 9, 2016

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ARTS & CULTURE MATTHEW BURLEY| ARTS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS

For the love of Brantford: Art by Dave McCreary Mia Vamos-Yuhasz Contributor

Above: Dave McCreary, editorial cartoonist for Brant News.

Below: Southside of Colborne Street cartoon courtesy of Dave McCreary Mia Vamos-Yuhasz/ The Sputnik

Every week for six years, Dave McCreary has been using his artistic talents to chronicle Brantford’s newsiest antics.

McCreary is the editorial cartoonist for Brant News. Every Tuesday night he submits a timely and humorous look at the goingson of the city.

McCreary’s connection to cartooning has been lifelong.

“Even when I was a kid I was into editorials, because my dad had all of the editorial cartoon books.

Like Duncan Macpherson, he was the guy in the 70s and 80s. I would always be looking through those,” he said.

“I love the drawing style, the old school cross hatching lines and ink work. Then I saw an opportunity to do that at university, so I just jumped right in.”

McCreary began submitting editorials to the school paper at the University of Western Ontario in his freshman year, and continued until he graduated from teacher’s college five years later.

McCreary’s cartoons have always been humorous. In Brantford, he’s found that his satirical perspective is both poking fun at and showing an appreciation for the once downand-out city that he grew up in.

“Growing up in early 80s Brantford, no one had a job, everything was going out of business. There was just nothing going on,” he said.

But when he moved back to Brantford to start a teaching job at Pauline Johnson Collegiate & Vocational School, he found a very different Brantford than the one of his youth.

“It was picking up,” he said. This

new city ended up being a spark of inspiration for his art.

“I hadn’t been doing any art for ages, and then I just started doodling and scribbling, and I did a series of 52 Brantford drawings in a year, so one a week,” he said.

These drawings ended up being his Bunkford project, which was later displayed at the Brantford Arts Block when it was still on Dalhousie Street.

“I just stumbled onto the Brantford theme, and then I decided to stick with it. I kept going back to it for ideas. I find that’s the hardest thing, finding something to make art about. I want to just sit down and do the physical act of drawing, but you need that spark, that one little thing to hang your ideas on. You come up with that one thing and you just take off in however many directions and styles.”

McCreary’s newest art project is a superhero mythology series for Alexander Graham Bell, all done on large pieces of folded paper. He’s experimenting with different inks and a loose, fun style.

“I like this a bit better because you’re still thinking while you’re drawing, you’re still making stuff up and making changes. It’s a bit more exciting that way,” he said.

He has a popular digital project on the go too, in which he’s created neighbourhood crests for Brantford. He has them all on a poster now.

Brantford has also inspired McCreary to create a series of fictional portraits of the citizens of Brantferd, a “paralleled universe” to the city he lives in. This project has allowed him to explore a more artistic and technical style of drawing.

McCreary hopes to finish the Brantferd project by next winter, then have an art show and get all the portraits into a book.

McCreary has already published three books of art, all from his editorial cartoons. The first two were yearly collections that showed the beginning and end stage of his popular drawings.

The third book, which was released last winter and called The Big Book of Brantford, was a collection of his most popular work from the past five years. He was able to organize these pages into topical categories, like the South side of Colborne Street, local politicians, boundary issues, the Brantford logo, and weather jokes, just to name a few.

Whenever McCreary is struggling for an idea, he can always do a weather joke.

“I’ll have a week and I’ll think I’ve just captured this, some local political thing, and I’ll think it’s my best one of the year. I’ll post it on Facebook, and maybe eight people will like it. Then I’ll do one about the weather, and I get 100 shares,” he said.

With 491 shares, his most popular cartoon to date is one about Dairee Delite. His recent commentary about Earl Haig Family Fun Park has also been a hit, with 444 shares.

Any weird Brantford crime stories end up being popular, too.

McCreary is currently teaching video production and graphic design at Brantford Collegiate Institute, his alma mater. He teaches alongside his wife, Danielle Curtis.

Ninth annual chili cook-off warms biggest crowd yet Matthew Burley Art & Culture Editor Bowl and spoon in hand, over 2,200 attendees celebrated the ninth annual Chili Willy CookOff and Free Skate on Feb. 28.

Seventeen teams served a variety of chili, raising $7,800 for free programming in Harmony Square.

Witteveen wanted to crush last year’s record of 1,500 bowls by selling 2,500 bowls at the event.

Although this goal was not reached, the cook-off surpassed last year’s sales by serving a total of 1,602 bowls of chili.

Brantford Community Events Co-ordinator Jennifer Middleton was not discouraged by not reaching the 2,500 bowls. “Two thousand and sixteen was the best year yet! We sold the most amount of bowls this year, and it’s all thanks to the teams that participated,”

stated Middleton. “The numbers continue to grow each year, and we will reach that goal.”

Middleton hopes to have 20 to 25 teams participate next year.

The cook-off was all in good fun, however, there was some friendly competition amongst the chili chefs. The awards up for grabs were the mayor’s choice award, the kick-back award, the best display award, the love of chili award and the coveted people’s choice award.

The Works reigned supreme after taking both the mayor’s choice and the people’s choice awards. Strodes BBQ & Deli took home the kick back award, the Brantford Firefighters Association won the best display and Riverview Terrace walked away with the love of chili award.

The Works manager Charlie Sarault said they’ve done well in past cook-offs because they

go with what people want. The Works served a Canadian maple bacon chili concocted by chef Brad Sennema.

Goo, of Goo’s Take Out, was excited to be a part of the event for the fourth time. Goo said his game is good and he loves “every bit of competing against people who make chili for a living.” Goo took home the kick-back award two out of the past four years and was gunning for the people’s choice award. Wanting to enter the contest on a good note, Goo brought 160 litres of two different kinds of chili: a spicy Sriracha chili and a chocolate chili.

Aside from competition, the cook-off gives chefs the opportunity to get creative with their dishes. The ingredients in the chilis ranged, however, many integrated bacon into their recipes.

Witteveen said he thought Strodes

From left to right: Michelle Giffin, Brian Witteveen (winner of kick-back award) and Goo Matthew Burley/ The Sputnik

Express would have an advantage, as their recipe calls for “pig belly; real bacon.” Strodes Express had a few other tricks up their sleeves; they added a “secret sweetness” into their chili that Witteveen felt would bring home the win.

The day had more to offer than just chili. Piano Man John Moorhouse performed classic covers and the skating rink in the square was also open for the public, which many took advantage of.

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THE SPUTNIK

WEDNESDAY MARCH 9, 2016

SPORTS

DEVON MOMY-GAMACHE | SPORTS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS

Delays and changes announced for new YMCA Jessa Braun Staff Writer Laurier Brantford’s new YMCA Athletic Complex that originally set out to be a five-year project now might take up a total of seven years to complete.

The project recently hit various site delays and archaeological and budgeting complications, therefore causing the end date for the project to now be sometime in late 2017 or early 2018.

“When I first toured Laurier they said they were going to have it done

by September 2016,” disappointed third-year Kayla Babcock said, “but clearly that’s not going to happen.”

Similar to Babcock, many older students are disgruntled by the facility’s delay. With the project set to be done possibly over two years from now, many of them will never get the chance to use it like they were once promised.

“It just sucks that we’re paying for it in our tuition and we’re never going to be able to use it,” Babcock said.

The production of the project

was delayed when archaeological artifacts from Indigenous and settler communities of the 1800s were recovered on the site’s building grounds. Four hundred thousand artifacts were recovered, including coins featuring Sir Isaac Brock and pottery shards from the Late Woodlands peoples.

“At first, when they found the artifacts it was exciting and interesting because it was cool and our school was in the news and everyone was excited but then it just dragged on,” Babcock said.

The archaeological issues also caused budgeting pressures, which rose from $58.4 million to $66 million. Overloading the facility’s design also contributed to the rising costs. This caused time to be put into making cuts to certain features. However, most elements were sure to be kept the same.

“We’ve prioritized preservation of the key features and elements that allow us to deliver programs,” said Beth Gurney, Laurier Brantford’s Associate Director of Communications and Public

Affairs.

The size of the facility, 118,000 square feet, remains the same from the plans developed in 2011. It also continues to hold the core features, including cardio and weight areas for individual fitness, a large gymnasium, large multi-purpose studios, multi-purpose spaces for fitness classes and programming, teaching spaces for community education and a swimming pool that will be used for fitness, teaching and leisure.

Gurney notes that two major elements, the running track and the occupied roof, have been removed from the plans. The roof was going to be used as an outdoor gathering place that pedestrians would have access to.

“Both were costly and when potential areas for savings were examined, it was determined that the design would need to be adjusted accordingly,” she said.

“While this process was not easy, we have been able to preserve both the core program elements and the esthetic view from Colborne

YMCA site Christina Manocchio/The Sputnik

Street.”

Fortunately, the causes of delay in the project are slowing down and all the golden hawks have to do is continue patiently waiting it out.

“It’s unfortunate that there are some delays, but we can’t help that,” said Maddy Lorkovic, Laurier’s Hawk Desk Coordinator.

“It would’ve been nice to have the facility in our time but it will be

something for us to come back and check out in the future. It will be an amazing facility for those first and second years and even future students who will have the opportunity to use it.”

Golden Hawks’ season ends Brantford’s main in playoff defeat attractions Devon Momy-Gamache Sports Editor The season has come to an end for Laurier’s varsity sports teams, with the last teams playing eliminated in the playoffs. After reaching the second round of the playoffs, Laurier’s women’s hockey team ran into the best team in the CIS. Both basketball teams reached the playoffs as the 11 seeds and faced stiff competition in the first round.

Women’s Hockey For the second season in a row, the Golden Hawks fell short in the OUA semi-finals against the number one seed. An overtime goal from Kaitlin Lowy gave Guelph the 2-1 win in game two to end the series. Laurier lost both games 2-1 after scoring the first goal in both games but was unable to hold the lead.

Amanda Smith played a key role in net limiting the OUA’s highest scoring offence. The junior took over to end the season starting seven of Laurier’s last 10 games to end the season. Although she only started to end the season, Smith finished third in goals against average with a 1.46 GAA, she also finished fourth in save percentage with an SV% of .948.

Laurier did find success in their opening round series against the University of Toronto, the fourthranked team in the CIS. After losing their first game 3-2 in overtime, Laurier won games two and three in overtime. Five minutes into

overtime of game two, senior Jessica Hurell scored the winner to extend the series and her career. In the third and deciding game with the scored tied at one, junior Dollee Meigs scored in the third overtime period to help Laurier advance.

Laurier will be losing their leading scorer Hurell, who finished the season with 20 points. The team will be returning three of their top five scorers, including freshman Madison MacCulloch.

Also returning will be Smith in net, along with Lauren Webber who started 16 games in her freshman season.

Women’s Basketball An opening round match-up against divisional rival Windsor proved too much for Laurier to overcome in the first round of the playoffs. An 82-76 loss was their third of the season to their rivals.

The game was expected to be close after Laurier lost the two regular season games by a total of eight points.

Windsor, winners of the last five OUA championships, proved to have the slight edge in the game.

Laurier was playing strong from the start, building a lead at both the end of the first quarter and halftime.

Laurier was leading 70-69, with eight minutes to play before their lack of defensive rebounding would prove to be costly. Windsor was able to collect 17 offensive rebounds for 18-second chance points compared to nine for Laurier.

Windsor was also able to dominate in the paint with 36 points compared to 22 for the Golden Hawks. Laurier managed to have four players score 14 points in the game, but only collected nine points from the rest of their roster.

Laurier will be returning most of their roster with only Courtney Bruce graduating. Nicole Morrison will be returning for her fourth season leading Laurier in scoring averaging 15.6 per game, the sixth-best in the OUA. Leading rebounder, 7.4 per game Heather Payne will be returning as well for her fifth season, her rebounding will be needed after the struggles Laurier had on the glass against Windsor.

Men’s Basketball Laurier struggled in the second half of their season as they only were able to manage two wins in their final nine games. Their struggles continued when they traveled to Brock as they lost 9880. Although Laurier finished sixth in scoring their struggles to shoot efficiently, 38 per cent of field goals for the season (twelfth of 17 teams in OUA), cost them against Brock.

The team went 24-66 (36.4 per cent) on field goals and were worse from beyond the arc going 8-30 on three’s.

In a match-up of elite scorers, Brock’s Dani Elgadi was able to score a game high 29, while Laurier’s Will Coulthard was only able to net 14. Johneil Simpson and Ryan Bennett were able to score 21 and 20 respectively for Brock as Laurier was not able to shut down the Brock offence.

After 16 years, including 15 straight playoff appearances, Head Coach Peter Campbell will be retiring, forcing Laurier to find a replacement. Fortunately, the entire roster will be returning next season except for Coulthard, their leading scorer.

Jessa Braun Staff Writer As a small city and with a population of just over 90,000, Brantford should be proud to call themselves the home of the Brantford 99ers hockey team and the Brantford Red Sox baseball team.

The 99ers play at the Junior B level and take part in the mid-western conference of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL), their home ice being at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre. Founded in 2013 and currently in their third season, the 99ers are working their way up from the ground up.

The team is currently in the middle of a first round playoffs battle against the Kitchener Dutchmen. Things are looking grim for the 99ers, as the Dutchmen came out of the regular season seven spots ahead the 99ers in the standings and in first place of the mid-western conference.

But despite the tough playoff battle, the 99ers have produced a lot of individual accomplishments this season. Forward Kyle Walker, defenseman Brandon Scanlin and goaltender Will Rawski were chosen as Second Team All-Stars at the GOJHL Midwestern Conference Awards Banquet. The three of them were also selected to take part in the GOJHL Top Prospects Game.

The Hamilton Bulldogs took on Scanlin and forward Isaac

Nurse in their 2015 OHL draft.

The Kitchener Rangers drafted defenseman Nicholas Durajlija and the Flint Firebirds drafted forward Jack Fibbs.

The Brantford Red Sox are a minor league baseball team that compete in the semi-pro Intercounty Baseball League.

Their home turf is at the Arnold Anderson Stadium. The team was founded in 1911 and they’ve won 15 championships since then, their most recent one being in 2013.

The Red Sox are currently in their off-season but have already started the countdown to their home opener on May 14. The team ended their last season in game five to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the bestout-of-seven quarterfinals series, four games to one.

The team will remain very similar to last season except for one trade they made with the Kitchener Panthers. While Terrell Alliman will be heading to Kitchener, IBL allstar Rick Murray will be joining the Brantford squad.

According to coaches, Murray will bring quality at-bats, stability and an ability to play defense in three positions: third base, first base and catcher.

Murray also helped lead Kitchener to the IBL championship last season. In the regular season of 31 games, he hit .328 with three home runs, eight doubles, 23 RBI, 28 runs scored and walked a record for the team of 22 times.

The team is upset to see a “gamechanging” player like Terrell go, but they’re confident he’ll be treated well by his hometown team.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 9, 2016

THE SPUTNIK

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SPORTS Brantford’s contribution to the CFL Laurier preparing DEVON MOMY-GAMACHE| SPORTS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS

Adam Stocker Staff Writer There is no question Wayne Gretzky is the most famous athlete to ever come from Brantford, and maybe even Canada. But Gretzky is not the only exceptional athlete to hail from this city. It is time you become acquainted with Mike Filer, one of the most prominent professional athletes to hail from Brantford.

Filer is entering his fifth CFL season, all with the nearby Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The 2016 season will mark Filer’s third as the team’s starting centre. Last season, Filer was honoured as the team’s nominee for most outstanding lineman at the annual CFL awards.

Before the end of the 2015 season, Filer signed an extension with the Tiger-Cats that will keep him in Hamilton until at least 2018.

Filer was born and raised in Brantford and attended Brantford Collegiate Institute, starring on the football team’s offensive line.

Mount Allison University took notice of Filer and recruited him to

play football at the Sackville, New Brunswick-based school. After four years at Mount Allison, Filer was named as an offensive lineman on Mount Allison’s all-time team.

At the 2012 CFL Draft, Filer was selected in the fifth round and 31st overall by the Calgary Stampeders.

Filer’s stint in Calgary would be short-lived. Filer survived the first two rounds of training camp cuts, but he would ultimately be released at the end of training camp as one of the team’s final cuts. The Stampeders hoped Filer would go back to Mount Allison to play out his final year of eligibility and resign with the team after the CIS season concluded.

But before Filer could return to Mount Allison, the Hamilton TigerCats signed him to a contract. Filer slowly worked his way up the depth chart. Filer saw little action in both the 2012 and 2013 seasons, dressing only to fulfill CFL requirements that force each team to dress a certain amount of Canadian players.

The 2013 season saw the TigerCats advance to the Grey Cup only to get blown out in the championship game. Following the season, the Ticats’ starting centre, Marwan Hage, was selected in the expansion draft by the Ottawa RedBlacks. The door was now opened for Filer.

Filer entered the 2014 season, as the Tiger-Cats starting centre.

Although Filer, struggled at times during his first year of starting with snaps and blocking, the TigerCats advanced to their second straight Grey Cup. Again the TigerCats fell short in their chase for a championship.

The 2015 season was a breakthrough for Filer. He emerged as one of the CFL’s premier centres.

However, injuries to Hamilton derailed their hopes of a third straight Grey Cup appearance.

Filer’s strong play earned him a contract extension with the club that hopes to end its 17 year Grey Cup drought.

Filer is not the only active athlete from Brantford. New Jersey Devils’ centre Adam Henrique was born in the city and attended Assumption.

Henrique has played in 330 NHL games recording 191 points. Aaron Carpenter plays hooker for the Canadian National Rugby team and professionally in England. Thirtythree-year-old Carpenter earned his first international appearance in 2005 and has since appeared 71 times for the national team including the 2007, 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups.

to host Challenge Cup

Devon Momy-Gamache Sports Editor Laurier Brantford’s women’s extramural hockey team will be hosting the OCCCR Challenge Cup this season as a showcase event including the province’s top teams.

The tournament will be held on March 10 and 11.

Laurier has played in three tournaments this season, and also hosted a regular season tournament on Feb. 5 in which they finished a season-best sixth place. The team struggled in their consolation final, but as the fourth game of the day, the team appeared fatigued. With the tournament being held over two days at the Gretzky Centre, the team’s depth will not be tested as much allowing the stars to play more.

The team improved on their tie for seventh in their first tournament of the season while playing at home which is a positive sign for future improvement.

Laurier will continue to lean on

the play of Shannen Head who led the team with four goals in four games when Laurier hosted their tournament. The leadership of Captain Samantha Keen will also be crucial as the team faces the challenge of playing elite teams. In goal will most likely be Madison Scott, who had a 2-1 record while playing on home ice earlier this year.

Laurier will be playing host to three teams that won multiple tournaments this season. The University of Toronto Scarborough, Fanshawe College and St. Lawrence College-Cornwall all won two tournaments during the season.

Also participating will be Mohawk, Fleming, Sault and Georgian, which are ranked four through seven in the OCCCR rankings. Laurier ranked fourteenth after the season, but with a first-year coach in David Crumpton who is admittedly still learning to maximize his roster, the team has a chance to improve on past results.

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THE SPUTNIK

WEDNESDAY MARCH 9, 2016

OPINION

JOSH ADESINA | OPINION@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS

Slam poo-etry Tristan Wright Staff Writer

This article has been a long time coming. Slam poetry has had it coming for a long time too. This mongrel half-breed of an art form is entirely disgusting. It combines the best of rap and the best of poetry

and winds up with neither. Not as beautiful as Yeats or Shakespeare and not possessing good flow like rap. It serves no purpose. If you want to spit like Nicki Minaj, then spit like Nicki. Poetry is best when it is read silently and analyzed with the words often having several layers of meaning, which you cannot possibly decipher without the text in front of you. Putting any effort into your slam poem is a waste because I can’t analyze it in the one time you say it on stage. I

Loving small campus life

Lauren Macfarlane Staff Writer When looking at schools to apply to there are a lot of things to take into consideration, and I believe that Brantford did the best job at securing me. Even though the location might not seem the safest, I have never found myself in trouble with the locals. Perhaps you’re looking into universities?

Here are some reasons why I believe Brantford is your best bet.

The small size makes life easier.

You are not running around the campus to try and get to classes on time because everything is within a five-minute walk. You get to know your professors (if that is what you want) because the biggest classes you’ll have are usually 250 students, and the big ones are usually only the mandatory classes. You take multiple classes with the same professor and you get to know them personally, and professionally. This helps you improve your work because you know what they want, and it allows

you to discuss personal things with someone who has experience.

A big university can make you feel small but Laurier Brantford feels cozy. This could be because you’re likely to run into the same people more often. On the other hand, once you make a few friends even the largest campus begins to feel like home. You will make friends and realize they might be in a couple of your classes on a smaller campus, and this can help you find a study buddy.

I personally picked Laurier Brantford over the Waterloo campus because of all of these things. I have made relationships with professors and other students that I will remember for the rest of my life because of being able to have the chance to interact so closely with them. The professors care about your grades, but they also care about you and how you are doing, I have spoken to professors when I am struggling either with school work or just the adjustments, and they are here to listen and talk. They actually care. I have also received advice from my professors that will help me with my future endeavours; something that I probably would not have received at a larger campus.

swear it is the soy in our diet and the estrogen producing chemicals in our water that could lead anybody to producing and accepting such art forms.

I bravely navigated the quagmire of a society made up of lesser lifeforms (the slam poetry scene). I found through anecdotal evidence that it is made up entirely of hipsters and radical feminists complaining about how “hard” their lives are.

Now here’s the actual problem, I don’t know if slam poetry is

inherently awful – like France- or if it is just the people that happen to like slam poetry that are awful. I suppose it doesn’t matter because either way I have visibly shuddered at the crudeness of poetry, along with rap’s inability to properly accommodate these upper-middle class mixtures of narcissistic and overly theatrical personality disorders. All these poetry slams and university societies do is advertise just how utterly easy their lives are and how little they have of

value to say.

Instead of wasting your time on this new painfully millennial medium, I implore you to try and rap. I implore you to join some actual poetry, perhaps you should have come to the event at our public library on March 5. As my grandfather once said, “Anything that hasn’t been around for at least 60 years isn’t worth pursuing.”

Taking a look at free tuition and Brantford Ricky Pacheo Staff Writer Premier Kathleen Wynne has announced grants that will cover tuition costs for post-secondary students coming from middle to low income families. It had not dawned on me that I supported Premier Wynne until realizing this is the second article I’ve written supporting her policy change. Yes, it seems Canada is making a return to a former glory that has not been recognized since Chretien was in office. However, despite any polarizing feelings towards the new policy, it is important to understand how it will affect Brantford.

There are some major factors that should be taken into consideration.

These include changes in population demographics, availability of jobs and the willingness of people to learn. Even if someone is getting a university education for free are they going to want to spend it in Brantford? As it stands the unemployment rate in Brantford is at six percent. This has been reflecting a downwards trend in the past years but it’s not possible to tell whether free tuition will help or hinder this figure.

For one, most research indicates people with post-secondary education generally earn more.

Free education can encourage low income families in Brantford to enroll at Laurier Brantford Sai Gnanaharan/ The Sputnik

However, Tom Lindsay, from Forbes would argue a different point. In his view, the university experience is obsolete. Four years of class work is absurd and ridiculous. Liberal education is important, but the quality of education has become so diluted that most of what we are learning in university should have been taught in high school. On the other hand, free education might act like a relief on some economic strains.

Most countries will look to Germany for the standard of economic benefits associated to offering free tuition. After all, less student debt means more money in our pocket which means we’re free to blow it elsewhere. In my opinion, our little town will be better off.

With a family average income of thirty-three thousand a year, a lot of Brantford students may now have a chance in an area they otherwise might not have. Can you imagine if Wayne Gretzky never played hockey because his parents could not afford the athletic fees? The only people in trouble are going to be those who’ve piggy backed off their parent’s success. With more people coming to school we can expect a higher degree of competition. Now the “good” jobs might actually go to the people who deserve them as opposed to the people who can afford them.